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Emir meets Egypt official GCC states Law on online meet over Iran nuclear trading and leak fears

DUBAI/KHOBAR: National emergency officials in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) licences soon countries met yesterday in Saudi Arabia to discuss the risk of radiation spreading over the Single window clearance planned Gulf if Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant is damaged by DOHA: A law is on the anvil Licences will be issued for a another earthquake. to allow online trading in the year and will be renewable for A 6.3-magnitude earthquake country and provide licence to another year or for a number of struck close to Iran’s only nuclear a new business, including those years. The current law (Number power station last week, killing owned by foreigners, in just a 25 of 2005) provides for licensing dozens of people but leaving the day through a single-window of a business or shop or indus- nearby plant undamaged, accord- clearance system. trial installation for a year and ing to Iranian officials and the If an applicant wanting to set renewal for five years. Russian company that built it. up a business fails to fulfill the Under the new laws the drafts There is no indication of any criteria, the Ministry of Business of which were approved by the radiation leak following last week’s and Trade, the licensing authority State Cabinet on April 10, busi- tremor and the head of Iran’s and the facilitator of the single- nesses, including shops, offices Atomic Energy Organisation said window, would say a “no” on the and other outlets, could be given The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani with Egyptian Attorney General Talaat Ibrahim Mohammed the plant was built to withstand spot. The Ministry has framed a license even for less than a year. Abdullah at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. much bigger quakes. two draft laws — one to regu- A highlight of the new legisla- But the plant on earthquake- late commercial registration and tions that are in the pipeline is prone Iran’s southern coast is a licensing of businesses in general, that businesses will be allowed growing worry for its neighbours, while the other pertains specifi- to carry out online trading. It is because the prevailing winds of cally to the licensing of shops, understood that for that purpose the Gulf mean that if radiation industrial installations, garages, extensive rules will be set in place Vegetables dearer, fruits cheaper ever does escape it would probably and vendors, among others. in the near future. be blown over the Qatari capital Shops include hotels, restau- The aim of the new laws is to DOHA: Fresh vegetables since February. plantains, among other perisha- Doha and the main oil export- rants, cafetarias, clubs and clinics, over-simplify licensing proce- became 20 percent more expen- The prices of fish at the state- bles. Apples were mostly imported ing ports of the United Arab among other outlets. dures for businesses and attract sive at the Central Market in run market receded almost 28 from Lebanon and China. Emirates. No vendor will be given a increased inflow of foreign invest- March 2013 since a year earlier, percent in a year last March, Onions, watermelon and chilies GCC Secretary-General, licence to operate independently. ment, Qatar News Agency (QNA) although the prices of fruits and the Ministry said while releasing were the largest items of import Abdulatif Al Zayani, said that Vending licences will only be given reported yesterday quoting the fish came down a little, accord- extensive data of imports for the from India, while most of the Gulf Arab states must have a joint to businesses that have shops and Minister of Business and Trade, ing to the Ministry of Business period under review. Meat prices potatoes were procured from plan to collectively deal with any offices. The branches of a busi- H E Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz and Trade which boasts a con- have generally remained stable. a host of countries, including possible leak from the Iranian ness will not be required to name Al Thani. sumer watchdog that closely India was the largest exporter Pakistan, Iran, Jordan, China facility. a person separately who would be Once the legislations are in tracks the pricing of essentials of vegetable stocks that were and Egypt. Local vegetables that “The earthquake that the legally responsible for the opera- force, Qatar would have a higher on almost a daily basis. retailed or sold by wholesal- inundated the Central Market Iranian city of Bushehr was sub- tions of that branch, as it the case ranking in the world in terms of The Ministry didn’t cite any ers from the Central Market in in March included cucumber, ject to has raised a great deal now. Instead, an applicant for a the “ease of doing business”, the reasons for the price rise of veg- March this year. Local produce tomatoes, green peas, egg plants of concern among GCC coun- business licence will be required Minister said. “We will issue a etables, but said fruits sold 19 accounted for the second largest and chilies, among other fresh tries and the international com- to name just one person as legally business licence and registration percent cheaper last March as volume. As for fresh fruits, Egypt stocks. Iran was a large exporter munity of a possible damage to responsible for its operations, in just one day.” compared to the previous months ranked number one in exports of beetroot, as also of potatoes and the Bushehr nuclear reactor whether at its main office or at THE PENINSULA and the decline in their rates was last March and the imports onions in the month. that could cause a radioactive branches. Continued on page 3 a steep nine percent in a month included orange, strawberry and THE PENINSULA leak, God forbid,” Zayani said at the start of the meeting in Riyadh. “The GCC countries have pre- viously warned against the danger of the nuclear reactor of Bushehr and the possible nuclear leak and Health facilities to sign contracts on standards its harmful effect on the environ- ment in the Gulf,” he added. DOHA: All public and private The new system will also lead effectively. Those performing “Now we will be having a direct rates ( the number of people get- Zayani said that the six Gulf healthcare facilities in the coun- to introducing unified quality well will enjoy the benefits and contract with each facility that ting sick with a disease and those states have previously urged try will soon be asked to sign standards for public and private those lagging will face the con- binds them to meet the quality dying due to a disease), waiting Tehran to ensure its facility com- a contract with the Supreme healthcare facilities in the coun- sequences,” Dr Jamal Rashid Al standards or face action,” said Al times, among others. plies with international safety Council of Health (SCH) com- try, a senior SCH official said Khanji, director of the Healthcare Khanji. He said the performance He said once the manda- standards and join the Convention mitting themselves to meet the yesterday. Quality Management Department of each facility will be monitored tory health insurance scheme is on Nuclear Safety, but Tehran did quality standards set by SCH. “The proposed contract involves at SCH told The Peninsula. through ‘key performance indi- implemented in the country, the not show any sign it understood The SCH will monitor the per- a commitment by the health facil- He said the new contract is dif- cators’ (KPI) that will be clearly contract will be restructured to international concerns over its formance of all these facilities ities to promptly and accurately ferent from the licences issued to mentioned in the new contract. include the terms and conditions nuclear programme. Iran is the based on this contract and those report all their activities to our healthcare facilities, which is an KPI will include all aspects of of the insurance cover. only country operating a nuclear failing to fulfill their commitment department. This will help us official permission to operate in healthcare such as admission THE PENINSULA power plant that does not belong will face action, including closure. monitor their performance more the country. rate, morbidity and mortality Continued on page 5 to the convention. REUTERS

World’s first shipping tunnel Venezuelans vote Summer holidays of schools, QU unified DOHA: The annual summer vacation at schools and Qatar University for president (QU) has been unified, with the Supreme Education Council (SEC) reaching an agreement with QU. The unified vacation schedule CARACAS: Venezuelans lined will come into force from the forthcoming summer, according to up yesterday to vote whether Al Sharq. The SEC recently issued a decision unifying the summer to honour Hugo Chavez’s dying holidays of all the independent and private schools in the country. wish for a longtime loyalist to continue his hardline socialism or hand power to a young chal- Attacks kill 34 civilians in Somalia lenger vowing business-friendly changes. MOGADISHU: A nine-man suicide commando squad blasted its Acting President Nicolas way into Mogadishu’s main court complex yesterday, some blowing Maduro had a double-digit lead up their explosives vests while others sprayed gunfire in a rampage in most polls heading into elec- that left 29 civilians dead, while a separate bomb attack killed five tion day, buoyed by Chavez’s pub- more. The Al Qaeda-linked Shebab militant group claimed respon- lic blessing before he died from sibility for the courthouse attack, from which Somalia’s chief justice cancer last month. But the gap escaped unharmed. See also page 7 had narrowed in the final days, with one survey putting it at 7 Bahrain vows security at Formula One percentage points. Maduro sup- porters mobilised voters in the DUBAI: Bahrain vowed yesterday to take “appropriate” security rough barrios of Caracas, where measures for its Formula One race, as thousands of demonstrators the late Chavez is revered as a A computer image by Nordfjord Vekst shows the so-called Stad Ship Tunnel, the “world’s first shipping tun- kept up daily protests. Bahrain “will ensure that appropriate secu- hero of the poor, sounding a pre- nel” being planned on the Stad peninsula, on the west coast of Norway, to make shipping safer in a rough rity measures are taken during the F1 race and will take enough dawn bugle call urging citizens to coastal area. Unveiling a 10-year plan, Norway said it would earmark $175m for the construction of the Stad measures as in all other countries which host such international get out and vote. REUTERS maritime tunnel, named for the peninsula notorious for high winds and heavy seas. sporting events,” government spokeswoman Samir Rajab said. Full report on page 10 See also page 6 MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME

Heir Apparent PHCC tries for to chair 40th graduation ceremony of QU top Canadian DOHA: Qatar University’s 40th annual graduation ceremony will take place under the patronage of the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh accreditation Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on June 18 at Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC). Sheikh Tamim will preside Healthcare set to get major boost over the men’s ceremony, while H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani will be the guest for BY FAZEENA SALEEM what they (Primary Health Care the women’s ceremony on June Corporation) are doing and they 19, at the same venue. DOHA: Primary healthcare in are in the accreditation process,” The Minister of Public Health and Secretary of Supreme Council of Health H E Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani The graduation is an annual Qatar needs to further improve Audette said. receives a special hockey jersey from the Canadian Ambassador to Kuwait and Qatar Douglas George and Board event which honours stu- its services and performances He refused to comment when Chair of Accreditation Canada International Marria Barrados at the Accreditation Canada International conference dents who have successfully to obtain an international asked whether he was opti- completed their undergradu- at the Ritz-Carlton, Doha. recognition, said an official mistic about PHCC getting the ate and graduate degrees. attached to an international accreditation. QU President Prof Sheikha body which provides accredita- He also said that the PHCC Abdulla Al Misnad will attend tion for Primary Health Care should set its time frame to the graduation, along with Corporation. obtain the accreditation. senior officials from govern- The Primary Health Care “It is up to them to set up Global forum highlights ment, public and private sec- Corporation (PHCC) is seek- their time frame, we are sup- tor organisations, university ing to have an international porting them through the jour- faculty members, staff and the accreditation from the pres- ney,” Audette he said. parents and families of gradu- tigious Accreditation Canada Accreditation Canada ates who are from Qatar and International in line with the International looks into several improved patient safety beyond. This year, more than National Development Strategy issues such as safety of patients, 1,100 students are expected 2030, aimed at providing pri- access to services, whether DOHA: An international of healthcare safety of patients,” International conference has to graduate from Qatar mary healthcare of the highest employees feel valued of work Conference on healthcare qual- the Minister said. “Hope this con- brought 400 executives, admin- University. quality to people here. and not feel over-worked because ity and patient safety, organised ference will help build best patient istrators and clinicians from 20 Accreditation Canada it will help minimise errors. by the Accreditation Canada care practices in Qatar and GCC,” countries all around the world to International promotes pri- Accreditation Canada International together with he added. share experiences in interactive Rents become mary healthcare accreditation International will also look into Supreme Council of Health Douglas George, Canadian workshop-based sessions. and quality improvement around whether the primary healthcare (SCH), commenced in Doha Ambassador to Kuwait and Qatar The sessions will focus on real- dearer, CPI the world. system has got enough health- yesterday. and Marria Barrados, Board life situations where individuals “We have been collaborat- care professionals for diseases The two-day conference was Chair of Accreditation Canada present successes and challenges figures show ing with the Primary Health which have high prevalence. opened by the Minister of Public International presented a hockey they have encountered in imple- Care Corporation for the “Providing accreditation has Health and Secretary of Supreme jersey to Al Qahtani, on which menting patient safety best prac- DOHA: Prices rose 3.6 per- past few years, said Sebastien different levels and each crite- Council of Health, H E Abdullah Canada’s famous hockey player tices and improvement strategies cent in the country year-on- Audette, Chief Executive rian has its own priorities. Step bin Khalid Al Qahtani, at Ritz- Sidney Crosby’s number 87 is through accreditation and quality year to March this year with Officer, Accreditation Canada by step we approach priorities,” Carlton, Doha. printed. Professor Lord Baron improvement programmes. the disturbing trend being International, on the sidelines of said Audette. The conference is discussing Darzi of Denham, Head of Surgery The conference is designed to that rents have been showing an international conference on “Change does not happen over- methods of improving patient and Chairman of Institute of provide opportunities for active an upward curve. healthcare quality and patient night; change takes time, and we safety and healthcare quality. Global Health Innovation Imperial discussion and learning as well as Rent prices that are clubbed safety being held at the Ritz- recognise that. Have to change Participants will share and learn College London, United Kingdom, networking within the interna- with energy and fuel in the Carlton, Doha. genuinely, so it’s sustainable and practices from each other. delivered the keynote speech on tional communities of healthcare consumer price index (CPI) “But it requires more efforts it will not end with accredita- “The conference will focus on ‘A quality framework for health executives, administrators and basket, jumped 5.5 percent in to increase the quality of care tion,” he added. best practices and lessons. It will system reform.’ practitioners. a year until March 2013, official (healthcare services), that’s THE PENINSULA look into ways to enhance quality Accreditation Canada THE PENINSULA data released yesterday reflect. CPI figures released by the national statistics agency (Qatar Statistics Authority or, QSA) suggest that food also Regional conference on became 2.5 percent expensive since a year earlier. Food is grouped with beverages and patient care next month tobacco in the CPI basket. QSA attributed rising food DOHA: Healthcare professionals will gather in Doha next costs to escalating prices of month to learn about latest best practice to drive new insights fresh vegetables and fruits. into the delivery of safer and more effective patient care in However, the highest increase Qatar and the region. was recorded in entertain- The first Middle East Forum on Quality Improvement in ment costs — 8.7 percent Healthcare in Qatar will be held at the Qatar National Convention year-on-year. Centre (QNCC) from May 17 to 19. Furniture, textiles and home Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), together with the inter- appliances became 4.8 percent nationally renowned Institute for Health Care Improvement (IHI) costlier in a year. Yearly infla- will host the forum. This first-of-its-kind event in the Middle East tion was lower at three percent will provide easier access to the IHI’s methodology and expertise (instead of 3.6) if one excludes to healthcare professionals living and working in Qatar and the the impact of rent increase Arab world. “HMC’s collaboration with the IHI will enable our on prices, QSA said. Monthly staff and other forum delegates to tap into the rich resources price rise (a comparison available through expert training sessions,” said Dr Abdullatif Al between February and March Khal, Deputy Chief of Medical, Academic and Research Affairs for 2013 prices) was marginal at Medical Education. A series of workshops (described by the IHI 0.4 percent, although food, rent as learning labs), lectures and keynote speeches will give delegates and entertainment all became practical tools designed to support efforts to raise healthcare stand- costlier in that short span. ards at their organisations. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA Role of translation in spotlight

