ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER

28 December 2013 24 Safar 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5927 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY

Aramco offshore platform sinks; three missing JEDDAH: Three Asian workers with Saudi state oil giant Aramco were missing after one of its offshore maintenance plat- forms sank yesterday, the firm said. The remaining 24 crew were saved but some suffered “limited injuries” and a “search is ongoing for two Indians and a Bangladeshi,” Aramco said, adding a thorough investi- gation would be held and that operations were not affected. The platform sank as it was carrying out maintenance work at an oil well in Safaniya, the world’s larg- est offshore oilfield, in Eastern Province, 265km north of Dhahran. QPI acquires 15pc stake in Total E&P Congo PARIS: French oil company Total said Qatar Petroleum International had taken a 15 percent stake in Total E&P Congo through a share capital increase following a framework agreement signed in May. “The $1.6bn increase in Total E&P Congo’s capital will consolidate its financial capacity at a time when it is progressing the devel- opment of the Moho Nord deep offshore project,” Total said yesterday. The deal is part of a wider agreement signed by both compa- nies in March 2010 to cooperate on projects in Africa. Total E&P Congo, in Congo since CHANGING THE 1968, is the country’s leading oil producer, operating 10 of the 22 fields developed and accounting for nearly 60 percent of national output, according to the company. South Sudan agrees to ceasefire, free politicians JUBA: South Sudan said yesterday it was DRIVING ready for a ceasefire and would release eight of 11 senior politicians arrested over an alleged coup plot, raising hopes it was edging towards a deal to end ethnic-based fighting ravaging the world’s newest nation. There was no immediate reaction from Riek Machar, former vice-president who the government accuses of starting the conflict. “We have agreed in principle to a ceasefire CULTURE to begin immediately, but our forces are pre- pared to defend themselves if attacked,” the government said on its Twitter feed. THE ISSUE See also page 4 Euro hits two-year

The Traffic Department is prevent mishaps… The question is: Are they Al Buainain, said for him it is always a scary high against dollar getting the kind of support they need from sight early mornings when groups of young- LONDON: The euro jumped to its strong- doing enough to prevent road society at large? I would say no, they aren’t,” sters don’t bother, put their lives at stake and est level against the dollar in more than accidents that are one of she said. indulge in racing competitions. two years yesterday as banks adjusted Families alone should be blamed for reck- “They jump the red light and in these races positions for the year end. the major causes of deaths less and daredevil driving by youngsters and they risk their lives but they think what they The European Central Bank will take and critical injuries in the dangerous stunts and racing they indulge are doing is enjoyable,” Al Buainain told the a snapshot of the capital positions of the country, but it isn’t getting any in as part of what are games of bet and Arabic daily. region’s banks at the end of 2013 for an asset- chivalry. Experts rue that the department doesn’t quality review next year to work out which of support from society at large “Parents themselves are breaking the law give separate figures for deaths and critical them will need fresh funds. This has created to promote a culture of road and helping their sons break the law. They injuries in car crashes that result from dare- some demand for euros to help shore up their safety, says a prominent Qatari should be responsible,” said Al Rumaihi. devil driving and dangerous stunts by young balance sheets, traders said. Ironically, though, in the end it is the family motorists, many of whom under 19 and do not sociologist. that suffers if a younger member dies or sus- have driving licence. Iran nuclear talks to tains serious injuries in a car crash, she said. This makes it difficult for analysts to dif- hen parents are break- “I know at least three families which lost ferentiate between road accidents caused by resume on Monday ing the law by giving away a young son each — in car and motorcycle ordinary motorists and stunt drivers, said an BRUSSELS: Experts from Iran and six cars to their under-age accidents,” Al Rumaihi said in remarks to a expert requesting anonymity. world powers will resume talks on Monday “Wsons who don’t even pos- local Arabic daily. Figures released by the Ministry of on how to roll out last month’s nuclear deal sess a driving licence, how can you expect the She said it was not that youngsters indulg- Development Planning and Statistics show in Geneva, to resolve technical issues before youngsters to drive responsibly and respect ing in daredevil driving and dangerous racing that in 2012, a little more than 5,000 accidents the accord can take effect. A spokeswoman PAGEtraffic rules,” argues 6 Dr Munira Al Rumaihi. games were not aware of where radars are took place, up 10 percent over the previous for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Munira, who teaches sociology at Qatar or that they should stop at the red light but year. A total of 204 people died, with more Ashton, who oversees diplomacy with Iran University, said: “I have words of praise for they don’t care. than a third (35.3 percent) being motorists. on behalf of the US, Russia, China, France, traffic authorities. They are doing enough to Well-known Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Continued on page 2 Britain and Germany, said talks were sched- uled to last one day. AGENCIES

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home

One in eight dies on road Call to raise age bar for driving licence, conduct study on causes of accidents to find solutions

ne in every eight deaths in Qatar happens on the DEATHS IN TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS 2008 - 2012 INJURIES AND DEATHS IN ROAD ACCIDENTS road. With this alarm- BY CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IN 2012 Oingly high rate of deaths caused by accidents, experts believe it is high time ways were devised to mitigate this deadly phenomenon which, most often, take young lives. Dr Hassan Al Thani, Head of the Trauma, Vascular Surgery and General Surgery Sections at Hamad General Hospital, said traffic accidents in Qatar are responsible for 12.5 percent of deaths. In other words, one in eight deaths is caused by road accidents. Around the world, injuries due to traffic accidents are one of the major reasons for disabilities and in high speed and failure to abide found that 25 percent of accidents Qatar is not an exception. The by traffic rules, he said. were caused by technical defi- average traffic accidents reaches “When we travel to Western ciency in road designs. It said cor- 4,000 annually and 600 of these countries we comply with traffic rection of these mistakes would cause serious injuries while 200 rules from A to Z, then why don’t reduce accidents by 35 percent. lead to deaths; according to Dr we follow traffic rules here?” he Another study by Dr Badriya Al Thani. wondered. Sultan Al Ammari, Associate Stressing that road accidents He said the Ministry of Interior Professor in Education at Qatar are a major cause of deaths in should conduct a study to find out University, has found that 61 per- Qatar, Dr Al Thani said the aver- reasons behind these accidents cent of youth involved in accidents age rate of deaths from accidents and how these can be reduced. suffered only financial loss, six is higher than that caused by Among his suggestions is to percent sustained serious injuries, life-threatening diseases such as raise the age bar for obtaining nine percent moderate injuries, cancer and other blood-related driving licence. He said licence and 24 percent minor injuries. ailments. should not be granted to those Of the respondents in the sur- He said injuries from accidents under 20. vey, 95 percent liked driving cars result in complicated diseases Al Ibrahim also recommended while five percent liked to drive which cannot be tackled by sim- that authorities should increase motorcycles. While 50 percent of ple solutions, but accidents can fines for traffic violations, espe- the sample preferred to drive on be avoided. cially those that lead to death and internal roads within the town, Hamad Medical Corporation serious injuries, with the possibil- 26 percent preferred to drive on (HMC) established in 2007 the ity of revoking the driving licence. highways and 24 percent out in only centre for accident injuries In case of repeated violation, the desert. giving them good guidance. treatment which has necessary particularly high-speed driving, Recommendations of the Chosen vehicles should suit the medical facilities. licence should be withdrawn per- study included restrictions on age of the users and not encour- Qatar has the vision, leadership manently and the violator be put the renewal of driving licence, age them to be adventurous while and financial potential which can behind bars. road safety and security, motor- driving. External influences such make it a model in traffic accident With regard to hiring family ists’ adherence to rules to avoid as video games and films on the prevention, he said, adding every- and company drivers, some terms accidents, and road works and behaviours of the youth should one should take the responsibility and conditions should be applied maintenance under national com- also be controlled. to prevent accidents. such as possessing a valid driv- panies, especially highways. She also suggested that edu- Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, a column- ing licence, experience of not less The Traffic Department, it said, cational and cultural councils ist, was of the same view, saying than three years and taking a should have monitoring points to for the youth should be set up every one, whether an official, driving test. check highways in general. in neighbourhoods and be led ordinary citizen or expatriate, has Roads should be provided with Dr Al Ammari’s study also by intellectuals in collabora- to reflect on these figures and the surveillance cameras to detect explored the relation among age, tion with educational and social accidents which lead to these high violations, particularly those gender, level of education, fam- institutions. rates of deaths considering the related to speed limits. ily and social status of the youth Also a central statistics author- 67.5pc victims in 18-35 group country’s small population. The ministry should utilise the and parents’ job in relation to ity may be set up to study the Continued from page 1 In his column in Arabic daily media to promote traffic aware- accidents. general attitude and changes — before the new legislation took Al Raya, he recommended that ness in different languages. The It also looked into the relation taking place within the youth. A More than three-fourths (67.5 effect — was 270, whereas the authorities review the traffic law, traffic law must be explained to between accidents and places database for the youth may also percent) of the deceased were in population and the number of including regulations on issuance motorists who should also be pro- where they happened and found be set up. the age group 18-35. vehicles on roads and motorists of driving licences. He said these vided with guidance so that acci- most accidents occurred on Mosques can play an important “That shows more young might have been half compared laws should be modified to help dents could be avoided, he added. highways. role in raising awareness among people died and, surely, many to today, suggested the ministry. reduce accidents. A recent study on accidents The study also recommended the young to prevent accidents by of them must have died during The population has nearly The main reasons are driving among the youth in Qatar has that Qatari traditions should be showing the value of human life dangerous stunts, racing and trebled since 2004 — from an followed in raising children and and financial and material losses. showmanship,” said the expert. estimated 750,000 then to over guiding the youth. Community leaders can con- At least 10 percent, or about two million now. So has multi- Schools, community leaders, tribute to solving disagreements 500, of the accidents last year plied the number of vehicles and the media and family should play among youth and preventing led to critical injuries, some of motorists. a bigger role in raising awareness unnecessary competitions leading which might have, understand- On average, some 90,000 new among the youth. to accidents involving teenagers ably, left people incapacitated. cars are coming on roads every She said the high rate of acci- in particular. The death toll in accidents year and slightly more than a dents that claimed lives of a large The Traffic Department should accounted for a high 17.2 percent 100,000 driving licences are number of Qatari youth was the study the type of vehicles and the of total deaths in that year. “It’s issued. result of ideological and cultural frequency of accidents, and how a huge ratio,” said the expert. “The situation is challenging changes in society and that soci- to reduce accidents involving The Ministry of Interior for traffic authorities,” said the ety should take responsibility pedestrians crossing the streets, launched a National Strategy for expert. One key segment of peo- to save the lives of the youth by she added. THE PENINSULA Road Safety (2013-2022) early ple who the department needs to last January and one of its main target for road safety awareness DECEASED AND INJURED IN ROAD ACCIDENTS aims is to help reduce the death is low-income workers as many toll and injuries. of them meet with accidents 2008 - 2012 The ministry, citing figures, while crossing roads. says the ratio of deaths in car Last year, according to official crashes to total deaths is to be figures, 27.4 percent, or more reduced. than 55 people who died, were There are signs of some suc- pedestrians. cess eventually coming its way. The ratio has, though, been on The toll in 2012, for instance, a decline as 2011 statistics reflect according to the ministry, was that more pedestrians had died much less, at 204, compared to on roads than in 2012. the years when the new traf- “There are improvements, but fic law that imposes deterring more needs to be done to have fines on serious violations like a fairly acceptable, if not ideal, jumping the red light, was not road safety environment in the introduced. country,” the expert said. The toll in 2006, for example THE PENINSULA DECEMBER 28, 2013 Home www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 ON SATURDAY

Emir visits Morocco

The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with King Mohammed VI of Morocco at Marrakesh Airport yesterday. RIGHT: The Emir and the Qatari delegation with the Moroccan King at the Royal Palace in Marrakesh. Public viewing of record Qatari flag extended Venue witnessing a growing number of visitors

DOHA: Public viewing for addition to schools. More than and beverage are also provided the Qatari flag which entered 25 schools have already visited to visitors and in addition, the the Guinness Book of World the site. committee also provides expla- Records as the largest flag ever Lieutenant Fahad Sharida, nations about the background of made is extended for another Head of security committee, said the project. week, the organising commit- originally the viewing period was As big as 19 football fields, the tee has announced. scheduled for only four days but flag was unveiled two days before The ‘Flag of Gratitude & the organising committee decided the National Day. Loyalty’, which is located behind to extend it for another week It has a total area of 101,978sqm the Doha Golf Club, has wit- because of the huge turnout. and weighs 9.8 tonnes. It was laid nessed a huge increase in the “After the extension, the on an area supported by 5,000 number of people who rush to number of visiting schools had bags of soil weighing 8 tonnes the venue to see and take photos increased especially from Al and bearing the same colour of of the flag which prompted the Shamal, Dukhan and Mesaieed,” the flag. extension. he said. The Qatari flag broke the pre- This weekend, the site wit- A four-metre high platform vious record of 79,000sqm set by nessed more visitors comprising was built to enable the people to Romania in May this year. The Qatari flag that entered the Guinness Book of World Records. both citizens and expatriates in have a good view of the flag. Food THE PENINSULA

Qatar condemns Campaign gets 5,000 reasons why people love Qatar Beirut bombing DOHA: Ooredoo has recorded collated into the giant mural the mural by searching for a pre- DOHA: Qatar yesterday the largest opinion response it which displayed the 5,000 rea- viously issued pixel number via strongly condemned the huge has ever had for a single cam- sons and celebrated the “One the search bar at the top of the explosion which took place paign with its giant mural Love” theme of this year’s event. webpage. near a government complex which garnered 5,000 reasons The mural, which has given Pixel numbers would have in downtown Beirut. why people love Qatar. Ooredoo a unique view into the been issued to users when sub- Qatar’s Foreign Ministry The gigantic mural, which reasons why its customers love mitting a message. said that the State of Qatar was displayed at the Landmark Qatar was also used as print During the special unveiling strongly condemns such acts Mall as part of the National Day advertisement messages from of the mural Ooredoo’s Alrabaa which contravene all human festivities, has attracted large the public to Qatar, highlights visited the Landmark Mall to values, which could drag the crowds. include messages such as ‘I love spread joy and entertain fami- region into chaos and insta- Ooredoo canvassed 5,000 cus- Qatar because it’s a small nation lies during the celebration. The bility, adding that the State of tomers to find the reason why with a big heart’ by Sheena J. Alrabaa who represent Qatar’s Qatar offers its sincere condo- they love Qatar and asked them The mural, which is no longer traditions and values posed for lences to victims’ families and to submit their thoughts via a at Landmark Mall, is still avail- photos with children and gath- the Lebanese government and special webpage or by tweeting able to view online at the wear- ered crowds to view the piece. people. their message with the hashtag eallqatar.com website. The mural can be viewed at The Foreign Ministry also #weareallqatar. Customers who submitted a weareallqatar.com. Alrabaa celebrating National Day with children at Landmark Mall. reiterated Qatar’s firm stance The answers were then message can find their part of THE PENINSULA renouncing violence in all its forms and manifestations and whatever its source and motives. QNA Enjoying winter weather Qatari firm acquires 80pc MoI warns over stake of New York hotel marriage parades

DOHA: Qatar’s Constellation Hotel Holdings has acquired 80 per- DOHA: The Ministry of cent stake of InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel. Interior (MoI) yesterday InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), which will have 20 percent issued an announcement via share of the hotel, decided to sell 80 percent to Qatar Constellation Twitter, warning motorists Hotel Holdings for $240m. who violate the traffic rules The contract is good for 30 years starting from beginning of 2014 during marriage celebrations. with two 10-year extension rights at IHG’s discretion. The MoI said it is going to be “This announcement shows the enduring strength of the very strict to those who violate InterContinental brand and deepens IHG’s relationship with traffic regulations, creating Constellation Hotels,” Richard Solomons, chief executive of IHG, was traffic confusion and blocked quoted as saying. He said IHG was delighted to be working in partner- roads which sometimes lead to ship with the Qatari company to manage and refurbish the hotel in a accidents. prime location in New York. THE PENINSULA In its Twitter account the Ministry said: “Recently we note that some drivers are violating the traffic rules dur- ing marriage celebrations on QSTP to host top Arab summit next year the streets, which hinders traffic flow and block streets, DOHA: Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) will host sometimes leading to traf- the first International Association of Science Parks and Areas of fic accidents. Such practices Innovation (IASP) World Conference in the Arab region next year are clear violations of traf- in Doha. fic law. Therefore the Traffic QSTP welcomed government institutions, industry and academia to Department calls upon all driv- be part of an ongoing conversation following a recent IASP gathering ers and street users to comply in Oman hosted by Knowledge Oasis Muscat. “Science and technology with traffic rules and regula- parks have been around since the early 1950s but all eyes are now turn- tions. The MoI will enforce the ing to technology start-ups in the hyper-connected Middle East,” said rules and law strictly regarding Children enjoying the cool weather at Aspire Park yesterday. ABDUL BASIT Head of the IASP 2014 Organising Committee and QSTP Managing this issue.” THE PENINSULA Director Hamad Al Kuwari. THE PENINSULA DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home/Mideast MoI holds workshop Kiir gets on international laws regional Officers get training on global security cooperation backing

DOHA: A training workshop and Dr Sameh Al Beltaji from representation and reservation JUBA: South Sudan’s neigh- on “International Security International Cooperation and the different stages of the bours threw their weight Cooperation in light of inter- Department of the MoI. treaty or agreement. behind President Salva Kiir national agreements”, for Brig Saud Abdullah Al He discussed the system- yesterday in an ethnic-based officers of different Security Mahmoud told that the work- atic fundamentals of law on conflict ravaging the world’s departments, were held on shop is steered in the frame- International Agreements in newest country, saying they December 24 and 25 under work of the directives of the Qatar and its developmental would not accept any bid to the International Cooperation Ministry on the importance stages and their importance on overthrow his democratically Department of the Ministry of disseminating the concepts international level. elected government. of Interior (MoI) in collabora- of international and regional The second session was led Kiir also received a boost tion with the Police Training agreements related to security by NHRC Advisor Raniya Foad. in Malakal, capital of South www.swiss-belhotel.com Institute. service among the employees of Dr Akram Abdul Razzaq, Sudan’s major oil-producing The inaugural session the Ministry of Interior to sup- legal expert from the Ministry state of Upper Nile, where gov- Tel was attended by Brig Saud port the agendas of the coop- of Justice, delivered his speech ernment forces said they had Fax Abdullah Al Mahmud, Director eration between the countries on international treaties and defeated rebels loyal to Kiir’s of International Cooperation in the fight against crime and explained the rule of treaties former deputy Riek Machar Department, and Major Abdul embed the principles of human in the Qatari Constitution and after four days of intense Aziz Ali Al Mohanadi, Assistant rights in the security systems specifically Article 68. fighting. Tel Director of Police Training and promote respect and pro- Captain Dr Jaber Mahmoud A cabinet minister said Kiir’s Fax Institute. tection of human rights and Al Noaimi from Strategic government was now ready for The workshop analysed the fundamental freedoms in the Planning Department presided an immediate ceasefire — but no surveyed issues on International maintenance of security work. over the third session. one was immediately available Security Cooperation and inter- The first session was presided Dr. Abdul Moneim Al Khazi from Machar’s side to comment national laws and norms. over by Major Abdul Aziz Ali Al spoke on the coordination of on the offer, or the report from Tel Lectures were delivered by Mohanadi, Dr Sameh Al Beltaji national legislation with inter- Malakal. Machar has previ- Fax Dr Abdul Moneim Al Khazi introduced the international national agreements and their ously said he would only agree from the Ministry of Foreign treaties and memorandums impact on the general princi- to talks if Kiir released his allies Affairs, Dr Akram Abdul of understanding, such as the ples and the stages of formation, held in detention. Addressing Razaq from the Ministry Treaty and the Agreement and ratification and accession and a special summit of the Inter Tollfree of Justice, Dr Abdul Samad Protocol, the Charter and the the reservation, national legis- Governmental Authority on Sakar from the Police Training memorandum of understanding lation such as the constitution Development (IGAD), an east Fax Institute, Mohammed Hosain and letter of intent and agree- and the law and administrative African regional body, Kenyan from Arab and International ment to clarify the law of the regulations. President Uhuru Kenyatta Communication Department state and the level of diplomatic THE PENINSULA urged Kiir and Machar to seize Tel “the small window of opportu- nity” and start peace talks. Fax “Let it be known that we in IGAD will not accept the uncon- stitutional overthrow of a duly Tel and democratically elected Fax HMC nurses get lessons in government in South Sudan. Violence has never provided optimum solutions,” Kenyatta said in a statement. Tel The violence erupted in Fax acute pain management South Sudan on December 15 and quickly spread, dividing the www.doha.hilton.com DOHA: Nurses from Hamad of pain in patients. “Nurses recently undergone surgery landlocked country of 10.8 mil- Medical Corporation’s spend more time with patients and are experiencing pain. lion along ethnic lines, largely Tel +974 44233333 (HMC’s) eight hospi- than any other healthcare “As we continue to strive between the Nuer — Machar’s tals recently participated professional and have a spe- towards bridging the gap people — and the Dinka, to Fax +974 44233000 in the First Acute Pain cial role to play in managing between scientific knowledge whom Kiir belongs. Management Study Day to their patients’ pain, especially and current practice, nurses Western powers and regional know about the latest evi- after surgery,” said Atef Al are encouraged to work with governments fear the bloodlet- dence on pain assessment Tawafsheh, Advance Clinical their multidisciplinary team to ting could lead to a civil war, and management and on the Nurse Specialist, APS at deliver exemplary professional threatening a fragile region with advanced techniques used HMC. practice in the areas of patient notoriously porous borders. to control pain in adults, The day-long event, held experience and clinical out- The regional leaders called children and chronically ill at the Club Hotel in Hamad comes,” said Brent Foreman, for a creation of an “aid corri- patients. Bin Khalifa Medical City, saw Assistant Executive Director dor” to help badly-needed sup- Organised by HMC’s Acute 135 nurses receive unique of Nursing at HMC. plies reach remote areas. Tel Pain Management Services training supported by inter- Foreman added that HMC’s The United Nations, which is (APS) Department in collab- national studies and insights nursing leadership is dedicated sending extra peacekeepers to Fax oration with the Anaesthesia into various aspects of pain to strengthening the nursing South Sudan, said about 121,600 Department and the cancer management, such as accurate workforce in order to provide people have been displaced transformation team, the assessment and reassessment them with the educational during the 13 days of fighting, study day provided expert of pain, effective procedures support required to continue including 63,000 civilians who Tel advice to nurses on the timely and considerations when delivering excellent patient had sought refuge in its bases. Fax assessment and management caring for patients who have care. THE PENINSULA REUTERS

Tel Fax Maldives gets Asia’s first Ooredoo firm

DOHA/MALE: Wataniya this market,” said Dr Marafih. Tel Maldives recently announced “This is a proud and historic Fax that it is the first operating day for the Maldives. We are company in Asia to trans- hosting the Asian launch of form into Ooredoo, adopting the new brand of the world’s the new global brand of the fastest-growing communica- Tel Ooredoo group. tions company, and promising Ooredoo Maldives launched our customers that they will Fax its service in the Maldives on enjoy a world-class range of August 1, 2005. life-enriching services in the The company provides a months and years ahead,” said wide range of leading-edge CEO of Ooredoo Maldives, Tel wireless voice and data serv- Haroon Shahul Hameed. Fax ices, delivered with high qual- In addition to focusing its ity, designed to cater to the efforts on enhancing the cus- demands of today’s discerning tomer experience with the customer. introduction of a revamped Ooredoo has delivered a portfolio of services, a new major network upgrade in the website with online account Maldives this year, launching management and the open- the first and fastest-ever 4G ing of the Ooredoo experience network in April, as part of a centre, Ooredoo will continue Tel series of major enhancements. to build on the company’s Fax The brand launch was proud tradition of supporting inaugurated by Maldivian community initiatives in the Minister of Transport and Maldives. Communications, Ameen Ooredoo has a number of Tel Ibrahim, and Group CEO of on-going international part- Fax Ooredoo, Dr Nasser Marafih. nerships in place set to add The event, which was broad- value in the country, including cast live across the Maldives, its relationship with the Leo www.renaissancedoha.com was also attended by key offi- Messi Foundation, which has cials and stakeholders of the seen the company bring mobile Tel +974 44195000 company, along with senior health clinics to towns and vil- Fax +974 44195100 community representatives. lages in Indonesia. “We welcome our customers Ooredoo global brand in the Maldives into the new ambassador and football hero world of Ooredoo. Our Maldives Lionel ‘Leo’ Messi will be fea- operation is our first operation tured in the advertising cam- FROM LEFT: Maldivian Minister of Transport and Communications, in Asia to become one with our paign for the launch with the Ameen Ibrahim, CEO of Ooredoo Maldives, Haroon Shahul Hameed, global identity, and this under- headline ‘Your world just got and Group CEO of Ooredoo, Dr Nasser Marafih, at the launch ceremony. lines how committed we are to better’. THE PENINSULA DECEMBER 28, 2013 Middle East www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 ON SATURDAY Car bomb kills aide to ex-PM Hariri Mohammad Chatah was influential member of anti-Assad coalition; Damascus denies involvement

