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Friday 22 February 2019 | 17 Jumada II 1440 www.thepeninsula.qa Volume 23 | Number 7810 | 2 Riyals

Deputy Amir honours Malaysian Ambassador Amir receives Qatar-Oman trade message from witnesses strong Amir of Kuwait QNA /DOHA

Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin momentum Hamad Al Thani received yesterday a written message SACHIN KUMAR of Commerce and Industry, from the Amir of the State of THE PENINSULA Qatar Development Bank and Kuwait, H H Sheikh Sabah in coordination with Oman Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, The trade between Qatar and Chamber of Commerce and pertaining to the deep Oman has surged by over 100 Industry had organised a four- fraternal relations between percent in the first nine months day long ‘Made in Qatar’ Exhi- both countries and means of of last year, demonstrating that bition in December last year. further enhancing and the ties between the two friendly The exhibition saw a great boosting them, in addition countries have reached new turnout as a number of visitors, to a number of issues of heights. especially from Omani busi- common interest. The non-oil exports from nessmen, who toured the Prime Minister Interior Oman to Qatar surged to Omani pavilions of the participating Minister H E Sheikh Riyal (RO)283.6m at the end of companies and met with their Abdullah bin Nasser bin September 2018, from Qatari business counterparts. Khalifa Al Thani received RO129.9m at the end of Sep- On the sidelines of the exhi- the message during a tember 2017, reflecting a rise of bition, many agreements were meeting today with the 118 percent, according to the signed between Qatari and Ambassador of the State of data of Oman’s National Centre Omani companies to establish Kuwait to Qatar, Hafeez for Statistics and Information. joint Qatari-Omani ventures in Mohammed Al Ajmi. `P2 Similarly, exports from both countries. Qatar to Oman also grew by 440 The exhibition was aimed to percent to RO246.8m during promote the relations between January to September period last the business sectors in both Ministry of Culture year compared to RO45.7m in countries, increase trade holds series of events the same duration in 2017. exchange, present available Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani met with Malaysian Ambassador to Qatar, Ahmed The sharp rise in the trade investment opportunities and to Fadhel bin Shamseddin, on the occasion of the end of his tenure in the country. H H the Deputy Amir on Kuwait National between the two brotherly work together to establish trade granted the outgoing Ambassador the Decoration of Al Wajbah in recognition of his role in enhancing Day celebrations countries is a result to several alliances and joint projects in bilateral relations, wishing him success in his future assignments and further progress and prosperity for relations between the two countries. The Ambassador extended thanks and appreciation to H H measures taken to deepen the both countries. QNA/KUWAIT bilateral relations. Qatar Chamber had the Deputy Amir and the State’s officials for the cooperation he received. Qatar Chamber has taken organised a visit to Muscat in The Ministry of Culture and Sports many steps to encourage alli- June 2017, in cooperation with has launched a series of events in ances and commercial partner- Oman Chamber of Commerce the Murouj area in Kuwait, as part ships between Qatari and Omani and Industry (OCCI) and had Azerbaijan’s sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar’s activities to businessmen. more than 140 Qatari busi- participate in Kuwait’s celebration Over 500 Qatari-Omani nessmen. It resulted in signing of its national holidays. companies operating in both agreements and Qatari and The events, organised and markets out of which 361 are Omani partnership contracts in open to raise investment in Qatar supervised by the Qatar Center operating in Qatar. various economic and trade for Cultural and Heritage Events, Qatar Chamber, the Ministry fields. SIDI MOHAMED investments in about 60 countries with Qatar News Agency, and we include six cultural, artistic and THE PENINSULA IN BAKU in the world, including Qatar. have signed a memorandum of sporting events celebrating The total investment by the cooperation to exchange infor- Kuwait’s national holidays and State Oil Fund of the Republic of fund globally stands at $40bn, mation between the agencies,” continuing until February 26. Trade between Azerbaijan is open to increase in he added. said Aslanov. The organizing committee Qatar and investment in Qatar. Investment He noted that the objective He was speaking during a said that these events are in the by the sovereign wealth fund of of the fund is to create a balance meeting with a group of main theatre. The activities of Oman sees Azerbaijan in Qatar currently in sources and not rely only on reporters from Qatari news- the educational sector are stands at around $10m. oil, as well as building projects papers who visited the agency attended by students from huge jump “Although the size of the and other important investments recently during a trip organised Qatar such as Al Aradha as well investment in Qatar is not large in real estate, companies, etc. by Azerbaijan embassy in Doha. as performances and marine Increase in non-oil exports from it is important, it is about $10m. Aslan Aslanov, Chairman of The visit also provided arts under the supervision of Oman to Qatar in Jan-Sept 2018 Once we find investment oppor- the Board of Azerbaijan State reporters an opportunity to visit the music centre, in addition to 118% tunities in Qatar, we will invest, News Agency (AZERTAC) and Azerbaijan Press Council, State special theatre performances Value of non-oil exports from although Qatar is a competitor also President of the Organi- Oil Fund of the Republic of for children under the super- RO283.6m Oman to Qatar in Jan-Sept 2018 in terms of investment,” sation of Asia-Pacific News Azerbaijan and a number of vision of the theatre affairs Shahmar Movsumov, Executive Agencies (OANA) said that the tourism centres in the country. centre. `P3 RO129.9m Value of non-oil exports from Director of the Fund told The Qatari media has developed sig- “The Azerbaijani agency has Oman to Qatar in Jan-Sept 2017 Peninsula. nificantly and has become a correspondents in 21 countries Giving an overview of the global leader. It has a great and publishes news in eight lan- Qatar Airways Rise in exports from Qatar to Azerbaijani oil sector he said the influence in the world because guages, including Arabic and has 440% Oman in Jan-Sept 2018 first oil shipment was exported of its credibility, excellence and a special section in Arabic to apologises for to Russia in 1876. freedom. publish the topics related to the The fund has made “We have a good relation Arab and Islamic countries. `P2 flight delay

QNA/DOHA Qatar Airways apologised for Jewellery brands trace their journey to acclaim at DJWE Forum the delay to flight QR1409 from Doha to Lagos yesterday, which RAYNALD C RIVERA The forum kicked off with an presenting her brand whose presented some of her creations touched on the process of cre- was diverted to Khartoum due THE PENINSULA interesting presentation of name is deeply rooted in her including the special piece ating her collections and her to a technical issue. Tarang Arora, creative director origin and reflects her country ‘Together for 10 Million’ she experience bringing her brand In a press statement, it said Local and international jewellery and CEO of globally renowned and culture. designed to mark Education to Doha. “there was a Qatar Airways air- and watches brands and Indian jewellery house Amrapali, “In creating the brand Above All’s (EAA) reaching out Fourth generation jeweller craft standing ready in connoisseurs captivated the on the brand’s journey “From Hairaat, I did not want to attach to 10 million out-of-school Dima Nawbar, who follows a Khartoum to fly QR1324 to audience as they shared their Jaipur to the World” in which he it to my name, which is usually children. The piece in the form long line of jewellers of Nawbar Doha. This aircraft was re- knowledge and expertise in traced the origin of the brand’s done by designers, instead I a brooch which can be worn in family, highlighted the begin- routed as QR1409 and has con- highly engaging sessions at the name and its humble beginnings chose something that reflects my four different ways was spec- nings of her family in the tinued on to Lagos where pas- second edition of DJWE Forum as well as its rise to global origin. The name ‘Hairaat’ is tacular and inspirational industry abd introduced some of sengers will arrive at 19:50, a at Marriott Marquis City Center renown, now worn by Bollywood derived from a term used in tra- embodying EAA’s mission of the stunning collections of delay of only 3 hours 50 Doha yesterday. and Hollywood celebrities. ditional pearl diving industry providing a better future to vul- L’atelier Nawbar. minutes. As a result of the re- The one-day forum which One of the interesting ses- which refers to the seabed nerable children. Gemology at Tiffany & Co, routing, flight QR1324 from formed as a major side event of sions was on “Emerging Jew- oysters that carry pearls and Iraqi designer and gemol- Watches and their Nicknames Khartoum to Doha has been this year’s Doha Jewellery and ellery Designers” featuring Nada where our great grandfather ogist Rima Al Sultan, who is the by Artcurial, The World cancelled. All passengers are Watches Exhibition (DJWE) Al Sulaiti of Hairaat, Rima Al would go for expeditions,” founder and creative director at Diamond Museum and Carl being assisted while the tech- gathered acclaimed brands and Sultan of Rima Mardan and Dima explained Al Sulaiti. Rima Mardan, spoke about her Suchy & Sohne-The Unique nical issue is resolved. Qatar experts as well as emerging Nawbar of L’atelier Nawbar. Al Sulaiti, who had won passion in bringing Middle Story of the Most Important Airways apologises for any designers sharing their inspiring Award-winning young several regional and interna- Eastern jewellery styles in a Watch Brand of the Austrian inconvenience caused by the journey in the world of high jew- Qatari designer Nada Al Sulaiti tional competitions prior to simple and modern way to the Empire were among the other delay and the flight ellery and horology. captivated the audience establishing her brand, also US where she was born. She also sessions at the forum. cancellation.” 02 HOME FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019

OFFICIAL NEWS Amir receives message from Amir of Kuwait Qatar attends Muscat Amir condoles with International Book Fair Bangladesh President and Prime Minister QNA House. MUSCAT The Qatari pavilion presents DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh a wide range of literary, historical, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani The 24th edition of Muscat Inter- cultural and intellectual publica- and Deputy Amir H H Sheikh national Book Fair kicked off, with tions, as well as the Ministry’s Abdullah bin Hamad Al the participation of 882 publishers periodicals and the publications Thani sent yesterday cables participate in the fair this year, of the Qatari publishing houses. of condolences to the from 30 countries including 523,000 titles are being dis- President of the People’s Qatar. played and posted on the website, Republic of Bangladesh, The participation of Qatar’s of which 35% are new releases, Mohammad Abdul Hamid, Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Fair management said, adding and Bangladesh Prime a number of Qatari publishing that there will be also 106 cultural Minister Sheikh Hasina houses comes within the events this year compared to 64 Wajed, on the victims of framework of the Ministry’s events held last year, 22 of which the residential building keenness on exchanging experi- will be on the Governorate of Al fire in the capital Dhaka, ences between the Doha Interna- Buraimi. wishing the injured a speedy tional Book Fair and Muscat Inter- It added there will be 3 spe- Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received a written message from Kuwait Amir H H Sheikh recovery. Prime Minister and national Book Fair. cialized seminars dealing with Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah pertaining to the deep fraternal relations between both countries Interior Minister H E Sheikh The pavilion of Libraries three historical figures that con- Abdullah bin Nasser bin and means of further enhancing and boosting them, in addition to a number of issues of common Department at the Ministry of tributed to human civilization, Khalifa Al Thani also sent a interest. Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani Culture and Sports represents the and there will be also a specialized cable of condolences to the received the message during a meeting yesterday with the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to State of Qatar in the Fair, in coop- seminar entitled “Oman in the Prime Minister. QNA the State of Qatar, Hafeez bin Mohammed Al Ajmi. eration with Lusail Publishing Arab and Foreign Writings”.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs reviews ties with Ambassadors of Kuwait, Oman and Romania

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H E Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi met yesterday with the Ambassador of the State of Kuwait, Hafeez bin Mohammed Al Ajmi, and the Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman to the State of Qatar, Najib bin Yahya Al Balushi. During the meeting, they discussed relations and ways of boosting them, as well as matters of common concern. The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs also met with the Ambassador of Romania to the State of Qatar, Dr Cristian Tudor, whose country holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. During the meeting, bilateral relations and ways of boosting them were discussed, as well as matters of common concern. CNA-Q launches Azerbaijan’s sovereign wealth fund Tuesday Market open to raise investment in Qatar FROM PAGE 1 THE PENINSULA Vice-President - Student Affairs. The Section also provides the DOHA “Events such as this demonstrate public with news about that CNA-Q students are not Azerbaijan and its Islamic history The main courtyard of College only ready for the workforce, and publishes about 100 daily of the North Atlantic-Qatar but also have a strong entrepre- articles,” he added. (CNA-Q) was transformed into neurial streak as well.” On its media’s position on the a bustling marketplace this Since its inception in 2002, Gulf crisis, he commented, “We week, as dozens of students and CNA-Q has grown to offer 30 regret of the occurrence of staff hosted booths, selling diploma and certificate pro- problems between the Gulf everything from perfume to grams in applied, technical and states, and we hope that all the jewellery to food. occupationally-aligned fields. problems will be resolved It was the first in a series of It has graduated thousands between these countries.” Tuesday Markets, that will be of students who have infused On freedom of expression in held once a month to showcase Qatar’s industries and sectors Azerbaijan, Aslanov noted that the talents of the college with work-ready professionals. about 80 percent of the coun- community. This year marks the 17th year try’s population had access to “I was extremely impressed that CNA-Q has been providing Internet services and had full with the wide variety of goods experiential technical education freedom of expression and that for sale, and the diverse capa- in Qatar to support the State’s anyone could criticise the Gov- bilities of our students,” said strategic vision for human ernment whenever he wished. Aljazzi Fetais, Associate capital development. Aflaton Amasov, Chairman of Azerbaijan Press Council, explained the situation of the press in the country. He said “we enjoy full freedom of expression. There are many newspapers that Shahmar Movsumov, Executive criticise the performance of the Director of the State Oil Fund government and anyone can of the Republic of Azerbaijan, establish newspaper whenever with other officials at a press one wants”. meeting. RIGHT: A view of the On the relations with the Shaddaq resort. media in Qatar, he said that the Council has close relations with the Aljazeera and goes to 10 places in Azerbaijan which years back. attract thousands of tourists “We want to strengthen the every year. relationship with the Arab and Among these is Gusar city, Islamic press and to be stronger which is one of the most beau- than it is. Azerbaijan has rela- tiful towns of Azerbaijan, and tions with the East spanning located on the river of Kusarchai tourism and many tourists come Azerbaijan. Shahdag is one the 1,000 years,” he added. at the foot of the Large Caucasus. every year with their families highest mountains in Caucasus He said that the current The city is located at the distance and the prices of family housing mountain range, which is 4,243 cooperation focuses on many of 183km from Baku. for apartments is from $20 to metres and located in Qusar dis- important issues that combine The Peninsula met the Gov- $60 per day depending on the trict of Azerbaijan. these countries such as the Pal- ernor of the city, who gave a type of housing. Azerbaijan and Qatar estab- estine issue, the war on terrorism brief description of the city, and Close to the city of Gusar is lished diplomatic relations in and other in order to give the said that it has a population of Shahdag Mountain Resort which 1994, and in 2019 both countries right image of these issues. 120,000 and more than 200,000 is situated on the lap of one of are set to celebrate 25th anni- The visit also includes some tourists visited it last year. The the most beautiful natural sites versary of their diplomatic People visit the Tuesday Market at CNA-Q. of most beautiful cities and city depends on agriculture and in The Caucasus Mountains of relations. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 HOME 03 Shura Council Speaker attends meet on emerging challenges to multilateralism QNA The Speaker of the the Permanent Mission of the NEW YORK Shura Council also State of Qatar to the United Nations in New York with A parliamentary hearing entitled held a meeting Ambassadors and delegates of “Emerging Challenges to Multi- with Ambassadors 16 non-member countries of the lateralism: A Parliamentary and delegates of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Response” was held here 16 non-member on the sidelines of the parlia- yesterday, in which Shura mentary hearing which began Council Speaker H E Ahmed bin countries of the Inter- yesterday at United Nations Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Parliamentary Union Headquarters. participated along his accompa- (IPU) on the sidelines During the meeting, the nying delegation. of the parliamentary Speaker of the Shura Council The two-day hearing, being called on ambassadors and del- held at UN Headquarters, hearing which began egates from the IPU non- addresses the new challenges yesterday at UN member countries to participate facing the international com- Headquarters. with their countries in the munity and national govern- meeting of the 140th session of ments in achieving “collective the General Assembly of the action as one global governance” Inter-Parliamentary Union to be in tackling newly emerging chal- importance to multilateral col- held in the State of Qatar next lenges, such as recent challenges lective action through the UN as April. The Speaker noted the including climate change, an effective means rather than importance of this session and migrants, refugees, sustainable individual, bilateral and regional the issues and topics that will be Shura Council Speaker H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud with the President of the IPU, development, nuclear disar- procedures. discussed which have a positive Gabriela Cuevas Barron, at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the mament and others. It was attended by the Per- impact on the international par- United Nations in New York, yesterday. The hearing session also manent Representative of the liamentary community. aims at raising awareness among State of Qatar to the United The Speaker stressed that the serve the peoples and nations of New York, on the sidelines of the of the Parliamentary Hearing parliamentarians of the impor- Nations, Ambassador H E broad presence of both the IPU the world. Parliamentary Hearing session. session. tance of multilateralism in Sheikha Alya Ahmed bint Saif Al member States and non-member Meanwhile, the Speaker of During the meeting, they dis- They also discussed the addressing global issues and Thani, and a number of members States will contribute to enrich met with the President of the cussed parliamentary relations preparations of the Shura global phenomena and calling of the Shura Council. constructive discussions and dia- IPU, Gabriela Cuevas Barron, at between the State of Qatar and Council to host the 140th IPU for activating the role of parlia- The Speaker of the Shura logues during the meetings of the the headquarters of the Per- the IPU and ways of enhancing General Assembly meetings and ments and parliamentarians in Council also held yesterday a 140th IPU session, thus pro- manent Mission of the State of them in addition to the most related meetings, to be held in urging their governments to give meeting at the headquarters of ducing results and decisions that Qatar to the United Nations in important topics on the agenda Doha from April 6 to 10, 2019. Bangladesh Embassy observes Mother Language Day

THE PENINSULA DOHA

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Doha, observed the ‘Shaheed Dibosh and International Mother Language Day’ yesterday with due solemnity. The programme started with hoisting of the National Flag at half-mast by Ambassador Ashud Ahmed at the Embassy Premises at 9am in presence of Embassy officials and a number of Bang- ladeshi expatriates living in Qatar. Following the flag hoisting, one minute was passed in solemn silence as a mark of profound respect to the mem- ories of the 1952 Language Movement Martyrs of Bang- ladesh. Special prayer was Ambassador Ashud Ahmed holding ‘Hatekhori’ (first lesson on offered for the salvation of the Bangla alphabet) for the children of Bangladeshi expatriates at departed souls of all martyrs, Father of the Nation Banga- the Embassy premises. bandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members who Affairs of Bangladesh were read International Mother Language spirit led to the independence of imprisonment of Bangladeshi Bangla alphabet) for the children were martyred in 1975. out as a means to highlight the Day was screened. Bangladesh. He also recalled the expatriates in Qatar for drug of Bangladeshi expatriates in More than 200 dignitaries significance of the day as well as Ambassador Ashud Ahmed, immense contributions of the related charges and urged all to order to inspire the children to attended the flag-hoisting cer- to disseminate the important in his speech, recalled the great Father of the Nation Banga- create awareness about the rules keep learning Bangla language emony and discussion session messages from the national sacrifices of the language bandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and regulation of Qatar among while in abroad. A total of 15 that followed. The messages leaders on the occasion of the martyrs of Bangladesh and men- during the 1952 language the Bangladesh expatriate children took their first lesson on given on the significance of the Shaheed Dibosh & International tioned that the 1952 Language movement. Taking the oppor- community. Bangla Alphabet from Ambas- day by the President, the Prime Mother Language Day. Movement was the most decisive tunity of huge gathering of com- Embassy of Bangladesh, sador Ashud Ahmed at the event. Minister, the Foreign Minister A video documentary on episode and a turning point in munity leaders, the Ambassador Doha also organised an event All children were presented with and the State Minister for Foreign Shaheed Dibosh and the history of Bangladesh as its underlined key challenges like called ‘Hatekhori’ (first lesson on certificates and gifts. DJWE 2019 dazzles with big District Cooling Services dept conducts field tour names in jewellery industry THE PENINSULA successful use of treated waste- DOHA water directly or through the system of purification of treated RAYNALD C RIVERA the industry - the diamond The Department of District water. The use of district cooling THE PENINSULA provenance. We are the first Cooling Services at Qatar Elec- system is smart and sustainable established international luxury tricity and Water Authority solutions because of its environ- On its 16th edition, Doha jewellery to be able to do that (Kahramaa) conducted a field tour mental and economic benefits for Jewellery and Watches Exhi- and this means we can actually to the Qatar Cool Power Plant in the country and society, as reduce bition (DJWE) dazzles with big tell you which country a par- the West Bay and Al Dafna area, consumption of electricity by 30 names in the luxury jewellery ticular stone came from,” he as part of its mission to monitor - 40 percent. So it is more efficient industry taking part for the first explained. and regulate the district cooling compared to traditional cooling time including famous New From transparency point of services in the country. as well it provides with potable York-based brand Tiffany & Co. view, he said diamond prove- The Director of the water by switching to the use of “We are very excited to be nance disclosure is vital, and that Department and the engineers in treated water or any alternative here showing the full high jew- more and more clients wanted charge of followed up and oper- sources available and reduce ellery collection of our brand for to know this kind of ation of the plants, which have a carbon dioxide emissions as the first time. We believe this is information. cooling capacity of 97,500 tonnes decrease natural gas a great opportunity, and our The provenance of Tiffany’s of cooling, and follow up to the consumption. clients here have been waiting diamonds, the brand’s heritage for us to come as well. We know and its 180-year history and the from our discussions with them journey it has taken to cement Ministry of Culture holds series of events that they are very keen to have its strong presence in the luxury Tiffany available for them here market was the subject of the on Kuwait National Day celebrations in the market,” Joe Nahhas, Vice talk of Tiffany’s chief gemologist FROM PAGE 1 President Middle East & Africa Joe Nahhas (right), Vice-President Middle East and Africa at Tiffany Melvyn Kirtley yesterday at the shows and various plays. at Tiffany & Co. told The and Co, with a model wearing the stunning waterfall necklace second edition of DJWE Forum, Qatari events also include poetry The Qatari participation Peninsula. from the Blue Book jewelllery collection. PIC: SALIM MATRAMKOT/ to which Nahhas attaches great events, in addition to poetry and includes Al-Bida’a which offers Commenting on the Qatari THE PENINSULA importance. literary evenings and Rababa as traditional maritime crafts, Al market, Nahhas said, “I think the “I think the forum is very well as competitions for popular Nokhatha, the popular cafe, and clients here are very sophisti- Tiffany has really made an effort over 180 years as well as being good. As well as having a fair for puzzles. The events offer camel Al Damah competition which saw cated clientele whereof the value to bring unique and stunning the first established international the brands to showcase their col- shows and riding instruction as a large public interest in the pre- of the diamonds that we offer pieces such as a 50-carat inter- luxury jewellery to commit to lections, I think it’s a good oppor- well as a tug of war. vious Qatari participation in the and the other precious stones nally flawless diamond ring and diamond provenance tunity to be able to have a dis- In order to expand Qatari par- celebrations. These events are that we have and I think appre- a beautiful waterfall necklace disclosure. cussion about the significance of ticipation to include activities accompanied by another partic- ciate the jewellery of high value from the Blue Book jewelllery “We recently announced the jewellery market, the aimed directly at children, the ipation by Qatar in the Gulf tradi- and the heritage that we bring.” collection. that we will be able to tell you diamond provenance and all the performances of the Qatari tional heritage festival held at In response to the demand He stressed Tiffany’s strong where the diamonds come various elements in jewellery puppet theatre team of the theatre Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad heritage of the sophisticate Qatari market, heritage and legacy spanning from, which is really unique in design,” he said. affairs centre will present puppet village. 04 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 Risk of Israeli-Palestinian war looms large: UN envoy

