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Carmaker Ferrari Djokovic eases makes Milan stock into second exchange debut. round in Qatar.

TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 • 25 Rabia I 1437 • Volume 20 • Number 6666 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

Innocent refugee One killed as two Advisory Council Sunni mosques bombed in Iraq wants shop rent AFP

HILLA, IRAQ: Blasts rocked two rise slab reduced Sunni mosques in central Iraq yesterday, amid fears of renewed sectarian strife in the region, police and medics said. As thousands dem- rent or companies in which the gov- onstrated against Saudi Arabia in Advisory Council ernment has stake and which own Baghdad, Prime Minister Haider real estate, to also review their rent Al Abadi vowed to track down discusses issue of prices and sign fresh rent contracts the attackers, whom he said were rising rents with their tenants. attempting to undermine national These companies must ensure that unity. A man was killed in one of the the rents they take from their tenants attacks and a muezzin was gunned are not unjustifiably high, noted the down in the same region south of Council, saying this was necessary Baghdad. In Hilla, about 80km from DOHA: The Advisory Council wants to to ensure so as to keep the general the capital, a police captain said the reduce the percentage by which own- price rise under check. Ammar bin Yasser mosque in Bak- ers of shops and other commercial During a debate on the issue of erli neighbourhood was bombed space can increase the rent annually. escalating rents, Fahad Al Khayareen, after midnight. A muezzin from a The Council recommended yes- Secretary-General of the Council, Sunni mosque in Iskandariyah, a terday that the Cabinet’s decision referred to the address of Emir, H H A Syrian refugee child, moments after arriving on a raft with other Syrian refugees on a beach on the town about 40km south of Bagh- (Number 8 of 2015) that allows own- Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Greek island of Lesbos, yesterday. dad, was also shot dead overnight. ers of shops and offices to increase at the opening session of the Coun- → See also page 6 the rent annually by a fixed percent- cil in which he expressed concern at age, be reduced. what he said was unjustified rise in The Council, at its weekly meeting, rents and which he said were neg- also recommended to the govern- atively impacting individuals and ment that the validity of the Cabinet society as a whole. decision which is due to expire next Earlier, the Council discussed the Bahrain and Sudan snap ties with Iran month, be extended, reports QNA. issue of rising rents, both residential The Council, however, didn’t spec- and commercial, and said the trend ify the duration by which the validity must be checked as it was affecting Agencies and Tehran. Saudi Arabia cut ties with also downgraded its ties, recalling its Arabia on Sunday, its deputy head said. of the Cabinet Decision is urged to the prices of goods and services and Iran late on Sunday, giving diplomats envoy from Tehran and reducing the The US and other Western nations be extended. adding to inflationary pressures. 48 hours to leave the country, after number of its diplomats in the country. urged calm, amid fears the dispute According to the Council, once In its recommendations, the RIYADH: Tensions between Iran and protesters set fire to its embassy in Angry exchanges following Saudi could derail efforts to resolve con- the validity of the Cabinet decision is Council also urged the government its Sunni Arab neighbours reached Tehran and a consulate in second city Arabia’s execution Saturday of prom- flicts across the Middle East, from extended, the legal validity of all the to conduct studies to assess the feasi- new heights yesterday as Saudi Arabia Mashhad. inent Shia cleric and activist Sheikh Syria to Yemen. rent contracts that are signed within bility of giving on ownership shops it and its allies cut or downgraded dip- Saudi Arabia said yesterday it Nimr Al Nimr erupted into a full-blown Sunni Arab nations accused Tehran its framework are also to be auto- owns and has rented out to nationals. lomatic ties with Tehran in a row over would end air traffic and trade links diplomatic crisis as Riyadh and then of repeatedly meddling in their affairs, matically extended. And nationals should be increas- the execution of a Shia cleric. with Iran and demanded that Tehran Bahrain and Sudan severed their rela- with Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al The Advisory Council has like- ingly encouraged to invest in real Bahrain and Sudan cut ties with must “act like a normal country” before tions with Tehran. Jubeir saying “Iran’s history is full of wise asked state-owned companies estate, said the Advisory Council. Iran yesterday, as Moscow offered to it would restore severed diplomatic The Arab League will hold emer- negative interference and hostility in that own real estate which is given on → Continued on page 2 act as an intermediary between Riyadh relations. The United Arab Emirates gency talks at the request of Saudi Arab issues”.

UN monitor on North of Qatar goes green Big catch brings down fish Palestinian territories resigns prices at Central Market

GENEVA: The United Nations expert By Sanaullah Ataullah a kg. Hamour, the most popular fish on the human rights situation in The Peninsula among Qataris, was sold for QR35 a the occupied Palestinian territories kg (the bigger one) while QR30 per resigned yesterday, complaining kg was the rate for the smaller ones. that Israel had never granted him Shahri was sold for QR12 a kg and access to the areas he is meant to DOHA: Large fish catches this winter Foskar was, perhaps, the cheapest fish monitor. have turned the Central Market into at the market as it was sold for QR8 “The United Nations Spe- a buyer’s market as seafood prices per kg. Kufar was available for QR10. cial Rapporteur on the situation have been falling much to the glee While Jash was being retailed per kg of human rights in the Palestin- of fish lovers. for QR20, and Zubaidi was slightly ian territories, Makarim Wibisono, Vendors at the Central Market more expensive at QR30. today submitted his resignation to attribute the fall in fish prices to big The prices of Safi fish have also the President of the Human Rights catches this winter. fallen. There are two types of Safi Council, effective as of 31 March The Central Market operates in available in the Qatari waters. The 2016,” the UN said in a statement, two shifts: From 4 in the morning variety that is fished in Al Shamal adding that he had “expressed deep to 2pm and later, from 5pm to 10pm was marginally expensive as it was regret that, throughout his mandate, throughout the week. The auction of sold for QR35 per kg. The Safi vari- Israel failed to grant him access to fish for the vendors takes place daily ety hunted from the water near Doha the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” during evenings. was available at QR30. Both types of → See also page 7 Yesterday, kingfish was availa- Safi fish are the same but their taste ble at the Central Market for between is different, fish lovers and retailers Germany warns QR25 and QR30 per kg. claim. Mohammad Ashiq, a vendor Kingfish rates vary slightly based at the Central Market, told this news- Schengen zone Verdant landscape in Al Shamal after rains heralding the onset of the coldest month of winter in Qatar. on their size. The price was QR30 for a paper that Al Shamal variety of Safi Pic: Baher/The Peninsula big one. The smaller one, though, was is tastier than its Doha cousin. in danger available much cheaper—for QR23 → Continued on page 2

BERLIN: Germany yesterday warned the passport-free Schen- gen zone was “in danger” after Nordic countries announced new Qatar opens tourism office in Milan to lure more visitors controls at their borders to stem a migrant influx. to more than 34,000 in 2015, and we partners and media, as well as target- world. Qatar’s marketing campaign in the message that Qatar combines top “Freedom of movement is an The Peninsula are confident that this market has great ing consumers. Italy will cover a wide range of promo- quality accommodation and superb important principle — one of the potential for growth,” said Rashed Al Al Qurese explained that, in recent tional initiatives, including workshops, leisure facilities in a clean and safe biggest achievements (in the Euro- Qurese, Chief Marketing & Promotions years, Qatar has successfully built on sales visits, travel agents destination environment, together with an authen- pean Union) in recent years,” Foreign DOHA: Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) Officer at QTA. its reputation as a business travel des- training through QTA’s online TAWASH tic taste of traditional Qatar hospitality Ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer has opened a representative office in The Milan office will aim to greatly tination by diversifying their approach programme, partnerships with tour and a range of cultural experiences told reporters. “Schengen is very Milan to reach out to travellers and enhance QTA’s on-the-ground pres- to attract increasing number of leisure operators, familiarisation trips, media unmatched in the region,” Al Qurese important but it is in danger,” he tour operators in Italy, which is one ence and capabilities, introducing and tourists as well. Total international vis- campaigns and a variety of innova- noted. The office in Italy is the fourth added when asked about Den- of the Gulf state’s fastest growing vis- developing awareness and knowl- itors have soared by 91percent since tive activities to raise Qatar’s profile to open in Europe and sixth worldwide. mark’s announcement of checks itor source markets. edge on Qatar as a quality destination 2009, with an average annual growth as a destination among Italian holi- It joins an international network cov- at the German border. “The number of Italian arrivals through pro-active marketing to tour rate of 13.8 percent, making Qatar one day makers. ering UK, France, Germany, the GCC → See also page 15 increased by a remarkable 16 percent operators, travel agencies, hospitality of the fastest growing destinations in the “Our focus will be on projecting markets and South East Asia. 02 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 HOME Qatar Charity sponsors 7,270 in Gaza Abu Nakhla The hospital because of his serious need for arti- The project includes ficial ventilation. Health Centre He does not have to do that anymore orphans, poor, as QC bought him an alternative source of timings extended disabled, students, energy to operate his ventilator at home. and Holy Quran The UBS adaptor QC provided to Mre- DOHA: The health cen- ish enabled him to operate his ventilator tre in Abu Nakhla has teachers to meet despite the recurrent power cuts which can extended its working hours their medical and last more than 12 hours a day. and is open for patients He can stay with his family now and between 7am and 10am, humanitarian needs no longer needs to spend his time lying on the Primary Health Care a hospital bed. I used to depend on an oxy- Corporation said in a state- gen cylinder when the electricity was cut off, ment yesterday. but it would run out quickly and I couldn’t Extension of work- afford to refill it. ing hours will cover both Peninsula “That is why my children used to take clinics with prior appoint- me to hospital. I would stay there for days. I ments, and regular clinics, thank QC for helping me and other sick and support services such as needy people,” said Mreish. the pharmacy, laboratory, DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) has sponsored He expressed gratitude to QC for help- radiology, nursing, recep- 7,270 people in Gaza, including orphans, ing him have a stable life with his family. He tion and customer service poor, disabled, students, and Holy Quran said he no longer had to worry about him- departments, the state- teachers. self and his family. ment added. QC’s office in the conclave implemented Engineer Mohammed Abu Haloub, Direc- The PHCC said the a project to secure its sponsored people their tor of QC office in Gaza, said the project extension is part of its medical and humanitarian needs to help reduced the financial burden of the spon- commitment to provide them have a dignified and respectful life sored sick people who suffered difficult healthcare services of high and lighten their financial burdens. economic conditions. quality, improve the qual- The project included financial aid to 18 He said some beneficiaries faced diffi- ity of services to ensure cases sponsored by QC in the Gaza Strip. culties in finding their medications which an excellent level of health Their needs included medical devices such were not available due to the siege on Gaza. and provide the highest as eye glasses and audio phones and neces- This required more time to find alternative level of services as dictated sary devices for chronic diseases, payment medications. by its responsibilities and for treatments and others. The number of QC-sponsored bene- duties towards the people. QC’s staff visited patients to ensure the ficiaries in Gaza reached 7,270, including process was documented and the patients 5,901 orphans; 803 poor families; 492 people made the utmost use of the devices, appa- with disabilities; several students; preach- Alert by Armed ratuses and medications. ers; and Holy Quran teachers. In addition, Thanks to the project, 52-year- old QC has declared since the first few days of Forces over shoot- Mas’oud Khalil Mreish’s life has changed. the aggression on Gaza to allocate QR20m He suffers from a chronic respiratory dis- for reconstruction of destroyed homes and ing practice tress and had to spend most of his time in other relief needs like food and medications. One of the beneficiaries with her supplies provided by Qatar Charity in Gaza. Doha: Qatar Armed Forces General Command has announced that the marine shooting range near Fasht Fish retail prices fixed Al Hadid will be active from January 31 until Feb- ruary 4 from 7am to 1pm based on auction rates every day. In a statement, the command said the marine Continued from page 1 the auction are prepared — one for range is located towards the authorities and the other for bro- the east from Mesaieed, a Fish prices fluctuate at the Central kers. Every vendor must follow the distance of about 40km at Market, depending on the quantity of retail price list issued by authorities an angle of 105 degrees catch. When the weather is good, large daily. Outlets found breaching the from the port of Mesaieed quantities are available for auction pricing list rule are made to pay a near Fasht Al Haid from the and this leads to a fall in fish prices. hefty fine, said Ashiq. east and extends to the “Put in simple terms, supplies dic- Central Market outlets must com- south of Shraouh Island. tate fish prices at the Central Market,” ply with more regulations. A doctor The command cautioned said a vendor. “Usually, we go in the visits outlets twice a day (morning and those who frequent the evening to the auction yard to buy evening) to check the quality of fish area to take precautions stocks. Fish are auctioned in a bas- offered for sale. Municipal inspec- for their safety. ket that roughly weighs 15kg. tors make surprise visits to outlets to A vendor or retailer or bulk buyer ensure the price list is implemented. for personal use should take at least Most customers insist on some dis- Qatar-Myanmar two baskets. Once the auction is over, counts, said Mohammad Mia, another The Advisory Council in session. authorities fixes retail prices based salesman. “Usually, we offer discount ties reviewed on auction prices. Two receipts for of QR1 or QR2 per kg.” NAYPYIDAW: The Presi- dent of the Republic of the Call to develop land with necessary infrastructure Union of Myanmar, Thein Sein, yesterday met Qatari Ambassador to the coun- Continued from page 1 authorities concerned to develop Com- the government to allow reconstruct- try Hassan bin Mohammad mercial Streets with all the required ing old buildings with more height Rafi Al Emadi on the side- For this purpose, the government facilities in different parts of the and provide the necessary backup lines of the celebration of must develop land with necessary country. and services in those areas. Myanmar’s Independence infrastructure and simplify and And more significantly, the Coun- According to Qatar News Agency, Day. quicken building licensing procedures. cil has emphasized the importance the Services and Public Amenities During the meeting, The Council has specifically asked of vertical urban development to Committee of the Advisory Council they discussed relations nationals to build residential com- end housing and commercial space met four times last month (December between the two countries plexes to help end housing shortages shortages by allowing buildings with 2015) and studied and discussed at and ways of enhancing in the country. more heights in different areas of the length the rising rent and other issues them. The government has also been country. of immense public concern and gave urged by the Council to instruct the The Council has recommended to its suggestions to the Council. Fish vendor Mohamed Ashiq at the Central Market yesterday. Thousands to take part in fourth Ooredoo Marathon on Friday

The Peninsula response this year. Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi, Chief Operating Officer, Ooredoo Qatar, DOHA: The fourth Ooredoo Mara- said: “We’ve placed a lot of empha- thon will take place on Friday and sis on engaging the community in thousands of runners of all levels of the marathon, offering a full range ability have registered to take part. of races, the most interesting course This year, the event features a full and the best range of facilities for marathon (42.195km), a half-mara- runners. People of all levels of abil- thon (21.0975km), 10km, 5km junior ity can take part and we encourage and adult races and a child-friendly friends, families and colleagues to 3km and a 1km events. come down and cheer the racers on.” The first race will start from To ensure safety of runners and Museum of Islamic Art at 6.30am, spectators, the Corniche Road will with full marathon runners taking a be closed from 6.30am to 11.30am Runners taking part in a previous event. course along the Corniche back again. to accommodate the races. With a prize pot of QR1,000,000 Spectators are urged to stand at the at the MIA port side entry from 5am until 7.30am and The event, organised and sponsored by Ooredoo, Ooredoo is ensuring the marathon is as safe and and prizes for the best runners in Corniche walkway at MIA or check- visitors can park in Souq Waqif underground park- is part of its ongoing campaign to encourage more prepared as possible and will help provide runners various categories based on age and points lining the Corniche to get an ing. Participants must collect their race pack inside people to get involved in sports and inspire Qatar’s with water and any necessary minor first aid dur- gender, Ooredoo expects a positive unobstructed view. Runners can park MIA parking lot on Friday between 5am and 6am. future sporting champions. ing races. For details, visit Marathon.ooredoo.qa. HOME TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 03 Qatar Airways begins scheduled HBKU to host lecture on ‘Secularity: Good or bad’

A350 Doha-Philadelphia service The Peninsula

aircraft around the world. The A350 DOHA: The Doha International New aircraft features partnership marks QA’s strong invest- Center for Interfaith Dialogue (DICID), ment in technology, superior travel Woolf Institute – Cambridge, and the reduced emissions, experience and its commitment to Muhammad Bin Hamad Al Thani superior comfort and maintain one of the youngest and Center for Muslim Contribution to most advanced fleet in the sky. Civilisation at Hamad Bin Khalifa Uni- less jetlag. “The Airbus A350 was designed versity’s Faculty of Islamic Studies are from start to finish to meet the needs of holding a public lecture on ‘Secular- today’s international flyer,” said Akbar ity: Good or bad; religious perspective’ Al Baker, Chief Executive, QA Group. to be delivered by Lord Rowan Wil- The Peninsula “At QA, we never cease searching liams on Wednesday from 6.30pm for new ways to enhance the passen- to 8pm at QFIS building auditorium. ger experience and with the A350, we The Right Reverend and Right social and moral issues but cautions have the ideal platform to take global Honorable Lord Williams of Oyster- religious communities not to expect DOHA: Qatar Airways (QA), the launch aviation into the next decade.” mouth (pictured) was the archbishop to have a casting vote on such issues customer of the A350 and the first air- Among the many advancements of of Canterbury from 2002 to 2012 and in a liberal society and to accept that line to land the A350 in the US, achieved the Airbus A350, the aircraft features now serves as the Master of Magdalene their role is to contribute to a wider another milestone by being the first eco-efficiency tools, which combine Qatar Airways is the first airline to land the A350 in the US. College at Cambridge University. He debate rather than to determine its to offer a regularly-scheduled A350 for a 25 percent reduction in emis- is an established theologian, poet and outcome. service to the US with its January 1, sions versus the current generation of a scholar who speaks on social and He says a society committed to 2016 service from Hamad Interna- airliners. The aircraft has an overall the new aircraft boasts an extensive destination. religious issues. He is known for tread- law and rights ought to be a society tional Airport to Philadelphia. capacity of 283 passengers, including set of features proven to reduce jet lag. A high precision air management ing a ‘middle path’ that encourages profoundly interested in the welfare QA was the official launch customer 36 Business Class seats, in a spacious The A350 is equipped with a dynamic system filters the air every few minutes dialogue between competing reli- of religious communities and one that of the A350 and continues to be the 1-2-1 configuration. LED lighting system, with cycles, tones and is combined with lower cabin pres- gious viewpoints. realises that it needs religious insights. leader in deploying the state-of-the-art Perhaps the most welcome of all, and colours to suit the time of day and sure and optimal humidity to counter Lord Williams is known for warn- Simultaneous translation of the lec- the effects of international travel and ing against excluding religious voices ture from English to Arabic will be refresh passengers on arrival. from the public arena in debates on provided. “The A350 has transcended mod- Doha-Los Angeles daily flight unveiled ern aviation standards and our only challenge has been choosing which of our over 150 destinations would Cadillac models of 2015 recalled DOHA: Qatar Airways rang in the New Year with a new experience to the people of Los Angeles,” said Akbar Al be among the first to enjoy it,” said Al daily, non-stop service between Los Angeles Interna- Baker, Chief Executive, Qatar Airways Group. Baker. “The city of Philadelphia has tional Airport (LAX) and Hamad International Airport The first arrival to Los Angeles was recognised with been an outstanding partner since we The Peninsula possible fracture to the bracket on January 1. The new route features the airline’s land- a special gate ceremony, celebrating the passengers launched in 2014 and it is our pleas- between the brake pedal assem- mark Boeing 777-200 and represents its first passenger on the maiden flight. The airline will officially cele- ure to reward regional travellers with bly and the rod that actuates service to the West Coast of the US. brate the new Los Angeles route on January 12, when the chance to experience the future Doha: The Ministry of Economy the vehicle service brakes. The The expansion to LAX is the first of three new US Al Baker will host a press conference and a star-stud- of global aviation, today.” and Commerce, in collabora- ministry said the recall is within destinations planned for 2016, along with Boston on ded VIP gala. The LAX launch comes as QA continues The A350 arrival in Philadelphia tion with Al Mannai Trading the framework of its ongoing March 16 and Atlanta on June 1. to expand operations in the US and around the world. comes on the day QA commenced daily, Company, dealer of Cadillac efforts to protect consumers “We are honoured to bring our award-winning It is also enhancing existing services along its success- non-stop service to Los Angeles LAX. vehicles in Qatar, has announced and ensure dealers follow up on service to Los Angeles. This great city embodies the ful US routes. The Doha-Los Angeles daily schedule: The airline plans to continue its the recall of Cadillac ATS and vehicle defects and repairs. It glamour and sophistication that gave rise to the ’jet Departs Doha QR739 at 0745 hours and arrives in Los US expansion throughout the year, CTS models of 2015, chas- urged customers to report any set’ lifestyle, when travel truly started to be part of Angeles at 1310 hours; Departs Los Angeles QR740 at doubling flights to New York JFK on sis No. 1G6A95RA6F0129973 violations to its Consumer Pro- our life experience. 1510 hours and arrives in Doha at 1810 hours the fol- April 1, launching daily, non-stop serv- -1G6A95RA9F0129823- tection and Anti-Commercial “It is only fitting that we bring the world’s best airline lowing day. ice to Boston on March 16 and Atlanta 1G6A95RA8F0129585- Fraud Department through its on June 1. 1G6A95RA1F0129959 due to a communication channels. HMC’s Qatari root cause analyst improves quality of patient care

The Peninsula Management Department and medi- cal teams, Dr Al Ishaq has led several quality improvement workshops for hundreds of HMC staff to encourage DOHA: To enhance patient safety them to be proactive in patient safety. within a hospital environment, Dr “We are dedicated to developing Moza Al Ishaq (pictured), Execu- leaders at every level of the organ- tive Director, Corporate Quality and isation through ongoing training in Patient Safety Programme, Hamad the core values of integrity, collabo- Medical Corporation (HMC) is the first ration, and innovation. certified root cause analyst in Qatar, “With this approach, each member using her expertise to train local and of staff understands his or her con- regional healthcare professionals in tribution to improving each of our risk management. patients’ healthcare experience,” she “Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is said. Recent improvements include an innovative quality improvement implementation of a state-of-the-art approach that involves investigation One of a cadre of Qatari clinicians incident reporting system. of the ‘root cause’ of an incident or in leadership roles at HMC, Dr Al Ishaq Dr. Al Ishaq took the lead on this error to develop the most effective has pioneered several of HMC’s risk significant project which marked a solutions and minimise potential risks management initiatives and staff train- tremendous improvement since 2011, for patients,” Dr Al Ishaq said. ing programmes and developed the involving a shift from a paper-based The extensive quality improvement RCA approach. These include risk to a web-based system. process looks at how a particular assessment and register, Patient Safety “The application of this inno- problem occurs so strategies can be Training Programme, and HMC Qual- vative system has bolstered Qatar’s developed to prevent it from reoc- ity Coaching Programme that focuses position at the forefront of health- curring. Having this sophisticated on incorporating best practices to aid care transformation. procedure as one of our key improve- the delivery of the safest, most effec- “We are the second healthcare ment approaches has contributed to a tive and most compassionate care to provider in the region and the sev- stronger culture of safety within our patients. With the support of multi- enth in the world to implement the facilities,” she said. disciplinary teams from HMC’s Risk system,” Dr. Al Ishaq added.

Streetlights out of order

Streetlights stretching from Safeer Hypermarket to Commercial Bank on D-Ring Road have not been working for two days, making it difficult for motorists to negotiate.Pic: Kammutty/The Peninsula 04 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 HOME

HMC warns against video ‘Together for Benevolence’ to on diabetes treatment

benefit 25,000 expat workers The Peninsula Prof. Abou Samra said. He added that HMC clinicians are undertaking a number of research studies to compare the effectiveness DOHA: A video circulating on social of different treatments for diabetes, Chevron Phillips media claiming diabetes can be cured as well as their side effects. through weekly injection is baseless, “No single prescription can apply donates QR930,000 warned an expert from the Hamad to all patients. The type and dosage to Qatar Red Medical Corporation (HMC). of medicine prescribed will differ Professor Abdul Badi Abou Samra, according to each patient’s specific Crescent Society to chairman of Internal Medicine at HMC, condition. For instance, patients with launch the second has advised diabetics to ignore the type 1 diabetes, whatever their age, video and continue using the treat- and some patients with type 2 diabe- annual campaign ments prescribed by their doctors. tes whose pancreas become unable “Currently, there is no injection to produce enough insulin, must take or medicine that cures diabetes com- insulin injections. This may not be pletely. There are many medications replaced by another drug,” said Prof. The Peninsula that help to lower blood sugar levels, Abou-Samra. but these are not a cure. Prescribed Prof Abou-Samra said that fol- medical treatments vary according lowing a healthy lifestyle, including to a patient’s age, the type and stage eating a balanced diet and getting DOHA: About 25,000 expatriate of his or her diabetes, and any com- adequate physical exercise, can help workers will benefit from a charita- plications and co-existing conditions prevent the disease. ble programme of Qatar Red Crescent the patient may have,” he said. He added that if their diabe- Society (QRCS) supported by Chevron He also stressed the importance of tes diagnosed in the early stages, Phillips Chemical Qatar. patients not altering their treatment patients may not require medica- Chevron Phillips has donated plan without first consulting their tion and instead be able to manage QR930,000 to QRCS to launch the sec- physician. “ All the treatments used the disease with lifestyle changes. ond annual ‘Together for Benevolence’ at HMC are universally accepted for “At any stage of the disease, the campaign, a charitable programme the treatment of diabetes. Treatment patient will still need to adhere to to support expatriate workers in the plans are individual. The success of a a healthy diet and get appropriate country. particular treatment for some patients physical exercise. Medication alone Michael F Zeglin, President, does not mean that the same treat- is not sufficient if the patient’s life- Chevron Phillips Chemical Qatar, ment will be effective for all patients,” style is unhealthy.” and Ricardo Costa Almeida, Human Resources Specialist of the company, presented the cheque to QRCS Repre- sentatives Issa Al Ishaq, Head of Human Resources, Ahmed Al Khulaifi, Head Inspections detected 64 violations of General Resource Mobilisation, and Hamid Moharar, Head of Corporate by food outlets last month Resource Mobilisation. The programme will expand to Qatar Red Crescent Society and Chevron Phillips Chemical Qatar officials at the donation presentation include 25,000 road, building and ceremony. The Peninsula the prices of products after and before cleaning workers in several districts, promotional offers. on sites and in organisations, includ- Another five violations related ing Qatar Foundation, Qatar National (QR100,000), distribution of 10,000 contribute to the campaign, which expatriate workers in the country. to cheating customers by displaying Museum, the Industrial Area and Al water and juice bottles (QR30,000) directly serves the best interests of “We value our relationship with DOHA: The Ministry of Economy and products in unsuitable way. Khor City. Expected to last two months, and distribution of 5,000 hygiene kits the needy segments of society. QRCS and its vision of contributing Commerce registered 64 violations The remaining violations were the programme has three phases: (QR800,000). Zeglin said, “We are pleased to to social and humanitarian services of the provisions of the consumers’ related to selling products that did Distribution of 10,000 food meals Al Ishaq urged people in Qatar to work with QRCS to positively impact in Qatar.” protection law by commercial out- not meet Qatar’s specifications, infor- lets last months. mation about products were not in The erring outlets were caught Arabic, offering promotions without during regular and surprise inspection taking permission from the author- campaigns conducted by the minis- ities concerned, not following the Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival begins try to ensure shops were complying price list rule, not issuing bills for sold with the law. products, and charging more than The highest number of violations the announced prices, among others. (11) related to providing unclear details The ministry said in a state- The Peninsula significant participation from competi- said: “I am really excited to watch the enthralling activities of the about products on packets, followed ment that punishments for flouting tors. The competition is being held in the falcons’ festival to get a close glimpse of the rich Qatari heritage by seven cases of not displaying the the provisions of Law No. 8 of 2008 morning and in the evening. and traditions.” price lists of products and services. (Protection of Consumer Rights) vary Speaking at the launch of the festival, At least six violations with regard from closure of an outlet temporarily DOHA: The seventh Qatar International Ali bin Khatem Al Mahshadi, Head of the to selling expired products were to fines ranging from QR5,000 ($1,373) Falcons and Hunting Festival (Marmi-The Organising Committee, stressed the main detected. Five outlets did not display to QR30,000 ($8,238.36). Challenge) kicked off yesterday at Sabkhat goal of organizing the festival is to revive Marmi in Sealine. the heritage of ancestors, which is very The event that continues till the end important to Qataris. of this month was inaugurated under the He noted the significant turnout of the patronage of H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad visitors from all walks of life on the open- Al Thani. ing day. Licences for ministry trainers As in previous editions, the Hadad El Ivo, a tourist from Bulgaria who is moti- Tahadee local competition has grabbed vated by the nice weather in the desert, The Peninsula Department as part of a plan to prepare national trainers. The assessment committee consists DOHA: The Human Resources of training experts and special- Department at the Ministry of ists who met to unify standards Interior has begun assessment for trainers. Lieutenant Saud Al to issue accredited international Dulaimy stressed the importance trainer licences to 17 trainers from of training in increasing perform- the ministry. The assessment ance of officials in all ministry’s was held at Al Rayyan Security departments. A falconer competes on the first day of the contest.

LTC-Qatar marks 11th anniversary

LTC – Qatar, the parent company of Homes r us, Daiso, Bossini, Carters & G2000, celebrated its 11th anniversary last week, with a grand event attended by staff and guests. The celebration at Hyatt Plaza was chaired by General Manager Ramesh Bulchandani. HOME / MIDDLE EAST TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 05

Sudan President meets Dr Al Marri Qatar National Library to host MetLib2016 forum

MetLib2016 conference to be held It also collects, preserves, and pro- in Doha, under the theme ‘Pearls in the vides access to heritage content and A key achievement desert: Unleashing potential.’ materials about Qatar and the region. for Qatar and QNL to Metropolitan libraries provide The University and Research people with the knowledge and infor- Library function supports education be the first in Mena mation they need to realize their full and research at all levels by providing to host Metropolitan potential and become active contrib- printed and digital library materials utors to their society’s development. for students and researchers. Libraries of the World Public libraries provide the knowl- Metropolitan Public Library deliv- Conference edge and information support that help ers library services and information for individuals to unleash their potential, everyone to enjoy reading, meet peo- achieve their ambitions and become ple, and become information literate. key contributors to their society’s In 2015, QNL participated in the The Peninsula advancement. 81st IFLA World Library and Informa- Metropolitan librarians’ profes- tion Congress in South Africa and the sional development is an important library was announced as the Regional aspect of any library’s functions. They Arabic Speaking Preservation and Con- DOHA: Qatar National Library (QNL), should also receive the support and servation Center (PAC). will host MetLib2016 – a prestigious development required to fully real- Through PAC, QNL will represent Conference of the Metropolitan Librar- ize their potential so they are able to the 25 Arabic speaking countries in the ies of the World in April. better serve and develop the com- MENA region to help preserve history It is a significant achievement for munities that they support. and heritage of Qatar and the wider Sudanese President Omar Hassan Al Bashir met Attorney-General Dr Ali bin Fetais Al Marri in Khartoum Qatar and QNL to be the first in the Mid- Meanwhile, QNL carries out its region. Making it evident the that there yesterday. Talks dealt with topics related to judiciary and public prosecution. Qatari Ambassador to dle East and North Africa (Mena) region mission through three functions as is a growing reading culture in Qatar, Sudan Rashid bin Abdulrahaman Al Nuaimi and Dr Al Marri’s delegation were present. Dr. Al Marri chosen to host the conference, Dr Clau- National Library, University and thousands of users wishing to gain also held meetings with Minister of Justice Awad Al Hassan Al Nour and Minister of State for Higher dia Lux, Qatar National Library’s Research Library, and a Metropoli- access to the QNL’s wealth of learn- Education Dr Al Tijani Mostafa. Dr Al Marri is on visit to Sudan at the invitation of Al Nour. Project Director told this newspaper. tan Public Library of the digital age. ing resources, have registered in 2015. “MetLib2016 will provide us with The National Library function In 2016, as well QNL has planned an unprecedented opportunity to collects and provides access to glo- many events to engage the society showcase our unique services to the bal knowledge relevant to Qatar and throughout the year and encourage March 5 entries deadline for fifth world,” she said. the region. their reading habits. Ali Hassan Al Jaber Awards Woman delivers under care of medical team The Peninsula Dr Elham Al Emadi a family the mother was suffering from ter- physician at the Mesaimeer health rible pain and the medical cadre The Peninsula centre together with Maternal and performed necessary procedures. DOHA: In a rare incident, the med- Child Health Educator Samah Al Everything was done with ease ical team in Mesaimeer health Jareedi and with help of the nurs- and the condition of the new born centre on Sunday took care of ing staff, provided the required and the mother was in good shape. DOHA: The Board of Trustees for mother with labour pains, and medical support by conducting Both the mother and the baby the Awards instituted in the name they were able to help her deliver examinations for both the baby were transferred to Women’s of martyr Ali Hassan Al Jaber for jour- the baby smoothly. and mother. Dr Al Emadi said that Hospital. nalists announced yesterday that the deadline for receiving entries for the competition for the fifth edition of the awards is March 5, 2016. The ideals for which Al Jaber sac- rificed his life, laid foundation for high humanitarian values which the world seeks, said Sheikh Abudlaziz bin Thani bin Khalid Al Thani, Board Member and Director, Qatar TV. He said the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) launched the awards to help fight violations of human rights and participation in the three categories of the Awards represents important moral values as it commemorates a man who sac- A file photo of Ali Hassan Al Jaber in action before his martyrdom. rificed his life for the sake of freedom of expression. The financial value of the awards Nasser Salmeen called on the youth the fifth edition of its annual awards is to encourage innovation and to participate in the three catego- launched in memory of Al Jazeera enhance humanitarian values, he ries of the awards which is victory cameraman Ali Hassan Al Jaber. stressed. for media freedom and asserts the The wards were launched by the The awards have become a source importance of providing journalists NHRC in the name of Al Jaber who of aspiration for journalists interested with necessary protection to move was martyred in Libya in March 2011. in tracking the violation of human freely and convey the truth to the The awards were instituted in the rights, said Sami Al Haj, Member of people. same year. For the awards entries the Board and Director of Freedom The Board of Trustees yesterday have been invited for competitions and Human Rights Department at held a meeting at the main office of in the categories of photography, Al Jazeera TV Network. the National Human Rights Commit- investigative journalism and short Another member of the board, tee (NHRC) to see the progress about documentary film.

Doha Conference of Interfaith Dialogue 2016 next month

The Peninsula will be announced, the Qatar News between different heavenly religions. Agency (QNA) reported. A number of The forum theme is divided into four institutions and individuals are com- areas- the concept of intellectual secu- peting for the award. rity as the basic requirement for security DOHA: Qatar will host the 12th Doha The Center will also hold a dia- of the society, methods of intellectual Conference of Interfaith Dialogue 2016 logue for expatriate communities in and moral invasion, how to protect the next month under the theme ‘The role Qatar in May to discuss different issues youth from intellectual invasion and of faiths … what future for spiritual and concerning their lives. A similar event means of preserving intellectual and intellectual security for society.” was held earlier on Qatari law and its moral values. The event, being held by the Doha relation with expatriates. About 500 delegates from Qatar and International Center for Interfaith Dr Ibrahim Salih Al Nuaimi, chair- outside will discuss the role of media Dialogue (DICID) will take place on man of DICID told QNA that the interfaith in intellectual invasion and the role February 16 and February 17. dialogue conference will focus on the of social media in destabilising intel- During the conference winners of prerequisites for dialogue between reli- lectual security and the role of some the Doha Award for dialogue of religions gions and explore the common points extremist religious elements.

Turkey jails Kurdish city mayor over PKK links

AFP which has a population of around years, Anatolia said. half a million, was convicted by a A supporter of the country’s main court in Van of being a member pro-Kurdish party the Peoples’ Dem- of the PKK and its urban wing the ocratic Party (HDP), Kaya, 38, had ANKARA: A Turkish court yesterday Group of Communities in Kurdis- served time in jail from 2012-2013 sentenced a co-mayor of a major city tan (KCK), the Anatolia news agency over the PKK’s role in Van. in the Kurdish-majority southeast to said. The verdict was confirmed by Kurdish politicians in Turkey 15 years in jail on charges of mem- a colleague who asked not to be regularly split posts between men bership of the outlawed Kurdistan named. Twelve other defendants and women to promote gender Workers Party (PKK). in the trial were also given prison equality. Kaya’s Co-Mayor in Van Bekir Kaya, Co-Mayor of Van sentences of between 15 and 7.5 is Hatice Coban. 06 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 GULF / MIDDLE EAST UN envoy heads to Saudi, Iran Tunisia forces

foreign ministers of both coun- kill suspected UN peace envoy tries and urged them to “avoid any actions that could further exacerbate militant: Ministry for Syria Staffan the situation between two coun- de Mistura will be tries and in the region as a whole,” Tunis: Security forces in said Dujarric. Tunisia have killed a sus- visiting Riyadh and “He stressed the importance of pected foreign jihadist Tehran for talks continued constructive engagement during an operation in the by both countries in the interest of northwest of the country, aimed at defusing the region and beyond.” the interior ministry said. tensions between In his talks with Saudi Foreign National Guard units Minister Adel Al Jubeir, Ban urged shot the man, who was the two regional Saudi Arabia “to renew its commit- armed, between Mount heavyweights. ment to a ceasefire” in Yemen after Serj and Mount Ballouta the Riyadh-led coalition announced in Siliana province on on Sunday that it was ending the truce Sunday, ministry spokes- with Iran-backed rebels in the country. man Walid Louguini told AFP The UN envoy for Yemen, Ismail Mosaique FM. Ould Cheikh Ahmed, was to hold “Security forces were talks in Riyadh tomorrow to push able to shoot and kill a UNITED NATIONS: The UN peace for a renewed ceasefire. terrorist element who, envoy for Syria travelled to Saudi Ara- The White House yesterday urged according to an initial bia ahead of a visit to Iran for talks Saudi Arabia and Iran to show restraint assessment, appears to aimed at defusing tensions between in the crisis spurred by the execu- be a foreigner,” he said the two regional heavyweights, the tion of a senior Shia cleric by Saudi late on Sunday. UN spokesman said. Arabia. “We do continue to be con- They seized a Kalash- Staffan de Mistura was to arrive cerned about the need for both the nikov assault rifle, a in Riyadh amid fears that the furor Iranians and the Saudis to de-esca- hand-grenade and over the Saudi execution of a Shia late the situation. We are urging all another explosive device, A policeman inspects the debris at the Al Fateh mosque, that was one of two mosques bombed overnight, cleric could undermine international sides to show some restraint and to he said. peace efforts in Syria. not further inflame tensions that are in Sinjar village, about 80km south of the capital Baghdad, yesterday. Militants have killed De Mistura “believes that the cri- on quite vivid display in the region,” dozens of police and sol- sis in Saudi-Iranian relations is a very White House spokesman Josh Earnest diers since the 2011 worrisome development and stresses said in a daily news briefing. revolution that ousted the need to ensure it does not cause He said US Secretary of State John longtime dictator Zine El a chain of adverse consequences Kerry had been in touch with his Ira- Two mosques bombed in Iraq Abidine Ben Ali. in the region,” said UN spokesman nian counterpart and U.S. diplomatic Last year alone, the Stephane Dujarric. officials had been in contact with Saudi Islamic State group Both Iran and Saudi Arabia are officials to convey the message. AFP the same region south of Baghdad. hand a week ago after months of bat- claimed attacks on the key players in the diplomatic push Demonstrators took to the streets In Hilla, about 80km from the tling the Islamic State group. national museum in Tunis to end the nearly five-year war in of Tehran for a third consecutive day of capital, a police captain said the The Al Fateh mosque in a village and a popular resort Syria, with Tehran among Presi- protests yesterday. Some 3,000 dem- Ammar bin Yasser mosque in Bak- called Sinjar, just outside Hilla, was also hotel, killing a total of 59 dent Bashar Al Assad’s strongest onstrators gathered in Imam Hossein HILLA, IRAQ: Blasts rocked two Sunni erli neighbourhood was bombed destroyed overnight. A police captain tourists, and the suicide allies while Riyadh is backing mili- Square in eastern Tehran, chanting mosques in central Iraq yesterday, after midnight. said three or four men in military uni- bombing of a bus carry- tias fighting Damascus. slogans against Saudi Arabia. amid fears of renewed sectarian strife “After we heard the explosion, we forms were involved in that bombing. ing presidential guards, in De Mistura is due to launch peace following Saudi Arabia’s execution of went to its source and found that IEDs “They took advantage of the cold which 12 of them died. talks between Assad’s government and a prominent Shia cleric, police and (improvised explosive devices) had weather, there was nobody outside,” the opposition in Geneva on January Saudi halts medics said. been planted in the mosque,” he said. he said. 25, but it remained unclear whether As thousands demonstrated “Residents said a group of peo- A medical source in Hilla said Saudi executes the Iran-Saudi crisis would have an flights to Iran against the Gulf monarchy in Bagh- ple with military uniforms carried three people were wounded in the impact on that plan. dad, Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi out this operation,” he added. explosions. Dujarric said the envoy would vowed to track down the attackers, A witness said he saw gunmen There was no immediate claim murderer “assess the implication” of the cri- RIYADH: Saudi General Author- whom he said were attempting to shoot dead a young man displaced of responsibility for the blasts, nor sis on the Syria peace effort. ity of Civil Aviation (GACA) undermine national unity. from his home town of Ramadi who for the killing near the town of Riyadh: Saudi Arabia yes- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- announced halting of all flights After Saudi Arabia severed ties had been living in the mosque with Iskandariyah, about 40km south terday put to death a moon said he was “deeply dismayed” from and to Iran. with Iran over the firebombing of his family. of Baghdad. man convicted of mur- by the Saudi execution of 47 people In a statement carried by its embassy and was followed by “The armed men killed one of the A muezzin from a Sunni mosque der, following its weekend including cleric Nimr Al Nimr. Saudi Press Agency, GACA Bahrain and Sudan, the protesters displaced who lives in the mosque” in Iskandariyah, a town about 40km executions of 47 men Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran late stressed that this halting came demanded Baghdad break off rela- with his wife and two children, the south of Baghdad, was also shot dead including a Shia cleric on Sunday, giving diplomats 48 hours due to severing diplomatic tions with Riyadh. resident said on condition of anonym- overnight, several sources said. whose death prompted a to leave the country, after protesters ties with Iran, adding that the A man was killed in one of the ity for fear of reprisals. A local councillor identified the diplomatic row with Iran. set fire to its embassy in Tehran and national carriers will take the overnight attacks and a muezzin — the A Hilla doctor confirmed the death. slain muezzin of the Mohammed Ahmed Obeid Al Amri a consulate in second city Mashhad. necessary proceedings. person appointed to recite the Muslim Ramadi is a Sunni city where Iraqi Abdallah Jabbouri mosque in Haswa Al Harbi was found guilty Ban spoke by phone with the call to prayer —was gunned down in federal forces reclaimed the upper as Taha Al Juburi. of shooting a man dead following a dispute, the interior ministry said in a statement carried by Libya’s oil infrastructure state news agency SPA. He was executed in Four years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Western powers are pushing Libya's warring sides to accept a U.N. IS targets Libya’s main oil terminals accord and form a unity government to end Libya's conflict, which has allowed Islamist militants to gain ground the Qassim province, and illegal migrant smugglers to take advantage of the chaos.