BEIRUT: A huge car bomb rocked central Beirut yester- day, killing six people includ- Blast targets national ing an influential member of a coalition opposed to the Syrian regime, leaving cars ablaze and unity: Hezbollah buildings wrecked. Tensions have soared in BEIRUT: Lebanese Shia group Hezbollah said a car bomb that Lebanon since the outbreak of the killed six people including an influential member of the coun- war in neighbouring Syria, as the try’s anti-Damascus coalition yesterday was aimed at destroying Lebanese Shia Hezbollah move- “national unity.” ment has sent troops to back the Hezbollah did not react to March 14’s implicit accusation that regime while their rivals in the the group, along with ally Syrian President Bashar Al Assad, was Western-backed March 14 coali- behind the attack. “Hezbollah believes this despicable crime is one tion have supported the Sunni-led of a series of... attacks aimed at destroying the country,” it said. rebels. “It’s a disgusting attempt at undermining stability and national State news agency NNA said unity, which only the enemies of Lebanon will benefit from,” Mohammad Chatah, 62, was Hezbollah added. The powerful movement did not comment on killed in the blast as he headed to a statement by March 14, which had implied Syria’s regime and a meeting in the city centre of the Hezbollah were behind the car bomb that killed Mohammad Chatah. March 14 coalition at the man- March 14 has previously blamed Assad’s regime and Hezbollah sion of ex-prime minister Saad for a string of high-profile assassinations of anti-Damascus figures, Hariri. Dozens were injured in the starting with former prime minister Rafiq Hariri in 2005. explosion. Mohammad Chatah Five Hezbollah members are to be tried in absentia by the Special Chatah, an influential econo- Tribunal for Lebanon in The Netherlands, with the first hearing mist and former finance minis- said more than 50 people were set for January 16. ter and envoy to Washington, had wounded and more than 10 build- Saudi Arabia strongly condemned the car bomb blast in Beirut served as adviser to ex-premier ings were badly damaged by the that killed six people, including former finance minister Mohammad Fuad Siniora and remained a blast, which prosecutor general Chatah. Saudi Arabia “has followed with great concern and distur- close aide to his successor, Hariri, Samir Hammud said was caused bance the outrageous terrorist bombing” that rocked the Lebanese who has been living abroad since by 50-60kg of explosives (110 and capital, said a statement on the official SPA news agency. 2011 over security fears. 132 pounds). AFP Lebanese police detain a suspect at the site of an explosion in downtown Hariri’s father, billionaire There was no immediate claim Beirut yesterday that killed former minister Mohamad Chatah. prime minister Rafiq Hariri, was of responsibility for the early killed in a massive seafront blast morning bombing, the first in justice and who have spread the attack. An hour before he was are to be tried in absentia by the neighbouring Syria and hosting in 2005 just blocks away from recent times to have struck the regional fire to the (Lebanese) killed Chatah had criticised Special Tribunal for Lebanon in more 800,000 Syrian refugees. Friday’s explosion, in an assas- commercial and banking dis- nation... and who killed Rafiq Hezbollah on Twitter. The Netherlands, with the first Rafiq Hariri had overseen the sination his supporters blamed trict of Beirut, which is also Hariri.” Syria denied the “wrong “Hezbollah is pressing hard hearing set for January 16. rebuilding of downtown Beirut on Syria. home to government offices and and arbitrary accusations,” say- to be granted similar powers in A source close to the late after it was flattened in the civil Yesterday’s blast sent thick parliament. ing “some figures in Lebanon security & foreign policy matters Chatah said the bombing was a war, and today it houses the par- black smoke across the capital’s The March 14 coalition implied have never stopped accusing that Syria exercised in Lebanon “message ahead of the trial, say- liament building, modern glass skyline and over the Grand Serail, Damascus and Hezbollah were (Damascus) every time a painful for 15 years,” he said, in reference ing ‘You want justice? Here it is’.” towers, shops, cafes and restau- a massive Ottoman-era complex behind the attack without men- assassination takes place in the to Syria’s nearly 30-year domi- Chatah was the ninth high- rants, and is known for its night that houses the offices of the tioning them by name, saying in brother country Lebanon.” nation of Lebanon, which ended profile anti-Syria figure killed in life and tourist attractions. prime minister. a statement that “the criminal is French President Francois following mass protests against Lebanon since the Hariri assas- “We were opening our store Footage broadcast by Future the same, he who is thirsty for Hollande meanwhile denounced Hariri’s 2005 murder. Hezbollah sination. The attack was a grim when we heard the blast. It was TV showed people with their the blood of Syrians... he and his the “cowardly attack”, in the has refused to hand over suspects reminder of the violence that really loud. We are used to blasts clothes on fire and others lying Lebanese allies.” first reaction by a world leader. wanted by a UN-backed tribunal tore Lebanon apart during the in Lebanon but not in this area. on the ground, bloodied and in Hariri said those responsible Saudi Arabia and Qatar, staunch investigating the murder of Hariri 1975-1990 civil war, and comes Now we are not safe anywhere,” shock, as ambulances and security for Chatah’s murder, are “those opponents of Bashar Al Assad’s and 22 others in the seafront as the multi-sectarian country is said shop clerk Mohammad, 23. forces raced to the scene. NNA who are hiding from international regime, also condemned the bombing. Five Hezbollah members bitterly divided over the war in AFP Army ambush kills dozens BEIRUT: Dozens of rebels Christian town of Maalula in Regime forces also pounded fighting to topple President Damascus province in September. Douma east of Damascus, and Bashar Al Assad were killed They were briefly driven out by dropped TNT-packed barrel yesterday in a Syrian army the army before quickly reclaim- bombs on Khan al-Sheikh south- ambush near Damascus, the ing it. west of the capital. Syrian Observatory for Human The rebels have for several In the north, the regime has Rights said. weeks reportedly held a group of waged a major aerial offen- The Britain-based group said 12 nuns from the town. sive against rebel-held areas of the dawn attack came “in the The Observatory reported “air Aleppo, which since December area located between Marah and strikes on the edges of Yabrud” 15 has killed hundreds of people, Qustul, near the historic town of near Maalula, which is in the mostly civilians. Maalula”. Qalamoun mountains. An air strike hit Al Bab in The watchdog, which relies Clashes also raged between Aleppo province on Friday, said on activists countrywide for its Islamist rebels and troops backed the Observatory, without specify- reports, could not provide an by Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah ing whether there were casualties. exact toll, but said “another 20 forces in Adra northeast of Sana reported that “a terror- rebels” were wounded. Damascus, the Observatory said. ist mortar attack on Al-Jamaliya State news agency Sana quoted Islamist and jihadist rebels (a regime-held Aleppo district) an unidentified military source as broke into Adra, which is home to killed four people and wounded saying that “a unit of our brave a patchwork of religious commu- 12 others”. army ambushed and killed doz- nities and had been under regime State media has referred to ens of terrorists from Al Nusra control, on December 11. dissidents — rebels and peaceful Front”. Many residents are from the opponents alike — as “terrorists” The Al Qaeda-affiliated minority Alawite sect, like Assad, since anti-Assad protests began AlNusra and other Islamist bat- while most of Syria’s rebels are in March 2011. The scene of the explosion in downtown Beirut, yesterday. talions first entered the ancient Sunni. AFP Arak can’t make plutonium for bomb: Four new Saudi cases of MERS virus, one fatal: WHO Iran; Talks to resume on Monday LONDON: Four more people in In yesterday’s update, the WHO Saudi Arabia have been infected said the latest MERS death — a TEHRAN: Iran’s Arak heavy water reac- committed not to make further advances at framework and a timeline for the nuclear with the SARS-like Middle East 73 year-old man from Riyadh — tor is incapable of producing plutonium for its Arak, Fordo and Natanz facilities. accord. Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) had reported having contact with use in a nuclear weapon, a major fear of the “When International Atomic Energy A spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief virus and one of them - an eld- animals but had no travel history West, Tehran’s atomic chief said yesterday. Agency cameras are installed and constantly Catherine Ashton also confirmed that the erly man - has died, the World outside the Riyadh region. “The Arak research reactor cannot pro- monitoring the reactor and inspectors can talks will resume on Monday in Switzerland. Health Organisation (WHO) The fourth case, in a 53-year- duce plutonium that could be used to make an visit, there will no longer be cause for con- “Technical experts meeting with Iran will take said yesterday. old man from Riyadh, was after atomic bomb since the plutonium will remain cern,” Salehi said. place on December 30 in Geneva,” spokes- The new infections, includ- contact with a previously con- in the reactor’s core for a year,” Ali Akbar Salehi has said dismantling the Arak reac- woman Maja Kocijancic told AFP via email. ing in two health workers from firmed MERS case. He was hos- Salehi told the Isna news agency. tor or giving up uranium enrichment is “a red Iran has already held two sets of talks with Riyadh who have not reported pitalised on November 26 and is “Plutonium destined to make a weapon can- line which we will never cross.” representatives from Britain, China, France, any adverse symptoms, bring currently receiving treatment in not stay there for more than three or four Western powers and Israel suspect Iran’s Russia, Germany and the United States. the worldwide total of confirmed an intensive care unit, it said. weeks or it will contain other elements pre- nuclear activities mask military objectives, The last round concluded in Geneva on cases of the respiratory disease Dutch and Qatari scientists venting its use” for military means, he said. despite Tehran’s repeated insistence that they December 22 after little progress was made, to 170 with 72 deaths, the United published research earlier this “Anyway, Iran does not have a reprocess- are entirely peaceful. according to Iranian Foreign Minister Nations health agency said. month that proved for the first ing plant” to purify plutonium for such use, The experts from Iran and world powers Mohammad Javad Zarif. MERS first emerged in the time that MERS can also infect Salehi insisted. will on Monday resume technical talks on Araqchi, who is also deputy foreign minis- Middle East in September 2012 camels - strengthening suspicions Under a landmark deal struck on November implementing a landmark nuclear deal after ter, said at the time the discussions were pro- and is from the same family as the that these animals, often used in 24, Iran agreed to roll back or freeze parts of a Christmas break, both sides said yesterday. gressing slowly because of “interpretations” of SARS virus, can cause coughing, the region for meat, milk, trans- its controversial nuclear drive for six months Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas points of the agreement. fever and pneumonia. port and racing, may be a source in exchange for modest sanctions relief and Araqchi told the official Irna news agency Under the Geneva accord, Iran agreed to Cases have been reported in of the human outbreak. a promise by Western powers not to impose that the discussions with the six major world roll back or freeze parts of its nuclear drive for Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, The WHO said people at high new sanctions. The Arak site is of concern powers are to resume in Geneva. six months in exchange for modest sanctions Jordan, United Arab Emirates, risk of severe disease due to to the West because Tehran could theoreti- “The technical discussions between Iran relief and a promise by Western powers not Oman, and Tunisia as well as in MERS should “avoid close con- cally extract weapons-grade plutonium from and the 5+1 group will resume on Monday in to impose new sanctions. several countries in Europe, and tact with animals when visiting its spent fuel if it also builds a reprocessing Geneva... to define modalities for implement- Western powers suspect Iran’s nuclear scientists are increasingly focused farms or barn areas where the facility. ing the agreement” struck on November 24, activities mask military objectives, despite on a link between the human virus is known to be potentially Iran agreed not to build such a facility he said. Tehran’s repeated insistence that they are infections and camels as a possi- circulating”. as part of last month’s nuclear deal. It also The negotiations are aimed at setting a entirely peaceful. AFP ble “animal reservoir” of the virus. REUTERS DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Views

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF KHALID AL SAYED [email protected]

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR HUSSAIN AHMAD [email protected]

EDITORIAL TEL: 44557741 / 44557743 FAX: 44557746 / 44557758 P. O. BOX: 3488, DOHA, QATAR E-MAIL: [email protected]

ADVERTISING: TEL: 44557837 / 780 FAX: 44557870 CLASSIFIED: 44557857 E-MAIL: [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION / HOME DELIVERY TEL: 44557809 /839 FAX: 44557819 E-MAIL: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION RATES: ANNUAL QR 675 6 MONTHS QR 340 Editorial

Trouble in Turkey Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

URKISH Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is facing one of the biggest crises since coming to power with a corruption scandal savaging his government Tand sparking street protests. The prime minister has Call me optimist, but future blamed foreign forces for his woes, calling the crisis the result of a huge conspiracy against him, but whether his allegations are true or not, this is a quagmire he will have to face alone, and how he emerges out of it will decide his future in Turkish of journalism isn’t bleak politics. The unfolding scandal has already done significant BY DAN GILLMOR political damage to Erdogan who has been in power more than What’s going on? Traditional news- in a few years. a decade and is widely considered a likely candidate in next papers and broadcasters seem to believe The ecosystem of quality work summer’s presidential election. The economy too is paying S WE head into 2014, the 20th that they can shrink their way to pros- extends far beyond what we’ve tradi- a heavy price, with Turkish lira hit hard and stock markets anniversary of the first popular perity. Online, a viral-or-die mindset tionally called journalism. It includes Aweb browser, we are awash in dominates a new generation of traffic- the deep work by advocacy organiza- plunging. media. As consumers, creators and ulti- grubbing enterprises that seem, despite tions like Human Rights Watch and the The corruption scandal involves sons of ministers and is mately, collaborators, we are creating an assurances to the contrary, indifferent American Civil Liberties Union doing edging ever closer to the prime minister. The investigation has ecosystem of information – including to being right or wrong as long as the what I’ve called “almost journalism”, targeted leading businessmen and officials as well as the head journalism – that grows more complex traffic is there. probing and digging and exposing the of the state bank, all said to be engaged in corrupt practices, all the time. In a few ways, notably the In an essay making the rounds this bad acts of governments and other pow- rising tide of crap of all kinds in media week, the Year We Broke the Internet, erful institutions. bribery, rigging of tenders and illicit money transfers. Three and the loss of some of the valuable writer Luke O’Neil notes the recent It also extends into the marriage of cabinet ministers have been forced to resign after their sons journalism of the past, this is cause for spate of hoaxes and lousy journal- data (from sensors, not just traditional were detained as part of the investigation. The case has sent deep worry. Yet there’s plenty of reason ism – including the bogus snow on the databases) and media, where we can shockwaves throughout the country and yesterday three MPs for optimism, too: amid all the garbage, Pyramids picture and Elan Gale’s air- remix vital information from a variety of the ruling Justice and Development party resigned from is more quality information than we’ve plane fiction-tweeting – and chalks it of sources to better understand our their party in protest at the suggestion had access to before. Increasingly, the all up to the “traffic-at-all-costs men- world. We’ve barely begun to tap the trick will be finding it. tality – veracity, newsworthiness, and collaborative power of this technology. that the government had been In a course I’m teaching these days, relevance be damned”. Even the apparently cynical pur- The corruption hindering investigations. I ask students to All true, and yet … look around. You’ll veyors of viral infotainment occasion- scandal is Calls are intensifying for Erdogan write down their find ProPublica, the Texas Tribune, the ally do sound work. A former editor of posing a huge to resign, with both opponents and media use for 24 Center for Investigative Reporting and a popular news site once told me (I’m supporters of the prime minister hours. They are many others in anexpanding universe of paraphrasing slightly) that he had to challenge to taking to the streets. The scandal often surprised civic-minded investigative journalism. run a brothel to pay for the cathedral. Even as today’s at the breadth, You’ll see smart people investing Business models, at long last, Tayyip Erdogan, has come as a huge opportunity for major journalistic if not the depth, in for-profit ventures like Vox Media, are seeing innovation – or at least but the onus is the secular opposition which has an of what they – which has a notion that advertisers will experimentation. inimical relationship with the prime institutions and, increasingly, prefer quality to crap, andMedium, a Kickstarter and other crowd-fund- on him to prove minister. With the crisis showing struggle to adapt, many of us – do platform/media play that, among other ing services are a big help, though not his innocence. no signs of abatement, and in fact each day. When I initiatives, absorbed the serious and enough by themselves; we need sustain- media startups did this exercise excellent Matter “long-form” project. ability, not just the ability to get started. acquiring new dimensions, Erdogan and investigative myself, several Maybe they’re wrong; but maybe not. But I don’t share the growing panic will have to prove his innocence. things stood out. The Patch experiment, a huge collec- over “native advertising” as long as it’s It’s unfair to target Erdogan if he is innocent. But the outlets carry the For example, I tion of local sites around the country, is labeled clearly. It’s not as though tra- onus is on him to prove his innocence. The government must torch. didn’t turn on a faring poorly, and its owner, AOL, has ditional media organizations have been conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the whole television even been less and less supportive. Patch was all that pure before, given the amount scandal and punish the guilty, however well-connected they once, though I did a brute-force, corporate attack on local of press-release language that makes watch a number of videos including one news in a world where the main revenue its way into stories, not to mention the are. – Jon Stewart’s Daily Show monologue source, advertising, has eroded beyond opinion-laundering you can find in so In Turkey’s turbulent politics, the divide between the prime – that had been on TV. A screen is a repair. I’m glad they tried. many news reports and on every op-ed minister and his opponents has been widening. Such hostility screen is a screen? Not yet, but we’re Look around, though, and you’ll page. is not good for democracy, and can create huge law and order heading that way. see that scores of independent local Native ads, or their equivalent, aren’t problems. There is a need for both sides to adopt a stance of I was also struck that day by the shal- news operations are emerging. A list all that new in any case. On 19 October reconciliation. Differences, whether ideological or political, lowness of so much of what I was seeing. of “promising” local sites, maintained 1970, the then-new New York Times It wasn’t just the declining quality of by journalist Michele Mclellen is grow- op-ed page featured an essay written can be retained, but they should not cross the boundaries our local daily newspaper in California, ing, she reports, with progress on the by Mobil Oil public relations – the first of decency and public order. It’s also true that a rupture in a shadow of what it used to be – a com- revenue front as well as the journal- of many such pieces that followed over Erdogan’s relations with the West has contributed to the mon condition in that medium across istic one. I’m guessing that local news the years, as Mobil took its corporate current woes. The Western media tends to follow the policies the nation. Much of the online news, will be provided mostly by a legion of messaging directly into the pages of the of their government on Erdogan, and their reports have the especially political and technology cov- small startups that can never get too Times and other major newspapers. It erage, was an inch deep, sometimes big, which isn’t a tragedy if they sup- was labeled, and no one was fooled. potential to inflame passions on the streets• ridiculous, and rarely insightful. port real journalism. We’ll know better THE GUARDIAN The other side Quote of Bangladesh needs to protect democracy the day HERE are two weaknesses rejection much less common. boycott undermines and can do long- that, once an election was called, the to democratic politics, which It is the second weakness, the term damage to the whole democratic out-going government handed over pose particular problems in refusal of a leading party, to even take political process. The almost-childish day-to-day management of the country The killers of Tcountries which are relatively part in a poll, that is the harder to sort claim that had a party that decided to to a supervisory administration, whose new to the democratic process. The out. It is also the more dangerous in its stay out of an election, actually taken main task was to oversee the running Mohammad Chatah first is the downright refusal by a consequences. part, they would have walked away of a free and fair election. Not only was defeated party to accept the outcome Boycotting an election is generally with a victory, is pathetic. In a mature this very sensible in theory, it actually are those who of a poll. The clear danger here is that deeply irresponsible. If there is a fear of democracy, any party trying such a worked in practice. are hiding from supporters of the failed candidate fraud, then the international observers stunt would make itself a laughing The supervisory administration was will be invited to take to the streets will be there to try and ensure fair play. stock. made up of technocrats, with the odd international justice to protest the result and suddenly A boycott is therefore a poor way of Moreover, its supporters would be retired judge or bureaucrat thrown in. and who have spread politics moves away from the debating making a political protest. unlikely to forgive or forget they way Unless there were an international crisis chamber, where it belongs. At the very least, it deprives a per- in which they and their point of view of some sort, the business of govern- the regional fire The increasing use of international haps significant part of the electorate of had been let down. Unfortunately for ment could pretty well be left to itself, to the (Lebanese) observers at elections and their growing the chance to have their voice heard, by the Bangladeshis, theirs is not a mature while the interim administration focused willingness to highlight electoral fraud voting for the party that they deem best democracy. They did however have one on the election. nation... and who Saad Hariri when they spot it, has made result represents their views. At worst, the very mature democratic idea. This was ARAB NEWS killed Rafiq Hariri. Lebanese ex-premier DECEMBER 28, 2013 Views www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 ON SATURDAY Japan premier bets on US alliance US officials had seen Abe as restraining his nationalist instincts and been inclined to blame China and South Korea for the strained relations.

BY LINDA SIEG policy probably won’t have a decisive impact on the opinion polls.” apanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, although hailing from the most Abe’s visit to a shrine for war conservative wing of the LDP, avoided dead outraged China and South going to Yasukuni during his first 2006- Korea, and also upset Washington 2007 term in order to improve ties with and his government coalition China. Relations with Beijing had been Jpartner - but he appears confident the badly hurt, in part, by annual visits to alliances and his popularity will not be the shrine by his predecessor, Junichiro affected. Koizumi. At first Abe stuck to a similar On Thursday, Abe became the first course in hopes of holding a summit with Japanese premier in seven years to pay Chinese leader Xi Jinping. As far back his respects at Yasukuni Shrine, where as the summer, however, aides said Abe Japanese leaders convicted as war crimi- might visit the shrine if there was no nals by an Allied tribunal after World breakthrough in ties. War Two are honoured along with those “For the prime minister, improving ties who died in battle. with China is a matter of national inter- The shrine is seen by critics as a sym- est, so if he can succeed in that, he can bol of Japan’s past military aggression. hold back,” an aide to Abe said in August. Abe, however, is a staunch conservative “If it looks as if things are not improving, and the pilgrimage is part of his mission he will go.” to recast Japan’s wartime past in a less But the chill in ties with China, frayed apologetic light and revive national pride. by a row over East China Sea isles South Koreans burn an effigy of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a protest in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul yesterday. The visit predictably sparked outrage claimed by both nations, deepened after in China and South Korea, countries with Beijing announced an air defence zone Kyodo news agency said the US gov- reliability as an ally and partner in Asia,” divided on whether leaders should pay which Japan’s ties were already strained last month, including air space over the ernment was given just one hour’s notice said one former US official. their respects at Yasukuni - but protests by rows over disputed isles and bitter disputed land. “This time, China was not of Abe’s visit to Yasukuni by its embassy On the domestic front, Abe is also bet- from China against Koizumi’s visits cre- wartime memories. willing to make a deal on the Senkaku,” in Tokyo. Experts said the visit would ting his support ratings can withstand ated a backlash against what some people It also prompted a rare public expres- the diplomatic source said, using the strain the alliance. any impact from the controversial visit. saw as foreign interference in a domestic sion of “disappointment” from the United Japanese name for the isles known as Until recently, US officials had seen Abe’s ratings slid to under 50 percent matter. States and a statement of regret from the the Diaoyu in China. Abe as restraining his nationalist in some polls this month after his ruling Since then, Japanese concern about ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) Critics said Abe had now ensured the instincts and been inclined to blame bloc steamrolled a strict state secrets act China’s military assertiveness has stead- partner, the more dovish New Komeito chill would persist. China and South Korea for the strained through parliament that critics said had ily grown and a fresh barrage of criticism party. Those familiar with Abe’s thinking “I think it was a seriously counter- relations, said Yoshihide Soeya, Japan echoes of the wartime regime, but they from Beijing could move opinion in favour said the prime minister, who took office a productive and irresponsible move and Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center remain high for a Japanese leader. of Abe. “The crisis he instigated will lead year ago for a second term promising to put regional relations in the deep freeze in Washington. Trouble could emerge if the economy to a ‘rally around the leader’ dynamic revive a “strong Japan”, was well aware for the foreseeable future,” said Jeffrey “Abe has now turned the table,” he said. dips or Abe puts his conservative agenda that will blunt domestic criticism of his of the risks. Kingston, director of Asian studies at Washington has welcomed Abe’s efforts ahead of economic policies. security agenda,” Kingston said. “The Americans are dissatisfied? Too Temple University’s Japan campus. to boost Japan’s military posture and “The top priority for Japan now is to Others disagreed. “The net effect is bad. Will they still be our ally? Yes,” said assume more of the alliance’s defence revive the economy,” said an editorial in the division of Japanese society getting one Japanese diplomatic source famil- TURNING THE TABLE burden, but been less happy with Abe’s the Nikkei business daily. deeper, which is not good for Abe in iar with Abe’s thinking. “The economy, Whether Abe had fully anticipated revisionist stance on history. “What the “What can be achieved by causing carrying out some other (parts of his) income, social welfare - these are the the rare rebuke from the United States, Yasukuni visit does is raise for the US political confusion that polarises national conservative agenda,” Woodrow Wilson concerns of the Japanese people. Foreign Japan’s closest ally, is far from clear. government the need to determine Abe’s opinion?” Japanese voters have long been Center’s Soeya said. REUTERS Polio epidemic looming over Syria How US triumph in The UN has repeatedly Juba came undone exhorted Syria to allow BY ALEX VINES hen South Sudan celebrated its independence from the humanitarian access Republic of the Sudan in 2011 many analysts feared for the future. The conflict now raging in the world’s young- across conflict lines West state has serious regional and international implica- tions. For the US, South Sudan’s independence was seen as one of the few visible successes of President Obama’s first administration’s Africa for immunisation policy: no longer. But this crisis is not due to the lack of international support. campaigns, but is still Just as we saw in Eritrea, which obtained its independence from Ethiopia in 1991 but has been deeply troubled ever since, this current conflict is about poor political leadership within a country that is still legally obligated to in need of a massive state-building exercise. The violence, fighting and displacement that broke out on 15 December was not a deliberate coup, coordinate with the but the result of deteriorating relations between the president, Salva Kiir, and his ex-vice president, Riek Machar. government. Kiir has become increasingly authoritarian over the past 18 months and his total ministerial reshuffle in July improved nothing. When Syrian boys line up to receive polio drops at a refugee camp in Sidon, Lebanon. The Lebanese the president tried to take fuller control of the republican guard, BY ELIZABETH PARKER-MAGYAR government plans to vaccinate all children under five, including Syrian refugees. this developed into a standoff that sparked what in effect became an accidental coup. he United Nations announcement available on the Syrian government to allow Syria. But the campaign’s success will depend Until this new crisis erupted, international engagement was focused on Sunday that it would demand the UN humanitarian access across conflict on its ability to vaccinate children in rebel- on the border issues with Sudan and encouraging Kiir to reconcile a record-shattering $6.5bn to fund zones. held areas, where the Syrian government has with his former enemy, President Al Bashir of Sudan. The unintended Thumanitarian efforts in Syria – as By ensuring that Assad’s government allows long-prevented the entry of food and medicine consequence of this strategy was to increase internal tensions within much as it will spend in response everywhere the UN to distribute polio vaccinations in and where healthcare systems have continued the party of government in South Sudan, the Sudan People’s Liberation else in the world, combined – underscored the rebel-held or contested areas, the interna- to crumble. Movement (SPLM). There is also an ethnic dimension playing out scale of the humanitarian tragedy in Syria. tional community can prevent another sense- In November, the United Nations airlifted between Nuer and Dinka – the president is a Dinka, while Machar The same day, the International Rescue less humanitarian tragedy. 538,000 polio vaccinations from its head- represents the Nuer. This is nothing new for South Sudan, as inter- Committee released a statement detailing the Less than a year later, in October of this quarters in Damascus to a field-office in the ethnic tensions have been a feature of the political landscape here long humanitarian challenge inside Syria: the cost year, the World Health Organization docu- northeastern city of Al Hasakeh. Those vacci- before independence but the discovery of three mass graves by the UN of bread has risen 500 percent, nearly four- mented the first 15 cases of the heavily conta- nations, later distributed overland throughout in recent days signal how quickly this crisis has deepened. in-five communities are struggling to access gious disease in Syria since 1999 in Deir e-Zor, eastern Syria, nevertheless bypassed villages Kiir has deployed his army to fight supporters of Machar. Thousands food, one in two communities is concerned and the outbreak has since spread to largely blockaded by government forces just a dozen have been killed and tens of thousands internally displaced by this about clean water, and a shortage of medical rebel-controlled Aleppo and the Damascus miles from the UN headquarters in Damascus, fighting. A major crisis is looming and humanitarian access is now the supplies is pervasive. suburbs. Once it appears, the incurable dis- where polio has already been detected. most immediate international preoccupation. In March 2014, when the Syrian civil war ease, which can paralyse children under five As the battle for Ghouta continues, the The UN has announced it is doubling its forces on the ground, and hits the three year anniversary mark, the UN in a matter of hours, is very challenging to Syrian government has not allowed the dis- the leaders of Kenya and Ethiopia visited South Sudan’s capital, Juba, will be supporting roughly three out of four of contain: only one in 200 children carrying tribution of food or medicines, only the evacu- today to try to halt the fighting. The crisis has already internation- Syria’s 20 million citizens: including 2.5 million polio actually show symptoms. Immunisation ation of starving citizens. alised with Ugandan troop intervention. We do not know what other Syrians in what the UN designates as “hard- rates of Syrian children have plummeted to 70 I live in Jordan, home to more than 570,000 neighbours are considering – Sudan especially. This is already a rough to-reach” areas within Syria largely under percent, from pre-war levels near 90 percent. Syrian refugees. Here, the UN will use some neighbourhood, with instability in Darfur, the Central African Republic rebel control – and 2.3 million who have fled “By the time we find a single case, the horse of its $6.5bn request to immunise every Syrian and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Civil war in South Sudan the nation entirely. is out of the barn, so to speak,” said Oliver child who arrives, and all who have already would only add to this insecurity. But no effort will receive more scrutiny than Rosenbauer, a spokesperson with the World crossed the border. Having invested so heavily in South Sudan’s independence, the inter- the UN’s push to prevent a polio epidemic. The Health Organization’s Global Polio Eradication Every day, I learn of the myriad ways national community will not stand by – and while responding to the UN has repeatedly exhorted Syria to allow Unit in Geneva. in which war can senselessly destroy lives. humanitarian crisis should make it clear that long-term support and humanitarian access across conflict lines for Peter Kessler, a spokesperson for the United Certainly among the most senseless is a child investment requires stable and accountable government. What is most immunisation campaigns, but is still legally Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in being paralysed by a disease for which an depressing for South Sudan is that whether Kiir succeeds militarily obligated to coordinate with the government. Amman, Jordan said: For a polio campaign to immunisation was found in 1955. over Machar or there is a negotiated compromise, the country is likely As the United States and its western part- be effective, roughly 90 percent or more of the In 2014, let us hope that the United States to become more autocratic. ners fret over a perceived lack-of-options population needs to be vaccinated to stamp and its allies can use their influence to ensure An elite power struggle within the tiny leadership looks to be draw- in Syria – scared of arming increasingly the disease out. that the Syrian government allows humani- ing the whole country into a full civil war that is rapidly developing extremist Islamist rebel groups or legitimising Immediately after the outbreak, Unicef and tarian agencies to distribute polio vaccines ethnic dimensions. There seems little that outsiders can do about President Bashar Al Assad four months after the WHO launched a campaign to vaccinate throughout Syria, even in rebel-controlled this currently except contain the crisis and encourage South Sudan’s chemical weapons attacks killed 1,400 – it is 23 million children across the Middle East, areas. political leadership to step back from the brink and re-focus on build- crucial that these nations bring all pressure scrambling to reach 1.6 million children inside THE GUARDIAN ing a viable state that will benefit all their citizens. THE GUARDIAN DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 08 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Middle East Turkey court bolcks govt ruling on police PM pledges electoral ‘war’ as graft scandal swirls

