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WTO can QNB Doha Tour kicks support Qatar’s off today as Al Shaqab economic goals welcomes riders

WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 • 22 Jumada I 1437 • Volume 20 • Number 6723 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

Emir sends Qatar keen to foster talent: Emir condolences to Bahrain King

QNA

DOHA: Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent yester- day a cable of condolences to H M King Hamad Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain on the death of Sheikha Lulwa bint Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Isa Al Khalifa. Emir prayed Allah Almighty to have mercy upon her and grant solace and fortitude to her family.

Syria peace talks postponed to March 9: UN

AFP

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with the winners of the Education Excellence Day award for academic year 2014-2015, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, yesterday. GENEVA: Peace talks aimed at ending the conflict in Syria will ninth Education Excellence Day award for the the young to stand resilient in the face of Al Hammadi and several other ministers and resume in Geneva on March 9, UN 2014-2015 academic year at the Ritz-Carl- bureaucracy to facilitate development for their senior officials attended the award ceremony envoy Staffan de Mistura’s office Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin ton Hotel. generation and the coming ones. held by the Ministry of Education and Higher said yesterday, announcing a two- Hamad Al Thani honoured Interacting with the students during the cer- The Emir discussed with the winners the Education . day postponement. winners of the ninth Education emony, the Emir said that development projects, recent changes to the Cabinet and merger of The Deputy Prime Minister congratulated “Intra-Syrian peace talks spending on infrastructure, education and ministries. He said that these changes will the winners for their recognition and wished will resume in the afternoon of 9 Excellence Day award. health well remain at good levels despite the improve efficiency and help the country achieve them further success in their academic and sci- March,” de Mistura’s office said in fall in oil prices. its 2030 national vision. entific career. a statement. The Emir said that he was keen to listen to For their part, the winners expressed their Addressing the ceremony, Dr Al Hammadi “The 7th of March 2016 was their views on the country and development. thanks to the Emir for attending the event, extended sincere thanks and appreciation to the initially set as the target date for The Peninsula He added that Qatar was continuously looking which they said reflected his commitment to Emir for honouring the ceremony, looking for- the resumption of peace talks,” but for national talent that pushes the country for- education. wards to new horizons, greater achievements a short delay was needed “to allow ward in all fields. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State and more prestigious successes in the process adequate time to address logisti- Education is an important phase, but busi- for Cabinet Affairs H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al of education in Qatar. cal and practical matters.” DOHA: Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad ness and work after graduation is an even Mahmoud, Minister of Education and Higher Al Thani yesterday honoured winners of the more important step, said the Emir. He urged Education H E Dr Mohammed bin Abdul Wahed →Continued on page 2 →See also page 10

HIA ranked New civil and commercial Al Rayyan retain basketball title second best in Mideast procedure codes finalised

The Peninsula By Mobin Pandit & to discuss the draft civil and com- Mohammed Osman mercial procedure law. The Peninsula The Minister also pointed out DOHA: The Hamad International that an Arbitration Law will soon see Airport (HIA) is ranked second in the light of day, reported Qatar News the Best Airport Middle East cate- DOHA: The draft of a new civil and Agency (QNA). The Ministry will soon gory of winners of the 2015 Airport commercial procedure law has been launch an electronic forum where Service Quality (ASQ) Awards finalised by a specialist committee legal experts could give their opin- announced yesterday by Airports that was set up by the Ministry of ion on legal matters, exchange their Council International (ACI). HIA Justice for this purpose. views and experiences, the Minister shared the second position with The existing civil and commer- told the seminar. Abu Dhabi International Airport. cial procedure law was put in force The event is being attended by Jordan’s Queen Alia Inter- 26 years ago, in 1990, so it needed legal experts, heads of legal affairs national Airport in capital city an update. departments from various minis- Amman won the first place in the Minister of Justice H E Dr Hassan tries, lawyers and the head of Qatari Middle East category while Saudi bin Lahdan Saqr Al Mohannadi said Lawyers’ Association, among others. Arabia’s King Fahd International yesterday that the Ministry believes Civil and commercial procedure rules Airport in Dammam, Dubai Inter- that an extensive debate by legal (as enshrined in a law) are interlinked national Airport and Tel Aviv’s experts and researchers is needed and, as the term suggests, they outline Ben Gurion International Airport on the draft. procedures about how a civil lawsuit shared the third position. “This will enrich the draft and is to be filed, how the court proceed- The ACI Airport Service Qual- help us have an advanced and inte- ings should take place and how court Al Rayyan team members celebrating the Qatar Basketball League (QBL) title at Al Gharafa Indoor ity (ASQ) Awards is the world’s grated legal system in our country,” verdicts are to be given and how one premier passenger service bench- said the Minister. He was deliver- could go in appeal. Complex yesterday. The defending champions crushed Al Sadd 71-62 to take the championship. marking programme for airports. ing opening speech at a two-day →Report on page 40 ASQ completed over 550,000 event which opened here yesterday →Continued on page 2 in-depth passenger surveys at over 300 airports across more than 80 countries worldwide last year. The 2015 results represent the world’s best in class airports where Lessons on rail networks made part of school curriculum improving the customer experi- ence is concerned-appraised by passengers while they are traveling and the experience is fresh in their By Mohammed Iqbal youth with its ambitious Doha Metro a three-day theatre festival, in opened on Monday features produc- giving them a platform to express minds. The Peninsula and railway project. partnership with the Ministry of tions by students in Qatar based on their their thoughts and feelings about The 2015 results have been In collaboration with the Ministry Education and Higher Education and perceptions of the landmark railway this exciting project is just one of the expanded to include a new cat- of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Transport and Com- project. Metro Art, an exhibition which many ways we intend to inspire the egory (Best Airport by Size and lessons on the railway project have munication, as part of month-long uses art to bring Doha Metro to life will nation, said Qatar Rail CEO Eng Saad Region) and more robust winners’ DOHA: Qatar Rail has come out with been made part of the school curric- activities featuring art, creativity and be opened later this week. Al Muhannadi. lists (several airports have tied in several innovative programmes to ulum and student activities. performance. “The next generation are key their respective categories. familiarise the Qatari children and Qatar Rail is currently organising The “Qatar Rail Theatre Festival” users of the Qatar Rail projects and →Continued on page 5 02 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 HOME

Condolences Arbitration Law soon sent to Bahrain Minister: Qatar committed

Continued from page 1 QNA Arbitration Law would also see the light of day. It would help parties to education excellence Prominent lawyer, Yusuf Al to settle their dispute fast and in a DOHA: Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Zaman, told this newspaper the mutually agreed way. And unless the Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani yes- procedure law also tells how court parties agree beforehand, an appeal terday sent a cable of condolences decisions are to be enforced. cannot be filed against the verdict Continued from page 1 to H M King Hamad bin Isa Al Kha- needs its young talent to contribute encouraging science and innova- The current law was passed in decided under the Arbitration Law, lifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain on to development as the world seeks tion reflects the vision of Qatar’s wise 1990 and since then a lot of social he said. The justice ministry has pre- the death of Sheikha Lulwa bint He underlined that celebrating a knowledge-based society. Qatar leadership and its commitment to and economic developments have pared the draft and the proposed law Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Isa Al the ninth session of the Education continues working on developing its education as the cornerstone of sus- taken place so the law needs to be is based on the principles of interna- Khalifa, praying to Allah Almighty Excellence Day reflects Qatar’s educational system in order to build tainable development. updated, said Al Zaman. The present tional laws of arbitration. to have mercy upon her and grant commitment to develop the capac- an entire generation of young peo- Minister of Awqaf and Islamic law is not helping the courts to set- About the new civil and com- solace and fortitude to her family. ities and creativity of its people and ple well-equipped to innovate and Affairs H E Ghaith bin Mubarak Al tle disputes fast. Problems remain in mercial procedure law which is on Prime Minister and Interior encourage individuals and educa- keep up with the modern world. This Kuwari also extended his congratu- areas like informing the other party the anvil, Al Zaman said that it is Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin tional institutions to improve their would help reach sustainable devel- lations to the winners and said that that a lawsuit has been filed. too extensive and contains 573 arti- Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani sent a performance and spread the spirit of opment in light of the goals of Qatar the event reflected the importance Then, court summons are to be cles. “So it will take a long time to be similar cable to King Hamad. fair competition in the field of scien- National Vision 2030. Qatar is giving to education. sent to the party or parties to a dispute. finalised and put in force.” That is why tific excellence. The Minister of Public Health H E Speaking on behalf of the stu- The old systems need to be updated. some legal experts suggested at yester- “Education Excellence Day is Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari said dents, excellence award winner The justice ministry is holding this day’s seminar that some key articles FM opens Arabic a commitment to guide individual that the presence of the Emir in the (Doctoral Degree Category) Dr. two-day symposium to have an open of the present civil and commercial and institutional energies towards ceremony will give a boost to the Abdulaziz Al Ibrahim underlined that discussion on the draft, he said. Yes- procedure law be amended instead calligraphy excellence, and to promote positive education sector and to students to honouring the outstanding students terday, part of discussions focused of preparing a whole new law, said Al attitudes among citizens towards innovate and develop themselves. of Qatar reflects the State’s great on the negative impact of the cur- Zaman. At today’s seminar, partici- expo in Geneva participation in the knowledge indus- Minister of Development Plan- attention to education and scientific rent civil and commercial procedure pants will be discussing the articles in try,” said the Minister. ning and Statistics H E Dr Saleh research to serve the homeland and law and how to avoid them, he said. the current civil and commercial pro- GENEVA: Foreign Minister H E He added that every country Mohamed Salem Al Nabit said that its citizens Al Zaman said that soon the cedure law that need to be amended. Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrah- man Al Thani yesterday opened an Arabic calligraphy exhibition organized by Qatar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations QRCS begins second phase of preterm baby incubators for Syrian refugees Office in Geneva. Under the theme ‘Human rights in the Islamic culture’, the The Peninsula The doctors emphasized the impor- exhibition is held in collabora- tance of the program to serve the tion with Qatar National Human Syrian refugees. The cases referred Rights Committee (NHRC) under by the medical consultant are the auspices of UN office Direc- DOHA: Building upon the suc- admitted directly, and all the cost tor-General Michael Muller. cess of the first phase of its preterm is covered. NHRC Chairman Dr Ali bin neonatal health care project for Within 45 days of the second Smaikh Al Marri, Mueller, UN Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Qatar phase, a total of 99 newborns ben- General Assembly 70th session Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has efited from medical care, including President Mogens Lykketoft, launched the second phase of the 59 males and 40 females. The cost Human Rights Council President project to cover more preterm amounted to $30,179, with full Ambassador Choi Kyong-lim, infants who need intensive medi- coverage of 65 cases and partial representatives of permanent cal care. coverage of 22 cases. diplomatic missions, interna- Based on the feedback from the Dr. Hamed Farhat Hospital tional organisations and NGOs first phase, the mechanisms of work received 58 cases, compared to in Geneva attended the opening were optimized for the new phase, 22 and 19 cases in Tripoli Hospital of the expo by Sheikh Moham- in order to ensure maximum finan- and Bekaa Hospital, respectively. med. It runs until Friday. Sheikh cial and medical control. Already, 87 cases have been Mohammed said the exhibition is Three hospitals (Bekaa, Dr. released, while 12 cases are still in line with Qatar’s efforts to sup- Hamed Farhat, and Tripoli) were under medical care. The stay of ben- port inter-faith dialogue. contracted for six months renewable. eficiary babies totalled 640 days,

A Qatar Red Crescent Society volunteer at one of the hospitals provided with the facility.

with an average of 7.36 days per case. examine and diagnose the cases to support for the Syrians and pay- QRCS has another preterm birth see how long they need to be put in ing for the costs of premature birth care for Syrian refugees in Leba- incubators. hospitalization. non, funded by Qatar Charity. Under The project was the product of The Office of the United Nations that project, four hospitals (Bekaa, a survey done by QRCS mission in High Commissioner for Refugees Chtaura, Dr. Hamed Farhat, and Lebanon about the conditions of (UNHCR) covers 75 percent of the Tripoli) were contracted to offer med- Syrian refugees there, to identify costs for registered Syrian families ical care for preterm infants. the strengths and weaknesses in the only, excluding other informal ref- The hospitals were provided with health services offered by health ugees. Even the 25 percent cannot medical supplies and medicines, and care providers. The study showed be afforded by the registered Syrian a paediatric consultant was hired to the necessity of extending medical families due to lack of income. Outlet shut down over fake beauty items

An inspector from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce puts up the closure notice at the outlet.

The Peninsula manipulations, and standard speci- An announcement about the clo- fications are followed and imitations sure is posted on the website of the of branded products are not displayed Ministry and published in two local and offered for sale. newspapers and the errant outlet DOHA: The Ministry of Economy A Ministry press statement said must pay for it as per the law. and Commerce has ordered closure yesterday that its inspectors fined the The Ministry has urged people to for a month as punishment of a retail outlet and ordered its closure for one report suspected violations using its outlet in Al Aziziyah for displaying month as punitive action as per arti- hotline 16001 or email: info@mec. and selling counterfeit beauty prod- cle 7 of Law No 8 of 2008. gov.qa. The accounts of the Ministry ucts, mobile phone accessories and The law stipulates that suppli- on social media networks are Twit- clothing. ers of goods shall clearly display on ter MEC_QATAR, and Instagram The violation was caught during product labels description of goods MEC_QATAR. The applications of the an inspection campaign by the Minis- and their ingredients and refrain Ministry on smart phones are avail- try to monitor the market and ensure from posting any misleading or false able on iPhone and Abdroid devices that outlets do not indulge in price statements. MEC_QATAR. HOME WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 03

Jeep Cherokee 2014 and 2015 Deal to educate two million high-risk kids models recalled countries. its strengths – the department will H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, focus on funding government systems, Doha: The Ministry of Education Above Founder and Chairperson of EAA and EAC on funding local and interna- Economy and Com- All’s Educate A Child and Rt. Hon. Justine Greening, MP, tional NGOs and UN agency projects merce, in collaboration Secretary of State for International — to maximise the pledge’s impact for with United Cars Almana, (EAC) programme and Development, witnessed the signing the world’s most vulnerable children. dealer of Jeep vehicles, the UK Department of the agreement. EAA invests $100 per child so that, has announced the recall Sheikha Moza stressed the together with our partners, we can of Jeep Cherokee mod- for International importance of dedicating resources provide quality primary education els of 2014 and 2015 over Development sign specifically to support children for some of the world’s most hard- the potential leakage of agreement. affected by the Syrian crisis and to-reach children. water into the lift gate advocated support of alternative edu- Desmond Swayne, Minister of module connector. cational approaches and modalities State at the department, said, “Invest- The ministry said the to the traditional education system ing in education is fundamental to recall is within the frame- The Peninsula to alleviate some of the barriers to tackling extreme poverty and build- work of its efforts to accessing education. ing secure, sustainable communities. protect consumers and Fahad Al Sulaiti, CEO, EAA, said, For children, an education is their first ensure dealers follow up “Primary education is a fundamen- step to being able to take control of on defects and repairs. DOHA: Two million children from tal right, but millions of children their lives and build the future they The ministry said it conflict areas will receive primary across the globe have no access to want. No child should miss out on this will coordinate with the education as a result of a partnership quality education. We are thrilled to opportunity simply because of where dealer to follow up on between Education Above All’s Edu- be partnering with the UK govern- they happen to be born. maintenance and repairs cate A Child programme (EAC) and ment, which is a powerful agent for “The UK has helped give a quarter H H Sheikha bint Nasser and Rt. Hon. Justine Greening, MP, Secretary and communicate with the UK Department for International change in the developing world, on of a million children affected by the customers to ensure nec- Development. this endeavour. Syria crisis an education and the Syria of State for International Development, witness the signing of an essary repairs are carried The five-year agreement signed “We hope that others will be conference aims to achieve this for agreement, in London. Pic: AR Al-Baker out. It urged customers to in London will benefit refugees and inspired by the example set by EAC all children in the region. Our part- report any violations to its internally displaced children in Syria, and the department and invest in the nership with EAA will ensure that Consumer Protection and Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Sudan, future of the world’s children.” vulnerable children in low-income hope for a better future.” programmes, conducting research Anti-Commercial Fraud Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana. Almost The partnership is an innovative and developing countries and those EAC and DFID will also col- and coordinating organisational Department through hot- 30 percent of the 59 million out-of- way to tackle funding for education. affected by conflict, don’t miss out laborate on global advocacy, capacity and professional develop- line: 16001; email: info@ school children globally live in these Each side will operate according to on the chance to go to school and the financing and delivering education ment programmes. mec.gov.qa; Twitter: @ MEC_Qatar; Instagram: MEC_Qatar; and the ministry’s mobile app for Android and IOS: Kahramaa and UDC restore power at Pearl-Qatar after outage MEC_Qatar

Qatar Pavilion The Peninsula rushed to the site after receiving the Development Company (UDC), the room to deal with the situation and while Kahramaa provided 16 gener- complaint and restored power sup- developer of the Pearl-Qatar, said it made efforts to restore electricity to ators to aid in channelling emergency a huge draw ply, the statement added. had mobilised generators to maintain all zones affected, particularly the power to vital areas on the island, The vital facilities were supplied power supply during outage. residential and commercial precincts such as the sewage plant and water in Dubai DOHA: Qatar General Electricity power by mobile generators in coor- A sudden outage hit the Pearl- on the island. pumping stations. and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) dination with Pearl administration. Qatar due to the occurrence of an Initial efforts resulted in coordi- The UDC, the main developer of DOHA: Guests visiting said the Pearl-Qatar experienced a Kahramaa teams are working to emergency technical snag to cables nation with Kahramaa which took the Pearl-Qatar, is working in tan- the Qatar Pavilion at the power failure yesterday at 6.57am due restore electricity supply to the Pearl- outside the island, said UDC. responsibility to see to it that a tech- gent with Kahramaa’s team around Global Village in Dubai to maintenance work on Al Shamal Qatar at the earliest, it said. The cables, maintained and man- nical team was dispatched to deal the clock to restore power supply in are transported to Souq Road. A statement said the damage Kahramaa also apologised, via its aged by Kahramaa, transmit power with the situation and work to restore general to the island and, in turn, Waqif, one of Qatar’s affected the main network feeding social media platforms, to the affected directly to the Pearl-Qatar. power supply to the island. restoring the Pearl-Qatar back to a tourist destinations. the Pearl. customers for the inconvenience. Immediately post power failure, Since the first moments of the fully functional residential and retail The pavilion has a Standby teams of Kahramaa were In a statement, the United UDC management formed a crisis outage, UDC provided 51 generators, destination. façade that stands out with its traditional pigeon tower design and other traditional forts like Al Zubara. At night, the CILE to host lecture on tower shines with lights that cover its façade. Inside the pavilion reforms in labour is a replica of the souq, one of the most famous and sponsorship laws Qatari markets. The pavil- ion is attracting visitors for its excellent products, The Peninsula the bilateral agreements with Nepal such as traditional aba- on migrant labour recruitment. yas, perfumes and Burqu The speaker will also tackle the available in 35 shops. importance of these reforms for On its 20th sea- DOHA: The Research Centre for protecting the workers’ rights, and son, the Global Village is Islamic Legislation and Ethics (CILE), suggests procedures and regula- one of the region’s lead- member of Qatar Faculty of Islamic tions that could help reach a more ing family destinations Studies (QFIS) at Hamad bin Khalifa holistic reform agenda. Dr. Jureidini’s for cultural shopping and University is hosting a public lecture research interests include migration, entertainment showcas- today on the recent reform in labour human and labour rights, human ing rich traditions and and sponsorship laws in Qatar. trafficking, gender discrimination, unique heritage to guests Title, “The migrant labour reform racism and xenophobia. from around the world. in Qatar: Towards a more holis- From 2012 to 2013, he served as The GCC Pavilions at the tic approach,” the event will take a consultant to the Migrant Workers Village introduce the place from 7pm to 9pm at the QFIS Welfare Initiative at Qatar Founda- Gulf’s products and aes- building in Education City. Dr. Ray tion in Doha, contributing to the thetics to guests, giving Jureidini, Professor of Migration, QF Standards of Migrant Workers them the chance to learn Human Rights and Ethics at CILE Welfare for contractors and sub- about the UAE and sur- will deliver the lecture. contractors and completing a report rounding countries. The lecture will review the on labour recruitment for Qatar. The Global Village recent reform legislation in Qatar, The lecture will be presented in continues until April 9. including the Kafala system, exit English. Simultaneous translation visas and wage protection, as well as into Arabic will be available. HMC attends Arab Hospitals Federation forum

The Peninsula health developments in Qatar. “Healthcare services provided by HMC are rated within the recog- nised standards at the global level in DOHA: Hamad Medical Corpora- terms of quality and development; tion (HMC) is participating in the 17th this was achieved through strong annual forum, Medhealth, of the Arab partnerships, including partners in Hospitals Federation which opens the academic and research areas, today in Egyptian capital Cairo. locally and globally,” said Al Noimi. The Two-day conference is held Topics at the forum are expected under the theme ‘Challenges of excel- to include methods of preparing and lence building in the Arab healthcare qualifying future health sector lead- system’. ers, challenges of building excellence The forum, in conjunction with in the healthcare system, trends the meeting of the Arab Health Min- shaping the future of the region’s isters Council, provides a stage for abreast of latest developments in the healthcare and building a sustain- discussing healthcare developments healthcare sector. able healthcare system. in the Arab states. It is expected to Mohamad Mubarak Al Noimi The forum also aims to famil- include specialised debates involving (pictured), Chief of Staff and Chief iarise participants with latest Arab health ministers as they meet of the Managing Director’s Office, developments in the sector through attendees and participants. HMC, and Member of the Executive lectures and meetings. On the side- HMC is participating at the invi- Board of the federation, said partic- lines, an exhibition will provide an tation of the federation; this is the ipating in the event is an important integrated platform to share latest eighth consecutive year HMC is part of HMC’s strategy for keeping discoveries and techniques in med- taking part. The event is in line with itself abreast of regional and glo- ical specialities. It is expected to HMC’s commitment to provide safe, bal health sector developments. The attract clinicians, distributors, man- compassionate and effective health- forum also allows HMC to convey its ufacturers and healthcare services care for all patients while remaining healthcare experience and introduce agencies from the Arab states. 04 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 HOME QRCS begins second ‘Safe School’ event

The Peninsula

DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) has launched the second version of its ‘Safe School’ programme for the current aca- demic year to educate students and staff on how to deal with earthquakes. During the first semester of the aca- demic year, the programme served 10,304 trainees from 18 schools, including 8,565 students of different education levels and 1,739 teachers, administrative staff and supervisors. The total number of beneficiaries since 2013 to 2015 reached 29,022 from 49 schools. QRCS plans to expand the pro- gramme to more schools. Funded and implemented by QRCS in coordination with host schools, the pro- Yasir Suleiman Malley, Acting President, Doha gramme is conducted every Sunday at an Independent school, with all-day theoreti- Institute for Graduate Studies, during an interview The Peninsula cal and practical training scheme with two with at the institute’s office yesterday. Pic: Baher / The Peninsula breaks. Scientific materials are distributed Youngsters taking part in a training on how to deal with earthquakes. to students, such as the ‘Prepared Child’ booklet, sponsored by Oryx GTL. At the end of training, a simulated deal with risks, by developing experience staff, bus supervisors and parents (through rigid, backward instructional system lim- Newly-launched conflict and evacuation scenario is implemented by and skills among youngsters. students themselves), urging them to adopt ited to theoretical textbooks that spread students, teachers and administrative It covers topics related to the safety and safe behaviour as a lifestyle and feel a passiveness and inaction among students. staff, who assemble at predefined assem- security of society members, such as first sense of responsibility for themselves and More than 90 percent of schools have humanitarian studies bly points, under the supervision of QRCS aid and social psychological support for others. It employs a progressive strategy shown interest in the programme, which risk reduction team. the victims of earthquakes. that targets educational institutions to reflects the positive impression created it. programme in high demand The programme aims to promote a cul- It also raises awareness about the utilise schooling as a way of community During 2015-2016, the programme ture of safe behaviour and societal risk importance of environment protection education and creation of dynamic and plans to visit 37 schools compared to 25 management to prevent, reduce or properly among children, teachers, administrative broad-minded personalities, rather than a planned originally. By Fazeena Saleem the region... Qataris are the The Peninsula biggest donors at region- ally and internationally to all sorts of causes and all QU college hosts quality, reliability and risk management forum sorts of charitable areas , DOHA: A newly launched also has taken leading role conflict and humanitarian in conflict resolution. We The Peninsula studies programme at the think that this programme Doha Institute for Grad- will respond to the Qatar uate Studies is in high National Vision 2030,” said demand, according to a Malley. DOHA: The Department of Mechanical senior official. The CMHA pro- and Industrial Engineering (MIE) and the Within two weeks gramme offers students Quality, Reliability and Maintainability after calling for appli- the opportunity to engage Engineering Centre (QRMEC) at Qatar Uni- cations, the institute has with a wide range of sub- versity (QU) College of Engineering (CENG) received at least 76 appli- jects including: conflict held a conference on quality, reliability and cations and is expected to resolution, humanitar- risk management. increased by the dead- ianism; peace building; Themed ‘Quality, Reliability and Risk line on March 31, Yasir state-building and recon- Management (Q-R2M)’, the event was Suleiman Malley, Acting struction theories and organised in conjunction with Rutgers President, Doha Institute practices, from regional University to address quality measures, for Graduate Studies told and international per- reliability tools and risk management strat- this daily. spectives. This two-year egies adopted by academics, researchers “We started call- programme is struc- and practitioners to improve productivity ing for applications just tured to bridge the fields and reliability. two weeks ago and have of academia and prac- Around 50 engineers, researchers received 76 applications. tice by incorporating a and practitioners from the public and However only 20 can be field study visit to a post- private sectors came together to discuss, The conference in progress. accepted as we are a very conflict region and an share and evaluate latest developments selective institution and optional professional and applications in quality, reliability and we want quality,” said work placement. risk management and build academic and Keynote speakers were the college’s Chris Davis. and use of modelling techniques on quality Malley who is also a pro- Doha Institute for research collaboration and partnerships. Mechanical and Industrial Engineer- The event included panel discussions and reliability applications, among others. fessor at the University of graduate studies has The opening ceremony was attended ing Professor Dr Shaligram Pokharel and on quality management, engineering proc- Dr Alammari said: “The event aligns Cambridge. admitted 131 students in by college Dean Dr Rashid Alammari, Act- Assistant Professor Dr Fatih Mutlu, Rutgers ess control, quality profile monitoring, with the college’s efforts to tackle local The Doha Institute November 2015, to the ing Associate Dean, Academic Affairs, University Department of Industrial and reliability optimisation, failure mode and challenges and research solutions for issues for Graduates Studies is school of Public Adminis- Dr Mohammed Samaka, Professor of Systems Engineering Distinguished Prof effective analysis in oil and gas industry, that are of the interest of the wider commu- pleased to announce the tration and Development Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Elsayed A Elsayed, Qatar Petroleum Head emerging research and practice in qual- nity, in line with QU’s mission and vision opening of the Center Economics and School Dr Elsadig Mahdi, college faculty, students of Reliability Vimalendu Bhushan Tripathi ity assurance, maintainability assessment which are linked to Qatar National Vision for Conflict and Human- of Social Sciences and and staff. and Maersk Oil Qatar Reliability Leader techniques, risk assessment and control, 2030 and the development strategies.” itarian Studies (CHS), Humanities. an inter-disciplinary Among the students research and study cen- admitted around 50 per- tre that conducts original cent are Qataris and and rigorous research on most of them intend to be conflict, humanitarian interested in public admin- crisis, state fragility and istration and media and war to peace transitions political science. However, in the Middle East and “Qatari students are inter- North Africa. ested in all programmes,” Applications are now said Malley. open for Fall 2016 enrol- Doha Institute for ment for the CHS’ flagship graduate studies is also teaching programme, conducting research on to the Masters in Conflict produce a book on qual- Management and Human- itative methodological itarian Action (CMHA). training for our students “The new programme in Arabic and also looking is going to give the stu- at what would political dents the theoretical science look alike if it’s background and try to based on data from this meet needs of Qatar and region. Qatar Development Fund donates $90m to Swaziland

QNA

MBABANE : Qatar Development Fund (QDF) yesterday signed a $90m grant agreement with the Swaziland Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade represented in the Internet led e-commerce (Traders-Link) project . The signing ceremony was attended by Swaziland Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Gideon Dlamini and representative of Swazi Traders-Link Project Fareed Engeri. Qatari Ambassador in Mbabane Yousef bin Mohammed Al Mahmoud said: “We are proud to be the excellent sponsors for the Swazi Trad- ers -Link Project.” He said the support constitutes a core for collaboration and partnership to open markets for small and medium enterprises in Swaziland, hoping the project will lead to achieve the desired interest to reduce poverty and unemployment rates in the country. HOME WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 05

Doha Theatre Festival from March 27

QNA The ministry said in a state- ment that the organising committee is endeavouring to provide excep- DOHA: The sixth edition of Doha tional and value-added version of Theatre Festival will start on March the festival this year to contribute 27 and run until April 2, the Minis- to the theatrical movement in the try of Culture and Sports announced. country.

Officials and children at the event. Qatar Rail to launch Metro Art exhibition

Continued from page 1 the impact the integrated railway and school activities. project, which will be one of the most system has had to lives of Qatar’s The committee comprising advanced metro systems, is expected “Later this week we are going community. experts from Qatar Rail and the to be complete in the fourth quar- Traffic diversion on part of to launch Metro Art, an exhibi- Students from Naseeba Bint Kaab Ministry of Education and Higher ter of 2019, while completion of the tion which features talented Qatari Independent Primary School for Girls Education was established with the Lusail Tram is set for 2020. Al Luqta Street from Friday artists and many other engaging per- performed in this play. goal of raising awareness among the By 2030, all the three networks formances and we look forward to The second play titled “The New young generation about the upcom- – Doha Metro, Lusail Tram and the releasing more information on this Guest (Qatar Rail)” is presented by ing railway networks in Qatar. long-distance rail, which will link shortly,” Qatar Rail chief executive students from Abou Obaidah Prepar- These messages became part of Qatar with the GCC Rail network – The Peninsula shown on the attached map. Three officer Eng Saad Al Muhannadi said. atory Independent School for boys . the curriculum of primary and pre- are expected to be complete. entrances for the Education City will The festival at the Qatar National It features a grandfather telling his paratory levels starting from the With the completion of the first be available, which are Gate 2 on Al Theatre features two plays created grandson how a family visitor will current academic year. A decision phase of the Doha Metro and Lusail Luqta Street, Gate 14, and through and performed by students. The arrive not by air, nor sea or road, but has also been made to include these Tram, Qatar Rail expects to offer DOHA: The Public Works Authority the car park. Also entrance will be first, entitled “Our Memories of the rather “from underground”. topics in the school activities during 600,000 passenger trips per day by (Ashghal) has announced to divert available through Al Huwar Street Future” sees the students imagine The two plays are a result of the the academic year as well as sum- 2021. By then, 37 metro stations are traffic at a part of Al Luqta Street on south of Tilted Roundabout. using a time machine to travel into work carried out by a committee mer, and two plays represent the first expected to be complete, with an Doha-Dukhan road in both direc- This closure is required to facil- the future, visiting Qatar in 2030 responsible for including Qatar Rail step in that regard, said the official. average journey time of three min- tions starting from Friday. itate construction works of the and experiencing for themselves projects within academic curricula The first phase of the Doha Metro utes between adjacent stations. The diversion is being made at proposed Dukhan Road (East Con- a stretch of 1,700 meters between tract), as part of the Dukhan Road the Qatar National Convention Cen- East project which includes the con- tre (QNCC) and the Arab Museum of struction of a 11km road with four Modern Art, as shown in the map. lanes in each direction, as well as Strawberry and kanar see huge demand at Al Mazrouah Yard The closure, which will be imple- upgrading the service roads includ- mented in coordination with the ing multi-level interchanges, and Traffic Department, starts on Fri- landscaping. The Peninsula tonnes of kanars were sold. event was to introduce local products, highlight the day March 4, 2016, and will last one Ashghal will set up road sign All quantities of kanars supplied by 10 farms varieties of kanars available here and ways of graft- year and ten months, said a release. boards guiding motorists about the were sold out, said the Ministry of Municipality and ing and to encourage sidra plantation. During this period, traffic on the closure. The authority requests all Environment in its Facebook account. The ministry organized marketing events to closed section of Al Luqta Street will road users to abide by the speed DOHA: Al Mazrouah Yard witnessed high demand The yard also witnessed free distribution of over promote local agricultural products, including the be diverted to Gharrafa-Al Rayyan limits, and follow the road signs to on strawberry and kanar (sidra fruits). A total of 5,000 plants of strawberries to the public. festival of local honey, flowers festival and organic Street and Nega Al Sahla Street, as ensure their safety. 3,714 boxes of local strawberry and more than five The aim of the kanar and strawberry marketing agriculture festival. 06 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 HOME 220,000 likely to visit Qatar International Food Festival

By Raynald C Rivera and Arabic tea. In the Culture Court, The Peninsula Chinese and Qatari cuisine will come together in an area dedicated to celebrating the Qatar-China 2016 Year of Culture. A new area called The DOHA: Over 220,000 people are Market Court will sell delicacies and expected to visit the seventh Qatar special ingredients. International Food Festival (QIFF) to Qatar Airways Senior Vice be held from March 22 to 28 at the President for Marketing and Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park, Corporate Communications, Salam Katara and The Pearl Qatar. Al Shawa, said: “Qatar Airways is Giving the details of the festival excited to announce its line-up of at a press conference yesterday at international and national celebrity the MIA auditorium, Mashal Shahbik, chefs set to perform live on the ever- Director of Festivals & Events at Qatar popular Qatar Airways Cooking Tourism Authority (QTA) said last Theatre this year and to invite visitors year’s festival witnessed 170,000 to experience our five-star hospitality visitors while this year’s expected at our signature Dinner in the Sky visitors reach more than 220,000. experience.” The projected increase in the Qatar Airways Senior Vice number of visitors is in view of the President Commercial – Qatar Ehab fact that this year’s festival will be the Amin, said: “For travellers in the biggest yet extending for seven days GCC, QIFF makes the perfect short- and with the addition of two satellite break, and Qatar Airways Holidays locations. has created special festival travel Among the new features at this packages designed to tempt visitors year’s festival are 12 food trucks from with a quick getaway.” Qatar and around the region which Shahbik stressed the festival’s FROM LEFT: Mohammed Nasser Al Othman, Qatar Museums Director of Public and International Relations; Hussain Akbar Al Baker, UDC’s will be located at The Pearl Qatar, focus on healthy eating with a large Marketing and Communications Director; Mashal Shahbik, Director of Festivals and Events; Salam Al Shawa, Qatar Airways Senior Vice-President said Shahbik. Health Court offering organic food for Marketing and Corporate Communications; Ehab Amin, QA Senior Vice-President Commercial; and Saif Saad Al Said Al Dosari, Katara Human She also revealed further and access to stations where visitors Resources Director, at the press conference. additions to the Festival’s activities can receive medical check and advice at the MIA Park, including the Snack on how to take up a healthier lifestyle. Court which will feature popular In addition, Water Court will eateries, cafes and restaurants. The include festival favourites, Barbecue MIA Park, as well as Qatar Museums’ new Healthy returning the festival which will also feature visitors between the different locations. The Cuisine Court will include fine-dining on the Bay by the Diplomatic Club and Food Initiative. regional and international bands and daily festival’s opening times have been extended creations by chefs from the country’s Dinner on a Dhow by Souq Waqif The InstaMarket will be filled with kiosks from fireworks display. from 9.30am to 1pm for school visits held in hotels, at prices ranging between QR5 Boutique Hotels. top Qatar-based entrepreneurs who are active on A cooking theatre and an entertainment zone coordination with the Ministry of Education and to QR35, as well as High Tea by the A Youth Court will host live stage Instagram, preparing dishes live in front of visitors. are being planned on Katara beach. Higher Education. The festival will open to the Bay which will offer English, Chinese performances by Baraem TV in the Qatar Airways’ Dinner in the Sky is also Water taxis will be available to transport public between 1pm and 10.30pm. QU robotics contest winners named

The Peninsula Project Award category win- students from 26 national and inter- ners were Ali bin Jassem Secondary national schools, and included over School for Boys (first), Khalifa Sec- 30 projects. ondary School for Boys (second), and Attending the ceremony were DOHA: Winners of Qatar University Al Razi Preparatory School for Boys CENG dean Dr Rashid Alammari, (QU) 8th Robotics Competition for (third). MEHE Schools Office Director Kha- Boys were announced at a closing Ibn Khaldoon Preparatory School lifa Al Derham, CENG associate dean ceremony recently. for Boys won 1st place in the About for development and industrial rela- Abu Baker Al Siddiq Prepara- Core Values Award category, fol- tions Dr Saud Ghani, CENG Computer tory School for Boys was named 1st lowed by Omar bin Al Khattab Science and Engineering Department Qatar Champion, while Khalid bin Preparatory School for Boys (sec- head Dr Summaya Al Maadeed, and Ahmed Preparatory School for Boys ond), and Doha Preparatory School MEHE National Robots Committee was named second Qatar Champion. for Boys (third). Head Mariam Al Awadi, as well as Winners of the Robot Design The competition which is an CENG faculty and students. Award category were the Little initiative organized annually by Dr Alammari said: “This national Engineer Team (first), Hamza bin QU College of Engineering (CENG) competition underlines QU’s mission Abdulmutalib Preparatory School for and Qatar Ministry of Education to engage high-school students in Boys (second), and Mesaieed Inter- and Higher Education (MEHE) drew innovative projects, reinforce their national School (third). the participation of more than 200 skills in teamwork and leadership,

Some of the winners with officials.

and motivate and encourage their future towards a knowledge-based knowledge on robotics. The stu- interest in pursuing studies in sci- economy.” dents had the opportunity to engage ence and engineering. This reflects Al Derham said: “The Ministry is in teamwork and come up with new CENG’s commitment to producing honoured to partner with Qatar Uni- ideas and applications. I am pleased a generation of professionals and versity in running this competition to see the huge number of partici- leaders who can drive the country’s with the aim to raise the students’ pants this year.” Parco health centre opens tomorrow

Officials at the press conference.