Oil/gas field Oil pipeline Refinery Oil port Closed oil port north of Riyadh, it said.

Es Sider oil port Al Jurf Bouri An attack by Islamic State militants Reuters Zawiya on the oil export terminal on Jan. 4 Mediterranean evening. Libya descended into chaos after al-Jathran’s Petrol Facilities Guard, which TUNISIA killed two guards and set an oil Sea the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and has backed the government based in the 86 refugees cross Mellitah storage tank on fire. Derna Marsa el Misrata Shahat Hariga Tripoli Benghazi rival governments and the militias that city of Bayda in the east, but is also fighting Zintan Tobruk Sirte into Jordan Ras support them are fighting for control of the other forces supporting that government. TRIPOLITANIA Lanuf Zuetina BENGHAZI: Islamic State militants clashed North African state and its energy reserves. Libya’s crude oil production has dropped Marsa el Brega Ghadames with security forces near Libya’s Es Sider Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, its biggest oil ports to less than a quarter of a 2011 high of 1.6 Amman: Jordan’s Border basin oil export terminal on Monday killing two lie between Sirte and Benghazi and have million barrels per day. Guards on the northern FEZZAN Messla oilfield ALGERIA Sirte basin EGYPT frontiers received 86 Syr- Sarir guards, while an oil storage tank at nearby been shut for a year. The United Nations has been trying to El Sharara Sarir ian refugees in the past oilfield Ras Lanuf was set on fire during fighting Islamic State has taken advantage the win support for a deal brokered in Morocco oilfield LIBYA El Feel oilfield 100 miles there, witnesses and a guard said. security vacuum to grab territory and is last month to create a national unity gov- 24 hours. The source CYRENAICA Murzuq basin 100 km The guard told Reuters that Islamic State threatening to advance from Sirte, which ernment for Libya. said border guards pro- vided the refugees with LIBYA’S CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION — Million barrels per day (average) suicide car bombers had attacked Es Sider, it controls. So far the group has failed to Separately on Monday, a plane target- after which the insurgents retreated, and take control of any Libyan oil installations ing militant groups in the eastern city of the necessary aid before 1.5 that the tank at Ras Lanuf, about 20km but has done so in Syria. Benghazi was shot down, though the pilot transferring them to ref- 1.0 De from Es Sider, had been hit by a rocket. A The group said it had attacked Es Sider ejected, senior army commander Fadel al- ugee camps and shelters, 0. 0.5 spokesman for Libya’s National Oil Com- after taking the nearby town of Ben Jawad. Hassi told Reuters. according to Jordan’s 0 News Agency, Petra. 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 pany (NOC) said the tank was holding about However, there was no independent con- Forces allied to the Bayda government

Sources: World Energy Atlas; U.S. Energy Information Administration; Thomson Reuters. 400,000 barrels of oil. The NOC was still firmation of its capture. have been battling insurgents based in Beng- Staff, 04/01/2016 trying to put out the fire late on Monday Es Sider is protected by Ibrahim hazi for months. Aden under curfew as clashes kill 22

AFP the clashes erupted when forces loyal to President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi came up against resistance when they tried to deploy in the ADEN: Authorities in Yemen’s south- port to secure it completely. ern city of Aden imposed a curfew They said the fighting lasted for yesterday after violence blamed on several hours and that pro-Hadi suspected jihadists killed at least forces eventually managed to take 22 people, pro-government media control of the facility. and security sources said. Witnesses said they saw an Suspected Islamic State group unprecedented number of armed (IS) jihadists in the city also shot dead men in Aden on Sunday, without Sheikh Ali Othman, a Sufi imam being able to identify them. who was considered a moderate, Hadi toured parts of the city, security officials said. including the port, yesterday. Aden, The curfew will come into force declared by the government to at 8:00 pm (1700 GMT) and last until Yemen’s President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi tours the cargo terminal be the temporary capital, has 5:00 am (0200 GMT), the sabanews. of the Mualla port in Aden yesterday. seen growing unrest between net website said, citing a decision Al Qaeda in the Arabian Penin- by the Aden Security Commission. sula, long active in Yemen, and The decision comes after fierce Aden killed 22 people, among them including a colonel, the security IS as both groups appear to be battles on Sunday in the port of 10 members of the security forces sources said. Security sources said vying for influence. GULF / MIDDLE EAST TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 07

Israel denying access to Palestinian territories: Monitor

AFP deep regret that, throughout his man- for access were unsuccessful. the Jewish state, which included a call Yesterday, he voiced deep concern date, Israel failed to grant him access “With no reply from Israel to my to boycott companies profiting from over the lack of protection for Pales- to the Occupied Palestinian Territory,” latest request, in October 2015, to have its settlement enterprise in the occu- tinians who face an ongoing range of it said. access by the end of 2015, it is with deep pied Palestinian territories. human rights violations. GENEVA: The UN expert on the human “Unfortunately, my efforts to help regret that I accept the premise upon The Indonesian diplomat has “I reluctantly wish to pass the baton rights situation in the occupied Pales- improve the lives of Palestinian victims which I took up the mandate, which proven less controversial, although to a successor, selected by the Human tinian territories resigned yesterday, of violations under the Israeli occu- is to have direct access to the victims he harshly criticised the deadly 2014 Rights Council,” Wibisono said. complaining that Israel had never pation have been frustrated every in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Gaza war, warning the “ferocity of “It is my sincere hope that whoever granted him access to the areas he is step of the way,” Wibisono said in will not be fulfilled,” he said. destruction and high proportion of succeeds me will manage to resolve meant to monitor. the statement. By contrast, the Palestinian gov- civilian lives lost in Gaza cast serious the current impasse, and so reassure “The United Nations Special Rap- The Indonesian diplomat said he ernment had “cooperated fully” with doubts over Israel’s adherence to inter- the Palestinian people that after nearly porteur on the situation of human rights had been assured before taking up the his mandate. Israel has long had stormy national humanitarian law.” half a century of occupation the world Zaki Bani Rsheid in the Palestinian territories, Makarim position that he would have access to relations with the UNHRC, which it And in November, Wibisono has not forgotten their plight and that Wibisono, today submitted his resig- the occupied Palestinian territories. accuses of having a built-in bias against accused the Israeli security forces universal human rights are indeed uni- nation to the President of the Human “I took up this mandate with the the Jewish state. of using excessive force against the versal,” he added. He stressed that it Rights Council, effective as of 31 March understanding that Israel would grant Wibisono took over from American Palestinian and may have carried out was important for Israel’s own human Jordan frees 2016,” a UN statement said. me access, as an impartial and objec- professor Richard Falk, who repeatedly summary executions as they sought rights credibility to cooperate with the Wibisono, who took up the inde- tive observer,” he said. locked horns with Israel, Washington to crack down on a wave of lone-wolf mandate and to provide access to the pendent expert in June 2014, “expressed But he said repeated requests and others over his harsh criticism of attacks with knives, guns and cars. Palestinian territories. Brotherhood deputy leader

AFP

Hezbollah AMMAN: Jordan has released a sen- ior leader of the Muslim Brotherhood after he served an 18-month sen- tence for criticising the United Arab Emirates, his lawyer said yesterday. bombs Israeli Zaki Bani Rsheid, who is the deputy head of the Brotherhood in Jordan, was released late on Sunday night “after serving his full sen- tence”, Abdelkader Al Khatib said. The lawyer said the 58-year- border patrol old was probably released at night to prevent his supporters from celebrating. The state security court in ceasefire line “destroyed the armoured Amman last year found Rsheid The attack appeared Hummer vehicle and injured those guilty of making statements “likely in it”. to damage relations between the to be revenge for It said the attack was carried out kingdom and a foreign country”, an Israeli air strike by a group named for Kantar, who referring to the UAE. commanded Hezbollah’s operations in Rsheid had been arrested in in Syria in late Syria’s Golan Heights, parts of which November 2014 after criticising December that killed are occupied by Israel. the UAE for blacklisting more than The Israeli military confirmed 80 Islamist groups including the An Israeli artillery gun fires a shell into Lebanon, after a roadside bomb exploded next to an Israeli military Hezbollah military that its forces had been targeted in the Brotherhood. leader Samir Kantar. border area. “IED detonated against border patrol near the Shebaa Farms area, near Kiryat Shmona, Israel, yesterday. In comments published on his IDF (Israeli army) vehicles in the area Facebook page, Rsheid accused of Mt. Dov,” Israeli army spokesman the energy-rich Gulf state of serv- Peter Lerner wrote in a tweet, refer- Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah was behind Kantar’s death, but wel- has an extensive presence in Syria, ing US and Israeli interests in the AFP ring to the disputed Shebaa Farms. vowed last month to take revenge for comed it. Hezbollah played a key role where it is mostly working to bolster region. He said the army responded with the death of Kantar, who was impris- in Kantar’s release after 30 years in the regime against an uprising that Jordan is a close ally of the UAE “targeted artillery fire”. oned in Israel for decades for the 1979 Israeli jails. began in March 2011. and both nations are part of the US- An Israeli army spokeswoman murder of three Israelis. He was convicted of having infil- Hezbollah and Israel scuffle inter- led campaign against the Islamic BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Hezbollah move- said there were no indications so far He was freed by the Jewish state trated the Israeli village of Nahariya mittently in the disputed border area State group that controls swathes ment said it had targeted an Israeli of injuries on the Israeli side. in a prisoner exchange in 2008, but an by sea from Lebanon with three other between Lebanon and the Jewish state, of territory in Iraq and Syria. army border patrol with a bomb yes- Lebanese security sources said Israeli security official warned then militants and killing a 28-year-old and the powerful Shiite group has in the Organisations blacklisted by the terday in an attack that prompted Israel responded with artillery fire that he was a “target.” man and his four-year-old daughter. past targeted army patrols in response UAE include Al Qaeda, IS, Yemen’s retaliatory fire from the Jewish state. into two villages adjacent to the She- “For us, Israel is fully responsible Kantar was sentenced to five life to strikes against its members. Shia Houthi militia and the Brother- The attack appeared to be revenge baa Farms, but had no immediate for assassinating the martyr Samir terms plus 47 years for murdering the In January, it claimed an attack hood — which was formed in Egypt for an Israeli air strike in Syria in late information on damage or injuries. Kantar. We have no doubt about this,” father and daughter and an Israeli in the Shebaa Farms against an army in 1928 and has branches across December that killed Hezbollah mil- The Shebaa Farms have been Nasrallah said in an address after the policeman. patrol in apparent revenge for an Israeli the region. itant Samir Kantar. under Israeli occupation since the strike. Hezbollah reserved “the right Shortly after his release, he joined strike in Syria that killed six Hezbol- The Jordanian branch of the In a statement, Hezbollah said 1967 Middle East war. Lebanon says to respond to this assassination at the Hezbollah and more recently he served lah fighters and a member of Iran’s Brotherhood is the main opposi- the attack in the disputed Shebaa the area is Lebanese territory, while time and place of our choosing,” he as the head of a unit charged with the elite Revolutionary Guards. tion force in the kingdom and has Farms area along the Lebanon-Israel the UN says it was annexed from Syria. added. Israel did not confirm that it “liberation of the Golan”. Hezbollah wide grassroots support. Turkey’s nationalist opposition ready to discuss new constitution

Reuters election. Erdogan wants the change to con- clear his party would not accept a presiden- The MHP, with 40 seats, is the fourth larg- it joined a call for Kurdish self-rule. solidate power in the hands of the president, tial system for Turkey. est party in the Turkish parliament after the Celik said the HDP needed to act with “polit- previously a largely ceremonial figure in a system Opposition parties agree on the need to AKP, the left-leaning, secularist CHP and the ical legitimacy” if it wanted to take part. where the government has decided on policy. replace the current constitution, born of a 1980 pro-Kurdish HDP. The CHP also agreed last Meanwhile, a Turkish court sentenced a ANKARA: Turkey’s opposition nationalists Devlet Bahceli, leader of the Nationalist coup and still bearing the stamp of its military week to take part in the commission. co-mayor of a major city in the Kurdish-major- agreed yesterday to take part in a cross-party Movement Party (MHP), agreed at a 1-1/2 hour authors, but do not want the presidential system “There will be a limited amount of time for ity southeast to 15 years in jail on charges of commission to forge a new constitution but said meeting with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu envisaged by Erdogan for Turkey, a candidate the new constitutional commission. We agreed membership of the outlawed Kurdistan Work- they remained opposed to a full-blown pres- to take part in a revived parliamentary com- country for European Union membership. not to waste any time,” AKP spokesman Omer ers Party (PKK). Bekir Kaya, co-mayor of the idential system favoured by President Recep mission to work on a new text. The mildly Islamist AKP holds 317 of the Celik told a separate news conference, follow- city of Van which has a population of around Tayyip Erdogan. “We agreed to form a commission with 550 seats in parliament, but would need 330 ing the meeting with the MHP. half a million, was convicted by a court in Van The ruling AK Party has put a new consti- equal representation from all parties in par- votes to take a new constitution to a referen- Davutoglu last month cancelled a planned of being a member of the PKK and its urban tution at the heart of its agenda after winning liament,” MHP Vice President Oktay Ozturk dum, meaning it is dependent on winning at meeting with the leader of the pro-Kurdish wing the Group of Communities in Kurdistan back its parliamentary majority in a November told a news conference, though he also made least some opposition support. HDP on the plans for a new constitution after (KCK), the Anatolia news agency said. Take confidence-building steps before talks: Syria opposition

Reuters The effort aims to build on a UN A second official said the opposition Security Council unanimously approved leaders would tell de Mistura “they can’t on December 18 endorsing an inter- go to negotiations without Assad doing national road map for a Syria peace something serious such as a ceasefire BEIRUT: Syria’s opposition wants to see process with peace talks due to start or releasing detainees”. confidence-building steps from Damas- in early January. The third said: “There will be no cus including a prisoner release before The opposition body meeting in negotiations before the issuance of negotiations due this month, officials Riyadh groups political and armed implementation of good-will meas- said yesterday, a demand that could opponents of President Bashar Al Assad. ures”. He said they must include a halt complicate efforts to start the talks. It was formed last month as part of a to bombardments and lifting of block- Opposition leaders including rebels Saudi-backed effort to get the opposi- ades imposed by the government on plan to deliver that message to the UN tion ready for talks. Riyadh is a major rebel-held areas. envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, backer of the opposition to Assad, who The officials said their demands when they meet him in Riyadh today, is in turn an ally of its regional rival Iran. were in line with the Security Council three opposition officials familiar with George Sabra, a member of the resolution, specifically articles calling preparations for the meeting said. political opposition, said the talks must for the release of arbitrarily detained The United Nations said last month be preceded by “real steps on the ground people, an immediate halt to attacks on it aimed to bring together the warring that express not only good will but also civilians and unhindered humanitarian parties on January 25 in Geneva to begin confidence-building measures such access. The UN Security Council res- talks aimed at ending nearly five years as releasing political detainees and olution appeared to mark a rare show of conflict that has killed an estimated stopping the bombardment of towns of international unity over a crisis that A girl walks outside tents housing internally displaced people in the town of Maar Zita in Idlib province, 250,000 people. and cities by heavy artillery and jets”. has divided major powers. Syria, yesterday. 08 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 ASIA / PHILIPPINES Philippines opposes China runway test

such actions. China rejected Hanoi’s protest and will likely dismiss Manila’s Department of concerns as well. Foreign Affairs Chinese Foreign Ministry spokes- woman Hua Chunying said on spokesman Saturday that China deployed a “civil Charles Jose said aircraft” on the island, which it calls Yongshu Jiao, to determine whether the government the new airfield in what she said was was considering Chinese territory conformed to civil protesting China’s aviation standards. Vietnam is one of the claimants action. over the disputed Spratly Islands. The early diplomatic tussle pres- ages a continuation this year of tense exchanges, mainly among China, AP Vietnam and the Philippines, over long-disputed and potentially oil- or gas-rich offshore territories also claimed by Taiwan, Malaysia and MANILA: The Philippine govern- Brunei. ment said yesterday that like Vietnam, Tensions have risen in the last two it opposes China’s recent test of a newly years after China transformed dis- completed runway on one of seven puted reefs in the Spratly Islands into islands Beijing has constructed in the islands that rival claimants fear Bei- disputed South China Sea. jing could use to project its military A December 31, 2015 file picture shows Filipino children holding up a national flag during a protest on Pag-asa island, a remote Philippine-held Department of Foreign Affairs might far from the Chinese mainland spokesman Charles Jose said the gov- and threaten their territories. island in the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines. ernment was considering protesting The United States has expressed China’s action, as Vietnam did, add- alarm over China’s island-making in warned Washington not to repeat Fumio Kishida said yesterday. make a fait accompli of China’s recla- of bases in the waters are a matter of ing that the test at Fiery Cross Reef the disputed waters and deployed a the manoeuvre. China rejected the protest, say- mation of disputed areas. concern common to the international “adds to tension and uncertainties in guided missile destroyer near Subi Meanwhile, Japan also expressed ing it will not accept the accusation, Kishida called on China to refrain community. the region.” Reef in October to challenge Bei- grave concern over China carry- public broadcaster NHK reported. from such acts, saying that they do not He said Japan will continue to deal Vietnam last week protested the jing’s claim of sovereignty in the ing out a test flight to a runway on Kishida called the flight an “action to contribute to a peaceful resolution of the with the issue in cooperation with the test, saying it violated Hanoi’s sover- waters around the artificial islands. an island in a disputed part of the unilaterally change the status quo”. He dispute. Kishida said China’s large-scale international community to protect eignty, and demanded that China stop China blasted the US action and South China Sea, Foreign Minister suggested it was an attempt to further rapid reclamation and construction the open and free seas. Myanmar’s Suu Kyi says peace talks will be priority Three die in Bangladesh AFP The veteran democracy champi- not expected to take power until Feb- country’s Independence Day. to sign up to the deal. on’s National League for Democracy ruary—and Suu Kyi herself is banned “We have to work to include eve- Suu Kyi has said her party supports (NLD) party swept landmark Novem- from becoming president. ryone in a signed ceasefire agreement a federal future and has made eth- earthquake YANGON: Myanmar’s Aung San Suu ber polls that look set to curtail the “We have to build peace. Building by holding a really effective peace con- nic affairs and peace a central pillar Kyi yesterday said bringing peace to military’s decades-long choke hold peace is the first ever duty of a new ference,” she added. of her party manifesto for Myanmar, the country’s strife-wracked ethnic on the country. government,” she told supporters at The 70-year-old opposition leader where ethnic minority groups have IANS regions will be a priority for her gov- But under Myanmar’s complicated the party’s Yangon headquarters on had remained somewhat tight-lipped fought decades-long wars for greater ernment when it takes power. junta-era political charter, her party is Monday, during a speech marking the on what her government’s main objec- autonomy. But she was criticised in the tives and who her main players will run-up to the polls for failing to reach be, as delicate transition negotiations out to minority parties. DHAKA: At least three people continue between the incumbent mil- “All people have to participate in died in Bangladesh in a massive itary-backed government and the her our struggle,” she told supporters. “Tat- earthquake that also jolted the victorious party. madaw (the army) must participate. northeastern region of India yes- Myanmar is a patchwork of ethnic Ethnic groups must participate.” terday. The quake, with its epicentre identities with over 130 officially-rec- Suu Kyi is accutely aware that even in Tamenglong district of Manipur ognised minority groups, many with once her government takes power, its and measuring 6.7 on the Richter distinct languages and cultures. rule will be limited. The military retains scale, shook the country, rattling Across vast swathes of these often huge power with a quarter of parlia- nerves and causing panic. remote regions, ethnic rebel groups mentary seats reserved for unelected A youth died following a heart have fought wars against the military soldiers, and military appointees in attack in Dhaka while another per- for greater autonomy, many of them charge of key security ministries. son succumbed to injuries sustained lasting for decades. The ban on Suu Kyi taking the top while rushing out from his home Ethnic minorities have long accused position of president stems from her in Rajshahi district, some 256km the central government and the mil- having married a foreigner and hav- west of capital Dhaka. itary of human rights abuses and ing foreign born children. An old man also died following resource grabs. Myanmar’s outgoing Outgoing president Thein Sein steps a heart attack in Lalmonirhat dis- quasi-civilian, military-backed gov- down on March 31. His successor will trict, 343km from Dhaka. ernment recently inked ceasefires with be chosen in a vote by Myanmar’s two Around 100 people have report- a clutch of ethnic armed groups, with legislative houses and the military par- edly been injured in Dhaka and a landmark peace conference due to liamentary bloc. Suu Kyi has vowed elsewhere in the country as they start next Tuesday. But several major to rewrite the junta-era constitution rushed out of their residences for Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrives at National League for Democracy party head conflicts persist and some of the most and be “above the president” when safety in panic. Panic-gripped peo- office to attend 68th Myanmar Independence Day in Yangon yesterday. significant insurgent outfits have yet her government takes power. ple, who took to the streets and stayed there for a long time being afraid of possible aftershocks, were seen reciting verses of the Holy Quran and other prayers loudly. Japan PM courts Russia for peace deal Giant Mao statue Some of them started the Azan (call for prayer) to seek God’s mercy. Mizanur Rahman, director of Dhaka Medical College and Hos- AFP timing for his visit to Japan.” Kerry last week expressing concern over pital, said at least 40 persons were Putin has come under intense criticism a heavy civilian toll in Russian air strikes. rushed to the hospital. from the United States and other democ- Abe also stressed that he was focused on He said several of them were TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo racies over Russia’s annexation of Crimea reviving Japan’s fragile economy and hosting injured when they jumped from Abe courted Russian President Vladimir and the conflict in eastern Ukraine, with the G7 summit. He said he was not planning upper floors of buildings. Putin yesterday, holding out the prospect for the country’s participation in the Group of to dissolve the lower house of parliament and Dozens of Dhaka University a summit as he renewed his call for progress Eight summits under suspension. call a snap poll ahead of the triennial upper students were also injured while on an elusive World War II peace treaty. Abe is hosting a meeting of Group of house elections this summer. evacuating halls during the quake. The two countries have never offi- Seven leaders in May. Putin is not expected Abe said that maintaining his ruling However, police and fire offi- cially struck a peace accord more than to attend and Abe did not suggest otherwise. bloc’s majority in the upcoming upper cials said there were no immediate after 70 years after the end of the conflict But he emphasised the need for dia- house elections would be a priority, Xin- reports of any big damage. amid a territorial dispute over four Japa- logue, saying the international community hua reported. Although no major building col- nese islands seized by Soviet troops at the must encourage Russia’s participation in To advance politics in a stable way under lapsed in Dhaka and elsewhere in war’s conclusion. the world’s fight against terrorism and the the coalition government of the LDP and the country yet, the powerful earth- “President Putin and I share the view Syrian crisis. Komeito, I would like both of them to secure quake reportedly caused cracks and that it is abnormal for our nations not to “It is also important that we gain Rus- a majority in the House of Councillors, the tilting of some buildings. have a peace treaty 70 years since” the sia’s constructive engagement to deal with prime minister said. A meteorologist of the Bangla- war, Abe said at his first press conference issues of terrorism, Syria and Iran,” Abe said. “I will do the utmost to win that vic- desh Meteorological Department of the year. Russia has been waging air strikes in tory,” Abe added. said the quake, with its epicentre A man looks at a giant statue of the late chairman Mao “The issues related to the Northern Terri- Syria since the end of September as it seeks On matters of Constitutional reform, the some 352km to the east-northeast tories cannot be resolved without exchanges to bolster the regime of Syrian President prime minister said efforts in this regard Zedong under construction near crop fields in a village of Dhaka, struck the country around between the leaders,” he added, referring Bashar al-Assad and prevent Islamic State will be stepped up and be one of the focal of Tongxu county, Henan province, China, yesterday. 5.05am (local time). to the Japanese appellation for the islands. jihadists and other extremists from carry- points of the upcoming election. According to villagers, several entrepreneurs spent Thousands of people in Dhaka “I will continue my dialogue with Pres- ing out attacks on Russian soil. “Through such calls, I would like to nearly 3m yuan ($460,000) to build the 36.6-metre- and many other parts panicked and ident Putin when opportunities arise,” he But Russia’s intervention has also drawn deepen national debate about the issue,” high statue covered in golden paint. rushed outdoors following the jolts added. “We will explore the most appropriate criticism, with US Secretary of State John said Abe. which lasted for several seconds. ASIA / AFRICA TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 09

HK chief sad Hazy day in China over vanished booksellers

Kong, it is unacceptable because it Democratic is against the Basic Law (the city’s constitution).” legislator Albert Democratic legislator Albert Ho Ho believes that said Sunday he believed the men had been kidnapped by Chinese secu- the men had been rity officers. kidnapped by At a regular briefing Monday, Bei- jing’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Chinese security Hua Chunying said: “I’m not aware officers. of the situation; I have nothing to offer,” when asked about the latest bookseller to disappear, Lee Bo, who went missing last week. “These books spread to the mainland by various AFP means, becoming a source of polit- ical rumours, and creating negative effects,” it said. “Although the... bookstore is based HONG KONG: The leader of Hong in Hong Kong, it maintains itself by Kong said yesterday that he was causing trouble in the mainland.” “very concerned” over the disap- “In the era of the Internet, their pearance of five booksellers known impact is not limited to Hong Kong, for publications critical of the Chi- but also leaks into the mainland, and People wait at a traffic junction during a hazy day in Bozhou, Anhui province, China, yesterday. nese government after a prominent becomes a genuine problem facing lawmaker accused mainland secu- the country,” it said. rity officers of kidnapping the men. Opponents criticised unpopu- The booksellers all worked for lar Leung, who is considered close the same Hong Kong-based pub- to Beijing and a hate figure for Hong lishing house and are feared to have Kong’s pro-democracy movement. been detained by Chinese authori- “The Hong Kong government and CAR presidential candidates want poll scrapped ties, adding to growing unease that Leung Chun-ying should express to freedoms in the semi-autonomous the top level on the mainland Hong city are being eroded. Kong people’s concern, instead of AFP They invited all players to get minister, was in second place with Francois Bozize was ousted by a mainly Under its mini-constitution, Hong awaiting a reply,” said pro-democ- around the negotiating table “to draw Desire Kolingba, son of a former pres- Muslim rebel alliance. Kong enjoys freedom of speech and racy lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan. up ways of safeguarding the nation.” ident, in third. Thousands of people were killed Chinese law enforcers have no right All five men worked for pub- Signatories included heavyweight can- A likely second round is set for Jan- and around one in 10 fled their homes in to operate in the city. “I and related lishing firm Mighty Current, which BANGUI: Twenty out of the 30 can- didate Karim Meckassoua, a former uary 31. The election is seen as vital to attacks by rogue rebels on remote vil- government departments are very is rumoured to have been about to didates vying to be president of foreign minister from the minority restoring stability in the former French lages and brutal reprisals by Christian concerned. launch a book on Chinese President the Central African Republic have Muslim community, who had been a colony after years of unrest. militia against Muslim communities. The government cares very much Xi Jinping’s former girlfriend. demanded the election be scrapped pre-election front-runner. Some two million voters were eli- UN and French peacekeepers about Hong Kong residents’ rights The fifth, a Swedish national, was after what they said was a tainted first Independent candidate Faustin gible to cast their ballots, for a new helped restore a degree of calm in and safety,” Leung Chun—ying told reported to have disappeared in Thai- round of voting. Archange Touadera, a former prime president and members of the 105- January 2014, when a transitional gov- reporters, saying it would be ‘unac- land. Hong Kong is semi-autonomous The dissenters cited what they minister, has taken a commanding seat parliament. Voting passed without ernment took over, but large parts of the ceptable’ if mainland law enforcers after being handed back to China by described as irregularities and intim- lead in the presidential race, garner- major incident and was hailed as a suc- country remain lawless. With this, the were operating in Hong Kong. “Only Britain in 1997 and enjoys freedoms idation in ballotting on December 30, ing more than 23 percent of the vote cess by the international community. attempts to bring a calm atmosphere in legal enforcement agencies in Hong unseen on the mainland. partial results of which have been with a quarter of the ballots counted, One of the world’s poorest coun- Central African Republic poses a ques- Kong have the legal authority to Hong Kong police are investigat- published. They said refused to be electoral officials said Sunday. tries, with a history of coups and tion mark. However, vast majority of enforce laws in Hong Kong,” Leung ing the disappearance of Lee and of “complicit in this electoral masquer- The former maths professor had rebellions, Central African Repub- the public considers this as a positive said.“If mainland law enforcement three co-workers who are believed ade” and called for the whole process been considered an outsider. Anicet lic was plunged into fierce sectarian development to end a long turmoil in personnel enforce the law in Hong to have gone missing in Shenzhen. to be “purely and simply stopped.” Georges Dologuele, also a former prime unrest in 2013 after longtime leader the Central African Republic.

Sri Lanka Tamils Bush fires in Cape Town welcome land, Frustrated youth push for demand end to army occupation power in Taiwan elections

AFP AFP Now, in the first island-wide election restrictions on leadership elections, since the protests, activists are deter- but were also an expression of frus- mined to push for political power, tration in a city where salaries cannot COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s main saying standing for office is the best keep up with soaring house prices. opposition yesterday welcomed TAIPEI: Young activists frustrated by way to bring change. Former Hong Kong protesters recently President Maithripala Sirisena’s Chinese interference and pessimis- “Social movements can’t obtain took seats in district elections, although promise of land for 100,000 peo- tic about the future are standing for real political influence because Tai- pro-Beijing forces dominated the polls ple who were forced from their election in Taiwan this month, deter- wan’s system is too closed and too in a key test of public sentiment. homes during the long civil war, mined to shake up politics in a move conservative,” said Tseng Po-yu, 24, “Young people are an economic most of them Tamils. set to alarm Beijing. a spokeswoman for the Sunflower minority as both (Hong Kong and Tai- The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) The vote comes after Beijing-wary Movement who is standing for the wan) government policy focus is not on said Sirisena’s pledge to give displaced campaigners in Hong Kong won seats newly-formed Green Party-Social them—their dissatisfaction exploded civilians new plots within six months in recent elections, a further chal- Democratic Party Alliance. in the movements,” said William Niu, was a “positive development”, but lenge to Chinese influence as anger Tseng would become the youngest a political analyst at the Chinese Cul- demanded that the military vacate swells among a generation of disaf- ever member of parliament and said ture University in Taipei. the private land it occupied. fected youth. many of her policies revolve around “It is the awakening of many young “This is the first time he is giv- In Taiwan, the dramatic occupation improving life for young people. “It’s people in Taiwan and Hong Kong who ing a timeframe,” TNA spokesman of parliament in 2014 by student-led impossible for young people to save are fearful of being marginalised in M. A. Sumanthiran said a day after protesters over a China trade pact money with low salaries and rising society,” he added. Sirisena made the offer. reflected increasing resistance to Bei- consumer prices, let alone to afford the Taiwan is self-ruling after splitting “We welcome this as a very pos- jing as young Taiwanese seek to forge skyrocketing housing prices,” said Tseng. with China in 1949 following a civil itive development but our stand is and protect their identity. “I want to speak up for young people war but has never formally declared that the military must vacate all It was also borne out of more eve- who are concerned about their future. independence from Beijing, which private lands they are occupying.” ryday frustrations—low salaries, fewer We deserve better lives.” Similar frustra- regards it as a breakaway territory Sirisena, who was elected last job opportunities and unaffordable tions in semi-autonomous Hong Kong led to be reunited by force if necessary. January, has won praise for start- housing as the economy stagnates. to the pro-democracy Umbrella Move- The vote on January 16 is likely Helicopters extinguish a blaze on the hills above Ocean View in ing to hand back land after the end Although young Taiwanese had ment, which brought parts of the city to see the ruling Beijing-friendly in May 2009 of one of South Asia’s Cape Town, South Africa. Extreme heat and dry conditions have staged protests in the past, none had to a standstill in late 2014. Kuomintang (KMT) lose the presi- longest and bloodiest ethnic wars. been factors causing an increase in bush fires in Cape Town. been on the scale of the Sunflower The student-led rallies were dency and possibly their majority in But he is also under international Movement’s occupation of parliament. sparked by Beijing imposing parliament. pressure to do more to ensure rec- onciliation. The president said in an interview on Sunday that he would give land to civilians displaced by war by the middle of this year. Zambia sets 2016 election date, scraps power price hike He admitted it was an “ambitious target” but said it was necessary to end what he called an “unacceptable situation”. The land will be in addi- Reuters Lungu, who plans to stand in the Hakainde Hichilema last January. constitution include a clause requir- intended to gain political advantage,” tion to the property being handed election, reversed a sharp increase Hakainde said the election had been ing a winning presidential candidate to University of Zambia analyst Lee Haba- back by the military in line with an in electricity tariffs, saying the hike “stolen”. Lungu, a lawyer, won 48.3 get more than 50 percent of the valid sonda said. “For now the decision to earlier election pledge by Sirisena. LUSAKA: Zambia’s new constitution had ended up hurting the poor, presi- percent of the vote to 46.7 percent for votes cast, Chanda said. reverse the electricity tariff increase More than 100,000 people are yesterday set August 11 as the date for dential spokesman Amos Chanda said Hichilema, a wealthy economist. Some analysts criticised as polit- will go down well with the voters but it still living away from their homes five-yearly presidential and parliamen- yesterday. “The new constitution has a fixed ically motivated Lungu’s decision to won’t help to resolve Zambia’s power more than six years after the end of tary elections, previously set by the Lungu, who is due to ratify the con- election date and that will take effect scrap electricity price increases and problems,” Habasonda said. the war, Sumanthiran said, while president, lining up another close vote stitutional amendments on Tuesday, as soon as the president signs,” Chanda sign the constitutional amendments Zambia’s state power utility Zesco another 168,000 live as refugees after last year’s neck-and-neck race. defeated the opposition United Party said. at a lavish public ceremony. Ltd on Decemeber 3 nearly doubled in neighbouring India. Also on Monday, President Edgar for National Development’s (UPND) Other amendments to Zambia’s “Obviously these are efforts the price of electricity. 10 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 VIEWS

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]

Keeping Schengen Shakespeare lives-four UROPE’S Schengen passport-free system has been experiencing severe strain since the start of the migrant crisis. The arrival of hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers at centuries after his death the borders of Europe – mainly from Syria -- created a crisis which the founders of Schengen couldn’t have foreseen. ESeveral European countries protested at the easiness with which these on Shakespeare more than any Christie’s “The Mousetrap” – the The Royal Shakespeare migrants were able to move inside the continent; some countries were Shakespeare’s other writer. Three thousand longest-running theatre pro- Company will tour China; new words and phrases all first duction in London’s West End Shakespeare’s Globe will per- prepared and equipped to meet the crisis and others were not. So influence is felt appeared in print in Shake- today. While his original plays form across the world from naturally, calls arose for the reformation of the system and grew louder. far beyond our speare’s plays. I remember from continue to entertain millions Iraq to Denmark. Young peo- The passport-free system suffered a new setback yesterday as language. His my own childhood how many — from school halls across the ple will reimagine Shakespeare Sweden imposed controls on travellers arriving from Denmark in a of them are found for the first world to the overnight queues in Zimbabwe. A social media desperate bid to curb an influx of refugees, triggering counter measures words, his plots time in Henry V. Words like as hundreds scrambled for last campaign called “Play your from Denmark. Just hours after the Swedish controls on its border with and his characters dishearten, divest, addiction, minute tickets to see Benedict Part” (#PlayYourPart) will invite motionless, leapfrog — and Cumberbatch playing Hamlet at the next generation of creative Denmark went into effect, the Danish government announced spot continue to inspire phrases like “once more unto London’s Barbican last year. talent to produce their own dig- checks on its border with Germany. The move came from fears that much of our culture the breach”, “band of brothers” But perhaps one of the most ital tribute to the Bard — and, the country could be saddled with large numbers of migrants if their and “heart of gold” — have all exciting legacies of Shakespeare in partnership with the Brit- onward journey is blocked at the borders. Germany too announced and wider society. passed into our language today is his capacity to educate. As we ish charity Voluntary Services that the Schengen zone was in danger. “Freedom of movement is an with no need to reference their see from the outreach work of Overseas, we will raise aware- important principle and one of the original context. Shakespeare the Royal Shakespeare Com- ness of the huge challenge of biggest achievements (in the European also pioneered innovative pany and Shakespeare’s Globe global child illiteracy and use By David Cameron use of grammatical form and and the impact of pioneer- Shakespeare to increase educa- Union) in recent years,” German foreign structure — including verse ing British charities like the tional opportunities for children There is fresh ministry spokesman Martin Schaefer without rhymes, superlatives Shakespeare Schools Festi- around the world. said. “Schengen is very important but it his year’s four hun- and the connecting of existing val, studying and performing Beyond the great gift of lan- concern about the is in danger,” he said. dredth anniversary words to make new words, like Shakespeare can help improve guage, the bringing to life of future of Schengen Germany and Sweden are grappling of the death of Wil- bloodstained — while the pre- literacy, confidence and wider our history, his ongoing influ- with record numbers of migrants. They liam Shakespeare is eminence of his plays also did educational attainment. ence on our culture and his as more countries Tnot just an opportunity to com- much to standardise spelling So this 5th January, Twelfth ability to educate, there is just say it’s not possible to absorb any more tighten their memorate one of the greatest and grammar. Night, and every day through- the immense power of Shake- as opposition at home builds up at the playwrights of all time. It is But Shakespeare’s influ- out 2016, Britain is inviting you speare to inspire. From the most borders. government’s charitable attitude. a moment to celebrate the ence is felt far beyond our to join us in celebrating the life famous love story to the greatest Alarmed at the inability of Brussels extraordinary ongoing influ- language. His words, his plots and legacy of William Shake- tragedy; from the most powerful to find an immediate solution, some ence of a man who — to and his characters continue speare. Today we are launching fantasy to the wittiest comedy; member states have been implementing borrow from his own descrip- to inspire much of our cul- “Shakespeare Lives” — an and from the most memorable their own controls, which go against the tion of Julius Caesar — “doth ture and wider society. Nelson exciting global programme of speeches to his many legen- bestride the narrow world like a Mandela, while a prisoner on activity and events to high- dary characters, in William very spirit and concept of Schengen zone. If these controls continue, the Colossus.” Robben Island, cherished a light his enduring influence and Shakespeare we have one man, passport-free system risks a natural death. Shakespeare’s legacy is quote from Julius Caesar which extend the use of Shakespeare whose vast imagination, bound- It’s true that Europe has been facing an unprecedented migrant without parallel: his works said “Cowards die many times as an educational resource to less creativity and instinct for crisis, but imposing new controls is no solution. Millions have benefited translated into over 100 lan- before their death, the valiant advance literacy around the humanity encompasses the from Schengen, as have the European countries, and placing curbs on guages and studied by half the never taste of death but once.” world. whole of the human experience the system will be counter-productive and amount to undoing the vision world’s schoolchildren. As one While Kate Tempest’s poem “My The programme will run in as no one has before or since. of his contemporaries, Ben Jon- Shakespeare” captures the eter- more than seventy countries, So, however you choose to of founders of Europe. The new measures mean that travellers between son, said: “Shakespeare is not of nal presence of Shakespeare led by the British Council and play your part, please join us in the neighbouring countries will have to show their ID cards for the first an age, but for all time.” He lives when she wrote that Shake- the GREAT Britain campaign. 2016 in this unique opportunity time in over half a century, under a Nordic agreement that predates the today in our language, our cul- speare “…is in every lover who You can share your favour- to celebrate the life and endur- 20-year-old Schengen zone. Several EU countries, including Germany, ture and society — and through ever stood alone beneath a win- ite moment of Shakespeare ing legacy of this man; ensuring Austria and France, had re-imposed border checks last year as they his enduring influence on dow…every jealous whispered on social media, watch never- that, as he himself put it, “all grappled with the biggest refugee crisis since World War II. education. word and every ghost that will before-seen performances on the world’s a stage” and that The Schengen system is not rigid as it allows member countries to Shakespeare played a crit- not rest.” Shakespeare’s influ- stage, film and online, visit through his legacy, truly, Shake- ical role in shaping modern ence is everywhere, from exhibitions, take part in work- speare Lives. reintroduce temporary border checks in exceptional circumstances. English and helping to make Dickens and Goethe to Tchaik- shops and debates, and access Europe needs to return to the previous rules once the current crisis is over. it the world’s language. The ovsky, Verdi and Brahms; from new Shakespearean educa- first major dictionary com- West Side Story to the Ham- tional resources to get to grips David Cameron is the piled by Samuel Johnson drew let-inspired title of Agatha with the English language. British Prime Minister. Quote of the day Wrong predictions about Republicans in 2015

It’s (IS execution video) By Jonathan Bernstein and may lose the battle for the nomination. I made a fuss about it (mostly on Twitter, but see desperate stuff from an Bloomberg Not a single US senator supports him, and he here). Wrong! If we have enough ways to slice still hasn’t won the endorsements of many of the data, and we do, it’s likely that some “gap” organisation that really does do his House Freedom Caucus allies. But plenty or another will show up just by pure chance. the most utterly despicable and ime to account for what I got wrong in 2015. of Republican party actors outside of Congress I should have known better than to take this ghastly acts and people can The big one was about Ted Cruz. I back him. one seriously. Tbelieved, incorrectly, that party actors Most of my predictions about Donald Trump I’ve probably forgotten some additional see that again today. would resist Cruz’s presidential bid even within are about 2016, not 2015, so we’ll have to wait claims I made that were mistaken, and until the faction of the Republican Party most com- on those. But I strongly believed his run for the primaries and caucuses play out we won’t patible with his type of conservative politics. president in this cycle was another bluff, and I know if many of my other contentions are accu- Not only do the people who work with him said repeatedly on Twitter that he wouldn’t do rate or way off. But the three I mentioned? I’ll dislike him, I reasoned: They would also see it. Wrong! A third mistake I made in 2015 was try to learn from these mistakes and do bet- David Cameron his role in the 2013 government shutdown as technical, but important. In the fall, an apparent ter in 2016. evidence that he is a poor strategist. Wrong! gap turned up in Trump’s polling numbers. He British Prime Minister I overlooked his early lead this fall in amass- did better in live interview polls than in Inter- Jonathan Bernstein is a Bloomb- ing endorsements from current and former state net or automated phone surveys. The gap then erg View columnist covering US legislators. Cruz is still a factional candidate disappeared after several weeks but not before politics.