ANKARA/ISTANBUL: A forced police officers to inform default jumped to an 18-month Turkish court yesterday blocked their superiors about investiga- high yesterday. a government attempt to force tions was announced overnight by The affair turned more per- police to disclose investigations the government, angered at hav- sonal this week when Turkish to their superiors, setting back ing been kept in the dark about media published what appeared Prime Minister Recep Tayyip the year-long corruption probe. to be a preliminary summons Erdogan’s efforts to contain the The crisis is unprecedented in for Bilal Erdogan, one of the fallout from a high-level corrup- Erdogan’s three terms of office, premier’s two sons, to testify, tion scandal. triggering the ministers’ resigna- although its authenticity could Police on December 17 detained tions and then a reshuffle, as well not immediately be verified. dozens of people, among them the as destabilising a Turkish econ- Denying wrongdoing, the sons of the interior minister and omy whose rapid growth has been Erdogan government purged some two other cabinet members, after a showpiece of Erdogan’s 11-year 70 of the police officers involved, a major graft probe that was kept rule. including the head of the force secret from commanders who The lira hit a record low, in Istanbul, and on December 21 might have informed the govern- stocks were at their weakest in issued a new rule requiring police ment in advance. 17 months and the cost of insur- investigators share their findings The regulation that would have ing the country’s debt against with their superiors. The Council of State, an Ankara court that adjudicates on administrative issues, blocked Three MPs quit ruling party implementation of the regula- tion, ruling that it “contradicts ANKARA: Three lawmakers including a former minister the principle of the separation of resigned yesterday from Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development powers”. Party (AKP) amidst a high-level bribery and corruption probe With his party aswirl in spec- ensnaring close government allies. ulation he might call early gen- The ruling party is being directed by “arrogance,” said one of the eral elections next year, Erdogan lawmakers Ertugrul Gunay, who was a former culture minister, at urged supporters to vote in a Supporters of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan hold banners reading ‘stand tall, Islam nation is a news conference, adding that he was parting ways with the AKP. March local ballot as part of a with you’ and pictures of Erdogan and Turkish flags in front of the New Mosque during a demonstration after Another lawmaker Erdal Kalkan announced his resignation via “war” on what he deems a for- Friday prayers in Istanbul. Twitter. “This will not end here. Our honourable people see eve- eign-orchestrated plot cloaked as rything,” he tweeted, referring to the corruption scandal that has criminal proceedings. involved the sons of former ministers and top businessmen. In a speech in Zakaria prov- AKP deputy Haluk Ozdalga also stepped down from the party. ince, a heartland of his Islamist- Military says won’t get The fast-moving inquiry has struck at the heart of Turkey’s ruling rooted AK party, Erdogan likened elites and thrown up a serious challenge to Prime Minister Recep ballots to bullets. Tayyip Erdogan’s 11 years in power. It led to a comprehensive cabi- “You, with your votes, will foil net reshuffle after the resignation on Wednesday of three ministers this evil plot,” he told the cheer- involved in political crisis whose sons were implicated in the probe. ing crowd. “Are you committed to establishing a new Turkey? Are ANKARA: The Turkish mili- The army said it would stay cases. Dozens of active and retired you ready for Turkey’s new inde- tary said yesterday it would not away from the political debates officers have been convicted since pendence war?” get involved in the political tur- and continue to perform its 2008 over alleged plots against the EU urges impartial probe He was referring to local elec- moil sparked by a high-level cor- duties defined by law and the government. ANKARA: The European Union urged Turkey to address cor- tions three months away, in which ruption probe targeting the very constitution. As the lira plunged to 2.1764 ruption allegations involving close government allies in a “trans- some disappointed AK faithful core of Prime Minister Recep The military, which sees itself to the dollar in mid-morning, parent and impartial manner”. might abandon the party. Tayyip Erdogan’s government. as the guarantor of Turkey’s sec- trading on the Istanbul stock “I urge Turkey, as a candidate country committed to the political AK controls two-thirds of par- “The Turkish Armed Forces do ular principles, has carried out exchange, the BIST 100, dropped criteria of (EU) accession... to take all the necessary measures to liament and pollsters see a modest not want to get involved in politi- three coups — in 1960, 1971 and 4.3 percent by early afternoon, ensure that allegations of wrongdoing are addressed without dis- blow to the party’s base but say cal debates,” the military said in a 1980, — and pressured an Islamist after having dropped 2.33 per- crimination or preference in a transparent and impartial manner,” it could spiral if the scandal gets statement posted on its website. government to step down in 1997. cent Thursday and 4.2 percent EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule said in a statement. worse. One AK official, speaking The statement came after a But since coming to power Wednesday. The fast-moving inquiry has struck at the heart of Turkey’s ruling on condition of anonymity, pre- close aide of Erdogan, Yalcin in 2002, the government of The major Turkish daily, the elites and thrown up a serious challenge to Prime Minister Recep dicted Erdogan could bring for- Akdogan, wrote in his column in Erdogan’s Islamic-leaning Justice Hurriyet, said the graft investiga- Tayyip Erdogan’s 11 years in power. ward the scheduled 2015 general a pro-government newspaper that and Development Party (AKP) tion had created a “bomb effect” AFP election to arrest such a slide. the corruption scandal could be a has reined in the once-powerful in markets. REUTERS setup to trigger a military coup. military with a series of court AFP

Lack of fuel grounds Three dead, 265 held in Egypt crackdown Gaza’s sole CAIRO: Three people were to blacklist the Brotherhood killed in clashes and 265 came a day after a suicide bomb- arrested in Egypt yesterday ing of a police building killed 15 power plant in a crackdown on Muslim people. The government blamed GAZA CITY: Lack of fuel from Brotherhood demonstrations the attack on the Brotherhood Israel brought Gaza’s lone power after the movement was labelled despite a claim of responsibility plant to a halt yesterday, days a terrorist group, police said. from a Sinai-based jihadist group. after it was fired back to life fol- The military-installed gov- Tensions rose even further after lowing a seven-week shutdown, ernment has banned protests by a home-made bomb exploded next the electricity company said. Brotherhood members demand- to a bus on Thursday, wounding “The plant stopped working on ing the reinstatement of deposed five people. Friday morning due to a lack of president Mohamed Mursi, after The Brotherhood, which con- fuel caused by Israel’s closure of listing the movement as a terror- demned Tuesday’s suicide bomb- the Kerem Shalom crossing,” said ist organisation on Wednesday. ing, has denounced its listing a company official. The three people were killed as as a terrorist organisation and Israel closed the crossing to the opponents of the Islamists clashed vowed to continue staging peace- besieged Palestinian territory on with protesters in several cities, ful rallies. Tuesday following a series of vio- the interior ministry said. Riot It has held near-daily protests lent cross-border incidents earlier police fired tear gas at stone- since the military ousted Mursi in the week. throwing protesters in several on July 3, despite a crackdown According to the official, the cities, swiftly clamping down on that has killed more than 1,000 closure of the power station rallies after the midday Friday people, mainly Islamists, and seen means that electricity supplies to prayers. thousands more arrested. Gaza would be limited to six hours Interior ministry spokesman The blacklisting of the a day as opposed to the usual 12 Hany Abdel Latif accused the pro- Brotherhood as a terrorist group hours a day. testers of using firearms and pet- caps a dramatic fall for the move- The plant, which supplies some rol bombs, telling they “increased ment since Mursi’s ouster amid 30 percent of Gaza’s electricity their violence” in Friday’s rallies. Egyptian anti-riot police forces advance amid smoke and burning objects allegedly set on fire by supporters of massive protests demanding his needs, had previously fallen silent The interior ministry said police the Muslim Brotherhood during clashes in Cairo, yesterday. resignation following a year of on November 1 as stocks of diesel arrested 265 “Brotherhood ele- deepening polarisation and plum- ran out. ments” in the clashes. facing possible death sentences turned violent. The interior min- Police seemed intent on hunting meting economic conditions. The power station returned to “Legal measures are under way and protesters looking at up to istry overnight said a man was down any suspected protesters, The Brotherhood renounced life on December 15 after receiv- against the Brotherhood elements five years in prison. killed in clashes around Al Azhar with more than a dozen armoured violence in the 1970s and has ing a delivery of fuel purchased in accordance with the cabinet’s Smoke rose from Al Azhar university between Islamist stu- vehicles racing to a Cairo mosque condemned the recent surge in from Israel by the West Bank- listing of the Muslim Brotherhood university’s student dormitory dents and civilians who oppose after reports of Brotherhood attacks by Sinai-based militants, based Palestinian Authority using as a terrorist organisation,” the in Cairo as police fired tear gas them. members gathering there. which have killed more than 100 funds donated by Qatar. ministry said in a statement. against protesters pelting them Protesters wounded several Officers combed nearby build- soldiers and police, mainly in the The PA helped facilitate the The Brotherhood’s designation with rocks from inside the build- policemen across the country yes- ings searching for suspects and restive peninsula bordering Israel delivery via Israel, which the mili- as a terrorist group carries harsh ing, the latest in a series of stu- terday and torched police vehi- dragged two men out of a car. and the Gaza Strip. tant Hamas rulers of Gaza do not penalties, with the group’s leaders dent demonstrations that have cles, the interior ministry said. The unprecedented decision AFP recognise. An Israeli security offi- cial, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, flatly denied that the closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing was responsible for the lack of fuel for the power plant. According to him, the situation Shell hits Yemeni funeral gathering, killing 15 had arisen due to “an internal conflict between the Palestinian SANA’A: An explosive shell hit the army. One local army officer, people were also wounded in the of the Al Herak Al Janoubi, a coali- Yemen is struggling to restore Authority and Hamas”. a funeral gathering attended by who asked not to be named, said strike on a tent where mourners tion of groups aiming to set up an state authority after mass unrest “The Palestinian Authority is southern separatists in Yemen, a military outpost had fired the had come to pay their respects to independent state in the region. ousted president Ali Abdullah refusing to supply fuel because killing 15 people, including chil- shell by mistake, and the man the family of a southern separatist President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Saleh a year ago. Elsewhere, two Hamas has not paid for it,” the dren, yesterday, witnesses and in charge was being investigated who died earlier in the week, the Hadi set up a committee to inves- Islamist militants were killed in official said, adding that the funds medical sources said. - though there was no immedi- sources said. The tent had been set tigate the incident, state news an air strike in east Yemen, resi- donated by Qatar had run out. Witnesses said the shell had ate comment from the defence up inside a school in the southern agency Saba reported, with- dents and a local official said. AFP been fired by a tank and blamed ministry in Sana’a. Around 40 province of Al Dhalea by members out going into further details. REUTERS DECEMBER 28, 2013 International www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 ON SATURDAY French troops Immigration fears spark political storm out in force British tabloids warn of horrors as work restrictions on migrants to be lifted across Europe in strife-hit

LONDON: They’re portrayed welfare benefits. “We’re import- Minister David Cameron. In that limit their access to jobs and turbulence comes as Cameron Bangui as pickpockets who will steal ing a crime wave from Romania response, Cameron has recently state benefits like health care. has promised a nationwide ref- British jobs. There are predic- and Bulgaria,” another headline stepped up his rhetoric on immi- The work restrictions use quo- erendum on Britain’s continued BANGUI: French troops were tions they will beg, the unruly declared, quoting a Conservative gration and rushed to impose tas to limit the number of low- membership in the EU if his out in force on the streets of young ones will stir up riots, and lawmaker who told Parliament curbs on the ability of new skilled Romanians and Bulgarians party wins the next general elec- the Central African Republic’s some will even try to sell babies. that most pickpockets on British migrants to claim state benefits. who can take jobs in Britain and tion in 2015. capital yesterday as they sought For months, Britain’s tabloids streets hail from Romania. He also angered fellow EU lead- requires them to obtain a “worker The relaxation of work rules to clamp down after days of have repeatedly warned of the The alarming stories about a ers when he challenged the estab- authorization document” before has become a hot button issue in violence. horrors they believe will ensue possible Romanian and Bulgarian lished concept that there should taking a position. Those who Britain, but has not provoked sim- Heavy patrols of armoured after January 1, when work influx, and a government scramble be a free movement of workers work without proper papers, and ilar passions in Germany, France vehicles and French soldiers could restrictions will be lifted across to tighten welfare rules, are part throughout the economic bloc, employers who hire them, face and other European countries, be seen in Bangui, where more the European Union for migrants of the latest chapter in an increas- arguing that it should be amended fines and prosecution. despite occasional tensions over than 1,000 people are believed to from Romania and Bulgaria — two ingly bitter debate about Britain’s to stop mass migrations from Those restrictions — similar the large number of migrants and have been killed in three weeks of the trading bloc’s newest mem- immigration policies and its uneasy poorer to richer member states. to those in place in several other complaints that the new arrivals of unrest. bers. Those changes, the papers relationship with the EU. Right- “The politicians are doing EU countries — will be lifted on are linked to a rise in street crime The Red Cross has said it claim, will unleash a mass exodus wing politicians have won over it for popularity,” said Father January 1, giving Romanians and in major cities like Paris. recovered some 100 bodies in of the poor and unemployed from voters by arguing that foreigners, Silviu Petre Pufulete, a priest at Bulgarians the same rights as Nobody knows how many Bangui, including 20 in a mass the two eastern European coun- particularly eastern Europeans, a Romanian Orthodox Church other EU nationals to live and Romanians and Bulgarians will grave, amid increased fighting tries to Britain. are flooding Britain’s job market in London. “It’s been unfair to seek work freely across Europe. actually come to Britain, and the this week between Christians and “In January, the only thing left with cheap labor and exploiting the the Romanians and it’s just been Britain is bound by EU regula- government has refused to pro- Muslims. will be the goat,” a Daily Mail country’s benefits system. blown out of all proportion.” tions to let the migrants work, vide an official estimate. But many French and African troops are headline proclaimed, referring to The upstart UK Independence Romania and Bulgaria joined and is powerless to extend the Britons believe that the migrants struggling to contain the violence, a remote Romanian village where, Party, known as UKIP, has seized the EU in 2007 and more than restrictions. That feeds frus- will choose Britain over other EU which has wracked the majority the paper claimed, everyone was on the anti-immigration mood 100,000 migrants from the two tration among those who feel members because it is seen to be Christian country since a March preparing to move to Britain for to undermine support for the countries already work in Britain, Britain has given too much power a generous welfare state. coup by the mostly Muslim Seleka the higher wages and generous Conservative Party led by Prime albeit under work restrictions to bureaucrats in Brussels. The AP rebels who installed Michel Djotodia as president. Automatic gunfire rattled central Bangui and tracer fire marked the sky overnight yes- terday, and shots could be heard British PM confronted from the presidential palace and a nearby military camp. Presidential spokesman Guy- Simplice Kodegue said the by angry flood victim shooting was the result of a mis- understanding between Seleka LONDON: Prime Minister “Look at this man’s house, I was fighters and troops from the David Cameron was yesterday just talking to. That was a flood African MISCA force. confronted by an angry victim barrier he got after 2000 — quite A source with MISCA said two of the floods and storms that a high flood barrier. Congolese police had been killed have blighted Christmas cele- “But this was such a mas- in the shooting but provided no brations for thousands of people sive flood the water went over further details. in Britain. the flood barrier and into the Two Chadian citizens were also Cameron was visiting the vil- house.” wounded by stray gunfire at their lage of Yalding in Kent, south- The floods were “tragic events”, nearby embassy, a diplomatic east England, which has been he said, but he pledged that the source said. badly flooded, when the unnamed authorities “have got to do more Confusion reigned in the capi- woman told him in a heated on- and we have got to do better”. tal, where heavy fighting sparked camera exchange that she had Gales and rain returned to panic on Wednesday and sent been left stranded in her home Britain on Thursday, causing thousands fleeing for shelter at without electricity. fresh disruption to transport and the airport, the base for French She said: “We still have no elec- the power network. and African forces. tric. We need electric. As I say, Around 13,000 homes were still “I’m not even trying to under- the council, from Monday, we without power across Britain, the stand what’s happening,” a shop- have been trying to contact them, Energy Networks Association keeper in central Bangui said. but they have all decided to go on said. “The shooting starts, I hide. The their holidays. Nothing.” Engineers have been working to shooting stops, I come out. Then The prime minister appeared restore power after 50,000 homes it starts again and I hide again.” rattled and tried to defuse the were left without electricity on Some 600 French troops were situation by promising to contact Christmas Day. Power lines were deployed in two flashpoint neigh- the local council himself. brought down by storms. bourhoods on Thursday in a bid to Days of heavy rain have caused Low-lying parts of the prevent further violence. Much of the many rivers in southern England London commuter belt towns of unrest has been blamed on Christian to burst their banks. Dorking, Leatherhead, Guildford, militias carrying out revenge attacks After visiting another house Godalming and Tonbridge have on Muslims after months of abuses in the village that was also dam- been particularly badly flooded. British Prime Minister David Cameron (left) talks with residents and environment agency workers in the village of by ex-Seleka rebels. aged by flooding, Cameron said: AFP Yalding in Kent, Britain, yesterday, during a visit after storms caused flooding across Britain. AFP

Ukraine police allege opposition Six more Greenpeace activists leave Moscow PARIS: Five British Iain Rogers, Alex Harris and Seven of 30 activists charged “I promise I will repay those second city of Saint Petersburg. ties to reporter’s Greenpeace activists and one Kieron Bryan — all British citi- in the probe have now left Russia people by using my freedom to It was courts in Saint Canadian left Russia yesterday zens — were smiling as they were after Dmitri Litvinov, a Swedish- stand up for the Arctic,” she Petersburg that in November attackers after an amnesty that halted escorted by police outside the American, left Saint Petersburg added. ordered the release of all 30 on their prosecution for a protest airport. for Helsinki on Thursday. Four Their initial arrest came in bail after over two months in KIEV: Police in Ukraine yes- against oil drilling in the Arctic. An airport source said they of the so-called Arctic 30 are September when the Dutch- detention. Their departure from terday accused five suspects Following a flight out of Saint were to continue travelling via Russian nationals. flagged Arctic Sunrise was seized Saint Petersburg was then made detained over the savage beat- Petersburg precisely 100 days the Eurostar train link to London. “We’re leaving Russia, it’s over, by the Russian security forces who possible by the Kremlin-backed ing of a reporter of links to the after first being detained, the The sixth activist, Alexandre we’re finally truly free,” Harris winched down from a helicopter amnesty. opposition, an allegation the activists landed at Paris’ Charles Paul of Canada, remained in the said in comments before leaving, in a commando-style operation. The Arctic Sunrise ship opposition condemned as an de Gaulle airport, with most then airport transit area and was due quoted by Greenpeace, saying she They were first detained in the remains under Russian control attempt to deflect suspicions of heading for Britain. to catch another flight, the source was “grateful and humbled” by Arctic Circle city of Murmansk in Murmansk. government complicity. Anthony Perrett, Phil Ball, said. the support she received. and then transferred to Russia’s AFP Tetyana Chornovil, 34, was chased down by car and beaten shortly after midnight on Wednesday, hours after post- Brazil President visits flood-hit region ing pictures on her blog of a country home she said belonged Russia buries Kalashnikov to Interior Minister Vitaly Zakharchenko. The attack threatened to in ‘pantheon’ for heroes breathe new life into more than a month of opposition protests in MYTISHCHI, Russia: Russia burial and shook hands with his the capital, Kiev, over a decision yesterday buried Mikhail grieving relatives. The coffin was by the government in November Kalashnikov, the designer of taken to the final resting place in to spurn a landmark pact on the iconic AK-47 assault rifle the cemetery accompanied by a closer ties with the European that was the favoured weapon guard of honour. Union and turn instead to former of guerrillas worldwide, at a The cemetery aims to be what Soviet master Moscow. newly-opened cemetery for is described as a “pantheon” for In a video statement posted national heroes. military heroes and top statesmen. on the website of the Interior To the sound of a final salute The memorial complex was opened Ministry, Mykola Chynchyn, the fired from the AK-47 machine by Shoigu in June this year. He head of the main investigations guns that made him world- was buried outdoors on an “alley department, said: “In the course famous, Kalashnikov was laid to of heroes” reserved for those who of the investigation it was estab- rest with full state honours at have made an irreplaceable con- lished that the detained had been the Federal Military Memorial tribution to Russia’s development. in close contact with members of Cemetery (FVMK) in the town Initial reports after his death the party UDAR.” of Mytishchi outside Moscow. said that Kalashnikov was to be UDAR, or Punch, is led by In a sign of the importance to buried in the city of Izhevsk in the heavyweight boxing champion Russia of Kalashnikov, who died central Udmurtia region where Vitaly Klitschko, the most prom- on Monday at the age of 94, his he spent most of his working life. inent of a troika of opposition funeral was attended by President However officials apparently leaders who have seized on the Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister decided he was a figure of such outcry among many Ukrainians Sergei Shoigu and Kremlin Chief national significance he needed over the government’s move away Brazil President Dilma Rousseff (left) getting information on the situation in the zones affected by floodings of Staff Sergei Ivanov. to be buried in the new cemetery from Europe. due to strong rains that have hit the region in Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais state, Brazil, yesterday. Putin placed flowers at the and not in the provinces. REUTERS coffin of Kalashnikov before the AFP DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Philippines Anti-narcotics agencies beef up security Govt alarmed over the arrest of Sinaloa drug cartel members; Philippines is considered a ‘possible market’

MANILA: The Philippines world’s biggest drug syndicates. This came after Philippine Enforcement Agency said in a The chief of the anti-drug Mexican prison in 2001. He is now said yesterday it will take spe- She also said the immigration anti-drug police said on Thursday statement yesterday that the agency, Arturo Cacdac said in the America’s most wanted drug traf- cial measures to investigate the bureau would try to find out how they had arrested three Filipinos illegal drugs came from Mexico statement that the cartel consid- ficker, as well as being considered entry of Mexico’s feared Sinaloa members of the cartel entered who were storing illegal drugs for and that three Mexican nation- ered the Philippines a “possible by Forbes as the most powerful drug cartel into the country. the Philippines amid reports that the Sinaloa drug cartel. als, identified as “Jorge Gomez market and transshipment point criminal on the planet. President Benigno Aquino’s they used US passports. The two Filipinos and one Torres,” as well as two individuals for shabu because of the country’s More than 77,000 people have spokeswoman Abigail Valte said “We are having improved infor- Filipino-Chinese were arrested known just as “Jaime” and “Joey”, geographical location... porous been killed in Mexico in connec- there would be increased coop- mation sharing which leads to the for possession of 84 kilogrammes were involved but were not at the borders and vast coastlines.” tion with organised crime since eration between Philippine anti- capture of either (drug) smug- (185 pounds) of methampheta- scene of the raid. The Sinaloa cartel is reputed then-president Felipe Calderon drug agencies and their foreign glers or of those (criminal) rings mine hydrochloride, popularly Previous police reports had said to be the largest source of illegal launched a nationwide war counterparts after the arrest here. Because we don’t want our known as “ice”, “meth” or “shabu”, a Filipino named “Gary Torres” and drugs to the United States. against the cartels after taking of three people on Wednesday country to become a haven for as well as two firearms. two Mexicans known as “Jaime” Its main leader, Joaquin “El office in 2006. allegedly linked to one of the illegal drugs,” she told reporters. The Philippine Drug and “Joey” were being sought. Chapo” Guzman, escaped from a AFP Miss International parade Tricycle driver, two kids killed Army renews call for HAGONOY: A 46-year-old tricycle driver and his two children aged 24 and 15 were rebels to end fighting massacred while asleep in their house in this coastal MANILA: The military yes- solution,” he added. Zagala made town Thursday night, police terday renewed its call for com- the statement in the wake of said. munist rebels to abandon the atrocities supposedly committed Superintendent Rizalino armed struggle in the wake of by communist guerillas during the Andaya, Hagonoy police chief, attacks attributed to the New holiday season. said the victims – Andres People’s Army (NPA) during Last Tuesday, suspected NPA Vengco, his son Michael, 24, the holidays. members burned three taxis and daughter Mary Rose, 15 – Armed Forces public affairs owned by Holiday Taxi in Panabo, were shot in the head and dif- chief Lt Col Ramon Zagala said Davao del Norte. Authorities ferent parts of the body. the insurgents should support the believe the incident has some- Vengco’s four-year-old son peace process instead of pursuing thing to do with the insurgents’ John Lloyd was spared by the the armed struggle. extortion activities. still unidentified attackers. “Instead of waging violence to A day before the burning inci- Police said the victims were make themselves relevant, the dent, suspected NPA members asleep when the killers barged CPP (Communist Party of the shot dead a soldier on Christmas into their house in Barangay Philippines)-NPA should just break in Allacapan, Cagayan. Sta. Monica here by kick- lay down their arms and commit On Thursday, one Army sol- ing the main door at around themselves to the peace process dier was killed after insur- 11.50pm Thursday. Vengco and without preconditions,” Zagala gents harassed a military team his elder children were then said in a statement. in Impasugong, Bukidnon. The shot. “After decades of fruitless attack happened on the third day A neighbour told police he insurgency, the CPP-NPA should of the holiday truce declared by heard noises in the Vengcos’ stop being part of the problem the CPP. house followed by a series of and start becoming part of the THE PHILIPPINE STAR gunshots, which he initially Miss International 2013 Bae Rose Santiago waves to the crowd during a victory parade in Manila yesterday. The thought were ordinary fire- Filipino won the 53rd Miss International pageant in Japan on December 7. crackers exploding. Soldier slain in 20,000 Haiyan victims take part in Detained MNLF members rebel attack MANILA: The New People’s shifted to Navy ship Army (NPA) violated its own emergency employment programmes ceasefire when it attacked an ZAMBOANGA CITY: The a BJMP official. Col Andrelino Army outpost and killed a MANILA: Over 20,000 work- and health, skills development Employment (DOLE) and the Philippine Navy (PN) trans- Colina, commander of the Task soldier in Bukidnon Thursday ers who lost their jobs are taking and social protection such as Department of Social Welfare ported under tight security Force Zamboanga (TFZ), said the night, the military said. part in the emergency employ- accident and health insurance and Development (DSWD) to yesterday all the detained mem- transfer of the MNLF detainees The NPA assault in Barangay ment programmes to speed up in line with national laws and ensure that emergency employ- bers of the Nur Misuari faction was made in coordination with Kalabugao, Impasugong town recovery after Super Typhoon standards. ment programs are implemented of the Moro National Liberation other law enforcement units, left Pfc Akmad Maruhom, a Haiyan, the International Labor ILO Country Office for the from day one in areas badly hit by Front (MNLF) involved in the including the BJMP, Army, Navy, member of the 8th Infantry Organization (ILO) said. Philippines director Lawrence the typhoon. siege, an official said. Air Force, and the Philippine Battalion’s peace and devel- The ILO, a specialised agency of Jeff Johnson said workers hired “Workers regain their strength The military, police and the National Police (PNP). opment team based in the the United Nations dedicated to this year alone would help rebuild and dignity. They are also moti- personnel of the Bureau of Jail “The movement of the detain- area, dead, according to 1Lt improving labour conditions and their communities within decent vated to work because they are Management and Penology ees was not made public due to Norman Tagros, the Army living standards throughout the and safe working conditions. aware that their families and (BJMP) escorted 266 MNLF security consideration,” Colina unit’s spokesman. world, said engaging local com- “Emergency employment pro- communities will benefit from detainees into the Navy Landing said. According to Colina, they “This is a clear violation of munities can create a multiplier vides a chance to reach out to the emergency employment pro- Ship Transport (LST) 550 from could not discount possibility of the Communist Party of the effect which will lead to real and workers and their families. This grams. More importantly, ensur- the San Ramon Penal Farm sabotage. Philippines’ declaration of lasting recovery. means making a difference in the ing decent work for one person (SRPF) on Thursday night. All the MNLF prisoners at ceasefire. It only shows that Emergency employment pro- lives of over 100,000 people by the can support an entire family and Twentysix of the detained the San Ramon Penal Farm they are deceptive in their grams help improve working and end of 2013,” Johnson said. boost the local economy,” Johnson MNLF rebels came from the were properly turned over by the pronouncements,” said Lt Col living conditions by ensuring The ILO is working with said. Zamboanga City Reformatory BJMP to the military. Romualdo Landingin, 8th IB adequate wages, effective safety the Department of Labor and THE PHILIPPINE STAR Center (ZCRC), according to THE PHILIPPINE STAR commander. Last Dec 18, the CCP’s Central Committee declared a unilateral truce from midnight of Dec 24 to Dec 26 and mid- Filipino-American driver returns $300,000 left in his taxi night of Dec 31 to Jan 2. The government, for its part, declared a ceasefire with com- LAS VEGAS: A Filipino- $300,000 (P12.6m) to the Yellow a five-minute drive, a distance of reportedly told the new passen- officials and later locked in its lost- munist rebels from December American taxi driver found a Checker Star cab company, two miles, the paper said. ger, “You are my witness. I did not and-found safety vault. 21 to January 15. Last month, paper bag full of cash here last according to the Fil-Am Extra When he went to another taxi touch anything here.” Hours later, the owner of the the rebels also harassed the 8th Monday but promptly turned it Exchange. stand at Bellagio Hotel, its door- When Gamboa informed his cash arrived to claim the money IB team engaged in develop- over to his employer to prove Gamboa was given a $5 tip by man, who hailed Gamboa’s taxi, employer of the find, he was told to and profusely thanked Gamboa, ment projects, leaving a soldier that “Las Vegas may be a Sin the passenger he picked up at the told him, “There is a bag in (your immediately return to headquar- Fil-Am Extra Exchange said. wounded. City but is actually an Angel Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas, taxi) full of chocolate.” ters by on-duty supervisor Terry The owner turned out to be City.” but who had unknowingly left When the bag was opened, it Mast of YCS Yellow, Checker and a world-renowned professional Soldiers face Gerardo Gamboa, 54, a native behind in the taxi a paper bag full turned out to contain bundles of Star Taxi Group of Companies. poker player, who had a big night of Mabalacat, Pampanga and cur- of money. He dropped his passen- $100 bills totalling $300,000. The money was counted and before he hailed Gamboa’s taxi. shooting lawsuit rent Nevada resident, handed the ger off at Palm Place Hotel after An apologetic Gamboa audited in front of taxi company THE PHILIPPINE STAR BINALONAN: Police here were set to file charges of frustrated murder and USS Cowpens in Subic obstruction of justice yes- terday against three Army soldiers who were arrested Visa-free entry to Myanmar after one of them reportedly fired his gun and hit a tricy- cle driver on Christmas Eve. for Filipinos from January Chief Inspector June Galingan, acting Binalonan MANILA: Filipinos can is expected to boost tourism, police chief, identified the visit Myanmar without a visa trade and investment between three soldiers as Cpl Ryan starting early next year when the Philippines and Myanmar,” Buenaobra, 31, and S/ the agreement between the it said. Sgts Rommel Pelovello and Philippines and Myanmar on During Myanmar President Freddie Gososo, both 36, all visa-free entry takes effect, U Thein Sein’s state visit to the security officers of Lt Col the Philippines’ Department Philippines last December 5, Mary Christine Martinez of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the two governments signed the of the Armed Forces’ 3rd yesterday. Visa Exemption for Holders of Finance Service Unit at Fort With the pact, Filipino nation- Ordinary Passports. Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. als holding ordinary passports The Philippines has already Martinez was attending a may now enter Myanmar with- granted Myanmar nationals a family gathering together with out a visa and stay there for up to 30-day visa-free privilege under her security officers when the The USS Cowpens is docked at the Alava Pier in Subic Bay Freeport yesterday. The guided missile cruiser almost 14 days beginning January 4 next the Executive Order 408, which incident happened. collided with a Chinese warship in South China Sea on December 14. JONAS REYES year, the department said. was signed in 1960. AGENCIES “The visa-free entry agreement THE PHILIPPINE STAR DECEMBER 28, 2013 Asia www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 ON SATURDAY Japan to transfer US base Relocation may be stalled due to opposition from Okinawa residents