The Peninsula It has provided subscription speciality hospital. family package and for labours and Parco Hospital in India will pro- schoolchildren and will provide spe- vide priority services and care for cial package for companies, projects, those who have consulting in its clin- DOHA: As part of its vision for 2030, check-up and maternal packages at ics in Gulf countries. Parco Medical Group is looking to special discounts for residents of the Parco centre is staffed by profes- expanding in Gulf countries with the area. sional doctors of various specialities launch of its first comprehensive pol- The Group plans to open the offering individualised patient- yclinic in Madinat Khalifa tomorrow next centre in Shahaniha by April centred internationally accepted at 4pm by Chief Guest Sadiq Ali Shi- and some 10 such facilities as multi- treatment modalities. hab Thangel. speciality hospitals and pharmacies “We have professional nurses and Parco Healthcare Centre will in Qatar in the coming two years in paramedical staff to provide com- provide more reachable and afford- Qatar prehensive care for target patients,” able services and packages for most It also plans to open a centre he added. Medical Director Dr Nass- of community levels, CEO and Exec- in Dubai-Karma, followed by eight ier P; Dr Sameer Ali; Alavli, and Dr utive Director Dr Nassier Ali told a centres in the UAE, Oman, Saudi Mayada Almansouri were present at press conference. Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, with a the event. HOME WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 07 QA to announce network at ITB 2016 in Berlin

passenger-centric design. Any trav- metres in length, along with a 26-inch Qatar Airways — the eller passing through QA’s Doha hub HD screen. The Business Class seat benefits from seamless transfers at the extends to two metres long to con- Skytrax 2015 World’s state-of-the-art airport, which offers vert into a complete bed and enjoys an Best Airline — will over 70 shops and boutiques and 30 entertainment system with a 17-inch restaurants, world-class lounges, a HD screen. also reveal a new hotel and spa and sports facilities. The new destinations to be exhibition stand for Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief announced will add to an exciting Executive, QA, is looking forward to year of inaugurals. QA started serv- guests to test First another successful show in Berlin: ice to Los Angeles on January 1, Ras Al and Business Class “The way people travel is changing, Khaimah on February 2 and Sydney seats. and ITB showcases latest trends and on March 1. It begins service to Bos- innovations. We are looking forward ton, the US, on March 16; Birmingham, Abdulla Al Bakri (centre), Community Development Manager, ROTA, with volunteers Summer Al Ansar (left) to leading the industry with our supe- the UK, on March 30; Adelaide, Aus- and Yacoub Al Yacoubi, at a media roundtable at the Rota headquarters in Doha. Pic: Salim / The Peninsula rior business and economy products, tralia, on May 2; Yerevan, Armenia, on The Peninsula and announcing exciting new desti- May 15 and Atlanta, the US, on June 1. nations for our passengers. We are QA will this year reveal a com- a young company that is growing pletely redesigned exhibition stand. Its Over 1,400 applicants from 60 rapidly. With a current fleet of 177 latest brand campaign theme ‘Going DOHA: Qatar Airways (QA) will modern aircraft, we are connecting Places Together’ will be reflected in again participate in the world’s larg- more passengers to our global net- the redesign and activities, with a est travel and trade event, ITB Berlin, work of more than 150 destinations, focus on bringing travellers closer. countries for Empower 2016 from March 9 to 13 and plans to make and offer a product that can expertly QA proposes a fresh, new direction. a significant network announcement. match their travel needs. This is what The ethos presented over the course of The world’s fastest growing air- we will demonstrate again at ITB.” this communication strategy reflects By Raynald C Rivera It will be held from March 17 to and raising their awareness about line, with the youngest fleet, will Trade fair visitors are encouraged the development of QA as a brand and The Peninsula 19 at Hamad Bin Khalifa University social entrepreneurship is an essen- announce new destinations and reveal to experience QA’s premium products its role as a leader in the aerospace (HBKU) Student Centre under the tial element of ROTA’s strategies to a new exhibition stand to welcome and customer service in Hall 22.B, industry. theme ‘Innovation in Youth Social bolster youth employment in Qatar guests from around the globe. booth 207. The airline’s A380 and Last year’s ITB show featured over Entrepreneurship’. and the region. The stand will feature particu- A350 First Class and Business Class 10,000 exhibitors from over 180 coun- DOHA: The eighth annual Youth “This year’s theme was selected Compared to the previous edi- lar elements of Hamad International seats will be on display, with visitors tries, who presented products and Conference on Personal Leader- based on UN Sustainable Develop- tion, this year’s conference has the Airport — QA’s new home since invited to put them to the test. The services to around 175,000 visitors. ship, Service Learning and Global ment Goals (SDGs), particularly Goals number of workshops doubled all of 2014, — which is becoming a First Class suite is equipped with an This year, the exhibition celebrates its Citizenship (Empower 2016) organ- 8 and 9,” Al Zaman said, adding the which will take place in the first two favourite of world travellers for its extendable, flat bed that is over 2.3 50th anniversary. ised by Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) has SDGs are aligned with the vision days of the event. received more than 1,400 applicants and mission of Qatar Foundation “This year we have more key- from over 60 countries. and ROTA. note speeches and workshops than “We are targeting 450 youth, 50 The conference will serve as a the previous edition. There will be of whom are international and the discussion forum, where participants more than 20 keynote speakers and Qatar to attend Arab Health Ministerial Council meet remaining local,” said Mae Al Zaman, will be asked to devise and review around 48 workshops in the first two Learning and Capacity Building Spe- solutions to increase the contribu- days of the conference. The third day cialist, ROTA. tion of youth to achieving SDGs and will be devoted to offsite activities QNA The meeting will discuss sev- health legislations, improving mater- Empower is a youth-led confer- Qatar National Vision 2030, using the based on the workshops the par- eral important issues on the agenda, nal, adolescent and child health in ence combining panel discussions, Youth Social Entrepreneurship’s busi- ticipants have taken,” said Summer including two Qatari proposals on the Arab region, mental health, pre- keynote speeches, small group work- ness methodology. Al Ansari, Member, Youth Planning the exchange of health information, vention and treatment of addiction shops, seminars, off-site activities, Youth Social Entrepreneurship Committee. DOHA: Qatar, represented by the changing the date of the meetings of and social support, and developing exhibition and youth artistic expres- aims to address skill development, During offsite activities, Ministry of Public Health, is taking the council and its executive bureau the work of the council. sion which a focus on equipping education and investment in young the participants will have the part tomorrow in the 45th session of that are held annually in May on It will also review Arab-Chi- young people to take active roles in people to motivate them to utilise chance to visit local organisations the Arab Health Ministers’ Council. the sidelines of the World Health nese cooperation in the fields of building their communities and hav- their capabilities to achieve success involved in youth development and The session will take place in Assembly. health, environment, buildings and ing a voice on global issues. and independence. Educating youth entrepreneurship. Cairo. The council will also discuss hospitals. 08 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 HOME Library lines up research events Qatar Airways Cargo’s annual tonnage The Peninsula increased 37.5% last year

DOHA: Qatar National Library (QNL), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), The Peninsula destinations are added to the route is holding research-focused events network. An A330F and a new Boe- and workshops this month. ing 747F nose loader were received The research workshops reflect by the airline in December, and an QNL’s continuous efforts to pro- DOHA: Statistics revealed by Qatar eighth A330F recently joined the mote the value of research and Airways Cargo today show that the fleet. Three more Boeing 777 freight- enhance research skills of the wider world’s third largest international air ers are scheduled to arrive by the end community in striving towards a freight carrier increased its tonnage of 2016. The airline splits its cargo knowledge-based economy in Qatar. by 37.5 percent in 2015. Highlight- capacity across its freighters and Engineer Saadi Al Said, QNL’s ing the airline’s continued growth passenger aircraft with 51 percent of Director of Administration and Plan- and expansion, year-on-year fig- shipments carried on freighters com- ning said: “The various research ures show that the carrier increased pared to 49 percent in the belly-hold. workshops that QNL plans to host its tonnage from 1,104,000 tonnes Qatar Airways Cargo’s network in March are intended to ensure that in 2014 to 1,520,000 tonnes in 2015. expansion for 2016 began in January members of the community are pro- The airline also revealed that with the launch of a new freighter vided with the necessary training to import cargo into Doha increased destination to Dallas/Fort Worth, be able to utilise the resources effec- by 29 percent, exports out of Doha taking the airline’s number of freight tively for their individual research increased by 10 percent and tran- destinations in the US to 13. In addi- needs.” sit cargo at the hub increased by 39 tion, a fourth-weekly freighter began He continued: “We introduce percent in 2015. serving Los Angeles on 19 January, members of the community to a “At a time when international air complementing the new passenger wealth of online databases covering Participants at a research workshop organised by QNL at HBKU Student Centre. cargo traffic grew only 2.5 percent service to the city, which commenced a range of topics such as Middle East- in 2015, it makes us very proud that 1 January. ern studies, Science, History, Islamic our year-on-year figures from 2014 In March, Qatar Airways Cargo studies and a section dedicated to students and the academic com- the research seminar titled “How reader benefited her during different to 2015 show that we have grown our will launch three new freighter children and teenagers. These online munity. Focusing on research best to Publish in Academia”, which will life events. To be conducted in Ara- tonnage by 37.5 percent,” said Ulrich routes to Budapest, Prague and Ho databases, along with the Qatar practices, the workshop consists of assist researchers to develop their bic, the discussion will take place on Ogiermann, Qatar Airways Chief Chi Minh. Digital Library (QDL) are invalua- four modules. The first session on skills in writing research papers and March 9 in the TV Lounge at HBKU Officer Cargo. “We have achieved This will increase the airline’s ble resources that will contribute Research Tool Kit and Search Strat- offer advice on how to get academic Student Centre. The Music Day work- this phenomenal growth through freighter destinations in Europe to to numerous academic endeavours. egies & Techniques will be held on work published. This month’s book shop on March 16 will give an insight a combination of fleet and network 14 and in Asia/Pacific to six. Qatar We are honoured to be able to deliver March 3 at the Hamad Bin Khalifa discussion will feature a book titled, into the history of music and the val- expansion, creative interline agree- Airways Cargo will also provide such state-of-the-art services to facil- University (HBKU) Student Centre. ‘I Declare Love’ by Qatari author, uable online music databases offered ments and by deploying capacity on belly-hold cargo capacity on the pas- itate research.’’ The second session will be held next Wedad Al Kuwari. Comprised of arti- by QNL, such as the International expanding or untapped markets.” senger flights that will commence to ‘Conducting Research’ workshop month. On March 29 at the HBKU Stu- cles on education and self-learning, Index to Music and the Music & Per- Further tonnage growth is the new destinations of Boston, Bir- will be held for the second time to dent Centre, QNL invites members of the book highlights Al Kuwari’s love forming Arts (Alexander Street Press) expected for 2016 as more aircraft mingham, Adelaide and Atlanta on meet popular demand of university the academic community to attend of reading and how being a voracious databases. join the expanding fleet and more its network in the coming months. 11th Gulf Consumer Protection Week starts at Souq Waqif

The Peninsula to March 7) in morning and evening are The event is being organ- being held at Souq Waqif. ised following the resolutions of An exhibiting is also being organised to the Consumer Protection Com- showcase original and counterfeit goods mittees at the Gulf Cooperation DOHA: The Ministry of Economy and to educate visitors on how to distinguish Council Secretariat through Commerce launched a week-long con- between them. celebrating Gulf Consumer Pro- sumer protection awareness programme Several consumer awareness lec- tection Week on March 1 every yesterday at Souq Waqif. tures will also be held on shopping and year. The event ‘Eleventh Gulf Consumer consumerism. It also aims to raise con- Protection Week’ is being held under the The exhibition will introduce “The sumer awareness in the theme ‘One Gulf One Consumer’ in con- Market Programme” which aims to edu- community and educating the junction with similar events organised by cate children on appropriate purchasing public on the activities and consumer protection departments and and shopping practices and habits. programmes of the Consumer entities in other GCC states. The ministry will also hold com- Protection and Anti-Commer- The aim of this annual event is to unify petitions (Questions & Answers) on the cial Fraud Department. the GCC’s efforts to expand the consumer services offered by it in the areas of eco- There is ongoing coop- protection umbrella and to reach mutual nomic affairs, commercial affairs and eration between consumer cooperation, in addition to empowering consumer protection, with the aim of rais- protection agencies and depart- consumers by providing essential skills ing the public’s awareness of its role and ments of all the GCC countries, and knowledge that make them more responsibilities. including the exchange of infor- aware and conscious of their rights and The ministry will set up a children’s mation and data on commodity responsibilities as well as active partici- corner; hand out gifts and souvenirs and prices, a prompt exchange of pants in their consumer rights issues. coordinate with the owners of globally notifications and recalls of faulty Several activities and awareness pro- registered trademarks in order to hold goods as well as cooperation in grammes during the week (from March 1 public lectures. the field of consumer awareness through continuous communi- cation and collaboration. Officials checking some products at an outlet. Josoor & QU college begin workshop

Officials and participants at the event.

The Peninsula and Sciences at Qatar University 35 students from the Sport Sci- This is the first workshop in a (QU-CAS). ence programme at the college, series of two professional devel- The two-day workshop titled are attending the workshop. opment workshops to be delivered “Marketing and Public Relations Other organisations from by Josoor Institute in partnership DOHA: Josoor Institute, a centre for Sport and Major Events” dis- which delegates come from, with the college. The second work- of excellence for the sports and cusses some relevant topics and include – Supreme Committee for shop will focus on the “Creating events industries, inspired and examines the role of marketing Delivery & Legacy, Qatar Football High Performance Sports Organ- developed by the Supreme Com- and PR in delivering organisa- Association, Qatar Stars League, isations” and it is scheduled for 2-3 mittee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) tional, commercial and business Aspire, Aspetar, Ministry of Inte- March 2016. To learn more about started yesterday its first profes- interests in sport and major events rior, Qatar Foundation, BeIn Media Josoor Institute and its upcoming sional development workshop in industries. Group and Al Jazeera Network to programmes, visit www.josoor- partnership with College of Arts Over 80 delegates, including name a few. institute.qa. GULF / MIDDLE EAST WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 09 Voters chose Prime Minister meets Tunisian leaders QNA

right path: TUNIS: President of Tunisia Beji Caid Essebsi met with Prime Min- ister and Interior Minister of Qatar H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani at the Presi- dential Palace. Rowhani Prime Minister conveyed the greetings of the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to the President of Tunisia. “I thank our intelligent and brave Prime Minister also conveyed In the Iranian people who have taken a step for- the wishes of Emir for further ward,” he said at an auto industry progress and prosperity of the parliamentary conference in Tehran. Tunisian people. election, hardliners “If there are still some who think For his part, Essebsi expressed that the country must be in confron- his regards to the Emir and his who vocally opposed tation with others, they still haven’t hope for further development for Rowhani’s diplomacy got the message of 2013,” he said, the State of Qatar. with the West and alluding to his landslide presidential They discussed bilateral rela- election victory on a pledge to end tions and the means to enhance his moves to open years of standoff over Iran’s nuclear them in all fields. Iran up to foreign programme and crippling sanctions. They also discussed regional No single group won a decisive and international issues of joint investment were share of parliament’s 290 seats, interest. soundly beaten by but tallies suggested the pragmatic Prime Minister also met with Rowhani would be able to forge a Sheikh Rashid Al Ghannushi, reformists. working majority. leader of the Islamic Annahda The main conservative list Party, in Al Nahli in Tunisia. Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani with Rashid Al secured 103 MPs, reformists and They discussed a number of Ghannushi, leader of the Islamic Annahda Party, in Al Nahli in Tunisia, yesterday. moderates 95, and independents 14, issues of common concern. AFP while five seats went to minorities and four to candidates with no single affiliation. While conservatives were wiped out by reformists in Tehran, Militants kill father TEHRAN: Iranian voters chose “the they retained some seats in other Kuwait MPs approve extra right and proper path for the coun- cities and enjoyed strong support in and son in Sinai try”, moderate President Hassan rural areas. Some 69 constituencies Rowhani said yesterday after final had no clear winner, meaning a sec- election results showed his allies had ond round runoff in April in a field $500m for Eurofighter jets AFP made significant gains. that has more conservatives than Friday’s twin elections — to reformists and moderates. parliament and to top clerical com- The outcome signalled strong mittee, the Assembly of Experts public support for the nuclear deal AFP Defence Minister Sheikh Khaled also taking part in a Saudi-led coa- CAIRO: An Egyptian man has been — were crucial for the president between Iran and world powers, an Jarrah Al Sabah told MPs the $10bn lition pounding Iran-backed rebels beheaded and his teenage son shot and a de-facto referendum on his agreement steered by the president will be spent over the next 10 years, in Yemen. dead in the Sinai, officials said administration after its nuclear deal which saw the lifting of sanctions while the new funds will be used as Also in November, Kuwait yesterday of the peninsula where with world powers. in January. Friday’s second elec- KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s parliament an advance payment for the jets. signed ¤2.5bn ($2.8bn) worth of Islamic State (IS) group militants In the parliamentary election, tion for the Assembly of Experts yesterday approved a bill allowing The Eurofighter consortium fixed and provisional military deals are spearheading an insurgency. hardliners who vocally opposed also produced high-profile gains the government of the oil-rich Gulf said in September that Kuwait led by the purchase of 24 Airbus- The man and his 17-year-old Rowhani’s diplomacy with the West for Rowhani and his closest allies. state to spend an additional $500m had agreed to buy 28 Typhoons built Caracal helicopters. son were killed in El Arish. No and his moves to open Iran up to Two renowned hardline aya- on buying Eurofighter “Typhoon” in a deal worth ¤7-8bn ($8-9bn). Paris said Kuwait would buy the militant group has yet claimed foreign investment were soundly tollahs lost their seats on the warplanes. The extra funds will be with- helicopters for one billion euros, with responsibility for the attack. In beaten by reformists. Conservatives 88-member assembly, which mon- The new funding comes on top drawn from state reserves. an option for a further six. the past, militants from Egyptian also lost seats. “The owners of this itors supreme leader Ayatollah Ali of $10bn additional defence spend- The emirate is a member of the Other deals included the pro- affiliate of IS have beheaded sev- country are the people... they deter- Khamenei’s work and will pick the ing already approved by parliament US-led coalition that has been bomb- vision of French light armoured eral people and posted gruesome mine the path and direction of this 76-year-old’s successor if he dies in January to upgrade the country’s ing Islamic State group targets in vehicles and patrol boat pictures online after accusing them country,” the president said. during its eight-year term. military. Syria and Iraq since last year, and is maintenance. of spying for the army in the Sinai.

Foreigners among 18 dead Clashes in refugee camp after Israel troops’ traffic app error as bus and truck AFP border police were also wounded, one collide in Oman of them seriously, police said. A trail of blood could be seen extending down a wall from a roof QALANDIYA: Two Israeli soldiers where Sajdia was believed to have AFP using a traffic app mistakenly entered been when he was shot. a refugee camp in the occupied West The narrow roads of the camp Bank overnight, sparking clashes that were littered with rocks and other killed one Palestinian and wounded 15 debris, and all stores were closed MUSCAT: A head-on collision people, officials said yesterday. ahead of the funeral. involving a truck and a bus killed The two soldiers travelling in a The two soldiers who first entered 18 people of various nationali- jeep entered the Qalandiya refugee the camp abandoned their jeep, with ties in western Oman on Tuesday, camp and were targeted with rocks one hiding in the courtyard of a house police said. and Molotov cocktails, Israeli offi- and shooting to defend himself and Sixteen people were also cials said. signal his position, the military injured in the pre-dawn acci- Israeli reinforcements were then spokesman said. dent on the road between Ibri deployed to the camp between Jeru- The other fled towards the nearby and Fahud, police said in a salem and Ramallah to rescue them, Israeli settlement of Kochav Yaakov. statement. provoking further clashes that lasted The soldiers’ mishap made headlines The bus was carrying passen- hours. The two soldiers were later res- in Israel, whose military is reputed to gers from Salalah in southwestern cued unharmed. be the region’s most technologically Oman to Dubai, the Times of Oman Israeli Defence Minister Moshe advanced. reported, citing the Gulf Trans- Yaalon said the soldiers “apparently “They apparently used Waze, port Company which operates used Waze,” the Israeli-developed which indicated a shortcut from Jeru- the service. navigation app now owned by Google. salem to Ramallah,” Yaalon said at a The dead included six Oma- It was not clear whether the app conference, according to his office. nis, four Saudis, two Pakistanis led them into the camp and the mil- “They didn’t know the terrain. We and a Yemeni, police said, adding itary said it was investigating. Waze have to verify who sent them on the that the injured included 11 Oma- includes an option to “avoid danger- mission, what they knew and what nis, two Saudis, a Chinese and a ous areas.” they didn’t know and how to respond Pakistani. The nationality of a man According to an Israeli police when, in modern times, Waze shows Palestinian mourners attend the funeral of Eyad Omar Sajdia, 22, who was killed during clashes with Israeli in the intensive care remained spokeswoman, Palestinians threw you the way.” Yaalon said: “I learnt security forces at the Qalandya Refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, yesterday. unknown. homemade explosives and shot at the long ago, when GPS began to be used, The two vehicles collided rescue team, which also opened fire. that you cannot neglect locating your- head-on in the desert area, Lieu- The Palestinian health minis- self with a map.” Waze did not immediately located just beyond a checkpoint Qalandiya camp was established in tenant Colonel Saeed al-Dawoudi try said one Palestinian was killed He added that it was important to respond to requests for comment. separating annexed east Jerusalem 1949 in the wake of the creation of said in the statement, adding and 10 wounded. The dead man know “the environment and not be Israeli raids on Qalandiya to and the West Bank. The heavily forti- Israel and has grown into a densely that a car later crashed into the was identified as Eyad Omar Sajdia, misled by technological systems that arrest suspects have sparked heavy fied crossing is a hated symbol of the populated town with 11,000 regis- wreckage. a 22-year-old student. Five Israeli show you the way.” clashes in the past. The camp is Israeli occupation for Palestinians. tered refugees. Al Qaeda leaders made plans for peace deal with Mauritania: Documents

Reuters Navy Seals when they raided Osama Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)-would com- not to carry out any attack on AQIM Senior US intelligence officials famil- legal counsel to Mauritania’s president, bin Laden’s Pakistani hideout in 2011 mit itself “not to carry out any military from Mauritanian territory. Under the iar with the documents recovered from strongly denied his government had any- and made public by the US govern- activity in Mauritania” for a year. The al Qaeda proposal, the Mauritanian bin Laden’s hideout said they had no evi- thing to do with such a deal. ment yesterday. peace plan could then be renewed, the government would also agree to pay dence that any such peace deal was ever “We have always been against WASHINGTON: Al Qaeda leaders dis- According to a document outlining document says. AQIM an annual “sum of between 10 reached with authorities in Mauritania, paying ransoms and indirect financ- cussed a plan to arrange a peace deal Al Qaeda’s 2010 discussions about the In return, the proposal says Mau- to 20 million euros” ($11m-$22m) in or whether the militant group ever con- ing of terrorism. Consequently, with the government of Mauritania, peace plan, al Qaeda’s North African ritanian authorities would release all order to compensate the militants and tacted anyone in Mauritania to discuss there has never been a secret accord according to documents seized by US affiliate - known as Al Qaeda in the al Qaeda prisoners and would commit “prevent the kidnapping of tourists.” the plan directly. El Housseine Ould Nagi, between us and those people,” he said. 10 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 MIDDLE EAST Next round of Syria talks to begin on March 9

years of fighting came into force on Satur- day, the Syrian government and the opposition It is up to the United States have accused each other of violating the deal and Russia, who drew up but international observers have reported a decline in violence. the cessation of hostilities Without progress on the cessation of hos- agreement, to share tilities and on access for humanitarian aid, information and police the de Mistura said he could “slightly” postpone the next round of peace talks, which has been truce because the United pencilled in for Monday, March 7. Nations is not involved in “We don’t want discussions in Geneva to become a discussion about infringements or that, says UN Syria envoy not of the ceasefire, we want them to actually Staffan de Mistura. address the core of everything.” The United Nations hopes that the ces- sation of hostilities will allow humanitarian aid to be sent into besieged areas and pro- vide an opportunity to revive the peace talks, Reuters & AFP which collapsed before they even started a month ago. “So we will be in the next few days ana- lysing how far both the ceasefire and the GENEVA: The next round of Syria peace talks humanitarian access have come, so that they will begin on the afternoon of March 9, UN don’t become hostages of the talks and the Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura said yesterday. talks don’t become hostages to progress on He had previously pencilled in March 7, that,” de Mistura said. but he said he had postponed the round for It was up to the United States and Rus- logistical reasons and to cement a cessation sia, who drew up the cessation of hostilities of hostilities that began on Saturday. agreement, to share information and police Syrians fill jerrycans with water in the northern city of Aleppo. A landmark ceasefire has lifted the burden of daily rocket attacks “I will not delay it further,” De Mistura said. the truce because the United Nations was not and bomb blasts in the second city Aleppo. He also said that the United States and involved in that, de Mistura said in an inter- Russia must make Syria’s cessation of hostil- view at the United Nations in Geneva. observers on the ground. The United Nations Assad pledged yesterday to do his part to guar- do, but at the end everything has a limit. It ities work or else it might become necessary This would require both sides to share only had general maps of the situation before antee the success of a shaky ceasefire that was depends on the other side.” to delay the resumption of peace talks, Staffan common maps of the battlefield and monitor the ceasefire, he said. largely holding into its fourth day. The president also offered a wide amnesty de Mistura said. the situation with drones and satellites as it De Mistura said he expected to see Assad said the truce provided a “glimmer to opposition fighters if they agree to disarm. Since the agreement to halt nearly five would not be possible to deploy thousands of attempts to disrupt the ceasefire, and these of hope” for Syria, where more than 270,000 “The most important thing for me, legally needed to be contained to avoid them spread- people have been killed since the complex and constitutionally... (is) that you’re not ing and undermining the credibility of the conflict erupted. allowed, as a citizen, to hold machineguns truce. World powers have thrown their weight and hurt people or properties,” he said. After an abortive first round of the Geneva behind the landmark truce as a way to bring “This is the only thing that we ask. We peace talks, which ended on February 3, de an end to Syria’s conflict, which began in 2011 don’t ask for anything. As I said, we give them Mistura wants the Syrian sides to focus on with anti-government protests. full amnesty.” constitutional reform, governance, and elec- Residents of the besieged rebel town The much-lauded ceasefire has brought tions to be held in 18 months. of Daraya, southwest of Damascus, took relative calm to swathes of territory in Syria’s Prisoner releases would also be “very advantage of Tuesday’s quiet to resume their north, south, and around the capital. much up front on the agenda”, he said. tradition of daily demonstrations. It does not include areas where the Islamic The war has created more than five mil- Activists said dozens of young men State group and Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, lion refugees, who must have the chance to marched through the devastated town chant- Al Nusra Front, are present. vote in any future election, de Mistura said. ing against the regime and carrying colourful Regime forces clashed with IS militants He already had reports from Damascus signs reading “Daraya will not kneel!” in the oil-rich eastern province of Deir Ezzor that many who were thinking of leaving were The government and the main body on Tuesday, said the Syrian Observatory for rethinking that decision because of the ces- opposed to it, the High Negotiations Com- Human Rights. sation of hostilities, “as fragile and delicate mittee (HNC), have traded accusations over Limited clashes also took place in as it is”. breaches of the truce since it began on Aleppo city and others rocked the town of “The moment we have, God willing, a real Saturday. Harbnafsa in the central Hama province, cessation of hostilities, humanitarian access, “We will do our part so that the whole said the monitor. and implementation of these three points - thing works,” Assad told German public The complex patchwork of territorial con- new governance, constitution and elections broadcaster ARD, referring to the cessation trol has made the truce difficult to monitor, - I can bet that many of them not only will not of hostilities reached by the United States and particularly in areas where Al-Nusra Front leave but will return, especially if we have a Russia. has formed close ties with non-jihadist rebel massive ‘Marshall Plan’ to rebuild Syria,” de “We have refrained ourselves from groups. Civilians in central Homs province say Mistura said. retaliating in order to give (a) chance for the their towns are not being targeted as often, but UN mediator for Syria Staffan de Mistura speaking in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Al agreement to survive. That’s what we can violence has not stopped.

Tunisia troops kill 4 suspected Turkey closes media outlets seized from Gulen-linked owner militants Reuters of financial irregularities, prompting Erdogan clamped down on editor-in-chief until the state take- company denies wrongdoing. criticism from rights groups in Turkey Gulen’s commercial interests after over, said the media business had a Koza Ipek’s current management and abroad. police and prosecutors considered valuation of $200m in 2015 and that could not immediately be reached for AFP “Operations were halted due to sympathetic to the preacher opened a the new management had shown further comment beyond the stock ISTANBUL: Turkish authorities have constant losses and the depletion of graft investigation of Erdogan’s inner investments, including acquisitions, exchange filing. shut down media businesses seized capital, while (the firms’) corporate circle in 2013. He has also purged as losses. Bugun and Kanalturk’s web- last year from Koza Ipek Holding, a entities will be retained,” the stock police and judiciary. Bugun had a circulation of sites were still online, but appeared TUNIS: Tunisian troops killed four conglomerate linked to a US-based exchange filing, which was released Separately, a state deposit insur- 110,000 which has fallen to less than to have stopped updating news on suspected militants in a counter- preacher accused of plotting against late on Monday, said. ance fund which last year took over 18,000, most of which are giveaways, Monday. terrorism operation overnight, the President Tayyip Erdogan, according Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen Islamic lender Bank Asya, founded Basyurt said. Once critical of Erdogan, Bugun interior ministry spokesman said to an exchange filing. is wanted for allegedly running a by Gulen’s followers, said yester- The authorities said at the time and sister paper Millet turned yesterday. There were no security The state seized Koza Ipek and its “parallel” structure within state insti- day it would be liquidated if a buyer that the raid on parent company Koza pro-government the day after state- force casualties in the operation media outlets, including the news- tutions that sought to topple Erdogan was not found within the next three Ipek was part of an investigation into appointed management sacked most in the Ain Jaffel area on the border paper Bugun and television station who has led Turkey, first as prime months. alleged financial irregularities and of the staff just days before a Nov. 1 between the central provinces of Kanalturk, in October on suspicion minister, since 2003. Erhan Basyurt, Bugun’s former was backed by a court order. The election. Kasserine and Sidi Bouzid, Yasser Messbah said. The operation, which ended at around 1100 GMT yesterday, also resulted in the seizure of Fog disrupts ferry transport Senior Iraqi army officer “a Kalashnikov, ammunition, a large quantity of detonators” and killed in Haditha attack a home-made grenade, a ministry statement said. Kasserine province, which Reuters neighbours Algeria, has seen repeated clashes between secu- rity forces and Islamist militants. Late last month, a suspected BAGHDAD: A senior Iraqi army officer and seven others were killed over- jihadist was killed in an exchange night when Islamic State militants attacked a military headquarters near of fire in the Mount Mghila area of Haditha, a military commander said yesterday. the province. Haditha and its nearby dam, which the command is charged with It lies next to Mount Chaambi, protecting, are in one of the few parts of the Sunni Muslim province of which is considered to be the mili- Anbar still under the control of Iraq’s Shia-led government forces and tants’ main rear base and has been local police backed by tribal fighters. The area is about 190km north- the target of repeated sweeps by west of Baghdad. the security forces since 2012. Brigadier Ali Abboud, the command’s chief of staff, was killed when Islamist militants have killed four suicide bombers attacked an entrance to the base and clashed with dozens of police and soldiers since soldiers, said Major General Ali Daboun, the commander of Jazeera and the 2011 revolution that ousted Badiya operations in charge of the western desert bordering Syria, Saudi longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Arabia and Jordan. Ben Ali. “Four terrorists attacked the entrance to the command headquarters Several attacks have been and our soldiers managed to kill them. Regrettably Brigadier Ali Abboud claimed by Al Qaeda in the Islamic was martyred in the attacks,” Daboun said by phone. Maghreb. Seven other police and army personnel were killed, including a second But last year, the Islamic State army officer, two police sources said. jihadist group claimed attacks Initial investigations showed the militants managed to reach the base on the national museum in Tunis by dressing in army uniforms, security officials said. and a popular resort hotel, killing A boat moves through heavy fog on the Bosphorus in Istanbul yesterday. Heavy fog blanketed Istanbul The last major attack on Haditha in January by about 200 Islamic State a total of 59 tourists, and the sui- affecting transportation in the metropolis with cancellations of most ferry lines and disruptions in militants was repelled with the help of US-led coalition air strikes. A coali- cide bombing of a bus that killed air traffic. tion spokesman said that offensive was in response to the group’s losses in 12 presidential guards. the provincial capital of Ramadi, which Iraqi forces recaptured in December. ASIA / PHILIPPINES WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 11 Major powers concerned over China’s new laws

The US, Canadian, German and National People’s Congress passed in the rare joint response by several Chinese companies are increas- consultations. The US and Canadian Japanese ambassadors signed a let- December, were vague and could cre- major powers, and coordination with ingly looking to get approvals from embassies in Beijing did not immedi- Critics of the ter dated January 27 addressed to ate a “climate of uncertainty” among the EU, signals an increased readi- foreign governments for acquisitions, ately respond to requests for comment counterterrorism State Councilor and Minister of Pub- investors. They did not specify which ness to lend weight of numbers to their and the European Union is debating for this article. A spokesman for the legislation say that it lic Security Guo Shengkun, voicing areas. The EU ambassador used the argument. It also points to growing whether to give China “market econ- EU Delegation had no comment unease about the new counterter- same phrase to describe the law’s frustration that the low-key, individ- omy” status. when reached by Reuters. The Ger- could be interpreted rorism law, the draft cyber security impact, and both letters expressed ual approach taken in the past may On the draft cyber security law, all man embassy declined to comment on in such a way that law, and a draft law on management an interest in engaging with China as not be working. “While we recognize five ambassadors were particularly the letter. The Japanese embassy said: of foreign non-governmental organ- it worked out implementing regula- the need for each country to address concerned by provisions requiring “We pay attention to Chinese move- even non-violent isations (NGOs). tions around the law, to try to mitigate its security concerns, we believe the companies to store data locally and to ment over relevant laws or drafts of dissidents could fall In what sources said was a coor- those concerns. new legislative measures have the provide encryption keys, which tech- laws.” dinated move, the ambassador of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokes- potential to impede commerce, sti- nology firms worried may impinge on The parties to the letters decided within its definition European Union Delegation to China, man Hong Lei, asked about the letters, fle innovation, and infringe on China’s privacy and mean they would have to to express their concerns together of terrorism. Hans Dietmar Schweisgut, sent a let- said all countries were enhancing obligation to protect human rights in pass on sensitive intellectual prop- after it became unclear to what degree ter expressing similar concerns, dated their efforts to combat terrorism, and accordance with international law,” erty to the government in the name China was taking their individual January 28. that he hoped other countries would said a strongly-worded letter co- of security. input on the laws on board, said a The cyber security and coun- respect China’s sovereignty. signed by the four ambassadors. Both letters said the draft NGO person with knowledge of the matter. Reuters terterrorism laws codify sweeping “The counterterrorism law will China has defended the new and management law had the potential “We’re trying to avoid the divide powers for the government to combat not affect relevant businesses’ nor- draft laws, saying such steps, includ- to hinder academic exchanges and and conquer approach (by China). perceived threats, from widespread mal operations and it will not affect ing heightened censorship, were commercial activities, calling them They like to do that on any possible censorship to heightened control relevant personnel’s legitimate inter- necessary to ensure stability in the “crucial elements” of their relation- occasion. We wanted to send a coun- BEIJING: The United States, Canada, over certain technologies. Critics of ests,” he told a daily news briefing, country of over 1.3 billion people. ships with China. Critics have said ter-signal that when we have shared Germany, Japan and the European the counterterrorism legislation, for without elaborating. Guo could not The diplomatic push comes as the draft legislation risked choking interests, we cannot so easily be split,” Union have written to China to one, say that it could be interpreted be reached for comment. China’s State Beijing arguably needs cooperation off NGOs’ work by requiring them to the person said, adding that there had express concern over three new in such a way that even non-violent Council Information Office and Minis- from the signatories to the letters get official sponsors and giving broad been no clear response by China so or planned laws, including one on dissidents could fall within its defini- try of Public Security did not respond more than ever. A slowing Chinese powers to police to regulate their far to the letters. counterterrorism, in a rare joint bid tion of terrorism. to requests for comment. economy and fragile markets high- activities. In the letters, the ambas- “We don’t plan to establish a pen- to pressure Beijing into taking their The four ambassadors said areas While countries often give feed- light the importance of foreign sadors asked China to open both pal relationship. We want something objections seriously. of the counterterrorism law, which the back on proposed legislation in China, investors’ confidence. draft laws to another round of public to happen.”