EDITORIAL TEL: 44557741 / 44557743 FAX: 44557746 / 44557758 P. O. BOX: 3488, DOHA, QATAR E-MAIL: [email protected] ADVERTISING TEL: 44557837 / 780 FAX: 44557870 CLASSIFIED: 44557857 E-MAIL: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION / HOME DELIVERY TEL: 44557809 /839 FAX: 44557819 E-MAIL: [email protected] OPINION TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 11 Inventing reality during conflicts

By Dr Mohamed Kirat

ews media are not presenting the truth, but they present what they want people to think of as truth. Framing is inventing reality. It is brainwashing since Nit does not give the public and the audience a room for thinking, rather, it does all the thinking for them and tells them how they should react and feel about happenings and events. People consciously agree with what is being presented to them because they are psychologically convinced that what they receive is accurate. The framing technique is all about manipulating facts to make them support certain ideologies and certain set of objec- tives to maintain the status quo and serve the establishment. This is social constructiv- ism which is the construction of ideologies and belief systems and this is how the news media’s major purpose is usually achieved through the process of framing news. People are constantly exposed to media that is full of biases due to framing tech- niques. Entman argues: “Although the schemas and interpretations within the individuals’ minds arise from prior beliefs and interpersonal communication as well as from the media’s words and images, there

A file picture of New York newspapers on display featuring personal photos of suspected Russian spies Anna Chapman To control, manipulate and reach (left) and Richard and Cynthia Murphy at a newsstand in New York. . social consent, more than 9,000 media practitioners work for various political and economic objectives of the Dictatorships, democracies, developed and thus suggesting a search for an alternative ruling power. Framing strategies are used developing countries all become similar in to classical communication theories. The American government departments, by news media to serve the status-quo and using the media, public relations, psycho- alternative that will explain the behav- with more than 1,500 media and the power elite by shaping public opinion logical warfare, propaganda, manipulation, iour and practices of the media during through agenda setting and deciding what framing, and distortion as an integral part wars, conflicts and crises come under the public relations practitioners for the gets in the news and how it is presented and of the war itself. name of “Government Press Coalition The- Pentagon alone. which aspects of it are highlighted. Fram- As expected, the United States began ory”. Regardless of the owner of the news ing is a psychological process which does preparations for its war against Iraq long organisation, and regardless of the politi- not impose different ideas on people, yet ago and further escalated its preparations cal, economic and level of democracy and it makes them unconsciously believe and after the events of 9/11 and its declaration freedom in society, the media institution is accept what it presents to them as reality. of war on terrorism. Its accusations to Iraq entirely in line with the government in times is no escape from framing”. Framing is fre- The failure of mass communication ranged from maintaining relations with of wars, conflicts and crises. Regardless, quently used in times of conflicts, crises theory to explain the practices of news Al Qaeda, having ties with Osama bin Laden, whether they are in Western democratic and wars. The news media and because of organisations can be noticed during the possessing weapons of mass destruction, countries, or developing nations; dicta- the stakes and challenges at play have to coverage of wars and crises. Unlike nor- even though United Nations inspection teams torships or authoritarian regimes, news Politics plays a secure their loyalty to the system by shap- mal circumstances, the coverage of wars operating in Iraq for more than a decade organisations surrender completely to the major role in the ing a public opinion favourable to what the and crises faces a number of stakes and failed to prove this allegation. The US media ideology of the government in the process government sees and views as right. challenges making the media part of the were not willing to play their watchdog role of manufacturing, gathering and dissem- media industry The news media constructs a reality war itself. and failed to question and investigate the inating the news, in order to fabricate, which plays a that justifies all the decisions made by the During war, principles such as freedom of war allegations of American officials. condition, and shape local and interna- determining role decision makers. On the events of 9/11, the the press and impartiality are not respected America justified its war on Iraq by tional public opinion in accordance with news media emphasised that America was and the journalism practice is completely claiming to spread democracy in this coun- the interests and objectives of those who in fabricating news a victim and it had to fight terrorism. Mon- different than in normal times. Very often, try and rid it of the “dictator” Saddam rule and govern. through framing ahan asserts “several studies found that the news organisation sides with the posi- Hussein, and thus liberating the Iraqi peo- Unfortunately, this is what’s happen- the initial mainstream media coverage, tion of its country during wars. Scholars ple from this tyrant. To control, manipulate ing while people around the globe need an and representation principally television, evoked a dominant who have studied press-government rela- and reach social consent, more than 9,000 accountable and responsible press that pro- that serve the frame that advanced the twin notions of tionships have arguably failed to develop media practitioners work for various Amer- vides them with truth, but only the truth that American victimisation and the need for criteria and standards that explain the behav- ican government departments, with more helps enlighten their minds and opinions. ideological, political a militaristic hunt for justice”. iour and practices of media organisations than 1,500 media and public relations prac- and economic Politics plays a major role in the media and journalists during wars. Yet it can be titioners for the Pentagon alone. It can be industry which plays a determining role asserted that there are no differences in concluded that in times of wars and cri- objectives of the in fabricating news through framing and media behaviour during war and crises ses alliances occur — whether hidden or The writer is a Professor of Public ruling power. representation that serve the ideological, among different media and political systems. apparent — between media and power, Relations and Mass Communication.

Obama’s gun control options each have legal pitfalls

By Robert Iafolla experts said. do nothing” about the issue. Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explo- be its presidential candidate in the 2016 Reuters Obama, who has expressed deep The Washington Post and Polit- sives (ATF) to redefine its guidance on election, including frontrunner Don- frustration about US gun control regu- ico reported late last week that one of who is considered a dealer under fed- ald Trump, said they would overturn lations after a series of mass shootings Obama’s main proposals would require eral gun law. This would be advisory any gun control measures by Obama at schools and other places during some unlicensed gun dealers to get and lack the force of law, which would if they get into office. resident Barack Obama is his presidency, said he will meet US licences and conduct background mean that prosecutors could not rely Still, the President should be on expected to announce new Attorney General Loretta Lynch to dis- checks on potential buyers. Current on it when pursuing small gun dealers. firm Second Amendment ground if he gun control curbs this week, cuss gun control measures that do not law exempts smaller dealers who often “The guidance could be used as pushes for a widening in the way the but he will have to decide require congressional approval. operate at gun shows and sell online. evidence that prosecutors made a rea- current law is applied, legal experts Pwhether to take bold action that would The president said in his weekly Obama, who has been thwarted by sonable interpretation that a dealer said. likely spark a major legal challenge radio address on Friday he has received the Republican-controlled Congress in needed a licence, but it’s not binding,” “There are very few things I’d say from opponents or a more cautious “too many letters from parents, and his push for tighter gun control legis- said James Jacobs, Law Professor at with 100 percent certainty about what route that may be less effective, legal teachers, and kids, to sit around and lation, could act through an executive New York University and author of the the Supreme Court and other courts order, which would be immediate and 2004 book Can Gun Control Work? would do, but I’m 100 percent certain carry the force of law. It would also “In a way, it’s more like a speech, that no court would say requiring more almost certainly prompt lawsuits by like the head of the ATF saying who background checks violates the Second gun advocates claiming the president needs a federal dealer’s licence,” he said. Amendment,” said Stanford University lacks the authority to change the legal Obama could choose an even law professor John Donohue. definition of who must obtain a deal- more cautious route and direct the The Second Amendment of the US er’s licence. ATF to begin the formal administra- Constitution protects the right of Amer- The conservative advocacy group tive rulemaking process to change icans to keep and bear arms. Freedom Watch plans to sue to block its regulations for who is considered Regardless of what steps Obama any executive order on gun control, a firearms dealer under the existing might take to increase the number of Larry Klayman, the group’s general Gun Control Act. Agency action that dealers who must conduct background counsel, told Reuters on Sunday. includes the chance for public com- checks, legal experts said that he can- An executive order would draw ment would create an enforceable rule not accomplish his desired gun control immediate comparisons to Obama’s that would likely pass legal muster, agenda — like boosting oversight of initiative aimed at protecting five mil- but that process probably would not gun show sales — through executive lion undocumented immigrants from conclude before Obama leaves office action alone. deportation. Challengers sued and won in January 2017. “This won’t really close the gun- an injunction that blocked the move. Lawmakers could still try to block show loophole, it will only narrow that The administration has asked the US such ATF rulemaking by denying the loophole,” said Adam Winkler, a law Supreme Court to take up that case. agency funding, particularly funds for professor at UCLA and author of Gun- enforcing the rule if it was passed in fight: The Battle Over the Right to Bear Guidance not binding the face of congressional opposition. Arms in America. “This is going to mar- A man shows a girl how to hold an airsoft gun during the NRA Youth Day at the National Rifle Association’s Obama could take the less risky Already some Republican candi- ginally increase the number of people annual meeting in Houston, Texas. path on guns by directing the Bureau of dates seeking the party’s nomination to who have to get a licence.” 12 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 PAKISTAN

Cash-strapped Siege near India’s Afghan consulate ends Pakistani man

AK47, denouncing the attackers as the returns bag No group has so far “enemies of Afghanistan”. Security officials said the clear- full of money claimed responsibility ance operation was prolonged as for the raid on the commandos proceeded cautiously in the residential area to avoid civil- Internews diplomatic mission in ian casualties. northern Afghanistan, An Indian official, who hun- kered down in a secure area within which left at least one the diplomatic enclave as the attack ISLAMABAD: When finding two policemen dead. unfolded, said on Sunday that all con- square meals a day is an uphill task, sulate employees were safe. stumbling upon Rs1m surely means Local police officials said some hitting the jackpot. Not for 28-year- consulate workers had been evacu- old Abdul Hameed, though, who AFP ated during the fierce fighting. came across such an amount just The spike in violence came about before New Year and immediately a week after Modi paid a surprise visit set about finding the rightful owner. to Pakistan, the first by an Indian pre- The cash-strapped car workshop MAZAR-I-SHARIF, AFGHANISTAN: mier in 11 years. employee ran into an unattended A 25-hour gun and bomb siege near The visit immediately followed a bag on his way back from work in the Indian consulate in Afghanistan’s whirlwind tour of Kabul, where Modi Jutial, Gilgit. “The bag was full of Mazar-i-Sharif city ended late yester- inaugurated an Indian-built parliament money,” says Hameed who hails day, after a bloody weekend assault complex and gave three Russian-made from Ghizer’s Yaseen Valley, about on an air base in India near the Paki- helicopters to the Afghan government. 150 kilometers from Gilgit. stan border. India has been a key supporter “I took the bag home and The lethal assaults on Indian instal- of Kabul’s post-Taliban government, counted the money. It was one lations threaten to derail Prime Minister and analysts have often pointed to the million,” Hameed said yesterday. Narendra Modi’s bold diplomatic out- threat of a “proxy war” in Afghanistan “The main issue was tracing reach to Pakistan following his first between India and Pakistan. the owner,” says Hameed who like official visit to Afghanistan last month. Pakistan — the historic backer of many young people from his valley No group has so far claimed respon- the Taliban — has long been accused never went to school as the area is sibility for the raid on the diplomatic of assisting the insurgents, espe- one of the least developed in terms mission in northern Afghanistan, which cially with attacks on Indian targets Afghan security personnel carry their wounded comrades during an operation near the Indian consulate in of infrastructure. Hameed shared left at least one policemen dead and in Afghanistan. Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, yesterday. the story with one of his associates 11 others wounded. The Taliban have also stepped up in the neighbourhood. Gunfights and grenade explosions attacks on government and foreign The latter narrated the same echoed as commandos shimmied down targets in Afghanistan, underscoring across downtown Kabul and blew out militants holed up in a building near capital. A Taliban suicide car-bomber to his boss Mithar Jan, a promi- a rope from a helicopter onto the roof a worsening security situation. out window panes of homes. the consulate, with powerful provin- struck a French restaurant popular nent social activist. The workshop of a nearby building from where assail- Also, a powerful car bomb struck But the Italian-run Emergency cial Governor Atta Mohammad Noor with foreigners in Kabul on Friday, employee says the money was ulti- ants had launched the attack on the near Kabul’s international airport yes- Hospital in Kabul said on Twitter: overseeing the operation. killing two people in a New Year’s mately traced to a cashier in NATCO, tightly-guarded compound. terday evening, just hours after a suicide “#Afghanistan two attacks today in Nearly 24 hours after the siege Day attack. a government-sponsored transport “The clearance operation is over bomber blew himself up in the war- #Kabul, we’re currently receiving began, security officials said they were Fifteen others were wounded in the company. and all three armed assailants have scarred Afghan capital. victims of the #masscasualty at our proceeding cautiously in the residen- attack on Le Jardin, an Afghan-owned “I earn Rs10,000 and sometimes been killed,” government spokesman No group immediately claimed Surgical Centre”. tial area to limit civilian casualties. eatery, which caused a piercingly loud up to Rs15,000 a month, but I have Shir Jan Durrani said, 25 hours after responsibility for the blast, which The violence comes as Afghan Earlier, a suicide bomber struck explosion and left a building engulfed never thought of using ill-gotten the siege began. “We are still doing appeared to target a compound for forces battle to end a protracted siege a street leading to the city’s interna- in flames. money. This is the manner in which room-to-room searches. The area is foreign contractors, an Afghan secu- near the Indian consulate in the north- tional airport, near where the second Islamabad is set to host a first I have been raised,” Hameed says. absolutely under government control.” rity official said. ern city of Mazar-i-Sharif which began blast took place, but no casualties were round of dialogue between Afghan- The next day, Mithar Jan, local Strongman provincial governor Officials said there were no imme- on Sunday night. reported. istan, Pakistan, the US and China on journalist Wajid Ali and Arab Khan Atta Mohammad Noor oversaw the diate reports of casualties from the Gunfights and grenade explosions The bombings mark the latest January 11 to lay out a comprehensive went to the NATCO office to hando- clearance operation armed with an explosion, which was strongly felt echoed as commandos battled to flush assaults on the war-scarred Afghan roadmap for peace. ver the money. “We wanted to present the money in a way which would acknowledge the young man’s actions,” said Ali. “However, the head Distance learning of NATCO Muhammad Saeedullah Sharif in Sri Lanka Polls delay creates refused to meet us even though we conveyed the purpose of the visit institute to adopt and other [necessary] details.” He said the group managed to online system unrest in PML-N meet a general manager and handed the large sum of money to him in his office. The journalist said it was Internews Internews resulted in its failure in the recently unbelievable that an impoverished held local government elections in individual did not think of using the the province. money even for a second. ISLAMABAD:P akistan’s largest Eng Amir Muqam and his support- Hameed is married with two distance learning institute plans to PESHAWAR: Despite completion of ers have been playing active role in children and lives with his family in enhance share of online academic the four-year tenure of the present the party for the past three years but a rented house in Gilgit for which he programmes. office-bearers of Prime Minister the issue of senior and junior work- pays Rs3,000 a month. The meagre “The objective is to facilitate Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N in Khyber ers still persists. income is the main hurdle between thousands of students, particu- Pakhtunkhwa, the central leadership Although the PML-N provincial Hameed’s children and their educa- larly those living abroad,” said a seems least interested to announce office-bearers avoid talking about tion as the father is unable to decide spokesman of the Allama Iqbal schedule for intra-party elections, internal differences openly yet during whether they should go to school Open University (AIOU). according to sources. background interviews they admit rift or be sent to work. “Automated educational serv- Insiders said that delay in intra- and grouping in the party. They also ices and digital academic contents party polls was causing unrest among blame central leadership for its failure will be made available to the stu- the would-be candidates. Pir Sabir to resolve organisational problems. Saudi foreign dents from basic literacy to the PhD Shah, the sitting provincial presi- A disgruntled group has also come level,” said AIOU Vice-Chancellor dent of PML-N, and his team were into existence in the party owing to minister’s visit Dr Shahid Siddiqui, while presiding nominated by central president Mian lack of coordination between the cen- over a briefing session on e-leaning Nawaz Sharif on Decemebr 29, 2011 tral and provincial leaders. put off to Jan 7 held at the institute the other day. at Nishtar Hall Peshawar, they said, “We have been trying to save the The university, he said had adding that many of the aspirants party but our leaders are least inter- Internews achieved another milestone by were expecting schedule for fresh ested to pay attention to us,” PML-N embarking on massive e-learn- intra-party polls. Peshawar president Abdul Sattar ing activities. According to sources, Pir Sabir Khalil said. ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister of The AIOU will be the first in the Shah has been provincial president He said that intra-party elections Saudi Arabia Adel Al Jubeir, who country to adopt the massive open of the party for over a decade but were due and it was duty of the cen- was due to arrive here on a two- online courses (MOOCs) system, now he feels that he is being ignored tral leadership to hold polls and give day official visit, cancelled the trip which emerged as a popular mode in important decisions. a chance to energetic people to lead at the last minute. According to a of learning worldwide in 2012. Rahmat Salam Khattak served the the party in different districts of the Foreign Office announcement here, The facility to be provided party as provincial general secretary province. the Saudi minister will now come through web will have virtual but he also tendered his resignation “We will oppose all those grab- on Thursday (January 7, 2016). classroom, besides availability of when PML-N candidates failed to win bing party seats through umbrellas. Jubeir was arriving in Islamabad online interactive study material. the local government elections in his We will raise voice against injus- to discuss the situation in the Middle Entire learners’ support system and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his wife Kalsoom Nawaz Karak district. However, central lead- tices,” he said and added that workers East and to take Pakistan into con- continuous assessment will be web- Sharif arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake ership is yet to accept his resignation. having 10-year experience could fidence on the 34-nation military based. Students will also be able to yesterday. Sharif arrived for a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka. According to insiders, the party become provincial office-bearers alliance recently formed by Saudi submit their assignments online. is also facing internal crisis which of the party. Arabia to fight against terrorism. Senate panel drafts 8 bills on swift justice in Pakistan

Internews systems. The panel was formed in May programme. The offences with respect or her identity by wearing a mask; programme, legal heirs would be his responsibilities. Any breach of the 2015 on a resolution moved by Sen- to which a witness or a related per- changing his or her voice, appear- provided adequate compensation agreement shall be a ground for ter- ator Col (retd) Tahir Mashhadi of the son may be placed under protection ance or any other form of segregation and dependent minors would get mination of the protection provided. Muttahida Qaumi Movement. include treason, sedition, murder, rape, during investigation; to allow video free education. The bills are likely to be introduced ISLAMABAD: Taking the initiative The new bills, drafted as a way violence, robbery, kidnapping, defeat- conferencing to protect identity pro- As envisaged by the proposed in the upper house of parliament in on providing speedy and inexpensive forward for providing swift justice ing the ends of justice and perjury. vided that such arrangements are bill, the Witness Protection Advisory the next session as announced by justice to people, the upper house of to the people, will be introduced by Section 4 of the bill states that the approved by the authority concerned. Board would comprise secretaries of Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani at parliament has drafted eight new bills, all parliamentary party leaders in the government should establish witness The bill also calls for assistance the law and justice and finance min- the time the report was tabled in including one on security and bene- Senate as private member bills. protection programmes for the safety in relocating the witness and provid- istries and also include the attorney the house. fits for prosecution witnesses. One of the bills, the Witness Pro- of any related persons as soon as the ing them alternative accommodation; general and the police chief. Once passed by the Senate, the The recommendations, in the form tection, Security and Benefit Act, 2015, act commences. providing transport and reasonable According to the proposed bill, bills would then be sent to the lower of new legislations, have been pro- relates to the investigation and trial The programme includes making financial assistance to the witness before a person is provided protection house for consideration. If they are posed by the Senate Committee of of serious offences and envisages necessary arrangements to allow the and for earning livelihood. under this act, he shall first execute approved in the National Assembly, the Whole after a detailed examina- providing compensation to the legal witness to establish a new identity; If the protected person is killed a memorandum of understanding they will become laws with the final tion of the civil and criminal justice heirs of a witness under the protection to allow the witness to conceal his due to his participation in the with the government, setting forth approval of the president. INDIA TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 13 7 dead as quake hits Bengal and north-east

Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Megha- to Assam since Sunday. Several multi-storey laya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and It was also reported that report at West Bengal, an official of the seis- least 20 people suffered minor injuries buildings in Imphal mological centre in Meghalaya said. as some buildings across Assam devel- collapsed while It was also felt in adjoining Myanmar, oped cracks due to the temblor. Chief Bangladesh and Bhutan. Executive Officer of Assam State Dis- many vehicles were Imphal later felt an aftershock aster Management Authority (ASDMA) damaged. The death measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale. P K Tiwary said: “There are reports Khongsai said the Emma market - the pouring in from different parts of the toll is expected to day market for women in Manipur - state about minor damage to buildings rise. Four women was badly damaged and cordoned off. and houses. We are trying to verify were among the “We are not allowing anyone to enter the reports.” the market to prevent any loss of life. He said there was no major dam- killed. “So far six deaths and 33 injuries age or any causality in Assam. The have been reported from Imphal. Dam- earthquake jolted the northern parts of ages to a few buildings, residential West Bengal, particularly the districts units and government offices have of Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling, leaving IANS been reported, including damage to at least a dozen people injured. a six-storey building,” a home min- In Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, at istry statement said. Prime Minister least two people were killed and 100 Narendra Modi spoke to Manipur Chief others injured. Many people rushed IMPHAL: An earthquake measur- Minister Okram Ibobi Singh on phone. out of their homes in panic. ing 6.7 on the Richter scale jolted Ibobi Singh convened a cabinet meet- The home ministry said the north-eastern states and West Bengal ing to review the situation. National Disaster Management early yesterday, killing seven people Modi also asked Home Minister Authority (NDMA) was coordinating in Manipur and injuring more than Rajnath Singh to oversee the situation. with north-eastern states for rescue 100 across the region. In Guwahati, Rajnath Singh said all and relief. Those killed included four women, central assistance would be extended “The NDMA has begun coordi- Manipur’s Inspector General of Police to the north-eastern states. nating with the state governments, Clay Khongsai said, Rescuers worked “The prime minister has asked me ministries of home affairs, defence, hard to rescue those trapped under to coordinate with all the chief min- telecom, National Disaster Response mounds of debris. isters in the region. I have spoken to Force, and government departments Khongsai said several multi-storey almost all of them though I could not and agencies,” a statement said. buildings in Imphal collapsed while contact the Manipur chief minister. India’s north-east region is consid- many vehicles were damaged. The “Manipur’s chief secretary told me ered the sixth major earthquake-prone death toll is expected to rise, an officer the damage is more in the state. The belt in the world. In September 2011, said in Imphal. centre will extend all required assist- Sikkim suffered heavy damage fol- The quake had its epicentre in ance to the north-eastern states to deal lowing a quake. Congress president Manipur’s Tamenglong district and with the crisis. “I have also spoken to Sonia Gandhi expressed concern over occurred at 4.35 a.m., snapping power Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoiji,” the deaths and destruction caused by supply across the state. It also shook said Rajnath Singh, on a two-day visit an earthquake in north-eastern states People move to safer place after an earthquake hits Imphal yesterday. Facebook activates ‘Safety Check’ for people in affected area

IANS can share that you are safe and see is the closest part of Bangladesh near that people you care about are safe as to Manipur, India,” one of the users well,” Zuckerberg posted on Facebook. Aminul Haque Chowdhury wrote on The quake occurred at 4:35 am and the comment section. NEWDELHI: With a powerful earth- had its epicentre in Manipur’s Tamen- There are more than 3,400 com- quake measuring 6.7 on the Richter glong district. Initial reports indicate ments on the post. Earlier, Facebook Scale rocking India’s north-eastern that one young girl was killed and 30 had activated the “Safety Check” fea- region early yesterday, Facebook has people were injured. ture for its users in Chennai to allow activated its safety check tool to help “My thoughts are with every- people to mark themselves as “safe” people in the area let friends and fam- one in the affected areas. May you from the floods in the flood-hit city ily know they are safe. and your loved ones stay safe and last year. The feature, which debuted in “A major earthquake just struck healthy,” Zuckerberg said. The safety October 2014, allows Facebook to ask northeastern India and we have acti- check tool can be accessed at https:// users whether they are safe if located vated Safety Check to help people in www.facebook.com/safetycheck/ near a natural disaster. the area let friends and family know manipurearthquake-jan03-2016 A click or tap on the “I’m Safe” but- they are safe,” Facebook founder Mark Zukerberg’s post has been liked so ton lets friends and loved ones know Zuckerberg wrote. far by over 100,000 users and shared straight away. Users can also check to “Tremors were also felt in Bangla- by nearly 8,000 users. “Thanks a lot see whether their friends are safe too. desh, Myanmar and Nepal. If you appear Mark Zukerberg for enabling safety Facebook’s Safety Check feature has to be nearby, we will send you a noti- check. I am in Bangladesh for yearly now been deployed on several occasions A church is seen damaged after an earthquake at Leimakhong village in Imphal yesterday. fication to access Safety Check so you vacation. My hometown is Sylhet which including the terrorist attacks in Paris. Rajnath assures 160 villages central aid to Space Park to come up in Bengaluru north-east electrified IANS communication and earth observa- for spacecraft to carry scientific instru- (state-run) firms like HAL (Hindustan tion services like remote sensing and ments or transponders as payloads Aeronautics Ltd) have been helping us GUWAHATI: Union Home Min- navigation, the park will enable the has shot up manifold. in making rockets and satellites over NEW DELHI: The union power min- ister Rajnath Singh yesterday industry to manufacture and supply “The space industry has to invest the years,” Annadurai added. istry electrified 160 villages in the assured of all central assistance MYSURU: The Indian space agency is their subsystems and vital compo- and build modular capacity to enable The senior space scientist, who country last week, the ministry said to the north-eastern states in the soon opening a 100-acre Space Park in nents faster for spacecraft assembled the country to launch as many satel- involved in the country’s maiden lunar yesterday. wake of an earthquake in Manipur Bengaluru where private industry play- at its satellite centre in the tech hub. lites to meet the growing demand of and Mars missions, addressed dele- “Of the electrified villages, 57 early morning. ers would be allowed to set up facilities “We have told them (private firms) the user industry, including the gov- gates and students on ‘Space Science, fall in Chhattisgarh, 40 in Odisha, “The prime minister has asked to make subsystems and components to increase their capacity building or ernment, private organisations and Technology and Applications’ at the 27 in Bihar, 16 in Rajasthan, nine me to coordinate with all the chief for satellites, a top official said. join us at the Space Park and make overseas users,” said Annadurai. plenary session of the five-day sci- each in Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh ministers of the north-eastern states. “The Space Park is coming up near components and other parts for our sat- The satellite centre also plans to ence congress in the campus of the and one village each in the states I have spoken to almost all of them. Whitefield for the private industry. ellites, as they have been already using allow the private industry to make University of Mysore here. of Tripura and Assam,” the minis- However, I could not contact the It is over 100 acres. It is likely to be our own facilities,” Annadurai said satellites end-to-end, including inte- The space agency outsources about try said in a statement. Manipur chief minister (Okram inaugurated this month,” Indian Space As India plans to launch at least gration and testing for launching them 80 percent of its requirements for rock- “Electrification of 160 villages Ibobi Singh). The Manipur chief Research Centre’s (ISRO) satellite cen- 10—12 satellites a year using heavy from its spaceport at Sriharikota in ets and satellites to the private industry resulted in overall increase of 42 secretary told me the damage is tre director M Annadurai said at the rockets to deploy them in the earth’s Andhra Pradesh. comprising about 500 small, medium percent over the week before of more in the state. The Centre will science congress here. lower or geostationary orbits for vari- “The Space Park will also contrib- and large units across the country for the ongoing electrification process extend all required assistance to With the space agency launch- ous applications and services, demand ute to the government’s ‘Make in India’ supplying structures, subsystems, com- under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya the north-eastern states to deal ing more satellites for various for subsystems and vital components initiative, as the private industry and ponents and parts. Gram Jyoti Yojna,” it added. with the crisis,” the minister told the media here. “I have also spoken to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi-ji and taken stock of the situation,” Rajnath Lodha panel favours separate BCCI and IPL governing bodies Singh, on a two-day visit to Assam since Sunday, said. While the temblor shook most north-eastern states, it is feared IANS Submitting its report to the Supreme governing council will be nominated have a right to vote. Other members responsible to an apex council that to have caused more damage in Court, the three-member committee or elected by the full members. from a state, or those without territory will be comprised of nine members Manipur although the exact loss is comprising its former chief justice, Jus- Of the remaining five, two will be or competitive presence -- Services, -- five elected, two representatives of yet to be ascertained. The Manipur tice Lodha, as also Justice Ashok Bhan the nominees of franchises, one will be Railways, CCI, NCC -- were relegated players association, and one woman. government’s officials confirmed NEW DELHI: The Justice R M Lodha and Justice R V Raveendran - former a representative of the players asso- to associate status without voting rights The Lodha committee has also that at least four people died while Committee yesterday proposed sep- judges of the apex court - suggested ciation (that is to be formed) and one in the BCCI. sought to put some restrictions on the around 50 people were injured. arate governing bodies for the Board reforms in the Indian cricket board will a nominee of the Comptroller and The Lodha panel also recom- BCCI office-bearers: they should not The Manipur government’s of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and announced a slew of measures, Auditor General of India. mended the appointment of a Chief be aged more than 70, should not be officials said at least four people and the Indian Premier League (IPL) among them that the IPL governing Among other key recommen- Executive Officer (CEO) to manage ministers or government servants - died while around 50 people were in a bid to partially segregate their body should be of nine members with dations, the panel stressed that one the day-to-day affairs of the BCCI. and cannot hold office for more than injured. Rajnath Singh arrived in functioning, while also suggesting a the secretary and the treasurer of the representation for one state is a fair The CEO will be assisted by six pro- three terms, with a a “cooling-off” Silchar in Assam’s Barak Valley one-state-one-member pattern for BCCI as its ex-officio members. idea and one association of each state fessional managers. The Lodha panel period between terms. It was after a on Sunday. the board. Two other members of the IPL will be a full member of the BCCI and said the CEO and his managers will be thorough survey the report was made. 14 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 INDIA One terrorist still holed up as search continues

Inspector General Major General Dush- area where the terrorists, suspected to Steps taken to ensure ant Singh told the media. be from Pakistan and trained by the “The operation will continue till outlawed Jaish—e—Muhammed (JeM) no terrorist was able all the personnel, assets and structure outfit, had been cornered, police said. to escape. Twenty are physically combed. So it is likely to IAF helicopters flew through the night take a long time,” he said. over the air base to assist ground forces. security personnel, “These terrorists are holed up in “Army and paramilitary forces have including 12 from NSG a double-storeyed building which is a surrounded the entire base, which is living accommodation of the air force spread over a huge area and has undu- and eight from IAF, personnel. The operations are on to lating terrain, buildings and forest area have been injured. clear this building from the terrorists,” which have to be searched very care- said Brigadier Anupinder Singh. fully to avoid casualties. That is why Five terrorists were The officers said the terrorists had the operation is taking longer time to already killed. come well prepared and were heavily complete,” a Punjab Police officer said. armed with the aim of targeting strate- He said steps were being taken to gic assets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) at ensure that no terrorist was able to the frontier base where a MIG-21 Bison escape from the area. Twenty secu- IANS fighter squadron and MI—35 attack hel- rity personnel, including 12 from NSG icopters are stationed. and eight from IAF, have been injured. A A search operation was also on in securityman who was grievously injured nearby villages for possible terrorists. was flown to Chandigarh on Sunday. PATHANKOT: Search operations There were reports of raids by security The terrorists failed to destroy IAF were in their final phase as security agencies at some other places in Pun- assets due to timely action by security forces moved to secure every inch of jab, Haryana and Chandigarh. forces, Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi the Pathankot air force base yester- Saturday’s audacious terror attack said in New Delhi on Sunday. day. Occasional sound of firing and started at 3 30am. Four terrorists were ”I congratulate our armed forces a blast was heard from inside as the killed on Saturday. The security forces and other security forces on success- counteroffensive by security forces have lost seven personnel. fully neutralising all the five terrorists neared 60 hours. The army, NSG and IAF officers said in ‘Pathankot Operation’,” union Home “We have eliminated five terror- the operation would continue till the Minister Rajnath Singh tweeted. My ists and operation to eliminate one combing of the air base was completed. heartfelt condolences to their families. more terrorist possibly is in the final NSG and army commandos con- We can never forget their sacrifice,” Army personnel take up positions near the building where the two terrorists are holed up at Air Force stage,” National Security Guards (NSG) ducted a thorough mopping of the entire he said base in Pathankot yesterday. Many pay respect to martyrs

IANS 51—year—old armyman who lost his was shifted to Bharat Electronics life on Saturday, had won a gold and Limited (BEL) ground to facilitate a silver at the first Commonwealth more people to pay their respects. His Shooting Championships held in father Sivaranjan worked with BEL. BENGALURU: Thousands of people Delhi in 1995. Niranjan’s body was flown to Ben- paid tributes to martyred National Paying his respects to 34-year-old galuru’s Kempegowda International Security Guard (NSG) commando Niranjan, Karnataka Chief Minister Airport around 1am yesterday. Lieutenant Colonel Niranjan E K Siddaramaiah said, “We have to be He died of fatal injuries suffered yesterday at his residence at Bom- united to end terrorism, then only while defusing a grenade in the ter- masandra in Bengaluru. India can develop.” rorist attack in Pathankot on Sunday. Garud commando Gursewak “Even as the prime minister vis- “I am familiar with Baghavad Gita. Singh, killed by terrorists at the ited Lahore (Pakistan) to extend a I consider my brother Arjuna. My Pathankot IAF base, was cremated hand of friendship, it is painful to brother had struggled a lot to become with full military honours yesterday know that seven of our soldiers Lieutenant Colonel and sacrificed a at his village Garnala in Haryana’s were martyred. We cannot evalu- lot,” said Niranjan’s teacher-sister Ambala district. ate their services to the country,” Bhagyalakshmi. Niranjan is sur- In Punjab, Chief Minister Par- added Siddaramaiah, laying a wreath vived by his dentist wife Radhika, kash Singh Badal visited the families on Niranjan’s body. 18—month—old daughter Vismaya, of Subedar Major (honorary cap- Siddaramaiah declared a com- father Sivarajan, step-mother and tain) Fateh Singh and Havildar pensation of Rs30 lakh for Niranjan’s brother Shashank. Kulwant Singh -- who were killed family. Union Minister of Chemicals The final rites of Niranjan will be while combating the terror attack and Fertilizers Ananth Kumar also held at Elambulsserry village in Pal- at Pathankot —in their native vil- paid respects to Niranjan and said, akkad district, Kerala, around 10am lages Jhandewal Khurd and Chak “We have sent a strong message to on Wednesday. Kerala Chief Minis- Sharif in Gurdaspur district. Pakistan to refrain from using its ter is expected to attend the funeral Wife of Lt. Col. Niranjan E K, one of the soldiers killed during attacks at the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, Gursewak Singh got married only soil to launch attacks on India.” The ceremony today, said an army offi- cries during the funeral in Bengaluru, yesterday. two months back. Fateh Singh, a NSG bomb disposal expert’s body cial overseeing the arrangements. Delhi locks horns with centre over the suspension of officials

IANS officers. He said that doing so would and insubordination among the DANICS The Aam Aadmi Party govern- Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil the special secretaries working under lead to “widespread indiscipline, insub- officers, which may result into complete ment on December 29, 2015, suspended Service) cadre -- to which Chandra him and therefore has “lawful power” ordination” and a state of “complete paralysis of Delhi government. “In a Subhash Chandra, special secretary and Garg belong -- decided to go on to place them under suspension. paralysis”. With this, the situation has way, declaration of void ab initio by the (prisons), and Yashpal Garg, special a strike. “It may also be seen that communi- NEW DELHI: Delhi’s Deputy Chief Min- turned much murkier. MHA appears to be without jurisdiction, secretary (prosecution), for allegedly The central government, however, cation from the MHA is merely a letter ister Manish Sisodia yesterday wrote In his letter to Rajnath Singh, Sisodia especially when the Constitution has refusing to sign on two cabinet notes declared the suspensions invalid and and not an order of the President of to union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, said: “Implementing MHA’s (home min- entrusted the responsibility of inter- related to hiking salaries of public pros- said the two officers will be deemed India. Implementing the MHA’s order saying the city government will not istry) order will seriously undermine pretation of statues and expounding ecutors and prison staff. on duty. will lead to anarchy and sabotage of comply with the centre’s order revok- the authority of an elected government of the law to the courts and not to the Following the order, officers Sisodia wrote that Delhi’s home functioning of a democratically elected ing suspension of two DANICS-cadre and promote widespread indiscipline executives,” he said. belonging to the DANICS (Delhi, minister was an officer “superior” to government by the bureaucracy.”

Delhites comply well with odd-even scheme Republic Day rehearsal

IANS test,” Transport Minister Gopal Rai told any such thing,” Rai said. While lakhs reporters. The minister praised Delhi of even-numbered cars plied on the Police, with which the Aam Aadmi roads, the government rolled out 7,143 Party government is at loggerheads, buses to ensure smooth travel for those NEW DELHI: Delhiites proved as mis- for its cooperation. who left their odd-numbered cars at placed the widespread doubts whether There was an overwhelming home and turned to public transport they would leave their odd-numbered response on the the first two days to to commute. cars at home on an even date yes- the scheme which was launched on Although many odd-numbered terday, and whether public transport January 1. Traffic was spared of the cars were spotted, they were running would creak under the new burden. regulation on Sunday. on CNG or driven by women —both Motorists largely complied with But sceptics said it was because exempted categories. the odd-even formula on its third day. of the extended weekend when peo- Of the total buses, 4,461 were of the Unlike the usual gridlock on Monday ple stayed at home, and the real test of Delhi Transport Corporation, while morning, traffic movement was smooth the city government’s traffic regula- 1,431 were cluster ones. There were on Delhi’s arterial and main roads. tion would be on Monday, the first full also 1,251 hired private buses, and the A total of 1,231 motorists were working day of the new year. remaining were school buses that fer- fined —1040 by Delhi Police and 191 “There were speculations and ried passengers. by the transport department —com- doubts about what would hap- The buses were not crammed as pared to 567 on the first two days of pen on Monday when all the offices feared. Delhi Metro commuters did the scheme when the authorities were open. Some people feared that public not find the train coaches extraor- “soft” on the violators. “This is a vic- transport may be overcrowded today dinarily crowded either. The roads Soldiers of the Assam Rifles march yesterday during the rehearsal for the forthcoming Republic Day tory of the people of Delhi. Because of (Monday) or there may be violations were less crowded yesterday and the parade to be held on January 26. their will, Delhi has passed its litmus by drivers, but we have not noticed pollution level marked was also low. EUROPE TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 15 Denmark and Sweden impose border checks

exempt from the checks. and bus between the Danish capital Sweden began Denmark’s prime minister said Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Sweden’s move gave his country no Malmo. Travellers expressed dismay checking documents option but to impose its own bor- at the new checks. of travellers from der controls and he appealed to the “I paid €230 for these tickets. European Union to take “collective This is Europe, not Africa. Why these Denmark for the first decisions” to better protect its external checks?” said Gezahegn Abebe, an time in half borders against the tide of migrants. Ethiopian migrant living in Norway as “The Swedish ID checks can he stood in the train station by Copen- a century. increase the risk of a large number hagen airport before trying to head of illegal immigrants to accumulate in to Sweden. and around Copenhagen,” Lars Lokke Returning home from a visit to Rasmussen told a news conference in Germany, Abebe said he had not been Reuters Copenhagen, justifying the new con- allowed through by security guards trols on the German border. when he showed his Norwegian res- Security staff check identity cards at Kastrups train station outside Copenhagen, Denmark, yesterday. Last year some 163,000 refugees idence permit. Unlike Sweden and sought asylum in Sweden, the largest Denmark, Norway is not in the EU but COPENHAGEN, STOCKHOLM: Den- number for any EU country relative it is a member of the Schengen zone. controls would last for 10 days but could Norway swiftly followed Sweden’s in Copenhagen will be hit. mark imposed temporary identity to its population. But with arrivals “They said this is not a passport. be extended. Officials in Germany, which lead and has announced 40 propos- Denmark’s state-owned rail oper- checks on its border with Germany running at around 10,000 a week in If you don’t have a passport you can’t itself is struggling to absorb about a als to tighten asylum rules. ator said the ID controls would cost yesterday following a similar move November, mostly travelling through go,” Abebe said. million migrants who arrived during ID-free travel within the Nordic it nearly 1 million Danish crowns by Sweden, dealing a double blow Denmark, the Swedish government More than one million migrants 2015, said they were paying close atten- region — long a popular magnet for ($147,000) a day. to Europe’s fraying passport-free has said it is time to tighten border fleeing conflicts and poverty in the tion to the new Danish border checks migrants due to its high standards of Danish employers fear fewer Schengen area amid a record influx controls and asylum rules. Middle East and beyond sought shel- and their possible impact on the north- living and generous social welfare Swedes will want to cross the bridge of migrants. “A dark day for our Nordic region,” ter in Europe in 2015 and many more ward flow of migrants into Denmark. benefits — dates back long before the to work in Denmark as a result of the Sweden began checking docu- former centre-right Swedish foreign are expected to come during 2016. Sweden has long been proud of its Schengen accord to the 1950s, when new rules. ments of travellers from Denmark minister Carl Bildt said on his Twitter The unprecedented numbers have self-proclaimed status as a ‘humani- Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland “Already now the lack of workers is yesterday for the first time in half a feed yesterday to describe the impo- strained to breaking point the EU’s free tarian superpower’ and its decision in and Iceland signed a passport union. a problem and if the Swedes do not want century, causing delays of up to 50 sition of border checks. movement policy and its attempts to November to tighten the border con- According to reports, around to work here due to a longer commute, minutes for trains and buses crossing Thousands of commuters daily use create a single economic area, with trols and asylum rules came close to 15,000 commuters cross the strait the problem will be even bigger,” Per- the 7.9km Oresund Bridge, Europe’s the Oresund Bridge — familiar to fans several countries temporarily re-intro- bringing down Prime Minister Stefan between Sweden and Denmark every nille Knudsen, Vice Chief Executive of longest combined road and rail bridge. of the ‘Nordic noir’ crime drama series ducing border controls. Lofven’s minority coalition govern- day and there are worries that busi- the Confederation of Danish Employ- However the private vehicles were “The Bridge” — o shuttle by car, train Rasmussen said the Danish border ment of Social Democrats and Greens. nesses in Sweden’s Skane region and ers, told Danish newspaper Borsen.