DOHA: Hamad bin Khalifa Among the new additions to University’s (HBKU) this year’s conference are the Translation and Interpreting panel discussions and the Author Institute (TII) and Bloomsbury Conversations that represent the Qatar Foundation Publishing intersections of academia, litera- (BQFP) opened their doors ture, and translation. yesterday for the 4th Annual Scholars from a number of Translation Conference at the international and institutions HBKU Student Center. resided on the first iteration panel The conference focuses on discussions, entitled ‘A Journey in the theme ‘Texts in Contexts: Translation Theory from Past to New Cultural Constellations in Present.’ The panels will continue Translation Studies.’ Dr Amal Al until tomorrow and pre-registra- Malki, Executive Director of TII tion is not required. and Hanouf Al Buainain, Director “We are delighted to have been of BQFP welcomed guests repre- able to bring to Qatar this collage senting over 20 nationalities. Al of academics and professionals to Malki and Al Buainain remarked share recent topics and concerns on the evolution of the conference in the field of translation; and as it has expanded to include also raise public awareness of the exciting, new components over importance of translation in our the past four years. global world,” stated Dr Amal Al Dr Moneera Al Ghadeer, Malki, Executive Director of TII, Director of Postgraduate Studies in her opening remarks. and Research Center introduced The conference team was Dr Ovidi Carbonell Cortes of the extremely pleased with the University of Salamanca in Spain overwhelming demand for the who delivered the first keynote workshops, which revealed the address that analysed global diversity of interests in the perspectives on Arabic-Spanish region’s community of transla- translation. tion professionals. Workshops in Today Samuel Shimon will poetry, literary, audiovisual, and describe the past and present media translation will continue states of literary translation based until the end of the three-day Dr Amal Al Malki, Executive Director on his experience as founder and conference. The conference will of Translation and Interpreting editor of Banipal magazine, which continue until tomorrow. Institute, during her presentation. publishes literature in translation. THE PENINSULA MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Parents spend QR10,208 to educate a kid School absenteeism is 17pc: Report

DOHA: Parents here spend an on average per school and 658 stu- average of QR10,208 on the edu- dents. Twenty percent of teach- cation of a child, while absen- ers were Qataris, 60 percent from teeism in schools is as high as 17 other Arab countries, and 20 per- percent, shows a recent survey cent from non-Arab countries According to the Supreme The average of students per Education Council’s (SEC) 8th teacher has been put at 11.4. annual report on education for Half the students in the coun- the academic year 2011-2012, try were Qataris (50 percent), 35 students of independent schools percent other Arab nationalities, spend 1.7 hours (2 hours 10 min) while only 15 percent students on homework in a week. came from non-Arab families. Research for the report was When asked about their ambi- conducted by the Evaluation tions, less than 20 percent said Institute of the SEC. they are aiming for a high school Dr Hamda Al Sulaiti, direc- level qualification and 11 percent tor of the Evaluation Institute, said they wish to achieve a bach- said a cross section of parents, elor degree. Sixty-nine percent, teachers, and students of all the however, said they want to pursue schools in Qatar were surveyed post-graduation degrees. A traffic jam on C-Ring Road during evening rush hours. for the report. This included pri- Only 25 percent of teachers in vate, international, independent, the country had a post-graduate Arabic, and community schools in degree, with 71 percent holding at the country. least a bachelor degree, and four The report also compared percent did not even hold a bach- Solutions to traffic hotspots soon findings of previous years to elor certificate. present comprehensive statistics School libraries on average had of schools in Qatar. Students of 5,163 books, with some 12 books DOHA: The special committee Design is ready for a project proposed to develop the Al traffic on the main roads. Al Arabic private schools as well as for each student. There were dealing with traffic jams has to ease the congestion on the Bustan road from Al Waab Manaseer intersection will be the international schools spend 127.5 computers per school on identified six traffic hotspots in February 22 street on the D-Ring intersection until the Mukafahat expanded very soon, and the 2.3 hours per week on homework, average. The maximum average the city and is currently work- Road leading to Al Asiri Tunnel roundabout on the Rayyan road, single lane road from Al Sailiya the report revealed. Asked about for computers was in independ- ing on solutions. and Gharafa bridge, a local Arabic with three lanes on each direction toward the Industrial Area and their views on the amount of ent schools at 151.4, followed by The committee was set up daily reported yesterday, quoting and a traffic light near Lahkwiya the Salwa-Abu Samra road will homework given to their children, international schools at 122.8. The by the Public Works Authority Eng Yousuf Abdul Rahman Al headquarters. be developed with two lanes in 73 percent of parents said it was lowest number of computers were (Ashghal) in 2009 to study traf- Emadi, head of the committee. The intersection near the each direction. ‘moderate’, while 12 percent said in Arabic private schools at 22.3 fic congestions across the country Most of the exit and entry Villaggio that remains closed Al Markhiya road extending it was very tough. on average. and propose solutions. points on the highway witness with cement barricades would be from Dahl Al Hammam rounda- Some 15 percent of students Thirty-nine percent of teachers It includes representa- heavy traffic jams during peak reopened to provide easy access bout to Landmark mall will be were reported as late-comers said they were not satisfied with tives from Ashghal, Traffic hours. to and from the shopping mall. developed with three lanes in in schools. The total number of their salaries, while 48 percent Department, Lekhwiya, He said the design will soon be Al Furqan roundabout in each direction and new service schools in the country was 298, expressed their satisfaction over Ministry of Municipality and submitted to the higher authori- Muaider close to the Watnaan roads to the mall will be built with 19,896 teachers and 196,207 their current salaries. Urban Planning, Kahramaa and ties for approval. Mall will be converted into an supported with two roundabouts. students. There were 68 teachers THE PENINSULA Ooredoo. The committee has also intersection to ease the flow of THE PENINSULA

Qatar Airways voted Best Airline in Barcelona

BARCELONA: Qatar Airways to expand our worldwide network, Meanwhile, Chicago’s Mayor local economy of the city, helping has been voted Best Airline at welcome more aircraft into our Rahm Emanuel and senior offi- to generate new jobs and create the 15th Annual ACPETUR ever-expanding fleet, and of cials held a high level meeting an economic impact of over $210 Tourism Awards ceremony held course enter into our new part- this week with Al Baker to herald million in revenues for the first in Barcelona. nership with the World’s Best the beginning of new passenger year alone. Organised by the Catalonia Club FC Barcelona from the flights between Chicago O’Hare Both Mayor Emanuel and Tourism Journalist Association, start of the 2013/14 season,” said and Doha International Airport. Commissioner Andolino expressed Catalan travel writers and jour- Al Baker. Al Baker met with Mayor their excitement about the part- nalists recognised the five-star The Vice President of Emanuel, Deputy Mayor nership between Qatar Airways carrier for its commitment to ACPETUR, Romn Hereter, Steve Koch, Commissioner for and Chicago, bringing great bene- Barcelona, highlighting the said: “We are proud that the the Chicago Department of fits to both Chicago travellers and expanded operations from daily Association of Journalists and Aviation, Rosemarie Andolino, the city. They were also delighted to 10 weekly flights, with superior Travel Writers have voted Qatar and Chicago’s Commissioner of to hear Qatar Airways’ plans to in-flight services to an outstand- Airways as the Best Airline. The Cultural Affairs, Michelle Boone, bring new jobs and income to the ing global network. judges felt that Qatar Airways’ to discuss new trade, business and city. Hayder Ahmed and Mohammed Shaheem with Qatar University officials. The Ali Bey award for Best submission was very impressive, investment opportunities. Qatar Airways offers travellers Airline was presented at a gala underlining the youth and dyna- Al Baker said that the airline from Chicago an exciting network dinner at the Porta Fira Hotel. mism of the carrier. A great prod- planned to bring new opportu- of destinations to fly to, includ- Qatar Airways Chief Executive uct, rapidly expanding network nities to the city of Chicago by ing cities across the Middle East, QU debaters crowned Officer Akbar Al Baker said he and plenty of innovation.” investing in the community and Africa and Asia Pacific via its was delighted the airline was Qatar Airways has been helping boost trade, tourism and Doha hub. In addition to Chicago, being recognised in such a key present in Spain for over seven business links between Qatar and Qatar Airways’ US footprint market linking Barcelona with years, initially launching flights to Chicago. includes daily non-stop flights national champions the Qatari capital Doha. the capital Madrid, before intro- “Qatar Airways is honoured to between New York, Houston, “2013 will be another big year ducing Barcelona to its network be a part of these efforts and will, Washington DC and Doha. DOHA: Qatar University Naqvi of WCMC-Q, Tarek Hariri for Qatar Airways as we continue in June 2010. in turn, offer a great boost to the THE PENINSULA (QU) debaters Mohammed and Narcis Jafaria of Carnegie Shaheem and Hayder Ahmed Mellon University-Qatar (CMU- were crowned national cham- Q), and Arwa Elsanosi and pions at the recent 6th Qatar Ellin Francis of Georgetown Universities Debating League University School of Foreign (QUDL). It is QU’s first top- Service in Qatar. Another QU Expat jailed for place win since the champion- team comprising Saad Elasad and HBKU to give career guidance ships began. Yousif Noureldin made it to the stealing sponsor’s The event which is organised semi-finals. DOHA: Hamad bin Khalifa annually by Qatar Debates, was Mohammed is studying University (HBKU), a mem- Nojoom points hosted by Weill Cornell Medical International Affairs and is a stu- ber of Qatar Foundation (QF) College in Qatar (WCMC-Q). dent employee in the production for Education, Science and DOHA: A lower criminal court The final debate motion was: team of the External Relations Community Development, here has sentenced an expatri- This house believes that devel- (ER) Department while Hayder entered into an agreement ate to a year in jail for using the oping countries should prioritise is a Marketing major and also a with Qatar Career Fair (QCF) personal details of his sponsor economic development over civil- student employee in ER’s Alumni recently to enhance efforts in and transferring his Nojoom political rights. Section. the fields of academic and career points to his personal account The final round saw The two senior students guidance. secretly. Mohammed and Hayder up are also part of QU Honours The agreement was signed Nojoom is an Ooredoo rewards against Emad Alam and Zara Programme. THE PENINSULA by Dr Khalid Al Khanji, Vice programme in which a customer President of Student Affairs at earns points for using Ooredoo HBKU and Abdulla Al Mansoori, Vice President of Student Affairs at HBKU Dr Khalid Al Khanji and Executive services. Nojoom points can be Executive Director of QCF. used to recharge Hala (a pre-paid Director of QCF Abdulla Al Mansoori with other officials after signing the HBKU plans and executes vari- service) account, add extra SMS agreement. ous events aimed at prospective and minutes or get special gifts Youth eager to do online trading students in Qatar and the region and vouchers from retail outlets. to provide them with the knowl- The agreement will allow and privileged to be able to part- The accused admitted to the Continued from page 3 new legislation will replace one edge, skills, and tools needed to HBKU and QCF to support and ner with Qatar Career Fair in their crime saying he did it because his The Qatari youth are quite that was enforced 44 years ago successfully pursue their academic advance each other’s efforts, both quest for career awareness,” said sponsor deducted some amount eager to do online trading, he (Law Number 3 of 1969), the and professional goals. nationally and internationally, Dr Al Khanji. Also comment- from his salary. said, adding: “So the new law will Minister said, adding that the QCF, also a member of Qatar through diverse forms of coop- ing on the agreement, Abdulla Al The court ordered him to allow that”. former would not allow vendors Foundation, is not only respon- eration ranging from advisory Mansoori said, “QCF is a career- be deported after serving the He said the existing businesses, to operate independently. They sible for organising the annual and consultancy, such as sharing building platform that aims to con- sentence. including shops and other instal- must be part of a shop, office or Fair, but also aims at developing of expertise in planning, organiz- nect Qatari students, job seekers, The sponsor had also accused lations, will be asked to conform any such licensed installation. and implementing a number of ing, promoting, implementing and employers and other constituents the expatriate for causing acci- to the new laws within six months And the areas in which vending programs and initiatives to con- evaluating training and develop- in an effort to create a dynamic dent to his car that he claimed after they have been put into will be allowed will also be speci- solidate the career culture among ment opportunities. national workforce for the future cost him QR33,000. force. fied by the new legislation. students and graduates. “We are proud to sign this MOU of Qatar.” THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA About vending activities, the THE PENINSULA MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Spotlight on clean energy at environment fair Qatargas showcases water, energy saving methods