AP “Unfortunately, unilateral measures, continuing UNITED NATIONS violence, financial pressures and the lack of progress towards peace are exacting a heavy The prospect of peace between toll on Palestinian society and undermining the Israel and the Palestinians is fading by the day as violence and foundations of peace,” Mladenov said. radicalism grow - and “the risk of war continues to loom large,” and the international community on Palestinian society and the UN Mideast envoy warned. must be committed to support undermining the foundations of Nikolay Mladenov also told Israelis and Palestinians to reach peace,” Mladenov said. the UN Security Council that a a peace deal based on UN resolu- He said Hamas’ continuing negotiated two-state solution is tions and bilateral agreements. control of Gaza, severe restric- drifting further away. “What is He said the international tions on movement imposed by needed, first and foremost, is the community must also under- Israel, “and the Palestinian necessary leadership and political stand “that the weaker party - Authority’s restrictive measures will for change,” he said. the Palestinian people who have are pushing the situation to a “Until that will can be found, lived under occupation for more breaking point.” “The militant Palestinians and Israelis will con- than 50 years - need our support build-up continues as the risk of Tractors and trucks remove the rubble from buildings that were heavily damaged during battles tinue to slide into increasingly more than ever.” “Unfortunately, ever more radical and extremist between rebel fighters and regime forces, in the former opposition held district of Salaheddin in the hazardous territory.” Mladenov unilateral measures, continuing groups pushing both sides into stressed that leaders must violence, financial pressures and war grows by the day,” the U.N. northern Syrian city of Aleppo, yesterday. believe peace is possible through the lack of progress towards envoy warned. negotiations - and that leaders peace are exacting a heavy toll He said that with prospects of reconciliation between the 10 dead as blast hits bus carrying Palestinian factions dimming, Hamas chief refuses to meet Norway people in Gaza “feel more and more left to their own devices - special envoy for Mideast peace with no representation, no relief oil workers in eastern Syria and no way out.” ANATOLIA/GAZA CITY Last month, Mladenov out- REUTERS area under the control of the Syria’s largest oil fields. lined steps to support stability AMMAN Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Video on social media pur- Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has refused to for the Palestinian Authority Forces (SDF) that are backed by portedly showed bodies lying on meet with Tor Wennesland, Norway’s special envoy for the Middle including expanded trade oppor- At least 10 people were killed Washington. the ground following the attack. East peace process, a well-informed political source said. tunities, addressing financial and a number were wounded It was not known who A source in the area said at least Wennesland had asked to meet Sinwar during his recent trip issues, increasing services for its yesterday when a bomb blast hit carried out the attack. It came two SDF fighters were among to the Palestinian territories, the source, who spoke anonymously people. These must be matched a minibus carrying workers as the SDF presses on with those killed. due to restrictions on talking to media, said. by Israel, he said, including ending employed in a major oil instal- efforts to retake the last small Residents say attacks have On Tuesday, Wennesland met with Palestinian Prime Min- its policy of settlement con- lation in eastern Syria run by a area of territory held in Syria by increased in recent months in ister Rami Al Hamdallah at the latter’s office in the occupied West struction and expansion and cre- US-backed Kurdish group, resi- Islamic State. SDF-controlled areas. The group Bank city of Ramallah, the Palestinian government’s adminis- ating opportunities for Palestinian dents of the area said. Activists with relatives in has a swathe of territory in trative capital. Sinwar’s office, meanwhile, has so far refrained development in Area C in the West The incident took place near the area said many of the young northeast Syria on the border from commenting on the source’s assertions. Bank, which is under exclusive the town of Al Shahil in the men in the blown-up minibus with Turkey, down the Sinwar has met several times in the past with Wennesland. Israeli control and home to southeast of oil-rich Deir Al Zor had come from work in the Euphrates River towards the dozens of Israeli settlements. province that borders Iraq, in an nearby al-Omar field, one of border with Iraq. Hezbollah hits back at US criticism of its role in Lebanon Germany concerned over Egypt executions ANATOLIA/BERLIN

REUTERS backed by Iran and listed as a every threat and aggression” enemy, in 2006. Germany will call on Egypt to suspend death penalty and stop execu- BEIRUT terrorist organisation by and was biased towards “the Its regional clout has tions, a senior diplomat said yesterday. “We are very concerned Washington. terrorist entity” — a reference expanded through deployments about the increase in death sentences and executions in Egypt,” the Hezbollah hit back against US “The negative American to Israel. of fighters to other Mideast con- senior diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. “We condemnation of its role in position on Hezbollah, and Hezbollah controls three of flicts, including the war in neigh- call on Egypt to immediately suspend the death penalty and stop Lebanon yesterday, calling it a which American ambassadors the 30 ministries in Prime Min- bouring Syria, where it has the executions,” he stressed. “violation of sovereignty”, after are eager to repeat after meeting ister Saad Al Hariri’s new fought in support of President He underlined that the government will continue talks with the United States expressed any official in Lebanon, is cabinet, the largest number it has Bashar Al Assad. Egyptian authorities and convey Berlin’s expectations for suspending concern over the organisation’s rejected and condemned,” Hez- ever held. They include the Together with groups and death penalty and putting an end to executions. “The German gov- expanding influence. bollah’s lawmakers said in a Health Ministry, which has the individuals that see its arsenal ernment will continue to raise this issue in talks with the Egyptian After meeting Lebanon’s statement. fourth-largest budget in the as an asset to Lebanon, Hez- government. We are also in permanent contact with international prime minister on Tuesday, the They said US stance “vio- state. bollah won more than 70 of the human rights organizations,” he said. The execution of nine young US ambassador said the United lates national sovereignty and Set up in 1982 by Iran’s 128 seats in parliament in an people in Egypt on Wednesday caused an international uproar, with States was worried about the ignores a legitimate right in Revolutionary Guards, Hez- election last year. Hariri, who is Amnesty International saying that these men were convicted after “growing role” in the cabinet of international law — the right bollah last fought a major backed by the West, lost more “grossly unfair trials” marred by torture allegations. Hezbollah, an armed Shia group to self defence and to resist war with Israel, its lifelong than a third of his MPs. Activists held as Sudan police disperse march Iran announces AFP/KHARTOUM Sudanese security agents yesterday arrested several opposition 3-day navy drill leaders and activists as hundreds of anti-government protesters trying to march on the presidential palace were dispersed with tear from today gas, witnesses said. Demonstrators chanting “freedom, peace, justice” AFP reached downtown Khartoum but were confronted by riot police, TEHRAN witnesses said, adding that several dissidents were detained by plainclothes security agents. Rabah Al Mahdi from the main oppo- Iran is to launch a three-day sition National Umma Party said that at least 26 campaigners and annual navy drill from today in opposition leaders had been arrested. a vast area of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean including a sensitive global shipping route, Measles leave over 900 dead in Madagascar state TV reported yesterday. “The drill will be held in the AP/JOHANNESBURG waters of Strait of Hormuz, Makran coast, Oman Sea and the The World Health Organization says that an epidemic of measles north of the Indian Ocean, cov- in Madagascar has caused more than 900 deaths. According to WHO ering 2 million square kilometres figures, there have been more than 68,000 cases of the disease in and going on for three days,” said which 553 deaths were confirmed and another 373 suspected from Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, measles since the outbreak began in September. The epidemic is Iran’s navy commander. blamed on a low immunization rate for measles across the island The exercise aims to nation over a period of many years, according to WHO spokesman evaluate the navy’s equipment, Tarik Jasarevic. The vaccination rate is estimated to be less than 60 practice launching weapons Long march for more jobs percent, according to figures from WHO and UNICEF figures, he and “enable the troops to gain said. Madagascar has launched a nationwide campaign to try to People walk during a march from the city of Aqaba south of the capital, demanding more employment readiness for a real battle,” he bring the outbreak under control, through mass vaccination added. The strait at the mouth opportunities, on the highway near Amman, Jordan, yesterday. campaigns and surveillance. of the Gulf is crucial to global energy supplies, with about a third of the world’s seaborne At least 59 ‘bandits’ killed in NW Nigeria oil passing through it every day. Two shot dead in robbery at SA school The show of military might AFP /KANO, NIGERIA comes at a time of heightened AFP officers responded to the wounded in the attack. tensions with Iran’s main JOHANNESBURG unfolding emergency in minutes. The head of Edenvale High At least 59 “bandits” were killed by a civilian defence force when regional rival Saudi Arabia and “When they (police) arrived School Larry Harmer said he they attacked a village in northwest Nigeria, security officials and with Washington, which last Two suspected robbers were the suspects were on their way watched on the security camera locals said. “We killed 59 of the bandits and we lost seven men in year withdrew from the 2015 killed in a shootout with police out, the shooting started and as the robbers forced their way the fight, which lasted for almost four hours,” Bube Shehu, a resident nuclear deal with Iran and during a break-in at a Johan- that’s when the police returned into the school when a parent of Danjibga village, said of the clashes on Wednesday. reimposed sanctions on the nesburg high school as students fire,” police spokesman Kay came to collect his child. It was Local reports said the death toll could be even higher, after a Islamic Republic. The Strait of prepared to sit exams yesterday, Makhubela told reporters outside too late to lock them out. local government official said 15 other bandits were killed in the Hormuz is an international officials said. A gang of robbers the school. “Two suspects were “They jumped through the nearby village of Danmarke. Shehu’s account was backed by a mil- transit route where American stormed the school, intimidated shot and killed,” he said adding window with their AK-47s and itary officer in the state but there was no immediate corroboration forces routinely pass and which office staff and demanded access that another was injured, two pistols and then traumatised the from police. The worsening security situation in the northwest — has seen tense encounters to the safe before making off others arrested while an unknown front staff and office staff, and President Muhammadu Buhari’s strongest regional support base — between them and Iranian with 8,000 rands ($572). number fled in two vehicles. demanded the safe,” said is one of a number of challenges to his re-election, as voters go to forces in the past. Police and private security No staff or students were Harmer. the polls tomorrow. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 ISLAM 05

They were enjoined only to worship God, sincere in their faith in Him alone — and of upright religion — and to establish the Salat (prayer) and the Zakah. Such is the upright religion. (Holy Quran 98:5) Beneficiaries he Holy Quran classifies the due recipients of Zakah under What is Zakah the following eight categories. “Zakah is for the poor, and the needy and those who are employed to administer and akah is one of the five pillars of Zakah is a compulsory payment and is neither Tcollect it, and the new converts, and for those who are in Islam and is a duty performed on bondage, and in debt and service of the cause of God, and for the a regular basis. Zakah is not an charity nor a tax. Zakah provides us with the wayfarers, a duty ordained by God, and God is the All-Knowing, option it is a compulsory act for all the Wise”. (Quran 9:60) Muslims. It is a contribution paid opportunity of sharing our excess wealth with Zakah can only be distributed to any of the eight eligible ben- Zonce a year on savings of two and a half eficiaries that are mentioned in the Quran in Surah (chapter) percent. This giving is to “cleanse” your those less fortunate than ourselves. In fact we Taubah:60. However, priority should be given to the poor and needy. money and possessions from excessive desire and our wealth belong to Allah. He is the real Where there is no central authority to administer Zakah, it can be for them or greed. The idea is, that by giving paid directly to the needy. this money you learn not to place too much owner and we are merely the trustees of His importance on material wealth (cash and 1. THE POOR (FAQIR/FUQARA) possessions). wealth. We do our duty as trustees if we pay Those without any means of livelihood and material Zakah is a compulsory payment and is possessions. neither charity nor a tax. Zakah as an obligatory part of Ibadah (worship). It is expected from every Muslim indi- 2. THE NEEDY (MISKEEN) vidual. It is paid on the net balance after a Those without sufficient means of livelihood to meet their basic Muslim has spent on basic necessities, necessities. For instance, those who, although may have a job, a family expenses, due credits, donations and to the compulsory payment of Zakah, include: cattle, crops, gold, silver, and mer- house and a car, but whose income is below the minimum taxes. Muslims are encouraged in the Quran to chandise for business. Zakah must be paid requirement. Zakah provides us with the opportunity make voluntary contributions to help the on cash deposits held in bank accounts. of sharing our excess wealth with those less poor and needy, and for other social welfare Any personal items from which one 3. THE ADMINISTRATORS OF ZAKAH (AMIL) fortunate than ourselves. In fact we and our purposes. This voluntary contribution is cannot derive wealth, e.g. cars, utensils, food, Those appointed to manage and administer Zakah. This cat- wealth belong to Allah. He is the real owner called Sadaqah (Charity). clothing, shelter, furniture and which are not egory is sub-divided into the following categories: Group of people and we are merely the trustees of His wealth. Through the payment of Zakah, the rich to be used for trade, are not included in the who go out to the society and determine those who fall Fuqara and We do our duty as trustees if we pay Zakah share their wealth with the poor and thus calculation of Zakah. Miskeen categories. as an obligatory part of Ibadah (worship). the process of concentration of wealth is One must not only have the minimum Those who collect the Zakah money. Islam is a complete code of life which checked and fair distribution ensured. amount of nisab but it must have been in The accountant of the Zakah money. includes among other things, the economic To pay the Zakah, one must be a Muslim, one’s possession for one whole year. A lot of The administrator, manager, clerical worker or secretary who side of life. sane adult, in possession of the nisab (the people choose Ramadan as the month in puts the files in order. Islam has its own economic principles. minimum amount of wealth that one must which they pay their Zakah; both to Those who handle Zakah distributions. Zakah is one of the basic principles of have before Zakah is payable) for one whole remember it, and also because the reward The auditor who audits overall Zakah management and the Islamic economy, based on social welfare year. for good deeds done in this blessed month administration. and fair distribution of wealth. In addition Items from which wealth can be derived is multiplied. 4. THE SYMPATHISERS (MUALLAFATUL QULUB) Those whose hearts are inclined towards or have accepted Islam.

5. TO FREE SLAVES (RIQAB) Zakah can also be used to free slaves or captives.

6. THOSE WHO ARE IN DEBT (GHARIMIN) Zakah can be used to pay off the debts of a person who has bor- rowed to pay for basic necessities so that he/she can lead a normal life. Zakah can also be distributed to those in financial difficulties e.g. bankruptcy due to the loss of employment and heavy debt.

7. FOR THE CAUSE OF GOD (FISABILLILLAH) Zakah can be used to finance any form of struggle or work for the love of God. The following examples fall under this category, e.g. Da’wah; building and developing society’s infrastructure; defending Muslims, who are being oppressed; assisting poor trav- ellers and sponsoring a student’s educational expenses.

8. THOSE WHO ARE STRANDED DURING A JOURNEY (IBNUS SABIL) Zakah can also be used to help a traveler facing difficulties in continuing his journey due to reasons such as loss of money or the break down of his vehicles, the repair of which he cannot afford. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “If someone gives as charity so much as the equivalent of a single date from honest earnings - and God accepts only what is honest - God takes it in the Right Hand, then makes it increase for the one responsible, just as one of you raises foal, until it becomes as big as a mountain.

The Prophet on Zakah The importance of Zakah “Narrated by Abu Dhar: Once I went to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and he said, “By Allah in Whose akah has a deep humanitarian and around their necks on the Day of Arising. Hands my life is, by Allah, except Whom none has social-political value. This religious (3:180) Zakah need only be paid on act prevents the hoarding of wealth Purifying those assets that exceed a minimum value. the right to be worshipped, whoever had camels or and advocates solidarity with This minimum value is calculated based cows or sheep and did not pay their Zakah, those Z humanity because excessive wealth is dis- on the market price of 85 grammes of gold animals will be brought on the Day of Resurrection tributed amongst the poor. the wealth or 595 grammes of pure silver. This far bigger and fatter than before and they will tread The paying of Zakah also helps purify minimum value is termed Nisab. The him under their hooves, and will butt him with their one’s soul and encourages a person to have he word Zakah means ‘purity’ Islamic Fiqh and Research Councils, as well gratitude towards God’s bounties. or ‘to purify’ and it represents as majority of Ulama recommend that gold horns, and those animals will come in circle. When Zakah is mentioned along with Salat Tcharity. All Muslims who are be used as the basis for the calculation of the last does its turn, the first will start again, and (prayer) in 30 verses of the Quran. It was first wealthy enough, must perform this nisab. this punishment will go on till Allah has finished the revealed in chapter 73:20 “.... and establish charity in order to purify their Bukhari and Muslim relate on the judgments amongst the people.” regular prayers and give regular charity; and wealth in the eyes of Allah. In other authority of Ibn Abbas that the Messenger loan to God beautiful loan. And whatever words, Allah blesses us with wealth; of God sent Mu’adh to the Yemen he told (Sahih Bukhari, Chapter 24,539) good ye send forth for your souls, ye shall him, “You are going to a people who have a find it in God’s presence, Yea, better and it is therefore our duty to give some Scripture, so call them to testify that there is of this back to those most needy, “Narrated by Abu Huraira: The Prophet (PBUH) said, greater in reward and seek ye the grace of no deity but God, and that I am the Messenger God: for Godis oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” which purifies the rest of our of God. If they respond to this, then teach “Every day two angels come down from Heaven and In another verse, God declares that those who wealth. them that God has imposed five Salats upon one of them says, ‘O Allah! Compensate every person pay Zakah, are included within the Muslim As one of the five pillars of Islam, them in every day. If they respond to this, who spends in Your Cause,’ and the other angel says, ‘O society. “But even so, if they repent, establish it is an obligation upon all believing then teach them that God has imposed upon Allah! Destroy every miser.” regular prayers, and practice regular charity, Muslims. them a charity to be taken from the wealthy they are your brethren in Faith: (thus) do We amongst them and given to their poor. If they (Sahih Bukhari, Chapter 24,522) explain the Signs in detail, for those who respond to this, then beware of taking any understand.” (9:11) on the Day when that (wealth) will be heated more of their wealth! Beware also of the Narrated by Jarir bin Abdullah: I gave the pledge of Allah says in the Quran: “They were in hellfire, and their foreheads and their sides prayer of the oppressed, for there is no veil allegiance to the Prophet (PBUH) for offering prayer enjoined only to worship God, sincere in and their backs branded therewith: “This is between such a prayer and God.” Then he their faith in Him alone - and of upright the treasure which you laid up for yourselves! recited the verse: “Let not those who are perfectly, giving Zakah and giving good advice to every religion - and to establish the Salat and Taste, then, your hoarded treasure!” miserly with what God has given them of His Muslim. the Zakah. Such is the upright religion, (9:34-35). bounty think that this is good for them. (Sahih Bukhari, Chapter 24, 484) (98:5) “Let not those who are miserly with what Rather, it is bad for them. That which they “Those who lay up treasures of gold and God has given them of His bounty think that withhold shall be hung around their necks silver and spend them not in the way of God; this is good for them. Rather, it is bad for on the Day of Arising.” (3:180) give them the news of a painful punishment, them. That which they withhold shall be hung Sources: islamonline & onislam.net 06 ASIA FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 Fire guts ancient part of Dhaka, leaving 81 dead

AP The fire in Dhaka’s morgue, this is a very difficult sit- DHAKA Chawkbazar area was uation,” he said. Another control room A devastating fire raced through mostly under control official, Russel Shikder, said 81 densely packed buildings in a after more than 10 bodies had been recovered. centuries-old district in Bangla- hours of frantic fire The fire services director, desh’s capital, killing at least 81 fighting efforts. About Maj. AKM Shakil Newaz, said people, officials and witnesses many were taken to Dhaka said yesterday. 50 people were Medical College Hospital. Ambu- The fire in Dhaka’s Chawk- injured, with some lances were arriving carrying bazar area was mostly under critically burned. bodies, and relatives were control after more than 10 hours mourning in front of the morgue. of frantic fire fighting efforts. First responders were About 50 people were injured, hand and they leaped onto the delayed in reaching the site in with some critically burned. street before the shop was part because nearby roads were The district dating to the engulfed in flames. closed for national holiday com- Mughal era 400 years ago is Outside the gutted store, the memorations yesterday. Just Flames and smoke rise from a building after a fire broke out in an old part of the Bangladeshi capital crammed with buildings sepa- road was strewn with charred after midnight as the fire blazed, Dhaka, yesterday. rated by narrow alleys, with res- vehicles, pieces of still-burning Bangladesh’s prime minister and idences commonly above shops, metal and plastics and hundreds president laid wreaths at a mon- buildings under regulations and said. “They are not really abiding critically injured people were restaurants or warehouses on the of cans of body deodorant. ument less than 1.3km away to remove chemical warehouses by the government’s rules.” being treated in his unit. ground floors. Denizens of the The blaze started late on commemorate protesters who from the residential buildings. In 2012, a fire raced through Witnesses told local TV sta- Muslim-majority nation throng Wednesday night in one building died in a 1952 demonstration for A government eviction drive a garment factory on the outskirts tions that many gas cylinders to Chawkbazar each year for tra- and quickly spread to others, fire the right to speak Bengali, the in Chawkbazar and other areas of Dhaka, killing at least 112 stored in the buildings continued ditional goods to celebrate Iftar, department Director General local language. of Old Dhaka was met with pro- people trapped behind its locked to explode one after another. when the daily fast is broken Brigadier General Ali Ahmed said. Fire officials said the road tests last May right before Eid, gates. Less than six months later, They said the fire also set off during Ramadan. Many of the victims were closures worsened traffic, the beginning of Ramadan, by another building housing garment explosions in fuel tanks of some “I was talking to a customer, trapped inside the buildings, said slowing down some of the fire business owners and residents. factories collapsed, killing more vehicles that were stuck in traffic suddenly he shouted at me, ‘Fire! Mahfuz Riben, a control room trucks rushing to the site. Dr. Md. Manjur Morshed, an than 1,100 people. in front of the destroyed buildings. Fire!’” said Javed Hossain, a sur- official for the Fire Service and Most buildings in Chawkbazar assistant professor of urban The death toll from the latest Some reports suggested vivor who came to assess the Civil Defence in Dhaka. are used both for residential and planning at Khulna University of fire could still rise because some many of the fatalities were damage to his grocery store “Our teams are working commercial purposes despite Engineering and Technology in of the injured people were in pedestrians, shoppers or diners Thursday afternoon. “I said ‘Oh, there but many of the recovered warnings of the potential for high Khulna, said government regu- critical condition, said Samanta Lal who died quickly as several gas Allah,’ in a fraction of a second bodies are beyond recognition. fatalities from fires after one killed lations are routinely flouted in Sen, head of a burn unit in the cylinders exploded, and the fire the fire caught my shop.” Our people are using body bags at least 123 people in 2010. Author- Chawkbazar. “This is a historic Dhaka Medical College Hospital. engulfed nearby buildings very Hossain’s brother took his to send them to the hospital ities had promised to bring the area with a distinct culture,” he Sen said at least nine of the quickly.