Canal cleaning Sudanese man reaching UK on foot gets asylum

Reuters Canterbury Crown Court where Haroun supported by a small, local refugee to Britain. Refugee rights campaigners appeared by video-link from prison rights group who were able to pro- and immigration lawyers had accused and spoke only to confirm his name, vide him with an address, which was the British authorities of seeking to prosecutor Philip Bennetts said Haroun not disclosed in court. make an example of Haroun to deter CANTERBURY: Britain has granted had been granted asylum on Decem- The judge told Haroun via an inter- others from following in his footsteps. asylum to a Sudanese man who made ber 24. preter that his bail terms were that The police, prosecution service global headlines in August when he Bennetts requested 14 days for the he had to live at that address, sleep and immigration authorities have not walked 50km through the Chan- prosecution to consider the impact of there every night, and report to a local commented publicly on the case, as nel Tunnel from France to England, this new information on the criminal police station every Wednesday dur- is standard when a criminal trial is highlighting the desperation of many case, suggesting that the charge against ing a two-hour window. pending. migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Haroun may be dropped. Haroun is the first migrant to have However, very little is known about Abdul Haroun, who was arrested Judge Adele Williams granted the made it to Britain by foot through the Haroun, who was 40 at the time of at the English end of the tunnel on request, adjourning the case to Janu- railway tunnel, a perilous 12-hour his arrest. August 4 and charged with obstruct- ary 18 for the prosecution to announce journey that involved dodging trains The court heard at an earlier hear- ing a railway under an obscure 19th their decision. She also granted Haroun travelling at up to 160 km per hour. ing that his mother tongue is Zaghawa, Century law, has been held in prison immediate bail after Bennetts made Thousands of migrants have been suggesting that he may be from Dar- since then and was due to face trial clear the prosecution was not oppos- camped out for months near Calais, fur, a region of Sudan ravaged by more this month. ing his release. the entry point of the tunnel on the than a decade of conflict between gov- In a brief hearing yesterday at While in prison, Haroun has been French side, hoping to find their way ernment and rebel forces.

Muslim Brotherhood behind migrant Cameron rubbishes IS video wave: Czech leader claim as group begins study AFP

Agencies accused of spying for the West. losing territory... increasingly losing PRAGUE: Czech President Milos The masked man threatens Prime anybody’s sympathy, and this again Zeman, known for his anti-migrant Minister David Cameron and vows that shows what an appalling organisa- comments, yesterday claimed the Islamic State will one day occupy Brit- tion we’re up against.” current wave of more than a mil- LONDON: British Prime Minister ain before shooting one of the alleged The masked militant shown in the lion newcomers to Europe was the David Cameron yesterday described spies in the head. new video was different from Emwazi work of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. an Islamic State group video appar- After the killings of the five men, but spoke in a clear English accent, “I believe this invasion is being ently showing the execution of five a young English-speaking boy, who is waving a gun at the camera while crit- organised by the Muslim Brother- British “spies” as “desperate stuff” wearing a black bandanna and appears icising Cameron. hood, using financial means from designed to deflect from their recent to be about four or five years old, is “This is a message to David Cam- a number of states,” the outspoken military losses. shown saying: “So go kill the kuffar eron, O slave of the White House, O 71-year-old leftwinger told the pub- Meanwhile, Britain yesterday right over there”. mule of the Jews,” the man said in the lic Czech Radio. started examining the video show- “It’s desperate stuff from an organ- 10-minute video released on Sunday. Zeman said he had received the ing a young boy in military fatigues isation that really does do the most Britain’s Foreign Office said it was information regarding the Muslim and an older masked militant who utterly despicable and ghastly acts aware of the video and was studying Journalists and passers-by watch the Jaures lock during the Brotherhood — an opposition force both spoke with British accents. and people can see that again today,” its contents. In November, British offi- draining of the Canal Saint-Martin in Paris, France, yesterday. in Egypt where it has been outlawed The propaganda video, which Cameron said during a visit to east cials said that up to 800 Britons had Authorities start a four-month cleanup operation of the canal to as a terrorist organisation -- from could not be independently verified, London. travelled to Iraq and Syria, some to refurbish its locks and remove silt. two sources, “both Muslims and also shows the killing of five men “This is an organisation that’s join Islamic State. leading Arab politicians”. He said the record migrant cri- sis is due to Europe’s obliging stance towards migrants on the one hand, and to “the efforts of the Brother- Fun with snow Brussels scales back hood to meet its goals” on the other. “The Muslim Brotherhood can- not start a war against Europe, it doesn’t have the power, but it can heightened security prepare a growing migrant wave and gradually control Europe,” said the Czech Republic’s first-ever directly Reuters However, the overall security level elected head of state. for the country, which has been at the Late last year, Zeman called the heart of investigations into attacks refugee wave “an organised inva- in Paris on November 13, remains sion,” urging young men from Iraq BRUSSELS: Belgian authorities at level three, one notch below the and Syria to “take up arms” against yesterday scaled down heightened maximum alert status. the Islamic State (IS) group instead security adopted over fears of a mil- Brussels had called off the city’s of running away. More than one itant attack in the capital on New traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks million migrants reached Europe in Year’s Eve, but the country as a whole over an alleged plot to attack the cap- 2015, most of them refugees fleeing remained on high alert. ital. Two of the Paris suicide bombers, war and violence in Afghanistan, Belgium’s crisis centre, a state Brahim Abdeslam and Bilal Hadfi, had Iraq and Syria. But few asylum seek- body that advises the government been living in Belgium, and at least ers have chosen to stay in the Czech on security, said the alert status for one man was suspected of having Republic, an EU and Nato mem- potential targets such as the police, coordinated the attacks by mobile ber of 10.5 million people, with the A family builds snowmen during this winter’s first snow on top of the Feldberg mountain, 20km west military and Brussels’s main square phone from Belgium as they were majority heading to wealthier Ger- of Frankfurt, Germany, yesterday. was downgraded to level two. being carried out. many and other western EU states. 16 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 EUROPE

Outgoing Spain leader Rough weather Mas vows not to give up

alliance — helped by the CUP — won a early elections in March in a region Deadlock continues majority of seats in the 135-seat Catalan that accounts for about 20 percent as the country likely parliament in a September election in of Spain’s output. The political mix, the wealthy, 7.5-million-strong north- already complicated by national party to head for fresh eastern region. leaders lining up on either side of the polls In November, they approved a Catalan independence debate, is still resolution calling for creation of an harder to predict with the collapse of independent Catalan republic within efforts to form a regional government. 18 months. But the honeymoon was “It’s anyone’s guess what will hap- short-lived as “Together for Yes”, which pen now” in Catalonia, Angel Talavera, AFP won 62 seats, battled with the CUP to an analyst at Oxford Economics in Lon- form a government. Mas’s coalition don, said by phone yesterday. The most needs the backing of the CUP, which probable scenario at national level is got 10 seats. And after more than three new elections, he said. BARCELONA: Catalonia’s outgoing months of negotiations, it failed to get Spanish leaders are trying to find separatist president Artur Mas, whose the support of the CUP, which resents their place in an upturned political months-long bid to be re-appointed as austerity measures implemented by landscape after Prime Minister Mar- head of the Spanish region appeared Mas in recent years and his CDC par- iano Rajoy lost his overall majority. to have been thwarted at the weekend, ty’s links to corruption scandals. The Socialists also lost backing as vot- said yesterday he would not give up. The far-left party said it could back ers turned to emerging parties such The region’s secessionist faction, another candidate, but Mas’s party has as the anti-austerity group Podemos, which won September parliamentary ruled that possibility out. which picked up votes in Catalonia by polls, has been riven by in-fighting ever “Our candidate is President Mas,” pledging support for an independence since due to a small, far-left separa- said Josep Rull of the CDC. “We are con- referendum. tist party that consistently refuses to vinced it’s viable, we must forge ahead.” Rajoy, whose People’s Party took give Mas the backing he needs to head As the January 9 deadline the most seats, has said he wants to up Catalonia again — a deadlock that approaches, the only option that build a broad-based government to could lead to fresh elections. remains for the “Together for Yes” defend economic growth and safeguard “I’m very relaxed and I want to coalition is to convince a few CUP Spain’s national integrity in the face fight, to forge ahead,” Mas said a day lawmakers to break rank and support of Mas’s demands for independence. after the CUP party announced once them. If they fail to do so, parliament The failure of Mas’s bid to create and for all that it would not back him will be dissolved and Mas will have a separatist regional administration as president, as the January 9 dead- no option but to call yet more elec- should in theory make the task fac- People run as huge waves hit the coast at San Sebastian, northern Spain, yesterday. Bad weather is line to form a government approaches tions —the fourth in the region in just ing Rajoy or whoever leads the new expected this week, especially in the northwestern part of the country, where rough winds, rain and dangerously close. over five years. national government easier, said snow are forecast. Mas’s “Together for Yes” secessionist This raises the likelihood of Talavera.

Warming up Bosnian Muslims EU Commission to debate arrested over new Polish laws Serb war crimes

Reuters and political stability in Europe. PiS AFP strongly denies such charges. Commission spokesman Marga- BRUSSELS: The European Commis- ritis Schinas told a news briefing in SARAJEVO: Three Bosnian Muslims sion said yesterday it would examine Brussels that the EU executive would suspected of killing Serb civilian and the impact of laws pushed through by hold a “political debate” on January military prisoners in the Srebrenica Poland’s new right-wing government 13 on the rule of law in Poland. region at the start of the 1992-1995 amid growing concerns for democ- Commissioner Gunther Oettinger, war were arrested yesterday, pros- racy and the rule of law in the EU’s said on Sunday Warsaw should be ecutor’s office said. largest eastern member. put under the EU’s rule of law super- The three —former members Since winning an election last vision, a three-step procedure that of Bosnian Muslim armed forces October, the Law and Justice party could end up with the suspension arrested in the northern town of (PiS), which advocates higher state of Poland’s voting rights within the Tuzla —are suspected to have killed spending, conservative Catholic values 28-nation bloc. 10 Serb civilians who surrendered and Euroscepticism, has moved to put The rule of law supervision frame- when the village of Zalazje came Polish public TV and radio broadcast- work was adopted in 2014 to deal under attack on July 12, 1992, the ers under direct government control with “systemic threats” to EU values. prosecutor said in a statement. and to change the makeup of the con- It was created amid concerns over Three of the civilians were killed stitutional court. judicial independence in two other in front of Srebrenica police sta- The court changes prompted pub- former communist member states, tion while seven were driven off lic protests, rattled investors and drew Hungary and Romania. in a truck in an unknown direction accusations from the rights activists Spokesman Schinas said the and were never seen alive again, People warm themselves up by a fire in a bus station in Katowice, Poland, yesterday. The temperature that PiS is undermining democratic planned discussion on the changes the statement said. in Katowice was forecast to fall to minus 9 degree Celsius. checks and balances in a country in Poland did not amount to a first step One of the suspects is addi- long seen as a bulwark of economic in the rule of law procedure. tionally accused of having killed a prisoner-of-war on June 21, 1992, in another village near Srebrenica. Sixty-nine civilians were killed when Muslim forces attacked Zal- Italian diplomat takes Breivik’s trial to take place in prison azje and three other villages on July 12, 1992, according to Bosnian Serb associations of families of the AFP he argues is a violation of his human district court ruled. victims. No-one has ever been con- helm at UNHCR rights. His court case had since pre- The prison conditions could be victed for the crimes, families of the viously been scheduled to take place more closely studied on site, it added. victims say. In July 1995, Srebrenica OSLO: Mass murderer Anders Behring March 15-18, but the question of where On July 22, 2011, Breivik killed was the scene of a mass execution Breivik’s court case against the Norwe- the case would be heard had yet to be eight people in a bomb attack outside of some 8,000 Muslim men and AFP hit a record high of more than 60 gian state over his prison conditions, determined, given the security prob- a government building later murdered boys by Bosnian Serb forces. million in 2015 — surpassing even which he likens to “torture”, will take lems posed by moving Breivik from another 69 people in Utoeya. It was considered to be the worst the 50-million mark reached dur- place in the jail where he is being held, the prison. He was handed a 21-year prison atrocity in Europe since the World ing World War II. a court ruled yesterday. The state had proposed holding sentence in August 2012, which can War II and two international courts GENEVA: Italian diplomat Filippo Europe too faced its worst migra- Breivik killed 77 people in a the trial in prison, and Breivik’s law- be extended if he is still considered a described it as an act of genocide. Grandi began work yesterday as the tion crisis since 1945, with over a bombing and shooting rampage in yer agreed to the idea. danger to society. In a report published More than 3,200 Bosnian Serb new head of the UN refugee agency, million men, women and children 2011 because he was opposed to Nor- “Practical considerations and in November, Norway’s parliamentary civilians and soldiers were killed facing the mammoth task of leading reaching its shores in 2015. way’s multiculturalism. security issues justify that the case ombudsman said Breivik’s solitary during the inter-ethnic war in the efforts to deal with record levels of Most of those risking the perilous He has complained repeatedly be heard at the Skien prison,” about confinement risks turning into “inhu- Srebrenica region and nearby town displacement worldwide. journey across the Mediterranean about being held in isolation, which 100km southwest of Oslo, the Oslo mane treatment”. of Bratunac. “UNHCR is navigating extraordi- mainly to Greece and Italy were ref- narily difficult waters,” Grandi said ugees desperately fleeing war and in a statement yesterday. persecution in Syria, Afghanistan and “The combination of multiple con- Iraq. The choice of Grandi for the key flicts and resulting mass displacement, post was seen as a nod to Italy, which Art dealer’s multi-million In remembrance fresh challenges to asylum, the fund- has been particularly hard-hit by the ing gap between humanitarian needs refugee crisis in Europe. and resources and growing xeno- Denmark’s restrictive policies on fraud trial opens in Paris phobia is very dangerous,” he said. refugees were meanwhile cited among The 58-year-old diplomat offi- the factors weighing against one of AFP breeders. cially replaced Antonio Guterres on his competitors, former Danish prime He is accused of hiding more than Friday, when the former Portuguese minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt. €550 million ($600 million) in fam- prime minister stepped down after Grandi was also recognised for his PARIS: Several members of the ily money after the death of his father a decade at the helm of the refugee work in several tough UN positions Wildenstein art-dealing dynasty went Daniel in 2001 and brother Alec in agency. over a 30-year career in international on trial in Paris yesterday charged 2008. Alec was famed for from Swiss But Grandi arrived for his first affairs. Among them was his challeng- with stashing hundreds of millions socialite Jocelyne Perisse, nicknamed day of work at the UNHCR headquar- ing work as head of the UN Palestinian of euros in inheritance money out of “Bride of Wildenstein” for her extreme ters in Geneva yesterday morning, refugee agency UNRWA from 2010 to reach of the French taxman. facial cosmetic surgeries, reportedly the agency said, adding that he was 2014, a post he held after serving as Family patriarch Guy Wilden- to make her look more catlike. taking the wheel “at a time of unprec- its deputy from 2005 to 2010. stein, 70, faces up to 10 years in prison The divorce was the first action edented displacement challenges.” Grandi had previously worked as for tax fraud and money laundering. by a series of women who felt hard A cameraman films a worker fixing a memorial stone in memory Late last year, the agency deputy envoy to the UN aid mission in The Franco-American is the heir done by the Wildenstein men that of policeman killed last year, during the jihadist attack onCharlie announced that the number of peo- Afghanistan and was UNHCR’s mis- of three generations of wealthy art forced the family to lift the veil of Hebdo, yesterday. ple displaced by war and violence sion chief there. dealers and thoroughbred racehorse secrecy over its fortune. AMERICAS TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 17 Obama starts year with a fight over gun control

in the past. “We definitely think there are things he can do,” said Dan Gross, With new gun president of the Brady Campaign to measures, Obama Prevent Gun Violence, which advo- kicks off his final year cates for expanding background checks. Gross says his recent conversations in White House on a with White House aides have left him contentious note. hopeful. “It’s very clear that the White House is feeling emboldened,” he said. Even before the president’s for- mal announcement, Republicans were AP registering their opposition. “The pres- ident is at minimum subverting the legislative branch, and potentially over- turning its will,” House Speaker Paul WASHINGTON: US President Barack Ryan, R-Wisconsin, said in a state- Obama is slated to finalise a set of new ment yesterday. executive actions tightening the nation’s Obama announced the meeting gun laws, making his first order of busi- with Lynch in his weekly address from ness in 2016 a clear signal the president his Hawaii holiday vacation. On Thurs- in his final year doesn’t intend to go day, he’ll take his argument to prime quietly. time, participating in a town hall dis- At a meeting with Attorney Gen- cussion of gun violence on CNN. He’s eral Loretta Lynch, FBI Director James slated to make his case for changes Comey and other top law enforcement in his State of the Union address on officials Obama is expected to sign January 12. off on a package of proposals aimed The high-profile rollout reflects at curbing gun violence and crack- a White House continuing to look for ing down on unregulated gun sales. ways to wrap up unfinished business, At the top of the list is an effort to despite an uncooperative Congress. expand background checks on gun After all but ignoring the issue in sales by forcing more sellers to regis- his first term, Obama changed course ter as federally licensed gun dealers. after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook The changes would be aimed at some Elementary in December 2012. Nev- unregistered sellers who skirt the back- ertheless, the president failed to push ground check laws by selling at gun a package of gun measures through shows, online or informal settings. Congress, including one expanding Other moves being considered background checks. include improving reporting of lost At the same time, Obama took Handguns are seen for sale in a display case at Metro Shooting Supplies in Bridgeton, Missouri. and stolen weapons and beefing up nearly two dozen executive actions inspections of licensed dealers, accord- to tighten gun laws, but left a major ing to a person familiar with the plans expansion of background checks out register, increasing the chance of sales a political debate on the presidential that the president is going to take some control measures in the past. who would not be named discussing of the mix. to customers prohibited by law from campaign trail, both over the policy and action with executive action in the next “This president is a petulant child,” proposals before they are finalised. But after the shooting at a com- purchasing a gun. whether the president has the authority week or two ... but if it’s a Republican New Jersey Gov Chris Christie said. “The The package includes measures munity college in Roseburg, Oregon The administration is expected to to make it. Democrat Hillary Clinton, who walks into the White House within fact is if he wants to make changes to this White House has long consid- in October, a weary and angry Obama reclassify some of those dealers using who has already proposed an executive the first day, the executive orders will these laws, go to Congress and convince ered but not completed, mindful of ordered his staff to redouble the effort to a mix of criteria, such as the number action to close the gun show loophole, be reversed.” the Congress that they’re necessary. the legal fight sure to follow as well look for ways to work around Congress. and frequency of guns sold, whether cheered Obama’s plans. Rival Sen Bernie Sanders, an inde- But this is going to be another illegal as the potential for political backlash Under current law, feder- sellers profit off sales, whether they “I am absolutely convinced we can pendent from Vermont, told ABC’s “This executive action which I’m sure will for some fellow Democrats. ally licensed firearms dealers are advertise, rent space or tables at gun have gun safety measures consistent Week” he wished Congress could find be rejected by the courts.” “I don’t like But after a steady string of mass required to seek background checks shows and pay taxes. White House offi- with the Constitution,” she said during consensus but added the move was the changing anything,” Donald Trump shootings and with the clock on his on potential firearm purchasers. But cials have not yet disclosed the details a presidential campaign event in Con- “right thing to do.” Republicans candi- said on CBS’ “Face the Nation”. “Right tenure ticking down, Obama appears advocacy groups say many sellers of the proposal. cord, New Hampshire. “I will take on dates rejected the proposals, including now, they have plenty of rules and primed to push further than he has are currently exempt from having to Obama’s plans immediately set off that fight. I’m very hopeful and excited those who have backed some gun regulations.”

Mexico mayor’s killing a threat to Trump unveils TV ad others: Governor and urges Muslim ban

AFP AFP allegedly inspired the couple. “And he’ll stop illegal immigration by building a wall on our southern border that Mexico will pay for,” the CUERNAVACA: A state in central NEW YORK: Republican frontrunner commercial added. Iowa votes first in Mexico took over police command Donald Trump yesterday unveiled his the nation in the nomination race, on in several towns after a mayor was first TV ad of the presidential elec- February 1, followed by New Hamp- assassinated, a crime described as tion campaign, demanding a ban on shire eight days later. a gang threat to other mayors. Muslims entering the United States “I am very proud of this ad. I don’t Governor Graco Ramirez and vowing to decapitate the Islamic know if I need it, but I don’t want to ordered the State Security Com- State group. take any chances,” Trump said yes- mission to take charge of police in The 30-second ad will be broad- terday. The real estate tycoon, who 15 municipalities of Morelos state, cast in Iowa and New Hampshire from is funding his own campaign, has including the capital, Cuernavaca, today, costing $2m a week ahead of boasted of spending no money on and Temixco, where the slain mayor the state’s first-in-the-nation voting political television ads until this one. served. contests, his campaign said. He has led the polls for months, Gisela Mota, 33, a left-of-centre “The politicians can pretend it’s using his bombastic and provocative former member of Congress, was something else but Donald Trump style to dominate the media spotlight, A US flag covers a sign at the entrance of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge near Burns, Oregon. gunned down on Saturday, barely calls it radical Islamic terrorism without spending any of the $35 mil- 24 hours after taking her oath of — that’s why he’s calling for a tempo- lion he said he had expected to use office in Temixco, which is about rary shutdown of Muslims entering on ads by January 1. 90km south of Mexico City. the United States,” says the voiceo- He claims to have spent the least FBI seeks end to occupation Police officials say gunmen burst ver on the ad. money of all the candidates on the into her home and killed her. Two The commercial opens with campaign trail and of still achieving suspected gunmen were later killed footage of the billionaire candidate “the best results,” saying, “This is the and three were detained, includ- addressing a rally before segueing kind of thinking the country needs.” at Oregon wildlife refuge ing a minor. into an image of President Barack Trump has previously run radio Morelos state has been plagued Obama and Democratic frontrun- ads and will launch a new one this by drug cartel violence as well as ner Hillary Clinton, and then mug week featuring Kathryn Gates-Skip- kidnappings and extortion. shots of the couple responsible for the per, the first female Marine to serve in Reuters with authorities backing down, cit- we will not be releasing any specifics Mota had vowed to clean up San Bernardino killings last month. combat operations, his campaign said. ing safety concerns. with regards to the law enforcement crime when she took office. The “He’ll quickly cut off the head of Trump is scheduled to address A lawyer for the Hammonds sought response,” the Federal Bureau of Inves- governor said she had agreed to ISIS and take their oil,” added the male a political rally in Lowell, Massa- to distance his clients from Bundy and tigation said in a statement. back a “single command” coordi- speaker, referring to the IS extrem- chusetts, followed by another in PRINCETON: Federal law enforce- his armed band, saying they did not The Hammond ranch borders on nation scheme that groups state ist group based in Iraq and Syria that Claremont, New Hampshire today. ment officials yesterday sought to bring speak for the family. the southern edge of the Oregon ref- and local police. a peaceful end to the weekend occu- Hammond and his son, convicted uge, a bird sanctuary in the arid high Her murder “is a message and pation of a headquarters of an Oregon in 2012 of setting fires that spread to desert in the eastern part of the state, a clear threat for the mayors who US wildlife refuge by self-styled mili- public land, traveled to Los Angeles on about 490km southeast of Portland. recently took office to not accept tiamen, while authorities said all staff Sunday evening to surrender to federal The US Fish and Wildlife Serv- the police coordination scheme that at the facility were safe. authorities, according to their lawyer ice said late on Sunday that all of its we have supported and that is being The occupation, which began on W Alan Schroeder. They were to be staff from the facility were safe and built at a national level,” Ramirez Saturday, is the latest skirmish over sent back to prison after federal pros- accounted for. “Thanks for your con- told a news conference. federal land management in the west- ecutors won an appeal that resulted cern re the situation at Malheur NWR,” Morelos has around 30 munic- ern United States. It followed a march in in their re-sentencing to longer terms. the agency said on Twitter. “We are ipalities and about half have not Burns, a small city about 80km north of The incident is part of a decades- working to resolve this peacefully.” ratified the single command. the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, old conflict between ranchers and The Bundy ranch standoff drew The governor, who attended in protest over the imminent jailing the federal government over Wash- hundreds of armed protesters after the Mota’s funeral, declared three days of ranchers Dwight Hammond Jr and ington’s management of hundreds of Bureau of Land Management sought of mourning in the state and ordered his son, Steven Hammond. The FBI thousands of range land. Critics of to seize Bundy’s cattle because he flags to be flown at half-staff. declined to give details on plans by the federal government say it often refused to pay grazing fees. Federal Mota’s Democratic Revolution federal officials. oversteps its authority and exercises agents backed down in the face of the Party (PRD), of which Ramirez is The occupation was led by Ammon arbitrary power over land use with- large numbers of armed protesters and a member, hailed her as a “strong Bundy, the son of Cliven Bundy, a out sufficient accountability. returned hundreds of cattle. and brave woman, who, when she Nevada rancher whose family staged “Due to safety considerations for Bundy told a conference on Sun- took office as mayor, declared that a 2014 armed protest against federal both those inside the refuge as well as day that some of the occupiers were her battle against organised crime A December 2015 file photo shows Donald Trump speaking at a rally land management officials that ended the law enforcement officers involved, armed but did not plan violence. would be frontal and direct”. at the Westgate Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. 18 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 AMERICAS

Volcano erupts Blizzard kills Whites and Republicans 15,000 dairy are the angriest people cows in Texas AFP

anger primarily according to the fre- in American institutions, while New quency with which respondents report York Times-CBS News polling has CHICAGO: A freak blizzard killed The survey found that hearing or reading something that found that public perception of race at least 15,000 dairy cows in the half of all Americans makes them angry”. It did not, there- relations has degraded since Obama’s US state of Texas and for almost fore, account for the intensity of each inauguration. In the latter survey, 33 two days kept farmers from milk- say they are angrier bout of rage. percent of blacks considered Amer- ing some of those that survived, today than they were In a response to the question, ican race relations “generally good”, officials said yesterday. “About how often do you hear or read nine percentage points below whites. The brutal winter storm dumped a year ago. something in the news that makes you Meanwhile, the NBC News-Sur- heavy snow on the northern part angry?” 73 percent of whites said they vey Monkey-Esquire poll found that of Texas on December 26. Farm- get angry at least once a day, in con- although far more whites than blacks ers have not yet fully assessed the trast to 66 percent of Hispanics and 56 said race relations have become worse damage. “They’re still trying to dig The Washington Post percent of blacks. Seventy-seven per- since Obama was elected, they are out, but at least it stopped snow- cent of Republicans also said they get also more likely to see police killings ing,” Kirsten Voinis, a spokeswoman angry at least once a day, compared as isolated incidents. for the Texas Association of Dair- to 67 percent of Democrats. With regard to political divisions, ymen, said. WASHINGTON: Often, 2015 felt like Among household income brack- Republicans are angriest about con- Texas ranchers typically let their the year of outrage. The reasons for ets, “the middle of the middle class” gressional dysfunction and consumer cows graze in pastures rather keep- this were large and small - from police ($50,000 to $74,999) reported feeling fraud, while Democrats are the most ing them locked up in barns. The brutality to all manners of micro- anger at greater rates than the “very mad about police officers shooting storm hit too suddenly for them to aggressions, from terrorism to the rich” ($150,000 and up) and the “very unarmed black men. There is still much get their cows inside. colour of a coffee cup. Americans of poor” ($15,000 and less). About 53 per- that angry Americans can agree on. The association estimates that every race, economic background and cent of women say they are angrier The outrage surrounding school the storm killed about ten percent political leaning seemed to share a this year than last, compared with shootings was near-unanimous, with of mature dairy cows in the region. common gift: The ability to get angry. about 44 percent of men. more than 90 percent of respondents It does not yet have an estimate as These fiery sentiments were What accounts for these differ- among all ethnicities, genders and to how many calves and heifers measured by NBC, Survey Monkey ences, along with the seeming trend political parties concurring that they were killed. and Esquire over the course of four of increasing anger in the population? are a source of anger. Moreover, at Safely disposing of the carcasses days in November, in an online poll The survey results paint a narrative of least 80 percent of Republicans and will be a major challenge. “We usu- of 3,257 American adults aptly called American decline, to which a major- Democrats were angry about massive ally send them to rendering, but the “American Rage Survey”. ity of respondents subscribe, along consumer fraud, and the hypothetical we’re not sure if rendering will be Now the results are in, and they with the feeling that racial tensions protest sign “Taxed Enough Already” able to handle a number this big,” reveal a landscape of national anger in the country have reached a high. ranked in the top three picks of both Voinis said. as layered as the population itself. Fifty-two percent of Americans political groups. “We’re trying to figure out if Americans are angry about a lot of said the American Dream “once held Despite the high rates of anger there’s wintering capacity, or if we things, apparently, and sometimes true but does not anymore”. Thirty- among most respondents, Esquire edi- do have to bury them. That opens even about the same things. nine percent think that race relations tors saw one pattern that suggested up other issues... water quality and Esquire editors declared: “The have become worse since President optimism over despair: “Indeed, despite how it impacts your land.” body politic is burning up. And the Obama was elected. having what many would consider Many of the surviving cows anger that courses through our head- More interesting than these num- a more legitimate case for feeling will also likely give less milk for lines and news feeds - about injustice bers are the demographic differences angry, black Americans are gener- months to come. and inequality, about marginaliza- within them. While blacks are more ally less angry than whites. Though They are typically milked twice tion and disenfranchisement, about likely than whites and Hispanics to they take great issue with the way they a day, but the bad roads and blow- what they are doing to us - shows no think that the American Dream still are treated by both society in general ing snow meant farm workers were signs of abating.” holds true, they are also more likely - and the police in particular, blacks are unable to get some cows into their The survey found that half of all by 15 percentage points - to think that also more likely than whites to believe barns to be milked for as much as Americans say they are angrier today the recent killings of African Ameri- that the American dream is alive; that two days. than they were a year ago. Among the can men by police are part of a larger America is still the most powerful “When a dairy cow goes that The Fuego Volcano, 50km southeast of Guatemala City, begins groups polled, white Americans and pattern in the police’s treatment of country in the world. . . . Their opti- long without being milked, her milk Republicans are the angriest of all. African Americans. mism in the face of adversity suggests a new weak eruption phase with moderate explosions and supply starts to dry up,” Darren Tur- For the purposes of quantification, A Gallup poll from the past summer that hope, whatever its other virtues, ‘rumblings’, yesterday. ley, executive director of the Texas the survey “measured and compared showed a similar waning confidence remains a potent antidote to anger.” Association of Dairymen, said. Vote to repeal Obama’s health law marks testy start to 2016

Powerball’s AP Planned Parenthood. The measure already has “You’re going to see us put a bill on the presi- Also expected early in the Senate’s year is passed the Senate under special rules protect- dent’s desk going after Obamacare and Planned legislation dealing with Syrian refugees, fol- jackpot jumps to ing it from Democratic obstruction. Parenthood so we’ll finally get a bill on his desk lowing House passage of a bill clamping down WASHINGTON: Legislation repealing Presi- But that’s the point for Republicans, who to veto,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R—Wiscon- on the refugee programme. $400m with no dent Barack Obama’s health care law comes to intend to schedule a veto override vote for Jan sin, told conservative talk host Bill Bennett over Conservatives were angry when the year the forefront when the House reconvenes this uary 22, when anti-abortion activists hold their the holidays. ended without the bill advancing. Senate Repub- winners week, marking a sharply partisan start to a con- annual march in Washington to mark the anni- “Then you’re going to see the House Repub- lican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky gressional year in which legislating may take a versary of the Supreme Court decision in 1973 lican Conference, working with our senators, promised a vote, though without specifying WASHINGTON, DC: Pow- back seat to politics. that legalized abortion. coming out with a bold agenda that we’re going whether it would be the House bill or some- erball’s jackpot has surged to The bill undoing the president’s prized over- Despite dozens of past votes to repeal the to lay out for the country, to say how we would thing else. The House Benghazi committee will an estimated $400m after the haul of health care has been like a long-delayed health law in full or in part, Republicans never do things very differently,” Ryan said. continue its investigation of the attacks that killed first drawing of the New Year New Year’s resolution for Republicans. It will before have succeeded in sending a full repeal In the Senate, which reconvenes Jan 11, a week four Americans in Libya in 2012. resulted in no winning ticket be the first order of business for the House in bill to the White House. later than the House, early action will include a This comes amid new Democratic accu- holders, the operator of the the new year. They insist that doing so will fulfill prom- vote on a proposal by Sen. sations of political motives aimed at Hillary multistate game said yester- There are few areas of potential compromise ises to their constituents while highlighting the Rand Paul, the Kentucky Republican who Clinton after the committee chairman, Rep day. Powerball, played in 44 between Obama and the GOP majority in the clear choice facing voters in the November pres- is running for president, for an “audit” of the Trey Gowdy, R—South Carolina endorsed Sen states, two US territories and House and Senate, but plenty of opportunities idential election. Federal Reserve. Democrats are likely to block Marco Rubio, R-Fla. for president. Clinton, the Washington, DC, will hold its for political haymaking during the presidential Every Republican candidate has pledged to it. But, like the health repeal bill in the House, front-runner for the Democratic presidential next drawing on tomorrow, campaign season. Obama will veto the health undo the health law. The Democrats running for the vote will answer conservative demands in nomination, was secretary of state at the time giving players another crack law repeal bill, which also would cut money for president would keep it in place. an election year. of the Benghazi attacks. at the grand prize. While no ticket holder had all six numbers in Saturday evening’s drawing (5,6,15,29,42 and the Powerball number 10), Amateur bullfight more than 2 million ticket hold- Haiti vote marred ers won smaller prizes totalling nearly $21m. El Salvador issues by fraud: Probe tips for migrants AFP that work by the government’s Elec- SAN SALVADOR: The gov- toral Board was sloppy, and led to ernment of El Salvador on many irregularities. Sunday offered advice to allay When the independent com- the worries of its citizens living PORT: Haiti’s first round of presiden- mission spoke with members of the illegally in the United States, tial and legislative voting was marred (CEP) board, they said that 60 per- where immigration authorities by fraud, as opposition forces have cent of polling station staffers were have vowed to crack down on charged, an independent panel said unable to do their work properly, the undocumented residents. “If in its report released on Sunday. In report said. you are detained by an immi- the October 25 first round to choose a “There were also votes crossed gration agent, remain calm. If successor to President Michel Martelly, out, as well as math or tallying prob- you have immigration papers, the candidate he backed — Jovenel lems,” it added. Additional woes were present them. If not, ask imme- Moise — drew 32.8 percent of the vote found in voter ID inspection. That diately to contact your attorney against 25.3 percent for Jude Celestin. likely meant “votes were not cast or the nearest consulate of El A runoff had been due to go ahead by some voters even though they Salvador. on December 27 but was canceled were eligible to do so,” the report It was issued amid news after fraud allegations. stressed. reports that Barack Obama’s The first round and the sub- The October presidential election administration was planning sequent lengthy and delayed vote was the latest attempt in the Ameri- to round up and expel undoc- count was marked by street pro- cas’ poorest country to shed chronic umented migrants—including tests alleging official corruption. political instability and work toward families. Crackdown could Celestin refused to campaign until development. Haiti is still struggling A group of people participate in a ‘corraleja’ (traditional amateur bullfight) in Turbaco, close to begin soon. an independent electoral commis- to recover from a devastating 2010 Cartagena, Colombia. sion was set up. earthquake that killed more than The commission said in its report 250,000 people.

PRAYER TIMINGS WEATHER Minimum: 14o C Maximum: 21o C

FAJR 04.59 am ZUHR 11.39 am MAGHRIB 05.00 pm HIGH TIDE 02:45 - 11:45 Slight dust at times with scattered clouds and SHOROOK 06.20 am ASR 02.38 pm ISHA 06.30 pm LOW TIDE 07:45 - 19:30 weak chance of light rain at places and cold by night.

20 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 MORNING BREAK

ONLINE CHART BUST London Zoo begins stocktake of 17,000 residents www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Digitising thousands of rare historical 3 documents

London Zoo staff during the annual stocktaking which is carried out at the INSTAGRAM OF THE DAY the start of each year.

AFP fish and invertebrate —around 17,000 western lowland gorilla, all of which will birds to line up at feeding time to do creatures across 750 different species have to be included in the 2016 census. their headcount. The annual count is a People enjoy- — during the week-long count. Last year While for some keepers the task is compulsory requirement for the zoo to ing the saw the arrival of many new animals at as simple as “one, two, three”, imagina- maintain its licence, with all of the infor- weather at LONDON : Zookeepers armed with clip- the central London zoo, from the world’s tive tactics are used by others to ensure mation collected then shared with zoos Souq waqif. boards, calculators and cameras fanned first zoo-bred Lake Oku clawed frogs to every creature is accounted for. around the world via the International out across London Zoo yesterday to start a litter of 11 endangered African hunt- Aquarium keepers take a photo of Species Information System. Pic: Abdul its annual animal stocktake. ing dogs. the tanks and use still images to avoid It is then used to manage the Basit The keepers face the daunting task of Edward the two-toed sloth was born counting the same fish twice, while at worldwide breeding programmes for totting up every mammal, bird, reptile, in July while December saw the birth of a Penguin Beach keepers wait for the endangered animals.

Biggest database for cancer drug discovery now in 3-D Enjoying the snow

IANS the globe to design new cancer treat- cancer scientists will be armed with behave. The database has already A sign reads ‘let ments more effectively, the study said. the data they need to carry out life- collated billions of experimental meas- it snow’ in Aosta, “Our database is constantly grow- saving research into the most exciting urements mapping the actions of one northern Italy, after LONDON: The world’s largest data- ing with information and is the largest drugs of the future,” Al Lazikani noted. million drugs and chemicals on human base for cancer drug discovery has been of its kind - with more than 140,000 The “canSAR” database was proteins, and has combined these data snowfall yesterday. updated by adding three-dimensional users from over 175 countries,” said launched in 2011 by researchers in with genetic information and results Temperatures were structures of faulty proteins and maps team leader Bissan Al Lazikani from the Cancer Research UK Cancer Ther- from clinical trials. The new version forecast to hover of cancer’s communication networks, The Institute of Cancer Research, Lon- apeutics Unit at The Institute of Cancer of canSAR uses artificial intelligence around the zero reports a study. don. “And we regularly develop new Research (ICR) — with the ambitious to identify nooks and crannies on the The updated database, developed artificial intelligence technologies that goal of using Big Data approaches to surface of faulty cancer-causing mol- degrees Celcius at The Institute of Cancer Research, help scientists make predictions and build a detailed picture of how the ecules, as a key step in designing new mark. London, will allow scientists across design experiments. Our aim is that majority of known human molecules drugs to block them.

Ice sculptures in Harbin China celebrates Turning off e-mail app on Shakespeare’s phone can make you happier 400th death anniversary IANS

LONDON: If reducing stress is on your BEIJING: A Chinese musical mind, turning off the e-mail app on named “With Love, William your phone can be an easy and inex- Shakespeare” is being staged pensive way to bring happiness back in Beijing to commemorate into your life, new research suggests. the 400th anniversary of E-mail can simultaneously be the death of William Shake- a great communication tool and a speare. source of frustration and stress, the The musical, presented findings showed. it interferes with your work-life bal- in Beijing’s Star Theatre from In a survey of around 2,000 peo- ance may depend on your personality. December 31, 2015, to January ple, London-based Future Work “Our research shows that e-mail 31, reinterprets the classics Centre found that people who auto- is a double-edged sword. Whilst it of Shakespeare, including matically receive e-mail on their can be a valuable communication Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth devices are more likely to report tool, it is clear that it is a source of Night, The Taming of the higher levels of e-mail pressure. stress of frustration for many of us,” Shrew and A Midsummer The study also pointed out that said lead author Richard MacKinnon, Night’s Dream, in the con- checking e-mail earlier in the morn- insight director, Future Work Centre, text of modern China, Xinhua ing or later at night is associated with was quoted as saying by Daily Mail. reported. higher levels of email pressure. “The people who reported it being It tells of four young peo- “People who reported higher levels most useful to them also reported ple who turn to Shakespeare’s of e-mail pressure also experienced the highest levels of email pressure,” works for answers whenever greater interference between work MacKinnon noted. A view showing large ice sculptures, one day before the opening of the 32th Harbin International Ice their relationships are in trou- and home - and home and work,” Managers experience signifi- and Snow Festival in Harbin city, China’s northern Heilongjiang province, yesterday. The festival will ble, only to end up in failure the report said. cantly higher levels of e-mail pressure continue until February 5 attracting both foreign and local visitors to experience the ice and the snow. and disappointment. However, how much e-mail pres- when compared to non-managers, the sure you feel and the extent to which results of the survey showed. www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

PAGE | 24 QE 10041.70 -272.04PTS PAGE | 25 FiFischers supports DOW 17059.29 -365.74 PTS IMF head in Nigeria higher rates if FTSE100 6093.43 -148.89 PTS today for talks on mamarketsr overheat. BRENT $37.06 -0.6% economic challenges.

TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 • 25 Rabia I 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

Qatar’s mega water work begins

As the first supplier participated residents and advance local economic in the node duration of this engineer- development. Mega Reservoir PRPSs First node work includes 11.2km pipe ing contract, the joint venture led by (Packages E), with construction period installation, covering 14 valve stations and 16 CGGC has been highly praised by of 36 months, located in 30km from anchorage blocks along the line. the project owner with its outstand- Doha, includes five main reservoirs ing performance progress, excellent with 496 thousand cubic meters, one construction quality and high-effec- pressure pump station, 33.2km long tive field management. main pipes and auxiliary facilities. By Satish Kanady for the overall project performance,” The groundbreaking ceremony of The project forms the part of Qatar The Peninsula CGGC announced in China. Mega Reservoir PRPSs (Packages E) General Electricity & Water Corpo- The first node work includes contracted by CGGC No 5 Company and ration’s (Kahramaa) key decision to Two investors discuss trading in a stock firm in Fuyang, east 11.2km DN1200-1600mm pipe instal- CGGC International Company was held launch an ambitious water project to China’s Anhui province yesterday. lation, covering 14 valve stations and in the presence of the Prime minister provide strategic water storage within DOHA: Qatar’s mega water supply 16 anchorage blocks along the line. and the Interior Minister H E Abdullah its network system. engineering E-bid project, constructed The members of the Project Depart- bin Khalid Al Thani at Umm Silal’ait, The first phase of the project will by Chinese construction major CGGC, ment have acquitted themselves of on May 12, 2015. provide the 7 days of storage for the has been launched smoothly. suppliers’ audit, ordering, inspection, An integrated water supply system expected water demand at horizon China sparks global “The water supply line installa- transportation, customs clearance, is to be formed once Mega Reservoir 2026, with 5 mega reservoir sites. The tion — the first node duration of this external corrosion prevention, pipe PRPSs, one of the largest reservoirs second phase will provide the seven project, has been launched smoothly, ditch excavation and other prepa- in the world, connected to seawa- days of water storage for expected 15 days earlier than planned, getting rations splendidly. Currently, they ter desalination plants around Mega demand in 2036 by adding additional stocks slump a good beginning of project manage- are engaged in the valve station and Reservoir. The project is helpful to pro- reservoirs within the 5 mega reser- ment and laying a solid foundation anchorage block construction. mote safety of drinking water for local voirs sites. Reuters 4.28 percent and the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index falling 2.53 percent at 1,401.16. NEW YORK: Global equity markets The selloff in China triggered Long-term oil price impact key for Qatari stock valuation fell sharply yesterday while gold a circuit-breaker that suspended and bonds rose after a 7-percent equities trading nationwide for the slide in Chinese shares, sparked first time and put at risk months of by weak economic data, rekin- regulatory work to restore mar- By Satish Kanady and 15 percent respectively, he said. could be less afterwards. To differ- dled worries over global growth ket stability. The Peninsula At Amwal, it groups Qatari stocks ent degrees, banks, real estate and on the first day of trading in 2016. Investors are warranted to into three categories based on the telecoms all fall into this category of Rising tensions in the Middle worry about global growth as the degree of impact of oil prices and businesses that will likely be indirectly East also increased demand for factory numbers may not fully indi- future government spending--the impacted by change in future govern- safe-haven assets. Crude prices cate how quickly China has been DOHA: While it is important to have a stocks those are directly impacted ment spending. rose above $38 a barrel at one point. slowing down, said Paul Mendel- credible view on outlook for oil prices as by oil such as IQ, Mesaieed Petchem What differentiates Qatar from But crude prices then retreated sohn, chief investment strategist evaluating stocks for 2016, it is equally and GIS; those impacted indirectly other GCC countries like Saudi is that on worries that the weak Chinese at Windham Financial Services in important to quantify the impact of from change in future government even if oil prices stayed at current low data could portend slower glo- Charlotte, Vermont. “The China oil price changes over long term profit spending and those stocks that are levels, Qatar’s government can cope bal growth, which also hurt Wall 7-percent drop last night and the prospects of each company. not much affected by either. with its current spending plans, without Street and sent key indexes down close of the market, along with Talking to The Peninsula, the The second category, the tricky resorting to much borrowings. “Even more than 2 percent. Saudi Arabia, are causing inves- award-winning investment company one and which makes the bulk of the when we assume a conservative oil Emerging markets were espe- tors to rethink to their growth Amwal’s Asset Management Head Afa A year back, while not many expected stock market requires a more complex price outlook, we currently see many cially hard-hit by the China data, estimates and the geopolitical Boran (pictured) said simply compar- price of oil to remain above $100 per approach to valuation than a simple stocks valued cheaper than their peers with MSCI’s index tumbling 3.4 per- risk that’s really out there,” he said. ing P/Es of companies with differing barrel indefinitely, no one predicted it P/E. This is because of the government’s in other markets. For example Several cent, while its all-country world The dollar pared earlier gains future profits will give misleading con- could be as low as $35 either. Compared pro-active spending and investments banks are now valued even below their stock index fell 2.47 percent. against a basket of key currencies. clusions. “We currently find a consumer to this steep decline, the 15 percent in the new oil paradigm, Afa said. book values, and even on conservative China’s yuan currency hit its The dollar index, which meas- company trading at a P/E of 19 times decline of Qatari stocks is not a cause While there is no imperative to assumptions valued at attractive P/Es. lowest in more than four years ures the greenback against a group based on 2016 profits to be cheaper for worry, broadly in line with other put the brakes on immediately, the However, being selective is now more after the central bank lowered its of six currencies, was last up 0.31 than another (a bank) that is valued GCC markets. government is showing a willing- important than in the past. We see both guidance rate and factory activ- percent at 98.938. The euro fell 0.34 at a P/E of 15 times, because of their Drilling down, bank stocks declined ness to cut unproductive spending. stocks that could decline materially ity contracted for a 10th straight percent to $1.0815, while against materially different longer term prof- between 10-15 percent; chemicals and This nuanced approach in turn affects as well as those that could rise mate- month in December, at a sharper the yen, the dollar fell 0.83 percent itability prospects.” telecoms around 30 percent, though different companies differently. For rially without even much dependence pace than in November. to 119.30. Gold rallied as much as 2 The past year was a unique year due to different reasons;, and “utility” example, a company could be expected on oil, and if oil prices were to recover Stocks in Europe tumbled, with percent, with spot gold on track for for GCC economies due to decline of stocks like Nakilat and Qatar Electricity to earn good profits until 2022 but per- modestly, then the market could see Germany’s DAX index closing down its biggest one-day rise in a month. oil prices to “unexpectedly low” levels. actually went up by around 5 percent haps its business activity and profits a strong rally.” Ferrari makes Milan stock debut

AFP shares open at €43 before slipping to sports cars, is the biggest and most €41.75, being briefly suspended and glamourous name in Formula One finally closing at €43.67 — easily out- racing and the team’s logo of a black MILAN: Legendary carmaker Fer- performing the overall Milan market stallion against a red background is rari completed its spinoff from Fiat which fell 3.2 percent on the day. instantly recognised by motorsport Chrysler Automobiles with a debut The share sale came two and a half fans around the world. on the Milan stock exchange yester- months after the legendary mark of the The IPO will not have any impact day and pledged to remain faithful to prancing horse roared onto Wall Street. on Ferrari’s involvement in Formula its luxury heritage. “From the moment we announced One racing, in which it is reemerging Eight gleaming sportscars lined the split from FCA, a journey came to as a force after enduring a lean period up in front of Milan’s “Midnight Pal- an end,” said Marchionne, referring in the slipstream of world champion ace” — including the latest F12 Tdf to the racer’s emergence as an inde- Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team. model — and the throaty roar of Fer- pendent company for the first time Marchionne brushed off rumours rari engines could be heard throughout in 47 years. of expanding the brand, saying it would the listing ceremony. “But the truth is that today another be “extremely difficult” because “Fer- Prime Minister Matteo Renzi was big chapter is beginning. This list- rari is so unique that trying to tamper among the elite walking the red car- ing marks Ferrari’s independence, with it is very dangerous”. pet between the sleek red, blue and which is essential in maintaining its As a unit of Fiat Chrysler, the super- yellow cars, while Ferrari Chairman development and potential,” he said, car maker was a cash generator: in Sergio Marchionne rang a bronze bell promising customers “ever-more 2014 it reported net revenues of CEO of Borsa Italiana Raffaele Jerusalmi (left), Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (centre) and President to mark the brand’s bow. exclusive models”. €2.76bn ($3.13bn), and a net profit of Ferrari Sergio Marchionne as the luxury carmaker makes its Milan stock market debut in Milan yesterday. Trading under the RACE ticker saw Ferrari, known for its high-price of €265m. 22 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS Ford and Toyota to fight Silicon Valley in dashboard war

SmartDeviceLink, or SDL, as the stand- Adopting a connectivity standard not of automotive connectivity technol- luxury car makers intend to roll out Adopting a connectivity standard not linked ard for connecting smartphone apps linked to Apple or Google may help ogy, are also adopting SDL, Ford said. over the next few years. to vehicle dashboard screens. automakers in China, the world’s largest QNX, a unit of Canada’s Blackberry Apple and Google bring formida- to Apple or Google may help automakers SmartDeviceLink technology inte- auto market, where homegrown com- Ltd, designs infotainment system soft- ble weapons to the rapidly evolving globally. grates smartphones apps with vehicles panies such as Alibaba Group Holding ware used by 40 automakers. battle for control of connected cars. through dashboard buttons, display Ltd are major players in mobile map- The Ford-Toyota tie-in follows the The Silicon Valley giants have screens and voice recognition tech- ping and services. purchase late last year by a consor- armies of programmers, bulging nology. Using it as a standard for Google has a limited presence in tium of German automakers of HERE, cash reserves and deep experience in Reuters screens and invited other automak- projecting navigation or music stream- China, although the company has sig- a mobile mapping business formerly managing and profiting from con- ers to join them to counter Apple Inc ing apps from a driver’s smartphone naled it could expand there. owned by Finland’s Nokia. Daimler sumer data. Even as they maneuver and Google’s push to control cars of could help Ford and Toyota reduce Ford said France’s Peugeot SA and AG, BMW AG and Volkswagen AG’s to avoid becoming beholden to them, the future. dependence on Apple or Alphabet Inc’s Japanese automakers Honda Motor Audi brand say they will use HERE many automakers are adopting Apple’s LAS VEGAS: Toyota Motor Corp and Toyota, the world’s largest auto- Google, company officials said. It could Co, Subaru and Mazda Motor Corp are as a foundation for new connectivity CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto sys- Ford Motor Co said yesterday they maker by vehicle sales, and Ford, the also keep tighter control of customer also investigating adopting SmartDe- services and features. tems to respond to customer demands will adopt the same software to link No. 2 US automaker, said they will data and the brand-defining look and viceLink as a standard. QNX Software Mapping is critical to autonomous for better connections between cars smartphone apps to vehicle dashboard adopt a Ford-developed software called feel of dashboard infotainment systems. Systems and UIEvolution, developers driving systems, which the German and smartphones.

Machinery and Indonesian economists welcome 2016 Equipment Price Tenaga plans $3bn index stands still global sukuk for The Peninsula

DOHA: The Machinery & Equip- major expansion ment Price Index (MEPI) for the second half (H2) of 2015 remained unchanged at 102.2 compared with Bloomberg ($9.3bn), from 42bn ringgit in March the MEPI index for the first half (H1) 2014, once ongoing disposals of its of 2015, data released by theMinistry power and property assets are com- of Development Planning & Statis- KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s biggest pleted. Offerings of global securities tics (MDPS) show. electricity company plans to tap the that pay returns on assets to comply However, the index showed a dollar debt market for the first time with Islam’s ban on interest slumped marginal increase of 0.4 percent in two decades with its debut offer- 28 percent in 2015 to a five-year low compared with the index for the ing of global Islamic bonds. of $34.7bn. Malaysia’s CIMB Group corresponding period (H2) of 2014. Tenaga Nasional Bhd. is ask- Holdings Bhd, the top sukuk arranger The MEPI is the new economic ing bankers to submit pitches for a worldwide for seven of the last nine indicator which was added to the set $3bn sukuk programme, according years, predicts a pickup in 2016 to at of short-term economic indicators to people familiar with the matter, least $40bn. in 2014. It is currently calculated and proceeds will be used to fund Bankers’ proposals for Tenaga’s on a semi-annual basis. overseas investments including the sukuk program have to be submitted Analysis at product group level purchase of a 30 percent stake in Turk- by the end of this week, people famil- shows increases recorded in the ish power firm Gama Enerji AS for iar said. The utility’s Chief Financial price of three groups and drop in $243m. The company last issued dol- Officer Fazlur Rahman Zainuddin one group: Price of Machinery and lar-denominated debt in 1996, when didn’t immediately answer an e-mail Electrical Appliances were up by 1.8 Indonesian economists attend a ceremony to reopen the stock market after the new year at the Bursa it sold 100-year conventional notes. and phone calls seeking comment. percent, Special-purpose Machines Efek Indonesia (Indonesia Stock Exchange) in Jakarta yesterday. The slowdown in China’s economy, The planned sale would help stem Tenaga plans to add 5,000 mega- by 0.5 percent, and Office, Account- coupled with the shock devaluation of the yuan and uncertainty over a possible US Federal Reserve a slump in issuance of global Islamic watt of regional capacity as part of a ing and Computing Machinery by 0.3 rate hike, has battered Indonesia’s market and currency in 2015. bonds and be Malaysia’s first since five-year expansion, Chief Executive percent. Price of Transport equip- the Federal Reserve raised interest Officer Azman Mohd said in a Decem- ment dropped by 0.1 percent. rates in December. The ringgit slid ber 14 statement. That’s sufficient to 19 percent versus the dollar in 2015, power 12.5 million Malaysian homes. Asia’s biggest loss, as investor confi- The electricity company has a dence was dented by tumbling crude market capitalisation of 74.8bn ringgit oil prices, an investigation into politi- and a total installed capacity of 10,818 cal donations taken by Prime Minister MW. It sold the country’s third-big- Samsung warns of a challenging 2016 Najib Razak and concern about debt gest sukuk in November — an 8.93bn levels at state investment company ringgit offering — to part-finance the 1Malaysia Development Bhd. construction of a 2,000 MW coal- Bloomberg year. Innovative business models are mobile-friendly software and a unique smartphone sales yet has lost favor “Timing is everything and Tena- fired power plant. The company has weakening traditional hardware values platform that can lock in users. with investors. ga’s plan is telling people the ringgit debt totaling 26.1bn ringgit. and workers must adapt to maintain “The competition landscape is Samsung lost more than $8bn in won’t depreciate too much from here Tenaga is rated BBB+, the third- SEOUL: Samsung Electronics Co leadership in an industry changing at changing to software and platforms, market value in 2015 as sales of high- and that it will stand to benefit from lowest investment grade by Standard expects global economic growth to its fastest pace ever, the vice chairman so we need to build a new system and end S6 and Note 5 devices sputtered the debt sale,” James Lau, a Kuala & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings. The yield remain weak this year and urged and co-chief executive officer said. competence,” Kwon said in a speech against new models from Apple and Lumpur- based investment direc- on the company’s existing conven- employees to brainstorm ways to “The territories of industries are distributed to the media. Chinese makers. Its shares posted a tor at Pheim Asset Management Asia tional dollar bonds due 2025 climbed handle intensifying competition in collapsing,” Kwon said. “We have to In a signal of its newfound priori- third straight annual decline last year, Sdn, which oversees $300m, said in 31 basis points last year to 4.39 per- an industry where software and plat- compete in a new way that we’ve never ties, Samsung replaced the head of its dropping 5.1 percent. a phone interview. “1MDB’s problem cent and was 4.33 percent. forms are eclipsing hardware. experienced in the past.” phone operations in December with The company is expected to release is more of a governance issue, which If the five-year notes to be Kwon Oh Hyun, vice chairman Executives have preached the an executive — Koh Dong Jin — who its preliminary fourth- quarter earn- shouldn’t affect Tenaga’s financials included in Tenaga’s coming sukuk and co-chief executive officer, said need to focus on software for years. helped create its mobile payment and ings on Friday. or borrowing costs.” programme, the securities would be products including smartphones, Yet Korea’s largest listed company and security platforms. Net income in 2014 is projected Tenaga’s planned sale comes after “considered attractive” at a yield of televisions and memory chips the world’s biggest smartphone maker Koh will work to turn around a to be the lowest profit in four years, Najib said last week that 1MDB will 160 basis points above similar-matu- will face escalated competition this has lagged Apple Inc in developing division that still leads the world in according to analyst estimates. have trimmed its debt by 40.4bn ringgit rity US Treasuries.

US manufacturing Oil down after Rotana opens second five-star hotel initial 4% gain activity slumps The Peninsula Bloomberg

DOHA: Rotana, one of the leading hotel management com- Reuters November, the lowest since October NEW YORK: Brent crude panies in the Middle East, Africa, South Asia and Eastern 2012. The new orders subcomponent erased an initial gain of more Europe, has announced the soft opening of City Centre fell to 50.2 from 53.1, the lowest since than 4 percent as a global Rotana Doha (pictured), the city’s newest five-star hotel. NEW YORK: The US manufacturing Sept 2009. supply glut and the slowest Developed by Al Rayyan Tourism Investment Company sector contracted further in Decem- US construction spending fell for Chinese growth in a gen- (ARTIC) the international hotel investment and hospitality ber, as the impact of a stronger US the first time in nearly 1-1/2 years in eration trumped mounting subsidiary of Al Faisal Holding Company, the City Centre dollar undermined export profitabil- November as a drop in nonresiden- strife between the nations on Rotana Doha is located in the West Bay area. This 52-sto- ity, while US construction spending tial investment offset an increase in either side of the world’s bus- rey tower features 287 luxurious modern rooms and suites fell for the first time in nearly 1-1/2 housing activity. Construction spend- iest waterway for oil tankers. and 94 serviced apartments. years in November, suggesting only ing slipped 0.4 percent, the first and “When oil supplies were Sheikh Mohammed bin Faisal Al Thani, ARTIC’s Vice moderate economic growth in the also biggest drop since June 2014, tight, we’ve seen bigger reac- Chairman, said: “Qatar is witnessing a remarkable growth fourth quarter of 2015. after a downwardly revised 0.3 per- tions to geopolitical tensions,” in the tourism sector and we are committed to playing The US Institute for Supply Man- cent gain in October, the Commerce Tushar Tarun Bansal, a sen- a key role in supporting this growth. With City Centre agement (ISM) said its index of national Department said yesterday. ior oil analyst in Singapore at Rotana, we are offering a unique addition to Qatar’s hos- factory activity fell to 48.2 from 48.6 The government revised construc- industry consultant FGE, said pitality market that specifically caters to today’s modern in November and is now at its lowest tion data from January 2005 through by phone. “Now the price rise travelers. The hotel provides guests with excellent facili- level since June 2009. October 2015 because of a “processing has actually been quite muted ties which will undoubtedly set even higher standards in A reading above 50 indicates error in the tabulation of data.” The because the world is in a sur- Qatar’s vibrant hospitality sector.” expansion in the manufacturing revisions, which showed construc- plus situation.” City Centre Rotana offers exquisite dining venues to sector and a reading below 50 indi- tion spending was not as strong as Brent futures, the global suit all tastes, from stylish to informal, fusion tointerna- cates contraction. The reading was previously reported for much of 2015, benchmark, rose as much as tional and state-of-the art facilities for conference and just below expectations of 49 from a could prompt economists to lower 4.6 percent to $38.99 a bar- seminar requirements with the latest high-tech facilities Reuters poll of 80 economists. their fourth-quarter gross domes- rel yesterday, before erasing including the grand ballroom, fully equipped meeting The employment index fell to 48.1 tic product estimates. the gain to trade 0.6 percent rooms as well as a business centre. from 51.3 a month earlier. Expecta- Growth estimates are currently lower at $37.06 at 5:42 pm on Omer Kaddouri, President and CEO of Rotana said: tions called for a reading of 50. hovering below a 2.0 percent annual the London-based ICE Futures “With the opening of City Centre Rotana, Rotana’s inven- An alternative reading from pace. The economy expanded at a Europe exchange. Last month, tory in Doha has increased to more than one 1000 rooms. private data vendor Markit showed 2.0 percent rate in the third quarter. Opec effectively abandoned Moreover, the second quarter of this year is slated to wit- continued expansion in manufac- Economists had forecast construc- any limits on output and ness the opening of Centro Capital Doha, our first hotel turing but at a slower pace. tion spending rising 0.6 percent in boosted production.. to be launched in the country under the lifestyle afford- Markit’s purchasing managers’ November after a previously reported able brand Centro Hotels by Rotana, which will then add index (PMI) fell to 51.2 from 52.8 in 1.0 percent increase in October. another 229 rooms to our portfolio in Qatar.” BUSINESS TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 23

Sweden closer RasGas fosters to intervention to tame krona cooperation with exchange rate Govt agencies Bloomberg STOCKHOLM: Some of Scan- dinavia’s biggest banks are warning investors not to under- estimate the risk that the central bank is preparing to intervene RasGas holds irelationship in the currency market. building workshop with several key Nordea and SEB both say the Riksbank won’t allow the representatives from Qatar Chamber and krona to strengthen beyond 9 various organisations. RasGas hosts a workshop with representatives from the Qatar Chamber to discuss areas of mutual against the euro. It traded at cooperation. 9.19 yesterday. The prediction follows a December 30 warn- ing from the central bank that The Peninsula ”RasGas is always seeking new at RasGas’ West Bay headquarters, management, and confirmed that the the relationship with the Chamber it’s ready to act if persistent ways to build on the cooperation included presentations from both Qatar Chamber welcomes all propos- of Commerce. krona strength gets in the way between the government and busi- parties, outlining the role each plays als to strengthen relationships with Adel Shamlan, Acting Head of of its 2 percent inflation target. ness. We appreciate the role that the in facilitating a mutually-beneficial national companies. Procurement Logistics at RasGas, “The Riksbank decided to DOHA: RasGas Company Limited Qatar Chamber plays and their ongo- work relationship, and how to enable Al Abdulghani also expressed satis- confirmed, “RasGas plans on host- act preemptively after see- (RasGas) recently initiated a relation- ing efforts to support and promote the continued development in the future. faction with the opportunity to obtain ing similar workshops with other ing strong domestic data of ship-building workshop with several country’s economic sector,” said Ali Al Hussain Yousef Al Abdulghani, an insight into RasGas’ business, which government ministries and agencies late and also to stave off any key representatives from Qatar Cham- Marri, Procurement Manager, RasGas Associate Director of the Depart- was provided during the workshop, to enhance mutual understanding and speculators who might want ber, including the Associate Director Supply Department. ment of Affairs at the Qatar Chamber, and encouraged other companies to contribute to the achievement of the to drive the krona stronger,” of the Department of Affairs. The workshop, which was hosted extended his appreciation to RasGas take similar initiatives to enhance Qatar National Vision 2030.” said Anders Ekloef, a currency strategist at Swedbank. “There are clear references to cur- rency interventions in their press release and it seems they are less willing to lower Fidelity drops credit-card partners AmEx and BofA rates at this point. After all, it’s the currency that’s their main problem.” Bloomberg more closely aligned with Boston- risk rising costs as they try to outbid roughly 8 percent of the network’s proprietary cards. With a benchmark inter- based Fidelity’s, and financial terms each other, according to Goldman more-than $1 trillion in annual billed While AmEx lost some partner- est rate already at an historic didn’t play a major role in the move, Sachs Group Inc. analyst Ryan Nash. business. ships during the past year, it has said low of minus 0.35 percent and he said. The card — known under the old Still, losing the Fidelity tie-up it won’t enter deals with terms that several rounds of bond pur- WASHINGTON: Fidelity Investments The decision ends months of talks partnership as the Fidelity Investment affects operations AmEx has been don’t make financial sense, and that chases behind them, policy is dropping American Express Co and with Fidelity as financial firms look Rewards American Express — will targeting for expansion: facilitat- it’ll keep fighting to add and extend makers are under pressure to Bank of America Corp as partners for to wrest away partnerships that can continue to offer a 2 percent refund ing transactions in which another relationships. “It’s all about find- consider other measures to live its cash-back credit card, capping a fuel their long-term growth. Costco on purchases, which can be paid into bank is the lender. The fastest-grow- ing the right partners with the right up to their inflation mandate. year of fierce competition among net- Wholesale Corp said early last year a variety of Fidelity brokerage, cash- ing portion of spending on AmEx’s vision,” Chief Financial Officer Jeff Underlying inflation has been works and lenders for deals that bring that it will replace AmEx with Visa management and savings accounts. network comes from its global net- Campbell said last month. It wants below the Riksbank’s target in customers. and Citigroup Inc, while JetBlue Air- Consumers who use the card work services business, where other partners “whose assets are comple- since the beginning of 2011 Visa Inc and US Bancorp will take ways Corp broke a relationship with spend a total of about $11bn annually, banks issue AmEx-branded cards. mentary and whose vision for what and headline price growth over as the network and issuer of the AmEx in favor of MasterCard Inc and according to Subramaniam. That’s Total GNS-billed business jumped 13 they’re trying to do for their custom- has hovered below zero for Fidelity card, according to Ram Subra- Barclays Plc. With co-brand cards dwarfed by the amount AmEx has percent in the third quarter, adjusted ers and what they’re trying to do to much of the past three years. maniam, president of Fidelity’s retail accounting for about 30 percent of typically handled through its deal for currency fluctuations, compared drive their business is complemen- Though Sweden has brokerage business. Their brands are all transactions, banks and networks with Costco, which has accounted for with a 4 percent increase on AmEx’s tary to ours.” resorted to extreme pol- icy measures, its negative rates and quantitative eas- ing have been overshadowed by far more dramatic mon- Companies pray for good business year Brazil heads for worst etary stimulus programmes from the European Central Bank. Against the euro, Swe- den’s krona has strengthened recession since 1901 about 4 percent over the past 12 months. “If the exchange rate strengthens earlier and more Bloomberg who took the job in December, has rapidly than forecast, it will faced renewed pressure to moderate be more difficult to push up austerity proposals aimed at bolster- inflation towards the target,” RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil’s economy ing public accounts and avoiding Governor Stefan Ingves said on will contract more than previously further credit downgrades. Impeach- December 30. “The Riksbank forecast and is heading for the deep- ment proceedings and an expanding is therefore highly prepared est recession since at least 1901 as corruption scandal have also been to intervene on the exchange economic activity and confidence hindering approval of economic pol- market whenever we deem sink amid a political crisis, a survey icies in Congress. it necessary.” The comments of analysts showed. “We’re now taking into account a pushed the krona off a nine- Latin America’s largest economy very depressed scenario,” Flavio Ser- month high versus the euro. will shrink 2.95 percent this year, rano, senior economist at Haitong in Swedbank sees the krona according to the weekly central bank Sao Paulo, said by phone. strengthening toward 9.05 per poll of about 100 economists, versus Central bank director Altamir euro in the first quarter, “but a prior estimate of a 2.81 percent con- Lopes said on December 23 the insti- the Riksbank won’t let it gain traction. Analysts lowered their 2016 tution will adopt necessary policies too fast, as it has done now,” growth forecast for 13 straight weeks to bring inflation to its 4.5 percent Ekloef said. According to Nor- and estimate the economy contracted target in 2017. Less than a week later, dea analyst Martin Enlund, 3.71 percent last year. the head of President Dilma Rouss- the unscheduled statement A Shinto maiden (right) rings a bell to purify businessmen and women during an annual new year Brazil’s policy makers are strug- eff’s Workers’ Party, Rui Falcao, said suggests the krona’s persist- ceremony as they pray for a good business year at the Kanda shrine in Tokyo yesterday. Over 4,000 gling to control the fastest inflation in Brazil should refrain from cutting ent strength has led to a state companies hold prayers at the shrine on the first two new year’s business days. 12 years without further hamstring- investments and consider raising its of alarm inside the Riksbank. ing a weak economy. inflation target to avoid higher bor- Finance Minister Nelson Barbosa, rowing costs. IIHS awards top safety designations to key Nissan models for 2016

The Peninsula The 2016 Nissan Sentra joins the its standards by requiring a “Good” anchors; and LATCH System (Lower 2016 Rogue in earning an IIHS “Top or better rating in all five of the crash Anchors and Tethers for Children). Safety Pick” rating. The 2016 Sentra worthiness categories to earn a “Top Every Maxima also offers child will offer Forward Emergency Braking. Safety Pick” and making an available safety rear door locks; Zone Body DOHA: The Insurance Institute for Once that system is tested by IIHS the front crash prevention system man- construction featuring front and rear Highway Safety (IIHS) recognised four Sentra has the potential to be upgraded datory for all awards. To earn the IIHS crumple zones and occupant zone; Nissan vehicles with Top Safety Pick to a TSP+ rating. Nissan’s top selling “Top Safety Pick Plus” designation, a Nissan Immobiliser system and anti- Plus (TSP+) or Top Safety Pick (TSP) 2016 Altima will undergo IIHS test- vehicle must earn a “Good” or better theft alarm system. Maxima offers designations for 2016. These latest ing this month with the possibility of on all five crash worthiness catego- a variety of advanced technolo- announcements underscore Nissan’s achieving a TSP+ rating as well. ries and also receive an “Advanced” gies that are standard on three trim commitment to continuous improve- “Nissan is proud to again have or “Superior” rating for front crash levels include Intelligent Cruise Con- ment to passenger safety across its our core vehicles recognised by IIHS prevention. trol (ICC), Blind Spot Warning (BSW), entire lineup. for vehicle safety,” said Pierre Loing, Standard safety and security fea- class-exclusive Predictive Forward IIHS awarded the all-new 2016 Nis- vice president, Product Strategy and tures on all 2016 Maxima trim levels Collision Warning (PFCW), Forward san Maxima (pictured) a “Top Safety Planning, Nissan North America, Inc include the Nissan Advanced Air Bag Emergency Braking (FEB), and Rear Pick Plus” (TSP+) safety rating, which (NNA). “The new Maxima, like the System (AABS) with supplemental front Cross Traffic Alert(RCTA). Maxima is the group’s highest designation. The Murano, is setting high standards in air bags with seat belt and occupant offers Around View Monitor (AVM) 2016 Nissan Maxima joins the previ- its class for styling, performance and classification sensors; front seat- with Moving Object Detection (MOD) ously announced 2016 Murano with interior refinement. The 2016 Nissan mounted side impact supplemental system that features four small super views, helping the driver manoeu- the driver’s situational awareness by the TSP+ rating. The Maxima scored Rogue and Sentra demonstrate Nis- air bags; roof-mounted curtain side wide-angle cameras mounted on the vre the car in or out of tight spots. providing visual and audible warn- “Good” in all five TSP categories and san’s commitment to high quality and impact supplemental air bags with front, sides and rear of the vehicle Rear Cross Traffic Alert helps alert ings (front, side or back range object earned TSP+ status with a “Superior” safety standards, and we are gratified rollover sensor for front and rear-seat that provide a “bird’s eye” virtual 360° the driver of an approaching vehicle detection) if the system detects mov- rating for front crash prevention for that these outstanding vehicles have outboard occupant head protection; view around the vehicle. It provides when backing out of a parking spot. ing objects (such as another vehicle) those models equipped with Forward been recognised for excellent design.” front seat belts with pre-tensioners additional selectable split-screen MOD builds on the capabilities within the displayed image in situations Emergency Braking. For this year, IIHS has tightened and load limiters and adjustable upper close-ups of the front, rear and curb of the AVM system, helping enhance such as pulling out of a parking space. 24 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS Fischer supports higher rates if markets overheat

be using regulatory tools to prevent used to deal with problems of potential lower than they have been in the past. Although other bubbles from developing. financial instability is macroeconomic.” That’s because the equilibrium “If asset prices across the econ- Fischer didn’t address the current interest rate—the rate after inflation policy makers, omy—that is, taking all financial state of financial markets, although that neither expands nor contracts the including Fed Chair markets into account—are thought to other policy makers, including Fed economy—has fallen. Fischer cited a Janet Yellen, have be excessively high, raising the inter- Chair Janet Yellen, have indicated that number of possible reasons for the drop est rate may be the appropriate step,” they do not see them, on the whole, as in what economists dub “r*,” including indicated that they Fischer said in a speech at the annual being overheated. slower productivity growth and excess do not see them, on American Economic Association meet- Fischer was among three Fed pol- savings in emerging market countries. ing in San Francisco on Sunday. icy makers who made public remarks “A variety of models and statistical the whole, as being He suggested that might be partic- at the AEA meeting on Sunday. San approaches suggest that the current overheated. ularly true in the US, where many of Francisco Fed President John Williams level of short-run r* may be close to the so-called macro-prudential regu- discussed estimates of long-run neu- zero,” Fischer said. “Moreover, the level latory tools to tackle financial market tral rates, while Cleveland’s Loretta of short-run r* seems likely to rise only excesses are either lacking or untested. Mester delivered her outlook for the US gradually to a longer-run level that is Bloomberg Such tools would include, for exam- economy and explained why the Fed still quite low by historical standards.” ple, adjusting lending rules to try to would not react to short-term swings In the last credit tightening cycle rein in borrowing. in economic data. by the Fed, which ran from 2004 to Fischer did make clear that he The Fed in December raised interest goal. Officials have said they expect while cautioning that “issues may yet 2006, the federal funds rate targeted WASHINGTON: Federal Reserve Vice thought “macro-prudential tools, rather rates for the first time since 2006 after the pace of future rate increases to be arise during normalization that could by the central bank reached a high Chairman Stanley Fischer (pictured) than adjustments in short-term interest holding them near zero for seven years. gradual and dependent on incoming call for adjustments to our tools, and of 5.25 percent. The low level of the said it might be necessary for the cen- rates, should be the first line of defense” In making the move, the central economic data. we stand ready to do that.” equilibrium rate increases the like- tral bank to increase interest rates if in tackling asset bubbles, while spell- bankers cited an improved labour mar- Fischer said that the money market In his speech, Fisher, the Fed’s No lihood that the Fed will be forced to financial markets were overheating, ing out that “the real issue of whether ket and expectations that inflation will tools developed by the Fed to achieve 2 policy maker, suggested that rates cut its target rate back to zero in the though the first line of defense should adjustments in interest rates should be eventually rise back to their 2 percent liftoff had proven effective last month, will probably eventually end up being future, Fischer said.

Acadia Healthcare Indonesia New World may bid for $7bn China unit agreed to buy fuel levy to Bloomberg China’s last closing price, data com- and New World China were halted said she couldn’t immediately com- Priory Group fund strategic piled by Bloomberg show. from trading on Monday, pending an ment, while a spokeswoman for New Minority investors, helped by a reg- announcement related to a takeo- World China declined to comment. Bloomberg ulation giving each investor the same ver or merger, according to separate The 2014 proposal was rejected by oil reserves HONG KONG: New World Develop- voting right, rejected a 2014 attempt by statements to the Hong Kong stock New World China shareholders due ment Co, controlled by the family of New World Development to take the exchange. The China unit closed on to a regulation known as the “head- FRANKFURT: Acadia Healthcare Bloomberg 90-year-old Hong Kong billionaire China unit private for $2.4bn, forcing December 31 at HK$6.21, or about 8.7 count test.” Company Inc agreed to buy Priory Cheng Yu-tung, is planning an offer Cheng to wait at least 12 months for percent lower than the 2014 buyout The China unit, which listed on the Group in a stock-and-cash deal to to take its $7bn China unit private, a another try. New World Development, offer of HK$6.80 per share. Hong Kong stock exchange in 1999 at gain UK facilities for older people, JAKARTA: Indonesia plans person with knowledge of the mat- holding about HK$31bn ($4bn) in cash as Any offer would come after New HK$9.50 a share, has residential, retail, adults or children grappling with a levy on fuel sales to fund ter said. of June 30, has more than enough money World China agreed last month to sell office, and hotel projects in more than behavioral issues. building a strategic oil reserve New World Development could for the offer this time after a rights issue 7.3 billion yuan ($1.1bn) of properties 20 Chinese cities, including Beijing and Acadia will pay £1.28bn ($1.9bn) and to develop renewable make an announcement as soon as and last year’s strong sales, according in two Chinese cities to Evergrande Shanghai, according to its website. in cash, including £925m to repay power, as the Organization this week on a bid to buy the shares to Bocom International Holdings Co. Real Estate Group Ltd, controlled by Cheng transferred his shares in debt, and 5.363 million of its own of Petroleum Exporting Coun- it doesn’t already own in New World “There’s no pressure financially, billionaire Hui Ka-yan. six Hong Kong-listed companies val- shares, for Priory, the US company tries (Opec) member seeks to China Land Ltd, the person said, asking and it’s a very reasonable thing for New World Development and com- ued at about HK$3.8bn to a family said in a statement yesterday. improve its energy security. not to be identified as the informa- them to do,” Bocom International’s panies associated with Cheng already holding firm, almost four years after The transaction will boost Aca- The government may levy tion is private. The stock not already Hong Kong-based analyst Alfred Lau own about 70 percent of New World announcing retirement from his main dia’s presence in the U.K., adding 300 rupiah per liter ($0.02) on controlled by Cheng’s companies is said by phone. China, exchange filings show. A repre- business, according to company fil- Priory’s 7,200 beds to Acadia’s 2,200 sales of diesel and 200 rupiah worth about $2.1bn based on New World Shares of New World Development sentative for New World Development ings last month. ones there, said CEO Joey Jacobs. per liter for other petroleum products including gasoline and jet fuel, Sudirman Said, the Energy and Mineral Resources Minister, said in an interview US real estate expected to yesterday. The levy will be applied to retailers includ- ing state energy company PT Pertamina, Total SA and draw more foreigners in 2016 Royal Dutch Shell Plc, he said. “We need to have a buffer to mitigate risks when prices rise or fall drastically,” Said Bloomberg reinvest sales proceeds into other US international investors that “the US, at said at his office in Jakarta. assets, according to the 24th annual the moment, really is the safest place Indonesia, a net oil survey by the group, known as AFIRE. for them to go.” Foreign purchases of importer, reactivated its mem- None of the respondents plans a major US real estate have soared since the bership of the Opec last year as SEATTLE: Most foreign investors decrease. About half of the group’s financial crisis, jumping to $87.3bn of it tries to improve its long-term expect to put more money into US roughly 200 members participated completed deals last year, from less energy security. The coun- property this year than they did in in the survey. than $5bn in 2009, according to Real try does not currently have 2015, with New York remaining the “This is a very strong response,” Capital Analytics Inc. a strategic oil reserve, and top target market worldwide, accord- Jim Fetgatter, chief executive of Investors from Canada, Asia, the government of President ing to a survey by the Association of Washington-based AFIRE, whose Europe and Australia bought stakes Joko Widodo wants to boost its Foreign Investors in Real Estate. members hold about $2 trillion of in office towers, warehouses, apart- storage capacity and increase Sixty-four percent of respondents real estate globally, said in a phone ment buildings, shopping malls and renewable power to reduce reli- said they intend to make modest or interview. hotels in search of relatively higher ance on imported crude. major increases to investments in US China’s economic slowdown, yields. Manhattan captured $23.5bn, real estate this year, while 31 percent Brazil’s recession and Europe’s or 27 percent, of 2015 purchases, Real A potential investor analysing a property in the US. expect to maintain their holdings or immigration crisis underscored for Capital data show. Singapore’s growth beats estimates with headwinds remaining

Bloomberg The Singapore dollar traded at and undergoing transition,” he said. 1.4226 against the US currency as of GDP grew 2 percent in the fourth 11:25am, compared with 1.4185 on quarter from a year earlier, compared December 31. Singapore markets were with a median survey estimate for 1.2 SINGAPORE: Singapore provided a closed for New Year’s Day on January 1. percent. Singapore’s manufacturing report card on its economy that beat The Straits Times Index fell 1.5 percent. fell 3.1 percent last quarter from the analyst forecasts in one of Asia’s ear- Monday’s data are advance esti- previous three months, the trade min- liest growth estimates, as improving mates computed largely from figures istry said. The services industry grew services and construction countered in the first two months of the quar- 6.5 percent in the same period, while faltering exports. It may be too early ter, according to the trade ministry. construction expanded 7 percent. to celebrate. It’s “intended as an early indication of The Southeast Asian nation has Gross domestic product rose an the GDP growth in the quarter, and are relied on its position as an Asian finan- annualised 5.7 percent in the three subject to revision when more com- cial hub to bolster services as overseas months to December 31 from the previ- prehensive data becomes available,” demand for its goods faltered. ous quarter, when it expanded a revised a trade ministry spokesperson said While industrial production fell 1.7 percent, the trade ministry said in yesterday in response to e-mailed for a 10th straight month in November, an advance estimate yesterday. The questions. retail sales rose for a ninth month in median of nine estimates in a survey This is standard practice among October. “Once again, the service sec- was for a 1 percent expansion. The statistics agencies worldwide, the tor is in the driving seat,” Irvin Seah, economy grew 2.1 percent last year, spokesperson said. There has been a an economist at DBS Group Holdings the slowest pace in six years. difference of 4.3 percentage points on Ltd in Singapore, wrote in a note. Singapore’s export-oriented econ- average between the advance and final “However, while this sector is omy, always vulnerable to global swings readings of Singapore’s GDP growth known to be a resilient and stable in demand, reflects the threat China’s since the start of 2010, based on annu- engine of growth for Singapore, per- slowdown poses for the region. alised quarter- on-quarter data. The formance of the sector going forward The island’s largest export des- People pass the skyline of the central business district in Singapore yesterday. Singapore’s economy posted difference is a narrower 1 percentage will continue to be affected by the exist- tination is tipped to expand at the surprisingly strong growth in the fourth quarter, driven mostly by domestically-focused sectors. point for US GDP and 1.6 percentage ing domestic manpower crunch and slowest pace in 25 years, and the first points for Japan’s. drag from the manufacturing sector.” Chinese economic reports of 2016 sig- Singapore faces challenges includ- The island’s home prices dropped naled manufacturing weakened for labor crunch could cap further gains in economist at Australia & New Zealand happens to be in the services sector, it ing fiercer competition in a globalised for a ninth quarter in the three months a fifth straight month. Domestically, services. “There could be high odds of Banking Group Ltd, referring to final could be rather transient. Singapore world, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ended December 31 as tighter mortgage home prices posted their longest los- a downward revision come February,” GDP figures due next month. “Given remains confronted with twin head- said in his New Year message on Dece- curbs cooled demand in Asia’s sec- ing streak in 17 years last quarter and a said Weiwen Ng, a Singapore-based that the outperformance for this quarter winds externally and domestically.” mebr 31. The economy is “slowing down ond-most expensive housing market. BUSINESS TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 25

Cairn Energy Insurance cost of disasters falls tests Senegal production well as ‘El Niño’ last year helped reduce the development of heavy storms. Meas- for reinsurers, whose insurance com- this year, bolstering hurricane activity. The overall cost of development of hurricanes in the North ures to reduce loss susceptibility have pany clients often then demand lower Munich Re said floods in the UK and Atlantic, which traditionally cause some also had a positive effect”, he added. prices for reinsurers’ backing. Rein- Scandinavia from storm “Desmond” BENGALURU: Oil explorer natural catastrophes of the heaviest claims for the insurance Reinsurers act as a financial back- surance broker Willis Re yesterday in early December may cause about Cairn Energy Plc said yes- in 2015 dropped to industry, the world’s largest reinsurer stop to insurance companies, paying said reinsurance prices continued to € 700m ($764.26m) in claims, while terday it carried out its first said in its annual review of natural a chunk of the big claims for storms fall for contracts taking effect at the flooding from storm “Eva” in the UK successful production test at its lowest level since catastrophes. or earthquakes in exchange for part start of 2016 and that predictions of later in December may cause overall its oilfields in Senegal, send- 2009. Insurance claims totalled $31bn in of the premium. an end to the multi-year decline had damage of more than € 1bn. ing its shares up as much as 2014 and were also below the 10-year However, the comparatively low proved illusory. “The January renew- Munich Re’s report showed that 9 percent. average of $56bn, Munich Re said. In losses are no reason to become com- als have unfortunately confounded overall economic damage last year The company said it had all, 23,000 people were killed in 2015, placent. “Scientists believe that in 2016 the hopes of commentators that the fell to $90bn from $110bn, again well produced high-quality oil at a Reuters many in the Nepal earthquake in April. the strong El Niño phase might be fol- market was reaching a pricing floor,” below the 10-year average of $180bn. rate of around 8,000 barrels The total compared with 7,700 lowed by its twin sister, La Niña. Both Willis Re Chief Executive John Cav- The review gave no claims figures per day (bpd) from its SNE-2 the previous year, but was well below versions of the climate oscillation ENSO anagh said. for Munich Re itself. The reinsurer well around 100 kilometres the 10-year average of 68,000, it said. (El Niño/Southern Oscillation) in the However, an international effort is due to report 2015 results on Feb- off the coast of Senegal. FRANKFURT: Insurance claims from “We were somewhat fortunate in 2015: Pacific influence weather extremes announced by Bank of England Gover- ruary 4. The West African country natural disasters such as storms and strong tropical cyclones frequently throughout the world. A La Niña phase nor Mark Carney to quantify insurance The deadliest catastrophe, and is one the few where oil and earthquakes fell to $27bn in 2015 as only hit sparsely populated areas or would promote the development of risks businesses face from climate also the costliest in terms of overall gas companies, hit by a plunge the overall cost of natural catastrophes did not make landfall at all,” said Peter hurricanes in the North Atlantic, for change could eventually boost demand losses, was the Nepal earthquake in in oil prices, are still invest- dropped to its lowest level since 2009, Hoeppe, the head of Munich Re’s Geo example.” Hoeppe said. for reinsurance, Cavanagh said. April, where some 9,000 people lost ing to find new resources. At reinsurer Munich Re said yesterday. Risks Research Unit. “In the North Lower claims payouts boost insur- In the meantime, Munich Re warned their lives and overall losses totalled least two analysts said Cairn The climate phenomenon known Atlantic, El Niño helped to curtail the ance industry profit but have a downside that the El Niño effect might be reversed US$ 4.8bn. Energy’s production rate at the Senegal well was better than expected and removed significant uncertainty about the quality of the reservoir, IMF head in Nigeria Philippine Stock Exchange begins trading session which Cairn Energy estimates could hold more than a billion barrels of oil. today for talks on “I think this confirms a strong potential for com- mercial discovery,” said RBC Capital Markets ana- economic challenges lyst Nathan Piper. Investors have been awaiting results from Cairn Energy’s Senegal Reuters project to get a better under- standing of the potential of the newly explored basin. “The results help to con- LAGOS: Nigerian President Muham- firm the overall scale and madu Buhari, elected on a pledge to extent of the resource base in tackle corruption, will hold talks with Senegal and further appraisal the International Monetary Fund today activity is expected to lead as the country seeks to spend its way to future revision of the esti- out of an economic crisis fuelled by mates,” Chief Executive Simon plunging oil prices. Thomson said. The fund said yesterday its man- Cairn Energy, which aging director Christine Lagarde focuses purely on exploration, (pictured) would meet Buhari and also said yesterday it produced his Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun. “relatively low quality” oil at “I look forward to productive a rate of 1,000 bpd at another meetings ... as they address important Phiippine Stock Exchange Chairman Jose Pardo (centre) with other PSE officials lead the bell ringing depth in the same well. economic challenges, most impor- during the first trading day of the year 2016 at the Philippine Stock Exchange in the financial district tantly the impact of low oil prices,” said Buhari said. Some 984 billion naira of Makati, south of Manila, Philippines. Lagarde in a statement. The statement would be borrowed at home. gave no other details, but the meet- Nigeria relies on crude exports for ing suggests an acknowledgement more than half of state revenues and of Buhari’s efforts to revive Africa’s is Africa’s top oil producer. It is also largest economy. facing an insurgency by Islamist group He was elected in March after Boko Haram, which has killed thou- UK oil and gas output rises for first time in 15 years a campaign in which he promised sands and displaced more than two to clamp down on the endemic cor- million people in the remote northeast ruption that has left many Nigerians and raised concern among poten- Reuters predicted in September. Britain’s oil to bring new fields on stream across tasked a new regulator with helping mired in poverty despite the coun- tial investors. and gas output has more than halved the last twelve months is paying off companies squeeze as much as pos- try’s enormous energy wealth. Lagarde is due to arrive in Niger- in the past 15 years due to easy-to- and yielding a better result,” said Oil sible out of the ground. He then announced a record ia’s capital, Abuja, today. She is due reach resources running low and a and Gas UK chief executive Deirdre The rise in oil and gas production budget for 2016, forecasting a dou- to give a speech to lawmakers on LONDON: Britain’s oil and gas output lack of investment in new areas. But Michie in a statement. comes as a global supply glut has lead bling of the deficit to 2.2 trillion Wednesday and will also meet busi- rose in 2015 for the first time since the a renewed push to explore new areas Final production figures were not to a crash in oil prices to the lowest naira ($11bn) and a tripling of capi- ness leaders during her visit, the IMF turn of the millennium, industry body of the North Sea over the past four yet available but Oil and Gas UK said it level in seven years. Major oil produc- tal expenditure intended to help the said. Lagarde will also visit neigh- Oil & Gas UK said yesterday, revers- years has meant new fields started had based its estimate on data for the ers active across the world ramped up country adjust to the downturn in oil, bouring Cameroon, where she will ing a declining trend but coming as oil up in 2015, including Taqa’s Cladhan first 10 months of 2015 and average crude output in 2015 as investments in which has lost around two-thirds of meet President Paul Biya and his eco- prices are trading at a seven-year low. oil field in resource-rich waters near production assumptions for Novem- new technologies brought new fields its value since mid-2014. It has for- nomic team. Lagarde will also meet The industry group, which repre- the Shetland Islands, and boosted out- ber and December. on stream. While many new fields in eign currency reserves worth around Finance Ministers from the six member sents oil producers active in the North put year on year. Britain is estimated to have another the North Sea were approved at a time $30bn, and plans to borrow as much countries of the Economic and Mon- Sea such as BP, Shell or ExxonMobil, “The industry-wide focus on £ 200bn ($295.38bn) worth of oil and when oil was trading globally at more as 900bn naira abroad to fund the etary Community of Central Africa expects British oil and gas produc- improving production efficiency cou- gas trapped in the North Sea and to tap than $100 a barrel, operators are cur- deficit, which is equivalent to 2.16 (CEMAC), delivering a speech to the tion to have risen 7-8 percent, much pled with investments of more than these resources the government has rently facing prices of around $38 a percent of gross domestic product, group on January 8. higher than a 3-4 percent increase it £50bn pounds over the last four years issued a series of tax incentives and barrel.