DOHA: Qatar Shell is reach- QP at the Environment Fair yet natural gas emits around half the ing out to hundreds of fami- again. The environment is every- CO2 of coal plants. lies and children visiting QP’s one’s responsibility and with our Qatalum is also taking part Environment Fair 2013, under partner QP we hope the fair helps in this year’s QP Environmental the patronage of the Minister to further educate the young and Fair, taking place at Doha of Energy and Industry and local community on the energy Exhibition Center until tomor- Chairman and Managing challenges we face as well as the row. The company’s involvement Director of QP H E Dr contributions we can all make to this year seeks to build on the Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada. address these.” success of last year’s fair, which Aligned with the theme of the Qatar is already providing included a so-called ‘ECO step’ event ‘cleaner energy for a sus- cleaner burning fuels to the concept, and to deliver messages tainable world’ Shell is helping world through QP and Shell’s to visitors that aluminium is a to enhance visitors’ awareness joint gas to liquids project, Pearl genuinely sustainable metal that of energy supply and demand, GTL, Shell has said. When used can lead to a more sustainable environmental consequences for transport, GTL fuel signifi- world. and means of reducing energy cantly improves local air quality. The company’s 2013 theme consumption. Natural gas is also a more envi- for the Fair relates to creating Wael Sawan, Chairman of ronmentally friendly alternative renewable energy solutions, por- Qatar Shell Companies said: “We to coal when used to create elec- traying aluminium as a renew- are extremely proud to support tricity. On a well to wire basis, able energy source contributing to energy crisis prevention, showing that aluminium helps to preserve energy sources and can partici- pate in the emerging clean energy market globally. Aluminium, Qatalum is keen to emphasise, helps to improve environmen- tal performance due to its The Minister of Energy and Industry and Chairman and Managing Director of QP H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al energy efficiency. Sada with officials and visitors at the QP Environment Fair yesterday. Qatalum’s CEO, Tom Petter Johansen, said: “Qatalum is committed to argument for aluminium, and World’ is the message Qatargas, fair provides visitors with tips sustainability, both within encourage ‘buy-in’ among a the world’s largest LNG producer, on the rational use of water and the company and the younger generation to the con- is supporting as part of a cam- energy at home and features industry at large. Taking cepts of efficiency, sustainability, paign to highlight the importance interactive activities for children part in events such as this and the importance of recycling”, of water and energy saving and aiming to become energy, water helps to bring to a new he said. recycling at this year’s fair. saving and recycling ambassa- audience the sustainability ‘Clean Energy for a Sustainable The Qatargas pavilion at the dors. THE PENINSULA

Ooredoo picks 42 winners of Mobile Money contest DOHA: Ooredoo yesterday announced the first 42 win- ners of the Ooredoo Mobile Money (OMM) Smartphone and LuLu Voucher Prize Draw, which ends on June 6. The grand prize winners from the competition’s first two weeks were Shereef Muhammedkutty, who won an Apple iPhone 5 (32GB), and Patricia Okoli, who won a Samsung GT I9300 Galaxy S III (16GB). An additional 40 winners each won a LuLu Hypermarket voucher worth QR200. The draw was held in the presence of an official from the Ministry of Trade, and prizes were presented at Ooredoo Headquarters 2 on Airport Road. The OMM service enables customers to send money instantly through their mobile phone for collection in 196 SFS-Q Dean Gerd Nonneman with a recipient of the Dean’s Honours. countries around the world. The service is ideal for customers without bank accounts or with limited access to banking services, since customers 105 SFS-Q students on can send money securely and conveniently, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Every week, customers can win prizes including smart- phones such as the Apple iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S III Dean’s Honours list and BlackBerry Bold; and 20 additional prizes of QR200 Lulu Hypermarket gift vouchers. DOHA: A total of 105 stu- This year’s Dean’s Honours Winners are announced every two weeks and there is no dents were announced as List indicates outstanding aca- limit to the number of entries per customer. Dean’s Honours recipients demic performance by students To register for the OMM service, Shahry or Hala custom- at Georgetown University for the spring 2012 and fall 2012 ers with valid Qatar IDs can register at any Ooredoo Shop,or School of Foreign Service in terms. First Honours signifies the dial *140# on their mobile and follow the simple on-screen Qatar’s (SFS-Q) annual Dean’s highest level of achievement and instructions. Honours Dinner. requires a grade point average of Once registered, customers can deposit money into their Hosted recently by SFS-Q 3.9 or above; Second Honours is OMM mWallet using any of 200 Ooredoo Self-Service Dean Gerd Nonneman and held awarded for great achievement, Machines throughout Qatar. at the Georgetown building in with a GPA of 3.7 or above; and Deposits can also be made at Ooredoo Shops or direct Education City, this event is a the Dean’s List is for students transfer from a QNB account using the QNB Mobile Payment Georgetown tradition that cel- who have obtained an honourable service. OMM customers do not need to have a QNB bank ebrates the hard work of dedi- standing of 3.5 or above. account. THE PENINSULA cated students who have excelled Seniors receiving First in their studies. Honours are Al Jawhara H Al Thani, Malik A Habayeb, Kham N Nang, Emilio Ocampo Eibenschutz and Eilin L Francis. Students with Second Honours are Ghada K Al Subaey, Haya A Al Thani, Islam K Hassan, Fatima M Ramadan Sanz, Lubna Sharab, Sultan, Aisha J and Farah A Al Qwasmi. Others on the Dean’s List are Eman J Al Asfoor, Noora E Al Mannai, Noora N Al Thani, Intidhar Amri, Yang Un Cha, Ysa Chandna, Aya Elwadia, Aminah A Kandar, Grace E Moore, Zarqa K Parvez, Sahan Sahsuvaroglu and Dimitrios Sardellis. At the dinner, Dean Nonneman spoke to the students and said: “The value of bringing students together who have earned these accolades over two semesters is to recognise that such an accomplish- ment is extremely hard work when considering the incredibly challenging curriculum that the uni- versity is known for. All of you who have earned these awards really deserve it. You’ve done a great job.” THE PENINSULA MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 CMU-Q workshops sharpen youth skills ‘Back to the Future’ programme a success

BY RAYNALD C RIVERA its youth service club Changers from the classroom to the larger Organisation organised the pro- community and the world. DOHA: Thirty-two enter- gramme but was the first time to One of the interesting projects prising students from various turn it into a two-week camp of was ‘Score for your environment’, schools in Qatar presented eight extensive workshops. a trash bin with a basket attached innovative projects at the con- “The camp which started on in which every time someone clusion of ‘Back to the Future’ February 8 lasted for two weeks shoots the garbage properly would programme yesterday at the and comprised mainly workshops produce a clapping sound. Carnegie Mellon University in on self-discovery to help them The group composed of Mazen Qatar (CMU-Q). know their talents and abilities,” Makdad, Muhammad Saleh The young participants aged 15 said Chamekh. Al Malki, Saud Al Shemri and to 17 were chosen from around Tests were conducted after Ramez Bodair said the project 300 students from various schools workshops to ensure participants was aimed at motivating people who submitted their applications apply what they have learned in to throw their garbage properly. online at the beginning of the real-life situations. They consisted “We decided on this project to year. of various tasks such as research save water and take care of the “The main objective of the work on the problems facing environment,” said Aya Siddiq FROM LEFT: Mazen Makdad, Muhammad Saleh Al Malki, Saud Al Shemri and Ramez Bodair with their project programme was to help students Qatar and a ‘future changer’ Fadul Al Noor of Amna bint ‘Score for the environment’. SALIM MATRAMKOT discover their talents and abili- task in which the participants Wahab Independent School, on ties and know what they want to were grouped to create their own their project. be in the future,” said Mariem projects in only five days. Aya’s group collected used Another group organised a project for Syria. We informed said Yara Kadi, one of the group Chamekh, Editor-in-chief of The variety of projects ranged water bottles and utilised them to movie night which collected over people about our project through members. The closing ceremony Changers Organisation. from environmental to fund- water plants and for animals. The QR7,000 all of which was donated Twitter and Facebook and it gen- was attended by ROTA Director This was the third time Reach raising to innovative ones aimed empty bottles were then properly to Syria. erated a huge response from many Essa Al Mannai and other offi- Out To Asia (ROTA) through at offering solutions to problems disposed. “We thought of a fund-raising people who wanted to help Syria,” cials. THE PENINSULA RasGas shares best practices at Ras Laffan workshop DOHA: RasGas Company “We always focus on reliability Limited (RasGas) recently as it safeguards RasGas’ reputa- organised a five-day workshop tion as a reliable supplier of lique- on reliability sustainment and fied natural gas,” he said, adding improvement at its premises in RasGas Train-5 marked 99.78 Ras Laffan. percent reliability in 2012 — one The event was held to foster of the best in the world. and facilitate excellence and con- President and General Manager Officials who took part in the RasGas reliability workshop at the Ras Laffan complex. tinuous improvement in reliabil- of ExxonMobil Qatar Inc Bart ity and volume performance, the Cahir said risk management with judgement. They suggested reli- company said in a statement. focus on equipment, people and ability be managed like safety It also aimed to provide RasGas processes is fundamental for high with a systematic approach for and its shareholders with an reliability. He praised RasGas sustainment. The notion that opportunity to get insight into Operations Group’s effort to strong leadership is a critical the status of reliability improve- ensure reliability and integrity of success factor for reliability focus, ment plans and issues through these world-class assets. especially in the ‘prevent, detect, management processes as well as Hamad Al Ejji from the Best respond and recover’ mindset, equipment and technology issues, Practice Technical Committee was also highlighted. competencies and capabilities and of Qatar Petroleum said reliabil- More than 100 delegates, to share best practices. ity is a very important aspect to including RasGas shareholders The interactive forum focused achieve maximum availability. Qatar Petroleum and ExxonMobil on enhancing individual par- “Reliability can be achieved RasGas Inc, Qatargas representa- ticipant’s skills and collective using many methods but, most tives, global operations managers organisational knowledge, with importantly, managing them will and experts from ExxonMobil’s presentations, quality discussions, help us reach our goals more functional headquarters in field visits and breakthrough efficiently. Sufficient reliability Houston, Texas, attended. actions identification. structure will result in more ben- RasGas was represented by “People are the major contrib- efits and less gaps to overcome,” CEP, Operations Group, Safety, utors to high reliability, which he said. Health, Environment and Quality results in good safety perform- Facilitators said the key to Group and Management Services ance and process safety critical reliability success is people with Group. Visits to RasGas facilities to RasGas’ success,” said CEO experience, right competen- were also organised as part of the Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi. cies, empowerment and good workshop. THE PENINSULA QF unveils contest to mark FC Barcelona partnership

DOHA: Qatar Foundation To enter the social media com- semi-final tie against Bayern for Education, Science and petition, simply take a photograph Munich sets up the mouth- Community Development (QF) of yourself standing in front of a watering prospect of a Champions has unveiled its latest thrill- well-known landmark holding a League Final between FCB and ing competition to celebrate its Qatar Foundation – FCB ‘Passion Real Madrid, should both sides ongoing partnership with FC Drives Us All’ banner, which can prevail, to take place at Wembley Barcelona (FCB). be downloaded and printed out in London next month. Beginning tomorrow at midday from www.qf-fcb.com. There will also be an additional Doha time (0900 GMT) Qatar The competition will run for prize of a Qatar Foundation- Foundation is inviting its global 60 hours only, closing at midnight branded FCB shirt for the com- community to enter its ‘Passion (2100GMT) on Wednesday. The petition entrant who lives furthest Drives Our World’ contest to fly winner will then be selected at from Doha, emphasising the global to Barcelona, travel with the FCB random through a prize draw, and resonance of the partnership with team to Germany, and watch the will be able to nominate a friend FCB. Readers are encouraged to vital Champions League semi-final or relative so that they can take spread the word about the contest first leg tie live at the stunning this once-in-a-lifetime journey to their family and friends around Allianz Arena. together. The eagerly awaited the world. THE PENINSULA Medical fees to be standardised