India decides to stop water SP-BSP alliance announces seat division for LS polls to Pakistan IANS (RLD) but now SP has given one Badaun and Firozabad in the 2014 Bansgaon, Lalganj, Ghosi, muscle,” he said and alleged that LUCKNOW more seat from its quota to Ajit Lok Sabha elections, retained Salempur, Jaunpur, Machlishahr, party candidates were being IANS Singh’s party. Mainpuri in a by-election and Bhadohi and Ghazipur. weakened by such decisions. BAGHPAT/NEW DELHI Over a month after announcing According to the list, the SP subsequently wrested Gorakhpur The three seats left for the He also predicted that had the an alliance for the upcoming Lok will contest from Kairana, and Phulpur from the Bharatiya RLD are Muzaffarnagar, Mathura party decided to go it alone, it Continuing its tough stance in the Sabha polls, the Samajwadi Party Moradabad, Rampur, Sambhal, Janata Party in by-polls. and Baghpat. Presently, it holds would yield better results. The SP wake of Pulwama terror attack, (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party Etah, Ghaziabad, Hathras, Firo- The BSP, which had won no the Kairana seat which it won in has more political muscle and India yesterday decided to stop (BSP) announced the allocation zabad, Mainpuri, Badaun, Bareilly, seat in 2014, will fight from Saha- a by-poll. presence hence the seat sharing its share of water from the three of seats to each partner yesterday. Pilibhit, Kheri, Hardoi, Unnao, ranpur, Bijnore, Nagina, Amroha, Meanwhile, SP founder baffles me, he added. Mulayam eastern rivers — the Beas, Ravi In a statement, SP President Lucknow, Etawah, Kannauj, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Gautam- Mulayam Singh Yadav said that also said that he had formed a SP and Sutlej — to Pakistan. Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Kanpur, Jhansi, Banda, Kau- budhnagar, Aligarh, Agra, the party he founded 27 years government thrice in the state due “Under the leadership of Mayawati announced that while shambi, Phulpur, Allahabad, Bara- Fatehpur Sikri, Aonla, Shahja- back had been given a raw deal. to the inner strength of the party (Prime Minister Narendra the SP will contest on 37 seats, banki, Faizabad, Bahraich, Gonda, hanpur, Dhaurhara, Sitapur, Addressing party workers, and the hard work of its workers. Modi), our government has the BSP will fight on 38. Amethi Ballia, Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Misrikh, Mohanlalganj, Sultanpur, the former Chief Minister ques- Mulayam, insiders say, was decided to stop our share of and Rae Bareli - the pocket bor- Kushinagar, Azamgarh, Chandauli, Pratapgarh, Farukkhabad, tioned the logic behind the seat particularly miffed as the SP got water which used to flow to oughs of the Gandhi family - Varanasi, Mirzapur and Rob- Akbarpur, Jalaun, Hamirpur, sharing and said that the SP just 37 seats though it had won Pakistan. We will divert water have been left for the Congress. ertsganj parliamentary seats. Fatehpur, Ambedkarnagar, Qais- should have got more seats than 5 seats in the 2014 parliamentary from eastern rivers and supply Two seats were initially allo- Out of these, the SP had won erganj, Shrawasti, Dumariyaganj, the BSP. elections while the BSP had it to our people in Jammu and cated to the Rashtriya Lok Dal Kannauj, Azamgarh, Mainpuri, Basti, Sant Kabeernagar, Deoria, “SP has more political drawn a blank. Kashmir and Punjab,” Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari said in a tweet. In another tweet, he said the As talks with govt construction of a dam had started at Shahpur-Kandi on Ravi river. Moreover, the Ujh project will store India’s share of water for use fail, farmers resume in Jammu and Kashmir and the balance water will flow from the second Ravi-Beas Link to provide 200km ‘long march’ water to other basin states. He said all the above projects were declared as the IANS Long March has resumed this National projects. MUMBAI morning,” said AIKS spokes- India’s decision comes on person P S Prasad. top of other actions like with- After an overnight halt at various AIKS President Ashok drawing Most Favoured Nation locations, Maharashtra farmers Dhawale yesterday vowed that status to Pakistan and slapping resumed their 200km ‘Kisan the march will continue until a 200 percent duty on all Long March-2’ from Nashik to “the government gives written imports from Pakistan in the Mumbai to protest against what assurances on its demands” and wake of the Pulwama suicide they termed a “betrayal” of the that this time the turnout of bombing that killed 40 CRPF peasantry by the BJP govern- farmers was around 50,000 — troopers and which was ments in the state and the Centre. much higher than last year. claimed by the Pakistan-based Organised by the CPI-M’s He claimed that the state Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). peasant wing All India Kisan government was putting Meanwhile, speaking at a Sabha (AIKS), the march has obstacles in the march and public meeting in Baghpat, attracted farmers from all over resorting to “repression” Gadkari said that after partition the state including many through the police against the India got three rivers but their women. The eight-day march peaceful procession. water were flowing to Pakistan. will end in Mumbai on February The decision for the march “... Water will be diverted to Navigating flooded street 27, coinciding with the budget was taken at the February 13 Yamuna. It means, there will be Commuters make their way through a flooded street after a heavy downpour in Amritsar, Punjab, session of the Legislature. farmers’ convention in Ahmed- more water in Yamuna,” he yesterday. February 20 was the fourth nagar. The organisers have said. death anniversary of Communist warned against any attempts to ideologue and writer Govind crush their peaceful march. Pansare and February 27 will mark Prasad added that police in the 88th anniversary of the mar- several towns and districts stopped Aung San Suu Kyi expected at UN next week tyrdom of revolutionary freedom or detained farmers from con- fighter Chandrashekhar Azad. tinuing the march without assigning REUTERS with that of UN Secretary- has banned the UN special rap- at the Conference on Disar- Alarmed by the develop- any reason. Cases were lodged GENEVA General Antonio Guterres, who porteur on human rights in mament in Geneva next ments, the Bharatiya Janata against AIKS office-bearers. will open the UN Human Rights Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, from Wednesday, but UN officials Party-Shiv Sena government’s The farmers’ demands Myanmar’s de facto leader Aung Council session on Monday, pre- coming to the country and Suu were not immediately able to Water Resources Minister Girish include immediate relief in view San Suu Kyi, who has been crit- senting the chance of a rare Kyi’s administration has opposed confirm any other details of her Mahajan rushed to Nashik on of the severe drought situation icised by the West over the meeting. raising the profile of the UN res- trip. Wednesday afternoon to pacify in the state, issues related to irri- government’s treatment of Suu Kyi is a former political ident coordinator in Myanmar. A UN mandated fact-finding the farmers and urge them to gation, land rights, full loan Rohingya Muslims and other prisoner who was awarded the She has largely shunned mission said that Myanmar’s call off the Long March. waiver, minimum support prices human rights concerns, is Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 but her travel to the West since the military carried out mass “There was a marathon at one-and-a-half times the total scheduled to speak at the United reputation has suffered badly in Rohingya crisis broke out in 2017 killings and gang rapes of meeting between the Minister production cost, a pro-farmer Nations in Geneva next week, a recent years. but she and senior officials in her Rohingya with “genocidal and the farmer leaders till crop insurance scheme, UN official said yesterday. Her government’s relations administration travel regularly intent” and called for generals 1.30am today, but there were no enhanced pension for elderly Her itinerary has not been with the United Nations are tense within Asia. to be prosecuted. Myanmar concrete assurances from the farmers as well as food and made public but it could coincide following the Rohingya crisis. It Suu Kyi is listed as a speaker rejected the findings. government side. Hence, the health security. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 ASIA 07 Tit-for-tat response to India worked out by Pakistan

INTERNEWS New Delhi has products to make inroads in ISLAMABAD imposed 200 percent Indian market under the so- duty on the Pakistani called MFN status.” The top authorities in the The worked out strategy, he Commerce Ministry of Pakistan products meaning said, by Commerce Ministry will have reportedly finalised 3-4 closure of exports to be pitched in the National point tit-for-tat strategy for India India. Pakistan has in Security Council meeting to be following its withdrawal of MFN turn decided to place for final approval. (most favoured nation) status And if the strategy gets and closure of bilateral trade in 90 Indian items in the implemented by NSC, India will the wake of the Pulwama negative list under be the biggest loser as the incident. which import from bilateral trade between the two New Delhi has imposed 200 India will immediately nuclear states stands at just percent duty on the Pakistani $2.183 billion out of which products meaning closure of be curtailed by imports from India are at $1.8 exports to India. Pakistan has in $500-600m. billion and exports from Pakistan turn decided to place 90 Indian are at $350m. items in the negative list under If Pakistan in response to which import from India will in Commerce Ministry purely on actions by New Delhi closes down Goods trucks are pictured at the border town of Chakothi in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, some immediately be curtailed by the withdrawal of MFN status the imports, India will be the loser 3km from Line of Control (LoC). $500-600m. and closure of bilateral trade by and more importantly Pakistan Pakistan may also ban Indian India. can also close down the import of next meeting of National Security closure of trade with Pakistan. of Indian vegetables and its items worth $600m being However, Pakistan will, he Indian goods from Karachi under Council if Pakistan can ban To a question, the official basmati rice. exported to Afghanistan under said, not raise the withdrawal of transit trade to Afghanistan. Indian cargo planes bound to said Pakistan has not been The Pakistani businessmen transit trade agreement. Pakistan MFN status in the platform of This will also inflict the loss Afghanistan keeping in view the importing vegetables from India have also made up their mind to can impose ban on Indian Word Trade Organisation (WTO) amounting to $600m. UN conventions. for the last three years because import the raw material and exports under transit trade in the as Pakistan has not extended the “Apart from it, Pakistan can The top official also said India of a virus found in the Indian cotton from other countries name of inspection of goods. same status to India. also create problems for direct has banned the import of cement tomatoes and other vegetables, instead of India and likewise Under the strategy, however, “It is India that had unilat- air freight cargo corridor estab- from Pakistan and last year the he said the ban on Indian Indians will also divert the trade Pakistan will not ban the import erally extended MFN status to lished between Kabul and New cement export to India stood at produce provided local farmers to other countries as no one can of cotton, raw material and some Pakistan, but numerous NTB Delhi and Kabul and Mumbai for $57m, and it was being estimated to earn more. risk one’s business amid esca- machinery which is vital for (non-tariff barriers) other than trade.” that the cement export will He also argued saying that lated tension and unpredictable industry, one of the top officials restrictive Indian tariff regime The official said that Aviation increase manifold, but jingoism Gulf and Middle East countries situation between the two said referring to the meeting held have never enabled Pakistan Authority will give its input in in India prevailed resulting in the have also placed ban on import countries.

Torrential rains leave 26 dead New Taliban political chief to miss upcoming peace talks in Pakistan REUTERS said Baradar would not be trav- from Pakistan and US intelligence Baradar would be attending. the withdrawal of foreign forces PESHAWAR, /KABUL elling, citing different reasons agencies. A co-founder of the The last round of talks ended in remain sticking points, while AGENCIES including problems obtaining movement, he was a close friend Qatar in January with both the Washington is also pushing the QUETTA Afghan Taliban leaders said travel documents as well dif- of the reclusive late Taliban hardline Islamist movement and US Taliban to talk to the Afghan yesterday that their new political ference among the leadership leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, special peace envoy Zalmay Kha- government. Torrential rains lashed several chief will not be attending peace over his precise role in the talks. who gave him his nom de guerre, lilzad hailing progress after a longer- The movement has so far cities in Pakistan yesterday, talks with US envoys due to take Baradar was released from “Baradar” or “brother”. than-expected six-day session. boycotted the government, saying triggering flash floods and place in Qatar next week. a Pakistani jail in October and “Actually Mullah Abdul Ghani US officials familiar with dis- it is a puppet of the United States leaving at least 26 dead across US officials had been keen to his appointment was widely seen Baradar wanted to go for talks cussions said they were hoping — a position that has alarmed the country, many swept away negotiate with Mullah Abdul as marking a new push by the and personally head the peace to get more details over fresh Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. by the waters or killed when Ghani Baradar, hoping the Tali- Taliban to emerge from the talks but due to a host of reasons, assurances from the Taliban that Another Taliban official said their roofs collapsed before ban’s co-founder and military political and diplomatic he would not be able to travel and they would not allow Afghanistan they were not expecting break- dawn, authorities said. veteran would add momentum shadows. participate in talks,” one leader to be used by groups such as Al throughs in the coming talks, The provincial Disaster and have the clout to discuss Baradar, who earlier led the said on condition of anonymity. Qaeda and Islamic State to attack adding that they also wanted to Management Authority said 14 tough issues surrounding the end insurgent group’s military oper- Taliban spokesman Sohail the United States and its allies — discuss the exchange of prisoners people, including children, were of America’s longest war. ations in southern Afghanistan, Shahin said earlier this week that a key demand by Washington. and lifting bans on the movement killed in the Khyber But senior Taliban leaders was arrested in 2010 by a team he was unable to say whether The timing of a ceasefire and of Taliban leaders. Pakhtunkhwa. Flash floods submerged vil- lages near the southwestern Duterte expands town of Lasbella, in Baluchistan Former Australian province, killing three people leave benefits there and affecting 200 families. Imran Zarqoon, a spokesman for FM Bishop retires for new mothers the provincial disaster authority said emergency workers were BLOOMBERG trying to rescue people from AFP deputy Liberal leader, a position MANILA flooded parts of Lasbella. SYDNEY she held for 11 years. She is the At least nine were killed in latest of several Liberal women Philippine President Rodrigo central Pakistan in three inci- Former Australian Foreign MPs to either retire or quit the Duterte has expanded leave dents of roofs collapsing amid Minister Julie Bishop announced party to become independents. benefits for working new the rains, four of them in the her retirement from politics Her standing in the party mothers, a move that could city of Multan, according to yesterday in a fresh blow to the suffered when right-wing pow- bring more women in the work- police and rescue services. conservative government erbrokers ousted moderate force in a nation with the least Every year, many cities and already struggling just months Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal female participation in towns in Pakistan struggle to ahead of general elections. leader and prime minister in Southeast Asia. cope with the annual monsoon Bishop, widely considered August. A new law has increased deluge, drawing criticism about the most popular politician in Bishop was one of three can- paid maternity leaves to 105 poor planning. An emergency the ruling Liberal Party of Prime didates to run for the leadership in days from 60, of which seven has been declared in Lasbela Minister Scott Morrison, stunned Turnbull’s place, but was snubbed can be given to fathers, Senator where at least three people were her parliamentary colleagues by party colleagues despite opinion Risa Hontiveros, one of the killed and 200 families affected with the decision not to re- polls showing her as the most measure’s main proponents, by flash floods which submerged contest her West Australian seat popular Liberal politician. said in a statement Thursday. nearby villages, Zarkoon said. in elections due by mid-May. “Thank you @JulieBishopMP Single mothers will get addi- In the district’s Pir Goth “I will leave this place, pos- for your service to our nation tional 15 days. area, 50 stranded people have itive about the future, proud of and our Party and, above all, Luring and keeping more been evacuated to safety. the service that I have been able your friendship over so many women in the job market is Deputy Commissioner to give to my electorate of years,” Bishop’s close ally among government initiatives Lasbela Shabir Ahmed Mengal Curtin, my beloved Liberal Turnbull tweeted soon after her outlined by Economic Planning said that all provincial depart- Party, the state of Western Aus- announcement. Secretary Ernesto Pernia to ments are on high alert to cope tralia and my country,” she said “You have been our finest boost labor force participation, with the heavy rainfall in the to standing applause from both Foreign Minister — eloquent, which dropped last year. The area. He added that operations sides of parliament. elegant and always courageous World Bank estimates more Former Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop (left) walks down are underway to rescue some Bishop was the first woman to advancing our national interest than half of Philippine women the stairs with Prime Minister Scott Morrison in the Parliament House 200 families trapped in a village serve as Australia’s foreign min- in these challenging times,” he aren’t in the labour force, the in the district. in Canberra, yesterday. ister, from 2013 to 2018, and as the said. highest ratio among major Southeast Asian economies. While the Philippines leads Asia in the number of women Vietnam tightens security at border station ahead of Kim visit in leadership and professional roles, many of them are from wealthy backgrounds and can REUTERS Hanoi, two sources with direct filming, and asked to see his tidied up. Kim Jong Un, however, afford expensive childcare, DONG DANG, VIETNAM knowledge of security and logistics identification. “We have been told to travels in his own heavy, according to McKinsey Global planning said yesterday. Two other security officers prepare for the possibility of an armoured train which could pose Institute. The New-York based Vietnamese police have stepped Kim’s train will stop at the followed the Reuters TV crew on important event at the train a problem for Vietnam’s out- consultancy estimates that up security at a remote rail border station of Dong Dang motorbikes, with another station,” said the official, who did dated, colonial-era rail network. having more poor, less-edu- station on the Chinese border where he will disembark and keeping watch from a car. not elaborate and was not There have already been four cated women into the work- where North Korean leader Kim drive 170km to Hanoi by car, the Flowers pots have been laid authorised to speak to media. derailments of trains in Vietnam force will add $40bn to the Jong Un is expected to enter the sources said. alongside the platform, which Two trains, usually carrying this year, the transport ministry economy by 2025. country by train next week A witness saw construction appeared to have been recently goods, pass through the station said on Thursday. “Today is a massive victory ahead of a summit with US Pres- workers tidying up the Dong been cleaned. daily on the way to or from Travel by train has been a for women and their families,” ident Donald Trump. Dang station yesterday. An official at the local Peo- China. Although Vietnam and favourite mode of transport for Hontiveros said. “While there Vietnam is preparing for Kim Plain-clothed police were ple’s Committee told Reuters China have different gauge train Kim Jong Un, and his father, Kim will be more battles and chal- to arrive by train for the February also monitoring the area and two provincial authorities had issued tracks, the line to Hanoi from the Jong Il, and grandfather, Kim Il lenges in the future, today, 27-28 summit in the capital, prevented a cameraman from instructions for the station to be border can take Chinese trains. Sung. women win.” 08 VIEWS FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 Saudi Arabia isn’t doing enough ESTABLISHED IN 1996 to combat terrorism funding CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