EC may block local broadcasts Protest against defence deal of Pacquiao’s boxing contest Saudi cleric Reuters Philippines of the fight. “That could shot at in be possible, but as to whether we can stop him from fighting, that’s different.” Philippines MANILA: The Philippines’ election The poll body has given Pac- commission yesterday said it may quiao, a two-term congressman, five MANILA: A gunman shot bar local broadcasts of boxing icon days to comment on the issue before and wounded a promi- Manny Pacquiao’s bid to win back making a final ruling on whether the nent Saudi Arabian cleric the world welterweight title next bout violates election rules. who was on an Islamic month because it could give him an Bautista said the poll body’s law State hit list after he gave unfair advantage over rival candi- department has presented several a speech to fellow Mus- dates in an election a month later. options for Pacquiao, including a lim preachers in a city in The 37-year-old former world partial restriction on the airing of southern Philippines yes- champion will fight American his fight. terday evening. Timothy Bradley, reigning WBO Earlier, Pacquiao said it was Ayed al-Qarni was welterweight champion, for a third difficult to postpone the bout and shot as he left an Islamic time in April, exactly a month before pointed out that he had also fought forum in a school audito- he contests an election for one of 12 a month before polling in past rium at around 8.30pm by vacant seats in the upper house of elections. a man who had attended Congress. On May 9, more than 54 mil- the speech, police spokes- The bout is being billed as Pac- lion people will vote for a president, woman Inspector Helen quiao’s last fight, as the sporting hero vice-president, 300 lawmakers and Galvez said. An official brings down the curtain on a career. thousands of local government posts. from the Saudi embassy “We have some form of control, A left-wing candidate and rival in the Philippines was also or regulatory supervision, over enti- of Pacquiao wanted the poll body to wounded, she said. ties which have a franchise during declare the boxing match a violation the election period,” of election rules as it would give the Andres Bautista, chairman of boxer an undue advantage over other Former Filipino comfort women and militant groups stage a demonstration in front of the Embassy Wrongdoing the Commission on Elections, said candidates in the race to become a of Japan to protest the recent signing of an agreement with Japan to supply defence equipment Bautista said the commission could senator. Opinion polls rank him 8th to the Philippines in Pasay City, yesterday. denied by prohibit public broadcasts in the among four dozen candidates. Malaysian PM KUALA LUMPUR: The office of Malaysia’s scan- dal-plagued prime UN postpones North Korea sanctions vote until today minister yesterday denounced a Wall Street Journal report which Reuters “Subsequent to the United States’ and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jin- but Russia had demanded more time and recreational sports equipment. alleged that he accepted request ... to schedule a council vote for ping, China agreed to support the to study it. Pyongyang denied the February 7 hundreds of millions of this afternoon, Russia invoked a proce- unusually tough measures intended to The draft seen by Reuters would launch involved banned ballistic dollars that originated dural 24-hour review of the resolution, persuade its close ally North Korea to require UN member states to conduct missile technology, saying it was a from a state firm he UNITED NATIONS: The United so the vote will be on Wednesday,” the abandon its atomic weapons program. mandatory inspections of all cargo peaceful satellite launch. established. Nations Security Council delayed until US mission to the United Nations said Last week the United States pre- passing through their territory to or The official North Korean news The Wall Street Jour- today a vote on a US-Chinese drafted in a statement to reporters. sented the 15-nation council with from North Korea to look for illicit agency KCNA said in a commentary nal reported that the resolution that would dramatically The expanded sanctions, if the draft resolution that would sig- goods. Previously states only had to on Monday its “position as a satel- sums received by Najib expand UN sanctions on North Korea adopted, would require inspections nificantly tighten restrictions after do this if they had reasonable grounds lite manufacturer and launcher will Razak may have topped after Russia said it needed more time of all cargo going to and from North North Korea’s nuclear test and Feb- to believe there was illicit cargo. never change (and) ... space develop- $1bn -- far more than pre- to review the text, diplomats said. Korea and blacklisting North Koreans ruary 7 rocket launch, and create what The list of explicitly banned lux- ment is not something to be given up viously thought. Najib, The vote, which had been sched- active in Syria, Iran and Vietnam. it described as the toughest UN sanc- ury goods will be expanded to include because of someone’s ‘sanctions’.” It 62, and the company -- uled for yesterday afternoon, is now After nearly two months of bilat- tions regime in two decades. Originally luxury watches, aquatic recrea- called the proposed sanctions “a wan- 1Malaysia Development planned for 10am today, the diplomats eral negotiations that at one point Washington had wanted the council tional vehicles, snowmobiles worth ton infringement on (North Korea’s) Berhad (1MDB), an invest- said on condition of anonymity. involved US President Barack Obama to adopt the resolution last weekend more than $2,000, lead crystal items sovereignty and grave challenge to it.” ment vehicle founded in 2009 -- have consistently denied wrongdoing but critics have accused both of failing to provide con- Myanmar military exercises Australia to shake up vincing proof. media ownership laws Nepal extends Everest climbing AFP they are outdated and do not account for digital media platforms and new permits publishers like Internet titan Google. “The media ownership regula- KATHMANDU: Nepal has SYDNEY: The Australian govern- tions in our law were written before extended the climbing ment yesterday unveiled plans to paid television, they were certainly permits of hundreds of significantly change media owner- before the Internet, they are a relic of mountaineers forced to ship laws, which could trigger a rush a past economy, a past media econ- abandon Everest after of mergers and acquisitions as ail- omy, they have been out of date for last year’s massive earth- ing news organisations battle to stay years,” Prime Minister Malcolm quake, to try to lure afloat in the digital age. Turnbull told parliament. tourists back to the Hima- Under Canberra’s current laws “We are bringing the media layas, an official said. introduced in the 1980s to protect ownership regulations laws into the Climbers, who paid diversity, proprietors are blocked 21st century.” Meanwhile, Murdoch’s $11,000 each for a permit from owning television, radio and dominant local arm News Corp Aus- last year, quit their expe- newspaper assets in the same city. tralia could merge with television ditions in droves when the Metropolitan and regional broad- broadcaster Ten Network and radio quake triggered an ava- A live fire exercise from the deck of a warship during the Sea Shield 2016 combined fleet exercise casters are barred from merging. station company Nova Entertain- lanche on Everest camp off Coco island in the Andaman Sea by the Myanmar Armed Forces. Major players have called for the ment, which is owned by Murdoch’s that killed 18 people. government to scrap the rules saying eldest son Lachlan. 12 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 OPINION

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

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

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR HUSSAIN AHMAD [email protected]

EDITORIAL Punishing Pyongyang Saudi asks: Is war worth the risk?

he UN Security Council is set to vote today on a new of Defense, Brigadier Ahmad Al been mixed with other old issues opinions. Any analyst realizes that set of sanctions against the reclusive and isolated Asiri about Saudi’s “preparation” such as driving ban for women, and the battle against Iran to expel it out regime of North Korea for its fourth nuclear test to send ground forces to Syria to conflicts of parties. The issue has of our region will be long and dif- and rocket launch. Several sanctions are already in fight Islamic State (IS). been misused and diverted from ficult. Therefore it is also time for place against Pyongyang for its errant behaviour, This opinion does represent a its major aims. For instance one the Saudi people to listen directly to Tthough they haven’t stopped the regime led by Kim Jong-un real movement inside Saudi soci- of the columnists questioned the their leadership about the detailed from undertaking more nuclear and missile adventures. Not ety. At our gatherings people openly Saudi, Qatari and Turkish alliance aims and reasons for the military that these sanctions aren’t strict enough, but Kim has shown raise difficult questions, and writers because it does not comply with action, and what is needed from express their fears between lines in his political whims and he want to the public. a recalcitrance and recklessness that can only be considered articles. It is best to sum up these pull Egypt into an alliance which Any wise observer can see that foolish and counter-productive. The sanctions have brought opinions in what our fellow citizen it does not want. Another writer the Kingdom is cautious about inter- huge misery to ordinary North Koreans who remain cut off from By Jamal Khashoggi said to Washington Post. “There is claimed that supporters of the con- vening in external conflicts, and the rest of the world. a real fear among Saudis, including frontation with Iran are seeking therefore has usually preferred to The latest sanctions are very harsh. A US-drafted resolution members of the royal family, who to drag the Kingdom into endless support the oppositions in Yemen that will be put to vote proposes to cut off sources of hard are worried about the country’s conflicts because it serve their polit- and Syria, where these opposition few days ago, The Wash- involvement in foreign conflicts”. ical desires. It is natural that such forces are capable of ending these currency and access to technology to North Korea. It requires ington Post published a The daily, which said the source contradicting opinions create con- conflicts. countries to take the unprecedented step of inspecting all cargo negative story under- requested not to mention his name, fusion amongst people in society. No Saudi official has said that to and from North Korea, impose new trade curbs and prevent lining what it described also quoted him as saying “I think The majority of the opinions and the Kingdom will send any troops vessels suspected of carrying illegal goods for North Korea from A“menace of Saudi military inter- there is a widespread belief that we analytical views were reacting to to Syria, but only limited, special ports. Pyongyang’s already stifled economy is likely to suffer vention in Syrian conflict”. This is have lost the ability to differentiate statements made by the Minister of forces- on the condition that it has further damage as exports of coal, iron and iron ore from the not new- many similar opinions things reasonably”. The problem Foreign Affairs, Adel Al Jubeir, but air coverage from the international country will be banned, unless the revenue is used for livelihood have appeared in the Western Media is not what he said, but the lack his comments are always directed community, particularly America. blaming Saudi Arabia for threat- of explanations offered to remove to abroad, so there is now a need Also, Saudi Arabia did not cut its purposes and not to fund its nuclear and ballistic missile ening global peace, as if Iran and doubts and build trust amongst the for the leadership to make it clear ties with Russia, but is still commu- programmes. The sales of gold, titanium and other rare minerals Russia are distributing roses in Syria Saudi population about where we to the Saudi public how the battles nicating with it, and recently King from the country will also face ban and the supply of aviation and Yemen! The most interesting are heading. against Iran (Hizbollah) to prevent it Salman made a phone call with fuel including rocket fuel to the country part of the report was where it said The business community is from winning in Syria, and against Russian President Vladimir Putin. will be prohibited. Washington has the issue has reached the concern smart enough and knows the risks Houthi’s backed by Iran in Yemen Saudi is using all means, includ- The UN described the package of measures as of Saudi citizens who have begun of military involvement, but lack of are both important and necessary, ing political, economic and military to worry about involvement of the correct information can have nega- and worth the risk to security and support, cautiously and with wis- the toughest to hit North Korea in two Security country in battles on two fronts. tive impacts on the performance of stability. dom. I can assure you that most Council is decades. The daily quoted a Saudi polit- the sector. Also, discussions about Should we be instead paying Saudis have confidence in their The UN has always resorted to ical observer, described as close to the battle have imposed them- more attention to the local situa- leadership, and believe in the neces- planning a sanctions to punish countries which the senior officials, as saying, “Our selves, with an influx of rumours tion and responding to the people’s sity of the confrontations to protect new set of are violating international laws. But economy is suffering, and despite and exaggerations coming through needs for education, housing, health their homeland. sanctions questions have been raised about the this some leaders gave statements Whatsapp which are becoming and a better life, or we can do both ability of these sanctions to improve that we might become involved in more influential than an article together? As long as the leader- against North the war in Syria against Russia”. written by one of the officials. ship is determined to get involved the conduct of errant countries. It is clear that our fellow citizen The result is that fateful bat- in confrontations at any cost, then The writer is a Saudi Arabian jour- Korea over Intransigence and self-respect is not happy with the statements tles against Iran, the intervention it is time to reconcile this plan with nalist, columnist, author and the its nuclear of targeted countries mean their made by the Foreign Minister Adel in Syria and the war in Yemen have Saudi society. Peace and war cannot General Manager and Editor-in- and missile governments are unlikely to buckle Al Jubeir and Advisor to the Ministry become controversial and have bear procrastination or diversity of Chief of Al Arab News Channel. under pressure. programmes. North Korea too is unlikely to change its behaviour in the face of the latest sanctions, despite the additional pain it will inflict. The world is dealing with a state that is not The end of the line for Bolivia’s president interested in reason and commonsense. At the same time, the sanctions are important and a must due to the message it will send to Pyongyang. South Korea and Japan China’s expanding global ambitions. the multimillion-dollar deals the Bolivia was not on the itiner- will be happy that the UN has acted on its concerns. Reacting to Although Bolivia is small and government signed with a Chinese aries of the Chinese premiers and poor, Morales, the country’s first contractor that hired Morales’s one- presidents who made 31 visits to the sanctions, North Korea announced it will no longer take part indigenous president, has played time girlfriend for its Bolivian the region from 2001 to 2015. But in meetings of the UN Human Rights Council, which had set up an emblematic role in the now operations. The engineering firm Morales flew to China a few times an inquiry into crimes against humanity by Pyongyang. fading “pink tide” of Latin Amer- apparently landed about 60 per- and has farmed out several con- North Korea will finally have to abide by the international ican countries governed by leftists. cent of its more than $500 million tracts to Chinese companies. China laws. There is a limit to its military adventurism and the amount Yes, the charismatic populist could in Bolivian contracts after hiring is also Bolivia’s biggest creditor. of sanctions its people can take. intimidate opponents and rail at her -- the sort of track record that Bolivia had $1.6 billion in loans imperialists with the rest of the fuels speculation about influence from two state banks in China as Bolivarian bullies, but he mar- trafficking. Morales has denied any of 2015, according to the China- By Mac Margolis shalled his raw-materials bonanza wrongdoing, but the swirl of alle- Latin America Finance Database. Bloomberg more sensibly than spendthrift gations underscores the frailties of It’s not clear how good a deal counterparts such as Argentina’s Latin American democracy and the this has been for Bolivians. Sev- Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner hazards of doing business with an eral of China’s Bolivia projects or the late Venezuelan strongman ambitious international partner were awarded by no-bid contracts or Bolivia’s Evo Morales, elec- Hugo Chavez. better known for big investments (including six of the seven signed Quote of the day tions have been moments of Such a record helped cast than due diligence. with the firm that hired Morales’s Ftriumph. Since he emerged Morales as a “good autocrat,” in the There’s a reason Latin Amer- ex-girlfriend). Various China-led from the rural labour movement words of journalist Andres Oppen- ica has fallen hard for China. At a projects have also been dogged In order to allow adequate to win the presidency in late 2005, heimer, and that myth, along with time when global growth is slow- by delays, technical difficulty and the fiery political maverick has won generous social spending, played ing, foreign capital from traditional labour unrest, according to the US time to address logistical three straight contests to become his well on the Bolivian stump. “There Western lenders is scarce and gen- Army War College’s Evan Ellis, an and practical matters, the nation’s longest serving president. is just one Fidel, one Mandela, one erally comes with vexing strings expert on China in Latin America. Special Envoy will now So it came as a blow last week Gandhi... and one Evo,” his foreign attached. Not so with China, which Of course, none of that might have when Bolivians narrowly rejected minister, David Choquehuanca, has become known for lending troubled Bolivians while the econ- resume the (Syria) talks a proposal to change their consti- recently told El País. generously, quickly and with few omy was roaring and jobs were on 9 March 2016. tution to allow Morales to run for a But apparently voters have now questions asked. “The running joke plenty. But now growth is slow- fourth term and potentially stay in decided that Morales is dispensable, is that if a Chinese loan is signed in ing, and while Bolivians are not office until 2025. It seems that even and it’s hard not to imagine how a the morning, the shovels will be in yet tightening their belts, they no Staffan de Mistura one of Latin America’s most cel- succession of scandals helped set the truck by after lunch,” said Bos- longer seem willing to look the other UN mediator for Syria ebrated autocrats has fallen prey the stage for his defeat. ton University’s Kevin Gallagher, way when authorities throw pub- to his own appetite for power and Perhaps the most damaging a scholar of China-Latin Amer- lic money into apparently dicey the perils of mortgaging a nation to of the controversies centres on ica relations. ventures.

All thoughts and views expressed in these columns are those of the writers, not of the newspaper. All correspondence regarding Opinion page should be mailed to the Editor-in-Chief.

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UN urges govts Coral bleaching on Great Barrier Reef to protect their migrant workers

“When the recipient country provides social protection for the Of the estimated migrants - that is, health care, unem- 232 million migrants ployment compensations, social safety net, education for their chil- in the world in dren ... productivity of the migrants 2013, more than 95 increases. It clearly has a benefit to the national economy,” he said at the million are from the report’s launch on Monday. Asia-Pacific region. “Treat them with dignity, treat Migrants contribute them fairly, and provide the same protections that you provide your significantly to citizens, and ... you will be rewarded GDP growth in host for it.” Origin countries, he said, must countries. create a system for orderly and structured migration. “Too often, migrants have to rely on intermediaries that charge them Reuters exorbitant fees, and they are for- ever in debt, paying off their debt,” he said. “Creating fairness in terms of BANGKOK: Governments must the employment process, both at the provide migrant labourers with the recipient country and at the home same benefits and social protec- country, is really crucial, so that you tions they give their own citizens, get rid of the middlemen and you which will boost their economies make migration a labour movement Coral bleaching at Lizard Island off the Australian state of Queensland. Scientists yesterday warned coral bleaching was occurring on the and worker productivity, a United policy that we see in other parts of Nations official said. the world.” Great Barrier Reef as sea temperatures warm and it could rapidly accelerate unless cooler conditions blow in over the next few weeks. Of the estimated 232 million The region’s top country of ori- migrants in the world in 2013, more gin for migrants in 2013 was India, than 95 million are from the Asia- with 14 million migrants leaving the Pacific region, according to the UN’s country, followed by Russia, China, Asia-Pacific Migration Report 2015 Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philip- launched this week in Bangkok. pines, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Mugabe’s ex-deputy launches rival party Migrants contribute significantly Turkey and Indonesia. to GDP growth in host countries, The top destination in the region while sending home about $435bn that year was Russia, with 11 million AFP totally uprooted,” Mujuru said. “We Mujuru, 60, enjoys some public in remittances to the Asia-Pacific migrant arrivals, followed by Aus- urge all our war veterans, police, popularity in Zimbabwe, but faces a Zuma wins 2nd region in 2015, said Hongjoo Hahm, tralia, India, Pakistan, Thailand, army and intelligence services to huge task to establish her new party deputy executive secretary of the Kazakhstan, China, Iran, Malaysia defend the constitution.” Mujuru, in the country’s tense political scene. no-confidence UN’s development arm for Asia and and Japan. HARARE: Zimbabwean former vice the widow of Zimbabwe’s first post- She was a guerrilla fighter dur- the Pacific. Most of the region’s migrants go president Joice Mujuru launched a independence army general, was ing Zimbabwe’s 1970s liberation war Yet many face abuses at every to nearby or neighbouring countries new political party yesterday in a fired from Mugabe’s government and before rising to become vice presi- vote step of the way, from recruitment - with Asia-Pacific hosting about direct challenge to veteran Presi- the ruling ZANU-PF party in Decem- dent in 2004. agencies and job brokers at home 59 million migrants - while others dent Robert Mugabe’s all-powerful ber 2014. A former ZANU-PF stalwart, she Cape Town: Beleaguered to exploitative employers, officials go further afield to work in places ZANU-PF, as speculation increases Her ousting came after a cam- served in several cabinets under South African President and police abroad. such as the Middle East and North over his succession. paign by the president’s wife Grace Mugabe and was seen for many years Jacob Zuma easily sur- It is the responsibility of govern- America. Hahm cited the Philippines “Today is a historic day,” said denigrating Mujuru and accusing as his favoured choice of successor. vived a no-confidence ments in the countries that send and - which sends about 2 million citi- Mujuru in announcing the launch of her of fomenting party division and Her husband, Solomon Mujuru, died motion in parliament yes- receive migrants to have domestic, zens abroad each year - as a country her Zimbabwe People First party at plotting to topple Mugabe. Mujuru in a mysterious house fire in 2011. terday after a heated regional and inter-country dis- that supports migrants as they pre- a press conference. responded to questions about Grace’s Mujuru signalled her intention to attack on his “reckless” cussions to create the policies and pare to go abroad, and also helps “This is a day of significance in accusations by saying: “I am now form a party last year last year by handling of the economy. conditions necessary for safe migra- them to acclimatise to life back home our country’s political history.”“The swearing before you that I am nei- releasing a manifesto that opposed Zuma’s African tion, Hahm said. when they return. scourge of corruption needs to be ther a witch nor an assassin.” Mugabe’s key policies. National Congress party’s overwhelming majority saw the no-confidence motion defeated by 225 votes to 99, with 22 Presidential nominations in Myanmar on March 10 Mali rebels destroyed ancient abstentions. But the president was pilloried by opposi- Timbuktu shrines: Prosecutors tion speakers during the debate, which came on the same day that his law- Reuters the court. “This crime affects the yers fought a high court soul and spirit of the people,” said battle to prevent the rein- prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, com- statement of corruption paring the attacks on the ancient charges against him. AMSTERDAM: An Islamist fighter seat of learning to the destruction Pressure has mounted caused irreparable damage to Afri- wrought by Islamic State militants on the president against ca’s cultural heritage by destroying on Palmyra in Syria and the Taliban’s the background of an eco- religious sites in the ancient city of 2001 defacement of the Bamiyan nomic crisis sparked by Timbuktu during the 2012 conflict in Buddha statues in Afghanistan. his firing of two finance Mali, international prosecutors said “These were sites dedicated to ministers. “Our presi- yesterday. religion and historic monuments dent’s quest for power Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi, a and did not constitute military has never been about cre- former trainee teacher, had led and objectives,” she said, adding their ating a more prosperous personally taken part in the attacks destruction hit “the deepest and South Africa,” the leader on nine mausoleums and mosques most intimate part of a human being, of the opposition Demo- in the city with pick-axes and crow- their faith.” At the hearing, prose- cratic Alliance (DA), Mmusi bars, prosecutors at the International cutors must convince judges, led by Maimane, told parliament. Criminal Court (ICC) said. Kenya’s Joyce Aluoch, that they have Al-Mahdi—an ethnic Tuareg marshalled sufficient evidence to who prosecutors say belonged to the justify a full trial. The ICC has been ‘Boko Haram Parliament members of National League for Democracy (NLD) party attend a meeting with Myanmar Ansar Dine militant group, an ally of examining events in Mali since 2012, democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi (not pictured) in the Parliament, ZabuThiri Hall, Myanmar, yesterday. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb—is when Tuareg rebels seized part of spy’ arrested for Myanmar will announce presidential nominations on March 10. the first person to be charged with the north, imposing a strict interpre- destroying cultural artefacts by tation of Islamic law. church bombing Kano: Nigeria’s mili- tary yesterday said it has arrested a man accused of spying for Boko Haram HK bookseller denies being kidnapped by China in a deadly church bomb- ing five years ago, along with three suspected Reuters abducted some of the men and taken Hong Kong in December, saying he against, he said, “I used an illegal operations. “There is still a big ques- accomplices. them back to China. The disappear- had returned to China voluntarily. means to sneak there and I didn’t use tion mark.” Hong Kong Security Victor Moses was ances provoked concern that China “I have always felt that I’m a Hong my (Chinese) home return permit.” Secretary Lai Tung-kwok said Hong detained in the town of was using shadowy tactics to erode Kong citizen, a Chinese citizen, and Lee didn’t give details on how he’d Kong police would follow up to fur- Alkaleri in northeast- HONG KONG: A Hong Kong book- the “one country, two systems” for- because people have used my Brit- crossed the border into China, or who ther clarify the circumstances of Lee’s ern Bauchi state when seller and British passport holder mula under which Hong Kong has ish nationality to sensationalise and helped him or when he might return. case, including how he’d entered he went to a mosque who disappeared last year said he been governed since its return to make the situation more compli- “This case is quite complicated ... China. and claimed he wanted had not been kidnapped by Chinese China from British rule in 1997. cated, that’s why I’m deciding to give so I need to be questioned for longer. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokes- to convert to Islam, said authorities, as many suspect, but had At least one of the men faces up my British nationality,” said Lee, I am very safe and free in China. My man Hong Lei, asked about Lee’s Brigadier-General Abra- sneaked into China illegally and that charges for selling and distributing who appeared calm in the interview. relations with law enforcement offic- appearance on television, noted that ham Dusu. At least 44 he would renounce his British citi- books critical of China’s Commu- “Why have I acted so mysteri- ers are very good. They treat me very Lee and his wife had already made worshippers were killed zenship. nist Party leaders that are banned ously? It’s because I’ve had to assist well.” Some politicians were scep- remarks on the case many times on December 25, 2011 in Lee Bo, a dual British and Hong in China. In a 20-minute interview with a mainland Chinese investiga- tical and said Lee may have been already. “We should respect what they what was Boko Haram’s Kong citizen, and four associates went with China’s Phoenix Television late tion and it required testifying against pressured to try to erase perceptions have said and respect the facts,” he deadliest attack on Chris- missing over the past half year, spark- on Monday, Lee gave the first detailed some people.” Since he was afraid of of Chinese authorities carrying out said. Lee’s wife has previously said he tian places of worship. ing fears that Chinese authorities had account of his disappearance from reprisals from those he was testifying illegal cross-border enforcement travelled to the mainland voluntarily. 14 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 PAKISTAN

Yet another Fall in crime boosts property prices in Karachi ‘honour killing’ in Lahore mean streets safer, property develop- ers across the metropolis are looking Karachi property to cash in on home buyers’ new-found LAHORE: A father has shot dead prices jumped 23 confidence. his daughter in the Pakistani city Karachi property prices jumped of Lahore in an apparent “hon- percent last year to a 23 percent last year to a record high, our killing”, police said yesterday, record high, outpacing outpacing other large cities and the a day after a Pakistani director other large cities and national average of 10 percent, data won an Oscar for a documentary from property website Zameen.com on such murders. the national average showed. Activists have accused secu- Investigators said Mohammad of 10 percent. rity forces of human rights abuses, Rehmat, who is now on the run, while the MQM, Karachi’s dominant killed his 18-year-old daughter political party, says the crackdown Komal Bibi on Monday after she is effectively a witch-hunt against it. failed to tell him where she had In the narrow lanes of Qadeer’s been for about five hours. Reuters working class Lyari area, the forces “The father fled after killing his killed 200 people last year alone, said daughter and police are search- Zubair Habib, head of the Citizens- ing for him,” local police official Police Liaison Committee (CPLC). The Mohammad Yaqoob told AFP. KARACHI: Pakistani Abdul Qadeer police say they are often victims of “It appears to be a case of hon- gave up trying to build a block of attacks by armed criminals, and that our killing,” he said. flats in Karachi four years ago, when the operation is working. “A Girl in the River: The Price gangsters demanding $20,000 in pro- The clampdown also has a grow- of Forgiveness”, a film telling the tection money shot him in the legs ing number of supporters, not least story of a rare survivor, won the because he refused to pay. among a business community long Academy Award for best docu- Now he is back, putting the fin- frustrated by Karachi’s reputation for mentary short at the star-studded ishing touches to one of several high rates of crime. Hollywood ceremony on Sunday. apartment complexes he is construct- “In those areas where there was Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chi- ing, part of a property boom which he a law and order problem, people noy met Prime Minister Nawaz attributes to the security crackdown have started buying houses again,” Sharif recently as speculation grew on Islamist insurgents and criminals said Arif Habib, head of one of Paki- the film would win an Oscar, turn- launched in the city in 2013. stan’s largest conglomerates. Arif ing a global spotlight on honour “The terror in people has been Habib Corporation is building a large killings in the conservative Mus- eliminated. Business is good,” he said, housing scheme in Karachi, with lim nation. pointing to six scars left by the gun- enough land eventually to accom- Hundreds of women are mur- Labourers work at a building construction site in Karachi, Pakistan. shot wounds. modate 30,000 units, and last year dered by their relatives in Pakistan Qadeer’s experience was not listed the country’s first real estate each year on the grounds of uncommon for those trying to do investment trust. “We have the pop- to June 2015, against a central bank remained structurally weak, with low some investors seeking to avoid pay- defending family “honour”. business in Karachi, home to more ulation. There is a shortage of housing target of 5.1 percent and below the 6 levels of tax collection, low capital ing tax. Official data on total property Under a controversial pro- than 20 million people and with a and a lot of backlog,” Habib said. Ris- percent-plus economists say is needed investment and a struggling export spending are not available, but land vision of Islamic law in force in reputation as one of the world’s most ing demand for property in Karachi to absorb new entrants into a labour sector all posing risks to growth. At prices and project starts show a surge Pakistan, men who kill female rel- dangerous cities. But with recorded may not reflect the Pakistani econ- force from a growing population of least some of the money pouring into in demand. Developers launched 134 atives escape punishment if they crimes down sharply since paramil- omy as a whole. 190 million people. The central bank Karachi real estate is also likely to residential and commercial projects are “pardoned” by relatives follow- itary Rangers moved in to make its It grew at 4.2 percent in the year said in December that the economy be illicit, property experts said, with in Karachi last year. ing the payment of blood money. Crowd pays tribute at the funeral of governor’s assassin

Pakistan wins AFP through a sea of supporters towards than a decade. “I think it is a very the site where Qadri was buried critical moment in the political his- 2016 Global Tuesday evening. Qadri, a police bod- tory of Pakistan. It is the first time the yguard to Salman Taseer, shot the political government has made such a Innovation Contest RAWALPINDI: Tens of thousands liberal Punjab governor 28 times at decision (to carry out the execution),” of supporters chanted and threw an Islamabad market in 2011. Rana said. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has rose petals yesterday at an ambu- He said he was angry at the poli- “The resolve is on the rule of law been declared winner in lance bearing the body of a Pakistani tician’s calls to reform the blasphemy and they will not allow space for Global Innovation Compe- Islamist executed for killing a liberal law. Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive extremism in Pakistan.” But Rana said tition 2016 held in Accra, governor, as schools closed and police issue in the Islamic republic, and the move might backfire by making Ghana. guarded flashpoints. Qadri, who was hanged early Monday, Qadri a martyr. According to the Crowds flooded into a park in the was hailed as a hero by many con- Several supporters took turns to details, Making All Voices garrison city of Rawalpindi for funeral servatives eager to drown out calls denounce and threaten the govern- Count (MAVC) launched prayers for Mumtaz Qadri, chanting to soften the legislation. ment before the funeral. third Global Innova- slogans such as “Qadri, your blood Critics say the law -- which car- “The chief justice, the army chief tion Competition to find will bring revolution”. An estimate ries the death penalty -- is largely and the president should fear the day the best ideas emerging put the number of people at up to misused, with hundreds languish- when every single individual of the across Africa and Asia. 100,000. ing in jails under false charges. But country will become Mumtaz Qadri MAVC got 420 pro- Main junctions and sensi- those who lynch alleged blasphem- and grab them on the streets of the posals from techies, civil tive buildings in Rawalpindi and ers largely escape punishment. country,” said Khadim Hussain. society groups, business- the nearby capital Islamabad were Earlier, a few hundred Qadri sup- Mourners travelled from distant men and ordinary people guarded by thousands of police and porters carrying sticks were seen cities, including Karachi and Lahore and more than 30,000 paramilitary Rangers, while schools among the crowd in Rawalpindi as well as Pakistani-held Kashmir, public votes and a panel were shut. Security forces kept a care- as they shouted slogans including: while small demonstrations were held of expert jury helped ful distance from the crowd at Liaqat “The punishment for a blasphemer in cities such as Peshawar. in deciding who went Bagh park, and some of the support- is beheading!” The media maintained a near- through to the finals. ers dispersed after the prayers. Analyst Amir Rana said Qadri’s blackout on the news for the second Pakistan was rep- But around 5,000 continued to execution marked a key moment for day running, a move that analysts resented by two young People raise their hands next to the ambulance carrying the body of march behind the flower-strewn Pakistan in its fight against religious said has helped limit fallout from the professionals. Gulbaz Mumtaz Qadri during his funeral in Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi, yesterday. ambulance as it inched its way extremism, which has lasted more execution. Ali Khan, Chief Technical Advisor-Centre for Inclu- sive Governance (CIG), conceptualised Rural Road Community Mon- Surveillance system to prevent Donkey ride itoring Project (RRCMP) that tries to address the issues of transparency and accountability around outbreak of diseases large road projects in rural areas by making cit- izens an integral part of Internews diphtheria to quickly respond. The about the cost of the programme in the system. programme is being launched in the specified districts to implement Buner, Karak, Nowshera, Dera it in other districts accordingly,” she Ismail Khan, Haripur and Lakki- added. Iran president PESHAWAR: The Khyber Marwat with plans of extension Standardisation of facilities in Pakhtunkhwa province government following phasing out of the Dis- line with the WHO’s guidelines is also to visit has launched Integrated Disease ease Early Warning System (DEWS), part of the programme because the Surveillance System to ascertain started by the World Health Organi- system will also identify gaps and Pakistan information about health indicators sation in seven districts in 2005 after weaknesses that hamper patients’ and take desired measures to pre- the earthquake and later extended it treatment. ISLAMABAD: Following vent outbreak of diseases, according to 14 districts to know about preva- Dr Shaheen said that it would the lifting of sanctions, to officials. lence of diseases in calamity-affected cover 23 diseases. According to her, Iran President Hassan “The government is piloting an population. the WHO and National Institute of Rowhani is set to visit 18-month project with the financial Dr Shaheen said that district Health are imparting three-day Pakistan by the end of assistance of DFID in six districts to oversight committee comprising training to medics about the new this month to push for know about disease’s trend and take deputy commissioners, local gov- system. the Iran-Pakistan (IP) gas quick action and prevent occurrence ernment representatives, district “We will cover all health facil- pipeline project. of epidemics,” said Dr Shaheen Afridi, health officer and members of the ities in the district and in case of The project was to be deputy director of public health. district government departments rising trend in any disease, coor- commissioned in Decem- The programme is aimed at would be constituted and a disease dinated action will be taken on the ber 2014, but work was focusing on priority diseases in the surveillance unit at the directorate of basis of epidemiological findings,” stalled after sanctions designated districts and controlling health would coordinate the opera- said Dr Shaheen. were placed on Tehran. epidemic besides applying brakes on tions and receive updates from the Dr Asif, the coordinator of the Officials now say that preventable deaths. selected districts. programme, said that field visits of there are hopes that the It is an innovative programme She said that government had doctors had also been planned during project could be imple- and all in the network are linked shown commitment to extend the training to ensure scientific report- mented. The Iranian through mobile phone SMS and programme to the entire province on ing as the statistics collected through An Afghan man rides on his donkey along a street on the outskirts president will take up the Internet to ensure prompt exchange the basis of its effectiveness in dis- the system would be utilised by gov- issue during his visit to of integrated information and alerts ease control at the local level. ernment to formulate policy about of Kabul, Afghanistan, yesterday. Islamabad, said an official. are issued in case of measles and “The government will also know prevention and control of diseases. INDIA WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 15

Air base attack: Fishing for a living Non-state actors get state help

Parrikar said: “There are bases stra- tegically located within the country. All details will come Pathankot is equally important out in the National because it is closer to border and Investigation Agency there is a lot of investment which has been carried out in Pathankot. It will probe. In this, non- be costly to shift (from) Pathankot.” state actors from He informed the house that intelligence on the possibility of an Pakistan are certainly attack on the airbase was received involved: Defence in advance. “We have now done a secu- Minister rity audit in addition to the normal security. We are in the process of ensuring all installations are prop- erly secured,” the minister said. IANS On a query on the Pathankot ter- ror attack in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said that Pakistan had decided to send a NEW DELHI: Non-state actors team to India and details of the pro- from Pakistan were involved in the posed visit are being chalked out. Pathankot terror attack but they “India has handed over all the Fishermen retrieve their nets as they fish from a lake in Agartalla, yesterday. could not function smoothly with- collected evidence to Pakistan in out state support, Defence Minister relation to the Pathankot attack. Manohar Parrikar told the Rajya They have registered a case and Sabha yesterday. decided to send a team to India. For “All details will come out in the the first time, Pakistan has initiated National Investigation Agency probe. action after evidence was handed In this (attack), non-state actors from over by India,” Rijiju said. BJP seeks probe into UPA ‘flip-flop’ in Ishrat case Pakistan are certainly involved; that He, however, said that Pakistan is (for) sure... And any non-state has not yet given details such as the (actor) can’t function smoothly with- date or the size of its team. IANS affidavit was changed at the “polit- who was then the Gujarat chief min- affidavit submitted to the Gujarat out state support,” Parrikar said in “We are waiting for the details. ical level”. ister, in the case. High Court on the alleged gunfight reply to Shiv Sena member Sanjay India is ready to cooperate,” he “On behalf of the Bharatiya Janata He said that Pakistani-American in which Ishrat Jahan, a 19-year-old Raut’s queries. said, responding to a query from Party, we demand that (in) the entire terrorist turned approver David Cole- student of Mumbra college, and three “Does the government believe it Bharatiya Janata Party member Ash- NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata flip-flop in the Ishrat Jahan case, a man Headley said in his deposition in others were shot dead on the outskirts was just a terror attack or done with wini Kumar. Party yesterday alleged flip-flop by fair inquiry be done,” said Prasad. a Mumbai court that Ishrat Jahan was of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in 2004. the help of the Pakistan Army?” Raut In response to another question, the then Congress-led United Pro- Citing former home secretary G an Lashkar-e-Taiba activist. In August 2009, the home min- asked. Rijiju said the government was tak- gressive Alliance government at the K Pillai’s recent TV interview, Prasad Prasad alleged that there was istry under Chidambaram submitted The January 2 terrorist attack ing all measures to stop infiltration Centre in the Ishrat Jahan shootout said the second affidavit came at an attempt to raise questions on the an affidavit to the Gujarat High Court on the Indian Air Force base at from the border areas of Punjab. case and demanded a thorough probe the level of former home minister P information flow of intelligence agen- that referred to Ishrat Jahan’s alleged Pathankot in Punjab left seven secu- “After Pathankot and Dinanagar into it. Chidambaram. cies concerning terror networks. Lashkar-e-Taiba links. rity personnel dead. Six terrorists, terror attacks, we are taking all the The probe should look into the He said a former home ministry “Can a home minister behave in The position taken by the home who attacked the base, were also measures to stop infiltration from manner in which the Centre’s affi- official (Pillai), who signed the affi- such irresponsible manner? We allege ministry in the subsequent affida- killed in the gun battle lasting almost the border areas of Punjab. There is davit in the case was changed and davits, told a news channel that he that Chidambaram was not doing it vit was in sharp departure from the three days. no fencing around 12 km of the bor- under whose “pressure” it was done, was “tortured” during the probe to himself. He had directions from the position it took in its earlier affidavit. Asked by a parliamentarian der area. With the help of the BSF BJP leader and union minister Ravi ascertain if Ishrat Jahan was killed top Congress leadership,” Prasad Countering allegations of Prasad, whether important defence force (Border Security Force), we are try- Shankar Prasad said at a press con- in a fake gunfight. alleged. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Sing- bases like in Pathankot should be ing to make these areas more safe,” ference at the party headquarters. Prasad alleged that there was a Pillai alleged that Chidambaram hvi said it was for the courts to decide shifted far from the border areas, he said. He alleged that the home ministry conspiracy to name Narendra Modi, bypassed him and rewrote the if Ishrat Jahan was guilty.

Animal care EPF: 60% tax on accrued interest only after April 1 JNU students

IANS National Pension Scheme (NPS) cor- sent to 14-day pus would be tax exempt at the time of withdrawal to make it attractive judicial custody for savers. He said the annuity fund, CHENNAI: The central govern- which goes to legal heirs, also won’t New Delhi: A court yes- ment yesterday clarified that only be taxable. terday sent to 14 days that portion of the interest accrued In case of superannuation funds judicial custody to JNU on Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and recognised provident funds, students Umar Khalid and contributions made after April 1 will including EPF, the same norm of Anirban Bhattacharya, be taxed at 60 percent while the 40 percent of corpus to be tax free facing sedition charges principal will continue to remain will apply in respect of corpus cre- for allegedly raising “anti- tax exempt. ated out of contributions made on or India” slogans, sources Clarifying the position, Revenue from April 1. He said the government said. Both the accused Secretary Hasmukh Adhia said 40 was proposing the monetary limit for were presented before a percent of the interest accrued on contribution of employer in recog- magistrate in a police sta- contributions made after that date nised Provident and Superannuation tion in south Delhi due to (April 1, 2016) will be tax-exempt. He Fund of Rs.150,000 per annum for security concerns after also said the corpus won’t be taxed taking tax benefit. expiry of their additional on withdrawal. The service tax on single pre- one day police custody. The salaried class was shocked mium annuity policies had been by Monday’s budget proposal pre- reduced to 1.4 percent from 3.5 Irom Sharmila to sented by Finance Minister Arun percent of the premium paid in Jaitley that seemed to suggest that certain cases. Similarly, Jaitley also continue fast for 60 percent of withdrawals from EPF announced exemption of service tax accounts would be taxed. for annuity services provided by NPS AFSPA repeal Forest officials carry the body of a female tiger into a building to undergo a post-mortem examination There also would be no change and services provided by Employees at the Nagaland Forest office in Dimapur in the north-eastern state of Nagaland yesterday. A tigress in the tax treatment of contributions Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO). Imphal: Civil rights activ- was killed by villagers at Medzhiphema village on the outskirts of Dimapur on February 29, after to the Public Provident Fund (PPF), The clarification from Adhia ist Irom Sharmila has said she will continue to use allegedly attacking a villager and raiding livestock, before being handed over to forestry officials for Adhia said. seems to have come due to the the democratic weapon examination. Presenting the budget for 2016- uproar against the government’s 17, Jaitley said 40 percent of the proposal. of fasting to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, from Manipur though the chances of its More arrests for hounding Kerala TV anchor: Police success are very bleak. “What I am doing is for the people. I shall continue using the demo- IANS a discussion on Friday night on HRD “Although I am not scared, it’s a police to find out is the brain behind Ramesh Chennithala have promised cratic weapon of fasting,” Minister Smrithi Irani’s comments on nuisance. Even today numerous calls this organised hounding. If not, how action. said Irom, also known as Mahishasura in Parliament last week. came from various parts of the coun- can this happen even after the police “This (the threats) is not accepta- the ‘Iron Lady of Manipur’. Suryakumar said that she had try and abroad. Now I answer only registering a case and arrests were ble. She never did any wrong except People who used to THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After received more than 2,500 calls, abus- calls that are from people known to made?” handle that day’s news,” Beena said. extend support to her arresting five suspects, police in Ker- ing and threatening her. She has been me,” she added. Suryakumar anchors a hugely “We have been assured that campaign are wallow- ala say that more arrests are likely on accused of using words to describe Suryakumar said she had been popular weekly programme, Cover proper action will be taken and the ing in material pleasures, charges of abusing and threatening a Hindu gooddess Durga which she told that five people had been arrested Story. police will do their job and the guilty said Sharmila, who is on leading woman anchor of a popular insists she never used. and more arrests would take place. K A Beena, who met senior police will be punished,” she said. a fast-unto-death since TV channel. “I am yet to figure out what wrong Police have said that all the people officials at the head of a group of The Congress and the CPI-M have November 4, 2000, over The telephone of anchor Sindhu I did. I never, ever mentioned a word who had been arrested were linked to women journalists, said yesterday condemned the harassment and her demand. Suryakumar of Asianet TV has not on Durga Devi. Now I feel I am being various Hindutva groups. that both Director General of Police sought tough action against those stopped ringing since she anchored targeted with some motive,” she said. The anchor said: “What I want the T P Senkumar and Home Minister who have threatened Suryakumar. 16 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 INDIA Protests against Chidambaram and son