Continued from page 1 hospitals, all public hospitals representatives of the health Medical fees will be standard- and primary health centers will facilities is currently working on ised with implementation of the be required to sign the contract. the final draft of the contract doc- national insurance scheme. There will be unified quality ument. “The facilities have been There be separate contracts standards for public and private involved in the process so that for public and private health care health sectors in the country,” they can not complain later that facilities since the former segment said Al Khanji. their opinions were not taken into is funded by the government. A special committee com- consideration,” said Al Khanji. “Besides private clinics and prising health experts and THE PENINSULA MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MIDDLE EAST Bahrain vows appropriate Syria air strikes security for F1 kill 12 children DUBAI: Bahrain vowed yester- day to take “appropriate” secu- rity measures for its Formula One race, as thousands of Historic Omari mosque attacked demonstrators kept up daily protests. DAMASCUS: Air strikes by a gathering point. In the second Bahrain “will ensure that regime warplanes killed at incident, at least nine more chil- appropriate security measures least 12 children in two inci- dren were killed in an air strike are taken during the F1 race dents yesterday, one targeting on the Qabun neighbourhood of and will take enough measures a Kurdish village in northeast northeastern Damascus, said the as in all other countries which Syria and the other a district of Britain-based Observatory. host such international sport- Damascus, a watchdog said. Video of what activists said ing events,” government spokes- Elsewhere, activists accused was the aftermath of the strike woman Samir Rajab said. the regime of destroying the min- showed part of a house reduced “The security situation in aret of the historic Omari mosque to rubble and the surrounding Bahrain is very reassuring,” she in southern Daraa, the so-called air thick with dust raised by resi- said, quoted by state news agency cradle of the uprising against dents as they picked through grey BNA. Her remarks came as wit- President Bashar Al Assad. breezeblocks and steel joints look- nesses said thousands took to “Sixteen people were martyred ing for survivors. the streets in Dair village near after a warplane targeted the vil- A second video also uploaded by Manama international airport lage of Haddad, which is majority activists on YouTube showed the demanding the ouster of the gov- Kurdish... including at least three bodies of at least seven children ernment — led for decades by children and two women,” the in blue body bags, some small the monarch’s uncle Khalifa bin Syrian Observatory for Human enough to be sharing the bag with Salman Al Khalifa. Rights said. one or two others. “Sooner or later the people will Video footage uploaded on In the south, activists accused achieve victory,” the protesters YouTube showed the aftermath the regime of destroying the min- chanted. “Down with the govern- of the attack in the province of aret of the historic Omari mosque An abandoned tank on a street near the minaret of the Omari mosque, which was damaged in the shelling by ment” and “Resign Khalifa.” Hasakeh, with several women in Daraa, the so-called cradle of forces loyal to President Bashar Al Assad, in Daraa, yesterday. No clashes were reported. carrying children from a damaged the uprising. Under the banner “Democracy home, outside which two bodies In amateur video footage, the “All the signs prove that the concerned about recent state- In the latest spillover of vio- is our right,” the mainly Shia can be seen, a pool of blood next mosque can be seen at the end of terrorists blew up the minaret,” ments regarding the affiliations lence, artillery fire from Syria opposition is organising a week to the head of one. a street, its towering minaret top- he said. and ideologies of particular fac- killed two people and injured at of protests that began on Friday In northern Syria, the Kurdish pling over after apparent shell- Earlier this week, Al Nusra’s tions of the rebel forces,” the least four others in the Hermel to coincide with the April 19-22 population has largely observed a ing and crumbling into rubble and chief pledged allegiance to Al group said. border region of northeast Grand Prix in Bahrain. careful compromise with regime dust. Qaeda, a day after Al Qaeda in “Such initiatives only serve the Lebanon on Sunday, Lebanon’s The major Shia opposition bloc and rebel forces, fighting along- But state news agency Sana Iraq announced its affiliation goals of the Assad regime and army and state news agency Al Wefaq is planning a demon- side neither, in return for security quoted a local official in Daraa as with the Syrian jihadist group, harm the progress of the revo- said. stration on April 19, as the event and semi-autonomy over majority pinning blame for the minaret’s prompting concern among some lution,” it added, calling on Al The NNA news agency said a kicks off on the Sakhir circuit Kurdish areas. destruction on the Islamist rebel rebel fighters and opposition Nusra “to stay within the ranks 13-year-old child was one of those south of the capital. But there have been reports in group Al Nusra Front. members. of nationalistic Syrians.” killed. Across Syria itself, at least On Saturday, clashes between recent weeks of Kurdish forces “Al Nusra terrorists in Daraa Yesterday, the key Syrian Violence raged on in the city of 116 people died in violence yes- protesters and police erupted as fighting alongside rebels in cer- targeted the minaret,” the National Coalition grouping Aleppo, where Syrian media said terday, including 69 civilians, said thousands demonstrated across tain areas, and Observatory direc- unnamed official said, adding that warned that Al Nusra Front’s 18 people were injured, including the Observatory, which collects its several Shia villages, urging tor Rami Abdel Rahman said that they had obtained a fatwa, or reli- pledge of fealty to Al Qaeda would three state television journalists, information from a network of reforms. Police fired buckshot rebels had used an area some dis- gious edict, authorising attacks on serve the Assad regime. when a car bomb exploded in the activists on the ground and med- and tear gas, severely wounding a tance from the site of the raid as places of worship “if necessary.” “The Syrian Coalition is deeply western Furqan district. ics. AFP 14-year-old boy in the face, accord- ing to Al Wefaq, which warned that “escalation and violence by the regime against the people ... demanding democracy will fail.” The Shia bloc said yesterday Gaza strike that killed 10-member family lawful: Israel that 98 people have been arrested so far this month and 31 others wounded in clashes with police. JERUSALEM: Israel has which around 170 Palestinians for launching rocket attacks at to minimise the collateral dam- damage, without further expla- According to Human Rights said it will not open a crimi- and six Israelis died. Israelis. age to uninvolved civilians. As nation, is grossly insufficient,” Watch, police have been round- nal investigation into the death Ten members of the Dalu fam- The report did not iden- a result, the MAG decided that Bill Van Esveld, HRW Senior ing up pro-democracy activists of 12 Palestinian civilians in a ily were killed, along with two tify those militants, nor say there was no basis to open a crim- Researcher, said in an emailed in bid to head off protests over November air strike on a house neighbours. Human rights groups whether they had been killed, inal investigation or to take any response. the Gulf state’s hosting of the in the Gaza Strip during its war said the strike appeared to be but said that precautions had additional measures.” Israel launched its November Formula One. with Hamas. unlawful. been taken to reduce the risk of New York-based Human Rights assault on the Gaza Strip in what Last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix The November 18 attack on the An April 11 report by Israel’s harming uninvolved civilians and Watch (HRW) criticised the it described as a defensive effort went ahead against an ugly back- three-storey home of the Dalu Military Advocate General that the military did not foresee report, saying it did not provide to disrupt Palestinian rocket drop as police responded to pro- family was the bloodiest of the (MAG), released on Sunday, said the extent of damage the attack independently-verifiable informa- capabilities. Fighting ended after testers throwing petrol bombs by eight days of fighting between the the attack was aimed at “a sen- caused. tion to support its finding that the an Egyptian-brokered truce. The using tear gas, sound bombs and Jewish state and Gaza’s Islamist ior terrorist operative and sev- “The unfortunate result attack was lawful. frontier has been mostly quiet birdshot. AFP Hamas-led armed factions, in eral other terrorists” responsible occurred despite the efforts made “Citing unanticipated collateral since. REUTERS

Burial ceremony Hosni Mubarak’s court appearance stuns Egyptians

CAIRO: After months of rumours that Egypt ex-president Hosni Mubarak was at death’s door, footage of the toppled leader looking strong and defiant in court stunned many who had cared little about his fate. The 84-year-old Mubarak who is being held at a military hospi- tal in Cairo, has been treated for a heart condition, fractured ribs, fluid in the lungs, depression and high blood pressure, according to lawyers and official accounts. At one point last year he was even declared clinically dead as he slipped into a coma. There were questions over whether he would appear in court Iranians participate in the burial ceremony for recently found unknown soldiers killed during the 1980- for his scheduled retrial. But on 1988 Iran-Iraq War, in Tehran, yesterday. Saturday he was in the dock, sit- ting upright and looking strong. Wearing sunglasses, he waved and smiled at supporters, chatting casually with his two sons Alaa OIC urges Myanmar govt and Gamal who face corruption charges. In the event, the retrial came to an abrupt end with the to allow delegation’s visit main judge stepping aside and sending the case to the Court of JEDDAH: The Organisation visit” Myanmar. Last year at peacefully alongside Buddhists Appeal, which will then refer it to of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) least 180 people were killed in for generations. a new circuit. “I expected to see a yesterday urged authorities the western state of Rakhine in “Such violence is a clear indi- sick old man and I expected to feel in Myanmar to allow a min- clashes between local Buddhists cation of the government’s neg- sorry for him,” said Cairo resident isterial delegation to visit the and Rohingya — a Muslim ative approach in dealing with Heba Radwan. “But the pictures country to discuss deadly vio- minority treated with hostil- ethnic and religious tensions of him smiling and waving, they lence against Muslims. ity by most Burmese who see that erupted last summer,” were so provocative.” The world’s top Islamic body, them as illegal Bangladeshi said OIC chief Ekmeleddin His demeanour was in stark in a statement following a meet- immigrants. In March, at least Ihsanoglu, describing the vio- contrast to the pictures of a pale ing in the Saudi Red Sea city 43 people died in Buddhist- lence as “unacceptable”. and ailing Mubarak at the start of Jeddah, also urged the UN Muslim clashes which broke While the Rohingya — of his trial in August 2011. Human Rights Commission to in central Myanmar where described by the UN as among “Mubarak in top form” read dispatch a fact-finding mission mosques were burned down the most-persecuted minorities the headline of the state-owned to Myanmar. The statement and Muslim homes were on the planet — have long been Al Akhbar. called on “Burmese authori- destroyed. denied Myanmar citizenship, “I was furious when I saw ties to strongly respond to the The unrest has instilled fear the Muslims targeted in last him in the cage,” said Ahmed Al organisation’s appeal and allow in the country’s Muslims, some month’s unrest are Myanmar Sayyed, who works at a Cairo cafe. a ministerial OIC delegation to of whose families had lived nationals. AFP AFP MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Yemeni workers protest deportation from Saudi

SANA’A: Ezzeldin Abdullah Saudi Arabia, home to about based in the holy city of Makkah, estimated one million Yemenis recruits for militants in Yemen, identified herself as Arwa said. says he sold many of his valu- nine million foreign workers, said police picked him up during a there would be able to do this in which faces Islamist insurgents, Nitaqat law in Saudi classifies ables to raise 16,000 Saudi riy- began the crackdown this year visit to the Red Sea port of Yanbu time, officials said. secessionists in the south and a all private firms into four cate- als ($4,300) for a Saudi Arabian to boost the proportion of Saudi in February. Some 80 percent of Yemenis rebellion by the Houthi commu- gories-Blue, Yellow, Green and visa, hoping work in the biggest citizens in private sector jobs from “The police would not accept in Saudi Arabia bought visas nity in the north, Hamam said Red-based on their size and the oil-producing country in the the current 10 percent. the written permit I had (to visit from dignitaries widely believed “Unemployment affects secu- number of Saudi nationals they world would repay his invest- Under Saudi law, employers Yanbu) or my sponsor’s interven- to receive permits from Saudi rity and when security suffers in have recruited. Unemployment ment many times. must sponsor expatriates, but tions, and treated me as a runa- authorities to distribute to one part of the Arabian Peninsula, among locals has risen to 300,000, But less than three weeks many switch jobs without trans- way worker,” the father of 12 said acquaintances and relatives but other parts are affected.” and according to Saudi media, after arriving, he was arrested in ferring their residency papers. outside the Expatriates Affairs which are not proper work per- Last week, scores of Yemenis approximately 340,000 firms, a crackdown on workers lacking Of about 200,000 workers ministry. “I was held for two weeks mits, according to Abdelkader demonstrated outside the walls which did not employ a single proper papers and deported back deported, some 20,000 were before I was moved to Jeddah, Hamam, assistant to the deputy of the Saudi embassy in Sana’a. Saudi national, got classified as to Yemen. “All is lost now,” said Yemenis, say officials in Saudi where I was held with hundreds minister of expatriate affairs. Yemenis say much of Saudi Red in 2011. About 100,000 such the father of three, sitting outside Arabia’s impoverished Arab of people for six more weeks before “Yemenis resorted to these Arabia’s infrastructure since the firms complied with the law by the ministry of expatriate affairs neighbour, adding to joblessness I was deported,” he said. methods to get visas because the discovery of oil in the 1930’s was replacing foreigners with Saudi in the Yemeni capital Sana’a. in a nation of 25 million trying to The Custodian of the Two procedures to obtain a proper visa built by their countrymen before nationals. But even at the end of “All I want is enough time to recover from two years of politi- Holy Mosques King Abdullah amount to enslavement,” Hamam the kingdom started relying on the deadline, 240,000 firms, which earn back the price of my visa,” cal turmoil. Ahmed Abdullah Al bin Abdulaziz earlier in April told Reuters. They often paid up Asian workers. “Saudi Arabia was employ approximately two million added Abdullah, who was seeking Baydani, a truck driver in his 50s gave foreigners three months to to 16,000 riyals, he said. built by Yemenis and they should expats, remain in the Red zone. menial or labouring work. employed by a transport company sort out papers. But few of the Deportees may be willing not forget this,” a protester who AGENCIES Suicide raid, car bombs kill 34 in Mogadishu Shebab militants attack Somali capital’s main court complex

MOGADISHU: A nine-man suicide com- mando blasted its way into Mogadishu’s main court complex yesterday, some blowing up their explosives vests while others sprayed gunfire in a rampage that left 29 civilians dead, while a separate bomb attack killed five more. The Al Qaeda-linked Shebab militant group claimed responsibility for the court- house attack, which the country’s chief jus- tice escaped unharmed on the worst day of violence the city has seen in months. “The African Union force, the Somalia national army and local police have cleared the building. The latest figures indicate that there are 29 killed civilians, nine dead Shebab militants and 58 people injured,” a security officer said on condition of anonym- ity. Interior Minister Abdikarin Hussein Guled said all the attackers were killed in the courthouse raid. “Six detonated themselves, and three were shot dead by security forces,” he told reporters, adding that the government had regained control of the situation. Shebab spokesman Sheikh Ali Mohamed Rage claimed only five suicide attackers died in the fighting at the court complex, and vowed there would be fresh attacks. “This was a holy action which targeted Cars burn in Mogadishu yesterday, after a suicide bomber attack on the regional court.. non-believers who were in a meeting within the court complex. We will continue until airport struck a convoy carrying Turkish military offensive has forced many Shebab Somalia is liberated from invaders,” he said. aid. “Five people, two of them women who fighters to retreat to the mountains in The Islamist Shebab militants used to were passing by the area were killed in the northern Somalia but the insurgents have control most of the seaside capital until it car bomb attack,” Hassan Moalim, who wit- reverted to guerrilla tactics and carried out abandoned fixed positions in August 2011 nessed the attack, said. He said two of the several bomb attacks in Mogadishu. but it has since carried out a string of bodies were charred beyond recognition. “This attack is nothing but a sign of attacks against the UN-backed government. An official from the Turkish Red desperation by the terrorists, who’ve lost After Somali forces eventually ended the Crescent confirmed to Turkish news tel- all their strongholds and are in complete raid, during which a car bomb also exploded, evision channel NTV that the organisation decline right across Somalia,” Somalia’s chaos still engulfed the area and a reporter suffered casualties. “We unfortunately lost President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said saw medics evacuating wounded through our Somali driver in the blast,” said Ahmet in a statement. The courthouse is in the the courthouse’s shattered windows. Lutfi Akar, the head of the Turkish Red heavily-guarded administrative quarter of “Some of the terrorists are still inside the Crescent. “Three Turks were also mildly the capital and several senior officials were court building and they are wearing explo- injured but they are in hospital now and caught in the chaos.“The chief justice and sive vests,” Fadumo Ali, a civilian trapped doing well.” other senior judiciary officials are all safe inside the building, said during the raid Turkey has recently taken a leading role and sound, they were rescued unharmed from a mobile phone. in Somalia and is very active in reconstruc- but unfortunately a number of civilians As the drama inside the court complex tion and aid projects across the country, and security personnel were killed in the was unfolding, five people were killed when which has been left in ruins by two decades attack,” police commander Mohamed Yusuf a remote-detonated car bomb near the of almost uninterrupted conflict. A regional said. AFP