TOKYO: The governor of Shrine, seen in parts of Asia as quickest way to relocate the of its location in a densely popu- Japan’s Okinawa yesterday a symbol of Japan’s past milita- Futenma air base would be to lated area. approved a controversial plan to rism, infuriating China and South move it to an existing facility with Activists living in tents have relocate a US air base to a less Korea, and prompting concern runways outside Okinawa. been staging a protest near the populous part of the southern from the United States about About 2,000 people gathered site of the proposed Henoko island, but said he would keep deteriorating ties between the in front of the Okinawa govern- base for almost 10 years and pressing to move the base off Asian neighbours. ment building to protest against have promised demonstrations if the island altogether. Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima’s decision, with a few Nakaima approves construction. The nod from Okinawa, long a Nakaima told a news conference hundred of them staging a sit-in An election for the mayor of reluctant host to the bulk of US he had approved a central govern- at the lobby of the office building, Nago next month could prove military forces in Japan, is an ment request for a landfill project Jiji news agency said. problematic if incumbent Susumu achievement for Prime Minister at the new site, on the Henoko The United States and Japan Inamine - who opposes the plan Shinzo Abe, who has promised a coast near the town of Nago. His agreed in 1996 to close the - is re-elected, while the central more robust military and tighter approval for that project, required Futenma base but plans for a government could face a dilemma security ties with the United by law and a first step to building replacement stalled in the face if demonstrators try to block States amid escalating tension the replacement facility, was the of opposition in Okinawa, which construction. with China. last procedural barrier to even- hosts more than half of the US “There are so many potential Sceptics, however, said it tually replacing the US Marines forces in Japan. Okinawa was wild cards, so much that has to remained far from clear whether Futenma air base in the crowded occupied by the United States be done, that every small decision the relocation - stalled since town of Ginowan. after Japan’s defeat in World War moves the process forward but by the move was first agreed upon “The government has recently Two until 1972. no means guarantees a final con- by Washington and Tokyo in met our requests in compiling a Japan’s ties with the United clusion,” said Brad Glosserman, 1996 - would actually take place plan to reinvigorate Okinawa. We States were strained when then- executive director of Pacific given persistent opposition from felt that the Abe government’s Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Forum CSIS, a Honolulu-based Okinawa residents, many of regard for Okinawa is higher who took office in 2009, sought to think-tank. whom associate the US bases with than any previous governments’,” keep a campaign promise to move In April, the United States and crime, pollution and noise. Nakaima told a news conference. the US base off Okinawa. Japan announced a plan to close Protesters hold banners reading ‘We won’t budge!’ at the Okinawa The approval came a day after The governor, however, added The Futenma base has been a Futenma as early as 2022. prefecture building in Naha, Okinawa island, southern Japan yesterday. Abe visited Tokyo’s Yasukuni that he still believed that the lightning rod for criticism because REUTERS

Thai army asked to secure February election North Korea recalls envoy BANGKOK: The Thai govern- of calming weeks of mass street Deputy Prime Minister remain neutral and added that it to Sweden as part of purge ment appealed to the military demonstrations seeking to curb Surapong Tovichakchaikul said was up to the election authorities yesterday to provide security her family’s political dominance. he would ask the armed forces whether the vote could go ahead. SEOUL: North Korea’s ambas- news agency said. Yonhap, citing for February elections after vio- The protesters have vowed to supreme commander for help “Don’t bring us into the middle sador to Sweden has been a diplomatic source in Beijing, lent clashes between police and block the vote, saying it will only with security for a second round of the conflict,” General Prayut recalled apparently as part of a said the envoy and his wife were opposition protesters left two return the Shinawatra clan to of registration for constituency Chan-O-Cha said when asked if purge prompted by the execu- escorted by North Korean officials people dead and more than 150 power. A policeman and a civilian candidates due to begin around the army would send soldiers to tion of the once-powerful uncle onto a flight to Pyongyang. wounded. died of gunshots fired by unknown the country today. guard polling stations. of leader Kim Jong-Un, a report Sweden is an influential diplo- With tensions running high assailants while 153 people were “I will also ask the military to But he did not rule out another said yesterday. matic player in Pyongyang. Since in the capital, the army chief injured after violence erupted provide security protection for coup. Pak Kwang-Chol, an associ- the United States and North refused to rule out a coup, say- Thursday when demonstrators members of the public on the “The door is neither closed nor ate of the young supremo’s uncle Korea have no diplomatic ties, the ing “anything can happen.” Prime tried to force their way into an February 2 election date,” he said open. In every situation, anything and political regent Jang Song- Swedish Embassy represents US Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s election registration venue. in a nationally televised address. can happen,” he said when asked Thaek, was seen returning home interests in the country, acting as government has pledged to go The security forces denied The army chief insisted yes- about the possibility of a coup, after making a brief stopover in a kind of go-between. ahead with the polls in the hope using live ammunition. terday that the military would without elaborating. AFP Beijing, South Korea’s Yonhap AFP

UN urges Thailand to drop Chinese officials charges against journalists jailed over

BANGKOK: The United Australian editor Alan Morison vendor’s death Nations has urged Thailand and his Thai colleague Chutima BEIJING: A Chinese court to drop defamation charges Sidasathian could face up to two yesterday sentenced four gov- against two journalists years’ imprisonment for defama- ernment officials to between for a report alleging mili- tion and five years for breaching three and a half and 11-year jail tary involvement in people the Computer Crimes Act, the terms over a dispute that left a smuggling. UN said. roadside vendor dead, unleash- The case relates to an article “Criminal prosecution for def- ing fresh accusations of official published by the independent amation has a chilling effect on privilege. news website Phuketwan in July, freedom of the press, and inter- The death of 56-year-old water- which said some members of the national standards are clear that melon seller Deng Zhengjia in July military were involved in traf- imprisonment is never an appro- in the central province of Hunan ficking Muslim Rohingya asylum priate penalty for defamation,” -- which domestic media blamed seekers from Myanmar. the UN High Commissioner for on the local enforcement officers, If convicted of the charges, Human Rights said in a state- or “chengguan”, but the county filed by the Royal Thai Navy, ment. AFP government said happened spon- taneously -- had triggered public fury over perceived abuse of power. New Year calendars Four chengguan convicted of intentional injury over the event received sentences of three and a half, four, six and 11 years, the official news agency Xinhua said. Local media reported then that six chengguans were initially detained, and that officers beat Deng to death for operating with- out a license, with one smashing the vendor’s head with a metal measuring weight. But a local news portal where the incident took place, said Deng suddenly fell to the ground dur- ing the confrontation and died. Users of Sina Weibo, China’s version of Twitter, lambasted the A man inspects wall calendars for 2014 at a book stores in Hanoi yesterday. verdict as unfairly lenient to pro- Vietnamese refer to the lunar calendar to do business or choose dates tect officials. AFP for weddings or funerals. BNP vows to defy ban on rallies

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s oppo- unrest after what has already been Khaleda Zia who urged support- sition vowed yesterday to push the deadliest year for political vio- ers to defy the ban. ahead with a mass march on lence in the country’s history, police “I hope you will join our gather- Dhaka this weekend which is said they would not sanction the ing, and defy all the obstacles that aimed at scuppering a January 5 so-called ‘March for Democracy’. are being placed in our way, so general election, despite a police “We have not given permis- that we can save democracy,” Zia ban. The opposition, which is sion to the BNP (Bangladesh said. “Our protests will continue boycotting the elections, has been Nationalist Party) rally as we until the government is ousted.” predicting that up to a million have intelligence that sabotage However Zia did voice doubts people will descend on the capi- may occur,” police spokesman that she would be able to take tal in this Sunday’s protest and Monirul Islam said. part in the protest herself, with persuade Prime Minister Sheikh “The programme will not be supporters accusing the authori- Hasina to call off the polls. allowed because of public safety.” ties of keeping her under de facto Amid fears that the rally would But the announcement drew a house arrest since Wednesday. become a focal point for more defiant response from BNP leader AFP DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Pakistan / Afghanistan Nine killed as bomb hits Nato convoy Taliban claim responsibility for suicide blast in Kabul

KABUL: A Taliban suicide military facilities in Kabul to the ISAF and Afghan security attacker detonated an explo- eastern city of Jalalabad. forces removed damaged vehicles sives-packed car next to a “A car packed with explo- using trucks and transporters. Nato military convoy in Kabul sives was detonated by a suicide Among the injured being yesterday, killing three Nato bomber... as a result six civilians treated in a nearby hospital was personnel and six civilian pas- were also killed,” Afghan Khaama a middle-aged Afghan man with sers-by, officials said. newspaper said. wounds to his head and hands. The blast in the Afghan capi- Hashmatullah Stanekzai, ISAF troops travel through tal left the twisted remains of spokesman for the Kabul secu- Kabul in fast-moving and heav- the car spread across the scene rity commandment, confirmed ily protected convoys, but they along with other badly-damaged the casualties. have regularly been targeted vehicles, including a Nato sports A reporter said that ambu- by Taliban militants fighting a utility vehicle, witnesses said. lances, firefighters and armoured 12-year insurgency against the “Three International Security vehicles from the US-led ISAF US-backed government. Nato soldiers inspect a damaged military vehicle at the scene of a suicide bomb blast in Kabul yesterday. Assistance Force (ISAF) service mission in Afghanistan rushed to “A martyrdom suicide attack members died following a sui- the blast site, which was quickly took place in the 9th district of cide vehicle-borne improvised cordoned off by police. Kabul on a guest house of invad- death tolls after attacks. In May, vowed to step up pressure on for- involving truck bombs and sui- explosive device attack in Kabul, “I was in my bakery shop when ing forces... a convoy of foreign 15 people, including two US sol- eign forces and Afghan authori- cide blasts. The Supreme Court, Afghanistan today,” the Nato mis- I heard a bang that shattered forces was passing,” Taliban diers and four ISAF contractors, ties before next year’s presidential the airport, foreign compounds sion said. all the windows,” Nehmatullah, spokesman Zabihullah Mijahid were killed in a similar car bomb election in April and the with- and the presidential palace were ISAF did not release the nation- who uses only one name, said. “I said in a statement, claiming that targeted a convoy in Kabul. drawal of US-led Nato combat targeted during 2013. Nato forces ality of the dead, in line with coali- saw at least two bodies lying on responsibility. Yesterday’s suicide bombing troops. are withdrawing after more than tion policy to leave identification the street and covered in blood, “In the attack, three Americans came after the insurgents fired Kabul has seen a drop in a decade of fighting the Taliban, to national authorities. The attack then came two vehicles of foreign soldiers were killed and many two rockets into the US embassy attacks in recent months after but negotiations have stalled on a occurred on a main road in Pul-e- forces and the soldiers pulled out were wounded, and many of compound in central Kabul early high-profile strikes earlier in the security accord that would allow Charkhi area that passes by gov- two bodies of foreigners from a their vehicles were damaged.” on Christmas Day. No one was year, with the intelligence agen- some US and Nato troops to stay ernment compounds and ISAF damaged black SUV.” The Taliban routinely exaggerate injured. The militants have cies claiming to have foiled plots after 2014.. AFP Nawaz Sharif Bhutto’s two Pakistan offers to fly Musharraf’s sick mother home a billionaire ISLAMABAD: Pakistani ISLAMABAD: The The pursuit of criminal sought permission for to Pakistan so that she the death penalty or life Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif daughters to Pakistani government cases against the former him to leave Pakistan in can live with her son and imprisonment. is among the few parliamen- yesterday offered to fly army chief has put the recent weeks, but without carry on with her medical His aides and lawyers tarians who are billionaires, home the sick mother of government on a potential success so far. treatment here,” a govern- have dismissed the cases revealed statements of assets enter politics former president Pervez collision course with the Yesterday the govern- ment statement said. as politically motivated, and liabilities of lawmakers ISLAMABAD: Bilawal Bhutto Musharraf, who faces a powerful military. ment said judges must The start of accusing the government for the year 2012-13 issued by Zardari, the son of Pakistan’s series of major criminal It has been suggested decide Musharraf’s fate, Musharraf’s trial for and others of trying to the Election Commission of slain premier Benazir Bhutto, cases and is barred from that one way to avoid but offered to bring his treason was delayed on use the courts to settle Pakistan (ECP). said yesterday his two sisters leaving the country. such a potentially desta- 95-year-old mother to Tuesday because of a old scores. According to the declara- would follow him into politics, The former general bilising clash would be to Pakistan to continue med- bomb scare and the hear- Prime Minister Nawaz tion filed by Sharif, he owns in a speech on the sixth anni- is accused of a range of allow former president ical treatment. ing is now expected to go Sharif, who won a third six agriculture properties versary of his mother’s death. offences related to his Musharraf to leave the “For the sake of fulfill- ahead on January 1. term in May’s general with over 1,700 canals worth The 25-year-old scion of the 1999-2008 rule of the country on compassion- ing obligations of human- The charges relate election, was the man Rs1.43bn and a house in Bhutto dynasty has been the nuclear-armed nation, ate grounds, to see his ity, the prime minister of to Musharraf’s imposi- Musharraf ousted when Upper Mall, Lahore valued at Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) including treason and the sick and elderly mother Pakistan is ready to send tion of emergency rule he seized power in a blood- Rs250m. The statement said chairman since his mother’s murder of former prime in Dubai. a special plane or ambu- in November 2007 and if less coup in 1999. that he has made investments assassination in 2007 but has so minister Benazir Bhutto. His legal team have lance to bring his mother found guilty he could face AFP of over Rs13m and has Rs126m far had a fairly limited role as a in seven bank accounts. party figurehead. He has received Rs 197.4m The PPP was heavily defeated in remittances from his son in May’s general election after five Hussain Nawaz as well. He years in government, following a owns a Toyota Land Cruiser lacklustre campaign marred by (2010 model) as well as the 1973 Taliban violence. PML-N satisfied with and 1991 models of Mercedes There has been no confirma- Benz. tion of rumours that he will seek The premier also owns a to enter parliament via by-elec- Benazir murder probe 1991 model tractor. His wife tion, but at a rally in his ances- Kulsoom Nawaz owns a bun- tral town of Gari Khuda Buksh ISLAMABAD: The PML-N Mr Rashid said. Benazir Bhutto galow worth Rs100m. She owes in southern Sindh province, he government appears to be satis- was assassinated on Dec 27, 2007, Rs1.75m to two people. said he would step up his role in fied with the investigations into in a gun-and bomb attack outside politics. former prime minister Benazir Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi. Eight killed in “All children of Benazir Bhutto Bhutto’s assassination case car- Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan will start taking part in active pol- ried out during the Musharraf’s had claimed responsibility for Karachi city itics before the next election,” he and the PPP’s regimes as the attack. said. He asked people to support Information Minister Pervez The first investigation was car- KARACHI: At least eight him and his sisters, Bakhtawar Rashid said the government ried out by a joint investigation people, including six Lyari and Aseefa, who attended the would not go for a separate team, the second by the Scotland gang war suspects, were rally along with their father, probe and wait for the court’s Yard, the third by a UN commis- killed yesterday in Karachi, former president Asif Ali Zardari. decision. sion in 2009 and the forth by the DawnNews reported. Bilawal also used the speech to “We will wait for the court Federal Investigation Agency. Six Lyari gang war sus- criticise the Taliban in what for decision and then evolve a future Former president retired Gen pects were shot dead and a mainstream Pakistani political line of action,” he said. When his Pervez Musharraf and some sen- their bodies were discovered figure were unusually forthright attention was drawn to a state- ior police officers of Punjab have in the Pak Colony area of Old terms. ment by PML-N chief Nawaz been blamed for poor security Golimar near Rexer Bridge. He also said that ending US Sharif before the May elections arrangements which contrib- The deceased persons belonged drone strikes in Pakistan would that if his party came to power it uted to her killing. They are fac- to Lyari’s Uzair Baloch group. not bring an end to extremism. would expose Ms Bhutto’s killers, ing trial. Some others accused of The six men were abducted Some in Pakistan have argued Mr Rashid said: Since the matter being involved in the assassination on Thursday and then gunned that the CIA strikes fan the is in court, we cannot initiate a are in jail. In mid-2002 Musharraf down. flames of terror by killing inno- separate investigation. implemented a two-term limit on According to the police, the cent civilians. Four investigations have Prime Ministers. killings were due to an ongoing He has also been mocked in the already been carried out and the Both Bhutto and Musharraf’s rivalry between Lyari’s Uzair past for his shaky grasp of Urdu, case is before a court. other chief rival, Nawaz Sharif, Baloch and Baba Ladla groups. but commentators on social media Supporters visit Benazir Bhutto’s mausoleum as they mark her sixth death “Let us see what the court had already served two terms as praised the passion and fluency anniversary in Gari Khuda Buksh, Pakistan, yesterday. decides on the investigation Prime Minister. Tribals to join of yesterday’s speech. AFP reports already submitted to it,” INTERNEWS anti-polio drive KHYBER: In the wake of threat to the polio workers from the terrorists and their KP speaker ‘using five PTI surpasses rivals in poll expenditure refusal to carry out the polio drive, the political admin- ISLAMABAD: The symbolic were disclosed by the ECP yester- raised funds worth Rs1.05bn. istration of Khyber tribal bat of the Pakistan Tehreek- day. PTI Chairman Imran Khan It paid about Rs410m for region has decided to deploy official vehicles’ i-Insaf (PTI) has whacked spent Rs960,155,819 for overhead advertising and marketing Khasadar Force personnel the ball out of the park with party costs, payments and fixed expenses; Rs235m for public to conduct the vaccination PESHAWAR: Like his pred- commissioner of Swabi, his home total expenditure in the last assets. The party’s total income events expenses; Rs24m in sala- campaign. ecessor, Speaker of the KP district. year amounting to a whopping receipt amounts to Rs1.05bn for ries; Rs11m for entertainment; The region has regis- Assembly Asad Qaisar is under- They said the vehicle with Rs960m – the highest monetary this financial year. and Rs53m for printing and tered two more polio case stood to have been keeping more registration number Peshawar outflow of any political party for While the party started the fis- stationery. in December increasing the than five official vehicles in vio- A-9122 was handed over to the 2012 – 2013. cal year with an opening balance The party spent an estimated number of cases to 19 during lation of the law, which entitles deputy commissioner around four The expenditure and the of nearly Rs38m, the net balance Rs70m in financial assistance to 2013, the highest in any district the custodian of the House to months ago. The sources said income of the PTI is more than at the close of the year was about candidates, with Rs6.6m allocated of Pakistan. use two vehicles only. recently, the provincial assem- the Pakistan Peoples Party and Rs132m. to travelling and conveyance. The About 60 tribal Khasadar Official sources said yesterday bly’s speaker recommended to Pakistan Muslim-League Nawaz PTI leaders quoted Imran as party’s total value of assets was force personnel have been that the speaker, who recently the provincial government to put together – at least on paper. saying that the party met its Rs170m, including a net balance trained to vaccinate the chil- quit as the provincial president purchase new brand car for the While the Election Commission financial expenditures through worth Rs133m in cash by the end dren. The anti-campaign of ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i- deputy commissioner. The provin- of Pakistan (ECP) is yet to disclose fund-raising campaigns. of the last fiscal year (June 30, begins in the first week of Insaf, had given one car owned cial assembly’s speaker denied of the complete financial accounts of Through contributions by its 2013). According to the docu- January. by the assembly secretariat to violating of the law on use of offi- several parties, including the PTI. chairman as well as local and ments, there was no liability on AGENCIES personal friend and the deputy cial vehicles. INTERNEWS The PPP and PML-N’s assets international donors, the party the heads of party. INTERNEWS DECEMBER 28, 2013 India www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 ON SATURDAY Rahul unveils five-point agenda for 2014 polls Corruption, price rise main issues: Cong leader

NEW DELHI: Congress vice responding to a question. president Rahul Gandhi (pic- The Congress-led Maharashtra tured), yesterday sounded the government being run in alliance bugle for the 2014 Lok Sabha with the Nationalist Congress polls by unveiling his five-point Party last Friday tabled a report agenda to curb corruption and on alleged Adarsh Society scam price rise — two issues that hit in the state assembly and then the party in the recent assem- rejected it. bly polls — after a brainstorm- “As far as corruption is con- ing session with senior leaders. cerned there is no question of “Corruption and price rise are protecting any one,” Gandhi said. the main issues,” Gandhi told the This was the first major media after the seven-hour-long brainstorming after the party meeting with the leaders and 11 was routed in Madhya Pradesh, A relative mourns the death of Mohammad Hamidul at their home in the village of Bajrapara, Jalpaiguri District chief ministers here. Rajasthan and Delhi. It lost to in Bengal, yesterday. The Congress, said Gandhi, BJP narrowly in Chhattisgarh “is serious about fighting cor- and won in Mizoram. ruption” and urged the opposi- Maken further said that to tion to help the government pass deal with hoarding of essential Separatists behind deadly the anti-graft bills pending in commodities, the Congress gov- parliament. Gandhi highlighted that the ernments in states will delist “It’s about a system. The Lokpal bill, passed by parlia- fruits and vegetables from the Congress party is serious about it ment recently to deal with Agriculture Produce Market India bicycle bomb: Police (fighting corruption). Let us have corruption in high places, Committee Act by Jan 15. a session and pass the (pending) needed to be supported with This will allow farmers to JALPAIGURI, INDIA: A bicy- the five killed when the powerful tip-off about a possible attack and bills together,” Gandhi said. other laws. directly sell their produce and cle bomb that killed five people device exploded on a bridge, near arrested three suspected KLO fol- “But there is silence from the “The Lokpal bill is one step. If help lower prices for consumers. when it exploded prematurely a school. lowers before the explosion which other side,” he said referring to we want to fight corruption, we Also, all Congress chief min- in eastern India was the work of “Preliminary investigations was carried two days before the the opposition parties, especially need a framework not only at the isters will implement Essential militants fighting for a separate have revealed that Debnath was anniversary of the group’s found- the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), national level but also at the state Services Maintenance Act to curb state in the Darjeeling tea dis- carrying the bomb to plant some- ing in 1996, said Sharma. adding: “We are blocked in parlia- level,” he said. hoarding, black marketing and trict, police said yesterday. where else,” West Bengal police Ten people were also injured ment again and again.” “All Congress-ruled states will profiteering of food items. Detectives probing Thursday inspector general Anuj Sharma when the bomb exploded late The BJP quickly responded, have a new Lokayukta before Feb The party also directed its chief night’s blast in West Bengal said, adding the blast could be felt Thursday. Earlier reports put the saying Congress MPs instead dis- 28,” Congress general secretary ministers to implement the pub- said they believed the bomb two kilometres away. number of dead at four but a fifth rupt the house. Ajay Maken said. lic distribution system to ensure exploded accidentally as a mem- “A timer device had been fit- victim died later in hospital. “Rahulji, Congress MPs were Gandhi also said the report that subsidised grains reach the ber of the Kamtapur Liberation ted to trigger the explosion, but the The KLO has carried out sev- bringing no-confidence motion on Adarsh housing society allot- targeted beneficiaries. Organisation (KLO) cycled bomb went off suddenly while he was eral other bombings with devices and disrupting the house. Don’t ments should be reconsidered by They will also have to open fair through the town of Jalpaiguri. on the bridge. “Debnath was blown strapped to bicycles and has also blame others for non-coopera- the Maharashtra cabinet. price shops to sell fruits, vegeta- A senior police officer said in half... We do not think it was a marked its anniversary with tion,” a BJP spokesperson told “I think Adarsh (report) bles and eggs at affordable prices. that a KLO militant named as suicide attack,” Sharma added. attacks in the past. reporters. should be reconsidered,” he said, AFP Lalmohon Debnath was among Police had received a AFP