IANS Meanwhile, Congress members house as the chairman and deputy Chargesheet sought to know from Speaker Sumi- chairman tried to conduct the pro- AIADMK members tra Mahajan the status of their notices ceedings amid the din. filed against trooped near the of privilege motion against HRD Min- Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi NEW DELHI: AIADMK members ister Smriti Irani. Azad said: “This is a deliberate Pachauri disrupted both houses of Parlia- speaker’s podium The Congress leader in the Lok attempt on the part of the AIADMK ment yesterday demanding action shouting “We want Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, stood so that we don’t discuss the privilege against former home minister P up to raise the issue but was shouted motion.” The chair kept on asking the NEW DELHI: A charge Chidambaram (pictured) and his son justice” and waving down by AIADMK members. protesting members to take their seats sheet was filed by police Karti over corruption charges. newspapers which Parliamentary Affairs Minis- as the motion of thanks on President in a sexual harassment The protesting members shouted claimed that P ter M Venkaiah Naidu tried to pacify Pranab Mukherjee’s speech needed case against TERI exec- slogans in both the Lok Sabha and the Tamil Nadu MPs saying the issue to be taken up but there was no stop- utive vice chairman R K Rajya Sabha against the former Con- Chidambaram’s son could be raised later after giving ping the sloganeering. Pachauri, court sources gress minister and his son. had invested in real proper notice. “Please sit down. We are going to said. Soon after the Lok Sabha met for Similar scenes were witnessed in take up an important issue,” Deputy “The charge sheet was the day, AIADMK members trooped estate. the Rajya Sabha too, where AIADMK day at 3.45 p.m. Chairman P.J. Kurien pleaded. filed before a metropol- near the speaker’s podium shouting members disrupted the proceed- The Rajya Sabha could not con- “You are behaving in the most itan magistrate Shivani “We want justice” and waving news- ings by shouting slogans demanding duct any meaningful business. irresponsible way. Why do you dis- Chauhan in Saket court papers which claimed that Karti had Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya action against the Chidambarams.The Slogans such as “Arrest turb proceedings in the house? It is who posted the matter invested in real estate across the Sabha were adjourned twice in the house witnessed multiple adjourn- Chidambaram and his son” and “Act murder of democracy, I am telling for April 23 for consid- world. first hour before noon. ments before being adjourned for the against Chidambaram” echoed in the you,” he added in frustration. eration,” victim’s counsel advocate Prashant Mendi- ratta said. According to court sources, police has Pranab calls chargesheeted Pachuari Demonstration under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for harnessing dealing with assault or criminal force to woman e-governance with intent to outrage her modesty, sexual harass- capability ment, stalking, criminal intimidation and word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a IANS woman. Central forces NEW DELHI: President Pranab arrive in Bengal Mukherjee yesterday said the country must continue to har- ahead of polls ness its e-governance capability for improving the lives of the poor and to make society more equita- KOLKATA: Over 100 com- ble and financially inclusive. panies of central forces Speaking at the 40th anni- are being moved for versary celebrations of the Indian extensive confidence Civil Accounts Service yesterday, building measures (CBM) the president said that the govern- in West Bengal districts ment gives priority to the Direct ahead of assembly polls Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode to in the state, an Elec- reach out to the financially disad- tion Commission official vantaged and excluded segment of said yesterday. “They the population. are arriving and some “This mode of direct transfer of have already started funds to beneficiary bank accounts route marches and confi- ensures transparency, eliminates dence building measures delays and brings about a percep- in certain districts. More tible drop in corruption levels. I am companies are expected confident government will on- to arrive here after March board more welfare schemes on 7,” additional chief elec- the PFMS (Public Financial Man- toral officer Dibyendu agement System) in future,” said Sarkar said. He said the Pranab. focus is on ethical voting Demonstrators climb a police barricade during a protest march in New Delhi, yesterday. Dozens of protesters from Campus Front of India According to sources, the and CBM measures have President said that timely and (CFI) protested to express solidarity for Rohit Vemula, a low-caste student of the University of Hyderabad who was found hanging at a been initiated to boost credible financial reporting of hostel in January and were also demanding the release of Kanhaiya Kumar, a JNU student union leader accused of sedition. an atmosphere of confi- public finances is the foremost dence so that voters can challenge for the civil accounts cast ballots without any service in today’s world where fear or intimidation. The size, scale and complexity of the details of the CBMs will economy is increasing with every be collected from dis- passing day. Haryana transfers 10 police officers after Jat stir tricts on a daily basis, he “These fast paced devel- added. opments pose policy and administrative challenges on IANS Director General, Crime, K.P. west, Gurgaon has been posted as agitation. Those suspended include many fronts, including on the Singh has been posted as direc- commandant, 4th India Reserve IGP Shrikant Jadhav, who was the RSP protests capability and the capacity of tor general with the Prakash Singh Battalion (IRB), Manesar, Gurgaon. Rohtak range IG till recently, when our financial management and committee, which has been set up to Balwan Singh has been posted in his the agitation took a violent turn. against tie-up accounting systems to respond CHANDIGARH: The Haryana gov- look into lapses by officials during the place with additional charge of DCP, The two DSPs suspended are Amit to the myriad needs of various ernment yesterday ordered the Jat agitation, in addition to his own headquarters Gurgaon. Dahiya and Amit Bhatia, both posted with Congress stakeholders in the economy. transfer of 10 senior police officers, duties. Inspector General (IG) Para- Arun Nehra has been posted as in Rohtak town. The Haryana Police In that context, the foremost including an IG and three district mjit Singh Ahlawat has been posted DCP, Ambala (Urban) while Sumer was accused of not reacting to the sit- KOLKATA: The Revolu- challenge for your organi- police chiefs, just days after the vio- as IG, Telecommunication. Partap Singh will be the new SP in uation and ensuring safety of people tionary Socialist Party sation is timely and credible lent Jat agitation for reservation Among the district police chiefs, Yamunanagar and Krishan Murari and property as the violent protestors (RSP) yesterday threat- financial reporting of public which left 30 people dead and over Sangeeta Rani is the new super- has been posted as SP, Commando. had a field day in arson and looting. ened to walk out of the finances, which is the back- 200 injured. intendent of police in Rewari, The Haryana government had, Rohtak, Sonipat, Panipat and Left Front in West Bengal bone of an efficient and sound Those transferred included nine Jashandeep Singh Randhawa at last week, ordered the suspension Jhajjar, the districts worst-hit by in protest against the coa- financial management system,” Indian Police Service (IPS) offic- Jhajjar and Sumit Kumar the new SP of an inspector general of police violence in agitation, fall under the lition’s proposed electoral the President said in a statement ers and one Haryana Police Service at Kaithal. Kulwinder Singh, dep- (IGP) and two deputy superintend- Rohtak range. Other affected districts arrangement with the released. (HPS) officer. uty commissioner of police (DCP), ents of police (DSPs) following the Jat included Bhiwani, Hisar and Kaithal. Congress. A RSP delegation on the day met leaders of the Communist Party of India- Govt to bring 4.14 lakh hectares Marxist (CPI-M) which Back to school heads the front, putting forth its grievances. under irrigation this year “Suddenly this tie-up is being imposed on us. Just for the sake of discipline IANS Jaitley had said farmers’ income we have to keep quiet, would be doubled in the next five but this is creating resent- years — a target that former prime ment among our party minister Manmohan Singh termed activists at the grassroots. NEW DELHI: The government will an “impossible idea”. They are unable to explain add 4.14 lakh hectares to the cul- Birender Singh said food security this arrangement to the tivable area by bringing it under for everyone and raising farmers’ masses,” RSP state secre- irrigation within one year, union income would be among the biggest tary Kshiti Goswami told a Rural Development Minister achievements of the government, television channel. Birender Singh said yesterday. and added that the finance minister Not only was RSP not “We would be including 4.14 lakh allocated more funds to his ministry consulted on the mat- hectares of land under cultivation than he had expected. ter, but was discouraged where irrigation facilities would be He also responded to reports that from airing its opinion, he made available through integrated say construction of latrines in rural alleged. water shed management. This will areas has slowed down. “We have not been help in raising the productivity and “We have constructed 64 per- consulted on the issue in income of the farmers,” Birender cent more toilets, annually, for rural any way... In fact, we have Singh said. “If we continue at the households than our predecessors,” been reprimanded for pace we are working, the farmers the minister claimed. He said a BPL voicing our concerns,” he income can be doubled,” he said. (below poverty line) household was said. Kashmiri schoolchildren arrive for class on the first day of school after winter break, in Srinagar, yesterday. Presenting the budget for 2016- receiving Rs12,000 to construct a 17 on Monday, Finance Minister Arun toilet under his ministry’s schemes. UK / IRELAND WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 17 Only suspect in 1998 Omagh bombing freed

injured around 220 people, was the single worst atrocity of the sectar- Case against ian conflict known as The Troubles Daly collapsed in which around 3,500 people were killed over three decades. as prosecutors No-one has ever been convicted withdrew all charges in a criminal court over the bombing, after inconsistent which tore through the market town of Omagh, testing the peace accords evidence by a signed only months earlier to put an key witness in end to the conflict. In 2009, the Belfast High Court preliminary pre-trial found that Daly and three other men hearings. were liable in a civil case brought by families of the victims and they were later ordered to pay more than £1.6m ($2.2m) in damages to the relatives. AFP Daly has always denied involve- ment in the bombing. “It’s very painful but on the evi- dence we’ve heard, I wouldn’t want MAGHABERRY: Seamus Daly, the anyone to be convicted,” Michael Gal- only remaining suspect in North- lagher, whose 21-year-old son Aiden ern Ireland’s 1998 Omagh bombing was one of those killed in the bomb- that killed 29 people and threatened ing, said after yesterday’s decision. a peace deal, walked free from prison “I feel that there has been a yesterday after a British court dropped chance wasted here. There never Seamus Daly (centre) walks to a car after being released from Maghaberry prison near Belfast, Northern Ireland, yesterday. all charges. was a political will to find the people Daly was in Maghaberry high- responsible,” he said. security prison near Belfast for nearly Acting on conflicting bomb warn- never found. Among the dead were Ireland Public Prosecution Service “On behalf of the PPS, I extend our “The case against Seamus Daly two years awaiting trial after being ings, police had moved shoppers and nine children and three generations (PPS) to drop the charges came in sympathy to the families affected by showed a total disregard for his charged over the atrocity committed shop employees into a part of Omagh of one family. preliminary hearings before the case the Omagh bomb. We hope they are human rights and liberty,” it said. by the Real IRA militant republicans— where a car packed with 225 kilo- The Real IRA—which sees itself had even reached trial in the Crown assured that this decision was not Colm Murphy, the only man ever a splinter group of the Provisional IRA grammes of explosives was parked, as the successor to the Irish Repub- Court, taking the decision of whether taken lightly,” he added. jailed over the bombing, had his con- (Irish Republican Army). unwittingly putting them in close lican Army paramilitaries—claimed to proceed out of the hands of judge Judge King later said he “must dis- viction overturned in 2005 following Case against Daly, a 45-year-old proximity to the huge blast. responsibility for the attack. Peter King. charge Mr Daly and order his release accusations of perjury against police bricklayer, collapsed as prosecutors A fireball swept from the epicen- Daly faced murder charges along “Under cross-examination a immediately.” Daly was driven away and a new trial was ordered. withdrew all charges after incon- tre of the explosion and shop fronts with causing the explosion and pos- number of issues became apparent by family members without making a Sean Hoey, an electrician from sistent evidence by a key witness in were blown back on to shoppers sessing the bomb, and two charges which impacted upon the reliability comment. The Release Seamus Daly south Armagh, was found not guilty preliminary pre-trial hearings. inside. The blast was so powerful relating to another 1998 bomb plot. of the evidence that the witness was campaign group hit out at his long of the 29 murders in 2007 following The car bombing, which also that some of the victims’ bodies were The decision by the Northern providing,” said a PPS spokesman. detention. a lengthy trial. Celebrities sign petition to let Assange free Britain floats revised bill for broad surveillance powers AFP “We urge Sweden and the United He has denied any wrongdo- British police have said they will Kingdom to respect the binding ing and has said he fears extradition have to arrest him as soon as he nature of the human rights covenants for prosecution in the United States sets foot out of the embassy build- Reuters critics who prevented it reaching on which the decision is based,” read after WikiLeaks published hundreds ing because of the arrest warrant out parliament. The revised proposal LONDON: Chinese dissident artist Ai the petition, details of which were of thousands of secret military and against him. seeks to spell out existing powers, Weiwei, US filmmaker Oliver Stone released by Assange’s spokespeople. diplomatic documents on the wars Last month, Assange said the update outdated legislation and and British fashion designer Vivi- Signatories included former Greek in Afghanistan and Iraq and US dip- findings of UN Working Group on Arbi- LONDON: Britain floated revised grant additional capabilities. enne Westwood yesterday called for finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, lomatic activity. trary Detention should be respected. legislation yesterday that would Its measures include forcing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron, Assange exhausted all legal “I am confident the decision will be grant authorities wide-ranging sur- tech firms to store details of every be allowed to walk free. Indian novelist Arundhati Roy and appeals against extradition from Brit- enforced,” he said. “Ultimately there veillance powers including the right website people visit for a year, and The celebrities were among 500 Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner ain in 2012 and fled to the embassy of are a number of different enforcement to see which websites people visit, outlines the ability of spies to collect signatories of a petition to Britain and Shirin Ebadi. Ecuador, which granted him asylum. mechanisms, up to sanctions.” saying the modified bill addressed bulk data and for the authorities to Sweden, urging them to enforce a UN Assange is wanted on a Euro- He has lived since then in a Britain and Sweden have both concerns about threats to privacy. hack into individuals’ computers and panel opinion that said Assange was pean arrest warrant for questioning cramped office in the embassy which rejected the panel’s findings, which Last November, Prime Minis- smartphones. being “arbitrarily detained”. in Sweden over a rape allegation. he has turned into his living quarters. are not legally binding. ter David Cameron’s government The British bill needs to be unveiled a draft of the law that passed into law before the end of the would give police and spies snooping year when existing surveillance leg- tools they say are vital to protecting islation expires. the public from criminals, paedo- Critics remained unimpressed. Man killed in Mock disaster rescue drill philes and terrorism. “The bill published today con- But the measures met scepticism tinues to adhere to the structure from lawmakers, global technology and the underlying rationale that Dublin in firms and privacy groups, reflect- underpinned the draft ... bill, despite ing a debate raging in the West over the criticism and lengthy list of how state authorities can operate recommendations from three par- suspected effectively in the digital age with- liamentary committees,” said Gus out overly intruding into people’s Hosein, Executive Director of Pri- gang attack lives or risking the security of data. vacy International. The Conservative government One of the most contentious yesterday put forward a tweaked issues has revolved around whether AFP version that it said was clearer and tech firms would have to hand over provided stronger privacy safe- data they held even if was encrypted. guards. “The bill ensures that the May said companies would only DUBLIN: The brother of an Irish security and intelligence agencies be asked to produce data pro- crime boss murdered in a gang and law enforcement continue to tected by encryption where it was feud in 2012 has died of his inju- have the powers they need to keep “practicable”. ries after being shot in his car, Irish us safe —and no more,” Home Secre- That might address the con- media reported yesterday. tary Theresa May said in a foreword. cerns of global tech giants such The victim, Vinny Ryan, was Earlier this month a committee as Apple, which is engaged with a the brother of Alan Ryan, a sus- of lawmakers set up to scrutinise showdown the FBI over its refusal pected leading member of the the draft bill said the government to unlock an iPhone belonging to dissident republican Real IRA needed to make significant changes, Syed Rizwan Farook, who along group who was also gunned down describing parts as flawed, while the with his wife went on a shooting in Dublin, the Irish Times and Irish Intelligence and Security Committee rampage in December that killed Independent reported. (ISC) said it was rushed and did not 14 people in San Bernardino, Vinny Ryan was shot by a two- Emergency services at the largest ever disaster training exercise in history of the London Fire Brigade, do enough to protect privacy. California. man hit team on Monday afternoon with firefighters, police officers and ambulance personnel from across London taking part in a four Last year’s draft bill was itself Apple says unlocking the phone after dropping off his partner and day scenario based upon a building collapsing onto a tube station in the capital, yesterday. a watered—down version of plans would weaken the security of hun- child and died a few hours later in dubbed a “snoopers’ charter” by dreds of millions of Apple devices. hospital, the reports said. The Irish Independent said two gangs were among the possi- ble suspects in the attack. However, the police yesterday From Brussels-bashing to Brexit, Boris bets against EU declined to identify the victim. Ireland has been shaken by a series of tit-for-tat killings in Reuters Johnson is seen as a leading contender for the eurosceptic Daily Telegraph years and later shuttled between clever for that. He just found a way to recent weeks suspected to be to replace David Cameron as Conserv- suggested. They say he was driven boarding schools in England and the make himself known.” linked to a feud between drug ative Party leader and prime minister. by a desire to stand out from a then family home in Brussels. His stories certainly made a gangs that also have links to par- Cameron and the other likely largely pro-European press pack, and He returned to the city as a jour- splash, gaining him a devoted reader- amilitary organisations with their LONDON: It may not seem surpris- candidates to succeed him are to further his career by giving his Tel- nalist in 1989 and spent what he has ship that included Margaret Thatcher. . roots in the sectarian conflict in ing that Boris Johnson, who first made campaigning for an “in” vote in a egraph editors what they wanted. described as five happy years cov- “I was just chucking these rocks British-ruled Northern Ireland. his name by lampooning European referendum on Britain’s EU member- “Boris was fed with European ering the EC at a time when it faced over the garden wall. I’d listen to this Alan Ryan’s killing was seen regulations, is now campaigning for ship that will take place on June 23. milk. He was a European child in momentous challenges as the Berlin amazing crash from the greenhouse as one possible motive behind the Britain to leave the European Union. Johnson is by far the biggest name to many ways,” said Pascal Lamy, who Wall fell, the Soviet Union ceased to next door, over in England,” John- attack by a group of heavily armed But the London mayor’s stance defect to the “out” camp. knew Johnson’s family well as chef exist and Germany re-unified. son once said during an interview gunmen last month in Dublin in has raised eyebrows among those In his Brussels glory days, he lam- de cabinet for European Commission “Boris felt before others that on BBC radio. which one person was murdered. who knew him as a young journal- basted the then European Community President Jacques Delors, a frequent euroscepticism was an incredibly “Everything I wrote from Brussels Irish newspapers published ist in Brussels, and who say that his (EC) as a bastion of bureaucrats bent target of Johnson’s pen. good mine for media,” said Lamy, was having this amazing explosive a photograph from the incident colourful, sometimes imaginative on imposing their federalist agenda Johnson’s father Stanley, was a who later went on to be the head of effect on the Tory Party and it really which showed two suspected eurosceptic dispatches masked his and absurd regulations on Britain. Conservative member of the Euro- the World Trade Organisation. gave me this, I suppose, rather weird attackers dressed in balaclavas own europhile instincts. But people who knew him then pean parliament and later a senior “Whether he had any adherence sense of power,” he added, referring and police-style uniforms and Famed for his comic talent, dishev- say his views were nuanced and Commission official. As a boy, Boris to the belief that the EU is a danger to to divisions over Europe that were armed with assault rifles. elled style and tousled platinum hair, harder to pin down than his articles attended school in Brussels for two the UK, I never thought that. He is too plaguing the Conservative Party. 18 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 EUROPE France razes ‘Jungle’ camp as Greece faces crisis

southern half of the “Jungle” camp, Basque leader which has become a magnet for ref- An overnight ugees hoping to reach Britain. freed from downpour left Clashes erupted on Monday between riot police and protest- Spanish jail stranded refugees ing migrants who do not want to be shivering in the mud moved to better accommodation, as they claim it will take them farther Logroño: A Basque on the Greek border from their goal of reaching Britain. leader and former with Macedonia. “The work we are doing is member of the armed humanitarian work and we will take separatist group ETA who as long as it needs,” said local govern- is credited with helping ment official Vincent Berton. end violence in the north- AFP French workers broke down the ern Spanish region vowed makeshift shelters by hand, as bull- yesterday to keep push- dozers stood by, after a court appeal ing for peace after he was by charities to stop the destruction released from jail. CALAIS: French authorities razed was rejected last week. Arnaldo Otegi, 57, parts of the “Jungle” migrant camp While the “Jungle” has become a was met by about 200 for a second day yesterday while cause celebre for activists, the crisis supporters—many wav- thousands of refugees were blocked there pales in comparison to the sit- ing red, white and green in Greece as Europe strained to con- uation boiling over in Greece where Basque flags -- as he left tain the flood of desperate people at more than 7,000 people are stranded. the prison in the northern its borders. European Union president Don- city of Logrono. He was An overnight downpour left ald Tusk set off yesterday on a tour of freed after serving a six- stranded refugees shivering in the Vienna, the Balkan states and Turkey and-a-half year sentence Migrants keep warm next to a fire as agents dismantle shacks in the “Jungle” camp in Calais, yesterday. mud on the Greek border with Mac- in a bid to heal deep divisions over the for trying to resurrect the edonia as the UN said over 131,000 migrant crisis. outlawed Basque separa- migrants had entered Europe via the Hundreds of refugees on Monday Zineb Hosseini, a Syrian mother Greece-Macedonia border, with seekers in 2015, has criticised the tist party Batasuna. Mediterranean in 2016 so far. tried to break through a border fence of five, said her family was “freezing”. Athens warning that the number of migrant cap. The UN rights chief crit- This is more than in the first five into Macedonia, but their efforts to “And now the wait begins anew,” people “trapped” could reach up to icised a “rising roar of xenophobia” months of 2015, when Europe’s big- move deeper into Europe remained she added. 70,000 in March. towards migrants. gest wave of refugees since World War blocked as nations set tight limits on With Austria and Balkan states German Chancellor Angela Mer- “To keep building higher walls Kremlin defends II plunged the continent into a crisis. migrant entries. An overnight down- capping the numbers of migrants kel, whose own country is a favoured against the flight of these desperate In Calais tensions were high as pour left their tents drenched and entering their territory, there has destination of many of the refugees people is an act of cruelty and a delu- TV blackout of workers continued dismantling the children coughing miserably. been a swift build-up along the and registered 1.1 million asylum sion,” Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said. toddler’s death

Moscow: The Krem- lin yesterday defended Mud-soaked refugees Crackdown on migrants worries EU a controversial media blackout on the grisly murder of a toddler alleg- edly killed and beheaded fight for food AFP cordon and raced towards a railway route, have expressed their impa- by her nanny who then track between the two countries. tience with Greece, accusing Athens paraded the bloodied Schinas recalled that non-EU of doing little to secure its borders head on a Moscow street. AFP some 7,000 people—many stranded Macedonia had “undertaken specific and stem the migrant flow. The death of the girl near the Idomeni border crossing for BRUSSELS: The European Union commitments” in October to work EU Humanitarian Aid Commis- named Nastya, said by days, who awoke under wet canvas said yesterday it was “very con- with EU states to ease Europe’s worst sioner Christos Stylianides earlier investigators to be just among sodden wheat fields. cerned” about the crackdown at the refugee crisis since World War II. announced that he would propose three or four years old, has IDOMENI, GREECE: Desperate and The grim weather has already Greek-Macedonian border where “It is up to Macedonia to protect today a plan to provide emergency shocked usually hardened freezing, migrants scramble over taken a harrowing toll on the travel- Macedonian police fired tear gas at those borders. The images show once assistance within the EU, adding that Muscovites. each other to grab food thrown out lers’ health: many children are heard hundreds of migrants. again that the only solution is a col- Greece had requested aid. City residents turned from the back of a van. It has been a coughing and crying in the tents. “The commission is very con- lective solution, a European solution,” “This is a necessary step to out to lay flowers at the long, cold night on the Greek-Mace- Zineb Hosseini, a Syrian mother cerned by the images we saw Schinas said. prevent humanitarian suffering,” metro station where the donian border. of five, said her family was “freez- yesterday,” said European Commis- “All measures on the borders Schinas added. nanny was spotted pacing In mud-soaked fields nearby, a ing”. “And now the wait begins sion spokesman Margaritis Schinas. must be in compliance with inter- Greece’s government said it has up and down on Monday, chilly March daybreak reveals a bleak anew,” she added. “The scenes we just saw are not our national law, and European law.” asked for €480m in equipment and waving the severed head scene, after an overnight downpour The Doctors Without Borders idea of managing the crisis.” Greece is the main arrival point staff for temporary camps to be set up of a child and threatening left hundreds of tents drenched and charity that is helping to run one of Meanwhile, Macedonia’s foreign for the huge flow of people fleeing for refugees trapped in the country. to “blow everyone up”. children coughing miserably. the area’s two camps has reported minister defended his country’s use of war and poverty who are arriving EU sources said the funds are “We have been waiting for six widespread colds and several cases tear gas against hundreds of migrants in Eur usually earmarked for catastrophes days,” said Farah, a woman from of gastroenteritis, whilst warning who tried to break through a fence at Macedonia’s foreign minister on outside the bloc, such as in Africa and Panel warns Baghdad, as the van distributing that tent and food supplies are run- the Greek border, also warning that Monday defended the country’s use the Middle East. food and long-life milk was quickly ning low. the pressure on the Balkans could of tear gas against migrants, saying European Commission chief Greece on mobbed and emptied in minutes. Yousef Karajakes, a Syrian phar- spark conflict. security forces were protecting them- Jean-Claude Juncker telephoned “The food is not enough, eve- macist from Aleppo, said he fled Macedonian police on Monday selves against violence. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras crowded prisons ryone is lying to us and we are the civil war only to find himself in fired tear gas as 300 migrants forced Several EU countries, especially to express “unwavering support” for desperate,” added Farah, among another conflict. their way through a Greek police those along the so-called Balkans Athens in dealing with the crisis. ATHENS: The Council of Europe, which safeguards human rights and the rule of law across the region, has criticised Greece for Ride on snow track German court weighs police violence and poor conditions in its over- crowded prisons, urging ban on far-right NPD Athens to overhaul a sys- tem reaching “breaking point”. AFP anti-constitutional party”. “Vulnerable prison- To make their case, the states ers are not being cared must convince judges that the NPD for and, in some cases, is unconstitutional, represents an are being allowed to die,” KARLSRUHE: Germany’s high- active threat to the democratic order the Council’s Commit- est court began hearing yesterday and holds an “aggressive and com- tee for the Prevention a landmark request to ban a neo- bative attitude”. of Torture and Inhuman Nazi fringe party that openly rails They will also seek to prove that or Degrading Treatment against migrants, more than a dec- the NPD, which has staged anti-for- or Punishment said in a ade after a first attempt failed. eigner rallies and been accused of report based on a 2015 The case before the Federal intimidating anti-fascist local poli- visit to Greece. “The main Constitutional Court argues that ticians, is creating a “climate of fear” problems of overcrowding the far-right and anti-immigrant in Germany and “shares essential and chronic shortage of National Democratic Party (NPD) is characteristics” with the Nazis. staff persist,” it said. a threat to the country’s liberal dem- Critics charge the proceedings ocratic order. will give the NPD, a party with only Constitutional court chief jus- about 5,200 members, a national Slovakia’s Fico set tice Andreas Vosskuhle opened the stage and a ban could turn its leaders hearing by saying that the hurdles into martyrs for their racist cause. for election win A biker drives at a snowy country track near the small Bavarian village Olching near Munich, southern are high to ban any political party, The party, founded in 1964 as a BRATISLAVA: Slovak Germany, yesterday. something Germany last did almost successor to the neo-fascist German 60 years ago. Reich Party, scored just 1.3 percent in Prime Minister Robert A party prohibition “is a double- 2013 federal elections and has never Fico is on course to win edged sword that must be used with crossed the five percent hurdle for another term in parlia- great caution,” he told the packed entry into the national parliament. mentary elections on courtroom. “It limits freedom in However, it is represented in Saturday, maintaining an Russia calls for pact to combat IS order to preserve freedom.” the state assembly of Mecklenburg- anti-immigration alliance The bid to ban the party, includ- Western Pomerania in the former with his European Union ing its women’s and youth wings, to communist East and in many town neighbours, Hungary’s Reuters moribund forum which clinched a Islamic State militants are seize its funds and prohibit successor councils in the region. Viktor Orban and Poland’s major pact banning chemical weap- believed to be responsible for sul- organisations, will require a majority It also has one seat in the Euro- Jaroslaw Kaczynski. ons in the 1990s. “However, we still fur mustard gas attacks in Syria and of six out of the panel’s eight judges, pean Parliament, held by former Fico is a Social Demo- face significant gaps related, in par- Iraq last year, the United States said who were set to initially sit for three party chief Udo Voigt who once, in a crat but fits in with his two GENEVA: Russia yesterday said there ticular, to the use of chemicals for last month. days and later issue their verdict. newspaper interview, labelled Adolf conservative peers when was a growing threat from Islamic terrorist purposes,” Lavrov told the Prohibition of Chemical Weap- Chancellor Angela Merkel’s gov- Hitler “a great statesman”. it comes to a focus on State militants waging chemical war- 65-member-state forum. ons (OPCW) concluded that at least ernment supports the case, although The case comes at a time when national pride, social con- fare in the Middle East and called for “This threat is getting extremely two people were exposed to sulfur it has not formally joined the high- a record influx of refugees and servatism and opposition to global negotiations on a new pact to urgent in the light of newly revealed mustard in Marea, north of Aleppo, stakes legal gamble launched by the migrants has polarised German soci- immigration. Opinion polls combat what he called “a grave real- facts of repeated use of not only in August. upper house of parliament that rep- ety, and as the number of racist hate show Fico’s Smer party will ity of our time”. industrial toxic chemicals but also “It does not leave any doubt that resents Germany’s 16 states. crimes has spiked. win 32.5-38.4 percent of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov of full-fledged chemical warfare chemical terrorism is emerging not as Merkel, through her spokes- While NPD activists have sought the vote, enough to retain made the appeal in a speech to the agents by ISIL (Islamic State) and an abstract threat, but a grave reality man Steffen Seibert, has repeatedly to exploit rising xenophobia, they power with a coalition part- UN-sponsored Conference on Dis- other terrorist groups in Syria and of our time which could and should labelled the NPD “an anti-demo- have failed to make gains at the bal- ner or two. armament in Geneva, a now largely Iraq,” he said. be addressed,” Lavrov said. cratic, xenophobic, anti-Semitic, lot box. AMERICAS WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 19 Now or never: Trump and Hillary set for big wins

Reuters Voting stretches from eastern many. “If a person wants to be the November if she becomes the Dem- numbers as proof he is not dividing states to Texas and Minnesota, with nominee of the Republican Party, ocratic nominee. the Republican Party but expanding Opinion polls showed the first polls closing at 7pm EST (mid- there must be no evasion and no The crossfire between Trump and its ranks. Trump leading in night GMT) in Vermont, Virginia and games. They must reject any group or establishment Republicans threatens “We’re getting people into the WASHINGTON/AUGUSTA: Donald Georgia and first results expected cause that is built on bigotry,” House to rip the party apart at a time when party we’ve never had before,” he Trump looked poised to strengthen nearly all the states soon after. of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan it will need to generate momentum told ABC’s “Good Morning America” his lead in the Republican presidential that will hold primary Trump has stunned many in the said in Washington on Tuesday. behind a prospective nominee. That on Tuesday. “We’re getting Democrats race when 11 states voted yesterday, Republican establishment with cam- Ryan did not mention Trump by worries some Republican strategists coming in, we’re getting independ- an outcome likely to intensify con- contests or caucuses, paign pledges such as building a wall name but his target was clear. looking ahead to the nominating con- ents coming.” cerns among party leaders who many of them in the along the US southern border with With a string of victories on Tues- vention in July. consider him a usurper. South. Mexico, deporting 11m illegal immi- day, Trump would advance his strong “If Trump continues winning, dis- HILLARY LEADS IN SOUTH In the Democratic race, former grants and slapping a temporary ban lead over Cruz, US Senator Marco appointed party elites will need to On the Democratic side, polls Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Muslims entering the country. Rubio of Florida, Ohio Governor John reconcile with supporting the party show Clinton, who has won three of would go a long way toward cement- exception appeared to be Texas, the The former reality TV star, who Kasich and retired neurosurgeon Ben nominee,” said Tim Albrecht, a Repub- the first four Democratic contests, ing her path to the nomination if she home state of US Senator Ted Cruz, fires up crowds by mocking his rivals Carson. lican strategist in Iowa. with a big lead in six Southern states scores big victories of her own over who enjoyed a narrow lead and was and critics, faced heavy criticism this Rubio saw his support increase that have large blocs of black voters, democratic socialist Bernie Sanders in desperate need of a victory. week over his failure to reject white REPUBLICAN UNEASE among Republican voters after a who have been slow to warm to Sand- on Super Tuesday. Super Tuesday is the biggest sin- supremacists’ support during a CNN The prospect of a Trump vic- strong debate performance last week, ers, a US senator from Vermont. Opinion polls showed Trump gle day of state-by-state contests to interview on Sunday. Trump later dis- tory has alarmed Republican Party rising to 20 percent from 14 percent, Sanders has been aiming for wins leading in nearly all the states that select party nominees for the Novem- avowed that support, saying he had leaders, many of whom do not sup- a Reuters-Ipsos poll found. Trump in five other states on Tuesday - Ver- will hold primary contests or cau- ber 8 election to succeed Democratic not heard the questions properly, port his positions and who believe still dominated the field with 42 per- mont, neighboring Massachusetts, cuses, many of them in the South. The President Barack Obama. but his explanations failed to satisfy Clinton would easily defeat him in cent support. Trump cites his high poll Oklahoma, Minnesota and Colorado. Immigration issue a challenge for Cruz

Reuters his tough, outraged tone rather than policy differences. “Trump has been honest enough to say what we’re all thinking but HOUSTON: Republican Ted Cruz’s we’re all scared to say,” said Sharon hopes of a sweeping nominating vic- Neil, 68, of Fort Worth, who is vot- tory in his home state of Texas are ing for Trump. being eroded as Donald Trump taps Republicans in Texas, home to into conservative anger over immi- about 1.5m undocumented immi- gration. grants, rank immigration the third Polls show Cruz, the US sena- most important problem facing the tor from Texas, is poised to win the country, compared to seventh over- state’s nominating contest on Tues- all nationwide, according to Reuters/ day – the biggest voting day so far Ipsos polling. in the 2016 race — a result seen as And fans of Trump were twice as essential to keeping alive his chance likely nationwide as Cruz supporters of winning his party’s nomination. to say immigration was a top issue. But he could be stopped short of Scott Ragno, 39, another Trump thresholds required to sweep its 155 supporter from Fort Worth, said Voters show their IDs to receive their ballots during the Super Tuesday election at the Shoal Creek Community Center March in Alabama yesterday. delegates to the Republican conven- Trump’s tone on immigration was tion if national front-runner Trump attractive. and other rivals win enough of the “Is building a fence the right vote. answer? I don’t know about that. Cruz needs as resounding a vic- But I definitely think he’d do some- We need to make America whole again: Hillary tory as possible to stay competitive thing to curb the problem.” on a day when Trump is expected Cruz has a strong base of support to put in a dominant performance among Texas’s grassroots Tea Party in other states voting on “Super activists, high-profile endorsements Bloomberg unconventional” attributes—and how to Trump’s likely nomination as in of facing Trump took on new intensity Tuesday”. including the state’s governor Greg to shape a prospective general-elec- fund-raising e-mails. “You have the after his commanding 19-point win Interviews with more than two Abbott, and a lead in most recent tion campaign with those variables in power to prevent that hothead from in New Hampshire on February 9. But dozen voters in Texas suggest that polls in Texas. He got 42 percent of mind, said Clinton communications ever becoming our president,” a mes- the Clinton campaign’s assessment is Trump’s anti-immigration platform support in a CBS News poll released WASHINGTON: Super Tuesday’s not director Jennifer Palmieri. sage sent on Monday reads. that it’s still too early to engage much - which includes building a Mexico- on Sunday, compared to 31 percent even in the books, but Hillary Clinton, “We’re thinking about it,” said Clinton herself signalled a turn to more directly with the billionaire. funded border wall and deporting for Trump. And Cruz led by 39 per- her top strategists, and Democrats Palmieri, who insisted that Clin- the general election after her land- One person inside the campaign, said millions of illegal immigrants - could cent to Trump’s 26 percent in an outside the campaign are growing ton is still “very focused on our own slide win over Sanders in South Clinton has to avoid the appearance present Cruz’s biggest weakness NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll more convinced that Donald Trump race” for the Democratic nomination Carolina, when she chided Trump of overconfidence and finish strong against the real estate mogul. the same day. will be their opponent in the fall and against Bernie Sanders. She declined over his “make America great again” in the primaries. Meanwhile, watch- The senator proposes similarly Cruz’s lead over Trump in Texas have turned to weighing strategies to say whether the campaign is con- slogan. “America has never stopped ing how Senators Marco Rubio and tough policies to prevent illegal has, however, shown signs of decline, for how to beat him. ducting polling or modelling turnout being great,” Clinton said in her vic- Ted Cruz go after Trump, and how the immigration, but many Texans credit according to polls aggregated by Clinton’s campaign has begun possibilities for a Trump-Clinton tory speech on Saturday. “But we do Republican front-runner responds, Trump with vaulting it to a top issue Huffington Post since the two debating Trump’s strengths, weak- contest, but twice in the past week, need to make America whole again.” gives them more information about in the election, largely because of launched their campaigns in June. nesses and “unpredictable and the Clinton campaign has pointed Discussions about the possibility what to expect in a general election.