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

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR BOB GRAHAM & FIONNULA NI AOLAIN MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED THE WASHINGTON POST [email protected] n 1989, the Group of Seven coun- tries launched the Financial DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR Action Task Force (FATF), an MOHAMMED OSMAN ALI Iintergovernmental group devoted [email protected] to fighting money laundering. Among the challenges facing the FATF since its inception has been the effort to develop measures to prevent the financing of terrorism. Saudi Arabia is keen to join the task force, because this would ease access to global EDITORIAL financial markets. Recently, the FATF undertook a review of Saudi Arabia’s efforts to combat ter- terrorist groups is a major . . . risk for terrorismand one of the co-authors of rorism financing. The resulting report the country,” the task force noted, “the this op-ed. That report concluded that Qatar-Germany ties grow stronger identified a number of serious deficien- overall number of cases pertaining to there is clear evidence that a signifi- cies. Saudi Arabia is now required to raising funds inside Saudi Arabia and cant number of individuals who have atar has been studiously investing in some present an action plan outlining how it transferring them outside the country is committed no crime - much less acts of marquee companies around the world in the last will address these problems before it can low.” The report also found that “Saudi terrorism - have been wrongfully tried Qfew years through Qatar Investment Authority. be admitted to the task force. It is impor- Arabia has not yet tackled the risk of under the kingdom’s counterterrorism Doha has been careful to diversify its investments tant that the kingdom not be admitted financing of terrorism by third-party decrees in its Specialized Criminal Court. over a spread of sectors in different geographical until it has shown demonstrable progress and facilitators, and the financing by At the same time, there are grounds locations. in addressing these concerns. individuals for terrorist organizations for concern that a significant number Qatar is a long term investor and is not looking for Terrorism financing originating in outside the country.” of individuals implicated in support- a quick profit. This strategy helps build a strong part- Saudi Arabia has been a significant source A 2009 diplomatic cable from then- ing internationally recognised terrorist nership with the companies and also the country where of funds for international terrorist organ- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, later groups have been released only to return they are located. As a long term investor, Doha is inter- izations, including Al Qaeda. As the report published by WikiLeaks, described Saudi to terrorist activity. Given the risk of rad- ested in the holistic growth of the firm, the community noted, however, the Saudi authorities have Arabia as “the most significant source icalization in prison, it is important that it is based in and in turn the country they belong to. focused their counterterrorism efforts of funding to Sunni terrorist groups Saudi authorities cease prosecuting inno- This helps build friendly and strategic relations almost exclusively on threats from within worldwide.” The task force also raised cent people for criticising the kingdom between the states and is evident from the close rela- the kingdom, concerns that the kingdom is not sanc- and release those who have been wrong- tions Qatar shares with Germany. while doing tioning individuals or requesting legal fully convicted. Qatar has already announced that it will invest an little to tackle assistance from other states in a man- While Saudi Arabia has made additional ¤10bn in Germany in the next five years, those outside ner that effectively counters the serious progress in reforming its laws and pros- which will make it the largest Arab investor in Germany the coun- threats of terrorist financing in Saudi ecuting alleged acts of terrorism, the with a total investment of ¤35bn. If Saudi Arabia wishes try’s borders. Arabia. reasons cited above strongly suggest that The sixth session of Qatari-German Joint Commission to appropriately According to If Saudi Arabia wishes to appro- this progress is, at least in part, illusory. on Economic, Trade and Technical cooperation was address the risk of the task force, priately address the risk of terrorist To admit Saudi Arabia to the task force held recently in Berlin and terrorist financing, only 10 percent financing, it must prosecute not just before it has addressed these shortcom- top officials from both the of Saudi coun- the foot soldiers but also the financiers ings would send the message that what countries discussed ways to it must prosecute terterrorism who fuel terrorism around the world. To counts is a high number of prosecutions, promote bilateral economic not just the foot cases concern do so in an effective manner, the Saudi regardless of their merits. and trade relations. offenses com- authorities must amend their counterter- The nation should not be admitted Qatar is a long term soldiers but also the Over 300 German com- financiers who fuel mitted outside rorism decrees. As the task force notes, to the task force until it has amended its investor and is not panies operate in Qatar and the kingdom, the “overly broad definition of terror- counterterrorism laws to focus on ter- looking for a quick play a very important role terrorism around the and these ism” in these decrees means that the rorism and demonstrated progress in profit. This strategy in the development of the world. To do so in prosecutions authorities may “divert attention and prosecuting terrorism financing out- helps build a strong country across vital indus- an effective manner, focus largely resources to specious cases from more side the region. partnership with tries including the manufac- on offenses important cases.” turing, services, telecommu- the Saudi authorities in the Middle This concern was highlighted in a Graham was a Democratic USsenator the companies and nications, transport and must amend their East. submission by Ni Aolain, the UN spe- from Florida from 1987 to 2005 . Aolain also the country infrastructure sectors, counterterrorism “Given that cial rapporteur on the promotion and is the UNspecial rapporteur on the pro- where they are among others. Companies decrees. the support protection of human rights and fun- motion of human rights and fundamental located. As a long like Siemens has been at the for external damental freedoms while countering freedoms. term investor, Doha forefront helping Qatar turn is interested in the into a knowledge-based economy. They are also holistic growth playing an important role in How the Balkans solved a Balkan problem of the firm, the World Cup 2022 projects community it is and their presence will only cultural heritage, history, and, etiquette and addressed the issue truth and defied the self-censor- based in and in turn get stronger as more hence, identity and this in itself head-on: they reached a bilateral ship of political correctness to the country they projects come online as the constitutes “irredentism”. That agreement that tackled identity. address the proverbial elephant belong to. World Cup approaches. is, the dispute was about history The two countries had to rec- in the room speaks volumes Qatar has significant and identity, and not the territory. ognise each other’s concerns in about their pollical acumen investment in some top This was also reflected and order to address them. The Greek and bravery. German marquee firms like Volkswagen, Deutsche Bank, KATERINA KOLOZOVA carried in United Nations Secu- side - as laid out in the foreign This is not a solution bro- Siemens, Hochtief and more through QIA, which spans AL JAZEERA rity Council resolution 817, which ministry’s statement - was con- kered by the European Union, various sectors including automotive, telecommunica- recognised what it called “former vinced the name laid a claim on United States or the UN, and it’s tions, hospitality, and banking among others. With the Yugoslav Republic of Macedo- Greek history and identity. not just a temporary ad hoc fix to additional investment to the tune of ¤10m in the next he Macedonia name nia” as an independent state in The Macedonian side feared allow North Macedonia to pur- five years will make Qatar one of the key allies of dispute dragged on for 1993. By way of recognising a that, with the change of the name sue accession to Nato and the EU. Germany from the Arab world and this will only cement almost three decades, nameless state with no national of the state, the designation of the Rather, it is a resolution of the stronger ties further. Tbecoming the longest identifier, the international com- national identity and the lan- a dispute between two neigh- The 9th Qatar Business and Investment Forum held lasting one of its kind in recent munity was basically denying it guage would be effaced. Let us bours negotiated in a way that in Berlin during September 2018, under the patronage history. To an uninformed the right to national self-deter- note, the fear was justified: more is sensitive to their political of the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was observer, it may have looked mination, even if it did not intend than once, Nimetz’s proposals cultures, shared history and a landmark event showing Qatar’s conviction in German like a curiosity: Greece being to do so. The UNSC’s resolution for a resolution contained nam- national concerns (regardless economy. so insistent that the naming of corresponded with the Balkan ing of nationality and language. of how inconceivable they may Qatar-German relations shows how countries can the newly formed country history of the “Macedonian ques- By contesting the right to a sig- be to the West). It sets a prece- mutually benefit from each other’s growth and build a constituted a threat and Mace- tion”, a history of negation of the nifier, these proposals were in dent in Balkan politics and can robust relationship build on mutual trust and shared donia (or FYROM as it had to very reality of a distinct ethnic fact contesting the existence of usher in a new and non-atavistic vision. be called) being equally and national identity that would a Macedonian ethnicity/nation political culture that can take us adamant about retaining its be called Macedonian by most and Macedonian language. beyond our nationalisms, fixation name. of the neighbouring countries. Article 7 of the bilateral on grand historical narratives, By all accounts, that Mac- For years, the UN and its spe- agreement between Greece and national complexes that we edonia was both a name of a cial envoy, Matthew Nimetz, did and (now) North Macedonia all seem to suffer from. QUOTE OF THE DAY country and of a region in Greece not want to admit to this reality addressed these issues by rec- We would not have reached did not sound like a serious threat because it was embarrassing; ognising that “Macedonian” can this solution had the “balkanism” to anyone’s security or territorial identity disputes were not sup- mean two different things at the of the dispute not been recog- We believe in the integrity. The issue was easily posed to be happening in 21st same time: for the Macedonian nised and affirmed in order to being dismissed as the prod- century Europe. side, it means nationality, eth- be subverted and reinvented into independence uct of the intransigence of two The issue would not have nic belonging and a South Slavic an instrument of empowerment. of the judiciary typically nationalistic Balkan been solved if this simple fact language, whereas, for the Greek The two prime ministers, and we believe in countries. But the truth is the dis- had not been recognised and side, it refers to the cultural her- or indeed the two nations, very pute remained unresolved for addressed in negotiations. But itage of Ancient Greece and the much deserve a Nobel Peace fighting for good nearly 30 years also because the this recognition did not come legacy of the Kingdom of Phil- Prize nomination. The agree- jobs. Western emissaries who were from the UN or the West; it in fact lip and Alexander of Macedon. ment ensures stability in Greece supposed to mediate it simply came from the leadership of the Thus, the agreement and North Macedonia which also Justin Trudeau did not want to admit what it two countries involved in the dis- reaffirmed the principle of guarantees the security of all of Canadian Prime was all about. pute. Prime Ministers Zoran Zaev self-determination for the Mac- Southeast Europe and as a conse- For years, a statement on the and Alexis Tsipras and their For- edonians and negotiated the quence of Europe as a whole. Both Minister website of the Greek Ministry of eign Ministers Nikola Dimitrov inclusion of both the Slavic and Tsipras and Zaev seem to have Foreign Affairs (now taken down) and Nikos Kozias (until Ocrto- Hellenic signifiers in the name. been acutely aware of this fact made it very clear: the use of the ber 2018), respectively, took off The fact that the two Balkan and have acted on it with much name expresses claims on Greek the gloves of western diplomatic nations faced the “embarrassing” vision and sense of responsibility. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 OPINION 09 Doing evil to do good in Latin America

an one ethically do evil in the the right. In Nicaragua, the administra- part of Iran-Contra was politically moti- policies of the US service of a greater good? tion aimed to overthrow an authoritarian, vated. Even some former opponents of Yet that power has sometimes been The rough treatment of the Marxist-Leninist government that was US policy in Central America have con- used in very nasty ways. The US helped CState Department envoy for serving as a bridgehead for Soviet and ceded that the prosecution was flawed. overthrow hostile governments - a few Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, by Repre- Cuban influence. The trouble, rather, was And on the whole, the administration’s of them democratically elected - in sentative Ilhan Omar last week raised that the pursuit of worthy ends led to the policies got results. Latin America and other third-world this classic moral question. In a use of deeply problematic means. Had Congress terminated US aid to El regions. It supported bloodthirsty HAL BRANDS hearing on US policy toward Vene- In El Salvador, staving off a gue- Salvador in the early 1980s, the guerillas autocrats who victimized their own BLOOMBERG zuela, Omar questioned Abrams’s rilla victory meant supporting a brutal, would likely have won and the country populations in the name of anti-com- credibility on grounds that he misled repressive military that worked closely would have become another communist munism. America inflicted devastating Congress about US policy in Central with right-wing death squads. In Nicara- dictatorship. Or, perhaps, the extreme violence on civilian populations dur- America during the 1980s. She also gua, destabilizing the Sandinista regime right would have cast aside all restraint ing the Korean and Vietnam wars, and accused him of supporting and even meant aiding the Contras - anti-commu- and perpetrated even greater repression. US officials have frequently operated celebrating the murderous counterin- nist rebels who sometimes committed Instead, the administration (supported, outside of international law and inter- surgency carried out in El Salvador atrocities. It also involved exerting severe ironically, by the threat that Congress might national institutions when they deem during this period. economic, diplomatic and military pres- terminate aid) gradually made progress in that the country’s interests so require. The global system It is hard to take Omar’s “questioning” sure on a broken country, and a civilian reducing human rights abuses, strength- The US has pursued the liberal interna- America created of Abrams seriously, given her sometimes population, that had never fully recov- ening a moderate civilian government, tional order as a way of advancing its tendentious reading of history and the ered from the 1979 revolution. and creating a democracy that persists to national interests, so it has often been has resulted in the fact that she was clearly performing for Because these policies were highly this day. Similarly, had the US not applied perfectly willing to get rough with those unprecedented an audience rather than sincerely seeking controversial at home, especially with such intense pressure in Nicaragua, the who stand in the way. spread of democracy to elicit information. She called Abrams Democrats in Congress, the Reagan admin- left-wing Sandinista government would On balance, the moral scorecard and respect for basic “Mr. Adams” and repeatedly cut him off istration too often played fast and loose not ultimately have agreed to hold elec- remains favorable to America’s glo- while he tried to answer her questions. with the truth. Officials downplayed abuses tions, which it lost. bal project. The world is a messy place human rights. During Yet the imbroglio raised some worthwhile committed by the Salvadoran military, Yet there were vast amounts of collat- where the alternative to one evil is often World War II, there issues regarding what happened in Cen- such as when US-trained soldiers mas- eral damage inflicted on both El Salvador another evil. Any country that plays were perhaps a tral America during the 1980s and the sacred hundreds of civilians at El Mozoté and Nicaragua - and also on democratic purely by Marquess of Queensbury dozen democracies role of illiberal policies in sustaining the in 1981. When Congress cut off funding procedures and accountability in the US rules will not achieve much, either liberal international order. for the Contras in Nicaragua, US officials Put simply, those who support democ- morally or geopolitically. And for all around the globe; Contrary to what some critics claimed illegally sold arms to Iran, diverted the racy and oppose authoritarianism should its sins, the US has behaved better than today there are at the time and after, the problem with US proceeds to the Nicaraguan rebels, and probably applaud the outcomes in Cen- its rivals. It is hard to imagine that the well over 100. US policy in Central America was not that deceived the legislative branch and the tral America during the 1980s, but they world would have been more just and Washington was on the wrong side of the American public about it. This led to the can be forgiven for being appalled at the virtuous had the US not worked so hard leadership promoted civil wars that convulsed the region. In Iran-Contra scandal, the country’s most methods. to contain Soviet influence, or that it broad prosperity that El Salvador, the Reagan administration serious political crisis since Watergate. The reason this history matters today would become a better place if China has lifted countries sought to midwife an imperfect democracy Abrams, who pled guilty to two misde- is that it bears on broader debates about and Russia get the upper hand today. worldwide. that was being assailed by Cuban-backed meanors, later argued that his subsequent US conduct in the world. The US foreign This is not to argue for moral rebels on the left and reactionary elites on prosecution for misleading Congress as policy elite often argues that American complacency or to excuse the moral power is a force for global good as well compromises the US has made. A key as national advantage - that the liberal selling point of America’s international international order is more just and virtu- order is that the US holds itself to a higher ous than any previous international order. standard than its rivals, past or present. Critics respond that America’s liberal order Moreover, there is no project so pure has often been sustained through pro- that it cannot be sullied by perverse foundly illiberal expedients. Both sides methods. America, then, must con- have a point. tinually struggle to remain true to the The global system America created has better angels of its nature, even as it resulted in the unprecedented spread of understands that global affairs can democracy and respect for basic human sometimes be a devil’s game. rights. During World War II, there were perhaps a dozen democracies around the globe; today there are well over 100. US leadership promoted broad prosperity that has lifted countries worldwide. It has restrained the might-makes-right ten- dencies that characterised earlier eras. D-RING ROAD Whereas conquest and annexation of POST BOX: 3488 small countries used to be a fact of life, DOHA - QATAR only a single country - South Vietnam - [email protected] has disappeared due to foreign aggression since 1945. What moral progress there has been in global affairs in recent gen- EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OFFICE Elliott Abrams, testifies at a hearing before the House of Foreign Affairs Committee. erations is tied closely to the power and TEL: 4455 7741 / 767 FAX: +974 4455 7758

MANAL QAED ALWESABI In the beginning, we took it lightly. We from my life in Hodeidah. I kept asking MANAGING EDITOR AL JAZEERA lit up some candles and enjoyed the all the officials and journalists that I met TEL: 4462 7505 warmth of the flickering light. We even what they knew about the ceasefire in start my day thinking it could be my play some music on our phones, which Hodeidah. I wanted a clear answer but I DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR TEL: 4455 7769 last one, so I try to ignore all nui- often got drowned by the loud sound of never got one. sances and petty problems and heavy explosions. I managed to catch the attention of LOCAL NEWS SECTION greet everyone as if it is the last time As the siege choked the city, there was the UN envoy and question him: “How I TEL: 4455 7743 we see each other - for, at any moment, nothing to distract oneself with from the serious are the different parties about realities of war: no beach, no parks, no res- putting an end to hostilities in the city?” BUSINESS NEWS SECTION taurants, no internet. We suddenly become He answered my question with another: TEL: 4462 7535 cut off from the rest of the world. It felt as “Have you come from the same city?” I if we were living on a different planet, as nodded yes and he responded, “Then, you SPORT NEWS SECTION if we were slowly losing our humanity. must be really anxious about it.” He, too, The nightmares of a TEL: 4455 7745 One day, my husband and I decided to was concerned, he said, and to my frus- try to go to the sea. We thought we were tration, gave me nothing else. ONLINE SECTION the only fools in the city who had come up On the last day, things took an unpre- TEL: 4462 7501 with the idea, but it turned out we were dictable turn. Against all odds, a ceasefire [email protected] Yemeni mother wrong. The little strip of coast that was agreement was reached. Dreams I had still not blocked by barricades was full of thought would never come true started PUBLIC RELATIONS people. The shelling was very close that coming back to me. In my head, I saw TEL: 4455 7613 day, but we all seemed to ignore it. Peo- my mother and brothers coming back [email protected] we can be reduced to a mere number in ple just sat there and looked at the sea. No to Hodeidah after five months of being the records of this war. one wanted to leave. displaced; my husband going back to ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT I have lived in Yemen’s western coastal The bombardment of the city also work at the pharmaceutical company TEL: 4455 7837 / 780 city of Hodeidah since I was six years old, intensified. Treacherous shrapnel would that laid off its workers due to the siege; FAX: 4455 7870 that is, for 29 years now. I have many mem- pierce into its heart, killing men, women my son going to school and playing with [email protected] ories here: my family, the sea, the people, and children indiscriminately on a daily his friends without the threat of bombs; their excessive kindness, Arabian jasmine basis. One day, my son 11-year-old son me having another child - one that would CLASSIFIED DEPARTMENT and the taste of delicious seafood. All of Ammar was late from school. As I strug- never know a war. TEL: 4455 7857 them have now been consumed by the war. gled to keep calm, I couldn’t stop thinking I immediately called my husband. I [email protected] I see people walk in the street with about the shrapnel or the number of explo- had spent all my savings in Sweden on heavy hearts, each carrying a tragic story sions I had heard and what could have phone calls with him and my son because SUBSCRIPTION & about the death of a loved one, the loss of befallen my child, as he walked back home. there was no internet in Yemen. I was very DISTRIBUTION livelihood or the illness that they cannot For a while, one thought had been occu- happy. I told him about the agreement. We TEL: 4455 7809 / 839 afford to treat. pying my mind: No more child victims! I spoke with great enthusiasm until the tel- FAX: 44557819 Life has been hard in Hodeidah since had decided not to bring any more chil- ephone balance ran out. [email protected] the conflict began but the past six months dren to this brutal world so I don’t have After we hung up, he sent me a text have been the worst for us. to see them sacrificed at the altar of this message in disbelief: “Are you sure they As the fighting intensified, hunger, des- senseless war. announced the ceasefire, or did they peration and death slowly overwhelmed In November, I left Yemen for about announce the continuation of hostili- All thoughts and views the city. In the only functioning government a month. Abroad, I felt I was losing my ties?!!” I dismissed all advice by family hospital, I found out, more than 600 mal- strength. I never felt depressed in Hode- and friends to seek asylum in Europe and expressed in these columns nourished children are being treated. Drug idah the way I did outside. It did not seem travelled back to Yemen. The journey took are those of the writers, Being the only prices have doubled. Patients with cancer, fair to me that the people I left behind had four days, as the main roads remained not of the newspaper. kidney failure and chronic diseases have to face the war on their own. I was terri- closed. As I entered Hodeidah, I realised journalist from struggled to get treatment, constantly at fied that I would lose them. I had missed my torn and scary life there. Hodeidah, I received risk of being killed by one of the frequent I was in Jordan for training in human- Although the ceasefire was in effect, the All correspondence much attention. delays in medication shipments. itarian journalism. While there, I and a clashes had not stopped by the time I came regarding Views and I was not able to The internet started getting cut off, at number of other Yemeni journalists heard back. We could still hear the fighting and Opinion pages should be first for a few days, then for weeks. At home, about the upcoming peace talks and were bombardment. send to editor-in-chief separate my work as there was nothing to do, so we went back able to travel to Sweden to cover them. Two weeks after my return, I found a journalist from my to reading books and watching television. Being the only journalist from Hode- myself sitting in the waiting room of a office or mailed to the life in Hodeidah. Then, the electricity blackouts started idah, I received much attention. I was not medical lab, waiting for my test results. [email protected] and we couldn’t do that any more either. able to separate my work as a journalist I was very anxious. 10 EUROPE FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 EU hits back at British oppn leader warns Romania over probe against of no deal Brexit danger two top officials AFP Corbyn met EU group in her party called the BRUSSELS ERG and that is some of the AFP Brexit negotiator problem. She has got to change BRUSSELS British opposition leader Michel Barnier in her ways, otherwise the danger Jeremy Corbyn warned Brussels one day of a no deal exit, with all the Already tense relations between yesterday a no deal Brexit was after May also chaos that would cause, is a Romania and the EU threatened a “very serious and present” very real possibility,” he to deteriorate further yesterday, risk and blamed Prime Minister met top European warned. when Brussels hit back at a Theresa May’s inflexible nego- Commission officials While Corbyn was travelling decision by Bucharest to launch tiating position. and as talk in London to Brussels, British finance min- criminal investigations against Corbyn met EU Brexit nego- ister Philip Hammond raised two of its top officials. tiator Michel Barnier in Brussels grew of a possible hopes of a breakthrough in the Brussels denounced Roma- one day after May also met top breakthrough in the coming days, telling the BBC nia’s decision to launch a probe European Commission officials coming days. there had been “some against the EU Commission’s and as talk in London grew of a movement” by the European deputy president Frans Tim- possible breakthrough in the Union. mermans and Justice Commis- coming days. leaves — an idea unacceptable He said progress in the sioner Vera Jourova for alleged A Brexit deal struck by May to many Brexit supporters who ongoing negotiations could abuse of office and making false and the other 27 EU leaders in say it would tie London’s hands result in a fresh vote next week statements about Romania. November was rejected by on trade deals. on May’s divorce deal, while “We learned via the media British lawmakers in January “The danger of no deal exit Thursday will also see Brexit about the fact that the and since then she has struggled from the EU for Britain is a very Secretary Stephen Barclay and Romanian authorities launched to thrash out a compromise over serous and present one,” Attorney General Geoffrey Cox a criminal investigation against Britain’s Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn (right), and party’s the so-called “Irish backstop” Corbyn told reporters after- hold “detailed discussions” with several commission officials Shadow Secretary of State for Departing the European Union, Keir issue. wards, urging May to soften her Barnier in Brussels. concerning actions performed Corbyn said he had “useful, negotiating stance, which he The stumbling block has Starmer, leaving after a meeting with European Union Chief Brexit in their official capacity and the informative and very frank” con- said was being driven by her been the Irish backstop, which Negotiator Michel Barnier at the EU Commission headquarters in exercise of their duties,” Com- versations with Barnier and Conservative Party’s ultra- provides for Britain to remain in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday. mission spokesman Margaritis other EU officials, outlining his Brexiteer European Research the EU customs union until a Schinas told a regular news Labour Party’s proposal that Group (ERG) of MPs. way is found — such as a future Ireland remains open. be trapped in the bloc indefinitely, briefing in Brussels. Britain should enter a customs “She is allowing herself to free trade deal — to ensure that Brexiteers in the Conserv- and have demanded a time limit “Of course, we do not union with the bloc when it be held to ransom by a small Ireland’s border with Northern ative party warn that Britain may or exit clause./ach comment on national judicial proceedings, but we would nev- ertheless like to remind Romanian authorities that all Merkel offers Juncker solidarity in Hungary spat Commission officials -- when they’re doing their jobs -- are subject to the jurisdiction of the AP European Parliament elections immigration projects with The campaign has prompted Juncker added that there can European Court of Justice, and BERLIN in May, has added to long- African countries; want to renewed calls for Orban’s Fidesz be “no progress” in Europe if that the national authorities have running tensions between introduce mandatory settlement party to be thrown out of the nations fight against each other. no jurisdiction in these matters,” German Chancellor Angela Budapest and Brussels. quotas; want to reduce financial center-right European People’s “Enough is enough,” he said. Schinas said. The latest spat Merkel said yesterday that the Government posters fea- assistance for countries opposed Party group in the European Par- Hungary showed no sign of erupted after the government- head of the European Union’s turing EU Commission President to migration.” liament, but Merkel sidestepped backing down. The poster friendly Romanian website, luju. executive branch has her full Jean-Claude Juncker and Hun- EU leaders have rejected the a question on when her patience “includes tenable, exact and true ro, accused Timmermans and support in the face of a new garian-American financier claims, arguing that the EU and with Orban would snap. Juncker statements in all of its elements,” Jourova of making false state- Hungarian government George Soros have recently Juncker are in fact at the fore- and Merkel’s Christian Democratic said Gergely Gulyas, Orban’s chief ments within the framework of campaign alleging that EU head- started appearing in Hungary front of reinforcing the bloc’s Union are members of the EPP. of staff. “The past five years have the Cooperation and Verification quarters has purposely and in the country’s newspapers external borders. “I’m very much surprised if been a failure for Europe as a Mechanism (CVM), a special weakened the bloc’s external and magazines. “Jean-Claude Juncker has my I am seeing these posters now result of the activities of the system for monitoring the borders to let in more migrants. They claim that EU leaders, full solidarity, and we will also spread around in Hungary,” European Commission, and the progress Romania is making in The campaign by Hungarian who Orban says are carrying out make that clear in our discus- Juncker said at a conference in European Commission cannot a number of areas, such as the Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s instructions from Soros, “are sions with Hungary,” Merkel told Brussels. “But I’m not giving in. deflect responsibility for what has judiciary and the fight against government, launched ahead of launching experimental reporters in Berlin. I’m not like that.” happened in Europe,” he said. corruption. Pro-separatist protesters in Spain clash with police AP affected main thoroughfares in police. The pro-secession grass- BARCELONA Barcelona and half a dozen major roots group ANC - whose protest highways and railway tracks slogan is “self-determination is Protesters backing Catalonia’s elsewhere in Catalonia. not a crime” - was planning a secession from Spain clashed The general strike was separate march later Thursday. with police and blocked major organized by small unions of pro- The Spanish government says roads and train tracks across the independence workers and stu- regions cannot independently northeastern region yesterday- dents. On paper, they were secede, according to the during a strike called to protest demanding improved social pol- Constitution. the trial of a dozen separatist icies, including a 35-hour work The trial into the roles played leaders. week and a higher minimum by the 12 separatists in Catalo- Regional police say they wage, but the protesters carried nia’s failed 2017 secession made four arrests when they met pro-secession flags and chanted attempt is in its second week. On resistance trying to clear groups slogans for the release of the 12 Thursday, former Catalan gov- of protesters who had stopped separatists currently on trial in ernment member Santi Vila, traffic. The regional emergency the Madrid-based Supreme ANC’s ex-president Jordi Sanchez service said that 22 people had Court. and fellow activist Jordi Cuixart been treated for minor injuries. The main unions in Catalonia were scheduled to testify at the Twelve officers were also did not back the strike, which court. The trial is expected to last injured in the clashes, according appeared to have a limited at least three months. to police. Protesters threw rocks impact on businesses. Election results and polls at police lines and burned tires In Barcelona, students in indicate that Catalonia’s 7.5 People protest during a strike day in Barcelona against the trial of former Catalan separatist leaders on some highways. favor of secession held a mid-day million residents are divided held in Madrid, yesterday. Activists blocked roads and rail lines in Catalonia as a region-wide strike Regional transportation march attended by 13,000 people down the middle over the began against the trial of separatist leaders for their role in a failed 2017 secession attempt. authorities said the disruptions according to the city’s urban secession issue. France vows crackdown on Swedish teen leads Belgian students on 7th climate march surge in anti-Semitism AP school striking because we have BRUSSELS done our homework” on the AFP/PARIS dangers facing the Earth. Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg has become her Faced with a worrying surge in attacks on Jews, France plans to Thunberg led a march of thou- generation’s voice on climate introduce tough new legislation governing social media platforms sands of Belgian students who change after inspiring students to combat online hate speech and officially recognise anti-Zionism skipped classes for the seventh around the world to go on strike as a form of anti-Semitism. Thursday in a row to march to express their anger and angst “France needs to draw new red lines, and we will do so, with through Brussels and draw more over global warming. Also at the concrete measures,” President Emmanuel Macron told Jewish attention to fighting climate conference was EU Commission leaders. “For years and years we have condemned, announced change. president Jean-Claude Juncker plans, sometimes even passed laws. But we have not been able to The 16-year-old Thunberg who said he was “glad to see that act effectively, it’s true,” he said. first addressed a European Union young people are taking to the Just a few hours after his speech, residents in southern Paris conference, chiding adults for streets for climate change.” woke up to swastikas scrawled on doors and bus stops, and graffiti their inaction in the face of such “It can in fact bring change,” written next to the nameplate of a doctor’s office. France, home to climatic global dangers. She said Juncker said notwithstanding the 16 year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg (right), and Europe’s biggest Jewish community, hopes that curbing incendiary youngsters are being forced to skip fact that Thunberg had chided a Belgian student during a call for urgent measures to combat hate speech online and an increased focus on educating against school and protest because adults his class of politicians for negli- climate change, in Brussels, Belgium, yesterday. racism in schools will help cut down on real-world assaults. are not addressing climate issues gence in the face of such chal- Macron said the government would move to hold social plat- quickly enough. lenges. Now, Thunberg wants the forms like Facebook responsible for quickly removing hate speech She told the European Eco- adult to move immediately. and become the ones in charge,” 7,500 protesters in Brussels. — most likely within 24 hours — with a new law to be adopted nomic and Social Committee “There is simply not enough she said. The march itself under Thousands more were marching shortly. plenary session that “we are time to wait for us to grow up a wintry sunshine gathered some in large provincial cities. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 EUROPE / AMERICAS 11 Democrats prepare resolution against Trump’s declaration