Kejriwal to take metro for swearing-in today Controversy over Karnataka NEW DELHI: Arvind to the former tax inspector, Kejriwal, the leader of an the Times of India newspaper lawmakers’ upstart anti-corruption party, reported. said yesterday he will take But Kejriwal responded: a metro train to the pub- “Thank you for offering me a foreign jaunt lic grounds where he is to be PSO. But I don’t need any PSO. sworn in as New Delhi’s chief God is my biggest PSO.” BANGALORE: A contro- minister today. The 44-year-old Kejriwal is versy is brewing over the pro- Kejriwal’s decision to use pub- the founder leader of the fledg- posed trip to South America lic transport echoes his pre-poll ling Aam Aadmi (Common Man) by 18 Karnataka lawmakers, promise to end the VIP culture Party which won the second ostensibly on a study tour when of Delhi’s political elite and set a highest number of seats in the the Congress government is down-to-earth tone for his new state assembly polls earlier this struggling to finance develop- administration. month. The party, born out of an ment works and its budgetary “I will take the metro to reach anti-corruption movement that schemes this fiscal. Ram Lila Maidan (ground) for swept India two years ago, has Though the foreign jaunt in the oath-taking ceremony,” tapped into a rich vein of anger January to Argentina, Brazil and Kejriwal, 44, told reporters in about everyday graft as well as Peru by the Karnataka legislature Ghaziabad, a satellite city of scandals that have embroiled the committee, with lawmakers of the Delhi. national government. three main political parties as its “My ministers in the cabinet Kejriwal will lead a minority members, has not been finalised, will also take the metro to reach administration after his party Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party leader Arvind Kejriwal to take oath as Delhi chief minister today. the trip has come under severe the venue,” added Kejriwal, who accepted support from the criticism from all quarters, espe- had turned down a police offer Congress party, which ended a swearing-in ceremony at the Kejriwal announced his decision he wants to field candidates cially the public. “The trip has not of security cover for him. distant third in the polls. Ram Lila Maidan, a sprawling to form his own political outfit. across the country in the gen- been finalised yet as we are waiting Normally, chief ministers and The Congress party, in power public ground in central Delhi, is Kejriwal said his party was eral election. to know when the join session of other politicians travel in con- at a national level, ran New Delhi a departure from normal prac- keen to have the swearing-in Although analysts say his the state legislature will be held in voys with sirens wailing, their for years before being trounced tice with such functions usually ceremony at a public venue. party has no chance of winning January. This is not the first time vehicles packed with armed in the state elections. hosted at the lieutenant gover- “Many people asking me for at national level given its lack of our legislators are going on study security men. Traffic is held up The Hindu nationalist nor’s palace. passes for tomorrow’s oath cer- finance and infrastructure, the tour to different countries as it has as the multi-car convoys pass, Bharatiya Janata Party won the The ground was also the venue emony. No passes needed. All are showing in Delhi has underlined been the practice over the decades,” often angering motorists. most seats in the assembly but for a massive anti-corruption welcome. My family will also sit its potential to damage the BJP Congress lawmaker and estimates The Delhi Police Commissioner declined to form a government movement led by Kejriwal’s one- in public,” he tweeted Friday. and Congress when the world’s committee chairman Mallikayya had also offered a personal secu- without a majority. time mentor Anna Hazare. Kejriwal only started the party biggest democracy goes to the Gutedar said yesterday. rity officer (PSO) at all times The decision to have the The duo fell out last year after a year ago but has indicated that polls next year. AFP Joint session of the state legis- lature is held in January of every year with an address by the state governor to the lawmakers of the 225-memeber assembly and the 75-member council. Letter writers Over half of parliament’s Even as a section of the com- mittee members like Janata Dal- Secular (JD-S) lawmaker N. time lost in 2013: Report Shivashankar decided to drop out of the tour to devote more time to NEW DELHI: More than half prohibition of sexual harassment development works in his constit- of parliament’s time in 2013 was at the workplace bill, the compa- uency, a senior official of the state wasted, says an analysis of the nies bill, and the pension bill. legislature secretariat confirmed three sessions during the year The disruptions which ate into Friday that a nine-member leg- by think tank PRS Legislative parliament’s time included issues islature committee was currently Research. such as coal block allocations, the on a “study tour” of Australia and In 2013, parliament met for 63 draft report of the joint parlia- New Zealand. “As the tour was days and was productive for 44 mentary committee on 2G spec- finalised long ago, the nine mem- percent of the scheduled time, trum, Telangana, border security bers of the committee on welfare while 56 percent of the time was issues with Pakistan and China, of backward classes and minori- wasted. “The monsoon session and the economic situation of the ties left Bangalore for Australia of parliament was extended for country. Both budget and winter on December 20 on a 15-day trip a week, something that has not sessions were curtailed, and par- to Australia and New Zealand,” happened in the last four years. liament was adjourned two days the official said. The year 2013 also saw the short- ahead of planned schedule. Terming the proposed for- est winter session of 10 days,” the Question Hour continued to be eign jaunt a cruel joke at the analysis said. a major casualty to disruptions tax payer’s expense, Nav Bharat Altogether 15 bills were passed, in 2013. “In the Lok Sabha, only Democratic Party president R including the landmark Lokpal 56 of 1,100 starred questions were K Misra said though such tours bill. Key among other bills passed answered orally in the floor of were organised twice in five years A letter writer stitching a parcel as others wait for customers at their roadside stalls located opposite the are the amendment in criminal the house. In Rajya Sabha, only for every lawmaker as per the leg- General Post Office in Mumbai. There used to be 17 letter writers in this bustling corner of the city’s south. laws to make provisions on rape 77 out of 1,100 starred questions islative procedure, they must be Now there are eight, whose tasks are largely reduced to packing parcels and filling out forms. more stringent, the food security were answered orally,” the analy- stopped and the provision should bill, the land acquisition bill, the sis said. IANS be cancelled. IANS DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com India Delhi hardens stand in diplomat row Seeks details about staff in American schools in the country for possible tax violations NEW DELHI: India has sought An Indian government offi- comment on the latest steps. a new regime, consular officials Kerry expressed regret over the the General Assembly session and details about staff in American cial said on Friday that New India had also withdrawn some — but not their families — will be case in a phone call to India’s a visit by the prime minister. A schools in the country for pos- Delhi had asked the US embassy privileges U.S. diplomats and given identity cards with fewer national security adviser last copy of her accreditation, made sible tax violations and revoked to provide details about people their families enjoy and would privileges. week, but India is still demand- available to Reuters, lists her ID cards of US consular officials working in American schools and treat them as Indian officials are “Spouses and children have no ing that the charges be dropped as an adviser for a period from and their families, retaliatory other US government facilities to treated in the United States, the more immunity. So if there is a and that the United States apol- August 26 until December 31. steps for the arrest of an Indian determine if they had permission Indian official said. parking offence or ... something ogises. U.S. prosecutors have “At no stage we were told by diplomat in New York. to do so and if they were paying US Ambassador Nancy Powell else happening in Bangalore defended the investigation against the U.S. side what was going on. The measures suggest that taxes that are mandatory under has been refused special privileges etcetera, they would be held lia- Khobragade and her treatment. We were kept in the dark. A lot of the two countries are no closer Indian law. at New Delhi airport. ble,” the Indian official said. Before this diplomatic blowup, these things could have come out to a resolution of a diplomatic Diplomats’ spouses who take up “We have said all access is on a Khobragade was released in US-Indian relations were seen had we been informed then,” the dispute over the treatment of work in schools or other embassy reciprocal basis,” the government New York on $250,000 bail after as cordial and improving. official said, explaining that India Deputy Consul General Devyani facilities are supposed to inform official said. “She is not going to giving up her passport and plead- In a new twist, India now had not been warned she might Khobragade this month on the host country. get the benefits that the Indian ing not guilty to visa fraud and argues that Khobragade was be arrested. charges of visa fraud and under- Violations of this kind had ambassador in the US doesn’t making false statements about accredited to the United Nations He said that even when payment of her housekeeper. often been ignored, but now India get.” how much she paid her Indian at the time of her detention, giv- Khobragade was posted to Khobragade, who has denied would not turn a blind eye, the US consular officials and their housekeeper. She faces a maxi- ing her immunity from arrest. Islamabad she had not encoun- the charges, was handcuffed and official said, speaking on condition families have been asked to sur- mum of 15 years in prison if con- She was temporarily moved to tered such treatment, despite strip-searched while in custody, of anonymity. render identity cards that gave victed on both counts. India’s UN mission in August to the hostility between India and sparking outrage in India. The US embassy declined to them a degree of immunity. Under US Secretary of State John help with the workload ahead of Pakistan. REUTERS

Zoroastrian Congress Man jailed for Modi says shaken to life for raping Spanish student core by Gujarat riots MUMBAI: A rapist who attacked a young Spanish woman at knifepoint after NEW DELHI: Fiery oppo- I feel liberated and at peace,” he breaking into her apartment sition candidate for premier, said. The ruling was a boost to in Mumbai was jailed for life Narendra Modi (pictured), Modi, who is serving his fourth yesterday. voiced yesterday his “grief” and term as chief minister of Gujarat, Mohammed Badshah Ansari “misery” over deadly 2002 anti- whose economy is one of India’s was handed the sentence after a Muslim riots that swept his fastest-growing. trial heard how the 28-year-old home state of Gujarat after he Modi did not mention either broke into the flat through a win- became chief minister. Muslims or Hindus by name in dow in November last year and Modi, in his frankest state- his blog. But he said, “As if all the then raped the victim twice while ment to date about the riots that suffering was not enough, I was threatening her with a knife. have dogged him in his quest to also accused of the death and mis- The victim — who had travelled become prime minister in loom- ery of my own loved ones — my to India to learn classical music — ing national elections, said in a Gujarati brothers and sisters.” left for Germany after the attack blog he was “shaken to the core” Modi has been campaigning but testified about her ordeal via by the violence. As many as 2,000 energetically to paint himself as video link. She cannot be named people, mainly Muslims, were a pro-business reformer who can for legal reasons. hacked, burnt and shot to death revive the fortunes of the world’s “The court has to keep in mind in the riots 11 years ago, according largest democracy. the interest of the society at to human rights activists. and decisively to the violence than But he remains toxic in the eyes large and the case does not have “Grief, sadness, misery, pain, ever done before in any previous of India’s Muslim minority which any ground for leniency,” Judge anguish, agony — mere words riots in the country,” which has accounts for around 13 percent of Shalini Phansalkar Joshi said as could not capture the absolute been shaken a number of times the population but is much larger he announced the sentence in emptiness one felt on witness- by religious unrest. in politically vital states such as Mumbai. ing such inhumanity,” Modi, The 2002 violence erupted after northern Uttar Pradesh. Ansari pleaded for leniency as named by the Hindu nationalist a train carrying Hindu devotees The ruling national Congress he has a family who is dependent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as was torched in Gujarat, prompt- party, routed in a recent string on him. its candidate for premier, wrote. ing a wave of Hindu-led reprisal of state polls, has sought to depict The sentencing comes as “This is the first time I am attacks against Muslims. Modi as a strident Hindu nation- India prepares to mark the first sharing the harrowing ordeal I A 2005 inquiry concluded the alist unfit to rule a secular india. anniversary of the death of a had gone through in those words train fire was accidental. Modi still faces a central gov- 23-year-old physiotherapy stu- at a personal level,” he added. Modi’s statements came a day ernment probe, announced on dent who had been gang-raped Modi’s leadership of the state after a Gujarat court found no Thursday, into accusations a top on a moving bus in the capital during the riots remains a con- evidence he conspired with other political aide supervised the shad- New Delhi. tentious issue in the run-up to the government officials to stoke owing of a woman at the chief The attack on the bus trig- elections. The 64-year-old, tipped the violence and had told them minister’s behest. The inquiry, gered massive protests over the in opinion polls to become India’s to allow Hindu anger turn to dubbed “Snoopgate” by India’s levels of violence against women next prime minister in general bloodshed. media, is looking into accusa- in a country where there have elections due in May, has been “Thursday’s judgement cul- tions that the official spied on been several high-profile sex accused of being slow to stamp minated in a process of unprec- the woman and eavesdropped on President Pranab Mukherjee gestures as Maharashtra state Governor attacks against foreigners in out the violence. edented scrutiny,” Modi said. her conversations using Gujarat’s K Shankarnarayanan (left) looks on during the inauguration of the tenth recent months. But Modi said in his blog his “Gujarat’s 12 years of trial by the formidable state surveillance World Zoroastrian Congress in Mumbai yesterday. A judge last week sentenced government reacted “more swiftly fire have finally drawn to an end. machinery. AFP three Nepalese men to 20 years in jail for the gang-rape of a US tourist in June in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh. Poultry trade Six men were sentenced to Woman gang-raped life in prison in July for the gang-rape and robbery of a 39-year-old Swiss woman cyclist on Christmas Eve holidaying in the central state of Madhya Pradesh four months earlier. NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old the rest have been caught. woman was allegedly gang- The Times of India said police raped on Christmas Eve in had registered preliminary cases ‘Half-widows’ of south India, media reports said of abduction, gang-rape and yesterday, the latest in a string criminal intimidation against the Kashmir should be of sexual attacks reported in accused. the country. The woman has been admit- able to remarry The reports of the latest assault ted to hospital where police will came two days before India was record her statement, the CNN- SRINAGAR: Wives of due to mark the first anniversary IBN TV network reported. Kashmiri men who have dis- of the death of a student who was The issue of sex crimes in India appeared during the region’s gangraped on a bus in an attack has received widespread attention long-running conflict should be that shocked the nation. since last year’s gang rape of the allowed to remarry once four The woman who was assaulted 23-year-old student in New Delhi. years have elapsed since their on Christmas Eve told police The physiotherapy student died spouses went missing, Islamic she was abducted by three men on December 29, nearly two weeks scholars have ruled. while sightseeing with friends after being attacked by a gang of The religious edict issued on in Karaikal, a port city in six men on a moving bus as she Thursday is designed to ease the Puducherry, the Times of India returned home from the cinema plight of more than a thousand newspaper and TV networks with a male companion. so-called ‘half widows’ who have A poultry trader pulls chicken out from a cage to sell them at a market in the old quarters of Delhi, yesterday. reported. The brutality of the attack and been left in limbo since their One of the men raped her at a her subsequent death shook the husbands disappeared in parts of secluded spot before freeing her, country and shone a global spot- Kashmir. the Times said. light on India’s widespread mis- “These women should have to Dip in HIV cases in armed forces She called for help but then treatment of women. wait only four years for their hus- another group of seven men The attack also prompted the bands and if they fail to get any attacked her as she was being Indian parliament to pass tougher information by that time then NEW DELHI: There has been Efforts are also being taken to to preserve blood samples of per- escorted to a safe place, the laws against rapists and other they are free to remarry,” said the a marked decline in number reduce stress levels of servicemen sonnel till they retire and 10 years paper said. Six of the men raped sex-crime offenders. edict by a local panel of religious of HIV/Aids cases in the three by setting up helplines and efforts after that to match in case of any her, it added. “One case has been But a string of other sex scholars. armed services, the forces top through the human resources untoward incident like accidents reported. There are 15 accused attacks, including against foreign The edict still needs the seal medical official said yesterday. department of the services, where the body is unrecognisable. (persons) and one victim,” senior tourists and a photojournalist in of approval from religious leaders Nobody has died of Aids in said Director General Medical “We want to have a DNA bank. police officer Monika Bhardwaj Mumbai this year, has highlighted before it becomes a binding fatwa, the last year, Director General, Services (Air) A K Behl said. We are still in the beginning. It is a told reporters. the continuing dangers facing one of the members of the panel Armed Forces Medical Services, Air Marshal Joshi said the major project. We are working out Bhardwaj said three of the women in India. said on condition of anonymity. D P Joshi told reporters here. services were also making efforts the modalities,” he said. IANS accused “are absconding” while AFP AFP DECEMBER 28, 2013 Business www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 ON SATURDAY

Chinese industry profits rise November data Asian buyers of gives boost to Japan’s war Iran oil cut on deflation

TOKYO: Japanese consumer inflation rose 1.2 percent last imports by 14pc month, its fastest pace in five years, edging closer to the central bank’s 2.0 percent target in its war on deflation as Tokyo battles Imports likely to edge higher to reverse years of falling prices. Stripping out volatile food TOKYO: Asia’s top buyers of Korea and other countries as a and energy prices, which have Iranian crude have cut pur- reward for them reducing purchases largely driven recent increases, chases by about 14 percent so of Iranian crude oil earlier this year. prices inched up 0.6 percent in far this year, but imports may Imports by Iran’s largest cus- November, the country’s best edge higher in coming months tomers — China, India, Japan and result since August 1998. as growing unrest in Africa South Korea — fell to 928,529bpd The broader consumer price threatens to tighten global oil in the first 11 months of the year, index, which measures a basket supplies. down from 1.08 million bpd in the of everyday goods but excludes the Tough US and EU sanctions have same period a year ago, accord- cost of fresh food, rose 1.2 percent slashed exports from the OPEC ing to official customs reports and last month from a year earlier, member by more than half to about tanker data from trade sources. the fastest pace in five years. one million barrels per day (bpd), Shipments in November by the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s costing it as much as $80bn in lost four totalled 968,946bpd, down 5.6 government has put conquering revenue since early 2012, according percent from 1.03 million bpd a deflation and stoking growth in to White House estimates. year ago. A labourer guides as slag is poured into a container at Dongbei Special Steel Group Co Ltd in Dalian, Liaoning the world’s third-largest economy However, a breakthrough India has cut imports by province, yesterday. Profits earned by Chinese industrial firms rose 9.7 percent in November. at the top of its agenda with a agreement last month between 38.5 percent so far this year to policy blitz dubbed “Abenomics”. world powers and Tehran over 196,200bpd. Iran’s biggest The upbeat headline for its disputed nuclear programme customer China imported 538,513 Friday’s inflation data was tem- may offer Asian importers a bpd of Iranian crude in November, pered by the fact that prices were slight reprieve from conflicts in the second-highest this year. In still largely driven up by higher South Sudan and Libya, which the first 11 months, China’s pur- Gold edges up, set for biggest fuel bills, not surging demand for have pushed Brent futures back chases from Iran were down only everyday goods such as vacuum towards three-month highs. 0.6 percent at 421,520bpd. cleaners and clothes which power Although the Geneva deal Japan, which has also strug- annual loss in three decades the economy as a whole. doesn’t allow Iran to boost oil sales gled to cut its Iranian crude Electricity bills jumped a hefty for six months, buyers who sharply purchases this year after lower- 8.2 percent, the data showed, as reduced purchases earlier in the ing them by 40 percent in 2012, LONDON: Gold edged up yes- is probably going to stay in wide the US Federal Reserve said it Japan’s energy costs soar in the year have room to raise imports. slashed imports to 82,300bpd in terday, supported by some physi- ranges for the next few sessions would begin tapering its $85bn wake of the 2011 Fukushima India tops the list, for making the November, down more than half cal buying, but remained on track and there will still be some sup- in monthly bond purchases next atomic disaster, which forced the steepest cuts, followed by South on a year earlier, the country’s for its biggest annual loss in port from Asian buyers ahead of month, before recovering slightly. shutdown of the nation’s nuclear Korea. China and Japan have the trade ministry said yesterday. three decades as rallies in equi- the Chinese New Year at the end Gold is headed for a near 30 per- reactors. least scope as they have struggled Japan’s imports of Iranian oil ties and prospects of global eco- of January,” VTB Capital analyst cent slump in 2013, ending a 12-year Since the accident, Japan has to lower shipments this year. during the 11 months through nomic recovery dented its appeal. Andrey Kryuchenkov said. rally prompted by rock-bottom been importing fossil fuels to plug The deal, with the United November were down 4.6 pct at Expectations that the US “But volumes are very thin now interest rates and measures taken the energy gap, a pricey option that States and five other global pow- 178,539 bpd, the data showed. economy can stand on its own as and we need to wait for when the by global central banks to prop up has become even more expensive ers, known as the P5+1, agreed South Korea’s imports of Iran oil monetary stimulus is withdrawn Western investors come back the economy, which encouraged as the yen sharply weakened in the to pause efforts to reduce Iran’s fell 12.1 percent to 132,270 bpd were buoyed by data on Thursday (from holidays) to see what they investors to put their money in non- wake of the Bank of Japan’s unprec- crude sales, allowing consumers between January and November. showing a decrease in weekly job- will be doing,” he added. “I think interest-bearing assets such as gold. edented monetary easing drive. to continue buying their “current The United States believes the less claims, which propelled stock they will liquidate again into this This year’s decline is set to be Yesterday’s data showed prices average amounts of crude oil”. economic impact on Iran of US and markets higher. price rebound as there is no fun- gold’s biggest since 1981, while moving towards the Bank of It also exempts buyers of European Union sanctions forced Germany’s benchmark index damental reason to buy the metal.” current prices are 37 percent Japan’s ambitious 2.0 percent Iranian oil, most of whom are Tehran to the negotiating table. DAX touched a record high, Prices should hold between below an all-time high of $1,920.30 inflation target—to be reached in based in Asia, from continually The pair believe Iran is develop- while US Treasury yields hit their $1,190 and $1,220 an ounce over hit in 2011. just two years. reducing purchases to earn a six- ing nuclear weapons, while Iran says highest since July 2011 above 3 the next few sessions, with moves As a gauge of investor interest, While deflation may sound like monthly waiver granted by the its programme is for power genera- percent. likely to be exacerbated by a lack holdings in the SPDR Gold Trust, a good thing for shoppers, it can United States from sanctions. tion. Washington has stressed that Gold rose 0.3 percent to of liquidity during the year-end the world’s largest gold-backed be bad for growth because falling The US State Department Tehran has to take concrete steps $1,214.40 by 1509 GMT, while holiday period, traders at MKS exchange-traded fund, fell 0.19 prices encourage consumers to put extended a six-month Iranian within six months for any further US gold futures for February Capital said. percent on Thursday to 804.22 off spending, knowing they will pay sanctions’ waiver at the end of relaxation of sanctions. delivery edged up 0.2 percent to Bullion fell to a six-month tonnes, the weakest since 2009. less for a product if they wait. November to China, India, South REUTERS $1,214.00 an ounce. “The market low of $1,185.10 last week, after REUTERS AFP

Brent slips to $111, supply woes support price Spanish prime minister

LONDON: Brent crude oil and political minorities, demand- top of $99.77 earlier. US petrol “South Sudan carries a risk slipped towards $111 a barrel ing a greater share of Libya’s oil futures eased from a three-month of getting worse, but with about promises jobs in 2014 yesterday although supply dis- wealth and more political power, high after workers at France’s La 220,000bpd at risk it should not ruptions in Africa kept losses have shut most oilfields and ports, Mede refinery lifted a two-week- be enough to change the dynamics MADRID: Spanish Prime squeeze, high unemployment and in check. Escalating violence cutting oil output from the 1.4 old strike over pay — leaving only of the crude oil markets.” Minister Mariano Rajoy vowed corruption scandals led to angry in South Sudan threatened to million bpd in July. one refinery still striking. Rebels in South Sudan have in an end-of-year message yes- street protests. reduce its crude output further, Brent crude slipped 12 cents to “The end of the French refin- seized some oil wells in Unity terday to deliver longed-for jobs “If 2012 was the year of tight- adding to supply outages from $111.86 by 1231 GMT after set- ery strikes is one less risk factor state and captured half the capi- to the hard-hit nation in 2014. ening, 2013 was the year of Libya where oil production is tling at $111.98 on Thursday, the for the holiday period, the risk tal of the main oil-producing Rajoy sounded an optimistic reforms and 2014 will be the running at a mere 250,000 bar- highest since December 3. US on Libya has not changed and region as African leaders held note after the eurozone’s fourth start of the economic recovery in rels per day (bpd). crude rose 11 cents to $99.66, hav- should be already priced (in),” talks to avert civil war. largest economy emerged gingerly our country,” Rajoy said.“We are A mix of militias, tribesmen ing hit a more than two-month said Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix. REUTERS from recession in the third quar- ending the year with much more ter of 2013 despite registering a solid foundations for economic staggering 26-percent unemploy- recovery.” ment rate. The prime minister said elec- New Spanish power billing formula “Next year, when I appear tricity prices would rise by 2.3 GM, Ford to recall before you again, there will percent in the first quarter of be fewer people unemployed 2014 after his government can- more than 1.5m and more people working,” the celled a bidding process by energy Spanish leader told a news con- companies that would have sent cars in China ference after the last cabinet bills soaring by 11 percent. meeting of the year. However, the prime minister SHANGHAI: US auto giant The Popular Party government said the cabinet had decided to General Motors (GM) and its remained “far” from its key goal freeze the minimum wage for next counterpart Ford will recall more of generating net jobs growth, the year at ¤645.30 ($890) a month than 1.5 million vehicles in China prime minister conceded. while lifting pensions, which are over defective parts, the country’s Nevertheless, Rajoy said he no longer linked to inflation, by quality watchdog said yesterday. expected Spain would end 2013 just 0.25 percent. Shanghai GM, a joint venture with fewer people registered as Spain was pushed to the brink between GM and China’s SAIC unemployed than in 2012. “That of an all-out sovereign bailout Motor, will recall more than 1.46 has not happened in Spain since in 2012 but was saved in large million Buick and Chevrolet cars 2006,” he said. part by a European Central due to defective fuel-pump brack- Rajoy said Spain’s economy, Bank promise to intervene if ets, the General Administration which expanded by 0.1 percent in necessary on the bond market, of Quality Supervision, Inspection the third quarter, had regained a lowering the country’s borrow- and Quarantine said in a path of “modest” growth in the ing costs. statement. second half of 2013. Nevertheless, the country had The brackets could lead to fuel “So we can affirm that we have to borrow ¤41bn from its euro- leaks under “extreme conditions” witnessed a clear change in the zone partners to shore up totter- and thus pose safety threats, the Power lines near a publicity board depicting a bull in El Berron, near Oviedo, northern Spain. Spanish com- situation,” he said. ing banks, ridden with bad loans statement said, adding the recall, petition watchdog has proposed a new method of formulating electricity bills, based on the futures market, The prime minister thanked since a decade-long property will start on Monday. that would keep initial 2014 rises below three percent. Spaniards for the efforts they boom imploded in 2008. AFP had made in 2013, when a budget AFP DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Business France jobless rise despite Hollande vow Registered jobseekers rise by 17,800

PARIS: France’s number of month he had met his electoral registered jobseekers rose by pledge to halt the rise in jobless- 17,800 in November to 3.29 mil- ness by the end of this year. lion, the labour ministry said, Hollande’s reaction to the latest challenging government claims figures was guarded. He simply to have bucked a trend of spiral- said the new data “did not modify ling unemployment. the trend”. Labour Minister Michel Sapin Nevertheless, he asserted that claimed President Francois “the reversal of the unemploy- Hollande’s pledge to curb grow- ment curve, which is something ing joblessness by the year’s end I had set out to do, has truly was still on track, if part-time begun.” and short-term workers were He said the number of those counted in the total number of with no employment whatso- jobseekers. ever had been rising by 30,000 That number actually fell by per month in the first quarter 6,900 to 4.87 million once those of 2013, and that the figure had underemployed workers were fac- fallen steadily during the year. tored in, prompting Sapin to say “This movement, to be signifi- that the reversal of the upward cant, must follow month after trend was “well and truly under month,” he said. “It’s a daily A tourist changes foreign currency to Turkish lira at a currency exchange office in central Istanbul yesterday. course in the fourth quarter”. battle.” “The number of jobless will “A lasting decline in unemploy- continue to decrease in the com- ment is within our reach,” he said, ing months,” he predicted. adding that his government would Turkish lira in free fall amid govt crisis But Marine Le Pen, leader focus on labour reforms, spurring of the far-right National Front investment in industry and other ANKARA: The Turkish lira market but also because mas- engaged in a power struggle with 41 additional people including a party, accused Hollande’s govern- measures to create more jobs. hit a record low yesterday as sive uncertainty has taken hold Erdogan. Saudi businessman. But a pros- ment of trying to claim a reduced On Monday, Hollande said the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip which is unlikely to subside in the Gulerce said the crisis that has ecutor involved in the probe unemployment figure through two main challenges for the year Erdogan, embroiled in a major near future,” said Markus Huber, shaken the government was no said on Thursday that his office “artificial” means. ahead were curbing unemploy- graft probe, faced new mass senior trader at London broker longer limited to a fight between had come under pressure from “It is distressing to see that, ment and kickstarting growth protests and growing calls to Peregrine and Black. Erdogan and Gulen followers Istanbul’s chief prosecutor and despite that, the real increase in the eurozone’s second largest resign. The plunge came as anti-gov- but one now engulfing all state police to block the case. in unemployment is too strong economy. The currency fell to 2.1467 lira ernment protests were planned institutions. Erdogan alleges the graft probe to be statistically covered up Economists and other experts to the dollar while the Istanbul Friday in Ankara and Istanbul, “The cabinet reshuffle may was orchestrated by outside forces as a reduction,” she said in a say there is little chance unem- stock exchange, the BIST 100, raising fears of violence similar to contain the fire for now but it will bent on smearing his administra- statement. ployment will stop rising without dropped 3.76 percent around that in June when mass demon- not put it out,” he wrote. tion and undermining the coun- A slight fall in the number sustained growth. 0910 GMT yesterday, after having strations swept the country. Erdogan overhauled his cabinet try’s progress. of unemployed for October, of The main opposition cen- dropped 2.33 percent on Thursday “The fire is big, beyond expec- on Wednesday after three minis- He has ordered the sacking of 20,500, had raised government tre-right UMP party accused and 4.2 percent on Wednesday. tations and spreading quickly,” ters quit over a graft scandal that dozens of police officers believed hopes France’s years-long jobless Hollande of playing with figures to “The situation in Turkey wrote columnist Huseyin had implicated their sons. linked to Gulen, who has lived in crisis may be finally drawing to back claims that the fight against is severe to say the least, not Gulerce in the Zaman daily The Hurriyet daily said yester- self-imposed exile in the United an end. unemployment was on track. only because of the huge fall in affiliated with Fethullah Gulen, day that the widening corrup- States since 1999. Hollande, a Socialist who is Jean-Francois Cope, leader of the Turkish lira and the stock a US-based Turkish cleric tion probe was now targeting AFP under fierce pressure to tackle the main opposition UMP party, unemployment and with polls said Hollande must admit “his showing his approval ratings the failure and immediately announce lowest of any president in mod- a change of economic policy”. ern French history, claimed last AFP Top India Bitcoin operator halts Cathay Pacific QATARI MARKET orders four Bond Coupon Maturity Currency Mid Price Yield Moodys S&P Qatar Govt 5.15% 4/9/2014 USD 101.38 0.25 % Aa2 AA trade after bank warning more long-haul Qatar Govt 3.125% 1/20/2017 USD 104.88 1.49 % Aa2 AA Qatar Govt 6.55% 4/9/2019 USD 119.00 2.67 % Aa2 AA NEW DELHI: India’s biggest largely anonymous payment sys- monetary authority there was no Boeing planes Qatar Govt 5.25% 1/20/2020 USD 112.00 3.07 % Aa2 AA Bitcoin trading platform said tem, had begun gaining popularity established recourse for custom- Qatar Govt 4.5% 1/20/2022 USD 106.00 3.63 % Aa2 AA on its website yesterday it had in India. ers in the case of problems, the HONG KONG: Hong Kong flag suspended operations after the The emergence of Bitcoin and bank noted. carrier Cathay Pacific ordered Qatar Govt 9.75% 6/15/2030 USD 153.00 4.99 % Aa2 AA central bank warned against other virtual currencies in India The move comes weeks after four additional long-haul planes Qatar Govt 6.4% 1/20/2040 USD 114.25 5.38 % Aa2 AA the risks of using virtual money. has come despite a traditional the People’s Bank of China from Boeing yesterday, a week Qatar Govt 5.75% 1/20/2042 USD 105.25 5.38 % Aa2 AA BuySellBitCo.in closed its plat- preference for assets backed by ordered financial institutions not after it ordered 21 Boeing 777- Qatari Diar 3.5% 7/21/2015 USD 103.88 1.00 % Aa2 AA form, citing an advisory by the property and other tangible goods. to provide Bitcoin-related services 9X planes, in a move to modern- Qatari Diar 5% 7/21/2020 USD 109.38 3.39 % Aa2 AA Reserve Bank of India issued on “There is no underlying or and cautioned against its poten- ise its fleet. Christmas Eve highlighting the backing of any asset for virtual tial use in money-laundering. The airline said it would pur- Comqat 5% 11/18/2014 USD 103.50 1.18 % A1 A- risks of trading in digital cur- currencies and as such their Bitcoin was invented in the chase an additional three Boeing Comqat 3.375% 4/11/2017 USD 103.50 2.26 % A1 A- rencies. “We are suspending buy value seems to be a matter of wake of the global financial crisis 777-300ER passenger planes along QIB 3.856% 10/7/2015 USD 104.13 1.50 % NR NR and sell operations until we can speculation,” the bank said in its by a mysterious computer guru with a Boeing 747-8 freighter, QNB 3.125% 11/16/2015 USD 103.75 1.11 % Aa3 A+ outline a clearer framework with December 24 advisory. using the pseudonym Satoshi with a total list price of HK$7.4bn QNB 3.375% 2/22/2017 USD 103.63 2.18 % Aa3 A+ which to work,” BuySellBitCo.in The “huge volatility in the value Nakamotoby. ($954.25m). said on its website, adding the of virtual currencies has been At the last rate posted by Cathay did not reveal the Doha Bank 3.5% 3/14/2017 USD 103.75 2.28 % A2 A- move was “to protect the inter- noticed”, it added. BuySellBitCo.in, which was conduct- amount it is paying to the US Qtel 3.375% 10/14/2016 USD 105.13 1.50 % A2 A est of our customers”. The central bank stopped shy ing about Rs12m worth of Bitcoin manufacturer, but airlines usu- Qtel 7.875% 6/10/2019 USD 122.75 3.29 % A2 A The central bank’s warning of issuing a ban on Bitcoin or transactions monthly, according to ally negotiate a discount from a Qtel 4.75% 2/16/2021 USD 105.13 3.92 % A2 A comes after Bitcoin, which can other virtual currencies. Indian media, one Bitcoin was sell- plane’s catalogue price. Qtel 5% 10/19/2025 USD 99.63 5.04 % A2 A be stored either virtually or on However, because the curren- ing for Rs48,039 ($776). “Both the 777-300ER and the a user’s hard drive and offers a cies were not authorised by any AFP 747-8F offer a highly efficient Rasgas 5.5% 9/30/2014 USD 103.38 0.95 % Aa3 A solution on Cathay Pacific’s ultra- Rasgas 5.832% 9/30/2016 USD 106.63 3.30 % Aa3 A long-haul routes,” the airline’s Rasgas 5.298% 9/30/2020 USD 107.50 4.02 % Aa3 A Labour shortage in India chief executive John Slosar said SOVEREIGNS in a statement released yesterday. Slosar said the 777-300ER’s, Bond PDA* Maturity Currency Mid Price Yield Moodys S&P which are expected to be deliv- Abu Dhabi Govt 5.5% 4/8/2014 USD 101.38 0.56 % Aa2 AA ered in 2015 and the 747-8F, to be Abu Dhabi Govt 6.75% 4/8/2019 USD 122.00 2.30 % Aa2 AA delivered in 2016, combine “superb Dubai Govt 6.7% 10/5/2015 USD 108.25 1.92 % NR NR operating economics with a sig- nificant reduction in emissions”. Dubai Govt 4.9% 5/2/2017 USD 106.38 2.89 % NR NR Cathay last Friday ordered 21 Dubai Govt 7.75% 10/5/2020 USD 119.75 4.35 % NR NR long-haul Boeing 777-9X planes, Dubai Govt 6.45% 5/2/2022 USD 111.38 4.78 % NR NR the aircraft manufacturer’s new- Qatar Govt 4% 1/20/2015 USD 103.50 0.87 % Aa2 AA est member of the 777 family, at Bahrain Govt 6.273% 11/22/2018 USD 113.13 3.35 % NR BBB a list price of $7.48bn. The yet-to-be launched 777X Bahrain Govt 5.5% 3/31/2020 USD 103.50 4.84 % NR BBB series includes advanced technol- Egypt Govt 5.75% 4/29/2020 USD 96.00 6.53 % Caa1 B- ogy including composite wings Morocco Govt 4.5% 10/5/2020 EUR 101.75 4.20 % NR BBB- and engines that Boeing says