Pimco drawn to India as Asia’s Taking stock UK mortgage lending grew best bonds seen rallying in 2016 most since 2008

Bloomberg percent last year and 16.5 percent in pick in Asia, sees a reduction to 6.25 LONDON: UK mortgage lending 2014 as sliding Brent crude prices percent.“India is our favorite desti- grew the most since April 2008, improved public finances for India, nation for fixed income investments months before the collapse of Leh- a net oil importer. They also helped in Asia for the moment, with very man Brothers Holdings Inc sparked MUMBAI: Rupee sovereign bonds, slow gains in consumer prices, paving attractive yields on a risk-adjusted the global financial crisis. Asia’s best performers for two years the way for the steepest interest-rate basis,” said Anders Faergemann, sen- Lending increased £ 3.9bn in a row, are still the top pick for some cuts in six years in 2015. Local 10-year ior sovereign portfolio manager for pounds in November from the global funds. notes pay 546 basis points over simi- emerging-markets fixed income in previous month, the Bank of Eng- Plunging oil prices, a stable cur- lar-maturity US Treasuries, even after London at PineBridge Investments, land said yesterday. Gross lending rency and limited exposure to China the Federal Reserve raised borrow- which oversees $77.6 billion globally. of £20.3bn pounds was the high- are keeping investors bullish, with ing costs in December. “It appears to be facing the glo- est since June 2008. Pacific Investment Management Co. Inflation risks are to the down- bal headwinds better in comparison The data showed other signs of calling Indian notes the “preferred” side and the Reserve Bank of India to other emerging-market peers, is a borrowing pickup, with net con- local- currency securities in the region. “will use the space for further accom- not too dependent on exports and sumer credit growing £ 1.5bn, the The yield on benchmark 10- year debt modation, when available,” Governor also has quite limited trade linkages most since February 2008. The in Asia’s third-largest economy will Raghuram Rajan said last month, sig- with China.” 70,410 mortgage approvals in drop for a third straight year, the long- naling he is not yet done cutting rates. Investor optimism is also spurred November exceeded economists’ est stretch since 2003, a Bloomberg The monetary authority, which by narrowing currency swings and forecast for an increase of 69,800. survey of ten fixed-income dealers next reviews borrowing costs on Feb- India’s move to relax curbs on overseas Record-low interest rates are and fund managers shows. ruary 2, is prepared to act outside of investment in its debt. Global funds got fuelling credit growth, with the “We are overweight Indian bonds,” scheduled policy meetings if war- access to an additional 165bn rupees average rate on secured loans to said Luke Spajic, Singapore-based ranted, he said. ($2.5bn) of sovereign and state-gov- households dropping to 3.01 percent portfolio manager for emerging mar- Rajan, who cut the benchmark ernment bonds from January 1, part and on unsecured borrowing falling kets at Pimco, which oversees $1.5 repurchase rate by 125 basis points of a September plan to allow a phased to 6.76 percent, both the lowest since trillion in assets globally. “They offer last year, will lower it another 25 increase in ownership limits. Foreign records began in 1999. BOE policy high carry and the Indian economy basis points in 2016 to 6.50 percent, holdings of rupee notes increased by makers have maintained bench- has shown resilience in the face of according to the median estimate in 505bn rupees last year after surging mark borrowing costs at a record global growth slowing. If we see dis- a Bloomberg survey of economists 1.67 trillion rupees in 2014. The rupee’s British Prime Minister David Cameron and Bellway Chief Executive low while inflation hovers around location and weakness, unrelated to published last month. Barclays Plc, one-month implied volatility, a meas- Ted Ayres (Left) visit a Bellway housing development in Barking, zero. The BOE also said overseas local influences, we will most likely which in a December 17 report said ure used to price options, slumped 109 East London. investors purchased £12.9bn of gilts look to add”. Rupee debt returned 8.1 Indian government bonds are its top basis points in December. in November. 26 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS

QE INDICES SUMMARY QATAR STOCK EXCHANGE QE Index 10,041.70 2.64 % QE Total Return Index 15,608.38 2.64 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 3,701.43 2.78 % QE All Share Index 2,679.74 2.55 % QE All Share Banks & Financial Services 2,709.12 2.68 % QE All Share Industrials 3,057.53 2.05 % QE All Share Transportation 2,374.6 1.17 % QE All Share Real Estate 2,231.94 3.75 % QE All Share Insurance 4,009.42 1.97 % QE All Share Telecoms 945.7 2.60 % QE All Share Consumer Goods & Services 5,825.06 2.34 %

QE MARKET SUMMARY COMPARISON 04-01-2016 Today 03-01-2016 Previous day Index 10,041.70 10,313.74 Change 272.04 115.62 % 2.64 1.11 YTD% 3.72 1.11 Volume 3,053,196 2,011,338 Value (QAR) 108,819,714.93 67,433,570.20 Trades 2,317 1,321 Up 01 | Down 37 | Unchanged 01

WORLD STOCK INDICES Index Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year low All Ordinaries 5322.786 -21.77 -0.41 0 0 Cac 40 Index/D 4501.91 -135.15 -2.91 0 0 Dj Indu Average 17425.03 -178.84 -1.02 18351.4 15370.3 Hang Seng Inde/D 21327.12 -587.28 -2.68 0 0 Iseq Overall/D 6674.97 -116.71 -1.72 0 0 Karachi 100 In/D 33009.13 -219.82 -0.66 33256.85 32828.36 Nikkei 225 Index 18450.98 -582.73 -3.06 0 0 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 2134.72 1867.01

EXCHANGE RATE Currency Buying Selling US$ QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 UK QR 5.3460 QR 5.4217 INTERNATIONAL MARKETS - A LIST OF SHARES FROM THE WORLD Euro QR 3.9483 QR 4.0036 COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME CA$ QR 2.5932 QR 2.6442 NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED Swiss Fr QR 3.6233 QR 3.6770 Yen QR 0.0304 QR 0.0310 A B G Infra-Xc/D 158.6 -6.7 1578 Emco-B/D 32.85 -1.45 113237 Kajaria Cer-A/D 987.7 5.5 3919 Savita Oil-B/D 572.5 -2.25 3416 Aus$ QR 2.5981 QR 2.6503 A C C-A/D 1339.75 -33.45 9717 Escorts Fin-B/D 4.23 0.16 99504 Kakatiya Cem-B/D 150.4 -0.9 2827 Sterling Tool-/D 520 -8 1577 Aarti Drugs-B/D 589.65 -6.55 5264 Escorts-A/D 165.5 -5.1 209342 Kalpat Power-B/D 252.7 -2.55 11159 Tanfac Indust-/D 40.9 1.35 2071 Ind Re QR 0.0542 QR 0.0553 Aban Offs-A/D 230.3 3.8 789749 Essar Oil-T/D 258.55 -0.45 128204 Kalyani Stel-T/D 168 0.1 38403 Tanfac Indust-/D 40.9 1.35 2071 Pak Re QR 0.0344 QR 0.0351 Ador Welding-B/D 314.3 -14.4 3707 Eveready Indu-/D 302.35 1.65 16321 Kanoria Chem-B/D 76.85 -2.4 38250 Thirumalai-B/D 214.2 -2.6 7069 Peso QR 0.0766 QR 0.0781 Aegis Logis-B/D 105.75 -0.2 24926 F D C-B/D 227.05 -3.6 5465 Kg Denim-B/D 58.75 -1.3 43650 Til Ltd.-T/D 490.25 -27.5 6884 Alembic-B/D 46.95 -0.7 251983 Federal Bank-A/D 55.8 -1.05 230529 Kilburnengg-Xd/D 83.1 -3.6 8728 Timexgroup-T/D 35.5 -3 173836 SL Re QR 0.0250 QR 0.0256 Alkyl Amines-B/D 348 -20.7 1742 Ferro Alloys-B/D 6.78 0.25 93106 Kinetic Eng-B/D 118.6 5.2 19977 Tinplate-B/D 71.4 -1.6 52561 Taka QR 0.0461 QR 0.0464 Alok Indus-A/D 6.26 -0.06 1349879 Fgp Ltd-T/D 3 0.05 6364 Kopran-B/D 73.35 -2 149351 Ucal Fuel-B/D 134.4 -5.8 63251 Nep Re QR 0.0340 QR 0.0347 Apollo Tyre-A/D 155.55 -3.55 189924 Finolex-A/D 300.95 0.8 7522 Lakshmi Elec-B/D 421.9 -11.6 5660 Ucal Fuel-B/D 134.4 -5.8 63251 Asahi I Glass-/D 162.1 -1.5 3291 Forbes-B/D 1730 -8.5 1897 Lakshmi Mach-A/D 3716.1 -108.65 1181 Unitech P -A/D 6.66 -0.15 6835953 SA Rand QR 0.2323 QR 0.2370 Ashok Leyland-/D 91.95 3.2 2103872 Gail-A/D 360.8 -9 83301 Laxmi Prcisn-B/D 59 1.1 4630 Univcable-T/D 82.65 2.05 15306 Ballarpur In-B/D 20 -1.1 1115739 Gammon India-T/D 19.25 0.05 259476 Lloyd Metal-B/D 7.57 0.02 11125 Uppergsugar-T/D 77.05 3.1 14241 Banaras Bead-B/D 49.1 -1.2 1830 Gangotri Tex-B/D 1.9 0.09 10694 Lok.Hous&Con-B/D 7.92 0.03 96074 GOLD AND SILVER Bata India-A/D 509.15 -7.75 25289 Garden P -B/D 30.3 -0.25 20112 Lumax Ind-B/D 465.9 -5.1 5615 LONDON Beml Ltd-A/D 1278.6 -23.3 37212 Godfrey Phil-B/D 1357.3 -56.9 47953 Lupin-A/D 1797.8 -47.7 49411 GOLD QR125.9227 per gram Bh Electronic-/D 1375.65 -0.6 75210 Goodricke-B/D 208.6 -6.9 50924 Lyka Labs-T/D 126.5 -3.7 64687 3I Group/D 464.4 -17.2 236881 Bhansali Eng-T/D 25.05 -0.7 291302 Goodyear I -B/D 564 -12.25 12697 Mafatlal Ind-B/D 353.6 4.7 18999 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3263 -79 194969 SILVER QR1.6400 per gram Bharat Bijle-B/D 845 -9.75 4289 Hcl Infosys-B/D 58.9 -1.9 513065 Mah.Seamless-B/D 170.3 -3.9 4430 Barclays/D 212.85 -6.05 9540550 Bharatgears-B/D 91.4 0.1 2966 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 21.9 -0.2 7254792 Mangalam Cem-B/D 196.5 -0.8 13435 Bg Group/D 971.1 -13.9 2354059 Bhartiya Int-B/D 542.75 22.25 12008 Himat Seide-B/D 211.05 -6.5 84815 Maral Overs-B/D 35.85 -0.65 12357 Bp/D 344.25 -9.75 9717946 Bhel-A/D 165.1 -5.9 456534 Hind Motors-T/D 7.47 0.06 104962 Mastek-B/D 193.7 -2.9 64157 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3681 -90 484989 Bhuwalka Stl-X/D 7.88 0.3 1151 Hind Org Chem-/D 21.75 3.5 805184 Max India L-A/D 516.35 -7 20906 Bt Group/D 458 -13.7 3575291 Bom.Burmah-B/D 483.1 -10.95 5185 Hind Unilever-/D 857.15 0.6 140143 Mrpl-A/D 66.4 -2.5 91544 Centrica/D 211.1 -7 4558707 US stocks sink more than Bombay Dyeing-/D 64.8 0.45 337053 Hind.Petrol-A/D 854.1 2.4 146167 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 36.95 0.45 4294 Gkn/D 299 -9.4 1006168 Camph.& All-B/D 625 -18.75 12708 Hindalco-A/D 80.85 -4 1469904 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 36.95 0.45 4294 Hsbc Holdings/D 517.2 -19 7467223 Canfin Homes-B/D 1073.45 -21.35 1997 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1216.35 -40.95 48499 Nahar Spg.-B/D 128 -1.4 106957 Imperial Tobac/D 3527 -59.5 555433 2% as global rout spreads Caprihans-Xc/D 91.75 -0.5 5857 I F C I-A/D 27.25 -1.2 1732464 Nation Alum -A/D 38.8 -1.55 210816 Kingfisher/D 321.1 -8.4 975145 Castrol India-/D 442.25 -4.8 36857 Idbi-A/D 84.85 -5.05 1071125 Navneet Edu-B/D 94.2 -1.25 24565 Land Secs Grou/D 1152 -25 489366 AFP Century Enka-B/D 197.7 -6.6 23538 Ifb Agro-B/D 468 -3.1 2038 Nepc India-T/D 2.12 0.1 34201 Legal & Genera/D 258.2 -9.6 4794741 Century Text-A/D 589.5 -26.85 209234 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 475 -8.8 2024 Neuland Lab-B/D 792 -0.25 4340 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 70.78 -2.29 38606620 Chambal Fert-B/D 62.25 -0.45 67255 India Cement-A/D 95.95 -3.5 478544 Nrb Bearings-B/D 138.5 -0.8 3935 Marks & Sp./D 439.6 -12.8 3301278 Chola Invest-A/D 640 -2.8 11123 India Glycol-B/D 102.5 -0.6 16815 O N G C-A/D 238.3 -4.1 217274 Next/D 7200 -90 305533 Chowgule St-T/D 21.8 0.4 6055 Indian Card-B/D 293.2 15.8 13904 Oil Country-B/D 31.55 -0.55 4637 Pearson/D 721.37 -15 1085205 NEW YORK: US stocks tumbled more than two per- Cimmco-B/D 85.3 -1.75 7336 Indian Hotel-A/D 119.4 -0.5 129583 Onward Tech-B/D 102.4 -4.1 12513 Prudential/D 1456 -75 1482844 cent early yesterday, joining a global sell-off sparked Cipla-A/D 646.9 -7.8 69956 Indo-Tcount-T/D 1070 -31.5 4488 Orchid Pharm-B/D 61.7 -2.25 267834 Rank Group/D 284 -1 125224 by a seven percent plunge in the Shanghai stock market. City Union Bk-/D 92 -0.65 15667 Indusind-A/D 934.45 -28.95 90325 Orient Hotel-T/D 30.25 0.55 336890 Rentokil Initi/D 157.8 -1.5 740252 About 35 minutes into trade in the first session of Colgate-A/D 974.05 -2.5 9862 J.B.Chemical-B/D 281.45 2.3 43408 Orient.Carb.-T/D 578.75 -0.75 5139 Rolls Royce Pl/D 560.64 -14.5 1690209 2016, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 405.66 Container Cor-/D 1348.1 -39.6 32439 Jagatjit Ind-X/D 59.4 2.8 1784 Orient.Carb.-T/D 578.75 -0.75 5139 Rsa Insrance G/D 409 -17.5 1026961 points (2.33 percent) at 17,019.37 Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 467.2 -2.7 8162 Jagson Phar-B/D 53.35 2.05 99229 Oudh Sugar-B/D 38.1 1.75 23480 Sainsbury(J)/D 254.1 -4.7 2504333 The broad-based S&P 500 dropped 45.41 (2.22 per- Dcm Financia-T/D 1.15 0.05 1900 Jamnaauto-B/D 138.1 -2.6 385998 Patspin India-/D 12.75 0.52 32272 Smith&Nephew/D 1169 -39 687398 cent) to 1,998.53, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Dcm Shram Ind-/D 95.9 -2.15 14690 Jbf Indu-B/D 228.2 -8.65 34759 Radico Khait-B/D 114.85 -1.1 50879 Smiths Group/D 935 -4.5 505320 Index sank 137.24 (2.74 percent) to 4,870.17. Dhampur Sugar-/D 71.85 1.8 106484 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.44 0 134495 Rallis India-A/D 175.45 -5 19324 Standrd Chart /D 532.1 -31.6 2525716 Trading on Chinese stock markets was halted early as Dr. Reddy-A/D 3056.95 -48.9 44056 Jct Ltd-B/D 10.45 0.06 4689309 Rallis India-A/D 175.45 -5 19324 Tate & Lyle/D 592 -7 303778 E I H-B/D 130.4 -4.5 52829 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 13.16 0.34 158557 Reliance Indus/D 522.5 4.5 587152 Tesco/D 145.05 -4.45 8532449 benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped nearly E.I.D Parry-A/D 202.55 0.65 148064 Jik Indust-T/D 0.9 0.01 1550 Ruchi Soya-B/D 30 0 105411 Unilever/D 2819 -107.5 960651 seven percent following poor manufacturing data. Eicher Motor-A/D 17506.25 141 6648 Jktyre&Ind-A/D 113.1 -2.7 510695 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 527.5 2.15 5526 United Util Gr/D 925.5 -10 708872 The China turbulence led to a grim opening session Eimco Elecon-T/D 494 22.9 2006 Jmc Projects-T/D 257 1.9 9851 Salora Inter-B/D 57.9 -5.6 6661 Vodafone Group/D 215.7 -5.3 23950561 for 2016, with markets from Tokyo to Mumbai to Paris Electrosteel-B/D 22.8 -0.25 466991 Kabra Extr-B/D 103.6 -1.4 5392 Saur.Cem-B/D 70.1 -2.55 234476 Whitbread/D 4319 -82 181243 and Frankfurt sharply down. Analysts said markets were also unsettled by Saudi Arabia’s severing diplomatic ties with regional rival Iran after the Saudi gov- ernment Saturday executed a prom- The China QE Index falls 2.64% as region hit by global sell-off inent Shiite cleric. turbulence led to “On the first trad- ing day of 2016, the a grim opening markets have got session for 2016, Qatar News Agency/ Reuters 2.64 percent to 15,608.38 points. some years. But the latest events off to a shocking QE Al Rayan Islamic Index closed Chinese stocks slumped by 7 percent marked an escalation, and for- start,” said ana- with markets from 2.78 percent to 3,701.43 points. eign investors in particular may lyst Manoj Ladwa Tokyo to Mumbai QSE All Share Index down 2.55 after weak manufacturing data, causing become more cautious about the at brokerage TJM to Paris and DOHA: Qatar Exchange (QE) percent to 2,679.74 points. emerging markets in general to suffer region. Partners. The index dropped 272.04 (2.64 per- From the 43 companies listed their biggest fall in four months. Reflecting that caution, the hardest-hit sectors Frankfurt sharply cent) points when the bourse closed on QE, 39 saw trading yester- Saudi riyal fell to near a 16-year include technology, down. trading at 10,041.70 points yester- day. From these, one gained, 37 low against the US dollar in the with Apple falling day impacted by a global sell-off closed lower and one remained forward foreign exchange mar- 2.3 percent, Google triggered by China. unchanged. equity funds at Dubai-based Ras- worries about Chinese demand ket on Monday. Meanwhile, the parent Alphabet 2.9 The daily turnover increased Elsewhere, most Middle East mala Investment Bank. remain the primary drivers of GCC cost of insuring Saudi sovereign percent and Netflix to over QR108m with a volume of stock markets tumbled yesterday in The lack of a catalyst that would (Gulf Cooperation Council) stock debt against default rose to multi- 7.0 percent. Int he banking sector, JPMorgan Chase lost over 3m shares from 2,317 deals a global sell-off triggered by China, support a market rally in the Gulf markets,” said Akber Khan, direc- year highs. 3.3 percent and Bank of America 2.7 percent. compared with over QR 67m with while growing tensions between leaves the region vulnerable to vol- tor of asset management at Doha’s Riyadh’s equities benchmark US-traded Chinese stocks were in retreat, includ- a volume of over 2m shares from Saudi Arabia and Iran added to atile trade, he added. In past years, Al Rayan Investment. faced a heavy sell-off in the last ing Alibaba and Baidu, which sank 5.8 percent and 3.9 1,321 deals on Sunday. the gloom. the region outperformed emerg- Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties hour of trade as investors dumped percent. Some petroleum-linked shares rose as the Saudi- Indices of seven sectors ended Chinese stocks slumped by 7 ing markets because of its strong with Iran on Sunday in response stocks across the board. The index Iran tensions lifted oil prices. Oil-services companies in the red yesterday. Insurance sec- percent after weak manufacturing budget and current account sur- to the storming of its embassy in sank 2.4 percent. Weatherford International and Halliburton were up tor ended in the red by dropping 1.97 data, causing emerging markets in pluses, but most of those surpluses Tehran. The attack came after the The Dubai stock index dropped 3.5 percent and 0.7 percent. ExxonMobil shed 0.4 per- percent to 4,009.42 points. While general to suffer their biggest fall have now been erased by low oil Saudis executed a leading Shi’ite 1.6 percent yesterday with all but cent, a much smaller decline compared with the index. Banks and Financial Services sec- in four months. “The broad mar- prices. cleric, Nimr al-Nimir, on terror- two shares ending lower. Abu Pharma company Baxalta climbed 2.5 percent on tor index decreased 2.68 percent ket sell-off is part of the general “While rising geopolitical ten- ism charges, infuriating Iran. Local Dhabi’s benchmark retreated 1.3 reports it is in advanced talks to be acquired by Shire to 2,709.12 points. QE Total Return weakness in global equity markets,” sion makes headlines and weighs investors have largely ignored geo- percent while Cairo’s main index for about $32bn. Index dropped when it closed at said Muhammad Shabbir, head of on sentiment, weakness in oil and political tensions in the Gulf for declined 1.5 percent. BUSINESS VIEWS TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 27

Oil finds silver lining Foreigners get it wrong in China’s unsated thirst for crude on Japan, after 25 years

Bloomberg by 2020. The country held about 29 days of supply as of the middle of 2015, accord- ing to Bloomberg calculations hina’s insatiable appe- based on National Bureau of tite for crude is at Statistics data. least one thing oil Crude imports for emer- Cbulls can count on gency reserves may double this year. The world’s biggest to 230,000 barrels a day commodity consumer may this year as new tanks start buy 8 percent more oil from operating, according to Chi overseas in 2016, taking aver- Zhang, an analyst with Bar- age purchases to 7.2 million clays in Hong Kong. China barrels a day, according to stockpiled 26.1 million met- the median of seven respond- ric tonnes (about 191 million ents in a Bloomberg survey barrels) of crude as of mid- including FGE and Energy 2015 at eight SPR sites and Aspects Ltd. commercial storage tanks. The country’s inbound The country will build and shipments in the first 11 fill 74 million barrels of SPR months of last year increased capacity this year, according 8.8 percent to 6.63 million to JBC’s Lindell. “We expect barrels a day and touched a that nearly 200,000 barrels a monthly record of 7.4 million day of crude oil will be added in April, customs data show. to inventory in 2016” includ- The prospect of China ing strategic reserves, said continuing to absorb a glut Wu Kang, a Beijing-based of supply from overseas will analyst with industry con- encourage investors holding sultant FGE, who gave the out for a recovery in oil from median estimate in the sur- the lowest level in 11 years. vey. “This is one of the major Women wearing traditional kimono dresses pose after the opening of the stock market for the New Year at the Tokyo Stock The nation, which has over- factors determining crude oil Exchange in Tokyo yesterday. Tokyo stocks opened lower on continued yen strength, as trading resumed after the New Year taken the US as the world’s imports.” holiday and as tensions in the Middle East hurt sentiment. biggest buyer on occasions China’s independent last year, is taking advan- refiners, known as teapots, tage of the two-year slump account for almost a third in prices to hoard crude for of the nation’s processing By Anna Kitanaka & Toshiro Hasegawa The measure’s gain in euros was triple that emergencies. Demand is capacity. Thirteen of them Bloomberg of the Stoxx Europe 600 Index, even as the further expanding as the gov- have been granted import European benchmark completed its best year ernment relaxes rules to allow quotas totaling a combined in a decade versus US equities. imports by private refiners. 55 million tonnes, or 18 per- “For people underweight Japan, that’s not “Growth in China’s crude cent of the nation’s annual good,” Matsui said. imports is a supportive fac- imports, as the government or the first year since 1989, foreign- As Shinzo Abe enters a fourth year as tor for crude prices,” said seeks to promote private ers sold Japanese stocks and missed premier, locals are showing more faith in his Eugene Lindell, an ana- investment and boost the a rally. Overseas investors, who growth revival programme known as Abe- Overseas investors, who lyst with Vienna-based JBC economy. The three tea- account for more than two-thirds nomics. That’s a reversal of the early days of Energy GmbH, who forecast pots with the biggest import of trading in Tokyo, cut holdings his tenure, when foreigners pumped a record account for more than a growth rate of 6 percent. “It quotas have said they’ll uti- Fin 2015 even as the Topix index climbed 8.9 15 trillion yen into the nation’s equity market two-thirds of trading will help tackle the crude sur- lise their permits this year. percent in dollars and 21 percent in euros. It in 2013 as domestic investors sold. plus seen over the first half Shandong Dongming Petro- had been 2 1/2 decades since foreigners last Non-resident investors offloaded 252bn in Tokyo, cut holdings year in 2016.” chemical Group, the nation’s offloaded shares amid annual gains, data yen in Japanese shares from January through in 2015 even as the Brent crude, the interna- largest independent refiner compiled by Bloomberg show. As traders December 25, data from Japan Exchange tional benchmark, slumped by capacity, said it plans to dumped $2.1bn, Japan’s own pension funds, Group Inc show. The last time they sold as Topix index climbed 8.9 to an 11- year low last month fully use its crude-import asset managers, central bank and compa- the Topix climbed in both US- and local- percent in dollars and amid speculation suppli- quota of 7.5 million tonnes nies took their place. currency terms was in 1989, when the gauge ers from the Middle East in 2016, while Panjin North For Goldman Sachs Group Inc, the home rose 22 percent in yen and 6.8 percent in dol- 21 percent in euros. It to the US will exacerbate a Asphalt Fuel Co. and Baota team sending shares higher can only be good, lars. Last year, the bulk of the selling came had been 25 years since record glut as they fight for Petrochemical Group said with domestic inflows showing equities can in August and September as China’s yuan foreigners last offloaded market share. The Organisa- they intend to import 7 mil- rise without substantial weakness in the yen. devaluation sparked a global equity retreat. tion of Petroleum Exporting lion tonnes and 6.1 million Foreigners will return in 2016 “People were reducing risk across the board, shares amid annual Countries raised production tonnes, respectively. on a favourable outlook for it wasn’t specific to Japan,” said Mark Mat- gains. to the highest in more than Chinese crude imports earnings and improved cor- thews, head of Asia research and a managing three years in November and should rise by at least 1 mil- porate governance, according director at Bank Julius Baer & Co in Singa- effectively scrapped its out- lion barrels a day in 2016, or to Sompo Japan Nipponkoa pore, which last year ended an overweight put ceiling a month later. about 15 percent, given that Asset Management Co. call on the nation’s equities and now has a Meanwhile, the US ended the teapots have to meet Overseas investors’ sell- neutral view. “Because Japan had received shares higher without foreign help, and its 40-year export ban and their quotas or risk losing ing “was obviously a mistake,” a lot of inflow, it’s natural that foreigners the buying spree by professional inves- Iran plans to boost output by their licenses, said Viren- said Kathy Matsui, vice chair- would be selling.” tors will encourage individuals to return about 500,000 barrels a day dra Chauhan, an analyst at man and chief Japan strategist Still, some of the shift was for Japan-spe- to the market, according to Andrew Clarke, within weeks of international consultant Energy Aspects. As traders dumped at Goldman Sachs in Tokyo. cific reasons. Even long-only funds can’t wait director of trading at Mirabaud Asia Ltd, a sanctions being lifted. Chauhan gave the high- The Topix capped a years for Abe’s structural reforms to suc- Hong Kong brokerage. China may start four addi- est growth estimate in the $2.1bn, Japan’s 9.9 percent gain in local- ceed, Matthews said. With the Bank of Japan Trust banks, which typically trade on tional strategic petroleum survey. own pension funds, currency terms last year, unlikely to increase its quantitative easing behalf of retirement funds, bought a net reserves this year, augment- The lowest forecast for its fourth straight annual program in 2016, the yen will remain flat or 1.8 trillion yen of stocks in 2015 after the ing its existing eight, as part China’s crude import growth asset managers, increase. Combined with strengthen, damping the outlook for equities, Government Pension Investment Fund and of its ultimate goal of stock- was 3 percent from ICIS China, central bank and the yen’s resilience, that he said. Since the third-quarter rout, Japan its smaller peers boosted allocations to the piling enough oil to cover a Shanghai-based commodity meant that the Topix out- has been one of the quickest developed mar- nation’s shares. Proprietary traders added 100 days worth of imports researcher. companies took performed the Standard & kets to recover, with the Topix jumping 12 about 1.5 trillion yen of equities, which their place. Poor’s 500 Index in dollars percent through year-end from its Septem- Nomura Holdings Inc. says reflects banks for the first time since 2008. ber low. Locals have the firepower to send creating exchange-traded funds for the BOJ. Biggest economies face $7 trillion debt refinancing tab

By Anchalee Worrachate the maturity of their outstanding debt and con- Government bonds eked out a 1.2 percent gain strategist at Commerzbank AG in London. Bloomberg tinue to cut back on the extra spending put in for investors in 2015, compared with 8.4 per- “At least the reduced pressure to borrow will place to combat the global financial meltdown. cent in 2014 and an average 4.4 percent return be a nice offsetting factor.” “Most of these countries are moving toward over the past five years, according to Bank of In the US, the world’s largest debtor nation fiscal discipline,” said Mohit Kumar, head of America Merrill Lynch indexes. Yields, which with $13.1 trillion of marketable debt obliga- he amount of debt that the governments rates strategy at Credit Agricole SA’s corpo- move inversely to prices, are now starting tions, the amount of government securities of the world’s leading economies will rate and investment-banking unit in London. to rise as the fallout from recession fades, coming due will rise 14 percent from last year need to refinance in 2016 will be lit- “There was fiscal expansion during the crisis reducing demand for the securities as a haven, to $3.5 trillion. China faces the biggest per- tle changed from last year as nations for various reasons: to support growth and to and as the US central bank predicts four rate centage increase in refinancing needs in 2016, Tmake strides in cutting budget deficits to a third shift liabilities from the private sector into the increases before the year is out. with a 41 percent jump to $254bn. of the highs seen during the financial crisis. public sector. Those effects are going away.” US 10-year Treasury yields will climb to The drop in bond redemptions across most The value of bills, notes and bonds coming While the decline shows there’s less pres- 2.75 percent by the end of 2016, according to of the world’s leading economies, plus quanti- due for the Group-of-Seven nations plus Brazil, sure on governments to borrow, it doesn’t the median forecast of 65 analysts surveyed, tative-easing programs and subdued inflation, Slower inflation boosts China, India and Russia will total $7.1 trillion, necessarily mean they will issue less -- that from 2.23 percent as of 8:45 am in London. will continue to underpin demand for govern- compared with $7 trillion in 2015 and down depends on their overall funding require- This may prompt investors to demand more ment bonds, even as higher US interest rates the appeal of the fixed from $7.6 trillion in 2012. Japan, Germany, ments. Germany plans to boost its bond and bill compensation to hold other bonds, too, includ- put upward pressure on yields, according to payments that bonds Italy and Canada will all see redemptions fall, sales to €203bn this year from about €175bn ing those from countries such as Germany Rabobank International. while the US, China and the UK face increases, in 2015, partly to finance expenses caused by and Japan, where yields are currently being Slower inflation boosts the appeal of the offer. Economists estimate data compiled by Bloomberg show. a record influx of migrants. kept down by their central banks expanding fixed payments that bonds offer. Economists consumer prices in The amount of maturing debt has grad- Russia and Brazil will see the biggest pro- the money supply through debt purchases. estimate consumer prices in developed coun- developed countries rose ually fallen since Bloomberg began collating portional declines in debt redemptions, with The average sovereign yield in Bank of Amer- tries rose just 0.5 percent in 2015, a fraction the data in 2012. The decline may bring some securities coming due tumbling by 38 percent ica Merrill Lynch’s Global Government Index of the 3.5 percent increase in 2008. just 0.5 percent in 2015, a support to the bond market as the US Federal and 26 percent, data compiled by Bloomb- climbed to 1.1 percent, from an all-time low Budget deficits across the developed world fraction of the 3.5 percent Reserve gradually raises interest rates, pushing erg show. Including interest payments, the of 0.82 percent reached in January last year. will shrink to an average 2.4 percent of gross yields up from record lows. Budget deficits are amount of debt that needs to be refinanced by “Yields will rise and the Fed’s tightening domestic product this year, economists pre- increase in 2008. forecast by economists to narrow for a seventh the G-7 and BRIC nations will total $7.8 tril- will spill over into other bonds,” said David dict, from an estimated 2.6 percent in 2015 straight year in 2016 as governments extend lion this year, also little changed from 2015. Schnautz, a London-based fixed- income and a peak of 7.2 percent in 2009. 28 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 BUSINESS BACK TO BUSINESS

After winning at chess, this sight computer helps decide loans ETFs hit record as

Bloomberg BlackRock sees shift away from futures FTER defeating an expert in Japanese chess, this computer program’s next TOKYO: A record amount flowed began in 2014 and is mostly con- task is to figure out if you into global exchange- traded centrated in equities, according to can make the payments funds for a second straight year, Chan. About 60 percent of conver- Aon a new mortgage. BlackRock Inc. said, as inves- sions took place in the US, while Heroz Inc., a small Japanese startup tors increasingly are drawn to Europe saw 35 percent, she said. whose engineers designed computer the products as a replacement “A large pension fund in the systems that were the first to defeat for futures and swaps positions. UK recently bought over $300 an active professional player of shogi, The industry took in an addi- million of equity ETFs to replace the Japanese version of chess, says it’s tional $347bn globally in 2015, future positions, so the trend is now working on adapting its applica- topping the previous year’s record catching on there,” said Chan. tions for the financial industry. of $330.7bn, according to Black- While activity in Asia is at an While Deep Blue became the first Rock. The firm grabbed more than early stage, she expects growth computer to beat a top chess player a third of the new funds with $129 in the region to accelerate in the in 1997, the computer programming billion, the most in the industry, future as well. required to defeat a shogi master is it said. Investors held 139 million even more complex than that required Among new drivers of growth futures contracts globally at the for conventional chess. That’s mainly were investors who used ETFs end of November, down 15 percent because the number of potential moves to replace derivatives includ- from a year earlier, according to in Japanese chess is much higher, as ing futures and swaps. Such the latest data available from the shogi’s rules on the reuse of captured conversions brought in $10bn World Federation of Exchanges. A computer plays against a professional shogi (Japanese chess) player in April 2015 in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward. pieces are more complicated. to BlackRock in 2015, or about Smart beta products, which Heroz is hoping that the lessons 8 percent of the funds it attracted invest according to factors such as it has learned about how to recreate in its ETF business. The trend dividends or volatility instead of human judgment to help its comput- computer’s program was able to out- Agency is trying to get banks to become away from derivatives is help- market capitalization, saw growth ers win at shogi can be applied to the smart an active shogi professional, more active in the field, saying in ing to buffer slowing expansion in the entire industry slow by a crunching of data for banks when they with its 2013 victory over Shinichi Sato. December that it will recommend in so-called smart beta products, third in 2015, with such ETFs draw- decide whether customers are cred- Such advanced computers are legal changes to streamline the use which BlackRock and others have ing $29bn in new flows through itworthy, according to Heroz’s Chief able to apply a sort of judgment to of advanced technology in finance. targeted for future growth. December 24, down from $45bn Financial Officer Daisuke Asahara. which of the many trillions of poten- Japan’s largest lenders includ- Investors are choosing ETFs in 2014, according to the firm. “There are times that computers can tial chess moves they should make, ing Mizuho Financial Group Inc. are as derivatives have become more Chan cited sluggish growth see as correct what humans perceive through a machine-learning process already developing services that make expensive over the past two years in US dividend funds for the to be wrong,” Asahara, a former invest- based on programming and past game use of artificial-intelligence technol- “as regulation such as Volcker and slowdown, with such strate- ment banker with Goldman Sachs data, according to Ho-fung Leung, ogy such as IBM’s Watson computer, Basel 3 affects the cost capital gies attracting $1.5bn in 2015, Group Inc., said in an interview last a professor at The Chinese Univer- mainly in call-center automation, on bank balance sheets,’’ Susan down from $17.4bn in 2014. Other month. sity of Hong Kong who specializes according to Mizuho spokesman Heroz is hoping that Chan, the head of iShares Asia smart beta products fared better, He said tests show the Heroz com- in artificial intelligence. The process Masako Shiono. the lessons it has Pacific at BlackRock in Hong with ETFs that invest in low-vol- puters can successfully crunch the gets around the need to laboriously Heroz was founded in 2009 by Kong, said in an e-mail. atility stocks grabbing $10.5bn, huge amount of data on consumers’ examine every possible chess move, Takahiro Hayashi and Tomohiro learned about how Tighter regulations and higher up from $4bn in 2014, Black- deposit and withdrawal information, according to Leung. Takahashi, both former employees to recreate human capital requirements in the wake Rock said. and from social networks, to assist “The approach they’re taking is of Japan’s NEC Corp. The 70- employee of the global financial crisis have Assets for the entire ETF banks when they are making deci- very different from the conventional company develops and markets shogi judgement to help made it more expensive for banks industry swelled to $2.98 tril- sions on giving out loans. The firm is tree-of-possibilities approach to com- and chess games for smartphones, its computers win to do business. While that impact lion through November, doubling also working with Nomura Holdings puter chess,” Leung said. which are the source of data for has been felt the most in bond since 2010, according to the latest Inc. to research whether its technol- There are about 10 to the power of development of its machine learn- at shogi can be markets where banks have cut figures made public by the firm. ogy can be applied to financial-market 120 possible moves in a game of con- ing techniques. applied to the back dealing and market-mak- Investors continue to be drawn to forecasting, Asahara said. ventional chess, but that is dwarfed Its move into financial analysis ing activities, BlackRock’s data the relatively low fees offered by The Deep Blue computer devel- by the 10 to the power of 220 possible will be assisted by a 100 million yen crunching of data show their derivatives businesses ETFs, even as questions arose last oped by International Business moves -- the number one followed ($837,000) sale of Heroz equity to for banks, according may also be suffering as a result year about the products’ ability Machines Corp. famously became by 220 zeros -- in a game of shogi, Hifumi Incubation Fund on Decem- of the higher costs. to track the value of their under- the first computer to beat a top chess according to Heroz’s website. ber 28, Asahara said. He said Heroz to Heroz’s Chief The phenomenon of replac- lying assets during times of high player, when it defeated then world Asahara wouldn’t disclose the will use the funding from Hifumi -- a Financial Officer ing futures and swaps with ETFs volatility. champion Garry Kasparov in 1997. names of the banks that Heroz is work- Japanese startup fund -- to invest in The added complexity of shogi meant ing with in analyzing consumer credit facilities such as cloud servers and to Daisuke Asahara. it took another 16 years before Heroz data. But Japan’s Financial Services hire more computer engineers.