Facebook Apple and FBI officials’ executive face off before Congress detained

Reuters in those remarks. Bloomberg Sewell will testify directly after FBI Director James Comey, who told lawmakers last week that cre- SAO PAULO: Brazil’s federal police WASHINGTON: Apple Inc and the ating an unlocking technique would detained a Facebook Inc executive US Federal Bureau of Investigation “unlikely to be a trailblazer” for set- yesterday for failing to cooper- made their cases before a congres- ting a legal precedent and would not ate with judicial orders related sional panel yesterday regarding a be useful for breaking into later gen- to information on the company’s court order to force the technology eration Apple devices. website in an investigation of drug company to give the FBI data from Attorney General Loretta Lynch trafficking. the iPhone belonging to one of the called for greater cooperation A judge in Sergipe ordered San Bernardino shooters. between tech companies and the the detention of Diego Dzodan, On Thursday, Apple filed a US government in prepared remarks Vehicles drive through field of heliostats at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in the Mojave vice president of Latin America at motion to vacate the court order, for the RSA Cybersecurity confer- Desert near the California-Nevada border Facebook and Instagram, accord- maintaining its stance that Apple ence in San Francisco on Tuesday, ing to a person familiar with the Chief Executive Tim Cook said he saying “we don’t necessarily have to matter who wasn’t authorized to would be willing to take all the way be locked in perpetual and perfect Future of US solar threatened speak publicly, after the social to the Supreme Court. agreement - but we do have to be media company repeatedly failed A federal judge handed Apple a engaged in open dialogue.” to comply with a court order. The major victory in a phone unlocking Comey will tell the House Judi- executive remains in custody and case in Brooklyn on Monday, rul- ciary Committee that the FBI is “not Reuters the policy — prompting solar com- University. Opponents raise fairness is responding to police question- ing that he did not have the legal asking to expand the government’s panies to flee the state. concerns and argue that the industry ing in Sao Paulo, according to a authority to order Apple to disable surveillance authority,” but rather The decisions foreshadow an no longer needs generous incentives, police statement. “We are dis- the security of an iPhone that was to maintain its ability to obtain intensifying national debate over citing its rapid growth and solar panel appointed with the extreme and seized during a drug investigation. electronic information under legal LOS ANGELES: Two sun-drenched public support that the rooftop solar prices that have fallen about 40 per- disproportionate measure of hav- Apple’s general counsel, Bruce authorities that Congress has already US states have lately come to very dif- industry says it can’t live without. cent in five years. ing a Facebook executive escorted Sewell, will argue Tuesday that provided, according to his prepared ferent conclusions on a controversial “Without net metering, it just Net metering credits solar users to a police station in connection creating a tool to unlock the phone remarks. Comey told a congressional solar power incentive essential to the doesn’t work,” said Lyndon Rive, chief — at full retail rates — for any surplus with a case involving WhatsApp, would weaken the security of hun- panel that the phone could have industry’s growth. executive of top US residential solar power their panels generate above which operates separately from dreds of millions of Apple devices, “locator services” that would help In California, regulators voted installer SolarCity Corp. household usage. That means many Facebook,” Facebook said in an according to Sewell’s prepared the agency fill in a gap in its knowl- in January to preserve so-called net More than 25 of the 40 US states customers pay no monthly utility e-mailed response to questions. remarks before the US House of Rep- edge of the route that Rizwan Farook metering, which requires utilities to with net metering policies are recon- bill or even rack up excess cred- “Facebook has always been and resentatives Judiciary Committee. and Malik Tashfeen traveled as they purchase surplus power generated by sidering them, according to the North its, which they can redeem later in will be available to address any “Hackers and cyber criminals fled police after their shooting ram- customers with rooftop solar panels. Carolina Clean Energy Technol- months when their systems produce questions Brazilian authorities could use this to wreak havoc on our page in December that killed 14 and But neighbouring Nevada scrapped ogy Center at North Carolina State less power than their home uses. may have,” the company said. privacy and personal safety,” he said wounded 22 in California. 20 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 AMERICAS

German minister No breakthrough in Scalia’s successor row warns against ‘politics of fear’

Planning to name a Reuters replacement for the late Justice Antonin WASHINGTON: Germany’s for- Scalia, Barack Obama eign minister warned during a trip met Senate leaders to Washington yesterday about a rise in the use of populist fear tac- at White House, tics by politicians on both sides of but the meeting bore the Atlantic, describing this as a threat to Europe, the United States no fruits and transatlantic relations. Speaking at George Wash- ington University yesterday, the biggest single day of state-by-state Reuters presidential nominating contests, Frank-Walter Steinmeier did not refer to Donald Trump or other candidates by name but he said WASHINGTON: President Barack he was concerned about the tone Obama met with leaders of the of the US campaign. Republican-led US Senate yesterday “In Germany and in Europe, to push for confirmation hearings something is gaining momentum and a vote on his nominee to fill in our domestic politics —and to the Supreme Court vacancy, but the be honest, I am also seeing it here Republicans again vowed not to act in the United States during the pri- on anyone he selects. mary campaigns. It’s the politics of Obama, planning to name a President Barack Obama (third from right) meets leaders of the Senate to discuss the Supreme Court vacancy, at the White House in Washington. fear,” Steinmeier said. replacement for the late Justice Politicians in Germany and Antonin Scalia in the coming weeks, elsewhere in Europe have watched met with Senate Majority Leader how to handle the vacancy. “They were willing to meet with justices, meaning that any poten- Republicans have a constitutional nervously as businessman and Mitch McConnell and the Republi- “We killed a lot of time talking the president. It looks like they could tial Obama nominee could tip the duty to consider a nominee. reality TV star Trump has moved can chairman of the Senate Judiciary about basketball and other stuff,” at least meet with the president’s court to the left for the first time in McConnell and Grassley did not from a long shot to the front-run- Committee, Chuck Grassley, in the said Senate Democratic Leader Harry nominee, which should be coming decades. speak to reporters after the meeting ner among Republicans seeking White House Oval Office for less than Reid, who also attended the White very quickly,” Reid said after the Oval Reid said Obama made it clear but were expected to make comments the party’s nomination to run in an hour. House meeting, along with the top Office meeting. “But they were ada- during the meeting that he would at the US Capitol. the November 8 general election. Obama and Republican senators Democrat on the Judiciary Commit- mant. They said, ‘No, we’re not going be willing to consider candidates Ahead of the meeting, Grassley Trump has described are at odds over whether Obama tee, Patrick Leahy. to do this at all,’” Reid said. for the Supreme Court proposed by and McConnell wrote separate opin- Chancellor Angela Merkel’s wel- should select during an election year The Democrats said after the Under the Constitution, the pres- the Republicans, but McConnell and ion pieces yesterday reiterating their coming policy towards refugees a replacement for Scalia, a long-serv- meeting that their Republican ident nominates Supreme Court Grassley brought up no names. stance that Scalia’s former seat should as “insane” and predicted it would ing conservative member of the court counterparts refused to drop their justices and the Senate must con- The Democrats pledged to remain vacant until Obama’s succes- cause rioting in Germany. He has who died on February 13. The White opposition to considering any nomi- firm them. Without Scalia, the court continue to make their case to sor takes office next January and can also praised Russian President House session yielded no results on nee put forward by Obama. has four conservative and four liberal the American people that the choose a nominee. Vladimir Putin, who has been at odds with Europe since Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region two years ago. Rousseff lands in Germany does not face a fed- Bin Laden documents outline division of funds eral election until next year. But fresh problem a new anti-immigrant party, the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Reuters from Arabic and declassified by the would reward him if he took it out of left in Sudan on jihad, for the sake of has emerged as a threat to Mer- SAO PAULO: Executives from US intelligence agencies. the Sudani government.” Allah,” he wrote. kel’s conservatives. The AfD Brazil’s second-largest build- They were part of a second According to reports, Laden lived He set down specific amounts wants Germany to shut its border ing company Andrade Gutierrez tranche of documents which were in Sudan for five years as an official in Saudi riyals and gold that should to migrants and use force to repel have testified to prosecutors that WASHINGTON: Al Qaeda leader seized in the operation and have been guest until he was asked to leave in be apportioned between his mother, them if necessary. the company paid suppliers for Osama bin Laden outlined in letters declassified since May 2015. A large May 1996 by the then-Islamic funda- a son, a daughter, an uncle, and his “They pretend that we can President Dilma Rousseff’s 2010 and other documents how at least $29 number have yet to be released. mentalist government under pressure uncle’s children and maternal aunts. seal ourselves off and leave the electoral campaign, a newspaper million of his funds and possessions One document, a hand-written from the United States. In a letter dated August 15, 2008, world outside to deal with its own Folha de S.Paulo reported. . should be apportioned after his death, note that US intelligence officials Another one percent of the sum Laden asks that his father take care problems. But that’s wrong,” Stein- The testimony, as part of a plea requesting that most of it be used to believe the Saudi militant composed should be given to a second associ- of his wife and children in the event meier said, referring to politicians bargain by the 11 executives, would continue global jihad. in the late 1990s, laid out how he ate, Engineer Abu Ibrahim al-Iraqi he died first. in Europe and the United States. be the first direct link between the One of the letters —part of a cache wanted to distribute about $29 mil- Sa’ad, for helping set up bin Laden’s “My precious father: I entrust you “The worst thing we could do is sprawling ‘Operation Carwash’ of 113 documents taken in the 2011 US lion he had in Sudan. first company in Sudan, Wadi al-Aqiq well for my wife and children, and seal ourselves off,” he said. In a sub- investigation into kickbacks at special forces raid that killed Laden - One percent of the $29 million, Co., the document said. that you will always ask about them tle dig at Trump, who has promised state oil firm Petrobras and the was described by the US intelligence bin Laden wrote, should go to Mah- Bin Laden urged his close rela- and follow up on their whereabouts to build a wall along the US border election of President Rousseff. . A officials as what they believed was fouz Ould al-Walid, a senior Al Qaeda tives to use the rest of the funds to and help them in their marriages and with Mexico and make the Mexicans source confirmed the executives a last will. militant who used the nom de guerre support the ‘holy war’. needs,” he wrote. pay for it, the German foreign minis- had signed a plea bargain deal that A section of media were given Abu Hafs al Mauritani. “I hope for my brothers, sisters In a final wistful paragraph, he ter added: “So if you ask me: building is being handled by Federal pros- exclusive access to the documents $20,000-30,000 from it, Laden and maternal aunts to obey my will asks his father for forgiveness “if I walls is a very bad idea - no matter ecutors as it involved politicians. yesterday, which were translated continued. “I promised him that I and to spend all the money that I have have done what you did not like.” who pays for them.”

Private company to Fraud claim Caught in rains against Trump develop IT system for varsity revived

background checks NEW YORK: A New York appeals court yesterday revived a fraud claim the state attorney general Reuters agencies and industry in the US. brought against Trump Uni- Still reeling from the massive versity, a for-profit investment OPM hack, the White House has said programme. the Pentagon would handle the new The ruling came in a case New WASHINGTON: The US Defence agency’s information technology York Attorney General Eric Sch- Department plans to hire private (IT) to ensure its security, but gave neiderman filed against the Trump contractors to develop a $600-mil- no details. venture in 2013. lion-plus computer system for a new The Pentagon’s fiscal 2017 budget The state accused the venture background check agency being set proposal includes $95m in initial of misleading students into pay- up after a security breach last year funding for the system, and fore- ing for programmes they thought exposed the personal data of nearly sees $520m in additional spending came from a licensed university, 22 million people, a top official said. through fiscal 2021, said Pentagon according to yesterday’s decision The Pentagon plans to meet spokeswoman Army Lieutenant by the Appellate Division, First interested companies and request Colonel Valerie Henderson. Department in Manhattan. proposals before September 30, the Hale said the new system would The New York Attorney Gen- end of fiscal year 2016, after finalising be developed and built over time, eral claimed the Trump venture requirements for a more flexible and with some parts in place by the start misrepresented that Trump him- adaptive replacement, said Richard of fiscal 2018, or sooner if possible. self handpicked instructors, the People wait for a bus during a rainy day near Leblon beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Hale, Pentagon’s deputy chief infor- Hale said the Pentagon was decision said. mation officer for cybersecurity. confident about working with con- He said the Pentagon hoped to tractors despite last year’s breach. build the new system as quickly “We have quite a lot of faith as possible, but its progress would in the cleared defense industry,” be measured by testing and events he said. “We believe that we can Last batch of Clinton emails released rather than preset dates. develop this information technol- Big arms makers like Gen- ogy with industry as safely as we eral Dynamics Corp, Raytheon Co, could as if we were to do the devel- AFP spurn a government email account, John Kirby said the final batch of Clinton protested that none of the Lockheed Martin Corp and North- opment entirely in house.” but federal investigators are still roughly 3,800 pages of mails brought mails had been marked “classified” rop Grumman Corp are expected to Hale said the new agency’s IT probing whether her home-brew set- the sum total released to more than when she sent them and, after her bid for the work. structure would be designed to be up posed a risk to national security. 52,000 vetted and in some cases lawyers removed mails they deemed The White House last month flexible to support whatever new WASHINGTON: The US State The email scandal has been partially redacted pages of official purely personal, submitted a 52,000 set up a new agency, the National investigative process the government Department made public the final seized upon by Clinton’s Republi- correspondence. page document dump to the State Background Investigations Bureau, settled on for the new background batch of emails taken from a private can opponents and is one of the few When, last year, it emerged that Department. Over recent months, gov- to replace the Office of Person- check agency. The idea was to con- server which former secretary of state major clouds still looming over her Clinton had used a private server and ernment lawyers have combed through nel Management’s (OPM) Federal tinuously evaluate information about Hillary Clinton controversially used otherwise very promising campaign non-official address for all her email the stack, investigating whether any Investigative Services (FIS), which people with security clearances, during her time in office. to become the 2016 Democratic pres- while in her former post, her rivals mail contained information that should currently handles more than 2 mil- including “all kinds of sources” such Clinton will hope the release will idential nominee. cried foul, suggesting she may have have been classified—and they found lion background checks for federal as financial and travel records, he said. quiet the furor over her decision to State Department spokesman been illegally covering something up. several that raised questions.

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FAJR 04.40 am ZUHR 11.46 am MAGHRIB 05.38 pm HIGH TIDE 09:00 Misty at places at first becomes moderate SHOROOK 05.57 am ASR 03.07 pm ISHA 07.08 pm LOW TIDE 04:45 - 16:15 temperature daytime with slight dust at times becomes misty to foggy at places by late night.

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TWEET OF THE DAY

A 6.16-metre tall Lego giraffe is seen next to a shopping mall in Shanghai, China, yesterday. People spent 450 hours building the 6.16- metre tall cartoon giraffe with over 40,000 Lego pieces, according to the local media. Follow us on Snapchat Open Snapchat and scan the Snapcode Oscars shine light on Mexico’s cinema revival to add The Peninsula account. AFP Europe. The five-year haul is impres- Escalante, who won best director 1990s. “Short films kept Mexican cin- sive: Mexicans have won nine Oscars, at Cannes in 2013 for his drug war ema alive for years,” said Michel, who four Golden Globes, three prizes at drama Heli. created the Morelia festival to encour- the Cannes film festival, two best film Another Mexican, Michel Franco, age young movie-makers. MEXICO CITY: Call it cinema’s reve- awards in Berlin and a Golden Lion won the best screenplay prize at While Mexico is making more nant: Left for dead two decades ago, in Venice. Cannes last year for Chronic, a film movies, Mexicans still spend more at Mexico’s movie industry is now thriv- But that’s not all. While Mexicans about an end-of-life nurse played by the box-office on Hollywood block- Chronic conditions on rise ing under a golden generation of make a name abroad, production is British actor Tim Roth. Roth, during busters than domestic fare. film-makers who have scooped up soaring back home, from 10 films a visit to Mexico in October, said the “Only one-third of films that are Oscars for three years in a row. made in 2000 (when Inarritu’s first country’s film industry was going produced (in Mexico) come out in in people over 50: Study Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu film, Amores Perros came out) to 120 through an “incredible” period. theaters,” Berjon said, adding that became only the third director to per year today. “Rather than calling “I think it’s the energy; there’s a while directors like Escalante are win back-to-back Oscars, rewarded it a new wave, we should talk about whole new group of young filmmak- making a name for themselves in on Sunday for his survival epic The several waves,” said Jean-Christophe ers whose cinematic vocabulary is Europe, they are not really known in IANS Revenant, a year after his triumph for Berjon, film critic and former advisor extraordinary,” he said at the More- their own country. Birdman. Before him, countryman at the Cannes film festival. lia festival, according to US film The industry is doing well even Alfonso Cuaron won the best direct- The “Three Amigos” created their publication Variety. He was promot- though the Mexican government is ing statuette for the sci-fi thriller own production firm, Cha Cha Cha ing another Mexican-made film he forbidden from providing aid for LONDON: A team of researchers, including one of Indian origin, has found Gravity in 2014. films, in 2009. “There is a special starred in, the drug cartel flick 600 productions under the North Amer- that in the last decade there has been a ten percent rise in people above 50 All three films were shot by relationship between them, a very Miles directed by Gabriel Ripstein. ican Free Trade Agreement. But two with more than one chronic disease. The findings showed percentage of another Mexican, Emmanuel stimulating exchange,” said Daniela Homegrown productions have movies managed to break box-office older people with multiple conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood Lubezki, who made history by win- Michel, director and co-founder of a soared in the past decade thanks to tax records in the same year in 2013 pressure and arthritis steadily increased from 31.7 percent in 2002-03 to ning his third consecutive Oscar for film festival in the Mexican western incentives, which have encouraged all with the comedies Instructions Not 43.1 percent in 2012-13. best cinematography after filming city of Morelia. sorts of companies to invest in films. Included and We Are the Nobles. "The prevalence of multimorbidity, where people have more than one The Revenant under extreme win- “They show their films to each Mexican cinema had enjoyed another “Instructions Not Included,” a chronic condition, in older adults is steadily increasing over time," said Kam- ter conditions. other during editing and they some- golden period between the 1930s and comedy starring popular comic lesh Khunti from the University of Leicester in London. "However, given the Inarritu, Cuaron and their friend times produce each other’s work,” she 1950s, with legendary film-maker Luis Eugenio Derbez as a playboy whose increase in multimorbidity over the past 10 years and the complex needs of Guillermo del Toro form “The Three said. Behind this trio, who live in the Bunuel heading that generation. life is upended when an ex-love leaves these patients, clinical guidelines need to address the challenges in man- Amigos” of Mexican directors who United States and make Hollywood But the industry went through a baby at his doorstep, even broke agement of multi-morbidity and formulate best practices to guide clinical have conquered Hollywood. But other features rather than Mexican-themed a quiet period marked by a series new ground as it became the most decision making for these patients," Khunti added. Researchers examined less famous film-makers have won movies, is another generation of of comedies panned by critics, and seen Spanish-language movie in US more than 15,000 people in England over 10 years. prizes at prestigious film festivals in promising film-makers such as Amat barely any movies were made in the box office history.

Arabian Oryx Sanctuary Do not blindly follow mobile health apps: Doctors

IANS

NEW DELHI: In view of increase in usage of mobile based health appli- cations, Indian doctors have urged people to not blindly rely on such technologies for health updates as they may give wrong estimates. They said that a lot of times the applications suggest wrong diet to the user, with- out knowing the metabolism of the users body, resulting in serous health complications. "A lot of of applications are not to be relied upon and exist just to generate revenue in the market. There are health applications which claim to meas- ure blood pressure by simply keeping thumb on the screen. Such techniques are misleading," said Pradeep Gadge, a leading diabeteologist. Citing an example, he said that the blood pressure result after measuring Arabian Oryx are seen at the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Umm Al Zamool, some 290km south of Abu Dhabi near the border with Oman and through health applications are always different from manually measuring Saudi Arabia, yesterday. The sanctuary which is a reserve for different animals stretches over an estimated area of 8,900 square kilometres it. According to doctors, there are an estimated 50,000 medical applica- and currently hosts nearly 155 Arabian Oryx. tions presently in the market and this is expected to grow. Currently, 500 million people worldwide are using health applications for health updates.

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PAGE | 26 QE 9,969.25 +76.93 PTS PAGE | 27 Al Nuaimi to DOW 16,810.02 +293.52 PTS Qatar is an active deliver Al Attiyah FTSE100 6,152.88 +55.79 PTS investor: Riccardo awards lecture BRENT $37.11 +$0.54 Maria Monti

WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 • 22 Jumada I 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

WTO can support Qatar’s goals

Minister of Economy and Commerce meets WTO Director-General to discuss issues of mutual interests. Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani and Italy’s Minister for Economic Development Federica Guidi at the Qatar-Italy joint committee meeting yesterday. By Satish Kanady The Peninsula Qatar-Italy trade DOHA: Qatar is keen on strength- ening international multilateral trading system. The country’s deci- reaches $3bn in 2015 sion to open an office the Ministry of Economy and Commerce at the World Trade Organisation’s headquarters in Geneva is a strong reflection of this The Peninsula H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al commitment, Minister of Economy Thani to Italy this year. and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed The Minister noted that the bin Jassim Al Thani stated yesterday. relations between the two coun- In a meeting with the visit- DOHA: The total trade exchange tries were further enhanced after ing WTO Director-General Roberto between the two countries reached Qatar’s successful participation in Azevedo, the Minister reiterated Minister of Economy and Commerce H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani (right) with WTO Director-General about $3bn in 2015, accounting for the Expo Milan 2015, during which Qatar’s commitment to active par- Roberto Azevedo in Doha yesterday. 2.8 percent of Qatar’s foreign trade Qatar Pavilion organised several ticipation in WTO activities. said Minister of Economy and Com- important events that contributed In a communique issued later, Agreement, concluded at our Minis- Nairobi, Kenya, just three months is potentially very fruitful. merce, H E Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim significantly to the consolidation of WTO Director-General said Qatar terial Conference in Bali in 2013, is ago. This deal will eliminate tariffs “As we look ahead to 2016, and Al Thani yesterday at the Qatar-Italy relations in various fields, especially has a solid vision for its people and designed to help with exactly this on 201 additional IT products, trade beyond, we need to work towards fur- joint committee meeting. economic and investment fields. economy and WTO can support Qatar problem. By making trade flow more in which is worth around $1.3 trillion ther trade agreements which enhance The fourth session of Qatar- Sheikh Ahmed said the meet- in a big way to realise the country’s easily, this agreement can also sup- each year — that’s 10 percent of glo- growth and development in Qatar and Italy joint committee for economic ing which he had held with Italian economic goals. port Qatar’s economic diversification bal trade. across the Gulf Cooperation Council. cooperation was held yesterday and businessmen and investors on the “Qatar has a solid vison for its and focus on services. However, in This is larger than global trade in WTO members want to deliver more chaired by Sheikh Ahmed and Italy’s sidelines of the Milan Expo and people and its economy. Trade and order to benefit from the agreement, automotive products. The expanded results, more quickly. It is clear that Minister for Economic Development focused on the opportunities avail- the WTO have already helped to first it must be ratified. This is one agreement will lower the costs of all of our members want to tackle the Federica Guidi. able for investment in Qatar. He said implement this vision and will con- immediate and very positive step that doing business for companies of all big, outstanding trade issues. A debate The Minister described Italy as a Italy is a favourable destination for tinue to do so. In light of Qatar’s vision Qatar could take,” he said. sizes. It will support lower prices is currently under way about the pre- strategic partner of Qatar and said Qatari investments in various eco- for the country to become a trade and Another area of interest for Qatar — which will help many other sec- cise shape that this work should take. that the total number of joint ven- nomic sectors and activities, adding financial hub, reducing the time and is the WTO’s Information Technology tors using IT products as inputs After my meetings here today, I am tures operating in Qatar exceeded that this embodied the keenness cost of moving goods across the bor- Agreement. — and, again, it will help create confident that Qatar will make its 200 companies. He stressed the of Qatar on dedicating part of its der can make a big difference,” said This agreement was expanded jobs. For Qatar, as a member of the voice heard in this debate to help us close relations between Qatar resources for investment in strategic Roberto Azevedo. by a group WTO members during original Information Technology deliver further, much-needed reforms and Italy, which received further economies, where there are promis- The WTO’s new Trade Facilitation our Ministerial Conference held in Agreement, this expanded agreement to global trade rules.” boost after the historic visit of Emir ing investment opportunities. Ooredoo Group revenue hits QR32bn; customer base expands

The Peninsula of 3 percent reported. “Ooredoo plays a key role in improved margin. After the successful The group EBITDA increased by connecting people as we shift to an rebranding in Indonesia in 2015, eight 1 percent exceeding QR13bn in 2015 increasingly interconnected world. Ooredoo markets are now fully Oore- with an improved EBITDA mar- Our ability to connect people, infor- doo branded. As part of our portfolio DOHA: Ooredoo Group’s revenue gin of 40 percent. Excluding foreign mation and markets is playing an strategy, we sold our stake in non- touched QR32.2bn in 2015. The group exchange translation impact, EBITDA integral role in developing the econ- core asset in Philippines to focus on net profit to Ooredoo shareholders would have increased by 8 percent omies of our markets.” our core markets, enabling further maintained at QR2.1bn in 2015 driven YoY indicating a strong underlying On behalf of the Board of Direc- optimisation of our operations.” by a strong EBITDA performance. operational performance. Quarterly tors, he recommended to the General In line with the Group’s focus on Ooredoo Group’ customers EBITDA increased by 11 percent YoY Assembly the distribution of a cash leading customer service and net- reached 117 million at the end of 2015, to QR3bn in Q4, 2015. dividend of QR3 per share, 30 percent works, we have made considerable an increase of 9 percent, or 9.5 million Excluding forex impact, net profit of the nominal share value. progress on our strategy of being a net customer adds over 2014 driven to Ooredoo shareholders in 2015 Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Thani, data-centric business in all of our by strong performances in Qatar, would have increased by 6 percent Group CEO of Ooredoo said: “Oore- operating companies. Our data reve- Indonesia, Myanmar, Oman, Alge- YoY. Supported by an improvement in doo Group’s performance was robust nue share reached 37 percnet of group ria, Maldives and Palestine. emerging market currencies towards during 2015 as we generated organic revenue and our B2B offering was sig- Group recorded revenue and the end of the year, the quarterly net revenue growth in local currency nificantly enhanced across markets. EBITDA growth across its key markets profit to Ooredoo shareholders stood Ooredoo Chairman Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Thani terms in Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Alge- We now have 4G in Qatar, Oman, in 2015 while overall performance at QR360m in Q4, 2015, an increase of (left) and Group CEO Sheikh Saud bin Nasser Al Thani. ria, Indonesia, Myanmar, Palestine Kuwait, Indonesia and Maldives and was impacted by the security situ- 551 percent compared with QR55m in and Maldives. This was partially off- advanced 3G in Iraq and Myanmar. ation in Iraq and adverse currency Q4, 2014 which was impacted by one- set by the challenges with the security Algeria and Tunisia are preparing for movements in Indonesia, Algeria, off customer acquisition and handset CEO of Ooredoo Qatar. Both Sheikh million new customers and reaching situation in Iraq, a weakened Tuni- a 4G roll out and Palestine plans to and Tunisia. costs in Algeria. Saud bin Nasser Al Thani and Waleed a global customer base of 117 million. sian macro-economic environment offer 3G in 2016.” The solid revenue was supported Group earnings per share stood at Al Sayed have extensive experience in Despite currency volatility in emerg- and currency volatility in emerging Ooredoo Qatar delivered a robust by strong revenue growth in local QR6.61 in 2015, compared to QR6.66 Qatar and Ooredoo’s other operating ing markets and the security situation markets. performance in 2015 driven by a con- currency terms in Qatar, Oman, in 2014. In November 2015, Sheikh countries as Board members. in Iraq, our underlying financial and Qatar and Oman delivered strong tinued growth in customer numbers Indonesia, Myanmar, Algeria, Kuwait Saud bin Nasser Al Thani, former Commenting on the results, operational performance was solid. performances achieving double-digit and double-digit solid growth in and the Maldives. Excluding foreign CEO of Ooredoo Qatar, was appointed Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohammed bin We grew revenue and EBITDA in local revenue and EBITDA growth and mar- revenue and EBITDA. Its wireless exchange translation impact, the as Group CEO and Waleed Al Sayed, Saud Al Thani, Chairman of Oore- currency terms in our primary mar- gin improvement in 2015. Kuwait broadband customers grew strongly revenue would have increased by 4 former COO of Ooredoo Qatar, was doo, said: “Ooredoo Group delivered a kets and continued to roll-out the also increased its revenues by 6 per- while total customers increased by 11 percent YoY, compared to a decline appointed as Deputy Group CEO and strong performance in 2015 adding 9.5 Ooredoo brand across our footprint.” cent and EBITDA by 31 percent with percent to 3.5 million. 26 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 BUSINESS QInvest net profit rises by 76% to QR154m

a record year of growth. focused, since the launch of our strat- Shareholders’ The Bank demonstrated consist- egy in 2013, on delivering high value ent performance throughout 2015 and propositions supported by innovative dividend doubles recorded its highest revenue since its sharia’a compliant financial solutions. after a record inception of QR393m ($108m), up 32 We have approved the doubling of percent, and net profit of QR154m shareholders’ dividends and we look year of growth. ($42m) up 76 percent. forwards for an exciting 2016,” he Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jas- added. sim bin Jaber Al Thani, Chairman of Tamim Hamad Al Kawari, Chief QInvest, said: “QInvest has continued Executive Officer of QInvest, com- The Peninsula to make great strides to meet ambi- mented: “2015 was a record year for tious growth targets in order to deliver QInvest and demonstrates that the Officials at the meeting. the returns that our investors expect.” strategy we set three years ago is “Despite challenging global working. The bank has achieved every to our clients. We are seeing strong QInvest’s results are a reflection of announced the conclusion of a DOHA: QInvest, Qatar’s leading pri- economic conditions and regional one of its objectives, not only in terms demand for our transactions in Ger- the bank’s ability to continue achiev- 5-year $200m Murabaha facility vate investment group and one of market volatility, 2015 was a year of of financial performance but also in many, the UK and the US that we are ing consistent growth in the coming with a syndicate made-up of local the world’s most prominent Islamic very strong performance and all of terms of creating value for clients currently marketing and expect some years; backed by the implementation and international investment banks, financial institutions, announced at its our three revenue-generating busi- and shareholders. We are entering of our older vintage transactions to of the strategy launched in 2013 that demonstrating the bank’s strength Annual General Meeting that share- ness lines continued to deliver in 2016 with a focus on continuing to realise impressive returns within the has been proving its success. and setting an excellent benchmark holder dividends have doubled after line with expectations. We remained offer superior risk-adjusted products year.” The bank has previously for future borrowing. UAE says freezing oil Al Nuaimi to deliver Al Attiyah awards lecture

The Peninsula a whole career in service of the glo- Chairman of the Abdullah bin Hamad output levels a ‘must’ bal energy industry. Al Attiyah International Foundation The annual Al Attiyah Lecture for Energy & Sustainable Develop- provides the national and inter- ment, which is the host of the annual AFP Mazrouei said that if produc- DOHA: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of national audience with an outlook Awards event. tion was stabilised, “we will see the Petroleum and Natural Resources, Ali for the energy industry, delivering Al Nuaimi, who has held the Saudi results” on the market. bin Ibrahim Al Nuaimi (pictured) will insights on the possible implications energy portfolio for more than two Crude prices rose on Tuesday, deliver The 2016 Abdullah bin Hamad of current trends for the international decades, is a world authority on oil ABU DHABI: UAE Oil Minister boosted by China’s latest stimulus Al Attiyah International Energy markets in the year ahead. Oil prices pricing, market stability and energy Suhail Al Mazrouei said yesterday measures and reports of falling oil Awards Lecture at the annual gala have crashed since mid-2014 on the security, while being a primary archi- that stabilising oil production lev- production from the Opec cartel and event held in the Museum of Islamic back of a massive global oil glut and tect of Opec strategy. Al Nuaimi joined els is a must if oil prices currently the United States. Art, Doha, on May 24. dwindling demand. Opec meanwhile the Arabian American Oil Company , at a record low are to rise. At around 1230 GMT, the US The Al Attiyah International has adopted a strategy to protect Aramco in 1947. He graduated with a “I believe that current prices will benchmark West Texas Interme- Energy Awards for Lifetime Achieve- market share and has abandoned its degree in geology from Lehigh Uni- force everyone to stabilise produc- diate (WTI) for delivery in April ment, supported this year by Maersk traditional role of swing producer to versity and a Masters degree from tion” at January levels, Mazrouei was climbed 52 cents to stand at $34.27 Oil Qatar, was established in 2013 to support prices. Stanford University. In 1984, he made cited as saying by the state news a barrel. celebrate the legacy of H E Al Attiyah, “We are honoured to welcome history as the first Saudi to become agency WAM. In London, Brent North Sea Qatar’s former Minister of Energy and Al Nuaimi to give the 2016 Lecture, President of Aramco, and oversaw the “Holding production is no longer crude for May advanced 29 cents to Industry and Deputy Prime Minister, especially at this critically chal- final stages of the successful transition an option but a necessity that eve- $36.86 a barrel compared with Mon- by recognising distinguished indi- lenging time facing the regional of Aramco into Saudi Aramco, and in ryone should consider,” he added. day’s close. viduals for their achievements over and global oil industry,” Al Attiyah, 1988 became its first Saudi CEO. BUSINESS WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 27

New team from Trade between Forte to join EY to boost Mena Qatar and Italy capabilities set to increase The Peninsula DOHA: EY MENA announced that the team from Forte Consultancy, a privately-owned independent many joint ventures develop between management consultancy that spe- Qatari and Italian companies during cialises in customer management Balance of trade is the year,” said Andrea Ferrari, Trade and analytics, will join EY’s Advi- in favour of Qatar Commissioner, Embassy of Italy, sory team across the Middle East & Qatar in a press conference held North Africa. because of import of yesterday. The new additions to the advi- Liquefied Natural Gas. “In the bilateral trade between sory team will bolster EY’s existing Qatar and Italy, all the sectors, except capabilities to create the region’s helicopters, grew last year,” he said. largest businesses dedicated to Italy is one of the largest trading advising clients around customer By Sachin Kumar partners of Qatar in Europe. The bal- experience, analytics, digital The Peninsula ance of trade was in favour of Qatar transformation and marketing Riccardo Maria Monti (right), the President of Italian Trade Agency, with Trade Commissioner, Embassy of because of import of Liquefied Nat- intelligence. ural Gas (LNG). Italy in Doha Dr Andrea Ferrare (left) at a press conference in Doha yesterday.Pic: Salim M/The Peninsula Gerard Gallagher, Mena Advi- “We are working on a very inten- sory Leader at EY, said: “Forte’s DOHA: The bilateral trade between sive and diverse programme for “The trade is going very well our presence here,” Maria Monti said. Italian companies. specialist skills will enhance our Qatar and Italy is expected to rise in promoting Italian exports to Qatar (between Qatar and Italy). We are An agreement was signed on “We believe that Italian compa- services in areas that we have seen the current year. and also Qatari export to Italy. Qatar among one of the biggest clients of Monday between Qatari and Ital- nies can play an important role in an increased demand for from our “We expect the total trade has been very active investor in Italy Qatar Gas. We are also a good supplier ian companies to provide uniform Qatar’s process of diversification. clients. With the strategic addition between Qatar and Italy to rise in in the last few years,” said Riccardo in terms of technology and equipment and shoes, said Monti. Italian Trade Infrastructure industry of Italy is very of Forte to our advisory practice, 2016 compared to last year. The Maria Monti, President, Italian Trade that fits into energy and oil and gas Agency has line up several business strong having strong presence glo- we bring an impressive team of growth in trade will depend on how Agency. industry. We are trying to diversify promotion initiatives in Qatar for bally,” said Monti. individuals who have the ability to drive real value for our clients by generating deep customer insights to design great customer experiences.” Profit and loss sharing may gain ground in Islamic finance: S&P Ross Maclean, Mena Customer and Digital Leader at EY, says: “Today’s enterprise is focused on the customer like never before. The Peninsula local regulators for Islamic finance liabilities,” said Standard & Poor’s and we view them as paving the way Bank Recovery and Resolution Direc- In our rapidly changing, increas- core markets—which include the GCC Global Head of Islamic Finance for profit and loss sharing. tive was implemented in Europe” ingly digital world, building trusted Malaysia, and Iran—start implement- Mohamed Damak. Recent Tier I and Tier II sukuk Mohamed Damak said. customer relationships is the single ing resolution regimes, Standard & “We believe Islamic finance might issuance is the first step in this direc- “We have determined, based most important ingredient in build- DOHA: Islamic banks might be inch- Poor’s Ratings Services said in a be headed in the same direction, tion, in our view. solely on the developments described ing a great business. We continue to ing closer to applying the principle report “Why Profit And Loss Sharing especially since economic condi- “How the wider application of herein, that no rating actions are recruit the best talent, with a par- of profit and loss sharing, Stand- May Be Gaining Ground In Islamic tions in some core markets for Islamic profit and loss sharing might impact currently warranted. Only a rating ticular focus on our clients’ digital ard & Poor’s Ratings Services said Finance,” . finance are becoming more challeng- ratings remains to be seen, though,” committee may determine a rating and customer experience agenda.” yesterday. “We’re seeing global financial ing,” Mohamed Damak added. said Damak. action and, as these developments Ali Pirinccioglu, Managing Although profit and loss shar- systems moving toward liabilities Mohamed Damak said the ratings “Although we generally view were not viewed as material to the Partner at Forte Consultancy, says: ing has not been widely applied by bailing-in through the introduction services agency has also observed the presence of a category of liabili- ratings, neither they nor this report “With our collective capabilities, Islamic banks to date for numerous of resolution regimes and the require- the creation of new Islamic instru- ties that can protect senior creditors were reviewed by a rating com- know-how, and strong commitment reasons, we believe this will change ment that some banks set aside a ments that include provisions for loss as positive, the impact could also mittee,” Standard & Poor’s Ratings to exceptional delivery, we are well in the next few years if and when certain amount of loss-absorbing absorption over the past five years, be negative, as was the case when Services noted. set to achieving this ambition.” 28 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 BUSINESS Leading real estate firms to take part in Cityscape

will showcase a wide range of real Boasting world class attractions, B. estate opportunities to homebuyers, Square Mall will position itself as a High-profile private and professional investors popular host for various local, cul- companies including as well as key industry profession- tural and promotional activities. Al Ezdan, UDC and als from Qatar, the region and around Bandary has continued to focus on the globe. residential developments and will Al Bandary to Local companies already con- also be exhibiting Al Kheesa Gate, an present iconic firmed to participate in the exhibition exclusive project located opposite include UDC, Al Bandary, Ezdan Hold- Lusail City, consisting of 700 stand- projects at the event ing Group, Gold Bay Real Estate along alone villas, starting from 509 sqm, with John Taylor, who will be greeted with numerous facilities and features by an expected 7,000 visitors. that harmonise with the charm of They will be joined by regional local tradition, designed for a luxu- The Peninsula and international heavyweights rious lifestyle. including, Manazil Real Estate and JLL Also on showcase will be Al from the UAE, along with the Turk- Shahed Tower, a unique luxury hotel ish company, Gap Insaat Yatirim Ve located in West Bay. The Tower con- DOHA: Cityscape Qatar 2016, the Ticaret AS and Hashim Properties, sists of 38 floors and 516 apartments, Ezdan project on display. largest real estate development and among others. all of which were inspired by the cre- investment event in, has confirmed a Al Bandary, a Qatar-based com- ative idea and new concept of owning consisting of 700 stand-alone villas, Ahmed Zakaria, Exhibition Direc- confirmed exhibitors, and are certain number of prominent local, regional pany that has strived to create, apartments in a luxury hotel. along with two projects, hotel apart- tor, said: “Cityscape Qatar provides that all of these projects are well posi- and international construction and restructure and manage a group of Speaking ahead of Cityscape Qatar ment towers that are situated in the the exceptional opportunity for exhib- tioned to deliver vast investment and real estate companies exhibiting at investments in the real estate sec- 2016, Al Bandary Real Estate said: “Al Al Dafna area. Al Bandary has also itors to promote themselves to a highly further growth for the State of Qatar.” this year’s edition. tor over the years, will be exhibiting Bandary Real Estate will participate started to expand in projects outside targeted audience of investors, gov- Inaugurating the event on 26 The event, now in its fifth year in a number of its upcoming properties in Cityscape Qatar 2016 and will be of the State of Qatar and will launch ernment officials and real estate April, Cityscape Qatar Real Estate Qatar, will be held from April 26 to 28, and developments. Highlights include exhibiting a number of high profile its project in Dubai. We are pleased to professionals, and ensure that both Market Overview will deliver an invi- 2016 at the newly opened Doha Exhi- B. Square Mall, situated in the heart of projects in the most prominent areas announce that we will be offering a their brands and projects are seen tation-only afternoon of insightful bition and Convention Center. Doha, which has redefined the mod- in Qatar, including the Al Kheesa Gate special promotion during the exhibi- by these influential stakeholders. remarks about the market and net- The high profile three-day event ern shopping experience in Qatar. project located opposite Lusail City, tion and at competitive prices.” We are delighted with the caliber of working among industry leaders.