*Periodic Distribution Amount consume 20 percent less fuel than IMPORTANT NOTE: today’s model. Published by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, P O Box 57, Doha, Qatar which The airline said the planes, is licensed and regulated by Qatar Central Bank and Jersey Financial Services which will seat up to 400 passen- Commission. Information quoted is from publicly available sources or proprietary gers and be delivered between data and subject to change. HSBC accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising 2021 and 2024, were ideal for out of the use of all or part of this material. This information is general and does not long-haul destinations in North take into account individual circumstances, objectives or needs. The price of bonds can and does fluctuate. The secondary market for bonds may not provide significant America and Europe. liquidity or may trade based on prevailing market conditions. Past performance is not The airline said in August it a reliable indicator of future performance. You should consider these matters and swung to a lower-than-expected consult your financial advisor prior to making any investment decisions. net profit of $3.1m in the first six months, after losing money in Labourers work at the site of a commercial building under construction in Noida, on the outskirts of New the same period of 2012. Gains in Delhi. India’s biggest cities face a worsening shortage of migrant manual labourers. While India has long passenger numbers were offset by suffered a dearth of workers with vocational skills like plumbers and electricians, efforts to alleviate poverty persistently high fuel prices and in poor, rural areas have helped stifle what was once a flood of cheap, unskilled labour from poorest states. falling cargo revenue. AFP DECEMBER 28, 2013 Business Views www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 17 ON SATURDAY Myth of American stinginess Khodorkovsky’s lesson BY JOHN NORRIS check you just wrote to the International But many of these loans are on terms Committee of the Red Cross or the billions that are not highly concessional, and when etween the steady drip of Edward of dollars poured into lifesaving programs the loans are repaid they end up represent- for Russian oligarchs Snowden leaks about the National by the Gates Foundation. ing far less of a transfer of wealth than ODA Security Agency and Syria’s slow Those contributions deserve to count, and statistics would lead us to believe. BY LEONID BERSHIDSKY burn, it seems pretty easy these the US deserves credit for setting up a tax Now consider that the US has more than days to cast the US as the villain structure that rather uniquely among nations doubled its aid to sub-Saharan Africa over s oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky enjoyed his first days of Bwhen it comes to international affairs. rewards people for their charitable giving by the last decade, made massive US invest- freedom in Berlin after spending 10 years in Russian pris- That makes this holiday season an ideal making it routinely tax deductible. ments in PEPFAR and the Global Fund ons, he struggled to answer questions about his remain- one to debunk one of the longest-standing A wonderfully detailed report by a British that have led to a historic turnaround in Aing financial resources. “I do not have a full picture of my myths about the US: that it is miserly when NGO, Development Initiatives, offers a far the HIV/AIDS crisis, and has long been financial situation yet,” he said at a news conference. it comes to helping other nations through richer and more accurate picture of the the most generous donor in responding to The question of Khodorkovsky’s remaining wealth isn’t aca- foreign aid. state of development investments by coun- humanitarian crises around the globe. demic. President Vladimir Putin’s Russia waged an all-out war Much of the myth of America’s stingi- tries around the globe. For those who remain sceptical that the against him and his partners, and if they managed to hold on to ness traces its roots back to the 1970 com- In the US, private spending on inter- US is actually relatively generous, here their substantial resources, that is an encouraging sign for other mitment by the UN General Assembly that national development -- at around $30bn are the results from the recently released wealthy Russians fearing that the state might confiscate their rich countries should dedicate 0.7 percent of annually -- is already as large as govern- World Giving Index: Proportionally more assets. It is also a strong argument for continued capital flight their gross national income (GNI) to what ment spending (and by some accounts Americans gave their time and money than from Russia: Much of Khodorkovsky’s hypothetical remaining is dubbed “official development assistance” larger.) citizens of any other country, and they wealth would come from the foreign investments of his now- (ODA). That’s not even counting the money sent recorded the highest score in the index’s defunct oil company, Yukos, once Russia’s biggest oil company. Although a number of European countries back to developing countries from the US. history last year. Forbes magazine first named Khodorkovsky the wealthi- have embraced the target, the US has never Remittances from the US to the developing But what is perhaps most ironic -- est Russian in 2001, estimating his fortune at $2.4bn. In 2002, done so, arguing that it is a poor measure of world total more than $100bn each year, and tragic -- is the profound gulf in how Khodorkovsky — thinking the guestimate was crude — became the America’s relative commitment to helping and US remittances make up almost 30 American aid and charity is seen at home first Russian tycoon to disclose the ownership structure behind his the poor in the developed world. percent of all remittances received by devel- and abroad. business, mainly by virtue of his stake in a Gibraltar-based com- Critics of the US are quick to point out oping countries. Most foreigners think the US is a heart- pany, Group Menatep Ltd. That seemed to value Khodorkovsky’s that the US, at around 0.02 percent, has one Then there’s US foreign direct invest- less cheapskate when it comes to develop- personal fortune at about $7.8bn. This later swelled, and in early of the lowest rates of official aid to GNI of the ment in developing countries -- more than ment. In contrast, most Americans think 2004, while already in jail on charges of tax evasion and grand major industrialised countries, which is true. $40bn. All told, more than $200bn from the their own country is wildly profligate when larceny, Khodorkovsky was ranked as the 15th richest person in But this statistic says a lot more about the US flows into the developing world each it comes to spending on international the world, with a net worth of about $15bn. ridiculousness of how we currently measure year. development. The Russian government went after Yukos, initiating bank- ODA than it does about what the US brings When that’s compared to the 2012 glo- For example, a recent poll found that ruptcy proceedings that ended in the sale of most of the oil com- to the table. bal total for ODA of $128bn -- and that’s most Americans estimated about 28 per- pany’s assets to state-owned Rosneft for a fraction of their true The US is not only the largest donor of $128bn from all the bilateral aid agencies cent of the federal budget goes to spend- value. In 2005, Khodorkovsky’s lawyers said their client had less ODA in the world, providing more than on Earth -- you begin to get a sense that we ing on foreign aid, when in reality that than $100m because he had reinvested most of his dividends in $30.5bn toward that end in 2012, but it are not really measuring the right things figure has traditionally hovered around Yukos and transferred his Group Menatep shares to a partner, makes far and away the largest private con- when it comes to accounting for develop- 1 percent. Leonid Nevzlin, who had fled to Israel. Later, a Russian court tributions to development and poverty alle- ment spending. Perhaps the idea that the US has been sentenced Nevzlin to life in prison, in absentia, for his alleged viation of any nation on Earth -- more than More perniciously, ODA also over- a steady, consistent and largely respon- role in several contract killings, but Israel wouldn’t extradite him. 30 percent of all such giving on the planet. states the generosity of some of America’s sible development investor is something Before Yukos’s bankruptcy, the company’s overseas units sold Because ODA only measures government European allies, because certain categories that isn’t easy for anyone to get their head some valuable assets, the proceeds of which landed in the accounts spending on development, it totally ignores of loans are also included as development around. But a Grinch it most assuredly is of Dutch-registered Yukos Finance, and a protracted legal bat- private giving -- whether it be the year-end assistance. not. WP-BLOOMBERG tle ensued for them. In January 2011, the Dutch Supreme Court released the proceeds to Yukos International UK, a vehicle con- trolled by former senior Yukos managers, including Chief Financial Officer Bruce Misamore and former interim Chief Executive Officer Steven Theede. I obtained financial returns filed by Yukos Finance and Yukos International UK to the Dutch authorities. At the end of 2011, the latest year for which data are available, the former had assets of $646.9m and the latter $925.9m, almost all attributable to the company’s shareholders. Khodorkovsky told Bloomberg News he was not planning to ask Nevzlin to return the majority stake in Group Menatep, since renamed GML. Speaking at the news conference, he also said that he wouldn’t personally fight for the return of Yukos assets, although he couldn’t promise that on behalf of his part- ners. In terms of calculating Khodorkovsky’s remaining fortune, these statements are meaningless. According to accounts filed by GML to Gibraltar authorities and provided to me by Dun & Bradstreet, at the end of 2010 GML had total assets of $292.3m, of which $245.6m was “owed to members,” probably including Khodorkovsky. The 2002 share distribution would give Khodorkovsky assets of about $170m, plus his share of whatever GML may eventu- ally receive from Yukos Finance and Yukos International UK, at most about $570m. Yukos-related litigation is still dragging on in several countries, including the US, and there may be other awards and setbacks to former Yukos shareholders. At this point, Khodorkovsky’s fortune can be roughly estimated at several hun- dred million dollars — certainly enough to live very well on, but too little to finance anti-Putin opposition in Russia. Khodorkovsky almost certainly isn’t going back to Russia any- way, because a local court ruled in 2005 that he owed 17.4bn rubles ($532.5m) in back taxes. Russia’s Supreme Court may soon overturn the verdict, but at this point the Russian state considers Khodorkovsky a major tax debtor, and any of his money transferred to Russia may be confiscated. There is a lesson here for other Russian entrepreneurs: Transfer overseas as much capital as possible, and hide it well. If the wealthiest man in Russia has ended up a mere multimil- lionaire, they can be wiped out by a state onslaught if they fail to think in advance of ways to place their cash out of Putin’s reach. WP-BLOOMBERG

Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Iran’s Turkish gold rush: A tale of business and corruption

BY JONATHAN SCHANZER and Foundation for Defence of Democracies administration could have taken action shut down the gold trade by amending its This brings us back to the current MARK DUBOWITZ and Roubini Global Economics revealed against state-owned Halkbank, which executive order. But at the time, Turkey corruption drama in Turkey. The ruling the bank exploited a “golden loophole” processed these sanctions-busting transac- was also playing a pivotal role in US Justice and Development Party (AKP) urkey’s Islamist government is in the US-led financial sanctions regime tions, using the sanctions already in place policy in Syria, which included efforts to has been claiming that it is a victim of a being rocked by the most sweep- designed to curb Iran’s nuclear ambi- to cut the bank off from the US financial strengthen the more moderate opposi- vast conspiracy, blaming everyone from ing corruption scandal of its ten- tions. Here’s how it worked: The Turks system. Instead, the administration lobbied tion factions fighting President Bashar Washington to Israel to US-based Islamic Ture. Roughly two dozen figures, exported some $13bn of gold to Tehran to make sure the legislation that closed this Assad’s regime. cleric Fethullah Gulen for its woes. including well-connected business tycoons directly, or through the UAE, between loophole did not take effect for six months It’s also possible, however, that the But if the charges stand against the and the sons of top government ministers, March 2012 and July 2013. -- effectively ensuring that the gold trans- Obama administration’s decision had less panoply of well-connected figures fin- have been charged with a wide range of In return, the Turks received Iranian actions continued apace until July 1. That to do with Turkey, and more to do with gered, the AKP will have only itself to financial crimes. The charges ballooned natural gas and oil. But because sanctions helped Iran accrue billions of dollars more coaxing Iran into signing a nuclear deal. blame. While the gas-for-gold scheme into a full-blown crisis on December 25 prevented Iran from getting paid in dol- in gold, further undermining the sanctions In the one-year period between July may have been technically legal before when three ministers implicated in the lars or euros, the Turks allowed Tehran regime. 2012, when the executive order was Congress finally shut it down in July, scandal resigned, with one making a to buy gold with their Turkish lira -- and In defending its decision not to enforce issued, and July 2013, when the “golden it appears to have exposed the Turkish dramatic call for Prime Minister Recep that gold found its way back to Iranian its own sanctions, the Obama adminis- loophole” was closed, the Obama admin- political elite to a vast Iranian under- Tayyip Erdogan to step down as well. An coffers. tration insisted that Turkey only trans- istration’s non-enforcement of its own world. According to Today’s Zaman, exhausted-looking Erdogan subsequently This “gas-for-gold” scheme allowed the ferred gold to private Iranian citizens. sanctions reportedly provided Iran with suspicious transactions between Iran appeared on television in the evening to Iranians to replenish their dwindling for- The administration argued that, as a $6bn worth of gold. and Turkey could exceed $119bn -- nine announce a cabinet reshuffle that replaced eign exchange reserves, which had been result, this wasn’t an explicit violation That windfall may have been an times the total of gas-for-gold transac- a total of 10 ministers. hit hard by the international sanctions of its executive order. American olive branch to Iran -- extended tions reported. The drama surrounding two personali- placed on their banking system. It was It’s possible that the Obama adminis- via Turkey -- to persuade its leaders to Even if the Turkish-Iranian gold trade ties are particularly eye-popping: Police puzzling that Ankara allowed this to tration didn’t have compelling evidence continue backchannel negotiations with represents only a small part of the wider reportedly discovered shoeboxes contain- continue: The Turks brazenly conducted of the role of the Iranian government in the US, which reportedly began as early corruption probe, the on-going investiga- ing $4.5m in the home of Suleyman Aslan, these massive gold transactions even the gold trade. However, the president as July 2012. It could also have been a sig- tion could provide a window into some the CEO of state-owned Halkbank, and after the Obama administration tight- may have also simply sought to protect nificant sweetener to the interim nuclear nagging questions about the relationship also arrested Reza Zarrab, an Iranian ened sanctions on Iran’s precious metals his relationship with Ankara and didn’t deal eventually reached at Geneva, which between Ankara and Tehran. Perhaps we businessman who primarily deals in the trade in July 2012. want to get into a diplomatic spat with provided Iran with another $7bn in sanc- will finally learn why the Turkish govern- gold trade, and who allegedly oversaw Turkey, however, chose to exploit a Erdogan, who he considers a key regional tions relief. ment allowed Iran to stock up on gold while deals worth almost $10bn last year alone. loophole that technically permitted the ally. Indeed, why else would the administra- it was defiantly pursuing its illicit nuclear The gold trade has long been at transfer of billions of dollars of gold to If the administration didn’t feel tion have allowed the Turkish gold trade programme -- and whether the Obama the centre of controversial finan- so-called “private” entities in Iran. that the sanctions in place at the time to continue for an extra six months, when administration could have done more to cial ties between Halkbank and Iran. US closed this “golden loophole” in were sufficient to take action against Congress made clear its intent to shut prevent it. Research conducted in May 2013 by the January 2013. At the time, the Obama Halkbank, after all, it could have easily it down? WP-BLOOMBERG DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Classifieds

SERVICES

ACCOUNTING SOFTWARES CARPET CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE HOME CONTROL SYSTEM

ARTECH KASHMIR HANDICRAFT EMPORIUM AL MUTWASSIT CLEANING & PEST CONTROL 4BHF
"DDPVOUJOH
1FBDIUSFF
2VJDL#PPLT
%ZOBDPN
)BOENBEF
$BSUQFUT
)BOEJDSBGUT

'VSOJUVSF
Kharaba Street, Behind White Mosque, %BD&BTZ
5BMMZ
104
#BS
$PEF
'JYFE
"TTFUT
4PGUXBSFÚT "M
.JSHBC
4USFFU
"M
/BTFS
5FM
44432761 GSM: 55553407 44367555 Fax: 44367999 GSM: 55875920/55860432 Tel: +974 44375654 E-mail: [email protected] 5FM
ADVERTISING OVERSEAS CURTAINS PRESTIGE GENERAL SERVICES NEWSPAPER (FOFSBM
$MFBOJOH
GPS
7JMMBT
'MBUT
4PGB
$BSQFUT
'MPPS
5JMFT
.BSCMF
1PMJTI
%BJMZ
GEM ADVERTISING & PUBLICATIONS AL SHARK EXHIBITION 8FFLMZ
.POUIMZ

:FBSMZ
$POUSBDUT GSM: 66752291 5FM
44323040 Fax: 44131012 (Overseas Newspaper Advertisements) #JO
.FINPVE
5FM'BY
44422906 &NBJM
QSFTUJHFQBSUOFS!ZBIPPDPN

XXXQSFTUJHFHFOFSBMTFSWJDFTDPN 5FM
44442001 - GSM: 55783303 AL JAWHAR CURTAINS & FURNITURE AL SADEQ TRAD. & MAINTENANCE CO. 4BMXB
3PBE
2BUBS
%FDPSBUJPO
3PVOEBCPVU
5FM
44689897 (FOFSBM
$MFBOJOH
GPS
7JMMB
'MBU
#VJMEJOH
$BSQFU
4IBNQPPJOH
4PGB
4FUT
.BSCMF
1PMJTI
.BOQPXFS
4VQQMZ

ATTESTATION 1FTU
$POUSPM

%BJMZ
8FFLMZ
.POUIMZ

:FBSMZ
$POUSBDUT

)PVST
4FSWJDF 
GSM: 33020107/33020108 COMPUTERS & NETWORKING 5FM
4436068 Fax: 44353336 &NBJM
BMTBEFR!IPUNBJMDPN
OJZBTBIE!ZBIPPDPN

NATIONAL COMPUTER CENTER CAPITAL CLEANING COMPANY W.L.L. $PNQMFUF
(FOFSBM
$MFBOJOH
4FSWJDFT
GPS
0ME
BOE
/FX
7JMMBT Desktops, Laptops, Printers, Scanners, UPS, Softwares, ERP, Accessories, 5FM
44582257 .PCJMF
33189899/ 55565328/77609026 /FUXPSLJOH

$BCMJOH

5FM
44351200 Fax: 44315058 - [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] HEALTH CARE COMPUTER TRAINING CENTRE DENTAL FAMILY COMPUTER CENTRE "M
3BZZBO
$PNQMFY
3BZZBO
3PBE AL MASA DENTAL COMPLEX 5FM
44435361/44370779 - Fax: 44449130 %3
4BFFE
.PIBNNFE
"CEFMLIBMFL
.4
1SPTUIPEPOUJDT
0QQPTJUF
7JMMBHJP
5FM
44513289 Fax: 44693086 CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE AL MASA DENTAL COMPLEX %3
4BNJ
,IBMJM
&MNPSTJ
&MTIBSPVE
.4
3FTUPSBUJWF
%FOUJTUZ

&OEPEPOUJDT 0QQPTJUF
7JMMBHJP
5FM
44513289 Fax: 44693086 AL MASA DENTAL COMPLEX %3
.PIBNNFE
/BWFFE
:BXBS
(#
(FOFSBM
4DPQF
%FOUJTU
3BKJW
(BOEIJ
6OJWFSTJUZ
PG
)FBMUI
4DJFODFT 
0QQPTJUF
7JMMBHJP
5FM
44513289 Fax: 44693086 ENTERPRISE TELEPHONY AND SECURITY SOLUTIONS

HEAVY EQUIPMENT RENTAL

INTN’L TRDG. & TECHNICAL SVCS. CO. (INTER-TECH) 1MBOOJOH
%FTJHO
&OHJOFFSJOH
4VQQMZ
*OTUBMMBUJPO
5FTUJOH
$PNNJTTJPOJOH
.VMUJ
4ZTUFN
*OUFHSBUJPO
.BJOUFOBODF
JO
5FMFDPNNVOJDBUJPO
&MFDUSPOJDT
1PXFS
4FDVSJUZ

$BCMJOH 5FM
44416556 Fax: 44416410 - [email protected]

EDUCATION INVEST IN QATAR PEARL SCHOOL NEW INDIA ATTESTATION *OEJBO
$#4&
$VSSJDVMVN
CBTFE
JO
"M
3PXEBI LEADER MIDDLE EAST W.L.L. 5PMM
'SFF

&YQSFTT
"UUFTUBUJPO
JO
EBZT
%PDVNFOU
*OTVSFE
"GGPSEBCMF
3BUF
1BZNFOU
BGUFS
EFMJWFSZ
"ENJTTJPO
PQFO
GSPN
,(
UJMM
$MBTT
 $BMM
66250332/44442555 'PS
GBTU

SFMJBCMF
#64*/&44
4&561
-0$"-
410/4034
5SBEF

'SFF
DPMMFDUJPO

EFMJWFSZ
5SBDL
ZPVS
EPDVNFOU
'SPN
*OEJB6,64"($$
8F
BSSBOHF
1BODBSE
T: 44430824 &NBJM
QFBSMTDIPPMEPIB!HNBJMDPN
8FC
IUUQXXXQFBSMTDIPPMTDIRB -JDFODFT
+PJOU
7FOUVSFT
1VCMJD
3FMBUJPOT
7JTBT

3FBM
&TUBUF
4FSWJDFT 5FM
+974 55745147 &NBJM
CJ[RBUBS!ZBIPPDPN
.

1PXFSFE
CZ
"NFUFL
XXXOFXJOEJBBUUFTUBUJPODPN HELPLINE GROUP OF COMPANIES FIRE AND SAFETY HELPLINE GROUP OF COMPANIES $FSUJûDBUF
BUUFTUBUJPO
GSPN
*OEJB
6,
64"
"VTUSBMJB
(VMG
$PVOUSJFT
BOE
8F
QSPWJEF
"
UP
;
TVQQPSU
GPS
UIF
$PNQBOZ
'PSNBUJPO
$PNNFSDJBM
$BOBEB

8F
IBWF

ZFBST
FYQFSJFODF

BQQSPWFE
"HFODZ 3FHJTUSBUJPO
130
4FSWJDFT

3FBM
&TUBUF
4FSWJDFT
$BMM
/PX
GSM: 77711129
5FM
44351974/44919213 - www.helplinegroups.com 77711129/44351974/44919213 - www.helplinegroups.com ASIA ATTESTATION & TRANSLATION SERVICES CENTRE 4JODF

-FBEJOH
%PDVNFOU
-FHBMJTBUJPO
BOE
5SBOTMBUPST
*OEJBO
$FSUJûDBUF
"UUFTUBUJPO
JO

IT SOLUTION 8PSLJOH
%BZT
.PCJMF


4PûUFM
'JSTU
'MPPS
/P
5FM
 A/C MAINTENANCE & SERVICES Software Lab Qatar P.O. Box : 31400, Doha, Qatar

Software Labs Tel: +974 44622703, 44622705 GSM: 66836037 &NBJM
HPQJOBUI!TPGUMBCRBUBSDPN
8FCTJUF
XXXTPGUMBCRBUBSDPN HR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR QATAR) á
%PDVNFOU
.BOBHFNFOU
4ZTUFN

á
*OWFOUPSZ
.BOBHFNFOU
4ZTUFN

á
1MBOU
.BOBHFNFOU
4ZTUFN Expertise and capability to develop any kind of Software to suit your specific business needs!!! FLORIST

ART & HANDCRAFT SUPPLIES

COLOUR NOTE CO. 4VQQMJFST
PG
"SU

)BOEJDSBGU
DMBTT
BDUJWJUJFT
GPS
4DIPPMT

/VSTFSJFT
OFYU
EBZ
EFMJWFSZ
5FM
44322868, Fax: 44430640, GSM: 77181874

BLASTING AND PAINTING INTN’L TRDG. & TECHNICAL SVCS. CO. (INTER-TECH) )BSEXBSF
4PGUXBSF
/FUXPSLJOH
&31
$BCMJOH
4FSWFST
614
M. PALLONJI QATAR Network Operation, Maintenance, etc. 5FM
44416556 Fax: 44416410 - [email protected] 10
#09

&NBJM
NQBMMPOKJ!RBUBSOFURB 5FM
44606822 Fax: 44606977 GSM:55879234 IT SUPPORT "MM
*5
4VQQPSU
8F
DPNF
UP
ZPVS
MPDBUJPO
1$
.BJOUFOBODF

"MM
4PGUXBSF
BATTERY )BSEXBSF
/FUXPSL
4VQQPSU
8FCTJUF
$SFBUJPO
BMM
CZ
&YQFSJFODFE
&OHJOFFST QATAR INTERNATIONAL NURSERY Mob: 33882095/70570768 - E-mail: [email protected] AUTOMOBILE BATTERY (BSEFO
4FSWJDFT
*SSJHBUJPO
4ZTUFNT
4PGU

)BSE
-BOETDBQJOH
*OEPPS

0VUEPPS
.BEF
JO
,PSFB
XJUI
0OF
:FBS
8BSSBOUZ
4QFDJBM
1SJDF
GPS
1MBOUT
8BUFS
'PVOUBJOT
'SFTI
$VU
'MPXFST

(BSEFO
.BJOUFOBODF
5FM
44212630 INSTRUMENTATION 4QFDJBM
2VBOUJUZ
$POUBDU
66557122/70777406 Fax: 44213619 www.qinagriqatar.com E-mail: [email protected]

BICYCLES & WATER SPORTS FURNITURE SKATE SHACK "M
"JO


4BMXB
3PBE
'PS
%JSFDUJPO
DBMM
5FM
446-92532 APOLLO FURNITURE GSM: 552-47885/779-36152 - www.skate-shack.com 4BMXB
3PBE
5FM
44689522 (3 Lines) XXXBQPMMPGVSOJUVSFPOMJOFDPN BLINDS GLASS COATING AL SHARK EXHIBITION Vertical-Venitian Blinds. Bin Mehmoud. 5FM'BY
44422906 APOLLO ENTERPRISES AL JAWHAR CURTAINS & FURNITURE $SZTUBM
#POE
(MBTT
$PBUJOH
"HBJOTU
5IF
4VOÚT
)BSNGVM
3BZT
Vertical-Venitian Blinds. Salwa Road, Qatar Decoration )FBU
3FTJTUBODF
4BMXB
3PBE
5FM
44426664 R/A. 5FM
44689897 GSM: 55830870/33599574 &NBJM
[email protected] DECEMBER 28, 2013 Classifieds www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 ON SATURDAY

SERVICES

INTERIOR DESIGNING MOBILE PHONES & MEDICAL SERVICES ENHANCEMENTS RENT A CAR NICE RENT A CAR 4PMVUJPO
GPS
5SBOTQPSU

-FBTJOH
BMM
UZQFT
PG
WFIJDMF

)FBWZ
&RVJNFOU 5FM
44413392 (4.
55514223 'BY
44317896 8FCTJUF
niceqatar.com &NBJM
[email protected]/ [email protected] REGENCY FLEETS "
3FHFODZ
(SPVQ
$P 4QFDJBM
$PSQPSBUF
MFBTJOH
BOE
3FOUBM
SBUFT
1SJDF
JODMVEFT
$PNQSFIFOTJWF
*OTVSBODF
.BJOUFOBODF
3FQMBDFNFOU
7FIJDMF
FUD
%SJWFO
CZ
7BMVFT
&NBJM
JOGP!SFHFODZüFFUT DPN

5FM
44433822/44554046
'BY
44554047 Branches: "JSQPSU

5FM
44153086 #FWFSMZ
)JMMT

5FM
44122131 .PWFOQJDL
5PXFS

4VJUFT
5FM
44966107/30122300

AVIS RENT A CAR IMMIGRATION SERVICES .BJO
0GûDF
BU
"M
4IBSJG
5SBEJOH

$POUSBDUJOH
$P
#MEH
BU
UIF
KVODUJPO
PG
"JSQPSU
4USFFU
BOE
4VIBS
4USFFU
3PBE
5FM
44667744 / 44622180
'BY
44657626 BUDGET RENT A CAR 5IF
#FTU
$BS
3FOUBM
4FSWJDF
JO
2BUBS
MASSAGE )FBE
0GûDF

44310411
"JSQPSU
"SSJWBM

44153048 Airport Departure - 44622678/55808638 (24 Hrs)

NATIONAL CAR RENTAL $BST

8%T

1JDLVQT

#VTFT

$IBVGGFVS
%SJWF
$BMM
5547 8150/5547 8151
&NBJM
JOGP!OBUJPOBMRBUBSDPN AL SULAIMAN RENT A CAR .BJO
0GûDF
%Ú
3JOH
3PBE
5FM
44911711/44911710 'BY
44911699. &NBJM
JOGP!BMTVMBJNBODBSDPN
.VTIFSJC

'BY

"M
8BLSB

'BY

MANPOWER SUPPLY "M
,IPS

'BY
 AL MUFTAH RENT A CAR WLL .BJO
0GûDF
%Ú
3JOH
3PBE
5


#SBODI
"JSQPSU


(SBOE
)BNBE

"[J[JZB

3BT
-BGGBO

"M
,IPS

&
.BJM
SBD!RBUBSOFURB

8FCTJUF
XXXSFOUBDBSEPIBDPN LEADERSHIP LIMOUSINE 
)PVS
4FSWJDF

3FOU
"
$BS
.BJO
0GûDF
4BMXB
3PBE

5FM
44440112 (4.
33047637

&NBJM
BCPEBIJTI!IPUNBJMDPN JABRCO RENT A CAR 8F
IBWF
NBOZ
WFIJDMFT
MJLF




NPEFMT
GPS
SFOU
XJUI
B
DPNGPSUBCMF
QSJDF
PO
EBJMZXFFLMZ
BOE
NPOUIMZ
.BJO
PGûDF

(4.