Capital I believe inflation risk premia will return to the markets. This should provide upward lift for 30-year Jim Caron, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Comment Treasury yields, possibly toward 3.75 percent. Management

TOP TWEETS BLOGS AND VIEWS Market Talk China equity rout Christine Lagarde@ Dealbreaker boosts fixed income Lagarde NAME IN THE MARKET: TOP M&A DEALS OF 2015 Reuters von Mehren, chief analyst at More peace, stability, Danske Bank A/S in Copenha- trade, and jobs: Here’s Assets in liquid-alternative gen. “China and the tensions in to a better 2016! Edinburgh/Singapore: Gov- the Middle East are really the funds grew to $310bn ernment bonds are starting headlines today.” at the end of 2014 from 2016 on a high. The yield on the benchmark Joseph Stiglitz@ With the worst-ever open- US 10-year note declined six basis stiglitzian $124.44bn at the end of ing to a year for Chinese stocks points, or 0.06 percentage point, 2010. But the inflows have driving demand for the relative to 2.21 percent as of 7:28 a.m. in Stiglitz: “Optimists say safety of sovereign debt, Treasury New York, based on Bloomberg 2016 will be better slowed as performance 10-year yields fell by the most in Bond Trader data, the biggest than 2015. That may faltered this year. more than two weeks on Mon- drop since December 17. The turn out to be true, but day, while bonds from Europe 2.25 percent note due in Novem- only imperceptibly so.” and Asia also climbed. ber 2025 climbed 1/2, or $5 per The moves echoed a rout in $1,000 face amount, to 100 10/32. World Bank@WorldBank Chinese shares about six months Germany’s bund yield fell MoneyBeat (Wall Street Journal) ago that helped persuade the seven basis points from the Federal Reserve to refrain from December 30 close to 0.56 At $243bn, the private raising US interest rates in Sep- percent and those on France’s sector is the larg- tember and boosted demand for dropped seven basis points to est source of climate European fixed-income assets 0.92 percent. Trading on euro- finance A surge in private fundraising on speculation that inflation area bonds was closed on in 2015 helped technology would stay well below target. December 31 and January 1. Stock trading was halted in China The UK’s 10-year gilt yield startups steer clear of a Dealogic@Dealogic on Monday after the nation’s CSI fell eight basis points to 1.88 per- painful initial-public-offering 300 Index slumped 7 percent. cent from December 31, when they Following a #record “The sharp drop in Chinese traded for half a day.Increased ten- year for global M&A in market. In 2016, they may stocks and weaker PMI data is sions between Iran and Saudi Arabia 2015, volume has now not be able to avoid it. giving a hit to overall risk sen- are also helping drive demand for surpassed $5tr for the timent, so we are seeing some safety, said Toshifumi Sugimoto, first time ever #merg- flight to safety and lower bond chief investment officer at Capi- ers #acquisitions yields in response,” said Allan tal Asset Management in Tokyo. www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAGE | 30 PAGE | 32 Murray starts Captain Amla season with stands firm easy victory against England

TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 • 25 Rabia I 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar Djokovic eases into second round in Qatar

first-round clash 6-2, 6-2 in just 51 QATAR OPEN 2016 World number minutes at Khalifa Tennis Complex. ORDER OF PLAY one beats German Djokovic’s arch-rival and second seed Rafael Nadal, however, yester- CENTRE COURT start 3:30 pm qualifier in straight day suffered an embarrassing blow [3] T. Berdych (CZE) vs sets to launch his new in the doubles along with Fernando S Stakhovsky (UKR) Verdasco. I. Marchenko (UKR) vs [4] D. Ferrer (ESP) season in convincing Russia’s Teymuraz Gabashvili and fashion Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas fought P. Carreno Busta (ESP) vs back from a set’s deficit to win 6-7, 6-4, [2] R. Nadal (ESP) 11-9 in 1 hour 44 minutes. F. Verdasco (ESP) vs [WC] M. Jaziri (TUN) In the day’s other matches, sev- By Rizwan Rehmat enth seed Jeremy Chardy hammered COURT 1 START 3:30 PM The Peninsula Qatari wildcard Mubarak Shannan T. Gabashvili (RUS) vs S. Bolelli (ITA) Zayid 6-1, 6-1 while British qualifier [Q] B. Becker (GER) vs [8] L. Mayer (ARG) Kyle Edmund crushed Slovakia’s Mar- tin Klizan 6-2, 6-3 in 70 minutes. S. Bolelli (ITA) / S. Stakhovsky (UKR) vs J. DOHA: World number one Novak In another round of 32 match, Knowle (AUT) / A. Sa (BRA) Djokovic yesterday barely broke a Damir Dzumhur beat Marco Cecch- [1] J. Rojer (NED) / H. Tecau (ROU) vs J. sweat to beat German qualifier Dus- inato 6-4, 6-2. Erlich (ISR) / C. Fleming (GBR) tin Brown in straight sets to launch In the day’s feature match-up, Djok- COURT 2 START 3:30 PM his new season in convincing fashion. ovic hit the ground running, winning Winner of 11 titles last year, Djok- in less than an hour on Centre Court. [4] P. Petzschner (GER) / A. Peya (AUT) ovic was hardly tested against the “Yes, of course,” Djokovic said when vs [WC] M. Zayed (QAT) / M. Zayid (QAT) long-haired German, winning the asked if he was happy with his per- A. Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) vs formance. “It’s been six weeks since P. Mathieu (FRA) I played the last match, so I was very Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Dustin Brown of Germany during their Qatar Open match in Doha, [6] A. Seppi (ITA) vs R. Berankis (LTU) excited to go back to the court and yesterday. Bottom: Qatar’s Mubarak Shannan Zayid returns to Jeremy Chardy of France during thier first round compete and see how I go,” he added. match. Chardy won 6-1, 6-1. Pictures by: Salim / The Peninsula COURT 3 START 3:30 PM “Obviously you never know how P. Andujar (ESP) vs P. Lorenzi (ITA) you’re going to start from the blocks. W. Koolhof (NED) / M. Middelkoop (NED) You can do your best to prepare your- supplemented by a couple of long struggling for range on his returns. vs [3] F. Lopez (ESP) / M. Lopez (ESP) self well, which I did. I think I used the returns from Brown helped the Ser- In game eight, Djokovic saw an off-season very well to train to get my bian break his opponent in game two erratic Brown hand over the set rather R. Albot (MDA) / M. Klizan (SVK) vs [2] J. body in the right shape, and I think it of the first set. tamely when he smashed a return into Murray (GBR) / B. Soares (BRA) was a very good start,” Djokovic said. A similar pattern followed in game the net with the Serbian looking in RESULTS “Considering the weather condi- four when Brown faulted with a cou- complete control of the proceedings tions and everything, I think it was a ple of unforced errors followed by a on a chilly evening. Doha: Results from first day of the ATP good performance from my side. Obvi- long return that saw Djokovic race to Nadal downplayed his loss ahead Qatar Open yesterday: ously I played a player who I never a 4-0 lead. of his first-round clash against Pablo 1ST ROUND faced before and somebody that is, In game seven, Brown broke Carreno Busta today. Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt first of all, a very charismatic guy, very Djokovic when the Serbian unchar- “I have been winning here a lot Dustin Brown (GER) 6-2, 6-2 good for tennis, for sport, and some- acteristically smashed three returns of years (in the) doubles, so hopefully body that is unpredictable. Comes up wide. that’s the good news that I lost this time Damir Dzumhur (BIH) bt firing with the shots,” Djokovic said. Despite the blip in game seven, in doubles that I hope to be ready for Marco Cecchinato (ITA) 6-4, 6-2 The 28-year-old Serbian broke Djokovic quickly reasserted himself singles,” Nadal said yesterday. Kyle Edmund (GBR) bt Brown three times in each of the two by taking game eight and the set in “Today’s match was a match that Boris Becker, coach of Novak Martin Klizan (SVK) 6-2, 6-3 sets as the world number one issued just 25 minutes. we had a lot of chances and was not Jeremy Chardy (FRA x7) bt Djokovic watches the match an early season warning to his rivals. In the second set, Djokovic broke the day to win. And that’s it,” he added Mubarak Shannan Zayid (QAT) 6-1, 6-1 proceedings of the Qatar Open. A 132kmph winner from Djokovic Brown in game six with the German without elaborating. Refreshed Berdych ready to hold on to top-ten billing in 2016

The Peninsula a lot of variations. These days he’s not games 2016 goals? really a easy player. It’s the first match A: Olympics, it’s quite in advance of the year so I’m just going try to focus to think about it. It’s once in four years on my stuff, my tennis. I will try to be and I’m definitely going to play sin- DOHA: Third seed Tomas Berdych of very focused from the first point till gles. If everything goes well and if I the Czech Republic is eager to hold on the last. I just want to go there and get Radek (Stepanak), I would like to to his top billing at this week’s Qatar have a good match. give a shot with him. It’s a competi- ExxonMobil Open. Q: Can you talk to us about your tion that you have the easiest way to Ranked six in the world, Berdych main goals for the season? get a medal because you play the least last year lost the final of the Qatar Exx- A: This season is going to be really amount of matches. I will see how the onMobil Open to David Ferrer of Spain. packed, especially since it’s the Olym- season goes. Till then I’m going to accu- “I have to say that my off-season pics year. For me there is one more mulate wins and play. If everything went pretty well. I managed to squeeze thing that I am looking at and that is to goes well, and if I’m feeling strong and few days for the IPTL and also managed play the first round of the Davis Cup to fit, I’m going to try to play all three. to have some break after the (regu- get my qualification for the Olympics. Q: Coming into this year, is Djok- lar) season,” Berdych said yesterday. It’s gonna be a little bit different than ovic the one that all the players are “I still got a very good, solid por- the last year. Last year I just tried to chasing? tion of the days where I prepared well use all the time for myself - just for the A: No, I think every opponent and with my fitness and tennis and every- direction of my career. But this year every player stands in their position. thing went well,” the tall Czech added. I will look at Davis Cup as represent- No matter what number is in front of “My body is strong so no issues ing the country is always high on my your name, he is just opponent for the there. I have no injuries at all, which priority list of my goals. I’m going to day and you just have to be focused is always very important,” . definitely include that. on that one. Once you pass him, the “Everything went pretty well, as I’m expecting a long, tough season. same thing again. If you’re gonna be I planned, as I scheduled. The only I want to stay healthy and that’s gonna looking too far ahead, you might lose thing that is missing is just the start be the main thing. Then I want to play some things which are right around World number six Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic during a press conference at the Khalifa Tennis of matches,” Berdych said. the whole season. I want to compete you. I have been used to do that all my Questions and answers with with all the top guys and be competi- career. I’m just going try to stick with Complex in Doha yesterday. Berdych. tive. It’s been a while since I put myself that, try to work on my things and just Q: Sergiy Stakhovsky is a tough into the top 10 and held on to that spot. keep going, I will keep working hard definitely one of those from my off- being strong. The rallies are getting they are usually late? first-round match of the year. Talk There will be new, younger guys com- and hoping that one day I can move season and I think it was very good longer. Matches are much more diffi- A: That’s true, not my first time a little bit about him. ing in and trying to grab that position. myself and just get higher in the ranking. one. I think I have been able to raise cult, much more demanding. That was here. All I remember so far was nice, A: I played him couple of times last So I would like to hold on to my Q: We have seen a tweet of yours my fitness level and working on that one of the big aspects that I have been warm days. This year is a bit different, year. It was a period of the year that place and move forward from that. after training that you were pretty direction and that aspect of the game, working on and also the few things but the other hand I spend already a we played almost like the weeks back Last year I managed to get the tired and you were saying that your because I think it’s becoming more that they are. week here, so I hope I’m going to be to back and had couple of matches. I fourth spot and finished the year in coach is very demanding with your and more important in men’s tennis. Q: It seems a bit colder and wind- able to use that just to be more used mean, he’s a very tough guy to play, sixth place. It would be great to change training. How does he make you try Especially with my height and also I ier than usual here. How important for the conditions. It’s all about how especially the way he likes to play. He that number this season. to raise your level? would say weight it’s something that the conditions are going to be a fac- you are going to prepare for that day likes to change the game a lot, playing Q: What about the Rio Olympic A: Yes, you’re right. This was need to really keep working and keep tor in the matches, especially that and adjust accordingly. 30 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 SPORT

Kuznetsova cruises into Azarenka sets up showdown second round in Auckland

AFP first day, number five Sloane Stephens with top seed in Brisbane from the United States had a com- fortable win over Slovakian Polona WELLINGTON: Two-time Grand Slam Hercog 6-3, 6-3, while eighth seed winner Svetlana Kuznetsova had an Alison Van Uytvanck of Belgium was TENNIS: BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL easy first round win in the WTA Auck- beaten by Alexandra Dulgheru from Former world number land Classic yesterday when German Romania 1-6, 6-2, 6-4. opponent Mona Barthel retired early Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, 18, jus- one thrashes Russia’s maiden WTA title in Brisbane in 2009 in the second set. tified her wildcard entry to the main Vesnina to confirm and said she had been keen to open Kuznetsova, the tournament draw with an upset win over Johanna clash against Halep her season in the Queensland capital. fourth seed, headlined the opening Larsson from Sweden 6-1 7-5. “It’s such a pleasure to come here day with the top three seeds – Venus and I couldn’t wait to play my first Williams, Caroline Wozniacki and Ana match,” she said. Ivanovic – not scheduled to appear WTA AUCKLAND AFP “It’s been a while to be out there until today. CLASSIC RESULTS playing an actual match. It’s been a lot The Russian was rarely troubled in of practice, so I was just happy to go her brief appearance and was ahead First Round: Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) bt out there and play and be in front of 6-2, 1-1 when Barthel withdrew with Johanna Larsson (SWE) 6-1, 7-5 BRISBANE: Former world number the crowd and just compete.” a stomach complaint. Carina Witthoeft (GER) bt Tatjana Maria one Victoria Azarenka demolished Azarenka said she was looking Despite only a short time on court, (GER) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) Russia’s Elena Vesnina at the Brisbane forward to playing Halep. “I think it’s the 30-year-old former world number International yesterday to set up a sec- going to be a very good test,” she added. two was satisfied with the way she Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x4) bt Mona ond-round showdown with top seed “Playing against top players, you played, particularly holding serve in Barthel (GER) 6-2, 1-1 ret Simona Halep. always put yourself in a situation where the blustery conditions. Nao Hibino (JPN) bt Mariana Duque- Azarenka lost the opening two you have to push yourself. “You don’t try to play your best Marino (COL) 6-2 2-6 7-5 games to the Russian qualifier before “So for me it’s going to be a great in these conditions it’s very hard,” Alexandra Dulgheru (ROM) bt Alison Van reeling off successive victories to win challenge. To be the best, you’ve got she said. Uytvanck (BEL x8) 1-6 6-2 6-4 6-2, 6-0 at the Pat Rafter Arena. to beat the best, so I’m looking for- “It was important to keep my After an injury-marred 2014 when ward to that.” Earlier, fourth-seeded serve, I was some break points down Sloane Stephens (USA x5) bt Polona Her- she slipped to 32 in the world, Aza- German Angelique Kerber came back and it was tough to play with the wind.” cog (SLO) 6-3, 6-3 renka has struggled to regain the form from losing the first set to Italian Cam- Of the other seeds in action on the that took her to two Australian Opens ila Giorgi to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-0. and the top ranking. She now takes on American Mad- She finished 2015 at number 22 and ison Brengle, who downed Ukraine went into the season-opening Bris- qualifier Kateryna Bondarenko 6-4, bane International unseeded. 4-6, 6-4. Azarenka started slowly against Seventh-seeded Swiss player Murray starts season with Vesnina but found her range with her Belinda Bencic cruised past Italian groundstrokes and put enormous pres- Sara Errani 6-1, 6-2, while Spain’s Carla sure on her opponent, who fought Suarez Navarro was equally untroubled easy win at Hopman Cup bravely but struggled with consistency. by Brisbane-based Croatian Ajla Toml- Azarenka, from Belarus, won her janovic, winning by the same scoreline Reuters Speaking at the mixed teams BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL RESULTS Hopman Cup in Perth, where he Men’s First Round is representing Great Britain, the Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) bt Gilles Simon (FRA x5) 6-3, 7-6 (12/10) PERTH: World number two dual Grand Slam winner said Andy Murray was satisfied he would choose being at the Denis Kudla (USA) bt John-Patrick Smith (AUS) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 with the start to his season birth of his child over playing in Tobias Kamke (GER) bt Ben Mitchell (AUS) 6-2, 6-4 after romping past France’s the Australian Open final. Mur- Chung Hyeon (KOR) bt Sam Groth (AUS) 7-6 (10/8), 6-4 Kenny de Schepper 6-2, 6-2 ray’s wife, Kim Sears, is due to Women’s Second Round at the Hopman Cup in Perth, give birth next month. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus hits a return against Elena Vesnina (not Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP x6) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (CRO) 6-1, 6-2 Australia yesterday. “I’m going to fly home I pictured) of Russia in their women’s singles match on the second day Murray, who led Britain to think,” he said when asked Samantha Crawford (USA) bt Priscilla Hon (AUS) 6-4, 6-4 at the Brisbane International in Brisbane yesterday. their first Davis Cup triumph in what he’d choose if that sce- Roberta Vinci (ITA x8) bt Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 79 years just over a month ago, nario unfolded. Belinda Bencic (SUI x7) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-1, 6-2 took under an hour to seal vic- “We spoke about it and Madison Brengle (USA) bt Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 Last year’s US Open finalist Roberta hero Samantha Stosur survived a scare tory at the mixed team event. chatted and obviously it’d be Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Jana Cepelova (SVK) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 Vinci also moved through to the second from Slovakian qualifer Jana Cepelova “I played well,” he told disappointing if I was to get in round when she beat Serbia’s Jelena to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, while US qualifier reporters. “Everything was that position and not be able to Angelique Kerber (GER x4) bt Camila Giorgi (ITA) 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 Jankovic in three sets 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Samantha Crawford downed Austral- working pretty good. I was able play the final. “But I’d be way Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-2, 6-0 Former US Open winner and hometown ia’s Priscilla Hon 6-4, 6-4. to finish a lot of the points up more disappointed winning the at the net. Australian Open and not being “It’s quite a quick surface at the birth of the child. here so if you can get the first “Hopefully it doesn’t come strike in in the rallies it’s quite to that.” Murray said he was easy to sort of stay on top of the looking forward to becoming Injured Serena out of Hopman opener point. “I enjoy it here and that’s a father. “It’s going to be a big why I keep coming back. I’ll be change but I am very excited back next year as well.” about it,” he said. The Briton, who is using “I have got a few weeks of AFP withdrew minutes before the start, defence at the Australian Open in Mel- on a rare calendar-year Grand Slam. the event to tune up for this tennis here and then I’ll take saying she had pulled up sore after bourne later this month. Her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, month’s Australian Open, will February off to spend time with a training session earlier in the day. Williams, who has won 21 Grand conceded Williams’s knees were trou- next meet Australian number Kim.” Murray is very close to his The match at the mixed-teams Slam singles titles, sat out the tail-end bling her in November. one Nick Kyrgios tomorrow. family, having teamed up with PERTH: World number one Serena tournament would have launched of last season saying she needed “time But the player said she hoped to Meanwhile, Murray said he brother Jamie in Great Britain’s Williams suffered an early season Williams’s preparations for her title to heal” after narrowly missing out be fit to play in the United States’ sec- is prepared to put family duties drought-breaking Davis Cup injury setback yesterday as she with- ond tie against Australia Gold, one of ahead of Grand Slam glory. win last year. drew from the United States’ opening two teams representing the hosts, on Hopman Cup tie with inflammation Tuesday evening. in her knee. “I’m disappointed to not take the Her withdrawal helped the Ukraine court in Perth today,” Williams said. “I pairing of Elina Svitolina and Alex- had every intention to play this morn- andr Dolgopolov record a 2-1 round ing. Unfortunately due to inflammation robin opening win over the US in the in my knee I need to rest and am con- mixed teams tournament. fident to be out there against Aussie Williams was replaced by Amer- Gold tomorrow evening.” ican youngster Vicky Duval, on the Tournament organisers dismissed comeback trail after being diagnosed suggestions the presence of Duval in with cancer in 2014, and the 20-year- Perth as an emergency player for the old was no match for the world number event indicated they were aware of 19. The first set was competitive but concerns over the fitness of Williams. Svitolina cruised past the tiring Duval Williams won her sixth Australian 6-4, 6-1. Open last January and was on target Dolgopolov then secured the tie for the coveted calendar-year Grand with a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win over Slam until she suffered a shock loss a disappointing Jack Sock. to Roberta Vinci in the semi-finals at In the dead mixed doubles rubber, the US Open in September. the US pair gained some consolation Vicky Duval of the US (substitute for Serena Williams of the US) hits Duval only returned to tennis in by winning 6-2, 6-3. Williams, 34, a return against Elina Svitolina of Ukraine during their third session August after overcoming Hodgkin’s was scheduled to play Svitolina in the women’s singles match on day two of the Hopman Cup tennis lymphoma and has a career high women’s singles to open the tie, but tournament in Perth yesterday. ranking of 87.

Wawrinka prepares for Australian Open in Chennai

AFP it did in 2014 and 2015. Two years ago Wawrinka and 2016 is already around the corner. I want to clinched his first Slam when he won the Austral- continue to do well, win tournaments, and go deep ian Open just weeks after triumphing in southern at the Slams. And hopefully I get a great start into CHENNAI: French Open champion Stanislas India. Last year, Wawrinka followed up victory the season in Chennai again,” he added. Wawrinka is looking to give himself the best in Chennai by taking home the trophy at Roland Wawrinka, ranked fourth in the world, also possible preparation for the first Grand Slam of Garros in June. won in Chennai in 2011 and is the top seed in the 2016 in Melbourne later this month by winning “I’ve always enjoyed coming to Chennai. The $480,000 tournament. His closest challenger the ATP Chennai Open, which starts on Monday. tournament is a nice way to start the season, the is likely to be number two seed Kevin Anderson. The Swiss is bidding for his third consecutive fans are great and I like the atmosphere in the sta- The big-serving South African has a 4-4 record Chennai Open title and hopes a victory in India dium,” the 30-year-old said in comments released against Wawrinka but says he’s not thinking too Andy Murray of Britain hits a return against Kenny de Schepper (not will help propel him to another major win, just as by organisers. “2015 has been an amazing year much about his opponents. in picture) of France during their fourth session men’s singles match on day two of the Hopman Cup in Perth yesterday. SPORT TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 31 Brathwaite fireworks light up rainy Sydney

Pattinson over on his way to a dynamic CRICKET: WEST INDIES TOUR Uncapped quicks Only 11.2 overs of 69 after lunch at the Sydney Cricket OF AUSTRALIA play possible on the Ground. in Australia ODI Brathwaite smashed Pattinson over second day of the cover for his first powerful blow before squad for India third Test in Sydney flicking another off his pads for an out the day but I’m still happy in sense effortless six over backward square leg. that I got my highest Test score.” But Pattinson had the last laugh, Brathwaite, who gave the 14,266 AFP bowling the hulking all-rounder in bedraggled fans some entertainment AFP his next over. on a frustrating stop-start day, said he Brathwaite’s 69 runs came off 71 was disappointed to get out. SYDNEY: Australia yesterday balls with seven fours and four sixes “I was very, very upset. Not on the included uncapped fast bowlers and further enhanced his reputation dismissal because I think it was a good Scott Boland and Joel Paris and left SYDNEY: Carlos Brathwaite provided after his 59 on debut during the sec- nut (ball), but I was upset that once leading spinner Nathan Lyon out of some fireworks in a lively cameo as ond Test in Melbourne. again I got a start and couldn’t carry a 13-man squad for the first three rain washed out all but 11.2 overs of “I just went out there and tried to on and one of the main mantras in one-day internatonals against India. the second day of the third Australia- play my game, thankfully I got from cricket is that when things are going Boland has been on the periph- West Indies Test yesterday. 30-odd overnight to 69,” Brathwaite good you maximise,” he said. ery of the Test team for the current The Barbados all-rounder clouted said. “I’m not satisfied that I didn’t carry “Then reaching halfway off and series against the West Indies, while West Indies batsman Carlos Brathwaite (right) hits the ball for six as two massive sixes off one James on to get three figures or firstly to see hearing the crowd’s applause and I Western Australia’s Paris has been Australia’s wicketkeeper Peter Nevill looks on during the first day of brought in to the national ODI squad SCOREBOARD the third Test match in Sydney yesterday. for the first time for this month’s series. West Indies (I innings): even saw some people standing, I just before another heavy squall forced There was no place for Lyon K Brathwaite c Smith b Lyon 85 took a step back and said, ‘You know the players to leave the field for a third with all-rounder Glenn Maxwell S Hope c Nevill b Hazlewood 9 what, just enjoy the feeling’ raised my and final time. to be used as the spinning option. bat and looked around and it was a There was no further play after “Scott has continued to impress D Bravo c Khawaja b Pattinson 33 very, very good feeling.” tea with large tarpaulins covering the the selection panel, having bowled M Samuels (run out-Hazlewood) 4 Steve O’Keefe, one of two recog- pitch and wicket surrounds. The West very well for his state Victoria this J Blackwood b Lyon 10 nised spinners along with Nathan Lyon Indies were 248 for seven with Denesh year,” chairman of selectors Rod D Ramdin (batting) 30 in an Australian team for the first time Ramdin on 30 and Kemar Roach yet Marsh said.

J Holder c Burns b O’Keefe 1 in a decade in a home Test, said there to score. “It (the rain) is annoying. It’s “He certainly deserves this C Brathwaite b Pattinson 69 was still time for Australia to get a result. hard for the guys to continually switch chance at the top level. “I think so. I think there’s still a hell off and get back up,” O’Keefe said. “Joel is an exciting young left- K Roach (batting) 0 of a lot of cricket to go,” O’Keefe said. “But we have got loads of good arm bowler who swings the ball well. Extras (B-5, LB-1, NB-1) 7 “If you can get three days in then structure around us and support staff “He has had very good figures Total (for 7 wkts) 248 that’s close to 300 overs. and they get us switched on and Smithy in short-form cricket and we really Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-104, 3-115, 4-131, “Hopefully, if the skipper sees that (Steve Smith) makes sure that with 10 want him to make the most of this 5-158, 6-159, 7-246. spin will play a big role then we might minutes to go that we’re ready and out opportunity.” get more overs in towards the back end there to do a job.” South Australia paceman Kane Australia’s paceman James Pattinson (left) celebrates with team- Bowling: Hazlewood 15.2-5-37-1, Pattin- of the match if the wicket keeps spin- Australia have already retained the Richardson returns to the side hav- son 16-3-67-2 (1nb), Lyon 35-12-78-2, mate Stephen O’Keefe after dismissing West Indies batsman Carlos ning, it’s spinning already.” Frank Worrell Trophy after huge wins ing last played for Australia against Marsh 4-1-15-0, O’Keefe 16-5-45-1. Brathwaite on the second day of the third Test match in Sydney Only four overs could be bowled in in the first two Tests, and are chasing South Africa in Canberra in 2014. yesterday. the first session and 7.2 in the second a 3-0 series clean sweep. “Kane has had a taste of cricket at the international level and although that has been inter- rupted on occasions through injury we think he is ready to McCullum out of Sri Lanka ODI Pakistan to appeal Yasir perform consistently for Aus- tralia,” Marsh said. Boland and Paris have been AFP international cricket after next will not be going to the World Cup Shah’s failed dope test included following injuries to month’s Tests against Australia, in March. front-line fast bowlers, including had a chance of completing the Sri Fast bowler Tim Southee, who suf- Mitchell Starc, Nathan Coulter-Nile MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zea- Lanka series. fered a foot injury in the third ODI AFP and Peter Siddle. land: Outgoing New Zealand captain But Hesson said yesterday that the against Sri Lanka in Nelson last Thurs- Selector Trevor Hohns said Lyon, Brendon McCullum was ruled out of skipper will not be considered until day, will also miss today’s game. Australia’s leading all-time Test off- the final one-day international against the first ODI against Pakistan in Wel- However, his regular new-ball LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Pakistan spin wicket-taker, was still in the Sri Lanka yesterday as he struggles to lington on January 25. partner Trent Boult returns to the will appeal against the decision to panel’s thoughts for future ODIs. recover from a back injury. “He’s really struggling,” Hesson side after being rested for the first suspend Yasir Shah (pictured) over “Nathan is not far out of the Today’s game in Mount Maunganui said. four games. a failed dope test, authorities said picture for one-day cricket, and of will be the third McCullum has missed “He hasn’t progressed as well as With New Zealand 2-1 up, Sri yesterday, as sources said the spin course with the (World) T20 com- since he was injured on December 28 we’d thought. He will get a further Lanka need to win today to draw star told a panel last week he had ing up it’s probably ideal for him while fielding against Sri Lanka in the assessment.” the series after earlier being beaten taken medication for hypertension. to go back and play some of those second game of the five-match series. McCullum had already announced 2-0 in the Tests. The fourth ODI was The 29-year-old leg-spinner games,” Hohns told reporters. Coach Mike Hesson initially said he would sit out the Twenty20 matches abandoned Saturday because of was provisionally suspended by the “We’re playing the first few McCullum, who will retire from against Sri Lanka and Pakistan as he heavy rain. International Cricket Council (ICC) games in Brisbane and Perth where on December 27 after testing positive normally you play with your faster for chlorthalidone, a diuretic used bowlers. to treat hypertension that is listed “Glenn Maxwell has done a on the World Anti-Doping Agen- pretty good job in the spinning role cy’s banned list of masking agents. when we’re only playing that one Shah, whose test was conducted type of spinner-cum-all-rounder, on November 13 during the one-day plus the quicks.” series against England in the United Hohns said selectors would Arab Emirates, has recently emerged probably consider two spinners as a match-winner in Test cricket for the T20 World Cup in India in and is the world’s highest-ranking March because of the playing con- spinner in the format. ditions on the sub-continent. Sources within the Pakistan Shane Watson, Usman Kha- Cricket Board (PCB) said Shah told waja and Joe Burns were among the medical panel last week he had taken a tablet from his wife to treat other notable players left out of hypertension. the squad. PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said the board’s medical panel had met It will be the first time top- yesterday after receiving more details from the ICC on Shah’s case, and had ranked Australia have faced India decided not to request a second urine sample. since beating them in the World Cup “We have decided not to go for the ‘B’ sample test, and instead will appeal semi-final at Sydney last March. with the ICC,” he said. Australia subsequently beat New Under the ICC rules Shah has until Sunday to challenge the suspension Zealand in the final to win their or plead guilty. fifth World Cup If his appeal is rejected, he faces a possible ban of up to four years. India will play five ODIs against Shah emerged as a match-winner for Pakistan in Test cricket after he India starting in Perth on January replaced ace spinner Saeed Ajmal, who struggled with a remodelled bowl- 12, followed by Brisbane on Janu- Fans dressed as late cricket player and commentator Richie Benaud wear suits, grey wigs and prop ing action after it was reported in 2014. ary 15, Melbourne on January 17, microphones, as they pay tribute to him while watching the third cricket test between Australia and the Shah took 24 wickets in Pakistan’s 2-1 series win in Sri Lanka in July and Canberra on January 20 and Syd- West Indies at the SCG in Sydney, yesterday. another 15 in a 2-0 Test win over England in November. ney on January 23. India panel proposes BCCI revamp after scandals

AFP body and introducing time limits on Lodha’s panel was formed in Jan- to investigate match-fixing allega- electoral officers to address griev- Sambit Bal tweeted, calling them holding office. uary last year to recommend changes tions against him. ances and conflicts of interest. “well thought out and wide-ranging”. It also suggests legalising betting after the top court found two IPL fran- “I have heard that I have been The BCCI, which generates huge The BCCI enjoys a pre-eminent NEW DELHI:A panel appointed by after a popular Twenty20 tournament chise owners guilty of betting on the given a clean chit and I appreciate revenues due to its vast television position in world cricket and effec- India’s Supreme Court yesterday run by the BCCI, the Indian Premier outcome of matches in 2013. it,” Raman, who resigned in Novem- audiences, should also be brought tively runs the International Cricket proposed sweeping changes to the League (IPL), was rocked by allega- In July it suspended the Rajasthan ber, told the Press Trust of India news under India’s Right to Information Council with its allies Australia and country’s scandal-hit cricket board tions of corruption, match-fixing and Royals and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) agency. Act to ensure accountability, the England. The top court will now rule and said gambling should be made crooked umpires. teams, triggering the resignation of Lodha said the BCCI should bar panel added. on whether the recommendations legal. “As far as betting alone is con- former BCCI chief Narayanaswami ministers and government officials Commentators welcomed the rec- should be legally binding. The panel headed by former chief cerned... it would serve both the game Srinivasan. as well as anyone over 70 from hold- ommendations, saying they would Former lawyer Shashank Manohar justice Rajendra Mal Lodha was and economy if it were legalised,” the He was found guilty of a conflict ing office and impose a three-year help restore the BCCI’s credibility and took charge of the BCCI in October, appointed after a string of corrup- report suggests, with several riders. of interest for being at the helm of maximum term for holding office. bring transparency. vowing a new era of clean governance. tion scandals at the Board of Control Gambling is mostly illegal in India, Indian Cements which owns CSK. The panel also suggests a sep- “It might be tempting to term them The cash-rich but faction-rid- for Cricket in India (BCCI). but betting on cricket matches thrives The panel exonerated IPL chief arate executive body for the IPL as radical, but the Lodha committee has den body has usually been run by Its report, recommends barring through networks of underground operating officer Sundar Raman, citing well as the appointment of an inde- basically recommended good cor- politicians or industrialists with con- politicians from the sport’s governing bookies. lack of evidence, after it was tasked pendent ombudsman, and ethics and porate practices,” Cricinfo editor flicting interests. 32 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 SPORT Captain Amla stands firm against England

Seasoned batsman scores an unbeaten 157 on South Africa’s day in Cape Town

AFP

CAPE TOWN: South African captain Hashim Amla defied England’s bowl- ers and batted throughout the third day of the second Test at Newlands yesterday. Amla made an unbeaten 157 as South Africa reached 353 for three at the close, still 276 runs behind Eng- land’s first innings total of 629 for six declared. AB de Villiers was the only bats- man dismissed during the day as South Africa, 1-0 down in the four-Test series, dug in on a pitch which offered no assist- ance to the bowlers. Steven Finn was the only success- ful bowler. He had De Villiers caught at midwicket shortly before tea after Amla and De Villiers had put on 183 in a third wicket partnership which lasted South Africa’s AB de Villiers plays a shot during the third day’s play of second Test against England in Cape Town, yesterday. RIGHT: South African captain Hashim Amla plays a for two minutes short of five hours. Faf du Plessis, who like Amla had shot during the day’s proceedings. endured a lean spell with the bat, made 51 not out as he helped his captain put captaincy and his batting. South Africa was important for the team. CRICKET: ENGLAND’S TOUR finishing on 150 not out with his mother record-breaking 258 off 198 balls. on an unbeaten 85 for the fourth wicket. have not won a Test since beating the Both men batted solidly for the TO SOUTH AFRICA and sister watching on from the stands. “It was an exhibition of stroke It was a crucial innings for Amla, West Indies at the same venue a year most part but had anxious moments “They have supported me all play,” Bairstow said. “We just clicked who was under pressure for both his ago, while Amla had made only 150 which required decisions by televi- through my career. To have them in and supported each other all the way runs at an average of 15.00 in 10 innings sion umpire Rod Tucker. 453 runs were scored in the day for the here in Cape Town is lovely and it is through. To play a knock like that is SCOREBOARD since that match. Amla managed to get his bat down loss of three wickets, it was attritional my mum’s birthday on the last day of something quite spectacular. It was a triumph of technique and just in time after Finn deflected a drive cricket, with only 212 runs scored in the Test so hopefully we can cap off “I’ve grown up with Stokesy and England (I innings): 629-6 decl concentration as he made his first Test by De Villiers into the stumps at the 87 overs. a great game. seen him play some fantastic knocks South Africa (I innings): century since he hit 208 against the bowler’s end. De Villiers was given Bairstow pumped his chest to “It was probably the best day of and to witness that today was extremely D Elgar c Compton b Stokes 44 West Indies in Centurion in Decem- out leg before wicket to Ben Stokes the sky and wiped away a tear as he my life and one I will never forget.” special and something a lot of people ber 2014. by umpire Aleem Dar when he had completed an emotional maiden Test After being recalled to the England will never forget.” S van Zyl (run out-Compton) 4 By the close he had batted for nine 85, but De Villiers immediately sought hundred for England against South side during last year’s Ashes triumph England will seek to take an even H Amla (batting) 157 hours and 26 minutes and had faced a review which showed the ball had Africa on Sunday, amid a record-break- over Australia, Bairstow’s place in the firmer hold on the Test on Monday by A de Villiers c Anderson b Finn 88 371 balls. His innings included 21 fours. gone off an inside edge onto his pad. ing stand with Ben Stokes. team has come under scrutiny. quickly dismissing South Africa, who F du Plessis (batting) 51 After the worst year of his interna- De Villiers scored only three more The red-haired England wicket- “It has been a little while coming. closed on 141 for two. Extras (LB-3, W-6) 9 tional career, Amla had two strokes of runs before he pulled a short ball from keeper last year lost his grandfather, There was a lot of talk here and there “It will be a strong move from us if luck. He was dropped by James Ander- Finn hard but straight to Anderson at with whom he shared a close relation- so I’m delighted to get over the line we can come back in the morning and Total (for 3 wkts) 353 son at slip off Joe Root when he was on midwicket. ship, while his dad David, a former today,” he said. take some chances,” Bairstow said. Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-85, 3-268. 76 and by Nick Compton at backward He had defied the England bowlers England cricketer, killed himself in Stokes and Bairstow scored 399 in “Our bowlers have a wealth of expe- Bowling: Anderson 24-8-53-0, Broad point off Steven Finn when he had 120. for 298 minutes and 211 balls, hitting 1998. a record sixth-wicket stand as England rience in all different conditions and 20-4-54-0, Ali 31-9-80-0, Finn 26-3-82-1 With South Africa’s batting hav- 12 fours and a six. “Obviously after everything that declared on 629 for six on the second hopefully we can come out tomorrow,

(2w), Root 5-2-12-0, Stokes 21-3-67-1 ing been fragile for most of 2015, the By contrast to the second day, when has gone on in the last year or so it’s day of the second Test at Newlands. utilise a bit of reverse swing, moisture (4w), Hales 3-1-2-0 partnership between Amla and De Vil- Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow thrashed fantastic to get over the line for me It was a bludgeoning perform- in the pitch and we go from there,” liers, the side’s two senior batsmen, 196 runs for England before lunch and and my family,” he told reporters after ance from Stokes, who scored a he added.