QBA hosts WTO Director-General IIA-Qatar member gets nominated to global forum

The Peninsula

DOHA: The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) USA nominated Sun- daresan Rajeswar (pictured), the IIA- Qatar founder Board member and past president in the IIA Global Research Foundation’s Committee of Research and Education Advisors effective July 2016. The mission of this committee is to provide internal audit profes- Chairman of the IIA Board Nominee sion with the information needed in her communication. to anticipate and react to important “This is an opportunity to con- external and internal factors that summate personal satisfaction of could have material impact on the shaping the future of the internal practice of internal auditing. auditing profession, gain exposure Members are chosen based on to professional issues worldwide, expertise in the field, leadership in broaden knowledge, share perspec- the past IIA activities, and commit- tives from Qatar and develop bonds ment to the institute’s vision and of camaraderie” said Rajeswar. The Qatari Businessmen Association (QBA) hosted Roberto Azevêdo, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, yesterday. A goals. “It is through contribution of Rajeswar is a Chartered private lunch hosted in his honour was attended by Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman, QBA and Sheikh Nawaf bin NasserAl members like you that the institute Accountant from India and has Thani, Sherida Al Kaabi, Khaled Al Mannai, Salah Al Jaidah, Ibrahim Al Asmakh, Maqbool Khalfan, Nabil Abu Issa, Adnan Sobhi Ibrahim and is able to maintain its leadership in acquired gamut of audit specialty Sarah Abdullah. advancing the profession of inter- qualifications. He is head of audit nal auditing” stated Angela Witzany, of Teyseer Group, GCC chemical firms QIC’s capital increase decision credit positive: Moody’s open doors to outside The Peninsula underwriting leverage, Moody’s Qatari insurance groups. rights issue will increase sharehold- Investors Service said yesterday. To support QIC’s growth while ers’ equity by 26 percent to QR7.6bn Premiums at QIC, Qatar’s largest ensuring compliance with inter- from QR6.0bn. On a Moody’s-adjusted insurer, rose by almost 50 percent in nal and regulatory solvency targets, basis, we estimate that this increase innovation: GPCA DOHA: The Qatar Insurance Com- 2015 and grew at a compound annual QIC shareholders approved plans to will improve QIC’s capital adequacy pany (QIC) shareholders’ decision to growth rate (CAGR) of 54 percent issue bonus shares in the amount of by raising its shareholders’ equity as approve an increase in the compa- between 2013 and 2015 as a result one share for every 10 held and for a a percent of total assets by 4.5 per- The Peninsula innovative technologies.” ny’s capital by 32 percent to QR2.4bn of expanding into new markets and rights issue closing on 1 March of one centage points to 27.4 percent and Investments in research and ($669m) is credit positive for QIC. making acquisitions. That compares share for every five shares at a price improve gross underwriting lever- development (R&D) were estimated The decision will strengthen the with a CAGR of just over 7 percent of QR50 per share. age to 2.2x from 2.8x as of year-end at $529m in 2014, according to the company’s capitalisation and gross in aggregate for thenext five largest “We estimate that the bonus and 2015.”, Moody’s noted. DOHA: GCC chemical producers are GPCA. This figure is nearly double increasingly opening their doors to from the $368m expenditure in 2013 innovative insights and ideas from and is notable for being the highest research institutions, academia, cus- increase in R&D spending in petro- tomers, suppliers and technology chemicals globally. Chinese trade delegation at Qatar Chamber providers to identify new business “Open Innovation enables opportunities and maintain their GCC chemical producers to access competitive edge, says a new sur- external solutions, experiences and vey by the Gulf Petrochemicals and competencies relevant to their inno- Chemicals Association (GPCA). vation agenda faster, cheaper and The report Unlocking Open often at a higher level of innovative- Innovation in the GCC chemi- ness, ” continued Dr Al Sadoun. cal industry, is based on a survey “There are positive devel- amongst GPCA member compa- opments: more than half of all nies and measures perceptions, respondents have indicated that this challenges and opportunities in attitude has been employed within fostering Open Innovation in the their organisations, and there is a chemical industry in the region. The strong indication that this trend will clear majority of the GPCA member continue into the medium term.” companies surveyed support Open An estimated two-thirds of the Innovation and practices it. sample has been practicing Open “Open Innovation has a key role Innovation within the last five years, in maintaining the global competi- with a further 24 percent indicat- tiveness of the chemical industry in ing that these policies are or will the Arabian Gulf,” said Dr. Abdulwa- be implemented within their com- hab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, panies. These activities include GPCA. “The broadening of research collaborating in R&D with academia, beyond traditional R&D boundaries integrating customer networks in the Qatar Chamber Acting Director-General Saleh Hamad Al Sharqi met with the members of Chinese trade delegation at the chamber office and the increased collaboration with production cycle and joining forces external parties has become a cru- with competitors through sharing yesterday. The meeting discussed ways of increasing cooperation between the two sides. cial component in the race for new, best practice. BUSINESS WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 29 China to lay off up to 6 million workers

Reuters five million workers in industries suf- gluts in as many as seven sectors, the problems of debts held by zombie Oman to sign fering from a supply glut, one source including cement, glassmaking and firms, which could overwhelm local Shutting down with ties to the leadership said. shipbuilding, but the oversupplied banks if they are not handled correctly. deals for $300m “zombie firms” has A second source with leadership solar power industry is likely to be “They have proposed this dedi- water project BEIJING: China aims to lay off 5-6 ties put the number of layoffs at six spared any large-scale restructuring cated fund only to pay the workers, million state workers over the next been identified as one million. The ministry of industry did because it still has growth potential, but there is no money for the bad two to three years as part of efforts of the government’s not immediately respond when asked the first source said. debts, and if the bad debts are too MUSCAT: Oman Power to curb industrial overcapacity and for comment on the reports. The government has already big the banks will have problems and and Water Procurement pollution, two reliable sources said, priorities this year, The hugely inefficient state sector drawn up plans to cut as much as 150 there will be panic,” said Xu Zhongbo, Co, which arranges power Beijing’s boldest retrenchment pro- with China’s Premier employed around 37 million people in million tonnes of crude steel capac- head of Beijing Metal Consulting, who generation and water gramme in almost two decades. Li Keqiang promising 2013 and accounts for about 40 per- ity and 500 million tonnes of surplus advises Chinese steel mills. desalination capacity in China’s leadership, obsessed with cent of the country’s industrial output coal production in the next three to Factories shut down would have the sultanate, will sign maintaining stability and making sure in December that and nearly half of its bank lending. five years. It has earmarked 100bn to repay bank loans to avoid saddling agreements this week redundancies do not lead to unrest, they would soon “go It is China’s most significant yuan in central government funds state banks with a mountain of non- for a 115m rial ($300m) will spend nearly 150bn yuan ($23bn) nationwide retrenchment since the to deal directly with the layoffs from performing loans, the sources said. water project, the com- to cover layoffs in just the coal and under the knife”. restructuring of state-owned enter- steel and coal over the next two years, “Triangular debt”, or money owed by pany said yesterday. steel sectors in the next 2-3 years. prises from 1998 to 2003 led to around vice-industry minister Feng Fei said. firms to other enterprises, would also Japan’s Itochu Corp will The overall figure is likely to rise about the social and economic impact 28 million redundancies and cost the The Ministry of Finance said in have to be resolved, they added. hold 36 percent of the as closures spread to other indus- of bankruptcies and unemployment. central government about 73.1bn yuan January that it would also collect 46bn Although China has promised project, French firms Suez tries and even more funding will be Shutting down “zombie firms” ($11.2bn) in resettlement funds. yuan from surcharges on coal-fired to help local banks transfer the bad Environnement and Engie required to handle the debt left behind has been identified as one of the gov- On Monday, Yin Weimin, the min- power over the coming three years in debts of zombie steel mills to asset will each hold 27 per- by “zombie” state firms. ernment’s priorities this year, with ister for human resources and social order to resettle workers. In addition, an management firms, local govern- cent, and local company The term refers to companies that China’s Premier Li Keqiang promis- security, said China expects to lay off assortment of local government match- ments are not expected to gain access W J Towell & Co will hold have shut down some of their oper- ing in December that they would soon 1.8 million workers in the coal and ing funds will also be made available. to the worker lay-off funds until the 10 percent. The contracts ations but keep staff on their rolls “go under the knife”. steel industries, but he did not give a However, the funds currently zombie firms have actually been shut for the Barka Independ- since local governments are worried The government plans to lay off timeframe. China aims to cut capacity being offered will do little to resolve down and debt issues settled. ent Water Project, due to begin operating by Jan- uary 2018, will cover the design, construction, ownership and operation Iran still constrained on oil Geneva Motor Show of reverse osmosis desali- nation facilities producing 281,000 cubic metres per exports post-sanctions day of drinking water. Six bidders vie Reuters buyers in Europe since the lifting of sanctions, trading sources said. for PetroRabigh Ghamsari said those cargoes contract were trial shipments and NIOC DUBAI: Iran still faces constraints had started negotiations for term KHOBAR: Saudi Arabia’s on oil exports as buyers are cautious contracts with potential buyers. PetroRabigh has received about boosting trade immediately “Definitely in March you are going bids from up to six foreign because of banking and ship insur- to see some good news for addi- engineering companies for ance difficulties, a senior Iranian oil tional barrels or cargoes destined the construction of new official said, despite seeing a “tan- to Europe,” he said. units at its petrochemi- gible” rise in shipments this month. Tehran has said it would boost cal and refining complex Iran emerged from years of eco- output immediately by 500,000 b/d in Rabigh. PetroRabigh, nomic isolation in January when and by another 500,000 b/d within a a joint venture between world powers led by the United year, ultimately reaching pre-sanc- Saudi Aramco and States and the European Union lifted tion production levels of around 4 Japan’s Sumitomo Chem- crippling sanctions against Opec’s million b/d seen in 2010-2011. ical, announced plans for No.3 oil producer in return for curbs Ghamsari said it was difficult the new units in October on Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. to give an exact number for Iran’s last year. It said tenders The sanctions had cut Iranian oil exports but the plan was to raise would involve building a crude exports from a peak of 2.5 mil- shipments by roughly an additional polyether polyols plant Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann stands behind the new Centenario model car displayed at the lion barrels per day (b/d) before 2011 500,000 b/d to reach 2m b/d this year, with annual capacity of to just over 1 million bpd in recent depending on market conditions. “We stand of Italian carmaker during the press day of the Geneva Motor Show yesterday. 220,000 tonnes, a 17,000 years. Iran is working to regain believe within this year we have to barrel per day naphtha- market share after sanctions relief maximise our share ... our goal is to treating unit to produce and exports had already risen by have it within this year,” he said. clean fuel and a sul- 500,000 b/d in February, Mohsen “But it is a plan and it is a desire. phur recovery unit (SRU) Ghamsari, director of international How much it is successful depends with capacity of 106,000 affairs at National Iranian Oil Co on the market and the negotiations tonnes a year. Work on the (NIOC), told Reuters yesterday. with the customers,” he said. UK manufacturing activity slumps Rabigh expansion is due to But the country’s crude ship- Even a gradual increase in Iran’s begin in the second half of ments, particularly to Europe, have exports would come at a time of this year, PetroRabigh said been complicated by a lack of clarity global oversupply, with producers Reuters The survey showed demand at abroad, Markit said. Kallum Picker- in October. on ship insurance, dollar clear- around the world pumping hundreds home slowed while export orders fell, ing, an economist with Berenberg, ance and European banks’ letters of thousands of barrels every day in a double whammy for a sector which said nervousness about Britain’s June Australia keeps of credit. “For March, definitely our excess of demand. Oil prices are near accounts for about 10 percent of Brit- 23 EU membership referendum sug- volumes are going to be higher than 11-year lows at around $37 a barrel. LONDON: British factories had their ain’s economic output. It underscored gested a difficult few months ahead rates at record low February ... but it depends on the Ghamsari said Iran would not weakest month in nearly three years why the Bank of England has said it for manufacturers. logistics situation and the banking offer further discounts but could in February, a survey showed yester- is ready to pump more stimulus into The manufacturing sector cut SYDNEY: Australia’s cen- channels. Still, some shipping com- consider a pricing improvement for day, raising a warning signal that the the economy if needed. jobs for a second month in a row tral bank yesterday held panies are somehow reluctant to its crude sales to Europe by sell- country’s recovery from the finan- “The near-stagnation of manufac- although the decline was mild. Com- interest rates at the his- come and banks also,” he said. ing some spot cargoes at the dated cial crisis could be slowing further. turing highlights the ongoing fragility panies said they cut the prices of their toric low of 2 percent, but “If everything goes well, def- Brent benchmark, though it was With growing uncertainty about of the economic recovery at the start goods for the sixth month in a row said continued low infla- initely the volumes for March are sticking with Brent Weighted Aver- the health of the global economy and of the year and provides further cover but the fall was slightly less marked tion would provide scope going to be higher than February. age (BWAVE) for its term contracts. the approach of Britain’s European for the Bank of England’s increasingly than in January. for further easing to stim- The difference between March and “Maybe for some small cargoes Union membership referendum, the dovish stance,” Rob Dobson, a senior Manufacturing weighed on Brit- ulate the economy. For February is going to be quite tangi- we would be able or looking to price Markit/CIPS manufacturing Pur- economist at Markit, said. ain’s overall economic growth at the the ninth straight meeting, ble. The main or biggest portion of (them) based on dated Brent but chasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell New orders in February were end of last year, leaving the country’s the Reserve Bank of Aus- these additional cargoes is going to the term contract will be based on sharply to 50.8, below all the fore- their weakest since the turnaround much bigger services sector as the tralia (RBA) kept its official be destined for Europe,” he added. BWAVE,” he said. Other than Europe, casts in a Reuters poll, from 52.9 in began in 2013. Consumer and invest- sole driver of the recovery. A Reuters cash rate at its lowest level Litasco, the trading arm of Rus- NIOC’s main targets for increased January. It was just above the read- ment goods orders bore the brunt of poll of 29 economists sees the serv- in history, first reached sia’s Lukoil, Spanish refiner Cepsa and oil sales in Asia are China, India and ing of 50 delineating expansion from slower growth in demand at home ices PMI falling to 55.1 compared with in May 2015. “At today’s France’s Total have become the first South Korea, he said. contraction. and a further fall in orders from 55.6 a month earlier. meeting, the board judged that there were reasonable prospects for continued growth in the economy, Singapore office vacancies with inflation close to tar- China’s official PMI drops get,” RBA Governor Glenn Stevens said. The Aus- to rise as economy falters tralian dollar rose slightly after the rate decision to 71.38 US cents. Reuters over the past year and a half, or had to contend with extra space. Dubai’s du proposes Analysts predict vacancy rates will continue to rise this year, with higher dividend SINGAPORE: Vacancies at Singa- JLL estimating prime office rents to pore’s gleaming office towers are fall between 10 percent and 20 per- DUBAI: Du, the United nearing their highest level in almost cent after dropping 15 percent last Arab Emirates’ second a decade, with construction of the year in a city that is ranked the elev- biggest telecommunica- city-state’s tallest building — Guo- enth most expensive in the world to tions operator, said that coLand Ltd’s 64-floor block in the rent top quality offices. its board had proposed financial district — wrapping up just Nicholas Mak, executive director an annual dividend of 43 as the economy slows. at SLP International Property Con- fils per share, and that Singapore’s export-oriented sultants, said many of the buildings its net profit for the year economy has been hit by the slow- that are now ready for occupancy had been cut by higher down in China and beyond, which were planned about five years ago, royalty payments to the has also put pressure on key sectors towards the end of the global finan- government. The firm, such as marine oil and gas, com- cial crisis. Office vacancy rates could which ended rival Etis- modity trading and banks. Last year, hit 13.5 percent, a level not seen since alat’s domestic monopoly the economy grew at just 2 percent, 2005, he said. in 2007, paid a dividend its slowest pace since 2009. Broader cost-cutting at banks of 32 fils for 2014. In mid- A January review by real estate due to the slowdown in the global February, the company An employee works on an assembly line constructing minivans at the SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile services firm JLL of major foreign economy is likely to have an impact reported a 10.1 percent joint venture automobile manufacturing plant in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China, yesterday. international banks in the finan- on vacancies as financial institutions fall in net profit for the China’s official manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index dropped to 49.0, the lowest in four years. cial district showed half had either are key tenants for prime commer- fourth quarter of 2015. reduced the size of their office space cial space in Singapore. 30 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 BUSINESS

QE INDICES SUMMARY QATAR STOCK EXCHANGE QE Index 9,969.25 0.78 % QE Total Return Index 15,791.72 0.78 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 3,678.55 0.74 % QE All Share Index 2,709.7 0.88 % QE All Share Banks & Financial Services 2,692.96 0.53 % QE All Share Industrials 3,001.68 0.90 % QE All Share Transportation 2,406.78 0.63 % QE All Share Real Estate 2,245.34 0.11 % QE All Share Insurance 4,434.42 5.14 % QE All Share Telecoms 1,070.68 0.04 % QE All Share Consumer Goods & Services 6,250.12 1.88 %

QE MARKET SUMMARY COMPARISON 01-03-2016 Today 29-02-2016 Previous day Index 9,969.25 9,892.32 Change 76.93 35.62 % 0.78 0.36 YTD% 4.41 5.15 Volume 13,337,279 10,071,417 Value (QAR) 606,299,453.29 404,803,935.25 Trades 5,196 6,466 Up 27 | Down 06 | Unchanged 08

WORLD STOCK INDICES Index Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low All Ordinaries 4989.6 41.654 0.84 5379.6 4762.1 Cac 40 Index/D 4383.77 30.22 0.69 4586.11 3892.46 Dj Indu Average 16516.5 -123.47 -0.74 18351.4 15370.3 Hang Seng Inde/D 19407.46 295.53 1.55 21794.84 18278.8 Iseq Overall/D 6380.96 36.85 0.58 6791.68 5611.89 Karachi 100 In/D 31509.11 139.6 0.45 33304.4 29785 Nikkei 225 Index 16085.51 58.75 0.37 18951.12 14865.77 S&P 500 Index/D 1932.23 -15.82 -0.81 2134.72 1810.1

EXCHANGE RATE Currency Buying Selling US$ QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 UK QR 5.0590 QR 5.1303 INTERNATIONAL MARKETS - A LIST OF SHARES FROM THE WORLD Euro QR 3.9364 QR 3.9922 COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME CA$ QR 2..6624 QR 2.7151 NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED Swiss Fr QR 3.6225 QR 3.6762 Yen QR 0.0319 QR 0.0325 A C C-A/D 1230.75 39.6 14709 Emco-B/D 24 1.4 23719 Kalpat Power-B/D 172.3 7.5 5544 Timexgroup-T/D 29.1 2.1 34957 Aus$ QR 2.6689 QR 2.6312 Aarti Drugs-B/D 476.2 9.5 1105 Escorts Fin-B/D 3.9 0 22067 Kalyani Stel-T/D 137.4 3.5 41696 Tinplate-B/D 59.45 1.55 10228 Ind Re QR 0.0532 QR 0.0542 Aban Offs-A/D 162.1 5.45 374926 Escorts-A/D 131.8 5.7 374578 Kanoria Chem-B/D 52.9 4.6 12909 Ucal Fuel-B/D 93.1 4.2 23753 Pak Re QR 0.0345 QR 0.0352 Aegis Logis-B/D 90.15 5.1 24036 Eveready Indu-/D 222 0.3 323972 Kg Denim-B/D 49 2.15 15242 Ucal Fuel-B/D 93.1 4.2 23753 Alembic-B/D 35.05 0.85 47190 F D C-B/D 184 4.35 1484 Kopran-B/D 44.85 2.95 97205 Ultramarine-B/D 109.5 1.8 6419 Peso QR 0.0763 QR 0.0778 Alkyl Amines-B/D 299 4.2 1326 Federal Bank-A/D 47.8 1.6 153462 Laxmi Prcisn-B/D 30.3 1.35 2636 Unitech P -A/D 4.12 0.21 6712538 SL Re QR 0.0248 QR 0.0256 Alok Indus-A/D 3.88 -0.01 641830 Ferro Alloys-B/D 4.71 0.72 73791 Lloyd Metal-B/D 16.75 0.62 100891 Univcable-B/D 70.85 3.35 4322 Taka QR 0.0459 QR 0.047 Apollo Tyre-A/D 158.7 0.8 116291 Finolex-A/D 315.5 9.15 8877 Lok.Hous&Con-B/D 5.33 -0.02 26453 LONDON Nep Re QR 0.0333 QR 0.0339 Asahi I Glass-/D 150.7 -0.65 7636 Gail-A/D 319.9 15.35 121201 Lumax Ind-B/D 386 12 4153 SA Rand QR 0.2295 QR 0.2341 Ashok Leyland-/D 90.9 3.3 3335371 Gammon India-T/D 14.1 0.4 32268 Lupin-A/D 1760.75 8.6 40686 Ballarpur In-B/D 12.33 0.43 175562 Garden P -B/D 22.85 1.8 14414 Lyka Labs-T/D 65.95 1.3 113293 3I Group/D 442.4 4.3 631539 Banaras Bead-B/D 37.85 1.8 1802 Godfrey Phil-B/D 1182 106.1 87483 Mangalam Cem-B/D 171.9 1.7 3064 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3445 39 137948 GOLD AND SILVER Bata India-A/D 464 6.7 23765 Goodricke-B/D 163.1 5.4 18900 Maral Overs-B/D 23.9 0.7 18811 Barclays/D 153.35 -18.7 78479266 Beml Ltd-A/D 990 40.8 89758 Goodyear I -B/D 455 9.3 5438 Mastek-B/D 116.9 2.6 30476 Bp/D 353.6 2.15 8960814 GOLD QR146.3439 per gramme Bh Electronic-/D 1042 12.9 44142 Hcl Infosys-B/D 37 2.9 830693 Max Financial-/D 324.9 -11.5 11160 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3975.5 50 787401 SILVER QR1.7647 per gramme Bhansali Eng-T/D 16.9 0.9 25520 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 18.1 1.35 1268621 Mrpl-A/D 59.45 2.05 108347 Bt Group/D 492.15417 5.75 4326044 Bharat Bijle-B/D 721.5 38.75 6113 Himat Seide-B/D 156 8.2 98186 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 22.9 0.2 8745 Centrica/D 210.6487 2.8 4196279 Bharatgears-B/D 57 0.5 2456 Hind Motors-T/D 5 -0.05 79278 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 22.9 0.2 8745 Gkn/D 280 5 1313063 Bhartiya Int-B/D 465.1 3.1 10123 Hind Org Chem-/D 13 0.4 7581 Nahar Spg.-B/D 83.55 1.85 25045 Hsbc Holdings/D 462.45 2.8 10634122 Bhel-A/D 92.7 1.6 1225893 Hind Unilever-/D 825 -4.8 74123 Nation Alum -A/D 32.8 0 141303 Kingfisher/D 343.1 8.8 1981803 Most stock markets Bom.Burmah-B/D 342.9 13.95 4780 Hind.Petrol-A/D 721.75 33.6 161019 Navneet Edu-B/D 84.1 0.6 3920 Land Secs Grou/D 1030 21 1056972 Bombay Dyeing-/D 41.5 1.3 95705 Hindalco-A/D 70.2 1.55 2358423 Nepc India-T/D 1.54 0.04 22970 Legal & Genera/D 233.4 6.4 5171385 Camph.& All-B/D 448 17.8 1105 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1068.75 7.2 75737 Neuland Lab-B/D 554.25 16.75 3706 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 72.805 0.48 47647042 in the Gulf rise Canfin Homes-B/D 1006.25 61.15 2806 I F C I-A/D 21.8 0.75 529484 O N G C-A/D 191.5 -2.6 1368236 Marks & Sp./D 434.9 9.7 1277897 Caprihans-Xc/D 79.7 0.75 5605 Idbi-A/D 59.5 1.05 2261895 Oil Country-B/D 24.4 1.15 5631 Next/D 6785 20 209929 Reuters Castrol India-/D 365.3 -1.95 51874 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 300.2 11.9 8048 Onward Tech-B/D 66.3 3.55 9913 Pearson/D 879 20 1200812 Century Enka-B/D 153.7 5.1 4176 India Cement-A/D 69.75 3.25 227238 Orchid Pharm-B/D 34.3 1.5 114868 Prudential/D 1287.5 30 1487936 Century Text-A/D 437.7 18.2 117094 India Glycol-B/D 69.5 3.85 4719 Orient Hotel-T/D 20.4 0.25 1787 Rank Group/D 250 0 39323 Chambal Fert-B/D 53.35 -0.65 28270 Indian Card-B/D 202.3 14.5 3107 Orient.Carb.-T/D 399.5 4.5 7316 Rentokil Initi/D 166.9 0.9 727840 DUBAI: Stock markets in the Gulf rose yesterday after Chola Invest-A/D 646 3.95 1127 Indian Hotel-A/D 100 1.85 91064 Orient.Carb.-T/D 399.5 4.5 7316 Rolls Royce Pl/D 686 7 1959084 oil prices firmed above $36 a barrel, while Egyptian Cimmco-B/D 74.25 4.25 13521 Indo-Tcount-T/D 900 73.25 34476 Oudh Sugar-B/D 40.35 3.05 2691 Rsa Insrance G/D 448.7 13.4 701552 stocks slid in feeble volume as investors worried about Cipla-A/D 517.5 2.5 118269 Indusind-A/D 860.25 29.4 82741 Punjab Chem.-B/D 118 3 3258 Sainsbury(J)/D 259.14 4.8 2056212 a possible interest rate hike. City Union Bk-/D 87 2.7 19266 J.B.Chemical-B/D 259.3 16.65 27391 Radico Khait-B/D 96.75 2 19325 Schroders/D 2680 64 147022 The Saudi index advanced 1.5 percent to 6,181 points, Colgate-A/D 823.5 1.55 28080 Jagson Phar-B/D 34.75 1.55 23987 Rallis India-A/D 148.3 0.85 13975 Severn Trent/D 2141.28 5 113926 breaking technical resistance at the early February and Container Cor-/D 1192 33.05 7618 Jamnaauto-B/D 127.8 7 79337 Rallis India-A/D 148.3 0.85 13975 Smith&Nephew/D 1180.15 7 468920 end-January peaks of 6,056-6,099 points. Chartists Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 309.8 0.5 14813 Jbf Indu-B/D 177.4 23.9 69665 Reliance Indus/D 383.1 14 136639 Smiths Group/D 1004 2 290461 said this pointed to a rise towards 6,850. Petrochemical Dcm Shram Ind-/D 83.3 -1.7 1703 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.34 0 24531 Ruchi Soya-B/D 25 1.2 176727 Standrd Chart /D 435.79 5.5 3599697 stocks helped lift the bourse as Saudi Basic Industries Dhampur Sugar-/D 58.25 2.25 26477 Jct Ltd-B/D 4.75 0.22 782205 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 465.2 -3.85 6707 Tate & Lyle/D 592 5 257916 added 1.7 percent and Saudi Kayan rose 2.0 percent in Dr. Reddy-A/D 3027.5 -3.75 25890 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 7.69 0.59 19980 Saur.Cem-B/D 42.6 2.8 74641 Tesco/D 182.432 2 9511665 high volumes. Telecommunications also attracted considerable activ- E I H-B/D 107.6 0.9 15283 Jik Indust-T/D 0.9 -0.04 20317 Sterling Tool-/D 415 10 7218 Unilever/D 3128.5 36.5 609323 ity with Atheeb adding 2.4 percent and Mobily surging E.I.D Parry-A/D 173.3 4.75 17475 Jktyre&Ind-A/D 76.65 2.25 225708 Tanfac Indust-/D 26 -1.75 1375 United Util Gr/D 930.5 5 194028 6.7 percent after Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed Eicher Motor-A/D 19183 288.2 5255 Kajaria Cer-A/D 881 13.95 2352 Thirumalai-B/D 133.5 2.3 13967 Vodafone Group/D 221.45 1.75 19828209 sources, that Digital Bridge Holdings, which invests in Electrosteel-B/D 17.9 0.75 47114 Kakatiya Cem-B/D 124 5.2 2818 Til Ltd.-T/D 315.4 18.9 3996 Whitbread/D 4030 109 190806 communications industries, was among leading bid- ders for Mobily’s portfolio of wireless towers in Saudi Arabia, a sale valued at $2bn. For a second day, Dubai’s Arabtec soared its daily limit; it jumped 14.6 percent to Dh1.65 with volume at another 6-1/2-year high. On Monday, exchange data showed former chief executive Hasan Ismaik had raised World stocks rally on China stimulus his stake to 11.91 percent from 11.81 percent. Arabtec helped lift Dubai’s index 1.5 percent, with Union Properties adding 4.3 percent, its third straight day AFP too, driven by solid auto sales Supply Management (ISM) reported. London and Milan stock exchanges. funds for them to lend. of gains. Amlak Finance, a mid-sized Islamic investment reports for Ford and Fiat Chrys- The ISM purchasing manag- The announcement helped The announcement boosted house, jumped 9.4 percent, adding to a 12.8 percent gain ler in February. In London, the ers index for the manufacturing counter disappointment among the mood across Asian trading made on the previous day when the company announced FTSE 100 was up 0.92 percent sector registered 49.5, below the some investors over beleaguered floors. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 that annual net profit attributable to equity holders had LONDON: World stock markets at 6,152.88 points; in Frankfurt, threshold of 50 between growth British lender Barclays’ results was up 0.37 percent at 16,085.51 surged 130 percent. rose yesterday, buoyed by upbeat the DAX 30 was up 2.34 percent and contraction. But it was better for last year after it said that net points; in Shanghai, the Compos- In Abu Dhabi, the index added 0.5 percent, with manufacturing data in the US and at 9,717.16 points; while in Paris, than January’s level, and the best losses had more than doubled ite was up 1.68 percent at 2,733.17 most trade concentrated in small and mid-tier shares. hopes for the Chinese economy the CAC 40 was up 1.22 percent since September. Markets also were and unveiled a further shake-up points; while in Hong Kong, the Eshraq Properties, the most traded stock, rose 1.3 per- after fresh stimulus by China’s at 4,406.84 points. boosted by merger talk, according as it seeks to struggle from sev- Hang Seng index was up 1.58 per- cent. The largest listed stock, Etisalat, added 0.6 percent central bank, analysts said. “Domestic stocks are gaining to analysts. In New York, the Dow eral scandals. cent at 19,413.19 points. and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank rose 2.9 percent in In Europe, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 solid ground, following a positive was up 1.64 percent at 16,787.93 China, though, was the key China’s central bank move modest volume. index kicked off the new month session in Asia and gains for the points in early trade. driver behind higher markets after helped to offset more weak Chi- Qatar’s main benchmark added 0.8 percent in modest with an upswing of more than two European markets, with upbeat US-based global markets oper- its central bank cut the amount nese manufacturing figures. Official volume with Gulf International Services, the most traded percent as investors eyed possible US and eurozone manufactur- ator Intercontinental Exchange said of reserves banks must set aside data yesterday showed that Feb- stock, up 1.4 percent to 37.25 riyals. Last week, Alpha- fresh support from the European ing reports more than offsetting it was mulling a bid for the Lon- in Beijing’s latest attempt at tack- ruary activity shrank at its fastest Mena rated the stock a “buy” with a target of QR73.60. Central Bank (ECB) next week and another sign of slowing growth in don Stock Exchange Group, already ling the country’s slowing growth. rate in four years. But Cairo’s index edged down 0.5 percent in its low- official data showed German unem- China,” analysts Charles Schwab in merger talks with Germany’s After Chinese markets closed India’s main stocks index, est volume since October 2015. Orascom Telecom, the ployment remained at historic lows said in a note to investors. Deutsche Boerse, operator of the on Monday, policymakers cut the meanwhile, posted its biggest most heavily traded stock, fell 3.4 percent. Expectations in February. Although US manufacturing Frankfurt market. “reserve requirement ratio” for rise since Prime Minister Naren- that Egypt’s interest rates will be hiked next month have Its Paris and London counter- activity contracted for the fifth ICE, which owns the New York financial institutions — the share dra Modi came to power almost increased. The Finance Ministry cancelled Monday’s parts lagged but still finished the straight month in February, many Stock Exchange, said in a statement of deposits that they must have two years ago, after the govern- five-year treasury bond issue, while the average yield session higher, passing the baton sectors reported good demand that it was “considering making an available in cash — by 0.50 per- ment presented a budget expected on the 10-year bond jumped more than 21 basis points. to Wall Street which opened firmer domestically, the Institute for offer for LSEG”, which owns the centage points, freeing up more to boost rural demand. BUSINESS VIEWS WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 31

Smaller UAE firms Barclays slashes dividend face cash woes as banks tighten credit in plan to shrink

By Tom Arnold sputter last year when commod- Reuters ity prices began to sink. Traders of food, oil, textiles and jewellery were worst affected and are now anks in the United Arab finding it toughest to secure funds. Emirates are cutting When Alisa’s facilities were Bcredit lines to small- and revoked, the company had to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) source loans at higher rates in after a spate of defaults, posing order to pay suppliers for goods, a threat to one of the econo- Chassebi said. He said the com- my’s main drivers. As weak oil pany’s turnover was expected prices prompt a drying up of to halve this year to 100 million bank liquidity, some lenders are dirhams. It has already shed staff becoming choosier, taking longer and warehouse space. to approve loans or asking for Privately, several bankers said more paperwork, while others they had withdrawn or, in certain are cutting lending or recalling cases, recalled credit facilities loans, say businesses and bankers. given to commodity traders and While the trend is mainly other sectors deemed risky, with because of banks’ desire to pro- one saying his bank had targeted tect capital, banking sources say companies with debt higher than some smaller lenders have also turnover and with credit from been told by the central bank more than a handful of banks. to limit exposure to the sector. With SMEs only account- Nobody was available to com- ing for about 3.8 percent of total ment from the central bank. bank loans, the fallout from the The dislocation in the lend- sector’s stress should be relatively ing market risks undermining a contained. Still, after a buildup in push by the government to sup- losses, several banks have lately port SMEs, which make up about taken steps to trim their SME 60 percent of UAE gross domes- business. tic product. The government has United Arab Bank for instance A customer uses an ATM machine at the Barclays Bank Kenya’s head office in the capital Nairobi, yesterday. targeted raising their contribution is winding down its SME unit to to 70 percent by 2021. focus on larger companies after But what some bankers say its 2015 earnings were hob- is a tide of business people flee- bled by a more than doubling in By Stephen Morris director at RC Brown Investment Manage- least two years, hurt by a drop in equi- ing the country with unpaid debts provisions. Bloomberg ment Plc, which owns Barclays shares. “We ties revenue, and Finance Director Tushar has shaken banks’ confidence and RAKBANK said it was com- obviously don’t like that they cut their div- Morzaria cautioned performance would exposed shortcomings in insol- mitted to the SME segment but idend, but I think they’re doing the right be worse in the first quarter compared vency regulations. was focusing on growing its arclays Plc fell the most in more thing.” with last year. In a country where a bounced presence among larger compa- than three years in London trad- The company cut its dividend to 3 pence ‘Shortsighted’ Move cheque risks landing the issuer in nies. Union National Bank (UNB) ing as investors balked at Chief per share for 2016 and 2017, from 6.5 pence “Investment banking does not cur- jail, many heavily indebted expa- has tightened lending criteria for Executive Officer Jes Staley’s last year. It also will sell down its 62 percent rently generate returns above our cost triates have opted to depart in new SMEs, according to bank- pitch that more short-term pain stake in Barclays Africa Group Ltd. over the of equity, and there are some who have recent months. A senior banking ing sources, while Mashreq said Bwill be necessary for the bank to right itself. next two to three years to a level that allows recommended we would be wise to exit official in November estimated it too had tightened lending rules The lender cut its dividend for the next two it to deconsolidate the unit. The measures this business entirely,” Staley said in the the amount owed by those fleeing for new SMEs. UNB declined to years and said costs from its non-core divi- will boost the firm’s common equity Tier 1 analyst presentation. “I disagree, and reached around 5 billion dirhams comment. sion will rise this year as it accelerates the ratio by at least 1 percentage point from its I think that such a move would be very ($1.4 billion) last year. Several international banks unit’s wind-down, according to a statement 11.4 percent at the end of 2015. shortsighted. Barclays will ultimately be Some of the businesses that including Standard Chartered and yesterday. Reducing the dividend took many inves- a stronger group with an investment bank” remain report increasing difficul- HSBC have also pulled back from The shares plummeted 9.3 percent to 156 tors by surprise, and Staley said the bank will as it provides a “cyclical counterweight” to ties with banks. the UAE’s SME sector in recent pence at 2:41pm in London, the most since get back to paying out a “significant” per- the consumer business. One of those is Alisa Trading, years. June 2012. The stock has dropped 29 per- centage of profits in a dividend in 2018. The strategy didn’t feature any sig- a re-exporter of dried fruits, nuts Standard & Poor’s expects cent this year, more than any other large “These are hard decisions, but we believe nificant additional cuts to the investment and spices, which has operated in the ratio of non-performing to UK lender. that shareholder value in getting non-core bank, disappointing some investors who Dubai for around 25 years. The performing loans for the banks Staley is reducing closed will significantly exceed any down- had viewed that as a way to boost capital company said it had an 11 mil- it covers in the UAE to climb to the firm’s stake in its side of cutting the dividend for two years,” in place of cutting the dividend. lion dirham trade finance facility about 4 percent or higher over Africa unit and mov- Staley, 59, said in a presentation to analysts. “Note to the board: don’t cut the div- cancelled by Standard Chartered the next four to six quarters, ing more businesses “These strategic actions will bring forward idend (again) without ample signalling in 2014, then another facility of still below the 5.1 percent level into the non-core unit the completion of our restructuring and the beforehand,” wrote Sandy Chen, a bank about 3.5 million dirhams revoked reached in 2012 in the wake of as he looks to shrink emergence of a simpler and very profita- analyst at Cenkos Securities Plc. “Note by United Arab Bank in 2015. the 2009 financial downturn. the bank, boost capi- ble Barclays.” to the CEO: don’t defend the investment Another bank, RAKBANK, Still, analysts warn the tal ratios, and focus on Trading in the stock was temporarily bank, on the hope that its profitability declined to renew a 1 million tide of bad debt could rise, as the UK and US markets. halted as the shares dropped as much as 11 will beat its cost of capital again. And the dirham financing it had with the some banks have not yet fully Chief Executive Officer The CEO, who started percent. Analysts at the presentation ques- argument that investment banking and lender when it expired in Novem- accounted for all bad loans due Jes Staley is reducing in December, is keep- tioned Staley on his outlook for profit and retail banking cycles would counter-bal- ber, Alisa said. to using different numbers of days the firm’s stake in its ing the firm’s investment capital as he maintained that the bank’s ance each other was met with skepticism None of the lenders were to calculate defaults. bank, describing calls future is “bright.” – that’s not how we remember the sub- available to comment on Alisa’s In the meantime traders are Africa unit and moving to exit the business “Look at your stock price, and what it is prime crisis.” case. complaining about long delays more businesses into “shortsighted”. telling you is, no one is believing your ‘jam The company added 8 billion pounds “We had long relation- in getting approval for credit as “The slightly wor- tomorrow’ capital story,” Chintan Joshi, a of risk-weighted assets to its non-core ships with the banks and never banks ask for more paperwork, the non-core unit as rying thing is that bank analyst at Nomura Holdings Inc., told division, bringing the total to 55 bil- defaulted. We were A-grade cus- marking a contrast with recent he looks to shrink the management now Staley. lion pounds, and said it will speed up tomers,” said Khaled Chassebi, years when small businesses thinks they need more Fourth-quarter adjusted pretax profit, divestment of assets in that unit to reach manager of Alisa. gorged on credit after banks bank, boost capital capital, which indicates including restructuring costs, fell 56 per- 20 billion pounds by 2017. The busi- The company is part of a trad- began to view them as a relatively ratios, and focus there are more fines to cent to 247 million pounds ($344 million), nesses being transferred to non-core are ing sector that forms the engine untapped and profitable lending on the UK and US come and confidence according to the filing. That missed the 519 wealth-management units in Asia and the of local commerce but started to avenue in a buoyant economy. in earnings might not million- pound average estimate of five ana- Americas, units in at least nine countries markets. be as strong,” said Alan lysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The investment including Egypt and Zimbabwe, and cer- Beaney, investment bank swung to its first quarterly loss in at tain product lines in the investment bank. Red faces and raised voices over late hitch in Foxconn’s Sharp deal

By Makiko Yamazaki and J R Wu Foxconn’s take on the matter. The informa- four years ago, when Foxconn agreed to take to prioritise talks with Foxconn over a com- Reuters tion listed around 300bn yen ($2.66 billion) a stake in Sharp at 550 yen a share as part of peting offer from state-backed Innovation in contingent liabilities at Sharp. The list was a broader partnership. Then, Sharp warned Network Corp of Japan. INCJ had been seen pulled together by working level officials at of losses, and Foxconn walked away. as strong favourite to take over Sharp and Sharp and forwarded, without top officials Sharp shares sank 74 percent over the keep Japan’s insular tech industry out of for- late hitch to Foxconn’s takeover of seeing it, to Foxconn as a goodwill gesture to next seven months. eign hands. The next day, Gou flew his team to Japan’s struggling Sharp Corp brought make the buyer aware of worst-case scenario Gou, however, personally bought a stake Sharp’s Osaka headquarters and emerged tri- Asimmering distrust between the two risks, sources said. They were not liabilities in Sharp’s LCD TV panel plant in Osaka, and umphantly waving a document, proclaiming close to boiling point, people with direct that required formal disclosure. some at Sharp credit him with improving Sharp had granted Foxconn preferred negoti- knowledge of the matter said. It didn’t go down well on the Taiwan side. operations there. A turning point in the latest ation rights. Sharp officials said the document The two companies have eyed each other “They felt violated,” said a person briefed deal came when Gou wowed Sharp’s board, actually referred to Foxconn’s extension of a warily since Foxconn founder and billionaire on the issue. Another person said Gou independent directors and creditors with his takeover offer for Sharp. Terry Gou pulled out of a planned capital tie- shouted at his team for not having discov- presentation of a takeover plan on Jan. 30, “This made (Sharp CEO Kozo) Takahashi up and strategic partnership with Sharp in ered these liabilities in the first place. according to those briefed on the matter. and other executives rethink how trustwor- 2012. Missteps in communication last week, By late Friday, the mood had calmed and “Terry’s a very convincing guy ... I’ve seen thy Gou would be,” said one of the sources The two companies have when Sharp’s board met and announced the two companies’ CEOs met in China to him use his magic,” said a person familiar familiar with thinking in the Sharp camp. eyed each other warily a decision to sell a two-thirds stake to the clear the air, sources said. Sharp and Foxconn with how Gou operates. That is now in the past. Taiwanese group, ratcheted up tensions, have now agreed to extend a deadline for the Another person familiar with Gou said: “From these negotiations and from expe- since Foxconn founder upsetting Gou and causing embarrassment takeover talks by a week or two, reflecting the “Sharp’s blueprint, Terry is very clear about rience, Terry (Gou) has told his team time and and billionaire Terry Gou at Sharp. importance of a deal, estimated to be worth it and knows this stuff like the back of his again to be more respectful of and have more On the eve of that board meeting, Fox- nearly $6 billion, to both sides. hand.” understanding of Japan’s traditions and way pulled out of a planned conn had asked Sharp to delay voting on a Sharp would have a much-needed finan- But there were still nagging doubts in of doing things,” said one of the sources famil- capital tie-up and deal as it had just received “new material cial lifeline, while Foxconn, formally known Japan. iar with the thinking at Foxconn. information” from Sharp that it hadn’t seen as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co , would get “There are some doubts whether Hon “Through the communication of the last strategic partnership with before and needed to clarify. control of technology it needs to strengthen Hai will really keep its promise,” one official 2-3 days, from the top level to the team level, Sharp in 2012. “It seemed Sharp simply ignored Fox- its hand with major client Apple Inc. involved in the negotiations said on February I hope (the cooperation) will improve,” the conn,” said one individual familiar with The hitch revives lingering ill-will from 4, when Sharp’s 13-member board decided person said. 32 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 BUSINESS

BACK TO BUSINESS sight China’s bold One Belt, One Road Dudley: Downside risks to economic project eyes Australia detour outlook in US seen

“I think it is quite a smart move by them and it plays into the One Belt, Reuters keep the rate between 0.25 per- Australia, already One Road project because it means cent and 0.5 percent. a major supplier they are not just recreating the Silk Dudley, a close ally of Fed of commodities to Route but also owning the Silk Route,” Chair Janet Yellen and a per- said a Sydney-based M&A lawyer who N influential Federal manent voter on US monetary China, is set to boost advises on investments by Chinese Reserve official yes- policy, suggested that the sharp exports under a free companies into Australia. terday said that he global economic slowdown, The China Australia Free Trade sees downside risks stock-market sell-off and oil trade deal signed last Agreement is set to help boost Ato his US economic outlook, price slide since the beginning year. investment, with in-bound private an assessment that could flag of the year may force the Fed to Chinese proposals below A$1.08bn a longer pause before the Fed’s tighten monetary policy even no longer requiring Foreign Invest- next interest-rate hike than he more slowly. ment Review Board (FIRB) approval. and his colleagues had earlier The Fed put markets on By Swati Pandey But political sensitivities remain signaled. notice for just such a possibil- and Brenda Goh around investments in areas such as “At this moment, I judge ity in January, saying it needed Reuters agriculture and ports. The sale of Dar- that the balance of risks to my more time to assess global win Port, used by a deployment of US growth and inflation outlooks developments and their effect on Marines as well as the terminus for may be starting to tilt slightly the U.S. economy before offering a critical underwater data cable, to to the downside,” New York an assessment of the balance of RESIDENT Xi Jinping’s China’s Landbridge Group, sparked Federal Reserve President Wil- risks to the outlook. ambitious One Belt, One a rebuke from Washington last year. liam Dudley said in remarks For Dudley, the jury now Road initiative is coming People familiar with the Asciano at a conference in Hangzhou, appears to be in. With turbu- Down Under as China’s deal say the new proposal is being China sponsored by the Peo- lence in global financial markets hunger to secure global designed to alleviate some of those ple’s Bank of China and the reflecting mixed economic sig- The headquarters of China Investment Corporation (CIC) in Beijing. Psupply chains leads its giant sov- regulatory concerns as the critical New York Fed. nals, the risks appear to have ereign wealth fund into the $6.4bn port assets would remain with the Although he said he still increased, and though so far battle for Australia’s Asciano Ltd. country’s $747bn sovereign wealth record 19 global infrastructure deals Australian and Canadian companies. expects the US economy to he has left his outlook largely Australia, already a major sup- fund, is part of a consortium headed worth $6.8bn in 2015, according to M&A lawyers and bankers said grow about 2 percent this year, unchanged, continued tighten- plier of commodities to China, is by cargo handler Qube Holdings Ltd Thomson Reuters data. Chinese state-owned funds and enough to push unemployment ing in financial markets “could set to boost exports under a free offering A$9bn ($6.4bn) for Asciano. The initiative envisions build- enterprises are also buying access down and begin to pull infla- potentially lead to a more signif- trade deal signed last year. Asciano, Under the deal, which has been rec- ing a network of land, sea and air to best practices via deals like the tion up to the Fed’s 2-percent icant downgrade to my outlook.” the country’s largest ports and rail ommended by Asciano’s board, CIC routes that will open new trade links Asciano bid. They are keen on engi- target, he added, “on balance, Of particular concern, he operator, fits with Beijing’s ambition would take a stake in both Asciano’s and markets for Chinese firms as the neering and infrastructure deals to I am somewhat less confident said, were falling inflation to expand transportation linkages ports and rail operations. domestic economy slows. CIC, one of replicate technology and know how than I was before.” expectations, as tracked both across a region it sees key to its eco- A potential alternative proposal the sponsors of the $40bn Silk Road back in China, ANZ Bank said in a The Fed raised US interest by market pricing and more nomic growth. being discussed involving Qube Fund, has been active, but other Chi- December report titled ‘What else is rates in December for the first importantly in his view, by sur- “This is part of a process where teaming up with rival Canadian bid- nese companies are also involved. China buying in Australia?’ time in almost a decade, and veys of households. While so far China does want to control its der Brookfield Asset Management Inc CIC holds a 10 percent stake in “I think we’ll see them doing signaled that it would probably the declines were not danger- logistics chains,” said Harry Theo- would leave CIC owning the railways, London’s Heathrow Airport and a 9 lots of investments into freight raise rates four more times this ously large, if they fell further chari, London-based global head of but not the ports, which Australia percent stake in the company behind infrastructure, into agriculture,” year, a gradual pace by histori- they could make it more diffi- transport at law firm Norton Rose views as strategic assets that should the UK’s largest water and sewage said the Sydney-based M&A law- cal standards. cult for the Fed to bring inflation Fulbright. “If you are a big emerging remain in local hands. company. In the United States, CIC’s yer, who declined to be identified The US central bank in back up to its goal. nation that’s very heavily reliant on A spokeswoman said CIC was investments include a 17 percent stake because she was not authorised to December raised its target The Fed next meets in mid- raw materials from other countries working on its bid with the Qube in power company AES. talk to the media. “Also, I wouldn’t range for its benchmark policy March to consider monetary ... you’d want to have as much con- consortium and declined to comment China Merchants Holdings owns be surprised if they start moving into rate by one quarter of a percent- policy, and is widely expected trol over the transporting of those further. Beijing, through the country’s stakes in the ports of Morocco, Dji- healthcare, if they’re not already and age point, and currently aims to to leave rates unchanged. fundamental raw materials as you firms, has been snapping up assets as bouti and France while Cosco Pacific then technology. All of that is going possibly can.” part of the One Belt One Road project has interests in terminals at the Suez to be of assistance to them in the China Investment Corp (CIC), the launched in 2013, undertaking a Canal and Belgium’s Antwerp. building of their economy.”