AP House Speaker Nancy to pass it and “the resolution will Democrats for the resolution to WASHINGTON Pelosi, seemed to be referred to the Senate and then win initial approval. sent to the President’s desk.” The votes could also cause dis- House Democrats will file a reso- predict approval, Should the House and Senate ini- comfort for other Republicans lution today aimed at blocking the telling colleagues tially approve the measure, Con- who’ve opposed the declaration. national emergency declaration in a letter that her gress seems unlikely to muster Many have expressed concerns that US President Donald Trump chamber will “move the two-thirds majorities in each that Trump’s declaration sets a has issued to help finance his wall chamber that would be needed precedent for future Democratic along the Southwest border, swiftly” to pass it and later to override a certain Trump presidents to declare emergencies teeing up a clash over billions of “the resolution will be veto. Even so, Republican sen- to help their own favoured issues, dollars, immigration policy and referred to the Senate ators facing tough 2020 re- like global warming or gun control. the Constitution’s separation of and then sent to the election fights in competitive The battle is over an emer- powers. states like Arizona, Colorado and gency declaration Trump has Though the effort seems President’s desk.” North Carolina would have to issued to access billions of dollars almost certain to ultimately fall take stances that could risk beyond what Congress has short — perhaps to a Trump veto dividing the GOP’s pro-Trump authorised to start erecting border — the votes will let Democrats because of a timeline spelled out and more moderate voters. barriers. Building the wall was the take a defiant stance against by law. Initial passage by the Moderate Senator Susan most visible trademark of his Trump that is sure to please Democratic-run House seems Nancy Pelosi attends VH1 Trailblazer Honors at The Wilshire Ebell Collins, said she would back a res- presidential campaign. liberal voters. They will also put assured. Theatre in Los Angeles, California. olution blocking the declaration, Congress approved a vast some Republicans from swing The measure would then making her the first Republican spending bill last week providing districts and states in a difficult move to the Republican-con- declarations seems to require the remain. to publicly state her support for nearly $1.4bn to build 55 miles of spot. Formally introducing the trolled Senate, where there may Senate to address the issue too, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the effort to thwart the emer- border barriers in Texas’ Rio measure sets up a vote by the full be enough GOP defections for but there’s never been a congres- seemed to predict approval, gency. With Republicans holding Grande Valley while preventing House likely by mid-March, approval. The law that spells out sional effort to block one and telling colleagues in a letter that a 53-47 majority, three more GOP a renewed government perhaps as soon as next week, the rules for emergency some procedural uncertainties her chamber will “move swiftly” senators would need to vote with shutdown. Pompeo: Diplomat dad means US-born IS woman not citizen

AFP The only significant exception WASHINGTON is children of accredited foreign diplomats, as the 14th US Secretary of State Mike Amendment provides citizenship Pompeo (pictured) said to everyone “subject to the juris- yesterday that the diplomatic diction” of the United States. status of the father of an It is extremely difficult for A building of the VVSI Sport Hotel in Gardony town, about 60km west from Hungarian capital Alabama woman who joined the the United States to strip a Budapest, where Venezuela’s refugees are hosted. Islamic State group means she person of citizenship, a step is not a US citizen. taken by Britain in the case of Under orders of President homegrown militants. Donald Trump, Pompeo made Muthana, who remains in the Hungarian opposition cries the highly unusual determi- custody of US-allied Kurdish nation that 24-year-old Hoda fighters in Syria along with a Muthana, who travelled to Syria toddler son from a late militan- foul over Venezuelan refugees on a US passport and wants to thusband, says she regrets her return, is not an American actions and is willing to face citizen. prosecution in the United States. AFP Venezuelans had come to the quick to point out the contrast Pompeo did not outline the She furtively went to Syria BUDAPEST country under a generous pro- between the programme and the legal rationale but in an in 2014 when the Islamic State gramme which paid for their government’s strident anti- interview yesterday, asked if the But the lawyer, Hassan group was carrying out a grisly Hungarian opposition politicians airfare, a year’s accommodation, immigration rhetoric. key issue was that her father had Shibly, said that her father had campaign of beheadings and accused the government of Hungarian and English lessons Last year, stringent laws been a diplomat, Pompeo said, ended his diplomatic service mass abuse and turned to social hypocrisy yesterday over a and allowed them to work were passed slapping taxes on “That’s right.” “She may have “months” before Muthana was media to praise the killings of programme helping to settle shortly after arrival. non-governmental organisations been born here. She is not a US born and that she was in fact a Westerners. Venezuelan refugees of According to index.hu the deemed to be supporting or pos- citizen, nor is she entitled to US US citizen. Trump’s order on Muthana Hungarian origin, saying it programmes was organised itively portraying migration. “We citizenship,” Pompeo told NBC The United States grants cit- came even though he is pushing contradicted the right-wing under the auspices of the Hun- call on the government to reg- television’s “Today” show. izenship to virtually everyone other Western countries to bring government’s strict anti-immi- garian branch of the Order of ister itself as an organisation Muthana was born in 1994 born on its soil under the US back hundreds of militants to gration laws. Malta religious mission but at supporting migration and to pay in New Jersey to a father who Constitution’s 14th Amendment prosecute at home as the United The row started when the least some of the costs were the tax,” said MEP Csaba Molnar had served as a diplomat from — ratified in 1868 after the Civil States prepares to withdraw index.hu investigative website borne by the Hungarian gov- from the liberal DK party at a Yemen, according to her lawyer. War and abolition of slavery. troops from Syria. published details of how 300 ernment. The opposition was press conference. Russia questions US intention behind Venezuela aid move

ANATOLIA Russian warning last Thursday Maria Faria, who claimed to thieves”. “The government of that ANKARA against the US move to use have been appointed by Guaido, country must enforce the Diplo- humanitarian aid delivery as a entered the diplomatic building matic Relations Convention and Russia has doubts over the US possible “pretext for a military in San Jose early Wednesday, guarantee the operation and intention to deliver humanitarian intervention”. according to an Embassy safety of our personnel and facil- aid to Venezuela scheduled Rocked by protests after the statement. ities,” he added. tomorrow. “If the organisers really self-declaration of the opposition Faria said diplomatic staff Venezuelan assets Guaido want to just deliver some kind of leader Juan Guaido as the interim appointed by Maduro were sus- said he spoke to Switzerland’s humanitarian aid to the needy, president, Venezuela on pended and claimed new dip- President Ueli Maurer to freeze why not use the specialized UN Wednesday witnessed a series of lomats were recognised by the bank accounts of South American agencies that have extensive and events opposing President government of Costa Rica. nation after “irregular move- A group of vehicles supposedly carrying Venezuelan opposition invaluable experience in carrying Nicolas Maduro. Venezuelan Foreign Minister ments” were discovered. leader Juan Guaido leave his house in Caracas. Guaido left Caracas out such operations?” Russian Meanwhile, Venezuela’s Jorge Arreaza blasted the move “We are doing everything Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Embassy in Costa Rica was taken on social media, saying “a group possible to protect these assets with some 80 lawmakers yesterday on a 800-km trip to the Maria Zakharova said. over by an Ambassador of foreigners entered the Vene- that belong to the republic,” he Colombian border where they hope to receive food and medicine Zakharova was reiterating a appointed by the opposition. zuelan Embassy in Costa Rica like added. to alleviate shortages in defiance of President Nicolas Maduro. Armed group caught in Advocates say Trump’s ex-lawyer to talk US still separates Haiti returned to US to Senate panel next week migrant families AP among eight men arrested on PORT-AU-PRINCE Sunday while carrying auto- REUTERS Cohen’s Senate committee Representative Jim Jordan, AP matic weapons and other arms WASHINGTON testimony will be the first of a Republican member of the HOUSTON The US State Department said and driving in cars without three congressional appearances Oversight Committee, said several men arrested in Haiti license plates. Police US President Donald Trump’s the former Trump lawyer is “giving a platform to Mr. Cohen Advocates and members of with a cache of weaponry at a spokesman Michel-Ange former personal lawyer Michael scheduled to make next week. is beneath the dignity of Congress are questioning the time of violent demonstrations Louis-Jeune has said the men Cohen will testify before the The House Oversight Com- Congress.” treatment of children who cross have been returned to the told police they were on a Senate Intelligence Committee mittee, now led by Democrat Cohen also will appear at a the US-Mexico border with rela- United States before a scheduled “mission,” but they refused to on Tuesday in one of three Elijah Cummings, announced on closed-door hearing on tives other than their parents. court hearing in the Caribbean say anything else except that appearances before US Wednesday that it will hold a Thursday next week before the The Texas Civil Rights Project nation. they would call their uniden- lawmakers next week ahead of public hearing next Wednesday House Intelligence Committee, released a report yesterday that The department said in an tified bosses. reporting to prison in May. at which Cohen will be the only now led by Adam Schiff, a Dem- counts 272 separations at a single emailed statement that the Prosecutors had said the Cohen, Trump’s longtime witness. ocratic critic of Trump. Texas courthouse since June, return was coordinated with men would appear in court on fixer who is set to go to prison Committee Democrats said Cohen, who once said he was when President Donald Trump Haitian authorities, but a Wednesday. Instead, they were for three years after pleading that among the issues they plan so loyal to Trump that he would issued an executive order that spokesman for Haiti’s Prime taken to the airport. One of the guilty to campaign finance and to question Cohen about are “take a bullet” for him, handled ended widespread family sepa- Minister Jean-Henry Ceant told men is a Haitian citizen and other crimes, will speak to sen- Trump’s personal finances, the a $130,000 payment to adult rations amid public outrage. The Radio Vision 2000 yesterday apparently was not returned. ators behind closed doors, two making of payments related to film actress Stormy Daniels, who group says 38 separations that he was not aware of the Jean Clarens Renois, a sources familiar with congres- efforts to influence the 2016 said she had an affair with involved a parent or legal men’s departure and demanded former presidential candidate, sional plans said. presidential election, and alleged Trump. In December Trump guardian, the majority of whom an immediate explanation from said in a phone interview that Representatives of the com- public efforts by Trump and his tweeted that Cohen was a “rat” had criminal records. Most of the the justice minister. the situation has eroded confi- mittee could not be immediately lawyers to intimidate Cohen and for cooperating with rest involved another adult Five US citizens were dence in Haiti’s government. reached for comment. others to avoid such testimony. prosecutors. relative. 12 AMERICAS / CLASSIFIEDS FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with members of the Nova Scotia Muslim community while in attendance for a vigil in support of a Syrian refugee family who lost seven children killed in a house fire in the community of Spryfield earlier in the week, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Donations pour in for Syrian refugees who lost all 7 children in Canada fire

REUTERS Family friends of the victims, swimming and bicycling. The TORONTO the Imam Council of Halifax, and society said their ages ranged the Hants East Assisting Refugees from four months to 15 years. A fundraising effort for a Syrian- Team (HEART) Society initiated Natalie Horne, Vice-Pres- refugee couple who lost all seven the GoFundMe crowd-funding ident of the HEART Society, said of their children in a house fire drive for the Barho family, the family was “full of humour, on Tuesday in the eastern according to the website. full of smiles, full of gratitude, Canadian city of Halifax has The vigil was attended by and love.” The father is in the raised C$339,042 ($257,357) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. hospital with life-threatening from nearly 6,000 people in 24 The Barho family arrived in injuries, and the mother was not hours, according to online fund- Canada in 2017 and was the first injured but is dealing with “an raiser GoFundMe. family sponsored by the HEART overwhelming amount of grief,” With the children’s father in Society, according to the organ- according to Horne. the hospital with life-threatening isation. A YouTube video posted The cause of the fire has yet injuries and the mother stricken on The Enfield Weekly Press & to be determined by the author- with grief, the community held The Laker channel shows the ities. “It’s been an overwhelming a vigil for the family on family receiving a welcome at show of support from the com- Wednesday evening in Halifax, an airport in Sept. 29, 2017. munity locally, nationally, inter- according to one of the groups The HEART society said the nationally. It means a lot. We that helped resettle the children enjoyed living in wish that we could all bring the refugees. Canada, and participated in children back,” Horne said. Landslide kills several Canada’s Premier people in wildcat still puzzled by gold mine in Peru minister’s resignation REUTERS REUTERS OTTAWA LIMA Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Several people were killed in a wildcat gold mine in yesterday said he was still puzzled by the the Peruvian Andes after heavy rains triggered a decision of former veterans affairs minister Jody landslide, local daily La Republica reported Wilson-Raybould to quit last week, even though yesterday. she addressed the Cabinet on Tuesday. Peru’s civil defence agency, Indeci, said on Trudeau is battling a crisis that centres on Twitter that it sent a search-and-rescue team to the Wilson-Raybould and allegations that his offi- unregulated mining camp in the southern region of cials pressured her last year to ensure con- Puno. Indeci did not immediately respond to requests struction company SNC-Lavalin Group Inc for comment. La Republica reported seven people avoided a corruption and bribery trial when were killed after the landslide swept over the mining she was justice minister. camp, with survivors retrieving bodies from the mud Trudeau, speaking to reporters in Atlantic while authorities struggled to reach the remote Canada, did not answer directly when asked location. Peru is home to hundreds of unregulated about a report in the Globe and Mail newspaper mining operations where workers toil in precarious yesterday alleging Wilson-Raybould told the conditions. Cabinet she had come under improper pressure Earlier this month, four miners were rescued from officials. from a small coal mine after a landslide trapped “I continue to be surprised by Jody Wilson- them for several days. Two miners were killed at a Raybould’s decision.... This is not a decision that different mine last week when a tunnel collapsed remains clear to me,” he told a televised news under heavy rains. Consecutive governments in Peru conference in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. have sought to regulate “informal” mining. The issue could threaten the ruling Liberals’ This week the government of President Martin chances in an election this October. Trudeau Vizcarra launched a new crackdown on wildcat gold aide Gerald Butts, a major architect of the Lib- mining in an Amazonian region, after deforestation erals’ surprise victory in October 2015, quit on from the activity in the region peaked last year. Monday while insisting he had done nothing Peru is the world’s sixth largest gold producer. wrong. Pence will meet with Lima Group on Venezuela crisis

REUTERS WASHINGTON

US Vice-President Mike Pence will fly to Bogota, Colombia on Monday to discuss the Venezuela crisis with leaders of the regional Lima Group of nations, his office said yesterday. The United States and other members of the group have thrown their support behind opposition leader Juan Guaido and are trying to pressure Pres- ident Nicolas Maduro to step aside to allow for new elections and the entry of humanitarian aid. “The struggle in Venezuela is between dicta- torship and democracy, and freedom has the momentum. Juan Guaido is the only legitimate leader of Venezuela, and it’s time for Nicolas Maduro to go,” Alyssa Farah, a spokeswoman for Pence, said in a statement. Pence is set to meet with refugees during his visit, his office said. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 CLASSIFIEDS 13

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0OMZ  E-mail: [email protected] BUSINESS Friday 22 February 2019 PAGE | 15 PAGE | 15 Russian wealth Lack of hard fund calls for currency worsens US investor to be hardships of freed from jail Zimbabweans

Your Global Remittance Partner Currency TT Rate Currency TT Rate Currency TT Rate Currency TT Rate QAR/INR : 19.40 QAR/PHP : 14.20 QAR/LKR : 49.10 QAR/BDT : 23.25 EUR/QAR : 4.25 GBP/QAR : 4.89 CAD/QAR : 2.85 AUD/QAR : 2.71 CHF/QAR : 3.76 SGD/QAR : 2.78 KWD/QAR : 12.12 OMR/QAR : 9.55 MAIN BRANCH LULU HYPER MARKET SANAYYA (STREET 17) AL KHOR PH: 44441448 PH: 44650768 PH: 44510088 PH: 44213444 MATAR QADEEM MANSOURA - AL MEERA ABU HAMOUR BIN OMRAN - ALMEERA PH: 44655559 PH: 44357552 PH: 44621271 PH: 44162002 alzamanexchange www.alzamanexchange.com 44441448 Oil hovers near QSE index gained 250 points last week