Saudi executed for murder RIYADH: Saudi author- ities yesterday beheaded a citizen in the western city of Madinah after he was convicted of shooting dead another man, the interior ministry said. Sultan bin Rashid Al Mutairi had been found guilty of using a machine- gun to kill Mused bin Nayer Al Mutairi after a dispute between the pair, the ministry said in a statement carried by the official SPA news agency. His beheading brings to 34 the number of people executed in Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the year, according to a tally. In 2012, the kingdom executed 76 people, accord- ing to a tally based on offi- cial figures. Human Rights Watch put the number at 69. Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery and drug trafficking are all punish- able by death in Saudi Arabia. AFP MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Nuclear threat Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

he day after an earthquake struck close to Iran’s only nuclear plant last week, killing dozens of people and triggering aftershocks which hit many Gulf cities, West more concerned about Tincluding Doha and Dubai, The Peninsula reported about the dangers posed by the Bushehr nuclear plant to the region. Fortunately, the 6.3 magnitude quake left the plant undamaged, but chillingly sent a strong message about North Korea than most Koreans the dangers this region faces from the plant. The plant is located in a seismic zone in Iran and its proximity to the Gulf BY NICK CONNELLY means any damage or a nuclear leak would have disastrous another, in their parents’ crazed deter- And even if North Korea did attack, consequences for the entire region. mination to send them to university. it’s doubtful the hagwons would close. It seems the Gulf countries have woken up to the threat. HAD assumed I would be safe in These responses were also depressingly A friend of mine who owns a hagwon National emergency officials from the Gulf Cooperation peaceful little Wonju, a city around reflective of a country with one of the had once tried to close his school for Ian hour and a half from Seoul by highest suicide rates in the world. the day, as a snowstorm had dropped a Council (GCC) states met in Saudi Arabia yesterday to bus, but while we were eating sangyup- After I had finished teaching for the foot of snow on the ground in just two discuss the risk of radiation from Bushehr and chalk out a sal and drinking soju together, a Korean day and was cleaning my classroom, one hours. Numerous parents had phoned to joint plan to deal with any future crisis. “The earthquake that friend of mine informed me that due to of my students came to see me. He was complain and shouted at him until he the Iranian city of Bushehr was subject to has raised a great the myriad army bases stationed on the a well-mannered boy of 15 and asked, relented and reopened the school. Later deal of concern among GCC countries and the international outskirts of Wonju, we would be one of “Is teacher worried?” that evening one of the parents was the first places North Korea targeted. “A little,” I said. “Don’t worry,” he involved in a car accident driving her community of a possible damage to the Bushehr nuclear Oh well, I thought, if it’s to be nuclear replied. “Korea is strong, Scotland is son to the hagwon. Thankfully, her inju- reactor that could cause a radioactive leak, God forbid,” war then what’s the difference anyway? strong. I think OK.” He chuckled as he ries were minor and her son unharmed, Abdul Latif Al Zayani, the GCC Secretary-General, said We continued eating and drinking and walked out of my classroom. but the feeling was that perhaps only at the meeting. The meeting also called for international talking about nothing in particular. A feature of my time in Korea was the onset of nuclear war would see the inspectors to be sent to the plant to conduct safety inspections This was two weeks ago, two weeks the sound of fighter jets and helicop- closure of Korea’s beloved hagwons. and urged Iran to comply with until I would finish my year’s contract ters from above. I would always look up In the final week before I left, a South teaching English in South Korea and and try to see these foreboding crea- African told me that his American international laws on nuclear return to Scotland. I was teaching tures, but usually the planes would move girlfriend had said they should pack Gulf states need safety. Unfortunately, Iran hasn’t English at a hag- too quickly, or the choppers would be an emergency bag – “just in case”. We to act with more joined the Convention on Nuclear won, a private obscured by the numerous high rises, laughed it off as the typical reaction Safety, which was negotiated school, in Wonju, which are a feature of the urban Korean of a melodramatic American, but both determination after the 1986 nuclear disaster in a city of 250,000 landscape. Sometimes when I heard the admitted that we did not have any idea Chernobyl. but whose ambi- howling rumble of one of these jets, I what we would do in the event of an to tackle the ence and close would think “what if”, but then it would attack. Did we go to Seoul? Did we run radiation threat This is not the first time the My year proximity to the continue on its way and I on mine. And for the mountains? Would it matter? Gulf states have expressed serious mountains and by the time I left, these sounds would That Saturday in Myeongdong , from Iran’s concerns about the Bushehr plant. teaching countryside gave become as common as the stares of the the busy shopping district in the cen- Bushehr nuclear At the last GCC summit held in it a far more inti- natives who hadn’t seen a tall blonde tre of Seoul, the shops were still filled Manama last December, Kuwait English in mate feel. foreigner before. with sanguine and earnest consumers, plant. In my final One Sunday afternoon as I sat in no sign of an “emergency bag” being had raised the issue. Bahrain’s South Korea class the following a taxi on my way to play football at filled. The queues of shoppers waiting Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Monday I asked a nearby park, a sequence of military to use the fitting rooms were as long Ahmed Al Khalifa said at a press conference after the summit showed how my middle school vehicles drove by. In the back of each and as terrifying as any other Saturday that the GCC wanted a say in Iran’s talks with the Western apathetic most students what truck sat 20 or so young Korean men in afternoon. powers to raise the issue of Bushehr plant and Tehran’s they thought uniform, clutching their weapons tightly And so I came to my final night in overall nuclear programme. are about the of the escalat- to their chests, their expressionless Korea. After I finished my final class ing threats from faces betraying none of the histrionics and was humbled by the grace, gen- Iran has until now chosen to ignore Gulf protests against threats from the north. Six of typical of western news coverage. The erosity and kindness of the students, its nuclear plant, which it has mysteriously chosen to locate the ten students taxi driver only glanced at them briefly I stood outside my hagwon in the near the Gulf. Its oft-repeated our-nuclear-programme-is- the North. told me that they as one after another truck rolled by, but pleasant warmth of a Korean spring safe-and-for-peaceful-purposes explanation sounds hollow. hoped North I was transfixed. night. I embraced my director, and we Last week’s earthquake has given the issue an urgency and Korea would This taxi driver seemed to encapsu- exchanged amiable sentiments of thanks seriousness it hasn’t seen before, pushing it to the forefront attack because late the sentiments of most Koreans I and gratitude. I told her to stay safe and they wanted to encountered. They did not seem afraid to keep her family safe. And she smiled of the Gulf agenda. And Iran will have to do more than issue die. When I asked them why, they and dealt with the increasingly belliger- as she said: statements about safety if it has to win confidence of its Gulf were unable to express themselves in ent rhetoric with a serene apathy – or “Nick, no worry. Nick go to home. neighbours. their basic English, although one stu- perhaps a mild disdain. As we ate dinner Sleep peaceful. See you again.” Yesterday’s meeting in Saudi is a major step towards dent told me, “Because tired”. And a together, I bored my Korean co-teachers And the next day I flew back to addressing the issue, but Gulf states need to act with more few other students muttered “Me too”. with my questions and concerns, but Scotland. This reaction was typical of the middle they were either disinterested in the THE GUARDIAN tenacity and determination to find a solution to this problem. school students I taught, who from the topic or were dismissive of the north We can thank God for saving us from a disaster last week, but moment school finished would spend and its supposed firepower. My concerns we can ignore the message it has sent only at our own peril • time dashing from one academy to were laughed off. The other side Quote of Frank admission: The drone debate the day ERVEZ Musharraf’s admission of the strikes, such as WikiLeaks Regardless of when the Americans US establishment itself, some senior on a foreign TV channel that cables stating that the Americans kept decided to go solo with drones, the officials have questioned the long-term Pakistan was in the know the government informed, as well as fact remains that unilateral strikes cre- effectiveness of the drone campaign. Pabout US drone strikes the vacation by the US military of the ate multiple problems for Pakistan. Drones have taken out some high- We will expand in inside this country during his rule only Shamsi airbase in Balochistan in the Their legal status is murky. There are profile militants, but they have argu- confirms what has been suspected aftermath of the Salala incident; the no substantiated figures for collateral ably done more harm than good to quantity our nuclear for a long time. The retired general’s base was believed to be a launching damage but estimates have suggested counterterrorism efforts. If drones are frank disclosure is in stark contrast pad for drone strikes. It is difficult to that hundreds of civilians have died in needed, Pakistan must give its approval weapons capability, to the state’s long-standing policy — say when (and if) information-sharing drone strikes, along with suspected while the weapons must be used only including the period of Gen Musharraf’s on drones ceased, though the CIA is militants. Collateral damage adds to in areas that cannot be accessed by which is the rule — of denying any role in the drone believed to have stopped obtaining creating more militants while unilat- Pakistani troops. If the drone campaign treasure of a unified war. The statement shows, among advance Pakistani approval sometime eral strikes fuel anti-Americanism in had tacit government approval during other things, that the state can be in 2008. The Raymond Davis affair in Pakistan. The UN has taken serious the Musharraf era the issue of violated Korea ... that we economical with the truth, showing 2011 further soured relations between note of the situation, with its special sovereignty did not arise. That is why one face in public, and another in the US and Pakistani intelligence set- rapporteur on counterterrorism and the Americans need to take Pakistan would never barter Kim Young-nam private. There have been indications in ups, thus affecting how the drone war human rights saying that the strikes vio- on board if drones are indispensable. at any price. North Korea’s titular Head the past about Pakistans knowledge was being executed. late Pakistan’s sovereignty. Within the DAWN of State MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Climate change threat to food supply