#SBODI
#BSXB
7JMMBHF

(4.

&NBJM
KBCSDPDPNQBOJFT!IPUNBJMDPN

GO RENT A CAR $PNQFUJUJWF
3BUFT
GPS
$BS
3FOUBM

-FBTJOH
5FM +974 44325500 'BY

44375753
(4.
33697075/ 66971703/55241629 &NBJM
JOGPHPRBUBS!HPSFOUBDBSNFDPN

AL DAR CAR RENTAL 
)PVST
#JO
0NSBO
"INFE
#JO
"MJ
4U
10
#PY

5FM
44877789
(4.
55599972/55732070

'BY
44866637 BMEBSDBSSFOUBM!IPUNBJMDPN

COUNTRY RENT A CAR - BARWA AL WAKRA "
DBS
IBT
B
DIPJDF
PG
WFIJDMFT
UP
TVJU
ZPVS
OFFET
4QFDJBM
DPTU
QSPWJEF
OJDF
TFSWJDF
UP
PVS
DVTUPNFS
8IBUÚT
NPSF
$PNQSFIFOTJWF
.BJOUFOBODFT

3FQMBDFNFOU
7FIJDMF
$PNF
UP
ZPV
BU
BGGPSEBCMF
‘WE GET THE JOB DONE’ SBUFT
FUD
5FM
44154467 (4.
55440424 &NBJM
DPVOUSZSFOUBDBSRB!IPUNBJMDPN 4QFDJBMJTFE
JO
(PWFSONFOUBM
XPSL
8PSL
7JTB
'BNJMZ
7JTB
3FTJEFOU
1FSNJUT
BOE
NBOZ
NPSF
&NBJM
JOGP!EFMUBRBUBSDPN
GULF GHAZAL RENT A CAR 5FM
44675502
'BY 4467-5503 8FCTJUF
EFMUBRBUBSDPN "WBJMBCMF

4BMPPO
$BST



4FBUFST

1JDLVQT
4BMXB
3PBE
"JO
MISSION SERVICES ,IBMJE
/FBS
6OJUFE
#BOL
6QTUBJST
,BNMDP
5SBEJOH

$POU
5FM
44272619 4QFDJBMJTFE
JO
HPWFSNFOUBM
TFSWJDFT
QSPDFTTFTT
FTUBCMJTIJOH
OFX
DPNQBOJFT
JNNJHSBUJPO
&NBJM
SFOUBDBS!HVMGHIB[BMDPN

.PC
55212784/55492705/55634924 TFSWJDFT
USBGûD
BOE
MBCPS
EFQBSUNFOUT
BOE
PUIFS
BVUIPSJUJFT
0VS
NJTTJPO
JT
UP
HFU
ZPVS
KPC
EPOF 5FM

'BY

&NBJM
JOGP!NJTTJPORBUBSDPN CHAUFFEUR RENT A CAR :FBSMZ
BOE
.POUIMZ
XJUI
PS
XJUIPVU
ESJWFS
.PCJMF
55820652 5FM
44445456

&NBJM
JOGP!DIBVGGFVSRBDPN JEWELLERY CANARA JEWELLERY REAL ESTATE "M
.BOTPVSB
#JO
%JSIBN
4USFFU
5FM
44422071, 44357283
&NBJM
DBOBSBKFXFMMFSZ!ZBIPPDPN DBOBSBKFXMMFSZ!HNBJMDPN

XXXDPN AL MUFTAH SERVICES & RENT A CAR WLL $
3JOH
3PBE
.BJO
0GûDF
5FM 44328100/44442003, 'BY
44414339

.VTIFSJC
#SBODI
0GûDF
5FM
44326840/ 44426649, MOVERS NURSERY 'BY
44312899 &
.BJM
SBD!RBUBSOFURB
8FCTJUF
XXXSBDRBUBSDPN

ADAM REAL ESTATE COMPANY "M
,VXBSJ
#MHE
UI
'MPPS
"M
4BEE
/FBS
4FCTUBJO
3FTU
5FM
44366932
'BY
44366931 (4.
55500789 / 55803731

APOLLO REAL ESTATE 4BMXB
3PBE
(4.

55864352/55506803/ 55872145 5FM
44689522 XXXBQPMMPQSPQFSUJFTPOMJOFDPN
&NBJM
BQPMMPQSPQ!RBUBSOFURB COREO 3FOU
#VZ

4FMM
3FBM
&TUBUF
1SPQFSUZ
1IPUPT
1SJDFT
BOE
NPSF
DBO
CF
GPVOE
POMJOF
5FM
446.99950 8FC
www.mycoreo.com SCAFFOLDING GOLDEN-WING & LOGISTIC W.L.L. THE LITTLE HANDS NURSERY 'PS
*OUFSOBUJPOBM-PDBM
3FMPDBUJPO
PG
%PNFTUJD
BOE
0GûDF
"HF
HSPVQ

NPOUIT
UP

ZFBST
4FQBSBUF
DMBTTFT
GPS
CBCJFT
UPEEMFST

TUVEFOUT
4IJGUJOH

*OEVTUSJBM
1BDLJOH
8PSMEXJEF
%PPS
UP
%PPS
XJUI
TQBDJPVT
QMBZ
BSFB
#SJUJTI
.BOBHFNFOU

$BNFSB
1SPUFDUJPO
-PDBUJPO
/FX
APOLLO ENTERPRISES SCAFFOLDING DIVISION Call: 33991967/55418573/44179579 "JS
$BSHP
4BMBUB

"M
.BBIFE
4USFFU
BU
UIF
CBDL
PG
#JSMB
1VCMJD
4DIPPM
(4.
55312803 $POUSBDU)JSF4BMF

4BMXB
3PBE
5FM
44693334 HOMEPAC INTERNATIONAL REMOVALS 'BY
44416274
(4.
55521089/55560246/55536285 -PDBM

*OUFSOBUJPOBM
3FMPDBUJPO
1SPGFTTJPOBM
1BDLJOH

)ST
4FSWJDF
PORTABLE/CHEMICAL TOILETS XXXBQPMMPRBUBSOFU

&NBJM
BQPMMPTDBGG!RBUBSOFURB 2BUBS

Tel: 44181800/30082345, Dubai - 042399883, #BISBJO

17710250, Dammam- 038330044 &NBJM
[email protected] COSMOS TOOLS & INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES CO. W.L.L BEAM CONSTRUCTION 4DBGGPMEJOH

-BEEFST
5FM
44151824, 44315500 'BY
44151825/ XINGULAR SOLUTIONS (BEST CHOICE INTERNATIONAL MOVERS) /FBS
"M
4BMJZB
4QPSUT
4UBEJVN
5FM
44901760 'BY
44901566 44214809 (4.
66537470 &NBJM
[email protected] 'PS
*OUFSOBUJPOBM-PDBM
3FMPDBUJPO
0GûDF
7JMMB
4IJGUJOH
XJUI
5SBJOFE
4UBGG (4.
33138018 &NBJM
[email protected] 4IPXSPPN
#FTJEF
%PIB
4UBEJVN
OFBS
UP
$MPDL
3"
"MTP
XF
EP
$PNQVUFS
*OTUBMMBUJPO

/FUXPSLJOH Call: 77606860 E-mail: [email protected] MALZAMAT QATAR W.L.L. RENT A CAR 4UFFM

"MVNJOJVN
4DBGGPMEJOH
4BMF
)JSF

$POUSBDUJOH
METAL REPAIRS 5FM
44504266 'BY
44502489 (4.
66715063 KOTTAKKAL AYURVEDIC MASSAGE CENTRE www.malzamatqatar.com &NBJM
[email protected], [email protected] 0JM
.BTTBHF
)PUFM

)PNF
7JTJU
0QQPTJUF
)BNBE
)PTQJUBM
APOLLO ENTERPRISES "M
3BZZBO
4USFFU
5FM 44360061 (4. 33453697 #FM[POB
1PMZNFSJDT

5FM
44426664 SARVIKA & CO. QATAR W.L.L. (4.
55871914/ 55524897 &NBJM
BQPMMP!RBUBSOFURB

INTERNATIONAL MASSAGE CENTER (AYURVEDIC) 5FM
44514689/90/91 'BY
44514688
8FC
XXXTSJNBMTIRBUBSDPN JORVJSZ!BQPMMPDIFNJDBMTDPN *OEJBO

5IBJMBOE
3FKVWBOBUJPO
#BDL

+PJOUT
1BJO
&NBJM
TBSWJLB!TSJNBMFTIRBUBSDPN 1BSBMZTJT
3IFVNBUJD
%JTFBTFT
)PNF
4FSWJDFT
0QQPTJUF
"M
+B[FFSB
57
#JO
0NSBO
5FM 44218166 (4. 77702421 MEDICAL SERVICES SERVICED OFFICE iRest Massage Chair #VZ
0OMJOF

XXXRCVZRB
OE
'MPPS
2VBMJUZ
)ZQFS
.BSLFU

GSM: 55684777

MEDIHERB 4FQBSBUF
4FDUJPO
GPS
(FOUT

-BEJFT
#BDL
/FDL

+PJOU
$BSF
*OEJBO
"ZVSWFEJD
.BTTBHF
)PMJTUJD
3FKVWFOBUJOH
.BTTBHF
'BSFFK
"M
/BTBS
/FBS
.JENBD
3"5FM 44690363 (4. 66167700 www.mediherbqatar.com BASE RENT A CAR PARTY ITEMS & $BST
UIBU
ûUT
ZPVS
/FFET

#VEHFU
8F
%FMJWFS

1JDLVQ
BALLOON DECORATION $BMM
GPS
B
RVPUF

)PVST
!
 PARTY KINGDOM OASiS RENT A CAR AND TRANSPORTATION /FBS
+BJEBI
'MZPWFS
/BTSBMMBI
$FOUSF
Y06
R&/5
M03&
T)"/
A CAR W*5)
O"4J4
'BY: 44130033 5FM
44353501/ 44366431 5FM
44130011/44130022 (4. 55157587 (Rental)/ 55129615 E-mail: [email protected] (Transportation) 3FOUBM!0BTJT$BST$PN

0BTJT$BSTDPN DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Sport Nadal loses to Ferrer Djokovic downs Tsonga; Murray back to winning ways

ABU DHABI: Rafael Nadal got his defeating Switzerland’s Wawrinka 6-3, 6-4. season underway with a 6-4, 6-4 loss to The 26-year-old Wimbledon champion had Rafa aims to focus fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the semi- back surgery in September and did not play finals of the Mudabala World Tennis again until he lost to Tsonga in the quar- Championship exhibition tournament in ter-finals of the exhibition tournament on Abu Dhabi yesterday. Thursday. Wawrinka lost to Ferrer on the on fitness in 2014 It was the world number one’s first same day and the match between him and match since losing in straight sets to Novak Murray was to decide who would finish fifth MADRID: Staying fit is Djokovic in the final of the World Tour in the unofficial three-day tournament that more important to Rafa Nadal Finals in London on November 11. saw Nadal and Djokovic joining in at the in 2014 than adding to his 13 Playing ahead of the official ATP season- semi-final stage. grand slam titles, the world opener in nearby Doha next week, Ferrer Murray looked much sharper against number one was quoted as looked the sharper from the start, breaking Ferrer than he had looked in the second saying yesterday. in the ninth game to take the first set. set against Tsonga and had little difficulty in Spaniard Nadal had one of It was more of the same in the second set seeing off the challenge of the world number the best season’s of his career as Nadal struggled to find his range against eight. The world number four got the bet- in 2013 following his return in an opponent who already had a game under ter of three successive breaks to take the February after seven months his belt, having defeated Stanislas Wawrinka first set and then forged ahead again with out with a knee injury, win- in the quarter-finals on Thursday. a break for 4-3 in the second. ning 10 tournaments including “I think the fact that I had already played Wawrinka saved a match point on his own a record eighth French Open a game on the same surface meant that I serve with a forehand winner, but Murray crown and a second US Open was better prepared than Rafa,” said Ferrer, confidently served out for the victory. title. who announced at the weekend that he was Murray will next make the short trip As he gears up for the start splitting with long-time coach Javier Piles over to Doha where he will play in the ATP of the 2014 tour, the 27-year- in a bid to finally with a Grand Slam title. season-opener tournament. AFP old Mallorcan told Spain’s As “I am happy with the state of my game newspaper remaining healthy and will look to produce my best tennis for Mudabala World Tennis Results and being able to challenge at the final.” ABU DHABI: Results yesterday in the Mudabala World the top level were his priorities. In the second semi-final world number Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi: “What I want is to be able to two Djokovic defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Semi-finals start the year well and in shape of France 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 under the watchful David Ferrer (ESP) bt Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-4, 6-4 to compete in the big tourna- eyes of new coach Boris Becker. Novak Djokovic (SRB) bt Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 ments,” Nadal said. In earlier action, Andy Murray chalked Spain’s Rafael Nadal gestures dur- Match for fifth place “In that sense, and thinking ing a match against his compatriot up his first win since returning to action Andy Murray (GBR) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 6-3 6-4 about 2014, I am not going to David Ferrer in Abu Dhabi. after a three-month injury lay-off by talk at the moment about win- ning the ninth Roland Garros or winning Wimbledon again, which would be the third time. “No, look: what is important to me is to maintain my fitness in a way that will allow me to play the whole year, and competing at a good level. “You see it’s not easy: I couldn’t do that, for the whole season, in 2012, 2013.” Nadal’s 10 titles last season came close to matching the best year of his career, when he won 11 in 2005, including his first Roland Garros crown. He said his enforced rest in the second half of 2012 had meant he was fresh and hungry on his return and that was possibly why he had been so successful. “In terms of results, I don’t know if 2013 was the best year of my career,” Nadal told As. “What made it special was the feeling of being able to compete again at the level I managed. “But certainly 2013 was the most emotional of my career. If you ask me about the key elements of what happened I think I started playing when I was fresher than ever after a seven-month rest. That may have been the key to the successes.” Nadal will get his next crack at a Grand Slam when the Australian Open starts in Melbourne in mid January. He is lost to world number three David Ferrer at an invitational David Ferrer of Spain hits a return to compatriot Rafael Nadal during their semi-final tennis event in Abu Dhabi yesterday. REUTERS match at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, yesterday. Federer signs up ‘childhood hero’ Edberg

PARIS: Roger Federer yesterday in Melbourne. “Stefan was my Becker, Richard Gasquet has the same team. I understand if any- announced that his “childhood hero” childhood hero, and I am really taken on Sergi Bruguera, thing goes wrong, nobody is responsible Stefan Edberg will become part of his looking forward to spending Marin Cilic has renewed more than me.” coaching team for ten weeks at the time and learning from him.” his partnership with Goran Luthi said he was looking forward Australian Open, the season’s first Edberg, 47, won the Ivanisevic while Kei Nishikori to working with Edberg. Grand Slam. Australian Open in 1985 and signed up Michael Chang. “Roger will play a full schedule next Edberg, a former world number one 1987, Wimbledon in 1988 and Undoubtedly, they were year so we both wanted to make sure and a six-time major winner, had been 1990 and back-to-back US moves inspired by Andy we had a solid team in place,” he said. hitting with Federer over the winter Opens in 1991 and 1992. Murray’s success with Ivan “I want to continue to improve and as the Swiss gears up for what could “I’m really excited to be part Lendl which has yielded the innovate Roger’s game and I really be a make-or-break season. of Roger’s team and I hope 2012 US Open title and 2013 look forward to be working with “I am happy to announce that begin- together we can bring out his Wimbledon triumph. Stefan. Like Roger, I have a tremen- ning in Melbourne, Stefan Edberg will best tennis,” said Edberg. The only man not interested in dous amount of respect for Stefan and join Severin Luthi on my coaching Federer, who announced on changing is world number one Rafael I am sure he will bring a lot to our team,” said Federer, the 17-time major Christmas Eve that he and wife Mirka Nadal who has been coached by his team as Roger continues to chase titles winner but whose ranking is now down are to become parents for a third uncle Toni since childhood. in 2014.” at six in the world. time, split with longtime coach Paual “I will stick to my team. I always Federer, whose last Grand Slam title “Severin, who has been part of my Annacone in October. feel when I play bad, it is my fault and came at Wimbledon in 2012 and did team for the last seven years, will do The 32-year-old becomes the latest when I’m winning I’m doing the right not feature in any of the four major most of the weeks and Stefan has top player to hire a former Grand Slam things. I had success in my career with championship finals in 2013, begins his agreed to work with us for at least 10 title-winning player as coach. the same team,” said Nadal. season next week in Brisbane. weeks start ing at the Australian Open Novak Djokovic has hired Boris “I had good and worst moments with AFP

NOTICE MR. ARNHEL DEVILLES ALTAVANO FILIPINO NATIONAL, PASSPORT NO. EB 2733779 QATAR ID NO. 27860804532 The above said person is leaving Qatar for good. Anybody who has any claim against him should contact us on the Victoria Azarenka (left) following number within 3 days from of Belarus and Serena the date of this advertisement. We Williams of US applaud will not be responsible for any claim as they present silk dress whatsoever after the above said date. creations on the catwalk CONTACT MOBILE: 55503889 during a fashion show at the International Hotel at Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri NOTICE Khan province, Thailand, MS. REBECCA BERNADAS ALTAVANO yesterday. Victoria FILIPINO NATIONAL, PASSPORT NO. EB 2733799 Azarenka will face Serena QATAR ID NO. 28060803435 Williams of the US in an The above said person is leaving Qatar exhibition match today. for good. Anybody who has any claim against her should contact us on the following number within 3 days from the date of this advertisement. We will not be responsible for any claim whatsoever after the above said date. CONTACT MOBILE: 55503889 DECEMBER 28, 2013 Sport www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21 ON SATURDAY

Qatar Optimist Cup begins in Doha English Premier League fixtures Fixtures from the English premier league matches. (All times in GMT) Today West Ham United vs West Bromwich Albion (1245) Aston Villa vs Swansea City (1500) Hull City v sFulham (1500) Manchester City vs Crystal Palace (1500) Norwich City vs Manchester United (1500) Cardiff City vs Sunderland (1730) Tomorrow Everton v Southampton (1330) Newcastle United vs Arsenal (1330) Chelsea vs Liverpool (1600) Tottenham Hotspur vs Stoke City (1600) Scottish Premiership Scottish Premiership matches today Inverness Caledonian Thistle vs Celtic (1230) St. Johnstone vs Dundee United (1400) Aberdeen vs Ross County (1500) Hibernian vs Kilmarnock (1500) Partick Thistle vs Motherwell (1500) St Mirren vs Hearts (1500)

Sailors from Qatar team taking part in the Qatar Optimist Cup pose for a picture along with an official at Doha Sailing Club, yesterday. RIGHT: Action from the race. Around 51 sailors from NBA Results 14 countries are taking part in the inaugural Qatar Optimist Cup, organised by the Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation (QSRF). Sailors from Algeria, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Spain, Atlanta 127 Cleveland 125 Finland, Germany, India, Lebanon, the Netherlands, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey, UAE, besides Qatar are competing in the six day event which will end on January 2. Today’s action Houston 100 Memphis 92 begins at 10.00 am from the Corniche. San Antonio 116 Dallas 107 Portland 116 LA Clippers 112 ELP: Newcastle in mood to banish painful Cardiff sack Mackay Arsenal defeat Protracted disagreement with owner leads to sacking LONDON: Exactly a year to the day since losing 7-3 at CARDIFF, United Kingdom: come back fighting and show what Arsenal, resurgent Newcastle Cardiff manager Malky Mackay Cardiff City’s a great manager he is.” United can move into the top was sacked yesterday, the Scot Scottish Among those in the frame four of the Premier League relieved of his duties the day manager to replace Mackay are former if they exact revenge for that after the Premier League side Malky Manchester United striker and painful defeat at St James’ Park were defeated 3-0 at home by Mackay Molde manager Ole Gunnar on Sunday. Southampton. Solksjaer, Sven-Goran Eriksson The Gunners head to the Mackay’s acrimonious depar- and Turkish journeyman Yilmaz north-east to face Alan Pardew’s ture comes despite the club grant- Vural. in-form side as league leaders ing him a reprieve last weekend Earlier Friday, Vural’s agent after winning 3-1 at West Ham after controversial Malaysian Muzzi Ozcan had tweeted: “The United on Thursday. owner Vincent Tan’s e-mail story is coming to a End in Newcastle’s 5-1 demolition of demanding he either resign or be Wales and a new story will be nine-man Stoke City on Boxing sacked. born ... The next 48 hours will Day was their eighth win from Manchester City’s Spanish for- That ultimatum was briefly be explosive!” their last 10 league games and ward Alvaro Negredo leaves lifted when chairman Mehmet When news of Mackay’s sack- Pardew expects a cracking the pitch after being sub- Dalman stated Mackay would ing broke, he added: “New page encounter. stituted during the English be in charge for the “forseeable has been turned over as I said .... “Arsenal are top of the league. Premier League match against future”, but the 3-0 Boxing Day Wish the best for MM.” That is deserved as they have Liverpool at Etihad Stadium in defeat against Southampton Cardiff fans have been back- been the best team in the first Manchester, northwest England proved to be the ex-Watford boss’ ing their now former manager half of the season, but we are on Thursday. last in charge. at Mackay’s hopes of adding to his Malky Mackay of his performance with chants of “Don’t sack Malky in great shape, our place will be A statement on the Cardiff squad in January, which resulted as manager, which Tan criticised Mackay” heard among the home rocking and rolling and Arsenal website read: “The Board of in last week’s incendiary email. in his email ultimatum. support on Thursday. know it won’t be easy to turn us Manchester City are just a Directors at Cardiff City Football Mackay had twice requested Thursday’s loss left the Mackay is the sixth Premier over,” he said. point behind the Gunners on 38, Club have today relieved Malky a meeting with Tan and Dalman Bluebirds, who under 42-year- League manager to leave his job Arsenal ended a run of three followed by Chelsea (37), Liverpool Mackay of his duties. this week in order to discuss their old Mackay won promotion to the this season, his dismissal fol- league games without a win with (36), Everton (34), Newcastle “A new first team manager will differences, but the Scot revealed top flight last season, just a point lowing those of Andre Villas- a come from behind victory at (33), Manchester United (31) and be appointed and announced in the Malaysian had turned them above the relegation zone. Boas (Tottenham), Steve Upton Park to revive their title Tottenham Hotspur (31). due course.” down Liverpool manager Brendan Clarke (West Brom), Martin hopes as the closest race for Arsenal were boosted by the Tan’s email had included a list He refused to step down how- Rodgers stuck up for his friend, Jol (Fulham), Ian Holloway years keeps up its relentless pace return of long-term absentee of grievances with the former ever but it looked like the axe and expressed confidence that (Crystal Palace), and Paolo Di through the Christmas and New Lukas Podolski at West Ham and Watford manager, and Mackay would fall after last Saturday’s he would bounce back from this Canio (Sunderland). Year holidays. the German marked his come- said he had been left “deeply 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield, reverse. Mackay leaves his post hav- The season reaches the halfway back with a goal to seal the win. upset” by its content. until the reprieve which was to “The guy has given that club so ing guided Cardiff to the League mark this weekend with Arsenal The league leaders suffered a There has been ill-feeling prove shortlived. much, he’ll go down in history as Cup final in 2012 and the top with 39 points from 18 games, big blow, however, after Aaron between the two since Tan’s Mackay, who has been linked the manager to take them to the Championship title in 2013. with eight teams still harbouring Ramsey, their outstanding player removal of Iain Moody as his head with the vacancy at West Brom, Premier League,” Rodgers told a They lie 16th in the Premier hopes of either a push for the title this season, suffered a thigh of recruitment in October, and had launched a staunch defence press conference. League, one point above the rel- or the top four. injury. AFP the owner was said to be furious Cardiff City’s Scottish manager He added: “He’ll recover and egation zone. AFP

Qatar Volleyball Association League: Win for Al Arabi Your TV guide for live matches today

Event Competition Time Channel West Ham vs West Brom Barclays Premier League 15:00 HD6 Nottm Forest vs Leeds English Championship 18:00 HD4 Norwich vs Man United Barclays Premier League 18:00 HD6 Cardiff vs Sunderland Barclays Premier League 20:30 HD6 Aldridge sparks Blazers over Clippers in OT

PORTLAND: LaMarcus since going 23-6 to open the 1990- Aldridge scored 32 points and 91 campaign and edged to Trail grabbed 10 points to spark Blazers ahead of Oklahoma City Portland over the Los Angeles atop the Northwest division. Clippers 116-112 in overtime yes- “We just slowed it down, try- terday, giving the Trail Blazers ing to get stops,” Aldridge said. the NBA’s best record. “I made some shots down the French forward Nicolas Batum stretch.” and guard Wesley Matthews each Blake Griffin scored 35 points added 19 points, making key con- and grabbed 11 rebounds, while tributions in the fourth quarter Chris Paul contributed 34 points and overtime as the Trail Blazers and a game-high 16 assists for the improved to 24-5, moving past Clippers, who fell to 20-11 but still Oklahoma City and Indiana, both lead the Pacific division. The players of Eljaish (in black) and Al Arabi in action during their Qatar Volleyball Association League at Al Arabi Indoor Stadium yesterday. Al Arabi 23-5, for the NBA’s top mark. “They are good. They have so won 3-0. In another match, Police edged Al Ahli 3-2. PICTURES BY: SHAIVAL DALAL It also mark’s Portland’s best many weapons,” Aldridge said. 29-game start to an NBA season “They played great.” AFP DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Sport Steyn puts South Africa on top Fast bowler rips through the Indian batting line-up on a rain-reduced day in Durban