THE PENINSULA end of previous week. number of transactions. Real The volume of shares traded 2019 highs DOHA Banking and Financial Estate sector accounted for 19.70 yesterday increased to 14.45 Services sector led traded value percent. Banking and Financial million from 8.87 million on Qatar Stock Exchange’s (QSE) last week with 34.84 percent of Services sector accounted for Wednesday and the value of benchmark index gained 250 the total traded value. Industries 18.66 percent and Consumer shares increased to QR432.43m amid Opec cuts points, or 2.51 percent, last week sector accounted for 28.55 Goods and Services sector from QR384.21m on when the bourse closed yes- percent. Consumer Goods and accounted for 8.14 percent. Wednesday. REUTERS terday at 10,191.50 points. Services sector accounted for Of the 46 companies at QSE, Of the 49 companies listed LONDON Trading value during last 19.06 percent and Real Estate 29 ended last week higher, while on QSE, shares of 47 saw trading week increased by 79.73 percent sector accounted 9.99 percent, 14 fell and three remained yesterday. From these, 32 com- Oil prices hovered around 2019 to reach QR1.61bn compared to reports QNA. unchanged. panies gained, 13 closed lower highs yesterday, bolstered by QR900.36m. Industries sector led traded QNB led trading value during and shares of two companies Opec-led supply cuts and US Trading volume increased by volume last week with 43.91 last week accounted for 20.36 remained unchanged. sanctions on Venezuela and 78.75 percent to reach 52.56 percent of the total traded percent of the total traded value. Indices of five sectors ended Iran, but were capped by million shares, as against 29.40 volume. Banking and Financial Qatar Fuel accounted for 15.53 in green zone and two sectors slowing growth in the global million shares, while the number Services sector accounted for percent and Mesaieed Petro- ended in red zone yesterday. economy. of transactions rose by 42.19 20.91 percent. Real Estate sector chemical Holding Company QSE Total Return Index US West Texas Intermediate percent, to reach 31,316 transac- accounted for 19.36 percent and accounted 10.16 percent. increased 1.150 percent to (WTI) crude oil futures were at tions as compared to 22,024 Telecoms sector accounted 5.36 When compared on daily 18,109.02 points and QSE Al $57.17 a barrel at 1320 GMT, 1 US West Texas transactions. percent. basis, the QSE index gained Rayan Islamic Index up 1.55 cent above their last settlement, Market cap rose by 2.26 Industries sector led traded 113.68 points, or 1.13 percent, percent to 3,976.52 points. QSE and close to a 2019 high of Intermediate (WTI) percent to reach QR578.40bn as number of transactions last week compared to Wednesday’s All Share Index gained 1.31 $57.55 reached the previous day. crude oil futures were compared to QR565.64bn at the with 40.67 percent of the total closing. percent to 3,075.86 points. Brent crude futures were at $57.17 a barrel at down 4 cents at $67.04 after 1320 GMT. touching a 2019 peak on Business of Wednesday at $67.38. Brent crude futures Oil prices have been driven were down 4 cents at renting kitchen up this year by supply cuts led $67.04 after touching by the Organization of the space heats up Petroleum Exporting Countries a 2019 peak on (Opec). Wednesday at $67.38. in China Opec and its de facto leader Saudi Arabia agreed late last curbed Libyan output. However, BLOOMBERG year, along with producer allies analysts said that a global eco- SAN FRANCISCO such as Russia, to cut output by nomic slowdown - signs of 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) which emerged late last year - In China’s biggest cities, res- to prevent a supply overhang was preventing prices from taurants are struggling to from growing. surging beyond highs reached satisfy the appetites of cus- Opec member Nigeria sig- this week. tomers ordering food delivery nalled on Wednesday that it “Slowing economic growth through apps on their phones. would limit output after its pro- will invariably lead to weakness That’s leading to a booming duction climbed in January. in fuel consumption, thus market for renting kitchen “Willingness of the Opec+ eroding bullish gains for oil space, without tables, chairs group to adhere with the output prices,” said Benjamin Lu of bro- or waiters. cut agreement will remain sup- kerage Phillip Futures in One shared kitchen portive of oil prices in the Singapore. startup, Panda Selected, plans run-up to their scheduled April Talks between the United to announce on Friday a $50 meeting,” said Abhishek Kumar, States and China to resolve a m investment from a group of senior energy analyst at Interfax trade dispute which has helped international backers. The Energy in London. to dent global growth may be Beijing-based company is “Sharply declining oil output progressing, though. The two Samsung unveils world’s first folding smartphone snapping up real estate to get from Iran and Venezuela will sides have started to outline Drew Blackard, product marketing manager for Samsung, speaks on stage during the Samsung unpacked ahead of local rivals and a further prompt bullish sentiment commitments in principle on product launch event in San Francisco, California. The electronics giant unveiled a nearly $2,000 folding deep-pocketed competitor in the market.” US sanctions key points of contention, sources smartphone in a bid to top the technology of Apple Inc and Chinese rivals and reignite consumer interest from Los Angeles run by have hit Iranian and Venezuelan familiar with the negotiations amid slumping sales. Travis Kalanick, the billionaire crude exports while unrest has told Reuters. co-founder of Uber Technol- ogies Inc. The new investment in Panda is led by Tiger Global Citigroup in talks with treasury Management, a backer of Uber US firms’ spending on equipment before Kalanick was forced out in 2017. Other investors over $1.1bn Maduro gold deal include DCM and Glenridge and primary metals weakening Capital, with the latest round BLOOMBERG bringing its total capital to REUTERS Minutes of the US central a year-on-year basis. CARACAS $80m, the company said. The WASHINGTON bank’s January 29-30 policy Shipments of core capital deal values Panda Selected at meeting published on goods rose 0.5 percent in Citigroup bankers have been as much as $300m, said New orders for key US-made Wednesday noted that “some December after an unrevised 0.2 holding talks with US Treasury people familiar with the capital goods unexpectedly fell risks to the downside had percent drop in the prior month. officials to figure out how to matter, who asked not to be in December amid declining increased” with regard to the Core capital goods shipments are handle a gold deal they had identified because the infor- demand for machinery and outlook for the economy. The used to calculate equipment arranged with Nicolas Maduro’s mation has not been made primary metals, pointing to a Fed left interest rates unchanged spending in the government’s regime in Venezuela, people public. further slowdown in business at that meeting and discarded gross domestic product familiar with the matter said. Kitchens are shared spending on equipment that promises of “further gradual measurement. The deal, a $1.1bn swaps between restaurants to reduce could crimp economic growth. increases” in borrowing costs. While the rebound in core contract backed by gold held by their overheads with Panda The moderation in business The Commerce Department capital goods shipments suggests the Venezuelan central bank, secondary sanctions,” Rubio, Selected providing the venue, investment was also under- said orders for non-defense continued moderate growth in was struck before the US who’s been helping drive the US supplies and marketing. The scored by another report yes- capital goods excluding aircraft, business spending on equipment stepped up sanctions on push to oust Maduro, said in a company makes money terday showing a measure of a closely watched proxy for in the fourth quarter, the sur- Maduro’s government. But it’s telephone interview late through monthly fees as well factory activity in the mid- business spending plans, prise drop in orders points to due to expire early next month Wednesday. “The sale of gold is as additional charges for Atlantic region contracted in dropped 0.7 percent. Data for weakness in the months ahead. and Citigroup bankers are another revenue source that the services such as data analytics February for the first time since November was revised down to The December report was seeking to make sure they avoid Maduro regime is using and I to help merchants adjust May 2016. show these so-called core capital delayed by a 35-day partial making a move now that would know for a fact that Citibank has menus to boost sales on The reports, together with goods orders falling 1.0 percent shutdown of the federal gov- violate the sanctions, according had multiple meetings with delivery platforms Meituan data last week showing steep instead of declining 0.6 percent ernment that ended on Jan. 25. to Senator Marco Rubio (pic- Treasury seeking guidance, and Ele.me. declines in retail sales in as previously reported. The Commerce Department said tured) and other US and Vene- trying to figure out how to avoid Founder Haipeng Li December and manufacturing Economists polled by the “processing and data quality zuelan officials familiar with the exposure.” started the business in 2016 output in January, strengthen the Reuters had forecast core capital were monitored throughout, and matter. Daniel Diaz, a spokesman and now has more than 100 Federal Reserve’s “patient” goods orders rising 0.2 percent response and coverage rates “The one thing, no banker, for Citigroup, declined to kitchens in China, with plans stance toward raising interest in December. Core capital goods were at or above normal levels global or financial institution is comment as did a Treasury to double that over the next rates further this year. orders increased 6.1 percent on for this release.” going to do is run the risk of spokesman. eight months. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 BUSINESS 15 Russian wealth fund calls for US investor to be freed from jail

REUTERS private equity group, with fraud, Calvey multiple times, but had not MOSCOW hours before Washington accused been granted access, something it Moscow of denying its diplomats said flouted consular rules The head of Russia’s sovereign access to him. between the two countries. wealth fund has appealed to a Calvey was first detained last “We insist on access now,” the court in Moscow to move US week along with three other exec- embassy said in a statement. investor Michael Calvey (pictured) utives from his fund after investi- Calvey is being held in a cell and several other detained exec- gators accused him and others of with seven other people and is utives of the Baring Vostok private embezzling 2.5 billion roubles experiencing back pain, Ivan Mel- equity group to house arrest, the ($38.17m). nikov, a member of a public com- And I think that all the circum- fund said yesterday. The case has raised concerns mission for the rights of inmates, stances of the case will be taken Calvey, a US citizen, and among some foreign investors in told Reuters. into account when the legal several other senior executives Russia who are worried about the Melnikov, who visited Calvey hearings take place soon,” Lavrov were arrested last week on sus- business climate. In a sign those in custody on Wednesday, said the was quoted as saying by Russian picion of defrauding Vostochny concerns are being taken seriously US national was sharing a cell with news agencies. Bank shareholders. in some circles, the head of Rus- people being held over non-eco- “As far as I understand he was They deny the allegations and sia’s RDIF sovereign wealth fund nomic crimes in contravention of not a very visible person in the say the case is being used to apply and its biggest state bank have prison regulations. public realm. But of course I’ve pressure in a business dispute. spoken out in Calvey’s favour. Russian Foreign Minister heard what people whom I deeply Calvey is currently being held Hours after Calvey was Sergei Lavrov said yesterday that respect have said about him, and in pre-trial detention. charged yesterday, the US embassy Calvey’s case was in the political I think many people have heard Russian state prosecutors yes- in Moscow said Russia was spotlight. this,” Lavrov said. terday formally charged Calvey, denying its diplomats access to “The question lies at the centre Calvey is due to appeal his the founder of the Baring Vostok him. It said it had asked to visit of a very lively political discussion. arrest next week. Lack of hard currency worsens hardships of Zimbabweans

REUTERS dropping in value on the street, multilateral debt arrears, virtually HARARE worsening the hardships of no foreign reserves, and confi- ordinary Zimbabweans as inflation dence at rock-bottom, Zimbabwe’s Zimbabwe’s decision to scrap a soared. problems are still far from over - peg between its quasi-currency Many foreign traders have nor is the road ahead any clearer.” bond notes and the US dollar stopped accepting bond notes as The RBZ hopes its new brings a welcome end to a failing legal tender, leaving businesses measures will temper demand for monetary policy, but it is not the such as millers, brewers and dollars on the black market and solution to a deeper crisis, econ- miners hamstrung. ease inflation as the new currency omists said yesterday. A more realistic approach will settles at fair value. The Reserve Bank of Zim- be welcomed by investors and Though the RBZ said it had babwe (RBZ) on Wednesday said foreign donors but it will not accessed sufficient lines of credit it would carry out a “managed reverse the currency crisis, experts to buttress the exchange market, float” of the surrogate bond notes said. The RBZ only has enough it provided few details. and electronic dollars, effectively foreign exchange for two weeks “There are many questions creating a national currency for market, where one US dollar still of imports. that remain unanswered,” said the first time since adopting the costs around 3.5 bond notes and “The fact that officials finally Tony Hawkins (pictured), pro- US dollar in 2009. $4 in electronic funds. came to their senses and ditched fessor of business studies at Uni- The bond notes and electronic “I think if the RBZ manages to the notion that Zimbabwe’s quasi versity of Zimbabwe. dollars will be known as a separate keep liquidity low the rate will def- currency was at par with the US “This is a step in the right currency called RTGS dollars. initely stabilise,” one trader said. dollar, is comforting,” said Jee-A direction but it is not a solution. Banks were closed for a public Due to a desperate lack of Van Der Linde, analyst at NKC What they need is a large supply holiday yesterday. hard currency, the bond notes and African Economics. of dollars, without that this will not Street traders said there had notional dollars in the electronic “With consumer prices work. So you call this a bandage yet to be any change on the black banking system have been steadily soaring, significant amounts of and not a cure.”

CROSSWORD MALL ROYAL PLAZA L.K.G. (Tamil) 2:00pm; June (2D/Malayalam) Kodathisamaksham Balan Vakkeel (2D/Malayalam) 2:15pm; 2:15pm; Natasaarvabhowma (2D/Kannada) Kanne Kalaimaane (2D/Tamil) 2:15pm; Kikoriki Deja Vu (2D/ 2:15pm; Kodathisamaksham Balan Vakkeel Animation) 2:30 & 4:30pm; Gully Boy (2D/Hindi) 4:15pm; (2D/Malayalam) 4:15pm; Gully Boy (2D/Hindi) Alone/Together (2D/Tagalog) 9:30m; Then Came You (2D/ 4:45 & 11:30pm; Upgrade (2D/Action) 7:00pm; Comedy) 6:00pm; A Star Is Born (2D/Drama) 7:00pm; Total Dumplin (2D/Comedy) 7:30pm; Alone/Together Dhamaal (2D/Hindi) 5:00, 7:15 & 11:30pm; The Knight Of (2D/Tagalog) 7:30m; Total Dhamaal (2D/Hindi) Shadows (2D/Action) 9:30pm; What They Had (2D/Drama) 5:00, 8:45 & 11:30pm; The Knight Of Shadows 7:45pm; Upgrade (2D/Action) 9:45pm; June (2D/Malayalam) (2D/Action) 9:30pm; Fighting With My Family 11:30pm; L.K.G. (Tamil) 11:30pm (2D/Comedy) 9:30pm; Kanne Kalaimaane (2D/ Tamil) 10:30pm ASIAN TOWN June (2D/Malayalam) 12:00, 2:45, 5:30, 8:15, 11:00pm & LANDMARK 1:45am; Total Dhamaal (2D/Hindi) 12:30, 3:00, 5:30, 8:00, 10:30pm & 1:45am; Kodathisamaksham Balan Vakkeel (2D/ Kodathisamaksham Balan Vakkeel (2D/ Malayalam) 12:00, 2:45, 5:30, 8:15, 11:00pm & 1:45am; Malayalam) 2:00pm; Kanne Kalaimaane (2D/ Perambu (2D/Tamil) 3:00pm; L.K.G. (2D/Tamil) 5:30pm; Tamil) 2:15pm; Kikoriki Deja Vu(2D/Animation) Kumbalangi Nights (2D/Malayalam) 8:00pm; Kanne 2:15pm; L.K.G. (Tamil) 4:45 & 9:15pm; Gully Boy Kalaimaane (2D/Tamil) 10;30pm (2D/Hindi) 4:45pm; Natasaarvabhowma (2D/ Kannada) 4:15pm; Total Dhamaal (2D/Hindi) FLIK Mirqab Mall 2:00, 7:00, 9:15 & 11:30pm; Alone/Together (2D/ Tagalog) 7:30pm; Time Out (2D/Arabic) 9:30pm; Alita: The Battle Angel (2D/Action) 12:15, 2:40, 5:05, 7:30, Upgrade (2D/Action) 11:15pm; The Knight Of 9:55pm & 0:20am; Alita: The Battle Angel (3D/Action) Shadows (2D/Action) 7:15pm; June (2D/ 10:50am, 1:20, 3:50, 6:20, 8:50 & 11:20pm; Malayalam) 11:30pm. Alone/Together (2D/Tagalog) 6:50 & 10:15pm; Cold Pursuit (2D/ Action) 10:10am & 12:35pm; Fighting With My Family (2D/ Comedy) 12:00, 2:20, 4:50, 7:15, 9:35 & 11:55pm; ROXY Gully Boy (2D/Hindi) 3:00 & 8:55pm; Kumbalangi Nights Alita: The Battle Angel (2D/Action) 10:30, 2:10, (2D/Malayalam) 6:05pm; The Lego Movie 2 (2D/Action) 3:10, 6:50, 8:00 & 10:30pm; Alone/Together 10:40am, 1:00, 3:20, 5:40pm; Then Came You 2:30, 4:40 & (2D/Tagalog) 7:20m; Fighting With My Family 8:00pm; Total Dhamaal (2D/Hindi) 4:10, 7:00, 9:50& 0:40am; (2D/Comedy) 9:10, 9:50, 11:40pm & 0:10am; Upgrade 12:20am, 9:05 & 11:10pm Gully Boy (2D/Hindi) 11:00am, 2:00 & 5:00pm Happy Death Day 2U (2D/Horror) 12:00, 1:00, AL KHOR 4:40 & 5:40pm; June (2D/Malayalam) 11:00am, Alita: The Battle Angel (2D/Action) 10:30am, 3:45 & 1:50, 4:40 & 7:30pm; The Lego Movie 2 (2D/ 9:00pm; Kodathisamaksham Balan Vakkeel (2D/ Action) 10:30am, 12:40, 2:50 & 5:00pm; Malayalam) 11:30am, 5:30 & 11:30pm; June (2D/Malayalam) Total Dhamaal (2D/Hindi) 8:00 & 11:00pm 10:30am, 3:45 & 9:00pm; Total Dhamaal (2D/Hindi) 1:00, 6:15 & 11:30pm; Perambu (2D/Tamil) 2:30 & 8:30pm; The Knight Of Shadows (2D/Action) 1:30, 6:45 & 12:00 midnight

Note: Programme is subject to change without prior notice.

WHAT THEY HAD Bridget returns home at her brother’s urging to deal with her ailing mother and her father’s reluctance to let go of their life together. SPORT Friday 22 February 2019 PAGE | 17 PAGE | 18 Juventus and Tsitsipas Ronaldo put on bounces back brave face after by winning in tough night Marseille Colourful ceremony flags off Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally Defending FIA World Cup champion Przygonski leads Home hero Al Attiyah, Przygonski quality field in Qatar. Dakar Rally champion Al Attiyah chases a sixth victory in his home FIA get set for the desert showdown event in eight years.

THE PENINSULA LUSAIL

The Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally roared into life with a fanfare ceremonial start outside Souq Al Medina on The Pearl- Qatar yesterday evening. A large crowd of shoppers, tourists and local residents assembled in the Plaza Al Hambra to witness QMMF President Abdulrahman Al Mannai and Manateq’s CEO Fahad Rashed Al Kaabi joined by the Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, to flag off 22 FIA cars, 13 national crews and com- petitors from 20 nations at the start of the first round of the FIA Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali and World Cup for Cross-Country Qatari T3 driver Khalid Al Mohannadi pose for a photograph during Rallies. yesterday’s ceremony. Prior to the podium start, the Qatari trio of Nasser Saleh Al Minister of Culture and Sports H E Salah bin Ghanem Al Ali, Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation Attiyah, Adel Abdulla and Ahmed President Abdulrahman Al Mannai and Qatar’s three-time Dakar Rally champion Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah Al Kuwari, defending FIA World Cup champion Jakub Przygonski, during the ceremonial kick-off of the Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally at The Pearl yesterday. Camelia Liparoti, Vladimir Vas- ilyev and Reinaldo Varela Liparoti is not phased by being Demanding secret route for attended the official pre-event the only woman on the entry list. opening FIA World Cup round press conference on the start The Italian said: “I have raced here The competitive action will podium. two times before and, yes, I have take place over five days and six Rally officials also laid on an switched from a quad to a T3, but special stages, spanning the impressive display of motorcycles I still have four wheels and a northern, southern and westerly in the Plaza that attracted a lot of steering wheel instead of handle extremities of the State of Qatar. interest before the start bars. It’s great to be competing The route for the event is formalities. against such a strong field of secret and teams will be per- Al Attiyah is chasing a sixth drivers. I actually trained in the mitted access to road books and victory in his home FIA event in dunes at Sealine before the Dakar route instructions on the eve of eight years. He said yesterday: “It’s and enjoyed it very much.” each stage, but they will not be Qatari driver Ahmed fantastic to be here with all my Ahmed Al Kuwari switched given the road liaison route to the Al Kuwari and his Italian closest rivals starting another from motorcycles to race a T3 start of the following day’s timed co-driver Manuel Lucchese season of competition. We know with support from the QMMF test until the actual morning of in their Can-Am Maverick X3 each other very well and now is and the Qatari is eager to start the start. This eliminates the during the ceremonial start the time for the games to start and his new challenge. “People ask temptation to try and map out the of the event yesterday. the fight to begin.” me why I switched from bikes intricate route through the Przygonski, who won the to cars and I say I think there is deserts and makes for a level Qatar event with his MINI John more of a future to progress in playing field for everyone. The stage will also mark the who dropped down into the specials of 227.99km and Cooper Works Rally in 2018, this discipline. Reinaldo (Varela) Today’s opening timed stage fourth round of the Qatar National section after technical 121.41km on Monday, linked by a added: “I know it will not be easy. won the Dakar (SxS) and Adel starts 66.34km from the Lusail National Baja Championship, scrutineering at Lusail. road section of 56.39km. but I am sorry to say in front of all (Abdulla) is a former T2 World Sports Arena and runs for with an impressive 13 additional The following four days are The final timed stage takes the local fans that I am here to Champion, so I know it will not 109.76km before a second liaison crews running behind the FIA much longer and more place on Tuesday morning and beat Nasser. I have a new co- be easy, and it’s great to be here guides crews back to the service event and scoring points in the demanding and start with a runs for 263.88km before the driver and Timo and I want to start alongside Nasser, a Dakar park. There are no passage con- first of three Qatar Manateq Bajas. 323.58km stage on Saturday, a return to Lusail and the cere- the season with as good a result winner, and Jakub (Przygonski), trols on the short opening sprint That list includes Abdullah Al further 351.98km selective monial finish at The as we can.” the defending World Champion.” through central Qatar. Baker and Abdullah Al Rabban, section on Sunday and two Pearl-Qatar.