or further north. Both of Africa’s staple ASIA Egypt expects crops, maize and sorghum, are expected China is relatively resilient to climate to be badly hit by increasing severity of change. Its population is exepcted to to lose 15pc of weather. decline by up to 400m people this cen- tury, easing demand on resources and it AMERICAS has the capacity to buy in vast quanti- its wheat crops The US is expected to grow by 120m ties of food. But because more and more by 2050. Government scientists expect Chinese are changing to a richer, more if temperatures more incidents of extreme heat, severe meat-based diet, the challenges will be to drought, and heavy rains to affect food access more land and cattle feed. Climate rise two degrees production. The warming is expected to change will affect regions differently, continue without undue problems for 30 but many crops are expected to migrate years but beyond 2050 the effects could north. Centigrade, and be dramatic with staple crops hit. Crop losses are increasingly being According to the latest government caused by extreme weather events, insect 36pc if the increase report: “The rising incidence of weather attacks and diseases. The 2011 drought extremes will have increasingly negative lifted food prices worldwide. Wheat is is four degrees. impacts on crop and livestock produc- becoming increasingly difficult to grow tivity, because critical thresholds are in some northern areas of China as the already being exceeded. Many agricul- land gets drier and warmer. In south- Morocco expects tural regions of the US will experience ern China, droughts in recent years have declines in crop and livestock production. replaced rainy seasons. The national crops to remain Climate disruptions have increased in the Academy of agricultural sciences expects recent past and are projected to increase basic food supplies to become insufficient stable up to further over the next 25 years. around 2030. California’s central valley will be hard- A new study for US Aid expects most hit with sunflower crops, wheat, tomato, of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand about 2030. rice, cotton and maize all expected to to see 4 to 6 degree temperature rises hen the Tunisian street lose 10 to 30pc of their yields, especially by 2050. The Lower Mekong region of vendor, Mohamed Wheat arrives at the rear of a harvesting equipment in Moisdon-La-Riviere near beyond 2050. Fruit and nut crops, like 100m people, which is prone to weather Bouazizi, set himself Chateaubriant, France. cherries, grapes and groundnuts, which extremes, could also see rainfall increase on fire on December 17, depend on having a certain number of 20percent or more in some areas, reduc- 2010, it was in protest “winter chilling” days may have to relo- ing the growth of rice and other staple atW heavy-handed treatment and harass- we already have a protracted and growing experiencing longer and deeper droughts, cate. Animals exposed to many hot nights crops. Many provinces will see food pro- ment in the province where he lived. But humanitarian disaster. Climate change is floods and cyclones. The continent is are increasingly stressed. Many vegetable duction decline significantly. The number a host of new studies suggest that a major a creeping disaster,” he said. expected to suffer disproportionately crops will be hit when temperatures rise of malnourished children in the region factor in the subsequent uprisings, which The Mary Robinson climate justice from food insecurity, due to fast-growing only a few degrees above normal. may increase by 9 to 11m by 2050. became known as the Arab spring, was foundation is hosting a major confer- vulnerable populations. Because nearly 20pc of all US food is Extreme events will increasingly affect food insecurity. ence in Dublin this week. Research to Egypt expects to lose 15pc of its wheat now imported, climate extremes in coun- agriculture in Australia. Key food-grow- Drought, rocketing bread prices, food be presented there will say that rising crops if temperatures rise 2 degrees tries that supply the US will affect the ing regions in the south are likely to and water shortages have all blighted incomes and growth in the global popu- Centigrade, and 36pc if the increase is price of US food. In 2011, 14.9pc of US experience more droughts in the future, parts of the Middle East. Analysts at lation, expected to create 2 billion more 4 degrees Centigrade. Morocco expects households did not have secure food sup- with part of western Australia having the Centre for American Progress in mouths to feed by 2050, will drive food crops to remain stable up to about 2030, plies and 5.7pc experienced very low food already experienced a 15pc drop in rain- Washington say a combination of food prices higher by 40pc to 50pc. but then to drop quickly later. Most security. fall since the mid-1970s. The number of shortages and other environmental fac- “We must prepare today for higher north African countries traditionally Because few crops can withstand aver- record-breaking hot days in Australia tors exacerbated the already tense poli- temperatures in all sectors,” said Gerald import wheat and are therefore highly age temperature rises of more than 2C, has doubled since the 1960s, also affect- tics of the region. Nelson, a senior economist with the vulnerable to price shocks and droughts Latin America expects to be seriously ing food output. As the Observer reported yesterday, International Food Policy Research elsewhere. affected by a warming climate and more an as-yet unpublished US government Institute in Washington. A new study of 11 west African coun- extreme wether events. Even moderate EUROPE study indicates that the world needs to All of the studies suggest the worst tries expects most to be able to grow more 1 to 2 degree rise in temperatures would Climate change affects agricultural prepare for much more of the same, as impacts will be felt by the poorest peo- food as temperatures rise and rainfall cause significant damage to Brazil, which production through its effects on the tim- food prices spiral and longstanding agri- ple. Robinson, the former Irish president, increases. But demand from growing pop- has emerged as one of the world’s biggest ing, intensity and variability of rainfall cultural practices are disrupted by cli- said: “Climate change is already having ulations may double food prices. Climate suppliers of food crops. and shifts in temperatures and carbon mate change. a domino effect on food and nutritional change may mean Nigeria, Ghana and Brazilian production of rice, cof- dioxide concentrations. “We should expect much more political security for the world’s poorest and most Togo can grow and export more sorghum, fee, beans, manioc, maize and soya Crops normally seen growing in the destabilisation of countries as it bites,” vulnerable people. Child malnutrition is raised for grain. are all expected to decline, with cof- south of Europe will be able to be grown says Richard Choularton, a policy officer predicted to increase by 20pc by 2050. Temperatures are expected to rise fee, a mainstay of many other Latin further north. This would allow more in the UN’s World Food Programme Climate change impacts will dispropor- several degrees in regions close to the American economies, especially vulner- sweetcorn, grapes sunflowers, soya and climate change office. “What is differ- tionately fall on people living in tropical Sahel. In Burkina Faso, the sorghum crop able because it is so sensitive to heat maize to be grown in Britain. In Scotland, ent now from 20 years ago is that far regions, and particularly on the most is expected to decline by 25pc or more, and diseases. livestock farming could become more more people are living in places with a vulnerable and marginalised population but maize yields may improve. Other studies suggest Brazil’s massive suitable. At the higher latitudes warmer higher climatic risk; 650 million people groups. Other studies by IFPRI suggest crop soya crop which provides animal feed temperatures are predicted to lengthen now live in arid or semi-arid areas where This is the injustice of climate change yields across sub-Saharan Africa may for much of the world, could slump by and increase the intensity of the growing floods and droughts and price shocks are — the worst of the impacts are felt by decline 5pc to 22pc by 2050, pushing more than 25pc over the next 20 years. season. However, the combined effect of expected to have the most impact. those who contributed least to causing large numbers of people deeper into The knock-on effects would mean higher extra CO2 in the atmosphere, which can “The recent crises in the Horn of Africa the problem.” destitution. A new UN study suggests meat prices in Europe. stimulate plant growth, and a major tem- and Sahel may be becoming the new nor- But from Europe to the US to Asia, no climatic conditions in southern Africa Two major crops should do well. perature rise, could mean a decrease in mal. Droughts are expected to become population will remain insulated from the will worsen. Climate models mostly pre- Quinoa and potaoes, which have hun- yields of around 10pc later in the century. more frequent. Studies suggest anything huge changes in food production that the dict an increase in annual maximum dreds of varieties and can be culitvated Latest EU projections suggest the most up to 200 million more food-insecure peo- rest of the century will bring. temperatures in the region of 1 to 2 from sea level up to 4,000 metres have severe consequences of climate change ple by 2050 or an additional 24 million AFRICA degrees by 2050. This will favour some been developed over hundreds of years will not be felt until 2050. malnourished children. In parts of Africa Many African countries are already crops but shift others to higher ground to adapt to extreme conditions. GUARDIAN NEWS US fights wrong war in Mexico Republicans’ common BY VIRIDIANA RIOS emerge as long as profits could sense on guns Violent criminal groups in Mexico be made from cocaine. A war he US government against drug organisations is an has spent $1.6bn to endless war. Mexican President BY GREG SARGENT the prohibited list ... help Mexico end a war are no different from other illegal Enrique Peña Nieto plans to hold “To my colleagues that say any Tbetween drug cartels a national forum tomorrow with en Tom Coburn, Republican- reform dealing with gun laws that has killed 63,000 people south groups that manage to operate academics, laypeople and others Oklahoma, has done us all is an infringement on the 2nd of our border in the past six years. to discuss how the country can Sa tremendous service: He Amendment, then I welcome a Yet many of our assumptions with low levels of violence. best achieve peace. Now is the has effectively demolished many debate on your amendments to about this war are wrong. time for Mexico to choose the of the right’s arguments against repeal the 1993 Brady Bill ... If As part of a study tracking the right direction. expanded background checks. prohibited people are not going behaviour of Mexico’s organised- organised-crime groups share smuggled through Singapore, the Mexico must craft a system The conservative, pro-gun to comply with any law we pass, crime groups, a colleague and I territory peacefully. Our data Philippines and Indonesia without of incentives, using arrests, Coburn sent a letter to his Senate then why should Congress make created an algorithm that uses show that multiple cartels oper- significant confrontations with sentencing and imprisonment, colleagues saying that he has a an effort to improve the reporting Google to explore blogs, newspa- ated simultaneously in at least poachers. Bosnia’s sex trafficking so that criminal organisations better proposal for expanded of disqualifying records to NICS? pers and news-related Web con- 100 Mexican municipalities industry has boomed without a cannot find it profitable to kill. background checks than the one The more than $1bn in federal tent and extract detailed data in 2010, yet those municipali- parallel upsurge in homicides. Rather than help Mexico fight an produced by Sens Joe Manchin, tax dollars spent on creating and about how Mexican drug cartels ties did not experience a single Because trafficking is a busi- unwinnable war against criminal D-WVa., and Patrick Toomey, maintaining the National Instant operate. Our tool reads every- drug-related homicide. Of the ness and fighting is a business organisations, the United States R-Pa. But while defending his pro- Criminal Background Check thing published and indexed as 16,000 assassinations in Mexico’s strategy, drug cartels choose to must help its neighbour battle posal, he effectively destroys the System is rendered useless when part of Google News and collects drug war that year, 43 percent fight whenever war brings more impunity. Ours must be a war argument of Second Amendment a prohibited purchaser can just all the information the Web con- occurred in just eight cities. A benefits than costs. And the to make sure those who kill face infringement as it is being applied as easily procure a firearm from tains about the activities of the single city, Juarez, accounted for cost that governments can more consequences; a war to improve to Manchin-Toomey. a gun show or an internet mar- cartels, including their routes 8 percent of the deaths. efficiently impose on a criminal Mexico’s justice system, because Coburn claims that the ketplace without a NICS check as of expansion, since the 1990s. What we learned is simple and entrepreneur is prison. Cartels only 31 percent of the population Manchin-Toomey provisions on they can at a gun store.” Our discoveries shocked us and powerful: Traffickers pick their have chosen to fight in certain believes it would be punished recordkeeping — and their call for With that, a pro-gun senator surprised the US officials who wars. areas of Mexico because it makes after committing a crime; a war a fee for the background checks — has confirmed that checks are reviewed our findings. Battling is a strategic choice business sense. against the sort of outbreaks are too burdensome and suggests good for law-abiding gun sellers The United States may be for cartels — and they frequently South of the US border, only 6 where, in one day, more than 130 expanding background checks to who don’t want to sell to prohib- helping Mexico fight the wrong choose peace. percent of all homicides produce a prisoners escape a jail near the virtually all private sales without ited people. He’s shown that the war because we do not know who War is not the unavoidable trial and judgment. As such, kill- Texas border. recordkeeping and without a need argument that expanding checks the enemy is. At the heart of the outcome of a profitable illegal ing trafficking enemies to take The goal must be to make to go to a federal firearms licencee is unconstitutional is incoherent Mexican government’s strategy, industry. Violent criminal groups over their territory, and poten- violent crime a risky endeavor, to get checks done. unless you also believe the cur- which the United States has sup- in Mexico are no different from tially increase illegal earnings, is rather than a discretionary choice “As a firm believer of the 2nd rent system should be repealed ported, is the belief that Mexico’s other illegal groups that man- profitable. In short, war pays in made by criminal businessmen. A Amendment,” he writes, “I sup- as unconstitutional. And he’s drug violence is the result of age to operate with low levels Mexico. war against impunity can be won. port the reasonable expansion” deflated another key argument — antagonistic trafficking organi- of violence. Consider: Bolivia So the right way to fight a drug A war against drugs cannot. of the current system’s “checks “criminals won’t obey the law or sations battling to monopolise a and Peru produce marijuana in war in Mexico is not to aim at The writer is a fellow in inequality into secondary and private mar- submit to background checks, so territory. larger quantities than do many eliminating criminal organisa- and criminal justice at Harvard’s kets for the purpose of keeping why expand them?” — by pointing Thus, the thinking goes, traf- Latin American countries and tions, as many have assumed, but Kennedy School of Government. firearms out of the wrong hands. . out that the very reason criminals ficking organisations must be still have murder rates among rather to create conditions in From 2010 to 2012, she and Michele . . [U]nlike retailers, we as private can continue to avoid submitting eliminated. Yet it is not true the region’s lowest. The Japanese which war does not pay. This will Coscia, a postdoctoral fellow at citizens have no tool to know if to checks (and disobeying the law that drug violence necessar- mafia controls the most profitable not be achieved with the strat- Harvard’s Center for International the purchasers of our weapons in by procuring guns as prohibited ily increases when more than market of methamphetamines in egy Washington has embraced. Development, studied how and secondary markets (such as gun people) is that the loophole ena- one cartel operates in one Asia without major episodes of Even if all criminal organisations where Mexican drug cartels operate. shows, flea markets, and through bles them to do so. area. In fact, in many areas, violence. Endangered species are were eliminated, new ones would WP-BLOOMBERG internet advertisements) are on WP-BLOOMBERG MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INTERNATIONAL