Capital Businesses are going to make mistakes. They shouldn’t be shot Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO, Comment and hung every time. JPMorgan Chase

TOP TWEETS BLOGS AND VIEWS Gold extends gains after

Deutsche Bank @ Market Talk biggest monthly rise Wealth Adviser DeutscheBank NAME IN THE MARKET: SUSTAINABLE ENERGY #Software companies Reuters its lowest in almost three years should profit more than against the yen yesterday after hardware manufacturers Former Morgan Stanley broker data showed eurozone manu- from increased #IT expend- facturing activity expanded at its iture in 2016. won’t have to pay that company OLD edged up yes- weakest pace for a year despite about $215,000 he owed on terday, building on its more deep discounting. promissory notes, arbitrators biggest monthly gain in An earlier report showed Moody’s InvestorsSvc @ G ruled—a rare win for a broker in four years, as concerns over the Chinese manufacturing sector MoodysInvSvc global economy after downbeat activity shrank more sharply Increased investments in a case involving the use of such data from China, the European than expected in February. highways and railways will debt in brokers’ compensation Union and the United States Although global economic help to galvanise India’s packages. fuelled interest in the metal as concerns have prompted inves- capex cycle: Moody’s a haven from risk. tors to channel money into gold, #Indiabudget Spot gold was up 0.1 percent rising prices have muted some at $1,238.66 an ounce at 1442 physical demand in the major Morgan Stanley @ GMT, while US gold futures for Asian gold consuming regions. MoneyBeat April delivery were up 0.4 per- Gold’s rally on Monday MorganStanley cent at $1,239.60. prompted the Chinese, the top Company valuations have Further inflows into gold- consumers of gold, to sell the dropped ~15% on average backed exchange-traded funds metal yesterday, one Hong Kong- globally in just 2 months. indicated buoyant investor based trader said. Has the world really Some of America’s biggest appetite for gold. The largest, India, the second-largest con- changed that much? New York-listed SPDR Gold sumer, has reintroduced a local shale-oil producers are Shares, saw inflows of nearly 15 sales tax on gold jewellery, in a beginning to cut back oil and tonnes on Monday, taking hold- move officials hope will dampen World Bank Energy @ gas output for the first time in ings to their highest since 2014. demand. Indian jewellers will go WBG_Energy “This continuous talk of on indefinite strike in protest. years amid the global oil glut ETF buying is getting the trad- Silver was flat at $14.87 an An emerging electricity and low prices. ers interested,” Afshin Nabavi, ounce, while platinum was up system can #EndEnergy- head of trading at MKS, said. 0.8 percent at $936.26 an ounce Poverty-key is persuading customers to pay “Gold is the only thing that has and palladium was up 4.2 per- gone up in 2016.” The euro hit cent at $511.02 an ounce. www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAGE | 36 PAGE | 38 Tuilagi returns City urged to after two-year harness Wembley absence momentum

WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 • 22 Jumada I 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

ORDER OF PLAY AL SHAQAB ARENA QNB Doha Tour kicks off today Wednesday 2 March 2016 Outdoor Arena 10:30: CSI3* Two Phases (274.5.3) 1.30m 13:00: CSI3* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.45m 15:30: CSI5* Two Phases (274.5.3) 1.45m as Al Shaqab welcomes riders 18:30: CSI5* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.50m Thursday 3 March 2016 International | Dressage 09:45: CPEDI3* Team Ia (Ia Team) The three-leg Qatar’s Sheikh Ali bin series to end with Khalid Al Thani clears CPEDI3* Team Ib (Ib Team) an obstacle during the CPEDI3* Team II (II Team) competition at Emir’s Sword Meet last make-shift arena to week. Sheikh Ali is one CPEDI3* Team III (III Team) be set up at Katara, of four home riders who CPEDI3* Team IV (IV Team 20x60) will feature at the 2016 Qatar Equestrian Olympic Games this year. 10:30: CSI3* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.30m Federation has 13:00: CSI3* Two Phases (274.5.3) 1.45m announced 15:30: CSI5* Table C (263) 1.45m 18:30: CSI5* Table A (238.2.1a) 1.50m

The Peninsula Friday 4 March 2016 International | Dressage DOHA: The region’s top show jump- 08:45: ing series QNB Doha Tour will kick off CPEDI3* Individual Ia (Ia Ch Ind) with this week’s CHI Al Shaqab which starts today. CPEDI3* Individual Ib (Ib Ch Ind) The four-day equestrian com- petition at Al Shaqab Arena will CPEDI3* Individual II (II Ch Ind) see top-ranking local, regional and CPEDI3* Individual III (III Ch Ind 20x60) international riders compete in Show Jumping CSI 5* and CSI 4*, Dressage CPEDI3* Individual IV (IV Ch Ind 20x60) CDI 5* and Para-Dressage for prizes 13:45: CDI5* GP - Grand Prix (GP) worth QR5m. “CHI Al Shaqab is a five-star event 16:20: CSI3* Accumulator (269a) 1.30m but the next two legs will be four- 18:30: CSI5* Table A (238.2.2a) 1.55m star meetings since we want to give ample rest to our riders and mainly Saturday 5 March 2016 the horses,” Hamad bin Abdul Rah- man Al Attiyah, President of Qatar an international series, throwing the in itself is a major positive to get peo- International | Dressage Equestrian Federation (QEF). gates open to international entries as ple interested in this amazing sport,” 08:00: “We will also have CSI2* competi- well,” Al Attiyah said. Al Attiyah said. tions for young riders,” Al Attiyah said. “With ranking points at stake, we Salem Al Nuaimi, the General CPEDI3* Freestyle Ia (Ia FS) Al Attiyah said QEF will host the will see a high level of competition Manager of Banking Telecommu- CPEDI3* Freestyle Ib (Ib FS) second leg from March 10-12 which among home riders and international nications, QNB Group, signed the will feature competitions in CSI2* and entries,” Al Attiyah said. sponsorship deal at QEF headquar- CPEDI3* Freestyle II (II FS) CSI4* classes. The first event of the 2016 QNB ters yesterday. CPEDI3* Freestyle III (III FS) The third and final event will Doha Tour will see Qatar’s Rio-bound Al Nuami said: “Show jumping take place at Katara where riders will squad of Sheikh Ali bin Khalid Al events are a very important part of CPEDI3* Freestyle IV (IV FS 20x60) compete in CSI2* and a CSI4* classes Thani, Ali Yousef Al Rumaihi, Kha- Qatar sports calendar. We feel hon- from March 24-26. lid Al Emadi and Bassem Hassan oured to be part of this great sport.” 12:30: CDI5* GPS - Grand Prix Special (GPS) The QNB Doha Tour series trophy Mohammed take to the playing field at Al Naumi added: “Horse riding 14:30: CDI5* GP FS - Grand Prix will be awarded to the overall cham- Al Shaqab today with aims of getting and racing is part of our heritage. We Freestyle to Music (GP FS) pion who has won the most points quality practice ahead of the Olym- know QEF is working extremely hard over the three events. pic Games this year. to develop the sport of show jumping. 13:00: CSI3* Final - Table A Hamad bin Abdul Rahman Al Attiyah, President of Qatar Equestrian “We are glad to get the support of “We have been in training for the The QNB Doha Tour comes after last (238.2.2a) 1.45m QNB who have supported our events Olympic Games ever since we secured week’s Emir’s Sword Meet. We wish Federation, is seen with Salem Al Nuaimi, General Manager of Banking 17:30: CSI5* Grand Prix in the past. This is not the first time the Rio berth (February 2015). The the home riders the very best as they Telecommunications, QNB Group, after signing a sponsorship deal in Two Rounds with Jump Off 1.60m they have joined us in promoting the next three events are of great impor- prepare for the Olympic Games.” Doha yesterday. PICS: LOTFI GARSI sport,” Al Attiyah said. tance to us,” Al Attiyah said. Qatar is widely considered as an “QNB were with us last week also “These events will not only help emerging nation in the equestrian during the Emir’s Sword Meet,” Al prepare our riders for the Olym- world, particularly in the sport of Attiyah said. pic Games, but we also develop this show jumping. “This is the third edition of Doha great sport among our youth,” Al Atti- The QEF was established in 1979 Rio Olympic Games on the Tour. In previous years it was an event yah said. and recognised by the International that attracted riders from the region. “We are going to set up a make- Equestrian Federation as the nation’s Now we have upgraded the event to shift playing arena at Katara and that official governing body. mind for star cast in Doha Qatar’s Bassem Mohammed is seen in this file photo taken at Al Shaqab during an event held in Doha last year. The Peninsula opportunity. The event has therefore respective groups. However, there is a attracted a world-class field of rid- very narrow margin separating them, ers attempting to accumulate precious so the pressure is on. From the Middle DOHA: This year’s CHI Al Shaqab points in these final days. East and Africa group, Moroccan rider assumes a significant place in the One place will be offered to the Abdelkebir Ouaddar has the highest international equestrian calendar. It highest-ranked rider from each of the number of points so far, whilst Egyp- provides one of the final opportuni- following groups: the Middle East and tian rider Karim Elzoghby, in second ties for individual riders to qualify for Africa; Northwest Europe; Southwest place, will be hoping to produce a the 2016 Olympics in the disciplines Europe; Central and Eastern Europe; strong showing on his two top horses. of Jumping and Dressage before the and Central Asia. The remaining There can be few riders who do fast-approaching deadline of March 6. four places will be given to the high- not dream of representing their coun- With less than six months to go before est-placed riders from the overall try at The Olympic Games, and elite the Rio Olympic Games begin, the FEI Olympic ranking. As a result, it is riders have been travelling the globe competing teams have already been possible for riders to qualify for the extensively in recent months in order confirmed, but there are eight individ- Olympic Games based not only on to increase their points tally. In the ual places yet to be decided. their overall merit against the rest of CSI5* Jumping category, elite rid- Qualification is based both on the the world, but also on where they rank ers have entered two horses each, number of points a rider will score within their region. and plan to compete more than once at events up until the deadline, and In Jumping, riders vying for a a day to maximise their chances of the rider’s place in the world rank- ticket to Rio include Gregory Wathe- reaching the top of the leaderboard. ings. With its 5* status - the highest let from Belgium, Bertram Allen from Meanwhile, in the CDI5* Dressage, rid- level of competition - CHI Al Shaqab Ireland, and Omer Karaevli from Tur- ers are restricted to competing with 2016 offers a maximum point-scoring key, all of whom currently lead their just one horse. 34 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 SPORT

World T20: India, Pakistan tie under clouds of uncertainty

AFP March 19. “We are not willing to pro- concerns about security in India, say- vide security for the match,” a senior ing there were specific threats from state government official said on con- Hindu activists who forced the can- dition of anonymity. cellation of a meeting between cricket NEW DELHI: India’s cricket board “It’s just one match that we are officials from the two countries in yesterday criticised authorities in the bothered about because it involves Mumbai last October. northern state of Himachal Pradesh Pakistan and our decision reflects the The South Asian arch-rivals have after they refused to provide security sentiments of the people of Himachal.” not played a bilateral series for more for an upcoming India-Pakistan World Indian cricket board secretary than three years amid diplomatic T20 tie, citing a January attack on an Anurag Thakur accused the state of tensions. Indian army base. playing politics and said the country Those were worsened by the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh regularly provided security for Paki- January attack on the Pathankot air- said on Sunday that the match should stani sportsmen and women. base, which came days after Indian be moved to another venue out of “The venues of the World Cup Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s sur- respect for the “martyrs” killed in the matches were decided one year ago, prise peacemaking visit to Pakistan assault by Pakistani militants on an the allotment of matches was decided in December. Indian air force base in neighbour- six months ago,” said Thakur. The raid led to the postponement ing Punjab. “By claiming that you cannot of peace talks between the nuclear- He has threatened not to provide provide security, you are only giving armed arch-rivals, with Modi urging security for Pakistan’s players at the credence to Pakistani claims that there his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Spectators wave the national flags of India and Pakistan ahead of the match between the two countries Himachal Pradesh cricket ground in is a security threat to their team in Sharif to take “firm and immediate during the Asia Cup T20 cricket tournament at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka the Himalayan town of Dharamsala India. It’s about the country’s image.” action”. Both teams have recently last Saturday. where the clash is due to take place on Pakistan have already voiced played in the Asia Cup.

McDermott to SA’s Phangiso step down as India enter Asia Cup final suspended over Aussie bowling illegal action coach Reuters Reuters with win over Sri Lanka CAPE TOWN: South Africa left- arm spinner Aaron Phangiso will MELBOURNE: Australia’s bowl- miss the first two Twenty20 Inter- ing coach Craig McDermott will nationals against Australia this PAKISTAN FACE HOSTS leave after the upcoming World Kohli shines again BANGLADESH TODAY India’s Virat week after his action was found Twenty20 tournament in India, as title-favourites Kohli plays a to be illegal by the ICC’s testing joining batting coach Michael shot during laboratory. Di Venuto in departing the top- overcome the the Asia Cup Phangiso will get the chance ranked Test nation. Islanders by five of opener Shikhar Dhawan, Kohli T20 against to win back his place in the squad McDermott, who took 291 anchored the innings with an Sri Lanka at for the final game of the series next wickets in 71 Tests for Australia, wickets to earn third unbeaten half-century as India over- the Sher- Wednesday. turned down a contract exten- consecutive victory hauled the 139-run target with four e-Bangla He will also get the chance sion so he could concentrate on his balls to spare. National to secure place at the upcoming outside business interests, Cricket The Delhi lad remained not out on Cricket World Twenty20 in India as the Australia said yesterday. 56, with seven well-timed boundaries Stadium spinner will be re-tested by the “Its been a thrill to have been studding his 85-ball knock. in Dhaka ICC’s Panel of Human Movement able to help the players reach their IANS Yuvraj produced a power-packed yesterday. Specialists on Monday. potential, and to see them achieve innings, hitting 35 runs off 18 balls The first assessment revealed such feats as the 5-0 Ashes win with three boundaries and an equal that all variations of his deliver- at home, defeating South Africa number of sixes. ies exceeded the 15 degrees level in South Africa and winning last MIRPUR: India rode on fine knocks India, who have won all the three of tolerance permitted under ICC year’s World Cup,” McDermott said. by Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh to matches they have played so far, thus regulations after he was reported “I’d love nothing more than to defeat Sri Lanka by five wickets in assured themselves a spot in the final. in a domestic 50-over semi-final finish this stint with victory in the their Asia Cup Twenty20 cricket Nuwan Kulasekara was the most last week. World T20 in India.” match at the Sher-e-Bangla National successful among the Sri Lankan Cricket South Africa (CSA) Australia coach Darren Leh- Stadium here yesterday and enter the bowlers with figures of 2/21. confirmed that he will not be con- mann said McDermott was a big finals. Fittingly, Kohli hit the winning sidered for the first two Twenty20 loss for the team, having helped Coming in after the early fall runs with a boundary off left-arm matches against Australia on Fri- bring through some of their bur- day and Sunday. geoning fast bowling talent. SCOREBOARD The 32-year-old will remain “He has played a key role in with the squad to work with spin developing our young group of SRI LANKA INDIA bowling coach Claude Hender- fast bowlers including Mitchell D Chandimal c Dhoni b Nehra 4 26-2 (1nb, 2w); S K Raina 1-0-9-0. son, who will be joined by CSA’s Starc, Josh Hazlewood, James Pat- high performance manager Vinnie T Dilshan c Ashwin b Pandya 18 S Dhawan c Chandimal b Kulasekara 1 tinson, Pat Cummins and Nathan Barnes, to try to remedy his bowl- Coulter-Nile. S Jayasuriya c Dhoni b Bumrah 3 R G Sharma c Kapugedera b Kulasekara 15 spinner Rangana Herath. Earlier, Sri setback when opener Dinesh Chan- ing action. “Our bowlers have benefited C Kapugedera c Pandya b Bumrah 30 V Kohli (not out) 56 Lanka produced a competitive total dimal was caught behind off Nehra’s The spinner was involved in enormously from his experience A Mathews b Pandya 18 S K Raina c Kulasekara b Shanaka 25 of 138/9 in their 20 overs. bowling while attempting a big hit. disciplinary issues before this and insight and they are all better T Siriwardana c Raina b Ashwin 22 Yuvraj Singh c Kulasekara b Perera 35 For India, promising all-rounder Bumrah piled on the pressure in bowling saga. cricketers thanks to his coaching Pandya (2/26), off-spinner Ravichan- the next over with a superb delivery Phangiso was disciplined by M Shanaka (run out-Sharma/Ashwin) 1 H H Pandya b Herath 2 and hard work.” dran Ashwin (2/26) and young pacer which Shehan Jayasuriya edged to CSA late last year after allegedly

N Perera st Dhoni b Ashwin 17 M S Dhoni (not out) 7 Di Venuto’s exit was made pub- Jasprit Bumrah (2/27) took two wick- Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni offending crew and passengers lic last month on Australia’s tour N Kulasekara (run out-Kohli/Dhoni) 13 Extras (W- 1) 1 ets each. behind the stumps. on a flight from India while in an of New Zealand, where the top- P Chameera (not out) 2 Total (for 5 wkts in 19.2 overs) 142 Veteran pacer Ashish Nehra (1/22), Dhoni’s decision to bring Pan- intoxicated state. five batsmen all scored heavily and Extras (LB-5, W-4, NB-1) 10 Did not bat: R A Jadeja, R Ashwin, J J Bumrah, who bowled an excellent opening dya into the attack in place of Nehra He was also forced to apologise were praised by Lehmann. Total (for 9 wkts in 20 overs) 138 A Nehra. spell, also got a wicket. brought immediate results as the after being caught by televi- He will leave to join English Chamara Kapugedera (30) was all-rounder got rid of the dangerous sion cameras imitating snorting Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-16, 3-70, 4-121, 5-125. county Surrey as head coach after Did not bat: R Herath the highest scorer among the Sri Tillakaratne Dilshan with his very cocaine while in the team’s dug- Australia’s three Twenty20 inter- Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-15, 3-31, 4-57, 5-100, Bowling: A D Mathews 3-0-16-0; N Kulasekara Lankan batsmen. first ball. out during the second Twenty20 national matches against South 6-104, 7-105, 8-125, 9-138. 3-0-21-2; N Perera 4-0-32-1; P Chameera 4-0- Asked to bat first on a greenish Pakistan will face Bangladesh international against England at Africa, which start on Friday. Bowling: A Nehra 4-0-23-1 (2w); J Bumrah 27-0 (1w); R Herath 3.2-0-26-1; M D Shanaka pitch, the Sri Lankan batsmen never today and if the hosts manage victory The Wanderers last month. Former Test and one-day 4-0-27-2; H Pandya 4-0-26-2; Yuvraj Singh 1-0-7-1; Siriwardana 1-0-13-0. really managed to settle down and over the struggling Shahid Afridi’s Phangiso has played 16 one- international Greg Blewett will 1-0-3-0; R A Jadeja 2-0-19-0; R Ashwin 4-0- Player-of-the-Match: V Kohli (India). lost wickets at regular intervals. men, they will meet India in March day internationals and nine T20s step in as batting coach. Sri Lanka suffered an early 6 final. for South Africa. Best chance for Dhoni to lift third world title: Sehwag

IANS The World Twenty20 will be whether it is batting, bowling or field- developed into a solid opening pair, played across seven Indian cities from ing in comparison to other teams. Our hoping that they will come good in Indian cricket March 15 to April 3 with Eden Gardens pacers Jasprit Bumrah, Ashish Nehra the world event which starts next captain NEW DELHI: One of the most explo- in Kolkata scheduled to host the final. and Hardik Pandya are doing well. So month. Mahendra sive batsmen the game has produced, “It also depends on how we play are our spinners Ravichandran Ashwin “For the last few years, Rohit and Singh Dhoni Virender Sehwag believes that this on match-days; where we play, what and Ravindra Jadeja,” said Sehwag, Shikhar have been opening in limited attends a is the best chance for India skipper kind of wickets we get; these things who is the only Indian to score two overs cricket for India and they have training Mahendra Singh Dhoni to lift his third will matter a lot. India playing at home triple centuries in Test cricket. developed into a good pair. I hope session at the global title after clinching the 2007 definitely makes them favourites. If “Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina they perform well in World T20 and Sher-e-Bangla World Twenty20 and 2011 World Cup we perform well in all three depart- can also bowl spin. Plus, we also bat give good starts,” he said. National crowns. ments, no one can stop India from deep. After Dhoni, Ashwin and Pandya “If an opener bats for 6-8 overs, Cricket Asked if this is Dhoni’s best chance winning the World T20,” said the can also bat. Hence, overall the com- he can give such a start that when Stadium in Dhaka on of winning his third World title, the 37-year-old. bination is the best in the world. But the middle-order comes out, they can Monday. former India opener said: “Of course. The Delhi born and bred then anyone can predict. India have start going for the shots right from With the composition and combina- explained that the overall combina- to play well to make our predictions the first ball. With a good start, a tion we have and keeping in mind the tion of the team makes India the “best come true.” team can always give their opposi- way we are playing right now, India in the world”, but obviously predicting Sehwag, who has played 104 tion a challenging target of 180-190. are the favourites for World Twenty20. is one thing and delivering it another. Tests and 251 One-Day Internationals In the end, what matters is what kind We have a good chance of winning the “Our team is playing very well. (ODI), further said that Rohit Sharma of a start an opener gives you,” added tournament.” Each department is performing and statemate Shikhar Dhawan have Sehwag. SPORT WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 35

Ko hopes ‘role model’ Tiger will Super James returns to help bounce back

AFP

Cavs hold off Indiana Pacers SINGAPORE: Women’s world number one Lydia Ko paid tribute to her “role model” Tiger Woods yesterday, expressing hope that the golf legend will recover from injury Antetokounmpo lifts NBA ROUND-UP and rejoin the tour. Speaking ahead of the HSBC Bucks over Houston Women’s Champions tournament Rockets as Thunder Antetokounmpo recorded his sec- in Singapore, the 18-year-old said ond triple-double in a week and Jabari that Woods has been a top ambas- roll with Westbrook Parker scored a career-high 36 points sador for the sport. against the Kings as the Bucks snapped a two-game “No matter what Tiger is going losing streak with a 128-121 victory through right now, Tiger will over the Houston Rockets. Greece’s always be Tiger. Tiger grew the Antetokounmpo finished with 18 game, there’s a lot of players that points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists – are playing on tour or are starting AFP the last two setting up three-pointers the game because of Tiger,” said by Jerryd Bayless – to help the Bucks the New Zealander, who turned secure the win. pro when she was 16. Centre Dwight Howard led the Ko became the youngest player LOS ANGELES: A little rest did LeB- Rockets with 30 points, with James of either gender to take the world ron James a world of good, as the Harden adding 26 and Trevor Ariza number one spot last year at 17 Cleveland star came back from a night chipping in 20. Harden’s long three- years of age, eclipsing Woods’ off to score 33 points in the Cavaliers’ pointer sent the game into the fourth record by almost four years. 100-96 NBA victory over the Indiana quarter tied at 92-92. The Bucks Ko, who said she has yet to Pacers on Monday. built a 125-112 lead before the Rock- watch Woods play live, described James, who sat out a blowout loss ets forced a spate of turnovers and him as “amazing” in his prime. to the Washington Wizards on Sunday, closed within 125-121. “He’s been a great role model, added five rebounds and four assists But the Rockets would get no he still is... I think what he’s done and Tristan Thompson came off the closer, dropping their second decision to grow the game is fantastic bench to score a big basket and make in a row. They are eighth in the West- and hopefully he’ll be able to get a key block in the final minute to help ern Conference, one half-game ahead healthy and get back on the tour,” the Eastern Conference-leading Cavs of Utah for the final playoff berth. she added. snap a two-game skid. The Jazz fell 100-95 to the Celtics Her comments follow specu- “I think we showed some mental in Boston on Monday. lation that Woods’ back condition, toughness tonight,” said James, who Russell Westbrook notched his which he has undergone several posted his highest points-total of 13 ninth triple-double of the season, fin- surgeries for, had worsened and games in February. Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James ishing with 20 points 15 assists and 13 his career could be over. “So many lead changes, so many (right) lays up the ball against Indiana rebounds to help the Oklahoma City The 14-time Major cham- ties. They grabbed the momentum late Pacers during their NBA game at Quicken Thunder bounce back from a disap- pion has not played competitive in the fourth and we were able to keep Loans Arena, Cleveland on Monday. pointing defeat by Golden State with golf since August last year, when our composure, get some stops, make a 131-116 triumph over the Kings in he tied for 10th at the Wyndham some shots and win the ballgame.” Sacramento. Championship. Indiana’s Paul George had with a three-pointer with 4:46 to Mozgov, he came in for Love in the followed by their big loss to the in- It was just the second victory The American, who turned appeared to tie the game at 89-89 play, but a review at the next timeout final minute and scored a go-ahead form Wizards. The Wizards followed in six games for the Thunder, who 40 in December, had microdis- showed he didn’t beat the shot clock. basket off a James drive with 39 sec- up their win over the Eastern Con- surrendered 12 three-pointers to cectomy surgery in March 2014 to NBA RESULTS That left the Pacers with a one- onds left, giving Cleveland a 96-94 ference leaders by rallying to beat Warriors guard Stephen Curry in a treat a herniated disc. Cleveland 100 Indiana 96 point lead with 2:27 to play, and James lead. Seconds later he rejected George stragglers Philadelphia 116-108. John 121-118 overtime loss to the reigning He underwent a second pro- scored off an inbounds play to put the Hill’s driving effort at the rim. Wall scored 16 of his 37 points in the NBA champs on Saturday. cedure in September last year to Washington 116 Philadelphia 108 Cavaliers ahead. Guard Kyrie Irving scored 22 fourth quarter, including eight points Kings centre DeMarcus Cous- deal with a disc fragment that was Boston 100 Utah 95 “That was a game changer right points with six assists for the Cava- in a 16-0 scoring run that put the ins led all scorers with 35 points and pinching a nerve, and six weeks Milwaukee 128 Houston 121 there,” Cleveland’s Kevin Love said. liers, including four free throws in the Wizards up 102-93 with less than six added 12 rebounds, despite being later underwent another procedure Memphis 103 Denver 96 “That was a huge difference for us.” final eight seconds. minutes to play. The 76ers fell to 8-52 hampered by a sore left foot for much to address continuing discomfort. Oklahoma City 131 Sacramento 116 Thompson was huge as well. The Cavs halted a skid that saw for the season, enduring their ninth of the second half – after an awk- Woods last week posted a Pulled from the starting lineup them blow a nine-point lead late in straight defeat and 13th in 14 games. ward landing on opponent’s shoe in video on Twitter that showed him LA Clippers 105 Brooklyn 95 before the game in favour of Timofey a loss at Toronto on Friday, a defeat In Milwaukee, Giannis the third quarter. hitting a balls in a golf simulator. NFL: Brady and Patriots agree two-year extension Hornqvist scores hat-trick AFP as Penguins blank Coyotes

NEW YORK: Tom Brady (pictured) and the New England Patriots have Agencies agreed a two-year contract exten- sion which will see the quarterback remain with the National Football League giants through to the end of TORONTO: Right wing Patric the 2019 season, ESPN reported on Hornqvist scored three goals, cen- Monday. tre Sidney Crosby set up three and The four-time Super Bowl cham- goalie Marc-Andre Fleury put up his pion, who has two years left on his fifth shutout of the season as the Pitts- remaining deal, will be 42 when his burgh Penguins rolled past the sliding contract finally ends. Arizona Coyotes. Brady, who turns 39 in August, turn 33 in June, had 45 receptions for The Penguins’ top line accounted has always insisted he could play 520 yards and four touchdowns in 13 for each of the first five goals as Horn- deep into his 40s. games, including five starts, in 2015. qvist enjoyed his first career hat trick “I’d like to play a long time, yeah, Saints defensive end Cameron and had an assist, Crosby broke out of a long time,” Brady said last year. Jordan underwent an arthroscopic a recent scoring slump with his play- “There’s a lot that goes into procedure on his lower back making and left winger Chris Kunitz playing well. I’ve played with a lot recently, but the team expects his also scored and added an assist. of great team-mates. But I want to availability for offseason workouts Fleury made 30 saves in his 43rd play for a long time, maybe 10 more to be impacted minimally, if at all. career shutout. years. I think that’s probably what Wide receiver Alshon Jeffery Rangers 2, Blue Jackets 1 my goal is. became the first 2016 free agent to Centre Derek Stepan scored on a “Well, it’s not always up to me. be officially tagged when the Chi- short-handed breakaway with 2:48 That’s what my goals are, so that’s cago Bears placed the franchise remaining in the third period to give just what I’m hoping. And it will designation on the former second- the New York Rangers a 2-1 victory take a lot to achieve that. Obviously round draft pick. against the Columbus Blue Jackets. a team has to want you, but I think The move assures Jeffery a 2016 With defenceman Marc Staal that’s ... you know, I love playing this salary of $14.599m unless the two serving a tripping penalty, Rangers sport. sides work out a long-term deal, defenseman Ryan McDonagh was Patric Hornqvist (left) of the Pittsburgh Penguins is congratulated by Sidney Crosby after scoring a goal “I love making a commitment to which head coach John Fox and gen- able to force a turnover and chip the my teammates and my coaches, and eral manager Ryan Pace said was puck down the ice. against the Arizona Coyotes at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Monday. hopefully I can do it for a long time.” the stated goal. Stepan gathered it for a partial Brady’s great rival Peyton Man- The wife of Bart Starr has breakaway and turned Blue Jackets ning became the oldest quarterback revealed the Green Bay Packers leg- goaltender Joonas Korpisalo inside- third in a row and fifth in six games. but came back strong against the first career hat trick and the Philadel- to win a Super Bowl earlier this endary quarterback suffered from out for his 14th goal of the season. Lightning 2, Maple Leafs 1 Leafs. phia Flyers continued their surge with month when he hoisted the Vince back issues throughout his career The Rangers (37-20-6) won their Centre Tyler Johnson scored Garret Sparks stopped 26 shots a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames. Lombardi trophy at the age of 39 because he was beaten in a hazing twice and the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Toronto goal in his sixth game Schenn became the first Flyers after the Denver Broncos upset the incident at Alabama in the 1950s. NHL RESULTS defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs. with the Maple Leafs this season. player to record a hat-trick on home Carolina Panthers. According to AL.com, Starr and It was the seventh win in a row Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy ice since left winger Scott Hartnell Meanwhile, t he New Orle- his wife, Cherry, have kept the dark NY Rangers 2 Columbus 1 for the Lightning (37-22-4) and the made 31 saves for Tampa Bay in his did so January 15, 2012. ans Saints released wide receiver secret hidden away for more than Philadelphia 5 Calgary 3 second loss in a row for the rebuild- 18th game of the season and was Center Claude Giroux added four Marques Colston, the team’s all-time 60 years. Pittsburgh 6 Arizona 0 ing Maple Leafs (21-30-10). deprived of his third career shutout assists and right winger Wayne Sim- leading receiver. Cherry Starr said her husband Tampa Bay 2 Toronto 1 Johnson left the game in Boston on a goal by Toronto centre Nazem monds scored two goals in the victory, Colston played 10 seasons for the was badly beaten with a wooden on Sunday, a 4-1 win over the Bruins Kadri late in the third period. the third straight for Philadelphia (29- Detroit 3 Dallas 2 Saints, who drafted him in the sev- paddle during initiation into the by the Lightning, in the third period Flyers 5, Flames 3 22-11) on its six-game homestand in enth round in 2006. Coston, who will school’s A-Club for varsity lettermen. San Jose 6 Montreal 2 after being hit in the face by a puck Centre Brayden Schenn scored his the season. 36 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 SPORT

Brits looking to defend home F roome set to dominance at worlds

AFP help Thomas LONDON: The British track team returns to the scene of its great- est triumph at the UCI World Track Championships in London this week with the rest of the world win Rio gold having closed the gap on the hosts ahead of this summer’s Olympic Games in Rio. At their home Olympics in London 2012, the British team The Welshman eyes two won a total of 12 cycling medals, gold medals as his an astonishing eight in the track events where their domination was team-mate is happy to near total. The British still have play a role in making an the star power with former Tour British cyclist de France winner Bradley Wig- Olympic champion Chris Froome gins lining up alongside 26-time Tour stage-winner Mark Caven- “If G is flying and I’m struggling, then def- dish and double 2012 Olympic initely (I’d support him), absolutely,” Froome, champion Laura Trott, but the air Reuters 30, said at Team Sky’s training camp in Mal- of British invincibility has certainly lorca this year. “I’d be happy playing a role if it slipped since the Lee Valley Velo- meant we could have an Olympic champion.” drome hosted the London Games. Froome, who won a bronze medal in the Other leading track nations -- LONDON: Chris Froome says he would work London 2012 time trial under the flag of his most notably France, Australia, for British team-mate Geraint Thomas at this native Kenya, said his close bond with Tho- Germany and New Zealand, all of year’s Olympic Games if his own gold medal mas would help when the pressure builds up whom finished above Britain in the ambitions falter in Rio. during an Olympic road race and personal 2015 World Championships medal Froome is targeting a third Tour de France ambition rises to the surface. table will be aiming to lay down a before setting his sights on an unprecedented “The key to all of this is communication. marker in the 10 disciplines that two Olympic golds on the twisty streets of Rio Especially with G. We’ve been riding together make up the Olympic programme de Janeiro in the road race and time trial - now for coming up to 10 years,” he said. “At in Rio. a formidable undertaking even for a rider of the Olympics it will be a very honest, open The team pursuit remains his all-round ability. discussion between us out on the road. a strong event for Britain’s men Welshman Thomas, 29, has started the The friendship between the two riders and women with Wiggins part season in style by retaining the Tour of the could be tested earlier too, in the Tour de of a squad that believes it is on Algarve title and will be among the leading France where Froome, the undisputed king at course to better the world record contenders for the road race in Rio where Sky after his 2013 and 2015 wins, knows any of 3mins 51.659sec they set in the they will ride in British colours. Thomas usu- weakness on his part will be seized upon by last Olympics, although they will British cyclist Geraint Thomas of Team Sky, crosses the ally works tirelessly as one of Froome’s most his lieutenant. Froome plays down any con- face stiff competition from defend- finish line at Alto do Malhao near Loule to win the 42nd trusted support riders, as he did so impressively flicting interest between them but knows it is ing champions New Zealand and edition of the Algarve Tour in this February 21, 2016 at last year’s Tour de France, but the roles could only a matter of time before Thomas makes an Australia team which remains a file photo. be reversed in August. the podium of a major tour. threat despite the absence of main- stays Jack Bobridge and Alexander Edmondson. Aregawi faces Olympic Tuilagi returns after two-year absence axe after failed test AFP