Qatari drivers Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah, Adel Abdulla and Ahmed Al Kuwari pose for a photograph with the defending FIA World Cup champion Jakub Przygonski, Camelia Liparoti, Vladimir Vasilyev and Reinaldo Varela prior to the ceremonial start of the Manateq Qatar Cross-Country Rally, yesterday. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 SPORT 17 Ilyas’ early strike powers Al Sailiyah; Neymar to continue Hosts Al Arabi edge Al Shahaniya 2-1 treatment

THE PENINSULA ahead after dodging an Al Shahaniya DOHA marker but when he reached the box, in Brazil he fumbled with his shot. Al Shahaniya Al Sailiyah yesterday edged past hosts goalkeeper Soud Abdulla Al Hajri failed REUTERS Al Ahli 1-0 in their QSL Round 19 clash. to clear the ball which landed at striker PARIS The only goal of the match was scored Wilfried Bony’s feet. Bony clipped a in the second minute of the tense clash shot into the net with a left-footed Paris St Germain forward Neymar by Abdulqadir Ilyas. It was the 10th win drive from close range. will continue treatment on his foot for Al Sailiyah this season. In the 9th minute, Ramin injury in Brazil under the supervision In a dramatic start to the pro- Semeskandi of Al Shahaniya attempted of the club’s medical team, the ceedings, Al Sailiyah opened the a shot at the goal but Al Arabi keeper French Ligue 1 side have said. scoring after a lapse by Al Ahli keeper Mahmoud Ibrahim blocked the move. Brazil international Neymar was Ivanildo Santos. Veteran midfielder In the 29th minute, Al Shahaniya ruled out for 10 weeks last month Nadri Belhadj charged down the left produced the equaliser with slick after he injured a metatarsal in his flank before slipping in a cross to team attacking. Ramin slipped a cross into right foot during a 2-0 French Cup mate Rachid Tiberkanine, the the Al Arabi box but keeper Ibrahim win over Strasbourg on Jan. 23. Moroccan midfielder. Tiberkanine wasn’t quick to clear the ball. Yuosuf The club confirmed that the quickly aimed for the goal from the Hany Al Raeesi, a Qatari U-23 player, injury was a recurrence of the edge of the Al Ahli box but keeper grabbed the opportunity to put the ball problem that threatened his World Santos fumbled with the ball. into the net from close range as the Cup participation last year. An unmarked Ilyas latched on to boys in blue drew level close to the “As part of the treatment... PSG the loose ball and slipped one into the half hour mark. has decided to send Neymar to ease with the greatest of ease as Al A minute later, Al Arabi once again Brazil for 10 days,” PSG said in a Sailiya team players celebrated the grabbed the lead when Iranian Morteza statement, adding that the 27-year- ‘plucky’ strike in just the second Pouraliganji headed home in spec- old was to leave yesterday. minute of the match. tacular fashion off a direct corner kick. In the 21st minute, Al Sailiyah’s Despite the ball dipping in, Pourali- Mohshine Moutaouali scored - or he ganji dove in front to deflect the ball thought he had - but the effort was into the Al Shahaniya net with keeper ruled as offside by the linesman. In Al Hajri in no place to stop the ball. the 40th minute, Belhadj’s attempt at The yellow cards also came out goal was blocked expertly by keeper thick and fast as players from both Santos. sides got booked for rough tackles. Al Ahmed Suhail of Al Ahli was later Arabi’s Victor Vazquez (19) and Al Sha- penalised for a rough tackle in the haniya trio Saad Hussain (29), Alvaro 39th minute with a yellow card by Mejia Perez (59) and Vazquez Luciano referee Nayef Mohamed Al Kadiri. The (79) got booked in the round 17 clash. referee also penalised Al Ahli duo In the 80th minute, Al Arabi keeper Action from the QNB Stars League Round 16 match between Al Ahli and Al Magid Mohamed Hassan (62) and Omid Ibrahim got booked followed by Yusuf Sailiyah at the Al Ahli Stadium in Doha, yesterday. PICTURE: SYED OMAR Amir Ebrahimi (74) in the second half. Abdurisag who received a yellow card Al Sailiyah’s Abdulrahman Mohamed a minute later. Hussain (47) and Ahmed Albakheet Al- brought down by Mohammed Abdullah It was Al Arabi’s eight win of the Seconds later Al Arabi substitute Menhali (71) were also penalised with Terazor as national team coach Felix season. Mohammed Salah could not find yellow cards in the tense clash. Sanchez watched from the stands at In the eighth minute, Al Arabi power on his header in the Al Sha- Five minutes from the close of play, Al Ahli Stadium. opened the scoring through a lucky haniya box on a neat cross from Tiberkanine was also shown a yellow Later, at the Al Arabi Stadium, two move that resulted in an early goal for Hashim Ali. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Al card for a rough tackle. Two minutes first-half goals powered the hosts to a the home side. Arabi skipper, got booked for unsports- Neymar later, Bilal Mohammed Saidani was 2-1 win over a fighting Al Shahaniya. Fahad Khalfan Al Bulushi charged manlike-like behaviour in injury time. Juventus and Ronaldo put on Manchester United brave face after tough night primed to dent AFP Liverpool’s title bid MILAN The Portuguese

superstar has five REUTERS Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival in Champions League titles MANCHESTER by Liverpool which offered Sol- Turin last summer had been with Manchester United skjaer his chance when Jose hailed as a masterstroke on the and Real Madrid. CR7 has Mourinho was sacked following part of the Italian giants in their Manchester United may not be in a limp 3-1 loss at Anfield in bid to end their 23-year wait to scored a record 121 goals the title race but Ole Gunnar December. lift the Champions League title. in the competition. Solskjaer’s side could have a big United moved into the FA Cup The Portuguese superstar say in who does win the Premier quarter-finals with an impressive had won five Champions League, starting with Sunday’s 2-0 win at Chelsea on Monday League titles with Manchester Juventus’ Portuguese clash against Liverpool at Old while Liverpool head into this United and Real Madrid and forward Cristiano Ronaldo Trafford. weekend’s game after a 0-0 home scored a record 121 goals in the reacts during the UEFA Manchester City lead the draw with Bayern Munich in the competition. Champions League round Premier League on goal difference Champions League. But instead the Serie A of 16 first leg match from Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool United are hoping Anthony giants are now facing the pos- against Atletico Madrid at with both teams on 65 points -- Martial and Jesse Lingard recover sibility of an early exit after the Wanda Metropolitan 14 ahead of fourth-placed United. from muscle injuries in time to falling 2-0 in their last 16, first- Stadium in Madrid on City do not feature in the face Liverpool -- the pair missed leg clash against Atletico Madrid Wednesday. Premier League this weekend as the Chelsea game after picking up on Wednesday night. they face Chelsea in the League the injuries in the Champions Once again the 34-year-old Cup final, giving Liverpool an League defeat by Paris St Germain Ronaldo did not have a return opportunity to return to the top of last week. to the Spain he had dreamt of. the table. Tottenham Hotspur will also The former Real Madrid United still have to play City hope to close the gap on City and player was sent off in his first Serie A giants Juventus admitted his side got it wrong Juventus share prices went into again in this campaign, but, their captain Harry Kane could be European game for Juventus in are now facing the particularly in the second half free fall, losing nearly 10 perhaps surprisingly to some, their back in the starting line-up at Spain last September against possibility of an early when they were rescued twice percent on the Milan stock fans would probably prefer them Burnley on Saturday after a few Valencia. exit after falling 2-0 in by VAR. exchange yesterday morning. to do more damage to Liverpool’s weeks out with an ankle injury. This time he was whistled “They don’t give you “20 days. 20 days to be ambitions. and mocked by home fans, and their last 16, first-leg chances,” said Allegri. “They ready for a challenge to live, Liverpool haven’tn’t claimed ththee delivered a performance far clash against Atletico make you play badly.” and win, all together. Until the league title since 1990 whilwhilee below expectations for a player Madrid on Wednesday The Italians have also had end,” urged Allegri on Twitter. United have won 13 in thatthat periodperiod Juventus had paid €100m setbacks with midfielder Sami In between, Juventus have and their supportersters love to ($117m) for. Khedira recovering from a heart three Serie A games, including remind their bitterr north-west Ronaldo replied by waving problem with defensive duo a clash with their closest chal- rivals of that fact. five fingers at the crowd, telling Simeone’s side within sight of Leonardo Bonucci and Giorgio lengers Napoli on March 3. Local pride aside,de, however, journalists: “I’ve got five Cham- the quarter-finals. Chiellini just back from injury. Before then they travel to this is also a crucial game for Sol-Sol- pions League trophies and Atleti Italian sports daily Gazzetta Juventus are unbeaten in struggling Bologna on Sunday. skjaer as he bids to convince thethe have won zero.” Dello Sport was scathing of their pursuit of an eighth By the time Juventus play, Old Trafford hierarchychy that he iiss But his hopes of a sixth and Ronaldo who received just 4.5 straight Serie A crown. They are Ronaldo could have lost his the right man to leadad the club oonn first with Juventus diminished out of ten as “the worst” player 13 points ahead of nearest rivals place as the top scorer in Serie a permanent basissis after his as he was stifled from the outset on the pitch, with Polish goal- Napoli after 24 games. A. interim period runs out at the end by Atletico’s backline. keeper Wojciech Szczesny But their domestic domi- Ronaldo has 19, two more of this season. “It was a tough night,” said Juventus’s “best” with 6.5. nation has been broken. At the than AC Milan’s new Polish The Norwegiann is already a Ronaldo, who has scored 22 “CR7, you can save this end of January they lost at signing Krzysztof Piatek who highly popular figuree with UniteUnited’sd’s goals against Atletico. Juve,” urged Turin daily Tutt- Atlanta to end their bid for a has scored four goals in as many fans after leading thehe team to 11 Ronaldo’s best contribution osport looking ahead to the fifth straight Coppa Italia crown. games since moving from wins in his first 13 gamesames in was an early, driven free-kick second-leg tie in the Allianz Juventus recruited Ronaldo Genoa. He is in action today as charge and if he werere to from 30 yards, that had to be Stadium on May 12. for a treble of Champions Milan host Empoli. claim the scalp off pushed over by Jan Oblak. Coach Massimiliano Allegri League, Serie A and Coppa Italia Milan will be looking to Klopp’s Liverpool hiss Atletico were celebrating at was also in the firing line after crowns. consolidate fourth place which approval ratingss the final whistle as goals from what Gazzetta dello Sport With their most important is the final Champions League would go through Jose Gimenez and Diego Godin, termed “a Waterloo of play and challenge now requiring they berth, ahead of the pursuing the roof. with a shot that deflected into attitude”. score at least twice against a pack of Roma, Atalanta and It was a defeat Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the net off Ronaldo, put Diego The Juventus coach team that specialises in defence, Lazio. 18 SPORT FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 Ranatunga fails Sri Lanka shine before in bid to take control of SLC South Africa strike back AFP COLOMBO

AFP World Cup-winning skipper PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH AFRICA Arjuna Ranatunga suffered a comprehensive defeat in his bid Isner powers past Lacko Three late strikes by South Africa’s to take control of Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers yesterday helped crisis-ridden national cricket to reach Delray quarters atone for a poor batting board yesterday. performance on the first day of the Ranatunga, 55, contested REUTERS second Test against Sri Lanka. one of two vice-president posts FLORIDA Sri Lanka were 60 for three at but only came third in voting. the close at St George’s Park after His brother, Nishantha, who bowling out South Africa for 222. was nominated as secretary, Second seed John Isner used his powerful serve to overpower Earlier, Vishwa Fernando and was also defeated. Lukas Lacko 6-4, 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals of the Delray Kasun Rajitha both took three Ranatunga ally Jayantha Beach Open in Florida on Wednesday. wickets as Sri Lanka followed up Dharmadasa also failed in his Isner dropped only one point on his first serve, and broke their surprise win in the first Test bid to become Sri Lanka Cricket his Slovakian opponent three times on the outdoor hardcourt in Durban with a disciplined president, losing out to Shammi to advance. The big-serving American was also pleased with bowling performance on a slow Silva -- a loyalist of former SLC the way he returned against 133rd-ranked Lacko. but well-grassed pitch. chief Thilanga Sumathipala, Isner faced only two break points, both in the eighth game Some of their good work was A South Ranatunga’s arch-rival. of the second set. undone after Dimuth Karunaratne African fielder Ranatunga, who led Sri He saved the first with an ace, and the second when Lacko and Lahiru Thirimanne gave the celebrates after Lanka to victory at the 1996 netted a forehand groundstroke. Sri Lankan innings a reasonable Sri Lanka’s World Cup, had vowed to clean Isner let out a huge roar going up 5-3 before serving out start, putting on 25 for the first Oshada up the board, which the Inter- to stay unbeaten in four career meetings against Lacko. wicket. national Cricket Council Fernando (left) Also on Wednesday, British qualifier Dan Evans qualified Captain Karunaratne was recently described as the was bowled for his first quarter-final since returning from suspension when caught behind off Kagiso Rabada sport’s most corrupt national out during he thrashed South African Lloyd Harris 6-0 6-2. for 17 in the 12th over. Duanne body. their second The win came a day after Evans, who returned to the tour Olivier then bowled Oshada The former skipper, who is Test match in last April after a 12-month ban for a positive cocaine test, came Fernando and had Kusal Mendis also a minister in the Sri Lankan Port Elizabeth, from behind to upset American Frances Tiafoe in three sets. caught behind. government, had hoped to yesterday. In other Italian sixth seed Andreas Seppi outlasted Jordan South Africa, needing a win to wrest control of the SLC ahead Thompson 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, while French eighth seed Adrian Man- share the series, made a poor start of the World Cup that begins in narino beat Denis Istomin 6-2 7-6(3). after winning the toss, losing three SCOREBOARD England on May 30. The second round continues on Thursday, with an evening wickets with the total on 15, two match between top seed Juan Martin del Potro and American SOUTH AFRICA, first innings Bowling: Lakmal 13-2-33-0 (1nb), V. Fernando 18.2- of them off successive balls from D. Elgar b V. Fernando ...... 6 2-62-3, Rajitha 15-2-67-3 (3nb), Embuldeniya 5.3-0- Reilly Opelka likely to be the highlight. Vishwa Fernando. A. Markram lbw b Rajitha ...... 60 26-0, Karunaratne 4.3-1-12-1, De Silva 5-0-15-2 Pandya ruled Opelka on Sunday secured his first ATP title when he won They never recovered fully H. Amla b V. Fernando ...... 0 the New York Open. He beat Isner in a semi-final in New York despite three half-century stands, T. Bavuma run out (Rajitha) ...... 0 SRI LANKA, first innings out of Australia in a match that featured a combined 81 aces, an ATP record two of which involved top-scorer F. du Plessis b Karunaratne ...... 25 D. Karunaratne c De Kock b Rabada ...... 17 for a three-set match. Quinton de Kock, who made 86. Q. de Kock b De Silva ...... 86 L. Thirimanne not out ...... 25 series with injury Aiden Markram and captain W. Mulder lbw b Rajitha ...... 9 O. Fernando b Olivier ...... 0 ATP DELRAY BEACH OPEN RESULTS Faf du Plessis put on 58 for the K. Maharaj c Dickwella b Rajitha ...... 0 K. Mendis c De Kock b Olivier ...... 16 AFP 2ND RD K. Rabada c Dickwella b De Silva ...... 22 K. Rajitha not out ...... 0 NEW DELHI fourth wicket but it was 73 for four D. Steyn not out ...... 3 Extras (lb1, nb1) ...... 2 Andreas Seppi (ITA x6) bt Jordan Thompson (AUS) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 when captain Du Plessis was D. Olivier c Dickwella b V. Fernando ...... 0 Total (3 wkts, 20 overs) ...... 60 Daniel Evans (GBR) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 6-0, 6-2 bowled by opposite number, part- Extras (b1, lb6, nb4) ...... 11 To bat: K. Perera, N. Dickwella, D. de Silva, S. Lakmal, Star Indian all-rounder Hardik Adrian Mannarino (FRA x8) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) time bowler Karunaratne, with the Total (61.2 overs) 222 L. Embuldeniya, V. Fernando Pandya will miss the upcoming John Isner (USA x2) bt Lukas Lacko (SVK) 6-4, 6-3 last ball before lunch. Fall of wickets: 1-15 (Elgar), 2-15 (Amla), 3-15 (Ba- Fall of wickets: 1-25 (Karunaratne), 2-34 (O. Fern- limited-overs series against The hosts seemed to be recov- vuma), 4-73 (Du Plessis), 5-130 (Markram), 6-145 ando), 3-59 (Mendis) Australia due to lower back ering when Markram and De Kock (Mulder), 7-157 (Maharaj), 8-216 (De Kock), 9-221 Bowling: Steyn 8-2-20-0, Rabada 7-3-14-1, Olivier stiffness, the country’s cricket put on 57 at almost a run a ball for (Rabada), 10-222 (Olivier) 5-1-25-2 (1nb) board said yesterday. Tsitsipas bounces back the fifth wicket before Kasun India will field a 14-player Rajitha took three wickets in suc- for the eighth wicket before De De Kock made his 86 off 87 squad instead of the original 15 by winning in Marseille cessive overs. Kock, who was suffering from balls with 12 fours. He was clearly for the two Twenty20 matches Markram was leg before cramp, was bowled by off-spinner struggling soon after reaching his starting Sunday in

AFP wicket for 60 and Rajitha followed Dhananjaya de Silva, who then half-century and needed Visakhapatnam. MARSEILLE up with the wickets of new cap had Rabada caught behind before treatment on the field. Ravindra Jadeja will replace Wiaan Mulder for nine and Keshav Vishwa Fernando finished off the There was concern that he Pandya for the five one-day Maharaj for nought. innings by having Olivier caught might have aggravated a groin internationals that follow the Rising Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas bounced back from suc- The left-handed De Kock went behind. injury which kept him out of a T20s, the Board of Control for cessive defeats with a comfortable win over Poland’s Hubert to his third half-century of the Sri Lankan left-arm spinner recent Twenty20 series against Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a Hurkacz to reach the quarter-finals in Marseille on Wednesday. series off 51 balls but was dropped Lasith Embuldeniya injured his left Pakistan but he kept wicket statement. The 20-year-old, who stunned Roger Federer en route to on 55 when Dhananjaya de Silva thumb trying to take a sharp without any apparent dis- Pandya is expected to be the Australian Open semi-finals last month, had lost his last two could not hold a high chance at return catch from Rabada shortly comfort and a team spokesman key to India’s chances at the matches to Gael Monfils and Damir Dzumhur. gully off Rajitha. before tea and did not return to said he had been treated for World Cup starting May 30 in But Tsitsipas, the top seed this week in France, was back De Kock and Rabada added 59 the field. cramp. England and Wales. in form as he brushed aside world number 78 Hurkacz 6-4, 6-2 in only an hour. “It is nice to start so well. It was a ‘no-trouble match’,” Tsit- sipas told atpworldtour.com. “Everything went smooth. Breaks happened when they had to happen. It was a solid match.” Gayle heroics in vain as Roy and Root He will next face a lucky loser -- either Ukrainian world number 141 Sergiy Stakhovsky or the 130th-ranked Gregoire Barrere -- in the last eight. sink West Indies in record run chase MARSEILLE ATP RESULTS 1ST RD REUTERS Gayle was dropped on nine English batsman Gregoire Barrere (FRA) bt Jiri Vesely (CZE) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 BARBADOS by Roy, who said the missed Joe Root celebrates Matthias Bachinger (GER) bt Steve Darcis (BEL) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 chance had been at the “back of after scoring his Ugo Humbert (FRA) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) Jason Roy and Joe Root scored his mind” when he took the century during the 2ND RD centuries as England clinched a crease. 1st ODI against West Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x1) bt Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 6-4, 6-2 record-breaking victory over Roy laid a foundation for Root Indies in Bridgetown, Gilles Simon (FRA x6) bt Peter Gojowczyk (GER) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 West Indies in a display of pure to all but take England across the Barbados, on Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN x4) power hitting and shot making line with a stylish innings based Wednesday. 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) by both sides in their opening on strokemaking and astute one-day international in placement of the ball. Barbados on Wednesday. Root was denied hitting the ATP RIO DE JANEIRO RESULTS Roy made 123 and Root 102 winning run when he was caught 1ST RD as the visitors scored 364 for four on the boundary with the scores Taro Daniel (JPN) bt Thiago Wild (BRA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 to win by six wickets with eight tied and left to a standing ovation. Pablo Cuevas (URU) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG x4) 6-1, 4-1 retired balls to spare and take a 1-0 lead Captain Eoin Morgan chimed 2ND RD in the five-game series in front in with 65. Aljaz Bedene (SLO) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-3, 6-4 of a near-capacity crowd at Ken- The second match will be Hugo Dellien (BOL) bt Roberto Carballés (ESP) 7-5, 6-4 sington Oval. played on the same ground today. Jaume Munar (ESP) bt Cameron Norrie (GBR) 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 7-6 (7/4) England’s highest successful Félix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) bt Christian Garín (CHI) 7-5, 6-4 run chase in one-dayers was aided by some sloppy West Indies SCOREBOARD fielding and several dropped WEST INDIES 6-0-54-0 (4w), B. Stokes 8-0-37-3 (2w), A. WTA DUBAI CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS catches. C. Gayle b Stokes ...... 135 Rashid 9-0-74-3 (1w) QUARTER-FINALS Chris Gayle had belted 12 J. Campbell c Ali b Woakes ...... 30 ENGLAND Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x4) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 sixes in his 135 to help West Indies S. Hope c Rashid b Stokes ...... 64 J. Roy c Bravo b Bishoo ...... 123 Petra Kvitova (CZE x2) bt Viktoria Kuzmova (SVK) 6-4, 6-0 to a daunting total of 360 for S. Hetmyer c Roy b Woakes ...... 20 J. Bairstow c Hope b Holder ...... 34 eight, their highest one-day inter- N. Pooran c Roy b Rashid ...... 0 J. Root c Pooran b Holder ...... 102 national score against England. D. Bravo c Woakes b Rashid ...... 40 E. Morgan c Holder b Thomas ...... 65 The umpires had to replace J. Holder st Buttler b Rashid ...... 16 B. Stokes not out ...... 20 C. Brathwaite c Buttler b Stokes ...... 3 J. Buttler not out ...... 4 the ball more than half a dozen A. Nurse not out ...... 25 Extras (lb-3, w-13) ...... 16 times after several of Gayle’s tow- D. Bishoo not out ...... 9 Total (48.4 overs, 4 wickets) ...... 364 ering sixes landed outside the Extras (b-1, lb-1, nb-1, w-15) ...... 18 Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-205, 3-321, 4-360 stadium, including one that Total (50 overs, 8 wickets) ...... 360 Did not bat: M. Ali, C. Woakes, L. Plunkett, A. measured at 121 metres. Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-169, 3-229, 4-230, Rashid, M. Wood West Indies smashed a word 5-294, 6-317, 7-322, 8-343 Bowling: D. Bishoo 10-0-78-1, O. Thomas 9-0- record 23 sixes in total. New Did not bat: O. Thomas 72-1 (4w), J. Holder 9.4-0-63-2 (3w), C. Zealand held the previous record Bowling: C. Woakes 10-0-59-2 (2w), M. Wood Brathwaite 9-0-66-0 (5w), A. Nurse 10-0-69-0 of 22 sixes, against West Indies 7-0-49-0 (1nb, 4w), Ali 10-0-85-0, L. Plunkett (1w), J. Campbell 1-0-13-0 in 2014. FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019 SPORT 19 Amir’s Golden Sword Championships Al Rumaihi corners Big Tour glory on day one