DURBAN, South Africa: Dale dismissed Shikhar Dhawan early breakthroughs. Rahane was twice Steyn ended a bowling drought in the first Test in Johannesburg. struck by bouncers from Steyn, Sri Lanka pull with a six-wicket haul as South Pujara and Murali Vijay put on on the helmet and on the upper Africa fought back on the sec- 157 for the second wicket. arm. off thrilling ond day of the second and final Vijay followed for 97 in Steyn’s It took a spectacular catch by Test against India at Kingsmead next over when he gloved a catch De Villiers to dismiss Kohli, who consolation win yesterday. down the leg side to wicketkeeper made a confident 46 before glanc- Steyn took six for 100 as India AB de Villiers. ing Morne Morkel to leg, with the slipped from their overnight 181 Rohit Sharma padded up to the wicketkeeper flinging himself to in ODI series for one to 334 all out. next ball and watched in dismay his left to take the chance. South Africa reached 82 for no as the ball snaked back and hit Rahane and Dhoni scored ABU DHABI: Dinesh wicket by the close, with Graeme his middle stump. Steyn had cap- quickly after tea until Steyn was Chandimal kept his nerve to pull Smith (35 not out) and Alviro tured three wickets in ten balls brought back and had Dhoni off a sensational two-wicket win Petersen (46 not out) batting without conceding a run. caught at first slip. for Sri Lanka in the fifth and confidently and scoring at better Vijay batted for 309 minutes Zaheer Khan slashed wildly final one-dayer in Abu Dhabi than four runs an over to reduce and faced 226 balls before falling at a lifting delivery from Steyn yesterday, but Pakistan took the the deficit to 252. three short of what would have and was caught by a leaping De five-match series 3-2. Fast bowler Steyn had endured been his fourth Test century and Villiers. Chandimal finished with 64 the longest period without a his first outside India. He hit 18 Ravindra Jadeja edged off- not out off 70 balls and added wicket in his Test career before boundaries. spinner JP Duminy to slip where a match-turning 40 runs for he had Cheteshwar Pujara caught With 11 overs remaining to the Jacques Kallis dived to become the the ninth wicket with Ajantha behind for 70 in the sixth over of second new ball, Steyn was rested second man after India’s Rahul Mandis (19 not out) to see Sri a day’s play which started more after one more over. Dravid to take 200 Test catches. Lanka through with two balls to than three hours late because of Kohli and Rahane batted sol- The innings folded quickly as spare. rain. idly and then saw off the new ball, Ishant Sharma was caught behind Mendis hit the winning bound- He had bowled 417 balls since with Steyn and Vernon Philander off Steyn and Mohammed Shami ary and smashed one of the two his previous wicket when he unable to make any further edged Morkel to first slip. sixes in Umar Gul’s penultimate Morkel finished with three for over which cost Pakistan 15 runs 50. and the match. Scoreboard Rahane, playing in his third Chandimal hit his only bound- India (I innings): 5-265, 6-320, 7-321, 8-322, 9-330, 10-334 Test, was left unbeaten on 51, his ary to reach fifty before hitting a S Dhawan c Petersen b Morkel ...... 29 Bowling: Steyn 30-9-100-6 (2w), Philander maiden half-century. He batted six off Gul to clinch an unlikely M Vijay c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 97 21-6-56-0 (1nb, 1w), Morkel 23.3-6-50-3 (1w), for 190 minutes and faced 121 win after Sri Lanka had wobbled C Pujara c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 70 Kallis 11-1-36-0, Peterson 22-2-75-0, Duminy balls, hitting eight fours. at 195-8, derailed by Junaid Khan V Kohli c De Villiers b Morkel ...... 46 4-0-10-1 South Africa got off to a quick (3-31) and Saeed Ajmal (2-43). R Sharma b Steyn ...... 0 South Africa (I innings): start as Smith and Petersen hit Sri Lanka, who chased down A Rahane (not out) ...... 51 G Smith (batting) ...... 35 two boundaries apiece as 18 runs a 285-run target in their sec- M Dhoni c Smith b Steyn ...... 24 A Petersen (batting) ...... 46 were scored off the first two ond one-day win in Dubai, were R Jadeja c Kallis b Duminy ...... 0 Extras (LB1) ...... 1 overs. cruising along at 113-1 after Kusal Zaheer Khan c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 0 Total (0 wkts, 20 overs) ...... 82 The total was 36 after six overs Perera (47) and Tillakaratne I Sharma c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 4 To bat: H Amla, J Kallis, A de Villiers, J Duminy, F du before Ishant Sharma came on Dilshan (45) gave them a brisk Mohammed Shami c Smith b Morkel...... 1 Plessis, R Peterson, V Philander, D Steyn, M Morkel and bowled a testing maiden over, start of 75. Extras (LB7, NB1, W4) ...... 12 Bowling: Zaheer Khan 4-0-20-0, Mohammed bowling around the wicket to the South Africa’s Dale Steyn appeals unsuccessfully for the wicket of Perera was aggressive right Total (111.3 overs) ...... 334 Shami 5-0-23-0, I Sharma 6-2-18-0, Jadeja left-handed Smith with six field- India’s Virat Kholi during the second day of the second Test in Durban, from the word go, hitting four Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-198, 3-199, 4-199, 5-1-20-0 ers on the leg side, including three yesterday. sixes and three boundaries in his in catching positions. AFP 40-ball knock, but was trapped leg-before by Mohammad Hafeez after he attempted a reverse sweep. When on 31, Dilshan completed Bowlers put England in 8,000 one-day runs, becoming the sixth Sri Lankan to achieve the South Africa’s milestone. Jacques Kallis But Sri Lanka then lost three walks off the field quick wickets in the space of just control at Melbourne 24 runs, two of those to Junaid. after the first day of the second Test Junaid had Dilshan caught against India on MELBOURNE: England of drying up the runs reaped his body and edged Broad to Ian behind and bowled Kumar strangled Australia’s batting to rewards with the cheap dismiss- Bell in the slips for 19 off 77 balls. Sangakkara (22) round his legs Thursday. seize control of the fourth Ashes als of David Warner (9), Shane Rogers followed soon slicing to to complete 50 wickets in the cal- Test on a low-scoring second Watson (10), Michael Clarke (10), Kevin Pietersen who took a fine endar year. day at the Melbourne Cricket Steve Smith (19), George Bailey running catch at mid-wicket. Gul accounted for Ashan Ground yesterday. (0), Johnson (2), Ryan Harris (6) The veteran opener had bat- Priyanjan (one) while skip- The beleaguered tourists, with and Peter Siddle (0). ted for 224 minutes and faced per Angelo Mathews’s labori- the Ashes already lost, boosted Led by pacemen Jimmy 171 balls for his 61, his third half- ous 31-ball eight was ended their chances of averting a 5-0 Anderson with three for 50 century of the series. by paceman Anwar Ali before series clean sweep with a rare and Stuart Broad three for 30, George Bailey was out for a Chandimal’s rearguard action. rewarding day in the field as they England tied up the vaunted painstaking duck off 19 balls after Earlier, Pakistan captain defended what had appeared to Australian batsmen and looked a long-winded review for a catch Misbah-ul Haq top-scored with Kallis not part of be a below-par first innings total set for what could prove a sig- behind off Anderson. 51 as Pakistan were bowled out of 255. nificant innings lead on a pitch Bailey had clobbered Anderson for 232 in the 50th over. But disciplined bowling and which is expected to play harder for 28 runs off one over in the AFP fielding stifled Australia’s scoring through the Test match. third Perth Test in an unbeaten and with it the wickets tumbled to In the 13 overs to lunch, after knock of 39 but he was marooned Twenty20 squad put the home side under pressure polishing off England’s last four by the English paceman who Scoreboard coaxed him to swing his bat at a Pakistan DURBAN, South Africa: Retiring Test all-rounder Jacques Kallis wide delivery. Sharjeel Khan c and b Malinga ...... 18 was not included in South Africa’s preliminary 30-man squad for Scoreboard Johnson was caught by Ahmed Shehzad c Priyanjan b Lakmal ..17 the International Cricket Council World Twenty20 tournament to Anderson off Bresnan for two, India (I innings): 5-265, 6-320, 7-321, 8-322, 9-330, 10-334 Mohammad Hafeez b Mathews ...... 41 be played in Bangladesh in March and April next year. on a slow-paced MCG pitch. wickets, Australia lost Warner Harris fell to a catch at short-leg S Dhawan c Petersen b Morkel ...... 29 Bowling: Steyn 30-9-100-6 (2w), Philander Sohaib Maqsood c Dilshan b Malinga .....7 Kallis announced on Wednesday that he would retire from Test At the close, Australia were and Watson. off Broad for six and Siddle was M Vijay c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 97 21-6-56-0 (1nb, 1w), Morkel 23.3-6-50-3 (1w), Misbah-ul-Haq c Sangakkara b Malinga 51 cricket at the end of the current Test against India but said he was 164 for nine, trailing England by Warner top-edged Anderson out in the day’s last over to the C Pujara c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 70 Kallis 11-1-36-0, Peterson 22-2-75-0, Duminy Umar Akmal c Dilshan b Mendis ...... 20 available to play for South Africa in limited overs cricket. 91 runs with Brad Haddin on an high into the air to give wicket- same bowler. V Kohli c De Villiers b Morkel ...... 46 4-0-10-1 Anwer Ali (not out) ...... 41 In particular he stated his ambition to be part of his country’s unbeaten 43. keeper Jonny Bairstow a straight England, resuming at 226 for R Sharma b Steyn ...... 0 South Africa (I innings): Abdul Rehman lbw b Malinga ...... 1 50-overs World Cup campaign in Australia and New Zealand in 2015. England were restricted in forward catch and Watson was six, meekly succumbed adding A Rahane (not out) ...... 51 G Smith (batting) ...... 35 Umar Gul run out ...... 8 Andrew Hudson, the convener of selectors, was not immediately their first innings by a hostile snapped up behind off Ben Stokes. only 29 more runs to be all out M Dhoni c Smith b Steyn ...... 24 A Petersen (batting) ...... 46 Saeed Ajmal lbw b Lakmal ...... 8 available for comment but a Cricket South Africa spokesman said spell from Mitchell Johnson, but Anderson surprised Clarke with Johnson taking five for 63 R Jadeja c Kallis b Duminy ...... 0 Extras (LB1) ...... 1 Junaid Khan lbw b Lakmal ...... 0 there was nothing to be read into Kallis’ non-selection for the squad the Australians also laboured for with a delivery that shaped back in a withering four-over spell of Zaheer Khan c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 0 Total (0 wkts, 20 overs) ...... 82 Extras (LB 10, W10)...... 20 announced yesterday. runs with veteran opener Chris in and collected the top of off- three for four. I Sharma c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 4 To bat: H Amla, J Kallis, A de Villiers, J Duminy, F du Total: (all out; 49.3 overs ...... 232 “Jacques has not been part of the Twenty20 squad for some time Rogers crawling to his third half- stump. The Australia skipper Among the England wreckage Mohammed Shami c Smith b Morkel...... 1 Plessis, R Peterson, V Philander, D Steyn, M Morkel Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-54, 3-70, 4-128, and he has made it clear he wants to earn selection for the 50-overs century of the series and wick- was pinned down with his 10 runs was the wicket of Pietersen, out Extras (LB7, NB1, W4) ...... 12 Bowling: Zaheer Khan 4-0-20-0, Mohammed 5-169, 6-173, 7-176, 8-194, 9-232, 10-232 World Cup.” etkeeper Haddin again defying coming off 34 balls. bowled going for a wild slog for 71 Total (111.3 overs) ...... 334 Shami 5-0-23-0, I Sharma 6-2-18-0, Jadeja Bowling: Mathews 10-1-26-1 (1w), Lakmal Kallis, 38, has not played for South Africa in a Twenty20 interna- England. England’s bowling frustrated after adding just four runs to his Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-198, 3-199, 4-199, 5-1-20-0 7.3-0-42-3, Senanayake 10-1-44-0 (3w), tional since the 2012 World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka, where he scored Captain Alastair Cook’s tactics Smith trying to cut too close to overnight score. AFP Malinga 10-0-57-4 (2w), Mendis 10-1-42-1 only 24 runs in three innings, although he took seven wickets in five (3w), Dilshan 2-0-11-0 (1w) matches, including four for 15 against Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka He has been a leading player in the Indian Premier League and in K Perera lbw b Hafeez ...... 47 the statement announcing his retirement, he said winning the IPL England’s T Dilshan a Ajmal b Junaid ...... 45 title with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012 was “a special occasion”. James K Sangakkara b Junaid ...... 22 Kallis has been an infrequent participant in South African domestic Anderson D Chandimal (not out) ...... 64 cricket in recent years but it is expected that most of the national appeals for A Priyanjan c Akmal b ...... Gul 1 players will play in the domestic Twenty20 competition which starts a success- A Mathews c Akmal b Ali ...... 8 on January 5. ful wicket of K Vithanage b Ajmal ...... 14 The preliminary squad is purely for administrative purposes and Australia’s S Senanayake c Hafeez b Junaid ...... 3 there is nothing to prevent the selectors from picking other players George L Malinga b Ajmal ...... 0 for the final squad. Bailey during A Mendis (not out) ...... 19 Test captain Graeme Smith, who has not played in a Twenty20 the second Extras: (LB7, W5) ...... 12 international since 2011, and Alviro Petersen were other members of day of the Total: (for eight wkts; 49.4 overs) .235 the Test squad not included in the preliminary squad. fourth Ashes Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-113, 3-129, 4-137, South African squad: Faf du Plessis (captain), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Test at the 5-166, 6-189, 7-194, 8-195 Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Henry Davids, Quinton de Kock, AB de Bowling: Gul 7.5-0-44-1 (1w), Ali 5.4-0-36- Villiers, JP Duminy, Dean Elgar, Beuran Hendricks, Imran Tahir, Melbourne 1 (1w), Hafeez 9-0-36-1 (2w), Junaid 7.1-0- Colin Ingram, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Cricket 31-3, Ajmal 10-0-43-2, Rehman 10-0-38-0 Morkel, Chris Morris, Justin Ontong, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Ground, (1w) Aaron Phangiso, Vernon Philander, Rilee Rossouw, Dale Steyn, Rusty yesterday. Result: Sri Lanka won by two wickets Theron, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Dane Vilas, Hardus Series: Pakistan win 3-2 Viljoen, David Wiese. AFP DECEMBER 28, 2013 Break Time www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23 ON SATURDAY

Dhoom 3 (2D/Hindi) – 2.15 & 10.30pm SHOWING AT VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER QF RADIO 91.7 FM ENGLISH TEL: 444933989 444517001 PROGRAMME BRIEF Endrendrum Punnagai (2D/Tamil) – 5.30pm TV LISTINGS 1 LIVE SHOWS Airing Programme Briefs Silence (2D/ Malayalam) – 8.15pm Time SPIRITUAL 6:00- A time of reflection, a deeper Walking W/ Dinosaurs (3D/Action)J HOUR 7:00 AM understanding of the teachings of Islam. – 3.00pm RISE 7:00– Is a lighthearted 10-minute fashion bulletin 14:00 Omni Sport 14:00 Dance India 9:00AM from red carpets and popular brands around 14:30 Fifa Club World Dance Season Frozen (3D/Animation) – 5.00pm the world. Cup, The Final 4 (Clubbed INTERNATIO- 1:00 PM The latest news and events from around 16:30 Boxing, Froch Repeat) 2 Waar (2D/Pakistani) – 7.00pm NAL NEWS the world. V Groves 17:00 Fear Files MALL Howa Fi Keda -Arabic (2D/Arabic) – 9.30pm DRIVE 3:00 – Our newest offering! Drive is a daily 18:00 Transworld Sport 18:00 Teenovation 4:00 PM afternoon show broadcast at peak travel 19:00 Rugby, Aviva 18:30 Bh Se Bhade time. This Monday Nabil zeroes in on Grudge Match (2D/Comedy) – 11.30pm Sports with Amir Madjer from Fast Track Premiership, 20:30 Dance India sports agency. Harlequins V Dance Season 4 Mandela (2D/Biography) – 2.30pm FASHION 6:00 – Fashion, a LIVE 1-hour weekly show Exeter 21:00 Qubool Hai 7:00 PM hosted and produced by Laura Finnerty. 21:00 Nba Basketball, 21:30 Khelti Hai Walking W/ Dinosaurs (3D/Drama) – 5.30pm The show brings together the latest fashion trends along with exciting Cleveland @ Zindagi Aankh interviews with local and international Boston Micholi 47 Ronin (3D/Action) – 7.15pm designers. 3 23:30 Rugby, Aviva 22:00 Doli Armaano Ki Grudge Match (2D/Comedy) – 9.30pm REPEAT SHOW/S Premiership, 22:30 Do Dil Bandhe Harlequins V Ek Dori Se A Strangers In Paradise (2D/Thriller) – 11.30pm INNOVATIONS 12:00 – A weekly show hosted and produced by 1:00 PM Scott Boyes. The show talks about all the Exeter newest and exciting advancements in the Dhoom 3 (2D/Hindi) – 2.30 & 8.00pm world of science and technology. 1 LEGENDARY 7:00 – The show tells the story of a celebrity Silence (2D/ Malayalam) – 5.30 & 11.15pm ARTISTS 8:00 PM artist that has reached unprecedented fame. Throughout the episode the artists’ Frozen (3D/Animation) – 3.00pm memorable performances/songs will be played to put listeners in the mood. Walking W/ Dinosaurs (3D/Drama) – 5.15pm MUSIC & Listen in the whole day as we offer a wide 13:00 Mrs. Doubtfire 13:00 A.N.T. Farm INFORMATION array of music from Pop, to Classical, Grudge Match (2D/Comedy) – 7.15pm Reggae, Jazz, Funk, World/Ethnic and 15:15 Puppy In My 15:00 Disney Mickey 2 more! Also loads of information through Pocket: The Mouse Shorts Howa Fi Keda -Arabic (2D/Arabic) QF Radio’s Factoid Series aside from our A.N.T. Farm – 9.30pm daily program offerings. Movie 16:35 LANDMARK 16:30 Scooby-Doo! 17:00 Good Luck A Strangers In Paradise (2D/Thriller) – 11.30pm Mask Of The Charlie Grudge Match (2D/Comedy) – 2.30 & 11.15pm Blue Falcon 17:20 Austin And Ally 18:00 Snowmen 18:30 Wolfblood Mandela (2D/Biography) – 4.30pm 20:00 Surf’s Up 20:05 Austin And Ally 22:00 Puppy In My 20:30 Shake It Up 3 Frozen (3D/Animation) – 7.00pm 08:00 News 10:00 English 09:00 Witness Championship, Pocket: The 22:00 Austin And Ally 47 Ronin (3D/Action) – 9.00pm 10:30 Inside Story Blackpool V Leeds Movie 22:25 A.N.T. Farm 11:00 News 11:45 Rugby, Aviva 23:30 Cher Ami 22:50 Good Luck Dhoom 3 (2D/Hindi) – 2.30 & 8.00pm 11:30 Listening Post Premiership, 01:00 Snowmen Charlie 23:10 Wizards Of Silence (2D/ Malayalam) – 5.30pm 12:00 News Newcastle V 1 12:30 Counting the Cost London Wasps Waverly Place Endrendrum Punnagai (2D/Tamil) – 11.00pm 13:00 NEWSHOUR 13:30 Football Asia 14:00 News 14:00 Omni Sport Walking W/ Dinosaurs (3D/Drama) – 3.00pm 14:30 Inside Story 14:30 Fifa Club World Cup, Frozen (3D/Animation) – 5.00 & 7.00pm 15:00 21Up South Africa The Final (P2) 16:30 Boxing, Froch V 10:00 I Think I Do 11:10 River Monsters 2 Grudge Match (2D/Comedy) – 9.00pm 16:00 NEWSHOUR Groves 12:00 Back To The 16:10 Bush Pilots ROYAL 17:00 News 17:30 Ski Magazine 47 Ronin (3D/Action) – 11.15pm Future 17:00 Destroyed In 17:30 South2North 18:00 Transworld Sport 14:00 Police Academy Seconds PLAZA A Strangers In Paradise (2D/Thriller) – 2.30pm 18:00 NEWSHOUR 19:00 Rugby, Aviva 5: Assignment 18:40 Man, Cheetah, 19:00 News Premiership, Miami Beach Wild Walking W/ Dinosaurs (3D/Drama) – 4.30pm 19:30 People & Power Harlequins V Exeter 16:00 I Think I Do 19:30 Bush Pilots 20:00 News 21:00 Nba Basketball, 47 Ronin (3D/Action) – 7.00pm 18:00 Jack And Jill 20:20 Ultimate 20:30 Inside Syria Cleveland @ Boston 20:00 The Survival 3 21:00 NEWSHOUR 23:30 Rugby, Aviva Howa Fi Keda -Arabic (2D/Arabic) – 9.15pm Inbetweeners 21:10 Get Out Alive 22:00 News Premiership, 22:00 Jackass: With Bear Grylls 22:30 Listening Post Harlequins V Exeter Grudge Match (2D/Comedy) – 11.15pm Number Two 22:00 Flip Men 23:00 Al Jazeera World 23:40 Flip Men

HYPER C RSO S W O RD

123456789 1011121314 5 Put an ___ 29 Handle on farm 6 Where the Blue equipment? 15 16 Nile rises 30 Humdingers 7 Jellyfish and 32 Fr. address 17 18 krill 33 Texting 8 Some are fragile counterpart of 19 20 21 9 Bygone means “TY” of corporal 34 Sno-___ (winter 22 23 24 punishment blower brand) 10 Buzz generator 36 Orwellian 25 26 27 28 29 30 11 “I’ll Be Around” superstate songwriter 40 One of nine 31 32 33 34 Wilder numbers on a card 35 36 12 TV Guide Yesterday’s answer crossword focus 42 Clarkson 37 38 13 Something that College locale How to play Hyper Sudoku: shouldn’t scare 43 Alpo alternative A Hyper Sudoku Puzzle is solved by filling the numbers from 1 to 9 into the blank cells. A Hyper you Sudoku has unlike Sudoku 13 regions (four regions overlap with the nine standard regions). In all 39 40 41 45 “___ you!” regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is solved like 14 Garnish 47 1958 spy novel a normal Sudoku. 42 43 44 45 21 Arch set in Jamaica 22 Marker maker 48 “Cannery Row” 46 47 48 49 50 51 How to play Kakuro: 23 It features a brothel owner The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any statue of a 49 “Get busy!” 52 53 54 size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells Scottie next to 50 Boat trailer? like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, his master 51 Pottery Barn some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some 55 56 25 Title slave of the cells will contain two numbers. competitor stage However, in a crossword the numbers reference 57 58 53 54-Down tally: clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! 26 First cut on the Abbr. They denote the total of the digits in the row or album “Sticky 54 See 53-Down: column referenced by the number. ACROSS 39 Zero, in 21-Across Fingers” Abbr. Within each 27 Home of the collection of cells 1 White-whiskered sort 40 They often have good rhythm Ducks of - called a run - any 10 Symbol of Einstein’s gravitational 41 Mr. T’s real last name baseball’s of the numbers 1 constant 42 Julia Child worked for it during to 9 may be used Atlantic League 15 Eager W.W. II: Abbr. but, like sudoku, each number may 16 Tons 43 Lav CATSCRADLE I GOR only be used once. 17 Time of one’s life 44 Escalator pioneer HEATVISION CANE 18 Youngest of five famous brothers 46 Fox on Fox Yesterday’s IRRESOLUTE ENTS answer 19 Ernst associate 48 Blast alternative? POPE J ARS F I GHT 20 Things worth waiting for? 49 Traffic court letters LUANN RINSER 21 What head shots are used in 52 Facilitators of cultural growth 22 People pick pockets in it 53 Toxicodendron diversilobum HELEN TABOR TWA Baby Blues By Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman 23 Eddie’s partner in musical 55 Yogi Bear co-creator ANORAK L I RE AH I comedy 56 Off-roading option RASSLES LEBARON 24 Burial option 57 Fire EMS L END MORA L E 25 Cut out for it 58 Grocery product with green ME L I NL E T AMP ED 28 Intentionally flooded field leaves in its logo PLEBES CARTS 30 Short order? AWARD F ARO R I F T 31 One working with magnetite DOWN NADA D I RTYHARRY 33 Minor, legally 1 400-pound calf, perhaps TREF PALACECOUP 35 “Ha! Good one!” 2 Player of a big scaredy-cat? SERF STONEHENGE 37 “Bummer” 3 No Mr. Personality 38 Word below a signature on a bill 4 Drug czar Kerlikowske ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE DECEMBER 28, 2013 ON SATURDAY 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Morning Break

August 21: Damascus

April 24: Dhaka

August 18: Cairo September 21: Nairobi

April 30: Amsterdam

July 7: Wimbledon

June 9: Washington DC July 22: London November 8: Tacloban

9 London Underground, 14 Xi Jinping formally becomes 9 Ex-CIA contractor 21 U.S. Private 8 Typhoon Haiyan JAN the first railway of its President of China, completing JUN Edward Snowden Bradley Manning NOV smashes into the kind in the world, the transition of power in the admits revealing is jailed for 35 central Philippines, killing celebrates country details of top-secret years for leaking at least 6,000 people its 150th U.S. and UK spy over 700,000 U.S. anniversary 14 Nicolas programmes government military 8 The Italian Senate votes to APR Maduro is to the press files to WikiLeaks expel ex-Prime Minister Silvio 11 French troops head to Mali at elected President of Berlusconi from parliament over the request of the government to Venezuela after the 14 Hassan Rouhani 14 The U.S. and his conviction for tax fraud halt an advance by Islamist rebels death of Hugo Chavez is elected President SEP Russia announce of Iran, pledging to an agreement to enable the 24 Iran signs an interim 20 U.S. President Barack Obama 15 Two bombs explode improve relations elimination of Syria’s chemical agreement with the five is sworn in for his second term in at the Boston Marathon, with the west weapons stockpile by mid-2014 permanent members of the UN office, facing major challenges at killing three spectators Security Council and Germany, home and abroad 4 Egypt’s army 21 A four-day assault by limiting its nuclear programme 24 An eight-story garment JUL deposes President al-Shabaab militants on the in exchange 11 Pope Benedict XVI factory building collapses in Mohammed Morsi from power Westgate shopping mall in for reduced FEB becomes the first pontiff Dhaka, Bangladesh, killing Nairobi, Kenya, leaves sanctions to retire since 1415 over 1,100 people 6 A runaway train carrying crude 72 people dead oil derails and explodes in the 30 Crown Prince Willem- Canadian town of Lac-Megantic, 22 Angela Merkel wins a historic Alexander becomes King of killing 47 people third term as Chancellor of the Netherlands following the Germany abdication of Queen Beatrix 7 Andy Murray becomes the first British player in 77 years to win 25 Oracle Team USA 6 Three women the Wimbledon men’s singles title seals one of sport’s greatest MAY abducted a decade comebacks to win the America’s earlier are found alive at 22 Prince George of Cambridge, Cup, overhauling an 8-1 deficit 14 South African runner Oscar a house in Cleveland, Ohio third in line to the British throne, to beat Team New Zealand Pistorius is arrested after is born 9-8 in the deciding race shooting dead his girlfriend, 16 Football superstar David in San Francisco Bay 1 China launches its Reeva Steenkamp, claiming he Beckham announces his DEC first unmanned probe mistook her for an intruder retirement 1 A standoff in to the moon OCT Congress results 15 A meteor explodes over 20 A 3km-wide Category 5 in a 16-day U.S. government 5 Nelson Chelyabinsk, in Siberia, injuring tornado tears through Moore, 24 An intercity express train shutdown after lawmakers fail Mandela, more than 1,000 people Oklahoma, killing 25 people derails near Santiago de to agree on a budget to increase South including nine children Compostela, Spain, killing 79 the debt limit Africa’s 13 Cardinal Jorge first MAR Mario 26 The civil war in Syria spills 18 Violence escalates 3 Over 360 African migrants die black Bergoglio into Lebanon as multiple AUG in Egypt with over 1,000 when an overcrowded fishing president, of Argentina rockets strike Beirut people killed in clashes after the boat catches fire and sinks off the dies at becomes ousting of President Morsi Italian island of Lampedusa age 95 the first pope 31 Anti-government protests from Latin spread to dozens of cities 21 Many hundreds of people 24 A tunnel linking the continents America, throughout Turkey, sparked by die when Syrian troops target of Europe and Asia opens taking the a crackdown on demonstrators opposition-controlled suburbs beneath the Bosphorus name Francis in Istanbul of Damascus with sarin gas in Istanbul

Pictures: Associated Press, Getty Images, Rouhani illustration: Bob Hoare © The Peninsula / Graphic News