Australia floats Stokes adopts simple Ashes day-night mantra to flay SA Test prospect

AFP Reuters really thinking of any landmarks as I went along. “I just tried to hit as many bound- SYDNEY: England’s next Ashes aries as I could because it was too hot series in Australia may have a day- CAPE TOWN: Ben Stokes’ reaction to run,” he joked. night Test match, Cricket Australia to his record-breaking day with the Stokes scored a Test record for a chief James Sutherland said yes- bat was almost as nonchalant as his number six batsman and starred in a terday. approach in scoring 258 to help Eng- record sixth wicket partnership of 399 Sutherland said his organisation land to a stunning 629 for six declared runs with Jonny Bairstow, who was was negotiating with Pakistan and in the second Test against South Africa 150 not out when England declared. South Africa about the possibility on Sunday. Stokes, who had overcome a of staging day-night Tests on their “See ball, hit ball is the only way shoulder injury suffered on tour with touring schedules later this year. to describe it,” he told reporters after England in October, also hit the fast- He also floated the prospect of helping England from 317 for five over- est 250 (off 196 balls) in Test history hosting an Ashes day-night Test in night to a massive second-day score and the second fastest double cen- 2017-18 amid high interest in the with a bludgeoning display that had tury (163 balls). concept following November’s first the Newlands crowd enthralled. His tally of 11 sixes was a new pink-ball Test between Australia Stokes, who resumed on Sunday Test record for an England batsmen. and New Zealand in Adelaide. on 74, had not scored more than 21 “I didn’t want to hang around and “It is certainly on the radar. in his previous seven Test innings for just nudge my way to 100 because I’d We haven’t had any formal con- England, and had only managed one be a little bit annoyed with myself if I versations with the ECB (England Pakistan team coach Waqar Younis (right) chats with Pakistan Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi (left) and 50 in his last 13 Test knocks. took the selfish route,” he said. and Wales Cricket Board),” Suth- Mohammad Amir during a team practice session at a camp ahead of the New Zealand tour, in Lahore on “I felt a little bit of pressure com- “I just wanted to get as many runs erland told ABC Radio during the Sunday. ing into the game with not having too as quickly as I could. third Australia-West Indies Test many runs under my belt in the Tests “It hasn’t really sunk in yet, and in Sydney. before this,” he said. quite a lot of adrenalin is running “With the success of the “It meant more emotion than I through me, but at this moment in Adelaide Test match this year, the Waqar supports return of tainted players usually show when I got to 100 but I time, I don’t know, I’m pretty tired,” anticipation is that we will have at just tried to keep on going and wasn’t he added. least one day-night Test (in 2016). The historic Adelaide match attracted a total attendance of AFP are eligible then, of course, selectors Amir, once regarded as the hot- 123,736 fans over three lively days. should keep an eye on them,” he said. test property in international cricket, The opening day gate of 47,441 was Amir’s inclusion in the Twenty20 remains a polarising figure for Paki- the biggest at the Adelaide Test since and one-day international squads stan’s cricket-mad public and even the famous 1932-33 ‘bodyline’ series. LAHORE: Pakistan head coach Waqar remains contingent on him being issued some teammates. Sutherland said there will be Younis yesterdaysaid corruption- a visa by Wellington -- a potential hur- Amir’s return to the squad was further meetings with Pakistan and tainted Salman Butt and Mohammad dle given Amir’s criminal conviction opposed by one-day captain Azhar South Africa representatives later Asif and any other player who has com- for his role in arranging deliberate Ali and former Twenty20 captain and this month. pleted a ban should be allowed another no-balls during Pakistan’s tour of Eng- current player Mohammad Hafeez. “We’ll have meetings in Dubai chance to play for the national team. land in 2010. Last week Mohammad Hafeez and (in January) with a lot of the chief The comments came days after The scandal also involved Butt Azhar Ali left a training camp Amir executives and certainly will be paceman Mohammad Amir looked set and fellow bowler Asif, who are now was attending in protest at his pro- talking to counterparts at Pakistan to return to the Pakistan team after undergoing rehabilitation and will spective selection. They were later and South Africa,” Sutherland said. being selected for an upcoming series feature in a national one-day tourna- forced to return after being threat- “They definitely know it (day- in New Zealand, months after com- ment starting from January 10. ened with disciplinary action. night Tests) will be on the agenda. pleting a five-year spot-fixing ban. “I don’t know how long they will Ali also tendered his resignation “The right place, right time and “I will welcome not only Amir but take to prove themselves fit and ready Monday in protest, but it was rejected right conditions -- we’re going to whosoever has completed a sentence,” to go, one year or six months, whenever by Pakistan Cricket Board. England’s Ben Stokes celebrates after scoring a century during the see more Test cricket played in the said Younis. “If they (Butt and Asif) they are ready they should be given Pakistan fly to New Zealand on second Test against South Africa in Cape Town on Sunday. evening.” have (completed their sentences) and another opportunity,” said Younis. January 10. SPORT TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 33 Barcelona’s Turan and Vidal ready for Espanyol Cup clash

FOOTBALL: KING’S CUP A year-long ban on European champions registering new There is also set to be a hard-fought players ends derby between Real Betis and Sevilla after last month’s bad-tempered league clash which finished 0-0 and was lit- tered with yellow cards. Reuters La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid face city rivals Rayo Vallecano, while third-tier Cadiz play Celta Vigo having BARCELONA: Barcelona can call on been given a bye after Real Madrid were Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal for the first disqualified for fielding an ineligible time after a FIFA-imposed ban on the player inn their last-32, first-leg clash. club registering new players as they Real included Denis Cheryshev in seek to breach Espanyol’s resilient their starting lineup at Cadiz in early defence in the King’s Cup today. December when he should have been Barca’s five trophy haul in 2015 FC Barcelona’s head coach Luis Enrique greets the crowd during his serving a one-match ban. The Russia was all the more impressive given the team’s traditional open door training session on the eve of Three Kings’ forward opened the scoring in a 3-1 win. sanction on fielding new signings that Day in Barcelona, Spain, yesterday. Despite the ban imposed by FIFA ends when the transfer window opens for irregularities in the signing of for- on Monday but, while they have coped eign players under the age of 18, Barca well, reinforcements will boost Luis want to win trophies then we have to two consecutive windows and fined recorded the second most successful Enrique’s stretched squad. win and score goals against any rival,” them $455,000. year in their 116-year history. He admitted his side failed to match technical secretary Robert Fernan- With the prolific form of Lionel Enrique’s men claimed five tro- the work-rate of the Espanyol defence dez told reporters after the Espanyol Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez in Bar- phies in all, including a treble of La in Saturday’s 0-0 La Liga draw that draw. “If we’re going to be champions ca’s so-called trident attack, Turkey Liga, Champions League and Copa cost Barca top spot although they do it’s necessary to win.” playmaker Turan is more likely to be del Rey. have a game in hand. Turan and Vidal were signed ahead used in a deeper role while Spaniard However, having drawn three of The Catalans are unbeaten in 18 of this season from Atletico Madrid Vidal is an option for either a midfield their last four La Liga games to fall two games but, aside from the two wins and Sevilla respectively but have had spot or at right back. points behind Atletico Madrid at the that saw them lift the Club World Cup to watch from the sidelines due to the “It has been a difficult four months top of the table, Vidal and Turan are last month, they have just one victory in FIFA ban for the club’s alleged breach of as we have had two players who have expected to add some much needed five matches in all other competitions. rules on the transfer of foreign Under- been keen to play and we have wanted depth to the squad for a potential run The King’s Cup holders now face 18 players. to see them in action,” said Fernandez. of 16 games before the end of February. Atletico Madrid’s Argentinian midfielder Matias Kranevitter performs Espanyol in the first leg of their last Soccer’s world governing body FIFA “Still these months have worked “Finally, the sanction has ended,” during his presentation as new player of the Spanish Primera Division 16 clash at the Camp Nou. announced in April it had banned Bar- well in letting them get to know our Vidal, who joined from Sevilla in June club at Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. “Being unbeaten is fine but if we celona from the transfer market for style of play and the system.” for a reported $21.7m fee, told Barca TV.

Wife hints at Totti retirement Benitez to be sacked as Real

AFP Madrid coach, say reports

MILAN: Long-serving Roma cap- Agencies minutes, that even Benitez concedes tain Francesco Totti could retire at has been lacking at times. the end of the current season and “It would be wrong to just look at is already considering his options the result as the effort that the players elsewhere within football, his wife showed deserves plenty of praise,” he said yesterday. BARCELONA: Beleaguered Real told a news conference. Totti has played all 22 seasons of Madrid coach Rafael Benitez (pic- “We have (won) on many occa- his professional career with Roma tured) could be sacked by the Spanish sions, but this game was against a but during a three-month injury lay- giants as after just seven months in strong side and with ten players we FC Barcelona’s German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen (centre off the 38-year-old has had plenty charge, several Spanish media out- have battled to the end. of time to consider his future. lets reported. “I cannot prevent people from left) poses for a photograph during his team’s traditional open door For his wife Ilary Blasi, a pre- Sports daily Marca reported Ben- speculating (about my position) but training session on the eve of Three Kings’ Day in Barcelona, Spain, senter on a popular television show, itez’s sacking will be made official in what I can achieve is that the team yesterday. Totti is already in his final season the coming hours with French legend works like it has today. It was a mas- in Italy’s top flight. and the club’s reserve team coach Zin- sive effort and unfortunately we didn’t “Retirement? We’re there,” Blasi edine Zidane to take over. get the three points.” said in an interview with Oggi mag- Madrid twice threw away the lead The draw leaves Real in third place Struggling Genoa looking azine when asked when Totti would in drawing 2-2 away to Valencia on with 37 points behind leaders Atletico finally hang up his boots. Sunday to leave Benitez’s men four Madrid on 41 and champions Barce- “Next year he will be 40 years points adrift of local rivals Atletico lona, who have 39 with a game in hand. for derby boost today old. Francesco has had a great Madrid at the top of La Liga. when given the chance after the Valen- In marked contrast to his recep- career, to the extent that now he’s They also trail eternal rivals Bar- cia game. “His future doesn’t depend tion in the Spanish capital, Benitez thinking what else he wants to do. celona by two points having played on us,” said the Spanish international. was warmly received by fans at his But he will stay within the sport.” a game more. “Whoever the coach is he will former club Valencia and there was AFP of four defeats with a draw away to The comments come two The appointment of the former always have the confidence of the a banner at one end of the Mestalla Lazio and a 2-0 home win over Pal- months after Totti, who is revered Liverpool and Chelsea manager in players. Whether it is Rafa or any- which said: “Thank you for giving us ermo in the week before Christmas. by Roma fans despite only steer- June wasn’t a popular one with either one else.” the best years of our lives”. That mediocre run of results led ing them to one league title (2001) fans or the club’s star players, who Earlier, Benitez said he cannot stop It was a special occasion for Ben- MILAN: Genoa host Sampdoria in some to question the club’s decision during his career, said he would had voiced their desire for his sacked people speculating about his position itez who is the most successful coach the city derby hoping to show their to sack coach Walter Zenga at the play “until my body tells me to predecessor Carlo Ancelotti to stay. but felt his team deserved praise for in Valencia’s history, having won La current struggles are temporary as start of November and replace him stop”. A run of three league defeats in five the way they battled with 10 men in Liga in 2002 and 2004, when he also Serie A resumes today following a with ex-Fiorentina handler Vincenzo So far this season, Totti has made games in November and December, Sunday’s 2-2 La Liga draw at Valencia. led them to UEFA Cup success. two-week festive break. Montella. Montella said the festive only three league appearances and including a 4-0 thrashing at home to There has been continual talk over Real twice went ahead through Gian Piero Gasperini’s men have break has given him time to reflect the thigh injury that kept him on Barcelona, wiped away the early credit recent weeks in the Madrid press about Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale but slipped to 17th in Italy’s top flight to sit on their strategy for the second half the sidelines took far longer to heal Benitez had gained with an unbeaten Benitez’s job and the coach has been were pegged back, and had to play the just two points above third-from-bot- of the season, but admits Samp won’t than first anticipated. 14-game run to start his reign. whistled by the Bernabeu crowd for final stages of the game with ten men tom Frosinone after a run of disastrous be taking Genoa lightly. On his last appearance, Totti Further embarrassment was to fol- some below-par performances. after Kovacic was dismissed. results leading up to Christmas. “We had time during the holi- scored his 300th goal for Roma low when Madrid were thrown out of His side have enjoyed some big “During the first 35 minutes we Before then, Genoa had enjoyed a days to recharge our batteries so in a 2-2 draw with Sassuolo in the Copa del Rey for fielding an inel- wins this season, such as the 10-2 were in control and then in the sec- strong run which had left them firmly we’re looking for a positive start to late September. With 244 goals in igible player last month. demolition of Rayo Vallecano last ond half it was tough,” said Benitez. in the top half of the table and Colom- the new year. Mentally, we’re ready,” Serie A, he remains 30 short of Sil- Benitez’s relationship with the month, but most of the criticism has “The ten minutes when we didn’t bian midfielder Tomas Rincon believes Montella said. vio Piola’s all-time record of 274. dressing room has also failed to over the way Real have struggled to have control in the first half doesn’t a win today will show their league “To win this game we’ll need Totti looks unlikely to come improve with key players such as beat stronger opposition and they were take away the merit from the first 35 position is misleading. determination, but it won’t be enough. close to Piola’s benchmark and the Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez hammered 4-0 at home by Barcelona. minutes and the same in the second “We’ve had a good rest over the We need to be lucid and have full ‘King of Rome’ -- as he is affec- often showing their disgust at being They failed to beat Valencia but half when we conceded again after festive break and we’re determined respect for our opponents. tionately known by fans -- could substituted. did show some quality attacking play scoring. I don’t know if the opposi- to go out and show we don’t deserve “Genoa are a top side and at the be deprived of the fairytale end- And captain Sergio Ramos failed to and the fighting spirit, especially when tion should be praised or it was a lack to be where we are in the table right start of the season were one of the ing of another league title. offer a strong sign of support for Benitez Mateo Kovacic was sent off after 68 of concentration.” now,” Rincon told Sky Sport. more complete squads in the league “The derby is a special game that before they suffered due to a number is totally different from all the others, of injuries.” because there’s only only thing that While Genoa are hoping AC Milan matters and that is victory.” striker Alessio Cerci will reply pos- Sturridge to miss League Cup clash with Stoke Genoa’s last win at home came itively to their offer of a move to against Sassuolo at the end of Novem- the club during the winter transfer ber and since then Gasperini’s men market, Samp yesterday welcomed have suffered home defeats to Argentinian midfielder Ricardo AFP Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who defeat at Newcastle on December 6, with the team it was not the usual plan struggling Carpi and Bologna while Alvarez on a six-month deal from has just one fit striker in Christian suffered another setback in training for this week. conceding defeat at title challengers Inter Milan following a loan spell Benteke, had hoped to get Sturridge which will further delay his return. “It is how a pre-season can be. Some Inter Milan and Roma. with Sunderland in England’s Pre- LIVERPOOL: Injury-plagued Liver- back ahead of this week’s cup dou- “Daniel had some problems, not little things happen and we have to In the first Serie A game of 2016 mier League. pool striker Daniel Sturridge has been ble-header, with the Reds also set to serious, but could not make a session handle this. and at the clubs’ shared Luigi Ferraris The remainder of the midweek ruled out of today’s League Cup semi- face fourth-tier Exeter in the FA Cup and we had to wait a day,” said Klopp, “It is not a row of sessions and we stadium today, sparks are expected fixtures will be held on Wednesday final first leg at Stoke after suffering on Friday. However, Sturridge, who who has likened the past month to pre- say ‘Now we are here and go...’ to fly. when Inter travel to Empoli looking a minor setback in his recovery from hasn’t played since making a substi- season for the England international. “I will pick him when he is ready, Sampdoria have endured strug- to protect their one-point lead over a hamstring problem. tute appearance in Liverpool’s 2-0 “Because he didn’t have one session I will not hold him back.” gles of their own, only ending a run Fiorentina, who are away to Palermo. 34 TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 SPORT

Chelsea can still finish in top four: Alcacer’s header earns Valencia Hiddink

London: Chelsea still have a chance of finishing in the Pre- mier League top four and draw with Real Madrid in thriller securing Champions League football at the end of the sea- son, interim manager Guus Hiddink has said. Chelsea beat Crystal Pal- Another game where ace 3-0 on Sunday to register their sixth league win of the 10-man Real failed season and their first since to beat battling Hiddink took the reins from Jose Mourinho last month. opponents The win moved Chelsea up to 14th place in the table and 13 points behind fourth- placed Tottenham Hotspur, REUTERS and Hiddink refused to write off his side’s chances of fin- ishing in the top four although he admitted it would be BARCELONA: A Paco Alcacer header “difficult”. gave Valencia a 2-2 draw in a highly “Everyone knows there’s a charged La Liga clash against third- lot of quality but sometimes a placed Real Madrid who had taken team which has just become the lead with eight minutes remain- champions has a tendency ing on Sunday. to become complacent,” the Real, who had Mateo Kovacic sent Dutchman told the BBC. off after 68 minutes for a two-footed “When I started, we said challenge, went 2-1 ahead with a superb mathematically when we Gareth Bale header only for Alcacer to could get to a Champions level just over a minute later. League position it would be Real had opened the scoring after lovely. a magical team move in which Karim “It’s difficult because this Benzema linked up with Bale and Cris- league has become so strong. tiano Ronaldo before finishing clinically Everyone can win from eve- after 17 minutes. ryone, which means it’s very Both sides had spells of dominance difficult to get there. and Valencia equalised through a Dani Parejo penalty just before halftime after a foul by Pepe on Andre Gomes. Former Arsenal The game was evenly poised when Kovacic was red carded for a reckless winger Pennant Valencia CF's striker Paco Alcacer (third from left) scores against Real Madrid's Costa Rican goal keeper Keylor Navas (left) during the Spanish challenge on Joao Cancelo shortly after Ronaldo thought he should have had Primera Division soccer match played at Mestalla stadium in Valencia, eastern Spain on Sunday. to switch sides a penalty when he was bundled over. Bale put Real back in front when Singapore: Former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jer- he headed into the top corner from a “We wanted to start the year showing FOOTBALL-LA LIGA: Alvaro Negredo was through on goal to concede a penalty. Soriano stepped free-kick after 82 minutes but Alcacer character and I think we did so here.” but denied by keeper Keylor Navas. up to slot home his second goal in the maine Pennant is set for VALENCIA VS REAL MADRID nodded in the equaliser from close Atletico Madrid are top with 41 Villarreal went ahead with the only 94th minute for their fifth straight win an unlikely transfer to Sin- range. points from 18 matches, two ahead clear chance in the first period when after a lively second half. gaporean side Tampines Valencia coach Gary Neville is still of Barcelona, who have a game in hand, Soriano was given space inside the Elsewhere, Eibar’s Ander Capa, Rovers, local media reported without a win in four league games but while Real have 37, one more than Vil- went on and equalised after Pepe was area from a Mario Gaspar pass and Keko, Adrian Gonzalez and Borja Bas- yesterday. will be delighted at how his team fought larreal who won 2-1 at Deportivo La caught out by Gomes and he brought he slotted home in the 36th minute. ton were on target for the mid-table The 32-year-old will arrive back. For under-fire Real coach Rafa Coruna thanks to a late penalty from him down for a penalty struck by Parejo. The game opened up after the side in a 4-0 win at Real Betis, while in the Southeast Asian citys- Benitez, back at the club where he won Bruno Soriano who scored twice. Real rallied in the second half fol- break and Depor’s Luis Alberto con- lowly Granada’s Isaac Success and tate tomorrow and undergo a the league in 2002 and 2004, plus the Real moved the ball around slickly lowing the dismissal of Kovacic and verted a Lucas Perez cross to equalise Adalberto Penaranda scored in a 2-1 week long trial with the five- UEFA Cup, it was another game where in attack and went ahead with their went back ahead through a pin-point after 48 minutes. Perez fired just wide victory over Sevilla. times S.League champions, they failed to beat battling opponents. first real chance. Benzema exchanged Bale header from a Toni Kroos free- in front of goal and Villarreal’s Denis Second-bottom Rayo Vallecano’s Red Card Sports Radio said “It is difficult to maintain a high passes with Bale, who back-heeled the kick but then they were exposed at Suarez was denied by the feet of Ger- Diego Llorente and Jozabed Sanchez yesterday. intensity and double if you have a ball to Ronaldo, and the Portuguese the back with Rodrigo heading back man Lux but the game appeared to be struck in a 2-2 draw at home to Real Pennant has been with- player less but we showed pride,” Real set up Benzema to score. across goal and Alcacer scored. heading for a draw until Fernando Nav- Sociedad whose goals came from Aritz out a club since leaving Wigan defender Sergio Ramos told reporters. Valencia’s improved as the first half In the dying moments of the game arro pushed Samu Garcia in the area Elustondo and Bruma. Athletic in June following their relegation to the third tier of English football and went on trial with Thai side Muang- thong United in November in a failed bid to resurrect his Arsenal have right vibe to Liverpool defender career. Dejan Lovren Pennant was tipped for great things after leaving lift EPL title, says Wenger Notts County and signing for Arsenal aged 15 for 2 million pounds ($2.95 million) but he Reuters FOOTBALL: of your team in a game like (against failed to find consistency in a ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Newcastle). It is more the mental aspect nomadic career that has also - you fight, don’t panic and wait for your seen him play in Spain and chance.” In Per Mertesacker, Mesut India. ARSENAL: Arsenal’s victory over than the teams I had when I moved Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Petr Cech and Undeniably talented and Newcastle United has left manager into the stadium here,” the French- Olivier Giroud, Wenger has an experi- an able crosser and dribbler, Arsene Wenger confident that his man told the club’s website (www. enced core of senior players who have Pennant’s career was blighted team’s mental strength will help them arsenal.com). won titles at their former clubs, which by arrests and jail time for mount a strong challenge for the Pre- “On our day we could play every- should stand Arsenal in good stead as drink driving offences and he mier League title this season. body off the park and when you had the season builds to its climax. Lovren rallies Liverpool became the first footballer to The Gunners beat Newcastle 1-0 to dig deep you experienced it was a Giroud, Arsenal’s top scorer with play a Premier League match on Saturday to move two points clear bit more difficult. It was different.” 10 league goals so far, says that expe- whilst wearing a police tag in at the top of the Premier League table “We were more questioned on rience will play a key part in whether for League Cup semi 2005. and the Frenchman viewed the victory that aspect than the way we played the Gunners will win the league. as proof that his team have acquired football. Now, (in terms of) the expe- “To be a champion, I know (what a resilience they perhaps lacked in rience, the quality of their attitude, it takes) because I was a champion AFP think about it now, because we have Alvarez joins the past. the team always has the charisma. with Montpellier,” he said. the game with Stoke today.” Arsenal last won the league in If you look at the team as a unit, it is “You need a bit of luck and some- “We definitely need to change our Samp on 2004, two years before shifting from like a person.” times you cannot play a fantastic game mentality and we need to keep a bet- Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, and “If you look at your team like a (but you need to win). STOKE-ON-TRENT: Dejan Lovren ter run of games and to fight more. six-month deal Wenger says the current crop have a person and the vibes that are com- “We have a good mixture of expe- has urged Liverpool to show a stronger It was two easy goals conceded, I charisma that sets them apart from ing out - you can sense in this job if rienced players and young players and mental streak as they seek to recover would say.” Milan: Sampdoria have his teams of the intervening decade. you feel it or not.” the older ones bring confidence to the from their latest disappointment in “We have a game in the cup against announced the signing “I think we are more experienced “I must say (you see) another aspect youngest and lead them.” today’s League Cup semi-final first Stoke and it’s a big chance for us to get of Argentinian midfielder leg at Stoke City. to the final. So we need to stay calm Ricardo Alvarez, who joins the Manager Jurgen Klopp’s hopes of and say tomorrow is a new day and Serie A club from Inter Milan ending his first season in English foot- we’ll start to prepare for the Stoke following an unsuccessful loan ball with a top-four Premier League game and try to be in the final.” spell with Sunderland in Eng- finish and a place in next season’s Liverpool, whose last major hon- land’s Premier League. Champions League suffered a blow our was the 2012 League Cup, also Alvarez, 27, has joined the when Liverpool started the new year get their FA Cup campaign under way Genoa-based club on a six- with a 2-0 defeat at West Ham United at Exeter City on Friday. month deal which expires on on Saturday. “It is not what we always want to June 30, according to Samp- The German was angered by his do, but at a time like this football is doria. Alvarez joins in time for team’s display, but his debut season at not easy. But all clubs have their tar- the city derby away to Genoa Anfield could yet end with silverware gets. Some are under pressure, some on Tuesday, bringing to an end as Liverpool stand just two games from have confidence or lack of confidence. a period of uncertainty about a Wembley meeting with either Man- Klopp said. his future. Alvarez, who has chester City or neighbours Everton. “After the Sunderland game, the made nine appearances for Lovren acknowledged that his players were really intensive, rather the Argentina national side, manager had every right to vent his than celebrating. They are thinking, joined Sunderland on loan anger following the West Ham game, ‘Next game.’ To say January is deci- from Inter in September 2014 the Croatian centre-back saying: “We sive? We will see,” but failed to make the move are disappointed. It wasn’t the best Stoke will also be seeking to permanent. performance from us and we need bounce back after league disappoint- With only five wins in to be angry with ourselves. ment at the start of 2016, in their case 17 games, Sampdoria have “I don’t know the reasons why, a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion, slipped to 14th in Italy’s top but we need to step up quickly from which followed successive wins over flight although Genoa are four Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks on as his players take part in a team training session in this file photo. this because we don’t have time to Manchester United and Everton. points further adrift in 17th. SPORT TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 35 Butler betters Jordan record in Bulls victory over Raptors

Butler overcomes legend’s mark of 39 points which he set against the Bucks in February 1988

AFP

LOS ANGELES: Jimmy Butler broke Michael Jordan’s franchise record for the most points in a half with 40 as the Chicago Bulls rallied to beat the Toronto Raptors 115-113 on Sunday. Butler, who scored two points in the first half before exploding for 40 in Alex Goligoski (right) of the Dallas Stars and Kyle Okposo of the New the second, surpassed Jordan’s mark of 39 which the NBA icon set against the York Islanders pursue the puck during the first period at the Barclays Milwaukee Bucks in February 1988. Center on Sunday in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The 26-year-old shooting guard rattled in a clutch three pointer with 30 seconds left as the Bulls beat the Raptors for the second time in six days. Okposo, Clutterbuck Asked about breaking Jordan’s record, Butler said, “Do not compare me to him.” star in Islanders’ win Butler’s superb second half allowed the Bulls to come from behind after trailing by as many as 15 points at the Air Canada Centre arena. Agencies consecutive game and improved to “He just couldn’t miss. It was unbe- 15-5-1 on home ice. The Senators lost lievable,” teammate Taj Gibson said their third game a row. They have of Butler. NEW YORK: Kyle Okposo and Cal been outscored 13-3 in the past three The Bulls have now won seven Clutterbuck scored two goals apiece as contests. straight over the Raptors, including the New York Islanders rode a three- Ducks 4, Jets 1 a 104-97 win last Monday in Chicago. goal second period to a 6-5 win over Goalie John Gibson earned his Centre Pau Gasol added 19 points the league-leading Dallas Stars at fourth successive victory and stopped and 13 rebounds and forward Nikola Barclays Center on Sunday. 19 shots as the Anaheim Ducks Mirotic scored 17 points for Chicago. Thomas Greiss made 36 saves and defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 in Guard DeMar DeRozan led the Rap- Anders Lee and Mikhail Grabovski also front of 17,174 at the Honda Center. tors with 24 points but missed a shot scored for the Islanders, who began a Right winger Corey Perry scored as the final buzzer sounded. two-game homestand in which they’ll his team-leading 14th goal while left Forward Luis Scola and point guard host the top two teams in the NHL. winger Rickard Rakell added a goal Kyle Lowry each scored 22 points and The Eastern Conference-leading and an assist for the Ducks (16-15-7), Lowry added 10 assists for the Raptors Washington Capitals visit on Thursday. who have won four of their past five. in front of a crowd of 19,800. Valeri Nichushkin scored twice The Jets (18-19-2) suffered their With the game tied 109-109, Lowry and Vernon Fiddler, Patrick Sharp 13th defeat in 15 road games. hit a turn-around jumper with 40.9 and Jason Spezza scored one each Meanwhile, Montreal Canadiens seconds left to put the Raptors ahead for the Stars. Kari Lehtonen recorded forward Dale Weise will miss the next by two points. 38 saves. 2-3 weeks with an upper-body injury, Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (centre) controls the ball against Toronto Raptors’ forward Bismack Butler came back with a three- Panthers 2, Wild 1 the team announced in a statement pointer to give the Bulls a 112-111 Biyombo (left) and guard Kyle Lowry during their NBA game at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto on Sunday. Jaromir Jagr scored a pair of goals, on Sunday. lead with 30.6 seconds remaining in Chicago defeated Toronto 115-113. Dmitry Kulikov had assists on both Weise left in the second period regulation. of them and Al Montoya was excep- of the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Lowry missed a running layup and tional in net as Florida knocked off Classic on Friday after taking a cross- Toronto forward DeMarre Carroll was Gibson made one of two free throws Golden State in Oakland on Saturday. Minnesota at the BB&T Center. check from Boston Bruins defenseman called for a foul that sent Gasol to the and Chicago led by three. Centre Jonas BASKETBALL: NBA ROUND-UP To prove it, he made it to Denver in Jagr scored the game-winning Kevan Miller and taking a shot off free throw line. Valanciunas cut the lead to one with time to start the Nuggets’ home game goal 8:52 into the third period with a his arm. Gasol made one of two to give the 4.6 seconds left. against Portland, which was won by sweeping wrist shot from the high slot. Weise, 27, has 20 points (11 goals, Bulls a two-point lead with 23 sec- Butler made one of two free throws after an MRI revealed he has two torn the Trail Blazers 112-106. The Atlantic Division-leading nine assists) in 40 games this season. onds on the clock. and DeRozan missed a long shot from ligaments in his right knee, the team Faried, who took an elbow to the Panthers extend their franchise- His 11 goals are a career high. On the Bulls’ next possession beyond the arc at the buzzer. said Sunday. Jack, 32, will require sur- head and was stretchered off in Oak- record win streak to nine games as The Winnipeg Jets activated The Bulls won despite injuries to gery to repair the damage. He was hurt land, played 27 minutes, scored 13 they wrapped up a perfect six-game center Mark Scheifele from the injured NBA RESULTS key players, including guard Derrick during Saturday’s win over the Boston points and pulled down nine rebounds. homestand. reserve list. Rose who missed his third straight Celtics. Jack averaged 12.8 points, a In other injury news, Blackhawks 3, Senators 0 NY Knicks 111 Atlanta 97 game. Rose will have an MRI done of team-high 7.4 assists and 4.3 rebounds Kobe Bryant missed his second Corey Crawford stopped all 26 NHL RESULTS Chicago 115 Toronto 113 his sore right hamstring on Monday. this season in 32 games. straight game with a sore right shoulder. shots he faced, lifting Chicago over NY Islanders 6 Dallas 5 Miami 97 Washington 75 Joakim Noah also did not play because Meanwhile Denver forward Ken- However, his Los Angeles Lakers Ottawa. Florida 2 Minnesota 1 of an injured left shoulder. neth Faried took to Instagram to say beat Phoenix 97-77 without their aging Duncan Keith, Artem Anisimov Portland 112 Denver 106 Chicago 3 Ottawa 0 Brooklyn Nets point guard Jarrett he was feeling “much better” after a superstar in a meeting of the league’s and Andrew Desjardins scored for Anaheim 4 Winnipeg 1 LA Lakers 97 Phoenix 77 Jack will miss the rest of the season scary neck injury in the Nuggets’ loss to two worst teams. the Blackhawks, who won their third Brilliant Manning lifts Denver Broncos to AFC top seed

AFP have a week to regroup -- as will the be the Cincinnati Bengals, who beat NFL: DENVER BRONCOS DEFEAT SAN Patriots. The bye will be welcome for Baltimore 24-16 to complete the third DIEGO CHARGERS New England, whose superstar quar- 12-win season in club history. LOS ANGELES: Peyton Manning came terback Tom Brady absorbed some The Carolina Panthers finally off the bench and piloted four Denver hard hits as he completed just 12 of locked up the top seed and home field scoring drives in a 27-20 win over San Manning after the Broncos coughed 21 passes for a season-low 134 yards advantage in the National Football Con- Diego that clinched homefield advan- up their fifth turnover of the game -- and no touchdowns. ference with a 38-10 victory over the tage for the Broncos in the NFL play-offs. even though the errors weren’t all on “We didn’t do enough things well Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The victory, after the reigning Super Osweiler’s head. enough to win,” coach Bill Belichick Quarterback Cam Newton ran for Bowl champion New England Patriots “Just my gut told me to turn it over to said after the Patriots offense was held two touchdowns and passed for two fell 20-10 to the Miami Dolphins on the him,” Kubiak said. “I’m just very proud to 196 total yards. “That was a prob- more as the Panthers bounced back final day of the regular season, lifted of him. He’s worked really hard to stay lem across the board.” from their only defeat of the season the Broncos to the American Football there for us and it couldn’t be a bigger The Pittsburgh Steelers snatched last week. The Arizona Cardinals own Conference West division title and the day to be there for us.” an AFC wildcard berth with a 28-12 the other NFC bye as the number two top seed in the AFC. Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said victory over the Cleveland Browns, seeds, but they got a reality-check from Manning, who missed seven weeks Manning’s entry into the contest “lifted coupled with the New York Jets’ 22-17 the Seattle Seahawks who cooled off with a foot injury and was in uniform the whole stadium”. loss to the Buffalo Bills. the red-hot Cardinals 36-6. as backup to Brock Osweiler, received “I don’t know if it was just his pres- The Jets controlled their own des- In the final game of the regular a thunderous ovation when he took ence, but it was just a little energy that tiny, needing only a win to advance, season, the Minnesota Vikings ended over from the ineffective starter in the came through the building.” but ex-coach Rex Ryan and the Bills Green Bay’s four-year reign atop the third quarter. Manning, a five-time NFL Most Val- played spoiler. NFC North with a 20-13 victory over He promptly launched an 80-yard, uable Player who had never appeared The Houston Texans trounced the the Packers at Lambeau Field. eight-play drive capped by CJ Ander- as a backup as a pro, admitted it was Jacksonville Jaguars 30-6 and won the Quarterback Aaron Rodgers kept son’s one-yard touchdown run that “different” but was pleased to make a AFC South division title for the first time the Packers pressing until the bitter gave Denver a 14-13 lead. solid contribution. since 2012. The Texans face a tough end, but his desperation pass as time With Manning at the helm the Bron- “I think when I was in there, we wildcard challenge against the Kan- expired was deflected in the end zone. cos also got a rushing touchdown from ran the ball better,” he said. “We held sas City Chiefs, who are charging into The Vikings won their third straight Ronnie Hillman and two field goals on to the ball, caught the ball better. the post-season on a 10-game win- game and will host the Seahawks in Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning signals during the second from Brandon McManus. That’s just kind of how it worked out.” ning streak after a 23-17 victory over the first round of the playoffs, when half of NFL game against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said A defeat would have cost the Bron- the Oakland Raiders. Green Bay visit NFC East champions Field at Mile High on Sunday in Denver. he decided to go with the 39-year-old cos a first-round bye, but now they’ll The Steelers’ first round foes will Washington. TUESDAY 5 JANUARY 2016 36

Japanese city Aichi to bid for 2026 Asian Games

Reuters and summer Olympic sports plus a number of events selected by the hosts, twice before with Tokyo staging in TOKYO: Undeterred by Tokyo’s cha- 1958 and Hiroshima in 1994. otic preparations to stage the 2020 But Japan’s reputation as hosts Olympic Games, Japan’s Aichi Prefec- has been hit by problematic prepa- ture will bid to stage the 2026 Asian rations for the 2020 Olympic Games, Games, the region’s governor said where costs have massively escalated, yesterday. stadium designs scrapped and con- Aichi will submit an application to struction delay amid public outcry. the Japanese Olympic Committee to Japan’s first-ever staging of the host the event, Kyodo News reported 2019 Rugby World Cup has also caused Hideaki Omura as saying on Mon- concerns with construction delays day. “As it is a big event, we should forcing a change in venue for the tour- clarify the situation at first,” Omura nament final. told reporters in Nagoya, which is The Olympic Council of Asia will expected to host the bulk of events at decide upon the hosts of the 2026 the quadrennial multi-sport games. Asian Games in 2018. Jakarta will host Japan have hosted the Asian the next edition in 2018 and Hangzhou, Games, which features both winter China four years later. Paes wants Sania to partner at Rio Games mixed doubles A rainbow forms as Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar drives his Mini through the water during the Buenos Aires-Rosario prologue stage fo Dakar Rally 2016 in Arrecifes, Argentina on Saturday. Agencies India’s front runner in Rio in mixed doubles,” Paes said. The nominations for the pair are NEW DELHI: India, who have only expected to be filed in March-April and won 26 medals in the Olympics ever Paes is quite confident that the peo- S econd stage of Dakar Rally since they first participated in the ple related to selection will consider Paris Olympics in 1900, will depend him the best candidate to represent on their tennis players to bring home India in the Olympics, purely on the elusive medal in the upcoming merit for the things he has achieved 2016 Rio Olympics. in the court. However, if India are to have a “I hope that another shambles of trimmed due to bad weather golden chance of winning the medal, selection does not happen. This com- they need to come up with the best ing summer, I think by about March pair, which can help bring laurels to or April, really is when the nomina- the country. Leander Paes, who has tions go in.” into spectators during the prologue. MOTOR RALLYING: first marathon at Stage 4, a 429 kilo- been a regular feature for India in the “Regardless of what happens in The weather was again expected DAKAR RALLY metre special section that starts and Olympics for a few years, has made it the Aussie Open, U.S. Open and French Stage shortened by at to have an impact on yesterday’s stage, ends at San Salvador de Jujuy. clear that he wants to partner Sania Open this year, you look at the number least 150 kilometres with race director Etienne Lavigne High altitudes and alternating Mirza and Rohan Bopanna in the of Grand Slams that I have won and confirming it had been shortened by The Peruvian government decided rocky and sandy terrain challenge mixed and men’s doubles respectively. also the men’s grand slams. I have with more rains at least 150 kilometres. that it would be more appropriate to the riders during the first half of the “In men’s doubles I believe the best in all won 33 Grand Slams. Think on expected “It’s going to rain for most of the have all state services ready for action initial marathon, while the second half team is Rohan and myself and like- merit, I should get a call.” nigh on the special, then it should stop should a national emergency arise as is marked by a climb even higher as wise in mixed doubles it is Sania and Paes wanted to play alongside to begin again in the afternoon,” said a result of the weather. competitors enter Bolivia with the goal myself,” PTI quoted Paes as saying. Bopanna in the upcoming Chennai Lavigne. This gave the event’s new Sport- of reaching Uyuni. Paes does not want dirty politics Open to prepare for the Olympics, “We’re going to do our best to ing Director, Marc Coma, himself a There is a second marathon stage to be involved when the team selec- but the latter rejected the offer. Paes, Agencies ensure that the stage will take place five-time Dakar champion, the chal- is planned for after the rest day, and tion is done for the Olympics. who won three mixed doubles title in in the best possible conditions.” lenge of rerouting the course to avoid as always, there will be no assistance In the last London Olympics, 2015 with Hingis, also had a word with With the opening Prologue near entering Peru. available to riders during either of the Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupati refused Sania to partner her for the Olympics. Buenos Aires last Saturday, the two By mid-September, Coma and his marathons. to pair up with Paes, who believes he “I have spoken with her a few BUENOS AIRES: The second stage week-race has been broken into 13 team had charted a new route, leav- Other features unique to this year’s should get a nod for his stupendous times. Without shadow of a doubt of the Dakar Rally yesterday was stages, with a rest day on January 10, ing the dates, number of stages and event include the longest Fiambala Grand Slams in 2015 with Martina when one goes by merit, winning three shortened because of poor weather taking riders on a winding path through length of stages the same as originally dune section since the event moved to Hingis. Grand Slams leading to the Olympics conditions, race organisers confirmed. Argentina and Bolivia. planned. South America during Stage 10. “I hope that does not happen kind of speaks for itself.” Thunderstorms and heavy rain The original route included time in The type of terrain riders will face It’s also the first event since the again in doubles or mixed doubles. But Paes did not make any offer had already forced the cancellation Peru as well, but in August the coun- did change however, with fewer dunes inaugural Dakar that won’t include I believe, selection should be on merit. to Sania to play in grand slams as of Sunday’s opening stage because of try decided to withdraw from the race and more technical track during the a previous motorcycle class winner, To win three mixed doubles Grand the former has had an incredible run safety concerns, a day after 10 peo- due to forecasts predicting particu- opening days en route to the rest day ensuring that the Number 1 plate will Slams in 2015 leading to the Olym- with Hingis, a pair, which he is not ple were injured when a car crashed larly nasty weather due to El Nino. at Salta. Adding to the difficulty is the go to a first-time victor in 2016. pic year I certainly hope that I am eager to break.

Top sides retain positions but shock for Al Arabi Al Kharaitiyat announce friendly encounters The Peninsula: QATAR STARS LEAGUE: ROUND REVIEW DOHA: Al Kharaitiyat have announced that they will convene a training camp for the team in DOHA: The top four in Qatar Stars League (QSL) fifth slot in the QSL title race. Al Arabi, how- Doha after the return of the players from the rest retained their positions at the end of round 15 ever, endured another round of pain when they following their 2-1 defeat to leaders Al Rayyan on Sunday but Gianfranco Zola’s side Al Arabi went down to hosts Al Khor on Saturday. Al in round 15 of the Qatar Stars League. endured another tough defeat to lose ground Khor won 2-1 to leave Al Arabi in sixth spot. It The club has also announced that it will on rivals. was third successive loss for Zola’s side. Los- play two friendly games during the Qatar Stars Points leaders Al Rayyan adhered to coach ing nine points from three games could cost Al League stoppage period due to the organisa- Jorge Fossati’s plans of picking up three points by Arabi their dream of playing in the AFC Cham- tion of the AFC Under-23 Championship 2016 beating Al Kharaitiyat 2-1 in their clash against pions League this year. in Doha from January 12 to 30. Al Kharaititiyat at Al Gharafa Stadium. There was some cheerful news in the Al also confirmed that one match will be against Al Rayyan’s experienced pair of Sergio Gar- Gharafa camp when they beat bottom-placed local rivals Al Khor, whilst the second match is cia and Rodrigo Tabata came to the rescue for Mesaimeer 2-0 under new coach Pedro Caix- yet to be confirmed. the Lions as Fossati’s men pushed their tally to inha. The new coach, who was managing his Bosnian head coach Ammar Osim will use 42 points after 15 games. first game at Al Wakrah Stadium, said before the camp and friendly ties to improve the phys- Sabri Lamouchi’s El Jaish also battled hard the match that the Cheetahs would be mak- ical fitness of his side. to pick up points against Al Sailiya at the dou- ing a fresh start. The Thunders are currently in 11th place in ble header at Al Gharafa Stadium. “We are not worried about the past. We start the QSL table. They will take on defending QSL A late strike by Yasser Abu Baker in the a new cycle now. And the best possible way will champions Lekhwiya when the league program 83rd minute lifted the gloom in El Jaish camp. be to start with getting three points,”Caixinha resumes on January 28. El Jaish, one of the most consistent sides in said at his maiden press conference last Thursday. Qatar during the last few years, are in second On Sunday, Al Ahli came from behind to spot with 32 points from 15 matches. beat Al Wakrah 2-1 in their round 15 game. Djamel Belmadi’s boys at Lekhwiya produced Ruben Filipe Amorim (54) opened the scor- Arabi to rest for nine days another resolute effort, beating a committed ing for the visitors after feisty goalless battle in Qatar Sports Club 2-1 in their round of 15 clash. the first half. However, Al Ahli hit back through DOHA: Al Arabi head coach Gianfranco Zola It was Lekhwiya’s seventh successive win this Mojtaba Jabari Kordgheshlaghi (79) and Ndombe has granted his squad 9 days rest following season, putting the defending champions in Mubele (81) to bag three points. Ninth-placed their 2-1 defeat to Al Khor in round 15 of the third place with a tally of 31 points. Al Ahli now have a tally of 17 points from 15 Qatar Stars League. Former champions Al Sadd, however, lost matches whereas Al Wakrah - a notch behind - Al Arabi players will resume training sessions a bit of momentum with a 1-1 draw against also have a similar tally. Al Ahli beat Al Wakrah on January 12, during the three week break for Umm Salal on Sunday. Al Sadd, now coached 2-1 in a game in which the former were trail- the AFC Under-23 Championship Qatar 2016. by Jesualdo Ferreira, scored first through Khal- ing at one point. Al Ahli have summer signing The dream team has endured three straight fan Ibrahim but conceded a first-half equaliser Firmin Mubele to thank as he scored with ten defeats towards the end of the year, and Zola will to share points at Al Ahli Stadium. minutes to go, to deny Wakrah a share of the be looking to galvanise his side during the break. Al Sadd are currently sitting in fourth pace spoils. Round 16 kicks off on January 27 as Arabi are currently placed 6th in the Qatar Al Ahli SC player Abdul Ghafoor Abdullah (right) heads the ball during with a tally of 28 points from 15 rounds. By vir- the teams now enjoy a three week break dur- Stars League table. tue of Sunday’s draw, Umm Salal has jumped ing the AFC U23 Championships, which are a QSL clash against Al Wakrah at Al Ahli stadium on Sunday. Photo by: Kammutty VP ahead of Al Arabi in the points table to sit at being held in Doha.