RIZWAN REHMAT THE PENINSULA

Popular rider Mubarak Al The winner of the Al Zubra Trophy, Ishfaq’s owner and his team pose for a photograph with Qatar Rumaihi yesterday guided Vivaldi Equestrian Federation President Hamad Abdulrahman Al Attiyah and Nasser bin Sherida Al Kaabi, K to a convincing win in the Big CEO of Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club Tour, the feature event on the opening day of the Amir’s Golden Sword Championships. With a number of wins under his belt in the current show Amir’s Sword Festival jumping season, Al Rumaihi pro- duced a flawless routine with 17-year-old Vivaldi K who clocked 67.15 seconds in the 140/150cm competition on the Bentley guides Ishfaq Outdoor Arena of the Qatar Equestrian Federation (QEF). Al Rumaihi bagged the top prize of QR 4,125. Daydreamer EC, ridden by to Al Zubara Trophy win Saeed Nasser Al Qadi, finished in second spot in a time of 69.01 seconds. Al Qadi won QR 3,000. THE PENINSULA Nasser Al Ghazali was in the DOHA saddle as Colibri ended the com- petition in third place in a time of Popular British jockey 70.12 seconds. Al Ghazali won QR Harry Bentley yesterday 2,250. guided Ishfaq to glory in Faleh Suwead Al Ajami the Al Zubara Trophy in (Carport, 70.99, QR 1,500) and the feature race on day Khalid Mohammed Al Emadi (Fiji, one of the Amir’s Sword 71.54, QR 1,050) completed the Festival at Qatar Racing top five out of 11 riders. and Equestrian Club Earlier in the Medium Tour, (QREC). The winning there was no stopping Khalid Mubarak Al Rumaihi guides Vivaldi K over an obstacle on his way to time for Ishfaq was Hamad Al Attiyah, the proud win the Big Tour class during the Amir’s Golden Sword Championships 2:11.97. winner of the 125/135cm compe- at the Outdoor Arena of the Qatar Equestrian Federation, yesterday. Ishfaq, trained by tition astride 21-year-old Viking Qatari Mohammed D. Al Attiyah’s winning time was Jassim Ghazali, finished Jockey Harry Bentley guides Ishfaq to win the Al Zubara Trophy on the opening 63.55 seconds as he won the top competition, Khalifa Abdulla Al the 2000m turf race day of the Amir’s Sword Festival at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club, yesterday. prize of QR 2,500. Khaldi guided Dusty to a win in ahead of She’ris - ridden Mohammed Khalifa Albaker, the Small Tour contest. Dusty by Eduardo Pedroza - in astride Arselina, finished in clocked 58.29 seconds as Al the $150,000 race. Reda, who AMIR’S SWORD FESTIVAL: YESTERDAY’S WINNERS second spot (67.83 seconds, QR Khaldi won QR 1,250. Hussain had Stephan Ladjadj in the 2,000) while Ziezo, who had Saeed Haidan (Belucci Van ‘T saddle, wrapped up the top PUREBRED ARABIAN PLATE (4 Year Olds) Mohammed Saeed Haidan in the Vleminkhof, 60.13 seconds, QR three out of 13 entries. Race Time: 01:47.05 - Distance: 1600 - Total Prize Money: $30,000 saddle, secured the third spot. 1,000) finished second while Ishfaq finished quarter of a Prize Money: 1st $17,100 2nd $6,600 3rd $3,300 Ziezo clocked 68.97 seconds as Mohammed Al Ghazali (Mara- neck ahead of She’ris, trained (Position, Horse, Trainer, Jockey) Haidan won QR 1,500. donna 25, 62.72 seconds, QR 750) by Ibrahim Saeed Al Malki. 1: Annan (FR), Julian Colin Smart, Theo Bachelot Mohammad Hazim Abara was placed third. Reda, trained by Julian Smart, 2: Gtnah (FR), Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas (Ambre De Beaufour, 69.14 Ghanim Nasser Al Qadi was 1.75 furlongs behind Ishfaq 3: Di Oco Py (FR), Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani, Faleh Bughanaim seconds, QR 1,000) and Cyrine (Firenze, 64.58 seconds, QR 500) as Bentley won the top prize of Cherif (Gerlin VD Waterkant, and Ali Mohammed Al Marri $85,500. Pedroza got $33,000 LOCAL THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP 70.63 seconds, QR 700) com- (Fernhill Friendly Touch, 67.55 We got to while Ladjadj took home Race Time: 02:04.74 - Distance: 2000 - Total Prize Money: $30,000 pleted the top five out of 18 riders. seconds, QR 350) completed the see some $16,500. Prize Money: 1st $17,100 2nd $6,600 3rd $3,300 In the day’s opening top five out of 27 riders. exciting In the seventh race on the 1: Shaman Bu Thaila (QA), Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, Jimmy Quinn 2: Karim (QA), Julian Colin Smart, Theo Bachelot battles on charts, JP Guillambert savoured 3: Musaiter Bu Thaila (QA), Tareq Essa R A Abdulla, Ivan Rossi AMIR’S GOLDEN SWORD CHAMPIONSHIPS: YESTERDAY’S RESULTS the opening victory astride Receding Waves, winning the 1200m race in a day. I was pleased to PUREBRED ARABIAN HANDICAP (C 1) Small Tour, Table C, FEI Art. 239, Height 110/120 cm, Prize Money QR5,000 time of 01:11.79. Receding see the readiness of Waves, trained by Jassim Race Time: 01:45.86 - Distance: 1600m - Total Prize Money: $30,000 1: DUSTY, Khalifa Abdulla Al Khaldi, 58.29, 58.29, QR1,250 the riders at such a Ghazali, finished ahead of Prize Money: 1st $17,100 2nd $6,600 3rd $3,300 2: BELUCCI VAN ‘T VLEMINKHOF, Hussain Saeed Haidan, 60.13, 60.13, QR1,000 young age. The growing Shobrom who was ridden by 1: AJS Al Moheeb (QA), Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi, Harry Bentley 3: MARADONNA 25, Mohammed Al Ghazali, 62.72, 62.72, QR750 2: E'zaaz (QA), Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi, JP Guillambert knowledge the riders Jimmy Quinn. 4: FIRENZE, Ghanim Nasser Al Qadi, 64.58, 64.58, QR500 3: Bsheer (USA), Hossin Mohammad Ashour, Faleh Bughanaim have about horses and In third place was Itorio 5: FERNHILL FRIENDLY TOUCH, Ali Mohammed Al Marri, (8) 59.55, 67.55, QR350 trained by Hadi Nasser Rashid racing techniques is very Al Ramzani. Ridden by Tomas THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 4) (C 2) Medium Tour, Table C, FEI Art. 239, Height 125/135 cm, Prize Money QR10,000 pleasing for us. I wish to Lukasek, Itorio was 1.25 fur- Race Time: 02:02.26 - Distance: 2000m - Total Prize Money: $30,000 1: VIKING D, Khalid Hamad Al Attiya, 63.55, 63.55, QR2,500 see them grow like this longs behind Receding Waves. Prize Money $: 1st $17,100 2nd $6,600 3rd $3,300 1: Haloul (FR), Alban Elie Marie De Mieulle, Ronan Thomas 2: ARSELINA, Mohammed Khalifa Albaker, 67.83, 67.83, QR2,000 in the future also. I want Guillambert won $17,100 2: More Than A Dream (IRE), Hamad Ahmed Al Malki Al Jehani, Jean Baptiste Hamel 3: ZIEZO, Mohammed Saeed Haidan (4) 64.97, 68.97, QR 1,500 while Quinn picked up $6,600. to thank the Organizing 3: Daneyan (FR), Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi, Harry Bentley 4: AMBRE DE BEAUFOUR, Mohammad Hazim Abara, 69.14, 69.14, QR1,000 Committee for their hard Lukasek got $3,300. Earlier in race six, JP Guil- 5: GERLIN VD WATERKANT, Cyrine Cherif, 70.63, 70.63, QR700 THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 3) work for this prestigious lambert powered to an Race Time: 01:11.67 - Distance: 1200m - Total Prize Money: $30,000 championships. Also, impressive win with Tawahid (C 3) Big Tour, Table C, FEI Art. 239, Height 140/150 cm, Prize Money QR 15,000 Prize Money: 1st $17,100 2nd $6,600 3rd $3,300 I would like to thank trained by Ghazali. Tawahid fin- 1: VIVALDI K, Mubarak Yousuf Al Rumaihi, 67.15, 67.15, QR 4,125 1: Sandbetweenourtoes (IRE), Mohammed Riyaz Ibrahim Kasim, Gerald Avranche our sponsors for their ished ahead of Crafted, ridden 2: DAYDREAMER EC, Saeed Nasser Al Qadi, 69.01, 69.01, QR 3,000 2: Munira Eyes (USA), Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, Eduardo Pedroza by Quinn, while Shakour - 3: COLIBRI 19, Nasser Al Ghazali, 70.12, 70.12, QR 2,250 generous support: 3: Lawless Louis (GB), Hamad Ahmed Al Malki Al-Jehani, Jean Baptiste Hamel QEF President Hamad trained by Ghazali - was the 4: CARPORT, Faleh Suwead Al Ajami, 70.99, 70.99, QR1,500 third fastest entry out of 16 Abdulrahman Al Attiyah THOROUGHBRED HANDICAP (Class 3) 5: FIJI, Khalid Mohammed Al Emadi, 71.54, 71.54, QR,1,050 riders. Race Time: 01:36.39 - Distance: 1600m - Total Prize Money: $30,000 Tawahid’s winning time was Prize Money: 1st $17,100 2nd $6,600 3rd $3,300 1:36.39 as Guillambert bagged 1: Tawahid (GB), Mohammed Jassim Ghazali Jahromi, JP Guillambert the top prize of $17,600. Quinn 2: Crafted (IRE), Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, Jimmy Quinn won $$6,600 while Marco Casa- 3: Shakour (IRE), Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi, Marco Casamento Al Marri pleased to see the mento - astride Shakour - got richer by $3,300 in the 1600m THOROUGHBREDS (Class 2) race. Race Time: 01:11.79 - Distance: 1200m - Total Prize Money: $30,000 efforts put up by young riders Action continues today at Prize Money: 1st $17,100 2nd $6,600 3rd $3,300 QREC where 9 more races will 1: Receding Waves (GB), Mohammed Jassim Ghazali Jahromi, JP Guillambert be held. THE PENINSULA 2: Shobrom (IRE), Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, Jimmy Quinn DOHA tough and the young riders are place because of the backing The riders will eye glory in 3: Itorio (IRE), Hadi Nasser Rashid Al Ramzani, Tomas Lukasek learning a lot. The competitors of QEF President Hamad the Irish Thoroughbred Mar- are keen to do well and even- Abdulrahman Al Attiyah and keting Cup (QA Gr 2), the main AL ZUBARA TROPHY Abdullah Mohammed Al Marri, tually they try to win the biggest Secretary General Badr Al event on day two of the horse Race Time: 02:11.97 - Distance: 2000m - Total Prize Money: $150000 Director of National Teams, trophy - the Amir’s Golden Darwesh. We have had several racing festival. The top rider in Prize Money: 1st $85,500 2nd $33,000 3rd $16,500 yesterday said he was pleased Sword,” Al Marri said meetings on how to train and the $200,000 race will take 1: Ishfaq (QA), Jassim Mohammed Ghazali Jahromi, Harry Bentley to young riders competing hard yesterday. groom the young kids. We home $114.000. The second- 2: She'ris (QA), Ibrahim Saeed Ibrahim Al Malki, Eduardo Pedroza against their senior rivals on the “We always invest in our have comprehensive reports best rider will get $44,000 3: Reda (QA), Julian Colin Smart, Stephan Ladjadj opening day of the Amir’s young riders so we could groom to track the development of while the third-placed entry will Golden Sword Championships. them for future events,” he said. the riders. get richer by $22,000. Speaking to media, Al Marri “There is expert training ses- “We are thankful to the The main spectacle second-best rider will get top prize of $570,000. The said the young Qatari riders are sions for the young riders. We QOC Chairman H E Sheikh tomorrow - the last day of the $220,000. second-placed rider will get being groomed for future look for kids as young as five Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani for racing festival - will see riders The third-placed rider will richer by $220,000 while the events. years who have trainers for launching the Hathab initiative. aiming for glory in the Amir’s get $110,000. In the last event third-best entry will take “This championship is very them,” he explained. The Hathab Series is also Trophy (QA Gr 1) presented by of the three-day festival, the home $110,000. important to the riders and to “The training plan for helping the riders improve their Longines. The overall prize bag Amir’s Sword (GR 1, PA) - The entire three-day festival us at QEF. This competition is youngsters have been put in skills,” Al Marri said. for this race is $1m with the top sponsored by Al Hazm - the will be broadcast live in Al Kass rider getting $570,000 while the riders will be aiming for the Sport Channels. 20 MORNING BREAK FRIDAY 22 FEBRUARY 2019

PRAYER TIMINGS FAJR 04. 47 AM Japan’s Hayabusa2 set for asteroid landing SHOROOK 06. 04 AM AFP “So far we haven’t experienced any major than initially thought, forcing JAXA to take more time ZUHR 11. 47 AM MAGHRIB 05. 34 PM TOKYO troubles... but we can’t feel a sense of relief at this to find a suitable landing site. The Hayabusa2 ASR 03. 05 PM ISHA 07. 04 PM point while we are still bracing for a touchdown,” mission, with a price tag of around 30bn yen ($270m), A Japanese probe is expected to land on a distant Hayabusa2 mission manager Makoto Yoshikawa was launched in December 2014 and is scheduled asteroid today, aiming to blast a “bullet” into the told reporters. “We are expecting a successful to return to Earth with its samples in 2020. WEATHER TODAY surface to collect clues about the origins of Earth and touchdown... but the unexpected can happen.” Photos of Ryugu — which means “Dragon the solar system. “We feel tense,” he admitted. Palace” in Japanese and refers to a castle at the The Hayabusa2 probe is scheduled to touch down After the hoped-for landing, the probe will return bottom of the ocean in an ancient Japanese tale -- at 8:25am local time (2325 GMT Thursday) on the to its orbit above Ryugu, with further touchdowns show an asteroid shaped a bit like a spinning top Ryugu asteroid, some 300 million kilometres from planned for later in the year. Communication with with a rough surface. Hayabusa2 observes the the Earth, according to officials at the Japan Aero- Hayabusa2 is cut off at times because its antennas surface of the asteroid with its camera and sensing space Exploration Agency (JAXA). are not always pointed towards Earth. equipment but has also dispatched two tiny MIN- If the landing is successful, Hayabusa2 will fire And the communication time lag between Earth ERVA-II rover robots as well as the French-German a projectile at Ryugu’s surface to stir up surface and the probe means confirmation of a successful robot MASCOT to help surface observation. matter, which the probe will then collect for analysis touchdown is not expected for several hours, likely Scientists are already receiving data from these back on Earth. The asteroid is thought to contain rel- around 11:00am local time (0200 GMT) today. probes deployed on the surface of the asteroid. atively large amounts of organic matter and water “We’ll be able to announce a success if we The 10-kilogramme (22-pound) observation from some 4.6 billion years ago when the solar confirm that the probe returned (to a home position robot MASCOT is loaded with sensors, and can take system was born. The probe will eventually fire an above the asteroid), that the probe touched down, images at multiple wavelengths, investigate min- “impactor” to blast out material from underneath and that the command to fire the metal bullet erals with a microscope, gauge surface tempera- Ryugu’s surface, allowing the collection of “fresh” worked,” said senior project manager Takashi tures and measure magnetic fields. materials unexposed to millennia of wind and Kubota. But it could take several more days to At about the size of a large fridge, Hayabusa2 is radiation. confirm the bullet was actually fired to allow the equipped with solar panels and is the successor to Scientists hope the samples may provide answers collection of samples, Kubota added. JAXA’s first asteroid explorer, Hayabusa -- Japanese to some fundamental questions about life and the “A touchdown is imperative for collecting for falcon. That probe returned from a smaller, universe, including whether elements from space samples, so we really hope to have the first potato-shaped, asteroid in 2010 with dust samples helped give rise to life on Earth. touchdown success here,” JAXA spokeswoman Azusa despite various setbacks during its epic seven-year On Wednesday, as the final preparations were Yabe said. The probe’s landing was originally Odyssey and was hailed as a scientific triumph. underway, JAXA officials said they were cautiously scheduled for last year. But it was pushed back after “Lessons from what we experienced in Hay- optimistic the operation would go ahead. surveys found the asteroid’s surface was more rugged abusa are very useful,” Yoshikawa said. 17oC 22oC Folk musician Peter Tork of Minimum Maximum Monkees fame dies at 77 Moderate temperature daytime with scat- tered clouds to partly cloudy and chance AFP of light rain at some places, cold by night. NEW YORK

HIGH TIDE 06:25 – 18:11 LOW TIDE 00:58 –14:01 Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department Peter Tork, the offbeat folk artist who found fame with 1960s pop band the Monkees, has died, his team announced yesterday. He was 77 years old. “It is with beyond-heavy and broken hearts that we share the devastating news that our friend, mentor, teacher, and amazing soul, Peter Tork, has passed from this world,” the team posted on his official Facebook page, without specifying a cause. The musician in 2009 had been diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare form of cancer impacting the tongue. “There are no words right now...heart broken over the loss of my Monkee brother,” tweeted drummer- singer Mickey Dolenz, the band’s last surviving member. A classic teeny-bopper band, the Monkees were Annual Orchid Show the original reality TV stars, whose four-piece group was originally conceived as a show in 1965 that went One of the variety of orchids during the New York Botanical Garden’s 17th Annual Orchid Show in on to win two Emmy awards and in 1967 outsell the New York, yesterday. The Orchid Show: Singapore, was developed in partnership with Singapore Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay. Songs like “Daydream Believer,” “I’m a Believer” and “Last Train to Clarksville” all topped the charts — but the wisecracking foursome drew criticism by some who considered them a rip-off of the Beatles, who had rushed Apple slips to 17th spot in ‘50 Most Innovative Companies’ list onto the American pop culture scene a few years prior. The band released nine albums between 1966 and 1970, IANS/SAN FRANCISCO innovations like AirPods, Aug- as the industry’s first processor after which they disbanded, but they have come back mented Reality (AR) and iPhone based on a seven-nanometer together in various combinations over the years. In the wake of dwindling X, Apple secured the first spot manufacturing process,” said Tork, the group’s keyboardist and bass guitarist, iPhone sales amid overall and this year the company is the report. crafted a persona as the Monkees’ lovable “dummy” sluggish global smartphone only credited for its “A12 ‘A12 Bionic” processor is the — but later began to resent the band as his musical growth, Apple fell from the first Bionic” processor which has industry’s first 7nm chipset ambitions grew. Born in Washington on February position in 2018 to the 17th spot been incorporated in the manufactured with a six-core 13, 1942, Tork took piano lessons and studied French in the annual “50 Most Inno- iPhone XS and iPhone XR CPU, four-core GPU and an horn. vative Companies list for 2019” models. upgraded eight-core Neural Having cut his teeth in the free-wheeling folk scene by US-based business publi- “Apple’s most impressive Engine with 6.9 billion tran- of New York’s Greenwich Village, Tork was a multi- cation Fast Company. new product of 2018 was the sistors that deliver dramatically instrumentalist who became the first member to leave Last year, on the basis of ‘A12 Bionic’ chip that debuted faster performance. the Monkees, feeling restricted artistically. Why do zebras have stripes? Perhaps to dazzle away flies

AP Wildlife in southern England. He did not LONDON take part in the study. “It’s simple and neat. I think it’s a great piece of work,” Zebra stripes are dazzling - particularly he said. How, an expert on animal vision, to flies. That’s the conclusion of scien- told The Associated Press on Thursday tists from the University of Bristol and that there are reasons to be “quite the University of California at Davis who excited” about the research, which helps dressed horses in black-and-white scientists understand what’s happening striped coats to help determine why in the mind of a fly. This has broader zebras have stripes. implications in terms of technology such The researchers found that fewer as driverless cars, which are inspired by horseflies landed on the bedecked insect vision. If stripes disrupt a fly, they horses than on those without the striped might also possibly disrupt a driverless coats, suggesting that zebra stripes may car’s systems, for example, he said. offer protection from blood-sucking “What we needed to do is get our insects that can spread disease. mind into the eye of the fly,” How said. “This reduced ability to land on the “They have very different eyes from us.” zebra’s coat may be due to stripes dis- Erica McAlister, the senior curator rupting the visual system of the horse of flies and fleas at the Natural History flies during their final moments of Museum in London, said the research approach,” said Martin How, a research helps add more understanding to a fellow at the University of Bristol. subject long debated in the science “Stripes may dazzle flies in some way community. once they are close enough to see them “We’ve been arguing about zebra with their low-resolution eyes.” stripes for 75 years,” said McAlister, who From a distance, the flies were was also not involved in the study. She equally attracted to both horses and said that the study will provide useful zebras, with the same number of insects data going forward. hovering around both types of animals. But there are also human applica- But when the flies got closer, things get tions. How says from now on, he’s Grevy’s zebras, the most threatened species of zebra, graze at the Mpala research centre in Laikipia County in Kenya. dicey. The flies landed less frequently wearing stripes while riding his bike on the zebras and the horses covered in during horse-fly season. striped coats. flies’ abilities to have a controlled British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace. controlled environment where the Caro hopes that the study will “Once they get close to the zebras, landing.” But the scientists from Britain and horses could be dressed up and closely underscore the wonders that remain to however, they tend to fly past or bump The work, reported in the journal California sought to examine that observed to test the theory. be discovered in the natural world. into them,” said Tim Caro, a professor Public Library of Science ONE, seeks to question by studying both horses and “It’s one of those pieces of research “If we can try to peak the public’s in the U.C. Davis Department of Wildlife, answer one of the oldest questions in zebras at the Hill Livery in Britain, which that you say, ‘why hasn’t someone done appreciation of the wonders of nature, Fish and Conservation Biology. “This zoology —why do zebras have stripes? works with zoos in Europe on conser- this before?’” said Tim Woodfine, the they’ll be less cavalier about destroying indicates that stripes may disrupt the Charles Darwin had his theories. So did vation for zebras. That provided a director of conservation at Marwell it,” he said. “That’s my hope.”