Reuters DOPING IN ATHLETICS

LONDON: Manu Tuilagi is back in Expressen newspaper. “We are try- the England squad for the first time STOCKHOLM: World indoor 1500 ing to work out what has happened. in two years after being added to metres champion Abeba Aregawi has It’s very strange.” their training party ahead of the Six been suspended from Swedish ath- A medical expert at the Swedish Nations clash with Wales. Tuilagi has letics after she tested positive for a Anti-Doping commission told the TT been included in a group of 33 play- banned substance, the national fed- news agency Aregawi tested positive ers who have assembled in Bath to eration said on Monday. for meldonium. A drug that increases begin preparations for the show- The decision means the Ethi- endurance, meldonium was added down against Warren Gatland’s team opian-born runner’s place in the to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s at Twickenham on March 12. It is the Swedish team for the Rio Olympics list of banned substances this year. Leicester centre’s first appearance in in August is now in doubt. The Swedish Olympic Commit- an England squad since the 2014 tour “It is with dismay and extreme tee (SOC) moved swiftly to withdraw to New Zealand after a serious groin disappointment we have to make their financial support for Aregawi injury sidelined him for 15 months. this statement,” said national fed- and she is highly unlikely to be part “Leicester Tigers centre Manu eration general secretary Stefan of the Rio Games team. Having run Tuilagi and Exeter Chiefs back row Olsson, without confirming the for Ethiopia at the 2012 London Dave Ewers have returned to the Eng- banned substance. Games, Aregawi began compet- land training squad as preparations “We are totally opposed to all ing for Sweden later that year after get underway for the Six Nations clash forms of cheating, doping and illicit being granted citizenship. She won with Wales on 12 March,” a statement substances. We have zero tolerance the world outdoor 1500 title in 2013. on the English Rugby Football Union’s Manu Tuilagi and this is totally unacceptable,” Last week’s storm occurred after website confirmed. added Olsson who two days ago Aregawi told authorities she had “Both players were initially stood by the athlete despite a storm never lived in Sweden and there- named in the Elite Playing Squad but over her Swedish citizenship and fore was not liable for tax. will join up with Eddie Jones’ squad unpaid taxes. Local media reported The 25-year-old was ordered to for the first time after recovering from the positive check on her A sample pay 11,112 Swedish crowns ($1,299) injuries.” was taken in Addis Adaba earlier this in back taxes. Olsson said at the time Tuilagi missed last year’s World “He has to keep working on his athleticism Manu is not far behind over London Irish on Sunday and will year and that Aregawi has asked for that Aregawi would be allowed to Cup due to a combination of injury fitness and he is going to be a valu- (New Zealand star) Ma’a Nonu at all. be a strong candidate for the bench her B sample to be tested. run for Sweden and defend her title and suspension, with Owen Farrell able player for England. I think 12 is “He starts from a good situation with England chasing a first grand “We can’t understand it,” her at next month’s world indoor cham- taking his place at inside centre. But his best position, he can carry the ball and it depends how hard he works on slam for 13 years. After defeating Ire- Dutch manager Jos Hermens told the pionships in Portland, Oregon. England boss Eddie Jones had indi- off the gain line, he’s got the ability to his game and how desperate he is to land 21-10 on Saturday to clinch their cated the 24-year-old was in line to get catch and pass,” Jones said recently. play for England.” third successive Six Nations victory, a call-up when asked about his status “He’s got all the attributes to be an Tuilagi came through 80 minutes England sit on top of the table with six Holzdeppe to miss world earlier this week. outstanding 12. If you look at it on pure for Leicester in their Premiership win points, one clear of Wales. indoors with injury All Blacks winger Naholo out with broken leg

AFP Lavillenie, who cleared 6.16m in 2014, and reigning world outdoors cham- Reuters of playing at the World Cup in Fumiaki Tanaka has also been pion Shawnacy Barber of Canada. England. Naholo sought alterna- ruled out for the next month after “It’s not possible for Raphael tive treatment in his native Fiji and suffering a torn calf muscle shortly BERLIN: Germany’s 2013 pole vault Holzdeppe to take part in the world was named in the All Blacks squad, before their opening match at world champion Raphael Holzdeppe championships. He will be out for WELLINGTON: All Blacks winger but only made two appearances in the Auckland Blues on Saturday, is out of this month’s world indoor several weeks,” said Germany’s head Waisake Naholo (pictured) has re- pool play. Macleod added. championships with an ankle injury, coach Idriss Gonschinska. broken the same leg that almost “The positive news is that “To lose players for an it was announced yesterday. Holzdeppe, who took bronze at derailed his trip to the World Cup this injury is not as bad as his last extended period is always disap- The 26-year-old suffered the the 2012 London Olympic Games, last year and will be out of action fracture,” Highlanders doctor pointing but you have to expect injury in the German indoor cham- won the world championships in for up to eight weeks, the Super Greg Macleod said in a statement injuries to occur at some point,” pionships in Leipzig on Sunday and Moscow in 2013 with a leap of 5.89m, Rugby champion Otago Highland- yesterday. Highlanders coach Jamie Joseph a scan on Monday has ruled him then took silver in Beijing last year. ers said yesterday. “He is already managing well said. out for the next few weeks, includ- He is expected to have recovered The 24-year-old Naholo broke and it’s expected his rehab will “As a group we simply deal ing the world indoors in Portland, in time for the European champion- his leg during his All Blacks test take six to eight weeks.” with it and move on, the focus for USA, from March 17-20. He would ships in Amsterdam from July 6-10 debut against Argentina last Naholo would not return to Fiji the players now will be to rehab have been going head-to-head with and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics year. It was originally thought for treatment this year, the High- well and work to make themselves France’s world record holder Renaud from August 5-21. the injury would end his hopes landers said. Japan scrumhalf available again.” SPORT WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 37 PSG looking to bounce back after Lyon loss in French Cup

quarter-final today. The capital Paris, even if it is my team,” he France on nine occasions, sec- This decision has drawn Following their first city side suffered a first domestic said. ond only to arch rivals Marseille heavy criticism from Monaco, defeat since March 2015 on Sun- “The mentality and the who have ten, while the last of St who play at Caen in the league defeat since March day, and know that it will not be aggression that enabled us to stay Etienne’s six cup successes came on Friday. The principality outfit, 2015, PSG face easy away to Les Verts, who are unbeaten for so long had gone, back in 1977. who sit second in the top-flight, well in the hunt for a Champions but it is possible that we can very Marseille will be hoping to are worried about the state of the tough Les Verts League place. quickly rediscover that spirit.” extend their record haul this pitch when they play there. who hunt for a PSG coach Laurent Blanc said Blanc also has injury prob- season, as they face a last eight Nantes, whose 0-0 draw with Champions League that his men were “too average” lems to worry about with the encounter with fifth-tier Gran- Monaco on Sunday means they in their loss at Parc OL, but it will fixtures coming thick and fast. ville on Thursday night. have gone 16 outings without place be interesting to see if St Etienne Marco Verratti is once again It is a dream tie for the Lower defeat, go to second-tier Sochaux try and mirror Lyon’s tactics and on the sidelines, while Angel Di Normandy club, who continue the on Wednesday. play a high press against the cup Maria missed the Lyon loss after rich tradition of lower league suc- Sochaux have already holders. limping off against Reims the cess in the competition, they are claimed the top-flight scalps of AFP The Frenchman called on week before. the fifth team from the fifth divi- Bastia and Monaco in previous his team to rediscover the spirit With the second leg of the sion to reach the quarter-finals rounds. that helped them go 36 league Champions League, last 16 tie since 1999. The other quarter-final is an Sassuolo’s Domenico Berardi scores on a matches unbeaten. against Chelsea at Stamford The amateur side’s Stade all-Ligue 1 clash between Lorient penalty during their Italian Serie A soccer PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain “When I see the last ten min- Bridge to come on March 9, it is Louis Dior is not big enough and Gazelec Ajaccio, with Gazelec match against SS Lazio at the Olimpico Stadium will be desperate to get back on utes of the game, when we tried unlikely that Blanc will risk either to host such a match, though, having had a few extra days rest in Rome, Italy on Monday. track after their shock 2-1 defeat to come back and stay unbeaten, Verratti or Di Maria for the match and the game will be played at after their weekend league match at Lyon, when they face a trip to I can say that we were too aver- at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard. Ligue 1 club Caen’s Stade Michel with Marseille was postponed due Saint Etienne for a French Cup age to do anything, even if it is PSG have won the Coupe de d’Ornano. to a waterlogged pitch. Sassuolo stun Lazio to Don’t rush gem Rashford, warns Van Gaal boost Euro hopes AFP

AFP United short of options in attack as Wayne Rooney recovers MILAN: Domenico Berardi and Gregoire Defrel scored from the knee injury that is set in either half as Sassuolo stunned Lazio 2-0 in Rome to keep him out until April. on Monday to boost their chances of European foot- MANCHESTER: Marcus Rash- Fosu-Mensah, meanwhile, ball next season. ford’s astonishing start in senior was thrown on against Arse- Lazio welcomed Eusebio Di Francesco’s visitors football has given Manchester nal after Marcos Rojo injured looking to get back to winning ways after being held United a significant lift at a key his ankle, joining a casualty list to a scoreless draw at Frosinone last week. stage of a trying season, ahead that includes Matteo Darmian, But after a messy, rain-hit encounter that saw Lazio of Watford’s visit today. Ashley Young, Bastian Sch- struggle for long spells, it was the visitors who were cel- The 18-year-old striker has weinsteiger and Marouane ebrating claiming their 10th win of the season. impressed in United’s junior Fellaini, among others. Sassuolo, claiming their second successive win after sides this season, scoring three The emergence of so last week’s 3-2 defeat of Empoli, broke the deadlock on times at Under-19 level and also many youngsters, though, has 41 minutes when Berardi beat Etrit Berisha from the finding the net regularly for the cheered up United supporters penalty spot after Defrel was felled by a clumsy chal- Under-21 team. who have had little else to shout lenge from Mauricio. His breakthrough into the about this season. Lazio spurned a quickfire equaliser when Marco senior side, though, has sur- It perhaps helps that they Parolo steered his header a foot wide from Lucas Biglia’s prised even the most optimistic have come through at a time cross. of United supporters, with four when their team has started Lazio upped their efforts after the break, but it was goals in his first two games. winning again. Sassuolo who next came closest, Berisha doing bril- Juventus defender Andrea Having struck twice in a The victory over Arsenal liantly to stop Berardi on a one-on-one after being Barzagli Europa League win over FC was their third in a row in all allowed to go clear by Mauricio. Midtjylland last Thursday, competitions and has reignited Sassuolo gave Lazio a mountain to climb on 67 min- Rashford followed that up hopes of qualification for next utes when Defrel beat Berisha with a perfect finish after with two more in Sunday’s 3-2 season’s Champions League. taking Nicola Sansone’s pass through the middle. Rock-solid Premier League victory over United lie fifth, three points Lazio forward Felipe Anderson came off worse in Arsenal. behind fourth-place Manches- a challenge and, along with German striker Miroslav Barzagli Manager Louis van Gaal ter City. Klose, was hauled off with 15 minutes remaining. is wary of asking the Man- Watford manager Quique Stefano Mauri and Filip Djordjevic came on to try set for new chester-born forward to take Sanchez Flores is hoping to take and salvage a share of the points but Lazio slumped to on too much responsibility advantage of United’s gruel- their 10th defeat of the season to remain eighth at 24 Juve deal too soon, but leaving him out ling schedule of six games in points behind leaders Juventus, who beat Inter Milan against Watford may well prove 19 days, as well as the club’s 2-0 on Sunday to boost their bid for a fifth successive impossible. lengthy injury list. ‘scudetto’, and four behind Sassuolo. AFP Even so, Van Gaal is urging “Sometimes when we plan Sassuolo’s joy was tempered by seeing Berardi hob- caution. for the match it’s like we always ble off in the dying minutes with a suspected ankle “We have to wait and see need to be inside of the man- injury after he went in for a challenge on Luca Biglia MILAN: Juventus are to reward with Marcus,” he said. “He has ager’s head on the other team,” that left him kicking the Brazilian’s studs. defender Andrea Barzagli for his only played two matches. It is he said. In Monday’s late match, second-placed Napoli are recent purple patch with a con- about consistency. He has to “I don’t know exactly how away to Fiorentina in a bid to close the gap on Juve to tract extension that could see the show it in the third and the Van Gaal is thinking about the one point. veteran Italy international end his fourth and the fifth game. next match or what his focus career with the Turin giants. “But what he has shown in will be. They have a lot of tar- His return to the fray fol- the second match is already an gets in this moment and play Boca sack coach Arruabarrena lowing injury at the New Year improvement on the first and a lot of matches. For us it is an has given Juve a huge boost at that is special.” opportunity to have points. after poor start to season the back and the 34-year-old is Rashford is not the only “We know we are very now set to sign a deal that will young player to break into the competitive and we can go keep him in Turin until 2018, say United side in recent weeks. every single step to win. Now Reuters reports. Defenders Donald Love, we have 37 points and we are His return to top form has Regan Poole and Timothy Fosu- happy.” coincided with goalkeeper Gian- Mensah have also been given The weekend 0-0 draw BUENOS AIRES: Argentine champions Boca Juniors luigi Buffon keeping a clean sheet debuts since the beginning of with Bournemouth left Wat- have sacked coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena after their for eight consecutive games. February, as have midfielders ford comfortable in 10th place dismal start to the campaign continued with Sunday’s Barzagli’s contract was due to James Weir and Joe Riley. and effectively ended any lin- 1-0 loss to Racing Club, local media reported on Monday. Manchester United’s English striker Marcus Rashford in action expire in June but Gazzetta dello To a certain degree, Van gering fears that they may get The decision comes at a critical juncture for Boca, Sport claims he is on the verge of Gaal’s hand has been forced dragged down the table. during their English Premier League football match against who meet Racing again in their Copa Libertadores group signing a two-year deal that could by a long injury list. Flores may take advantage Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester in north west England tomorrow before the ‘superclasico’ away to arch-rivals see him end his career at the club. Rashford was only given a by resting Etienne Capoue after on Sunday. The 18-year-old striker struck twice in a Europa River Plate next Sunday. Barzagli joined Juve in 2011 chance because of a hamstring the midfielder was withdrawn League win over FC Midtjylland last Thursday and followed The club was not immediately available to comment. following a three-year spell with injury to Anthony Martial, with against Bournemouth. that up with two more in Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League victory. The front-runner to take over as Boca coach is Guill- Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga ermo Barros Schelotto, La Nacion said on its sports and, along with fellow defenders website (www.canchallena.com.ar) Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo The former striker, who was idolised at Boca, left Bonucci, has been the backbone Italian team Palermo last week after less than two of Serie A’s tightest defence over Pochettino dismisses Spurs ‘favourites’ tag months in charge because UEFA turned down his coach- four consecutive, title-winning ing licence application. campaigns. Boca, captained by Carlos Tevez, have earned seven Buffon last conceded in a 2-1 AFP play a little bit like this too. Our kicking the ground during the points from their opening five games in the first divi- win away to Sampdoria in January RACE FOR EPL TITLE objective at the end of last sea- warm-up before Tottenham’s sion championship including a 1-0 defeat at home to when Antonio Cassano beat the son was clear: to reduce the gap 2-1 win over Swansea City on promoted Atletico Tucuman. Italian ‘keeper in the 64th minute. with the teams at the top.” Sunday. “Dele had a problem A 4-0 loss to San Lorenzo in the Argentine Super- Since then, Buffon has gone LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur Ranieri said on Monday that He added: “For me Leicester before the game against Swan- cup on February 10 went down really badly with the 746 minutes in the league with- manager Mauricio Pochettino it is Spurs, without a league title are at the top and they have the sea,” said Pochettino, whose side club’s board but president Daniel Angelici agreed to let out conceding, a personal best yesterday laughed off Leicester since 1961, who should be con- pressure too, like all the teams host Arsenal this weekend. Arruabarrena stay on then. that has seen the Italy great edge City counterpart Claudio Rani- sidered favourites to take the below. We don’t feel that. “During the game he suf- Also hanging over the Boca coach were two defeats even closer to the all-time record eri’s claim that his team are title, but Pochettino believes the “Only for us it is important fered some different things. We to River in the traditional friendlies played in January of 929 minutes held by retired AC the favourites for the Premier Italian was being mischievous. to keep our level, our fitness, our need to assess him tomorrow during the close season and which are taken as seri- Milan ‘keeper Sebastiano Rossi. League title. “Mind games? No, it was a mentality and we’ll see what (Wednesday) and then decide.” ously as competitive matches. Juventus hold a three-point Surprise leaders Leicester joke. I laughed a little bit,” the happens. It’s too soon to speak Mousa Dembele will miss Reserve team manager Rolando Schiavi will take lead over Napoli at the top of Serie are two points clear of Spurs Argentine told a press conference about the end of the season.” the trip to sixth-place West Ham charge until a new coach is appointed to replace Arru- A and will take a 3-0 first-leg lead ahead of the mid-week matches, ahead of his side’s trip to London Pochettino revealed that with a groin strain, but Tom Car- abarrena, who took charge in 2014 and won the double to Inter Milan in the second leg of with Arsenal three points fur- rivals West Ham United today. midfielder Dele Alli was a doubt roll is available again following of the league championship and Copa Argentina knock- their Italian Cup semi-final today. ther back in third place. “In football it is good to for the trip to Upton Park after an Achilles injury. out competition last year. 38 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 SPORT Infantino begins search for non-European chief exec

the role in September 2011. great general secretary.” El Amrani FIRST MAJOR DECISION AS New president to He had previously been deputy could not immediately be reached for FIFA PRESIDENT general secretary at CAF and worked comment. Infantino said on Sunday appoint a secretary for the Asian Football Confederation that he would not rush into a decision general akin to FIFA in competitions marketing. He grad- about the secretary general, whose continent. uated in 2004 from the FIFA Masters role takes on added importance in Member of the FIFA Executive Committee Sheik Salman bin Ibrahim chief executive At an event in London during his course, which was created to train FIFA’s new, reformed structure. campaign for Friday’s presidential future football administrators from Although some of FIFA’s reform Al Khalifa of Bahrain and new FIFA President Gianni Infantino (left) election, Infantino said: “I am con- around the world. documents refer to a “CEO”, a source pose for photographers before a friendly football match at FIFA vinced the general secretary of FIFA El Amrani won the Young Leader within FIFA indicated that for “tra- headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland on Monday. Reuters should not be a European. Why not of the Year award in 2015 from the dition reasons” the title of secretary an African?” ‘Leaders in Sports’ organisation partly general is likely to continue to be A source close to Infantino said in recognition of the way he handled used. on Monday that this “did not neces- the switch of the African Nations Cup Infantino might also look to North AFC President calls for MIAMI: The victory celebration over, sarily mean that an African would be to Equatorial Guinea after Morocco America, whose administrators new FIFA President Gianni Infanti- chosen, more than he had not ruled withdrew two months before the played a key role in swinging votes no’s first major decision in charge of out an African”. tournament because of the Ebola to the Swiss at Friday’s FIFA Congress unity in rebuilding FIFA the troubled world football organi- That said, there would be a strong outbreak in West Africa. in Zurich. sation will be to appoint a secretary African contender in the shape of the “He is very, very capable,” said US Soccer president Sunil Gulati is general, effectively a chief executive, Moroccan Hicham El Amrani. Swiss-based sports business con- an economics professor at Columbia to run day-to-day operations. The Paris-educated 36-year-old sultant Joao Frigerio, who knows University and well connected polit- The Peninsula and confidence of those who hold Since FIFA was founded in 1904, became general secretary of the Afri- El Amrani from the FIFA Masters ically in the United States. our great game to heart. it has had 10 secretaries general, all can confederation (CAF) on an interim alumni association. “There is no This could be attractive to FIFA as “As Presidents of our Confedera- from Europe, the game’s strongest basis in 2010 and was confirmed in doubt in my mind that he can be a it tries to improve relations with the DOHA: The Asian Football Con- tions, we have a collective duty and US Department of Justice, which has federation (AFC) President Shaikh responsibility to ensure that we bring charged dozens of soccer officials in Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has these reforms to life as quickly as the Americas with corruption, and is written to the FIFA President and the possible so that we can protect the investigating allegations of bribery FIFA Executive Committee and the image of FIFA and restore faith in the and corruption at FIFA itself. Presidents of the regional Confeder- guardians of world football. A tweet from sports marketing ations to call for unity as they begin “I am confident that by working executive Ricardo Fort suggest- the long journey in “restoring trust, closely and consulting together, we ing Gulati would be a good choice respect and confidence” in FIFA. will do the best for FIFA and restore sparked speculation in Zurich over Shaikh Salman pledged his sup- much needed unity. I have already the weekend. Fort was until recently port to the FIFA President Gianni assured the FIFA President that I will a senior vice-president for sponsor- Infantino as he begins the task of support him in achieving that goal ship marketing with Visa Inc, one implementing the FIFA Reforms and I am confident you will join me of FIFA’s global sponsors. Fort said which were passed at the Extraor- in this task.” his tweet reflected only his personal dinary FIFA Congress in Zurich last Shaikh Salman also wrote to the view, and Gulati was also not reach- Friday. Member Associations in both Africa able for comment. In the letters – and those sent to and Asia thanking them for their Although there is no obvious can- the AFC Executive Committee and support. He added that the recent didate for the role from Asian football, Member Associations – Shaikh Sal- Memorandum of Understanding an Asian candidate might also appeal man expressed his pride that Asian between the AFC and CAF will allow to Infantino as he seeks to build football had already implemented the members of both Confederations bridges with other confederations, many of the agreed reforms. to “share ideas and best practice” for especially after he beat Asian con- He added though: “These the good of the game. federation president Sheikh Salman reforms represent just the start of He said of Asia: “In Doha in late Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa to the FIFA a long journey and are essential January we launched the AFC Vision presidency. The earliest Infantino for achieving greater profession- and Mission as well as values and our could present a nomination would be alism, transparency and integrity stated ambition is to make sure that an Executive Committee meeting in for FIFA as well as all our Member we are the world’s leading football Zurich on March 17, but he may decide Associations. Confederation. By working closely to wait until closer to May’s FIFA Con- “We need FIFA to change if we together I am sure we can achieve Newly-elected FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Sunday. gress in Mexico City. are going to regain the trust, respect that objective.” Zabaleta urges City to harness Wembley momentum Spurs are title favourites, AFP “We need to try to win on his team-mates after the disappoint- Wednesday and get back on track ment of defeat at Wembley. says Ranieri again. There are still 36 points to play And the England midfielder LIVERPOOL: Manchester City for in the Premier League, which is a pointed to the experience of the 2011- defender Pablo Zabaleta believes that lot of games. 12 season, when Liverpool lost the AFP his team’s Wembley success in the “We were in this situation before FA Cup final to Chelsea but bounced League Cup final against Liverpool a few years ago even when we won back to beat the same opponents can spur them onto further silver- the league that we were about eight three days later in the league, as LONDON: Leicester manager ware at home and abroad. points behind the leaders and we still inspiration. Claudio Ranieri has moved to take Manuel Pellegrini’s team face Liv- have a game in hand. “You have to try and take pos- the pressure off his shock Premier erpool again in the Premier League “It’s time now to focus on the itives from it and learn from these League leaders by tipping Totten- today, just three days after beating Premier League and try to win on experiences,” he said. ham as title favourites. them 3-1 in a penalty shootout in the Wednesday.” “There is still a lot to play for. In Ranieri’s side are two points cup final, following a 1-1 stalemate at On a dramatic weekend in the the league we have to try and finish clear of second placed Tottenham the end of extra time. Premier League, Arsenal’s 3-2 loss as high as we can and there is the and host West Bromwich Albion on City have nine points to make up at Manchester United was a boost for Europa League. We have to focus on Tuesday with Mauricio Pochetti- on surprise league leaders Leicester City, but Zabaleta says that his team what we can do this season and fin- no’s men facing West Ham today. City and are also still very much alive must only focus on the trip to Liver- ish it well. Tottenham’s 2-1 win over in the Champions League, following pool as defeat could spell disaster. “Of course I will take the respon- Swansea on Sunday kept the an impressive 3-1 last 16 first-leg “Well, of course, if we don’t sibility, but as a team we’ve great pressure on Leicester, who beat away victory at Dynamo Kiev. win on Wednesday it will be tough character and personality. You saw Norwich 1-0 on Saturday, but, in Zabaleta believes winning the because we will miss a great chance that on the pitch, so there won’t be a a transparent attempt to ease the League Cup, for the second time in to try to reduce the gap between the problem moving forward. burden on his own players, Rani- three years, will inspire them to addi- leader and us,” he said. “I feel when we play to the level eri insisted the north Londoners tional success. “We are Manchester City, we we are capable of, we can beat eve- are frontrunners. “We know that it’s another com- have talent and big players to try to ryone. We left everything on the field “Tottenham, in my opinion, are petition, another cup is gone, now we recover those points that probably (against City). We have to do the same favourites then Arsenal, Manches- have time enough to be focused on we lost against Leicester and Spurs. until the end of the season and there ter City,” he told reporters. the Premier League and the Champi- They won their games this weekend. could be still success for us. “Tottenham are strong in every ons League,” the Argentine right-back They are two good teams. “It is hard. It is difficult. But that is situation. When they defend and said. “We cannot forget Arsenal. Eve- life and football and you have to deal when they attack they know what “We know how important it is rything is very tight at the top of the with it as best you can. I’ve been in they want. Everyone is speaking now to recover all the players and table. It just depends on us.” this situation before. We beat Chelsea about Leicester but nobody is Manchester City’s Argentinian defender Pablo Zabaleta holds up a most of them be fit for that period Liverpool captain Jordan Hend- 4-1 after the FA Cup final. We need to speaking about Tottenham. because we have a lot of big games erson admits there is a collective and respond the same way.” flag after Manchester City won the English League Cup final against “We are the surprise, that is coming up now until the end. personal responsibility for him to lift Liverpool at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday. fantastic, a good energy, but if we are realistic the real competitors are City, Arsenal and Tottenham. ENGLISH PREMIER Coach Allegri wants more Inter goals and Cup final spot LEAGUE FIXTURES (all times in GMT) Today’s matches AFP hapless Inter side in Turin on Sunday Roberto Mancini’s men needing a mir- belief, but also to score goals.” start on the bench in place of Simone Arsenal vs Swansea City (1945) gave Juventus a three-point lead at acle if they are to overturn the tie. Juve’s cushion from the first leg Zaza and Alvaro Morata. Stoke City vs Newcastle United the top of Serie A after Napoli held an Juventus have not reached suc- means Allegri, who has one eye on Part of that decision is because (1945) MILAN: Juventus coach Massimil- enterprising Fiorentina to a 1-1 draw cessive Cup finals since the 1960s, a decisive Champions League last 16 Dybala, as well as defender Leon- West Ham United vs Tottenham iano Allegri is set to rest key players on Monday. and Allegri warned: “We’ll be going second leg away to Bayern Munich in a ardo Bonucci, are one booking Hotspur (1945) when the defending champions travel Inter are out for revenge, but a out tomorrow completely focused on little over two weeks’ time, can afford away from being suspended for to Inter Milan looking to “score goals” chastening 3-0 defeat in the first leg reaching the final, and we want to do to rest key players. the final. Liverpool vs Manchester City and secure their second successive of the semi-final -- as well as their it by winning. Losing never does you Argentine striker Paulo Dybala “Zaza and Morata could be our (2000) Italian Cup final today. comparative lack of threat against any good. and Croatian Mario Mandzukic, who choices up front,” said Allegri, who Manchester United vs Watford A 2-0 league victory over a the champions on Sunday -- has left “We’ll go there with plenty of started in Sunday’s win, could both will also be reshuffling his defence. (2000) SPORT WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016 39

Record signing Lekhwiya, Zob Ahan play 0-0 draw Teixeira sparks Jiangsu win

Djamel Belmadi’s AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE AFP side picks up first point of the 2016 ACL Zob Ahan had won last week’s NANJING, China: China’s record campaign meeting between the two teams signing Alex Teixeira helped thanks to a solitary goal by Mehdi kick-start Jiangsu Suning’s AFC Rajabzadeh, but Belmadi’s side held Champions League campaign yes- The Peninsula fast at the Foolad Shahr Stadium to terday as the big spenders got off claim their first point of this year’s the mark with a tense 3-2 win over ISFAHAN: Qatar Stars League cham- continental campaign. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. pions Lekhwiya picked up their first The home side were on the front Teixeira started to repay his point of the 2016 AFC Champions foot from the first whistle and, with giant 50m euros ($54.4m) trans- League (ACL) campaign as Djamel less than two minutes on the clock, fer fee from Shakhtar Donetsk as Belmadi’s side secured a 0-0 draw Lekhwiya goalkeeper Ivan Rodrigues he grabbed the opener in what with Iran’s Zob Ahan in Group B yes- was forced to dive at full stretch to became Jiangsu’s first win of the terday. push Kaveh Rezaei’s shot to safety tournament. after the Iranians hit quickly on the One-time Liverpool target AFC Champions break. Teixeira ran at a backpedalling And, just four minutes later, Gol- defence and fired in at the near League results mohammadi’s side went closer still post to open the scoring on 16 min- Seoul: Results from the AFC Champions as Ali Hamam’s header came back off utes, only for Lee Dong-Gook to League yesterday: the cross bar before being hacked to equalise just after the hour-mark. Group E safety. But Jo buried a leaping header FC Tokyo (JPN) 3 (Burns 50, Bui Tan Lekhwiya took time to find their on 66 minutes to restore Jiangsu’s Truong 68 OG, Maeda 84) Becamex rhythm, with Alain Dioko going clos- lead, before Ramires cued up Wu Binh Duong (VIE) 1 (Anh Duc 23) est for the visitors when his shot on Xi for a shot on the turn to put the Jiangsu Suning (CHN) 3 (Teixeira 16, the turn from outside the area was hosts 3-1 ahead. Jo 66, Wu Xi 69) Jeonbuk Hyundai saved by Mohammadrashid Mazaheri. Lekhwiya’s Luiz Junior (left) controls the ball ahead of Zob Ahan players during their AFC Champions League However, there were some With seconds remaining in the nervy moments for Jiangsu when Motors (KOR) 2 (Lee Dong-Gook 61, (AFC) football match at the Foolad Shahr Stadium in the Iranian city of Isfahan yesterday. Kim Shin-Wook 86) half, Nam Tae-hee should have done towering striker Kim Shin-Wook Group F better with his effort when he had nodded Jeonbuk’s second to cut the FC Seoul (KOR) 4 (Kim Won-Sik 32, the time and space to pick his spot deficit to 3-2. Adriano 49, 56, 69) Sanfrecce Hiro- after Luiz Junior’s tricky run down the as Yousef Msakni surged towards ball on the edge of the Qatari side’s that curled away from Mazaheri’s Ramires got his marching shima (JPN) 1 (Chiba 25) right saw him leave two defenders on the Zobahan defence before setting area but, with his weak effort rolling goal. With 11 minutes to go, Morteza orders after a shoving match in the floor only for the South Korean to up Ismail Mohamad, but his effort ever closer to the line, Chico Flores Tabrizi was presented with the best stoppage time but Jiangsu held on Shandong Luneng (CHN) 3 (Tardelli 65, Jucilei 81, Zhao 86) shoot high over the bar after a per- from inside the are was hopelessly was just quick enough to sprint back chance of the game when he found -- much to the relief of their ani- Buriram United (THA) 0 fect lay off. off target. and clear to safety. himself with him and space in the mated coach Dan Petrescu -- to Ten minutes after the restart, A minute later, Zob Ahan came At the other end, Nam tried his penalty area to pick his spot, only to top Group E. Group B it was Lekhwiya who again looked within inches of opening the scoring luck again, this time with a low side- panic and send his attempt high and Earlier Brazilian goal-machine Lekhwiya (QAT) 0 Zob Ahan (IRN) 0 the most likely to open the scoring as Rezaei outpaced Rodrigues to the footed effort from the edge of the area wide of the target. Adriano made it seven goals in just two AFC Champions League games as FC Seoul destroyed San- frecce Hiroshima 4-1 to stay top of Group F. Adriano, who smashed four in Al Ain aim to bounce back against El Jaish in Doha last week’s 6-0 demolition of Bur- iram United, plundered another hat-trick as the Korean FA Cup- holders roared back from a goal The Peninsula And the Croatian coach is likely on Saturday. “We also missed many “We played against Al Wakra in down. After Kazuhiko Chiba’s to be without midfielder Yaser Matar scoring chances in the first match the local league and it was a chance opener for Hiroshima, Kim who was withdrawn in the Matchday against El Jaish and we should try to to prepare the players for the match Won-Sik equalised just after the DOHA: Al Ain coach Zlatko Dalic One meeting and Colombian Danilo work hard and score from any chance against Al Ain,” said El Jaish coach half-hour mark, but Adriano stole wants major improvements from Asprilla who is still recovering from that we will create in today’s game. Sabri Lamouchi (pictured). the show with his treble in 20 sec- his side in their return meeting with a recent injury. “El Jaish will try their best to “We will concentrate hard and ond-half minutes. The Brazilian Qatar’s El Jaish in the AFC Champi- “We are looking to make a good stop us in the attack and they are hopefully we can get another win put Seoul ahead in the 49th minute ons League Group D encounter at the comeback after losing the opening also capable of creating chances to strengthen our position in the when he let a free-kick drop over Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium today. match although this game will be very and causing us problems like they group. his shoulder and steered home a In their continental opener at hard for us. After losing the first meet- did previously.” “After the opening win, we didn’t delicate volley. home to the same opponents last ing, we have tried to fix the mistakes Opponents El Jaish took advan- celebrate too much because we know He showed his predatory week, Dalic saw goals from Abder- that we made, especially in defence,” tage of Lekhwiya’s heavy 5-0 defeat that we still have a long road to go. instincts with a determined run razzaq Hamedallah and Romarinho said Al Ain coach Dalic, who saw his to Qatar Stars League leaders Al “The match on Wednesday will and near-post finish on 55 min- condemn his side to a 2-1 defeat team qualify for the quarter-finals Rayyan to move into second place in not be easy because our opponents utes, and completed his hat-trick despite Douglas’ penalty 25 minutes of the UAE President’s Cup follow- the domestic standings with a 1-0 win will try to avenge their defeat and this after another flowing team move from time. ing a 4-0 win over Al Ittihad Kalba over Al Wakra on Saturday. will make things harder for us. in the 69th. Squash: QSF to host two junior tournaments this month

The Peninsula participants will receive ASF ranking start at 9:30am.The afternoon ses- points in all the categories. sion matches will start at 4:30pm,” The tournaments will be held in said Gamal Rasmi, Technical Secre- DOHA: Qatar Squash Federation 10 categories and in both boys and tary of QSF. (QSF) will hold two back-to-back girls section in under-11, 13, 15, 17 and “A player can enter in only one events this month at the Khalifa 19. All matches will be played to the age category and the cut-off-date International Tennis and Squash best of five games, 11 points - PAR is March 7, 2016. The tournament is Complex, it was announced here (Point-A-Rally). open to all juniors of any national- yesterday. Players from Egypt, Hong Kong, ity. All foreign player entries must The Qatar Junior Open 2016 and India, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Paki- be endorsed by their respective the Doha Junior Open 2016 will be stan, Singapore and Qatar are taking National Association and entry held from March 5 to 7 and March 7 part in both the tournaments. forms not endorsed by the National to 9 respectively in Doha. “Matches will be played in both Association will not be accepted,” Israr Ahmad of Pakistan and Syed Azlan Amjad of Qatar in action during the Under-19 final of the Qatar Junior Both the tournaments are Asian the morning and evening session and he added. Squash Federation (ASF) Junior matches will be played on all courts. Alaaeldeen Allouba is the Tour- Open squash tournament, at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in this March 5, 2015 file Super Series Silver events and all the The morning session matches will nament Director for both events. picture. This year’s Qatar Junior Open begins from March 5.

Inaugural ceremony of GCC Golf Championship 2016

The players of the Qatar golf team, taking part in the GCC Golf Championship, pose for a picture with Fahad Nasser Al Naimi, General Secretary of Qatar Golf Association and Mohammed Faisal Al Naimi, Executive Director of QGA besides other officials at the Doha Golf Club yesterday. Hosts Qatar have seven golfers taking part in the event, in which all the eight GCC nations are taking part. Qatar senior team consists of Abdulrahman Al Shahrani, Saleh Al Kaabi , Ali Al Shahrani and Ghanim Al Kuwari while the Qatar junior team is made up of Saoud Al Muhannadi, Sami Hussam and Arnev Jain. The junior event ends on March 4 while the senior event will end on Saturday. RIGHT: Officials and players of the participating countries during the inaugural remonyce 40 WEDNESDAY 2 MARCH 2016

Spectacular end to camel race

Action from the Hejen festival at Al Shahaniya Camel Racetrack. RIGHT: The podium winners at Hejen festival during the victory ceremony. The festival was organised by Camel Racing Organizing Committee of Qatar. The festival is one of the most prominent in the GCC region in terms of organisation and prize money. An unprecedented number of participants from Qatar and from other GCC regions took part in the festival. Al Rayyan retain basketball league title

Defending champions crush Al Sadd to win the best-of-three series 2-0

The Peninsula

DOHA: Defending champions Al Rayyan yesterday crushed Al Sadd 71-62 to take the best-of-three series 2-0 and emerge as Qatar Basketball League (QBL) title winners for the second time in a row. Going into the second game with a 1-0 cushion, Al Rayyan fought back in the last two quarters and retained the title they won last season, thanks to high-scoring performances from Davon James Dominic and Ngombo Tanguy Alban. Dominic scored 25 points and managed 8 assists while Alban poured in 22 points. Alban also had 3 assists. Coach Koufos Stergios stifled Al Sadd’s firepower with an all-round planning of attack and aggressive defense to seal a memorable win at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall. Al Rayyan veteran and cap- tain Yaseen Musa said: “It is a well deserved win. We played against of the finest teams this season. Al Sadd Al Rayyan captain Yaseen Musa celebrates with the Qatar Basketball League (QBL) winner’s trophy at Al Gharafa Indoor Stadium yesterday. Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) President provided us stiff resistance but we stuck it out.” Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrehman Al Thani presented the trophies to the finalists. Al Rayyan defeated Al Sadd 71-62. Bottom: Action romf the final. He added: “I think we knew we Pictures by: Abdul Basit/The Peninsula were on the way in the latter part of the (second) game and once we DOMINIC AND ALBAN took the lead, we knew we had hold SHINE FOR WINNERS it together.” For Al Rayyan, Abdulla Malek Salem scored 15 points and man- Anthony contributed with a tally of aged 2 assists while Hill Lawrence 11. Anthony also had 4 assists. chipped in with 6 points. Al Rayyan and Al Sadd drew Al Rayyan coach Stergios was level in the first quarter 18-all but quick to praise his team and offi- the defending champions slipped in cials of the club. the second when Al Sadd closed at “First of all i want to thank 40-34. God. This is my second year and Howeverm Al Rayyan picked up we have won the second title,” their game in the third quarter, lead- Stergios said. ing at 53-48 before winning the last “It was a great performance. It at 71-61. was important for us to win this title Qatar Basketball Federation since we played great. It wasn’t easy (QBF) President Sheikh Saoud bin at all,” Stergios said. Abdulrehman Al Thani presented “This championship title is more Musa with the winner’s shield and difficult than the last one. We believe medals at the prize distribution the players deserve all credit. They ceremony. played amazingly well,” Stergios Al Rayyan club officials were said. also present as the boys in red cele- “I want to thank the presi- brated in style to close out the QBL dent and top officials of the club season on a winning note. In the first and they gave us good support. We game, Al Rayyan won handsomely worked and played as family,” Ster- 78-48. gios said before the prize distribution Al Rayyan club’s Vice President ceremony. Rashid bin Nasser Al Khalifa said: “I don’t want to forget my cap- “This is a well-deserving win for tain Yaseen, He will retired after this our club. Now we will celebrate this season. He has been a tremendous win and then start all over again. We player right throughout his career,” want to win more trophies in the rest he said. of the season. This is the best side For Zoran Kreckovic-coached Al and we will fight all over again in Sadd, Abdi Khalid Suliman, Saeed all competitions.” Erfan Ali, Kone Mohamed Deba Al Khalifa said: “I congratulate and Raffa Anthony reached dou- the players and the coaching staff ble figures. for their hard work in our win. I also Suliman scored 16 points while laud the efforts of the technical and Ali managed 15. administrative staff of QBF during Deba scored 14 points while the season.”