Maduro upbeat BRIEFLY as Venezuelans line up to vote Five die in Belgian 170 international observers keep watch bus accident BRUSSELS: Five people CARACAS: Venezuelans lined Capriles, an athletic 40-year-old died and several were badly up yesterday to vote whether who has generated widespread injured when a bus carry- to honour Hugo Chavez’s dying enthusiasm among the opposition, ing Russian youngsters on wish for a longtime loyalist to wants to take Venezuela down a their way to Paris crashed continue his hardline socialism more centrist path. early yesterday in northern or hand power to a young chal- Whoever wins will inherit Belgium, officials said. lenger vowing business-friendly control of the world’s biggest oil The Polish-registered bus changes. reserves in an Opec nation whose had 42 passengers on board Acting President Nicolas stark political polarisation is one when it swerved off the E34 Maduro had a double-digit lead of Chavez’s many legacies. Also at highway approaching the port in most polls heading into elec- stake is the generous economic city of Antwerp at around tion day, buoyed by Chavez’s pub- aid Chavez showered on left-lean- 6.30am (0430 GMT). lic blessing before he died from ing Latin American governments A spokesman for the local cancer last month. But the gap from Cuba to Bolivia. commune of Ranst, about 10km had narrowed in the final days, Both camps urged supporters from Antwerp, said three of the with one survey putting it at 7 to cast their ballots early and be young passengers died along percentage points. on alert for fraud, though elec- Venezuela’s opposition leader and presidential candidate Henrique Capriles (right) arrives to vote for the successor with the two Polish drivers. Maduro supporters mobilised tion observers have endorsed to late president Hugo Chavez in Caracas yesterday. Nineteen people were voters in the rough barrios of past votes as clean. Given the injured. Six of them suffered Caracas, where the late Chavez deep mutual mistrust, a close or Many Venezuelans could be disparate ruling coalition while - to light-hearted, such as poking serious injuries, including one is revered as a hero of the poor, contested result could raise the forgiven for feeling like they are lacking his mentor’s charisma, fun at his often-cited tale of how who is in critical condition, and sounding a pre-dawn bugle call chance of unrest. stuck in a never-ending campaign. or the healthy state finances that he was visited by Chavez’s spirit in they will to stay in hospital urging citizens to get out and Some 170 international observ- Opposition primaries early last Chavez enjoyed in last year’s race. the form of a bird. longer, he said. vote. Lines formed under a blis- ers were on hand for the election, year were followed by the ailing It is hard to predict how he might More often he has sounded indig- The other 13 have left hospi- tering sun outside voting centres many from left-leaning politi- president’s dramatic re-election, do things his own way. Like many nant, accusing the “far right” of tal after receiving treatment. all around the capital. cal parties across Latin America. and then a vote to choose state senior officials, Maduro was pas- plotting a repeat of a short-lived “Nicolas is going to win, but we Polling centres are slated to close governors in December. sionately loyal to Chavez and never coup against Chavez a decade ago if French police hunt can’t afford to be triumphalist. at 6pm (2230 GMT), though vot- Maduro has cloaked himself in voiced a different opinion in public. the opposition loses yesterday’s vote. We need to work hard to get ing could run longer if there are the imagery of Chavez and calls Supporters say he could use For many Chavistas, their late lead- for gangster people out to vote,” said Chavista still lines. himself the late president’s “son.” his background as a union nego- er’s explicit instructions will likely LILLE: French police were activist Mario Izarra, 33, who was Chavez’s fourth presiden- At every rally, Maduro played a tiator-turned-diplomat to build be enough to dispel any doubts they on a manhunt yesterday for up all night helping the Socialist tial election win in October saw video of Chavez naming him as bridges, perhaps even with the might have about Maduro’s abilities, a notorious armed robber Party mobilise voters and cast his record turnout of 80 percent, in successor in December - “my firm United States after tensions dur- at least in the short term. who staged a dramatic prison own ballot at 6am. large part thanks to an overpow- opinion, clear like the full moon, ing Chavez’s 14-year rule. Capriles will have an even break in northern France Maduro, a 50-year-old former ering voter mobilisation campaign irreversible” - in his final speech But there has been little sign tougher time if he stages an upset. after briefly taking several bus driver who trumpets his by the Chavista camp. This time, to Venezuelans. of his softer side on the campaign One of the biggest challenges will guards hostage. working-class roots, is promis- though, both sides worry that par- If Maduro wins, he will imme- trail. Maduro’s rhetoric has veered be to win over suspicious support- Lille prosecutor Frederic ing to deepen Chavez’s “21st cen- ticipation could be lower because diately face big challenges as he from outraged - alleging opposition ers of Chavez and Maduro. Fevre said about 100 inves- tury socialism” if he triumphs. of election fatigue. tries to stamp his authority on a plots to kill him using mercenaries REUTERS tigators were involved in the hunt for Redoine Faid, known for brazen attacks on cash- in-transit vehicles, after he blasted his way out of a jail in the northern town of Sequedin on Saturday. British university attacks BBC over North Korea trip Faid, a 40-year-old who risked a heavy new sentence LONDON: A leading British been made clear the BBC’s aim only told of the BBC’s intentions in an email to staff and students actions. “What the LSE has been over the 2010 death of a university criticised the BBC was to use the visit to record an to make an undercover film at a released to the media. doing is putting out stuff which is policewoman, used explosives yesterday for arranging an aca- undercover film for “Panorama”, a very late stage, with one saying “It is the LSE’s view that the stu- factually inaccurate in our view,” to blast through five prison demic trip to North Korea to current affairs programme. she was only informed when they dents were not given enough infor- Sweeney told BBC TV. “They’re doors and took hostage four make an undercover documen- “This was not an official LSE were on the plane to North Korea. mation to enable informed consent, putting words into the students’ prison guards, who were later tary, saying it had put students trip,” Craig Calhoun, the Director She said the BBC had used the yet were given enough to put them mouths. The majority of students released. Investigators were who were unaware of the plans of the LSE, wrote on Twitter. students as “human shields”. in serious danger if the subterfuge support this programme.” yesterday trying to deter- in danger. “Non-students & BBC organised The university said Sweeney, had been uncovered prior to their Ceri Thomas, the Head of BBC mine how Faid had managed The London School of Economics it, used the society to recruit some who graduated from the LSE in departure from North Korea.” News Programmes, said the stu- to obtain explosives inside the (LSE) said three BBC journalists students, & passed it off.” 1980, had posed as a history PhD It said the LSE’s chairman had dents had been told twice about prison and whether he had any — including the respected reporter Tensions on the Korean penin- student at the university to gain asked the BBC to pull the docu- the possible dangers of having a accomplices. John Sweeney — joined a student sula have escalated in recent entry to the country even though mentary, which is due to be shown journalist on the trip, but were society trip at the end of March, weeks, with North Korea threat- he currently had no connections yesterday, but the broadcaster’s not informed about the broad- US blacklist blow posing as tourists to make a film ening nuclear war against the with the institution. director-general had refused. caster’s plans to make an under- about the secretive state. United States and South Korea. “BBC staff have admitted that Sweeney admitted he had lied cover film because it would have to ties: Kremlin The university said the students Alex Peters-Day, general secre- the group was deliberately mis- to the North Korean government put them in a worse position had MOSCOW: Washington’s had been told “a journalist” would tary of the LSE’s student union, led to the involvement of the agency that helped organise the the BBC team been found out. publication of a blacklist of accompany them, but it had not told Sky News the students were BBC in the visit,” the LSE said visit, but defended the BBC’s REUTERS Russian officials allegedly connected to the death of a jailed Russian whistleblower is “a blow” to relations, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said yesterday. Croatians go to polls in The US on Friday said it had imposed sanctions on 18 peo- ple seen as linked to Moscow’s handling of the case of dead first vote for EU MPs human rights lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. ZAGREB: Croatians elected Opinion polls show that only a Russia retaliated by issu- European MPs for the first little more than half of Croatians ing its own blacklist of 18 US time yesterday but, with full still want their country to join officials banned from enter- EU membership three months the EU. Analysts say that enthu- ing the country. “It’s a blow to away, low turnout suggested siasm for membership of the bloc Russia-US bilateral relations,” that euro-enthusiasm was has been dampened by domestic Dmitri Peskov told a Russian already fading in the Balkan economic woes as well as by the television station about the US country. developing debt crisis that has move, according to the Interfax Officials in the former Yugoslav rattled the bloc to its core. news agency. republic have insisted that the “I’m absolutely against Croatia’s vote to select the 12 lawmakers EU entry as I see it as a new sort Leftists back Prodi is “historic” and a key milestone of a very sophisticated coloni- on a path marked by years of dif- sation without a war,” Darko as president ficult reforms. Stefanec said. ROME: Former Italian “These are the first European The 45-year-old clerk took part prime minister Romano elections in Croatia’s history,” in the vote but left a blank ballot Prodi was proposed on the Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic paper as a protest sign. weekend as Italy’s next told reporters after casting his “It’s a bit odd that in a country president by leftist loyalists ballot in the capital Zagreb on a with almost 400,000 unemployed, — drawing immediate indig- sunny spring day. one gives a vote to someone who nation from Silvio Berlusconi A rtists trace an outline of their bodies to represent persons killed by guns, at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool But by 0900 GMT, four hours is responsible for that unemploy- and others on the right. as they take part in a “flash mob” performance in protest against gun violence, in Washington DC, yesterday. after polling stations opened, the ment and will now receive a sal- “I find it intolerable that turnout was only 5.98 percent, the ary of up to some ten thousand some people think of exclud- electoral commission said. euros,” he said bitterly. ing Prodi” from the list of can- US Senate to take up gun control measure It was half of the figure reg- Lukewarm interest in yes- didates to succeed outgoing istered at the same time during terday’s vote may also result President Giorgio Napolitano the referendum held in January from the apparent failure of in an election in parliament WASHINGTON: The US hope for meaningful gun-control required for commercial sales, 2012 to decide on Croatia’s EU politicians to campaign hard starting Thursday, said Nichi Senate could vote as early as law in the wake of last year’s mass including those made at gun shows membership. on EU-related issues amid rare Vendola, one of the influential Wednesday on expanded back- shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. and online. However, sales by pri- At the time the overall turnout media debates. centre-leftists. ground checks for gun buyers, “We expect the vote this week. vate persons would be exempt. was 44 percent, with 66 percent of “I back EU entry ... but our Vendola’s comment came a but leading lawmakers said yes- Wednesday is probably the most The background checks, Croatians casting a ‘Yes’ vote. The incapable politicians are not day after Berlusconi, who is terday it was uncertain whether likely day for the Manchin-Toomey intended to prevent criminals state is set to become the bloc’s worth my effort of going to a poll- angling to become prime minis- the contentious proposal could alternative,” said Toomey on CNN’s and the mentally ill from buy- 28th member on July 1. ing station,” Dubravka Simac said. ter once again despite a political gather enough support to pass. “State of the Nation.” “It’s an open ing guns, have met stiff opposi- Analysts predicted such a poor “They didn’t even try to explain deadlock, roused his support- The compromise legislation question whether we have the tion from Republicans who argue interest among the 3.7 million to people what exactly they will do ers in a chorus of boos against offered by Democrat Joe Manchin votes. I think it’s going to be close.” that the rule infringes on the con- registered voters, who seem to there (in the parliament)?” the Prodi, saying: “If it’s him, better of West Virginia and Republican The legislation calls for stitutional right of law-abiding worry more about the sluggish 30-year-old saleswoman from we all leave the country.” Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania is seen expanded criminal background Americans to own guns. tourism-dependent economy Zagreb added. AGENCIES as President Barack Obama’s best checks of gun buyers to be REUTERS which has not grown since 2009. AFP MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 ASIA / PHILIPPINES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 US ready to reach out: Kerry Washington seeks peaceful solution to North Korea standoff

TOKYO: US Secretary of State John South Korea, but added: “Our choice is to negotiations with the North. Kerry yesterday stressed the US is will- negotiate, our choice is to move to the table “If we give them food, if we give them ing to engage with North Korea as long as and find a way for the region to have peace.” oil, if we give them money, they will come it takes steps to give up nuclear weapons. Kerry also sought to clarify his com- around and they take our money and run,” He also vowed Washington would protect ments made in Beijing on Saturday, which he said. its Asian allies against any provocative acts some took to suggest he might be offering Japan’s Kishida told the same news con- by the North, but said it wants a peaceful to remove recently boosted missile defence ference that the two allies want Pyongyang solution to rising tensions in the region. capabilities in Asia if China persuaded North to abandon its nuclear ambitions. “We are prepared to reach out but we Korea to abandon its atomic programmes. “We agreed that North Korea should need (the) appropriate moment, appropri- The Pentagon in recent weeks has cease provocative speech and behaviour and ate circumstance,” Kerry told a small group announced plans to position two Aegis show it is taking concrete action toward of reporters, adding that North Korea had guided-missile destroyers in the western denuclearisation,” he said. “We cannot allow to take steps toward giving up its nuclear Pacific and a Terminal High Altitude Area North Korea in any way to possess nuclear programmes. “They have to take some Defence missile defence system in Guam. weapons.” actions. Now how many and how much I “The president of the US deployed some Pyongyang, which was preparing to cel- want to have a discussion with folks back in additional missile defence capacity precisely ebrate the birth date of state founder Kim Washington (about)... but they have to take because of the threat of North Korea. And it Il-Sung today, reiterated it had no intention action,” he added. is logical that if the threat of North Korea of abandoning its atomic arms programmes. The North has threatened for weeks to disappears because the peninsula de-nucle- “We will expand in quantity our nuclear attack the United States, South Korea and arises, then obviously that threat no longer weapons capability, which is the treasure Japan since new UN sanctions were imposed mandates that kind of posture. But there of a unified Korea ... that we would never in response to its latest nuclear arms test have been no agreements, no discussions, barter at any price,” Kim Young-nam, North in February. Speculation has mounted of a there is nothing actually on the table with Korea’s titular head of state, told a gathering new missile launch or nuclear test. respect to that,” Kerry said. of officials and service personnel applauding “I think it is really unfortunate that there Kerry said he might consider using some- Kim Il-Sung. The KCNA news agency also has been so much focus and attention in one other than an official US government rejected as a “cunning trick” South Korean US Secretary of State John Kerry (left) and Japan’s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida the media and elsewhere on the subject of envoy to reach out to the North and he left President Park Geun-hye’s suggestion last respond to questions during a news conference at Iikura Guest House in Tokyo war, when what we really ought to be talk- the door open to a negotiation with the week of holding talks with the North. yesterday. ing about is the possibility of peace. And I North that might not require them to take Seoul, displayed the calm it has shown think there are those possibilities,” Kerry denuclearization steps in advance. throughout the crisis. Residents strolled earlier told a news conference in Tokyo after “If the Chinese came to us and said, ‘look, in bright sunshine a day after the city’s a meeting with his Japanese counterpart, here’s what we’ve got cooking and so forth,’ World Cup stadium was jammed with 50,000 Fumio Kishida. I’m not going to tell you that I’m shutting mostly young fans of local rapper Psy. Kerry was in Japan for the final stop on the door today to something that’s logical On Saturday, Kerry met leaders in China, an Asian tour aimed at solidifying support and that might have a chance of success,” he the North’s sole diplomatic and financial ben- for curbing North Korea’s nuclear pro- said. “On the other hand, what the standard efactor, and said China and the United States gramme, and reassuring US allies. is today is they have to take action.” were committed to “the denuclearisation of Kerry said the US would “do what was Senator John McCain, a Republican, the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner”. necessary” to defend its allies Japan and voiced scepticism about the resuming REUTERS

Two men held China bird flu spreads; two for Taiwan train more deaths, 11 new cases explosives TAIPEI: Taiwan police yes- BEIJING: China’s H7N9 bird flu spread west said last week there was as yet no evidence of terday arrested two men on to the central province of Henan yesterday, as human-to-human transmission of H7N9. The suspicion of setting explosive government websites and state media reported close contacts of the victims reported on Sunday devices on a high-speed train two deaths and 11 new cases nationwide. were under observation but none were reported that prompted the evacuation of The new strain of the flu had been confined to so far to have displayed abnormal symptoms. more than 600 passengers, local the eastern city of Shanghai and nearby Zhejiang, Health authorities in China say they do not media reported. Jiangsu and Anhui until Saturday when the first know exactly how the virus is spreading, but it The arrests followed a bomb scare case was reported in Beijing. is believed to be crossing from birds to humans, on Friday when two unattended In total 60 people have been infected and 13 prompting mass culls in several cities. Beijing has suitcases containing petrol linked have died of the disease since Chinese authorities halted poultry trading and banned the flying of to a clock were found on board a announced two weeks ago they had found H7N9 pigeons, China National Radio reported yesterday. train bound for the capital Taipei. in humans for the first time. The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization The duo, who are brothers Two new cases were reported in Henan yester- has said H7N9 shows “affinity” to humans while identified only by their surname day by Xinhua state news agency, as government causing “very mild or no disease” in infected poul- Lai, were separately arrested at websites also announced four new instances in try, making it more difficult to find the source of their home in central Taichung Zhejiang, two in Jiangsu and three in Shanghai transmission. In 2003 Chinese authorities were city, the TVBS cable news net- along with two deaths in existing cases. accused of trying to cover up the outbreak of work said. It said the suspects Nine of the 11 new victims were male and seven Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, which went were being taken to Taipei for of them were in their sixties and seventies. on to kill about 800 people worldwide. further investigation. The Beijing-based patient was the seven-year- But China has been praised for transparency Train operator Taiwan High old daughter of poultry traders and her condition over H7N9, with the WHO saying it was pleased Speed Rail Corp on Friday said had improved. Experts fear the prospect of such with the level of information sharing and US sci- it had alerted police after spot- viruses mutating into a form easily transmissible entists congratulating it for “the apparent speed ting two unattended cases with a between humans, which would have the potential with which the H7N9 virus was identified” in a “strong odour” in a bathroom in to trigger a pandemic. New England Journal of Medicine article. train 616 bound for Taipei. But the World Health Organization (WHO) AFP AFP Attack on Sri Lanka daily targets Tamil vote: Party COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party accused the government yesterday of attacking the biggest opposition newspaper in an attempt to silence its polit- ical rivals ahead of key local council elections. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which represents minority ethnic Tamils, said Saturday’s torching of the Uthayan newspaper presses added to a “fear psychosis” among the population in the northern district of Jaffna. “One of the main objectives (of the attack) is silencing the opposition ahead of provincial council elections,” TNA legislator Suresh Premachandran said. “There is a fear psychosis in Jaffna, people are living in fear. They are scared to come out for political meetings. They fear there could be violence,” Premachandran said. Three gunmen staged Saturday’s pre-dawn arson assault on Uthayan’s office and printing press in Jaffna, the capital of Sri Lanka’s former civil war zone in the north of the country. Myanmar leader calls for multi-faith harmony

YANGON: Myanmar’s reformist president called for multi-faith harmony in a national address to mark the country’s New Year celebrations yesterday, fol- lowing recent anti-Muslim unrest that has scarred communities. Thein Sein dedicated his speech to promoting religious unity as the nation remains tense after a wave of rioting last month that left 43 dead, thousands displaced and saw homes and mosques destroyed. “Our society has overcome many difficulties and chal- lenges together so we can emerge as a society in which multiple races and religions coexist harmoniously, while still preserving our own customs and traditions,” he said in a televised speech. He said the country’s efforts at democratisation had been hampered by “black spots such as disunity, conflict and instability”. AGENCIES MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN

Drone strikes Political parties claim four lives in North bending poll Waziristan MIRANSHAH: At least four militants have been killed by a US drone strike yesterday in publicity rules Pakistan’s northwestern tribal belt, security officials said. The attack took place in Datta Khel town, 35km west of Poster war defaces building facades Miranshah, the main town in the lawless North Waziristan region LAHORE: Some political par- Muhammad Azmat, who manages which borders Afghanistan. The ties in Pakistan seem to have the PML-N office, housed at Simons area is a stronghold of Taliban found a way around the Election Tower, said the posters were ‘com- and Al Qaeda-linked militants. Commission rules, which specify pletely legal’. “We have paid the PHA Six US drones flew over the the sizes of campaign posters and fee which proves that pasting these area when one of them fired two banners, by putting up posters and posters is legal,” he said. Azmat said missiles at a compound in the banners of prescribed sizes by the the party had stuck to the size speci- Manzarkhel area of the town. dozen on big boards. fications laid down by the Election “The drones kept hovering at The Pakistan Muslim League-N Commission, adding that they had the compound for a while and (PML-N) of Nawaz Sharif and Imran “left space in between two posters”. then one drone fired two missiles Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) District Officer (DO) of Special at the time of sunset,” a local offices on Lower Mall are two such Education Muhammad Ghafoor, Pakistani soldiers examine the site of a roadside bomb explosion on the outskirts of Mingora, the main security official said. “At least examples. who is a member of the NA-120 town of Swat valley, yesterday. four militants were killed in the The central office of PML-N for monitoring team, told The Express strike,” said the official. NA-120 is a three-storey building. Its Tribune that he had reported what Another security official in the facade has been covered with 77 post- he believed was a violation to the northwestern city of Peshawar, ers, pasted so closely together that returning officer concerned on Roadside bomb blast in which lies on the edge of the tribal it is impossible to see the surface Friday. It would have been okay, he region, confirmed the attack and beneath. Of these, 38 posters feature said, if the posters were put up with the casualties. a picture of the party chief Nawaz significant space between them. He An eyewitness said that the Sharif. The PML-N’s election symbol did not say how much space would Swat kills politician compound caught fire after the — a tiger — and the chand sitara (the be required between the posters to strike leaving all the bodies burnt. crescent moon and star) of the party “make them legal”. PESHAWAR: A roadside Yesterday’s blast killed a “We have already announced “The bodies of the militants flag share the display space. A monitoring officer for NA-122 bomb planted by the Taliban local leader of the Awami we will attack ANP and other were severely burnt and it was As many as 84 posters — also (the constituency where the PTI in restive northwest Pakistan National Party (ANP), which secular parties,” Ehsanullah hard to identify them,” Haji Gul of the size allowed by the Election office is located), DO (Cooperatives killed a political party official ruled the northwestern Khyber Ehsan, a spokesman for Tehreek- Badin, a local shopkeeper, said. Commission — cover a huge billboard and Deputy Registrar) Muhammad yesterday, a month before the Pakhtunkhwa province from i-Taliban Pakistan, said on phone. The covert strikes are publicly installed in front of the PTI’s Central Ejaz Khan, also considers the way the country votes in a historic 2008 until assemblies were dis- Elsewhere, in the criticised by the Pakistani govern- office at 135 Upper Mall. posters have been displayed as a vio- general election. solved last month for elections. Charsadda district of the ment as a violation of sovereignty Of these, 42 posters feature a pic- lation. He plans on reporting it today. The blast in the Swat val- “Mukarram Shah, a local Khyber Pakhtunkhwa prov- but American officials believe ture of the PTI chairman, Imran “The rules were laid down to limit ley, which was ruled by the leader of ANP, was travelling ince, another convoy of ANP they are a vital weapon in the war Khan, while the rest carry a picture spending on publicity,” said Khan. He Pakistani Taliban during a to Mingora when his vehi- workers was struck an IED against Islamist militants. of Aleem Khan, the party’s Lahore sees no difference between putting 2007-9 insurgency, comes a day cle was targeted by an IED and four people including UN special rapporteur on president. According to the Election up a huge poster and a number of after militants blew up the office (improvised explosive device), a candidate for provincial counter-terrorism and human Commission of Pakistan’s Code of smaller posters next to each other of an independent candidate in around 12 kilometres north- assembly were injured. The rights Ben Emmerson visited Conduct, posters can be no larger to take up the same space. North Waziristan tribal district. east of Mingora city,” Gul Afzal Pakistani Taliban have tar- Islamabad as part of an investiga- than 2’x3’, hoardings no bigger than Tariq Shabbir, the personal assist- The attacks are the latest Afridi, the district police chief geted a number of top ANP tion into civilian casualties caused 3’x5’, banners no bigger than 3’x9’ ant of Aleem Khan, said that the PTI violence to mar the run-up to said. Shah was alone in his car figures in recent months. by drone strikes. and leaflets (handbills) no bigger had not violated the Code. “The PHA national and regional elections and no-one else was hit by the The militants also claimed According to Britain’s Bureau than 9’x6’. has told us how much we owe it,” on May 11, which will mark the explosion. responsibility for a bomb attack of Investigative Journalism, CIA The parties involved don’t see the Shabbir said. The party would pay country’s first democratic tran- Taliban militants claimed on ANP rally on March 31 that drone attacks in Pakistan have displays as a violation. They argue the authority soon, he said. sition of power after a civilian responsibility of the attack say- killed two people and have killed up to 3,577 people since that since each of the posters meets When contacted, PHA Director government has served a full ing all secular parties and their warned they will strike again. 2004, up to 884 of them civilians. the size recommended by the ECP, (Marketing) Mian Muddassir said term in office. leaders were in their crosshairs. AFP AFP there is no breach. They add that the that since the ECP Code does not Parks and Horticulture Authority specify whether or not there has to (PHA) — a city government agency be a certain amount of space between — had not raised any objections. two posters, what the PML-N and (The authority has to be paid a fee PTI had done could not be described for any promotional material that is as a violation. Sindh plans displayed on the roads). Asked whether the PML-N had YouTube ban paving way for However, the district officers con- paid the Authority, he said they were to use private cerned — who comprise the moni- yet to receive payment from either toring teams that work under the party. “The PTI earlier had one big guards for hackers to have proxy access returning officers to ensure that the poster on the board. We told them ECP’s Code of Conduct is adhered to it was illegal and they took it off,” — believe that both parties are violat- Muddassir said. poll security KARACHI: Cyber domains in Pakistan, espe- clear from numerous attacks of Indian hackers ing the Code. INTERNEWS cially official sites of the government have been on the website of the Election Commission of KARACHI: The government exposed to a grave threat of hacking as major- Pakistan (ECP). So it is prudent on the part of the in Pakistan’s southern Sindh ity of the Internet users are enjoying the serv- government to lift the ban on YouTube in order province has decided to engage ice of YouTube by using proxy sites. to avoid this malware,” said an expert yesterday. private guards for the day of It was learnt that the ban on YouTube was He said it was beyond comprehension why polling under a ‘security plan’ almost absent as majority of Internet users in YouTube is blocked in Pakistan when it doesn’t for the 2013 general elections Pakistan were enjoying the service by using have any kind of restrictions in Saudi Arabia in a move that may surprise a proxy sites and unblocking software. It is to be and other Islamic states. Earlier, Internet users majority of the contesting par- noted that the world’s prime video sharing web- were using Google’s cache feature to view blocked ties whose consistent demand site YouTube had been blocked in Pakistan since websites but this feature now seems to be under for deployment of army troops September 27, 2012 after anti-Islamic videos had some level of blocking as access is now erratic inside polling stations does not gone viral on the site. and does not work for blocked websites. seem to be materialised. But, about half of the Internet users in country So, the new way out is to use proxy servers A top official said the decision have found ways to unblock YouTube and other outside the firewall, which is not difficult to do. in this regard had ‘formally’ been thousands of blocked porn sites which had also Another most popular mode is downloading soft- made and only modalities needed been blocked by the Pakistan Telecommunication wares like Spot Flux and Hot Spot Shield, which to be worked out in consulta- Authority (PTA) last year, through proxy sites, give more satisfactory results than proxy sites. tion with the provincial security which has created another danger and that is of “It’s quite easy to by-pass proxy servers. Just administration and private secu- triggering ‘Trojan Horse’ — a non-self-replicating type proxy on Google, all the results will lead you rity companies. type of malware. Information technology (IT) to websites which will bypass the restrictions Private security guards were experts termed the increasing practice of the use implemented by PTA,” he added. “Though the likely to fill a gap between the of proxy sites a grave threat to the Pakistani cyber performance of proxy softwares is not pretty good available and required number world because ‘Trojan Horse’ may give the hacker because they slow down the Internet but if one has of security personnel of Rangers, remote access to a targeted computer system. a connection of more than 1MB speed then he or Frontier Constabulary and police, “Hackers may take control of important official she can easily enjoy smooth streaming,” he added. he said. websites of government organisations, which are INTERNEWS “On polling day, we need nearly 90,000 security officials,” said Sharfuddin Memon, special assist- ant to the caretaker Chief Minister Weapons training of Sindh. “And we have available force of around 67,000 officials of police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary. So there is a plan in place to bridge the gap with the help of private security guards.” He said it was too early to share the exact number of private secu- rity guards needed for more than 4,000 polling stations across the province where almost half of them had already been declared ‘sensitive’. Talks with the private security agencies were on, he said, which were likely to be finalised within the next few days. The move by the provincial government may satisfy the care- taker setup in terms of measures it had promised to ensure “free, fair and peaceful elections” but effectiveness of such measures remains doubtful considering the past performance of private Afghan National Army battery unit personnel of Watahpur district take readings and make calculations security guards hired by com- on a fires map before test firing the D-30 Howitzer guns at the forward base of Honaker Miracle in Kunar mercial banks and other business province yesterday. Budget cuts and war fatigue in Western capitals mean the 100,000 soldiers left facilities. serving in Nato force are packing up as the mission prepares to close next year. INTERNEWS MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 Nitish slams Modi; Dust storm says ties on principle BJP must name PM nominee by December: JD-U

NEW DELHI: Bihar Chief was no problem in the JD-U and Minister Nitish Kumar yes- BJP alliance in Bihar. terday slammed Gujarat Chief “We want to walk together Minister Narendra Modi’s and we don’t want to leave any- prime ministerial ambitions one,” he said. “But certain fun- without naming him as his damental issues should be made Janata Dal-United (JD-U) clear.” put pressure on the Bharatiya He said the JD-U would never Janata Party (BJP) to name its give up its principle of secular val- prime ministerial candidate by ues. “If its alliance with the BJP the year end. breaks down in future, the JD-U It was the most unambigu- will take a decision depending on ous public expression of opposi- the situation.” tion within the BJP-led National Nitish Kumar said when the Democratic Alliance (NDA) to BJP-JD-U alliance came up, it Modi, widely seen in his own was made clear that certain divi- party and by his supporters as a sive issues close to the BJP’s heart prime ministerial candidate. would have to be set aside. Nitish Kumar Nitish Kumar took a dig at These included the BJP’s Modi, saying one state’s model demand to scrap Article 370 of of development cannot be a pos- the constitution giving special sible answer to India’s ills, and status to Jammu and Kashmir, his party also set a December the demand for a uniform civil People walk through a dust storm in Allahabad, yesterday. deadline for the BJP to name its code and the call to build a grand prime ministerial candidate. The temple at the site of the razed two-day JD-U national executive Babri mosque in Ayodhya. specified this in a political resolu- Nitish Kumar’s comments tion passed at its two-day meeting came a day after the JD-U Nabbing criminals makes here. declared that support to Modi — Addressing some 1,300 del- who has been addressing meet- egates of the JD-U, the second- ings praising his own Gujarat largest member of the NDA, administration — would com- Nitish Kumar thundered that promise its secular credentials. Delhi police officers rich his party would never give up on The BJP hit back at the JD-U. secularism. “It is unfortunate if they concen- He said his party’s alliance with trate their energies on our chief NEW DELHI: Police had been Crime Branch arrested Morkheri for his arrest. “The reward money the BJP — the two together run ministerial candidate and dilute tailing Manoj Morkheri for over along with two of his associates, is equally distributed among the the Bihar government — could the focus of removing the UPA. The five years. When they finally while one escaped and another team of officers who nab the continue only if “some fundamen- BJP will continue its determined nabbed him after a hot chase on was killed in the shootout. criminals,” Joint Commissioner of tal issues” were made clear. Narendra Modi effort in this direction. We reject the streets of Delhi last month, A resident of Rohtak, Morkheri Police (Crime) S B K Singh said. Nitish Kumar invoked former all unfounded inferences against there were broad smiles all allegedly ran an organised extor- “We act on tip-offs and conduct prime minister Atal Bihari of the Gujarat leader, Nitish Modi,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala around — not only because they tionist gang and had issued abduc- frequent search operations to Vajpayee, who after the 2002 Kumar said the Indian elector- Sitharaman told reporters. had caught a wanted criminal tion threats to two Delhi-based catch the criminals,” Singh said. Gujarat riots had asked Modi to ate was intelligent enough to see BJP chief Rajnath Singh called but because they would also get businessmen. He was wanted in “Last year in the same period, follow ‘raj dharma’. through speeches. Modi its most popular leader to share the `300,000 bounty on cases of abduction for ransom, Delhi Police nabbed 20 such crim- “You need Atalji’s approach “The people of this country may but refrained from naming him him. extortion, attempt to murder as inals,” a police source said. Delhi of taking everyone along to run not be very educated but they are th party’s prime ministerial Delhi Police officers have well as the Arms Act in Delhi, Police announce a reward when a this country,” Nitish Kumar said. intelligent,” he said. candidate. already earned `1.5m with the Haryana and Rajasthan. criminal “goes out of reach” either “Only a person who can under- Nitish Kumar underlined that “Narendra Modi is the most arrest of 22 criminals since the Of the 22 criminals nabbed, by going underground or inform- stand the diversity of this country economic development was taking popular BJP leader as of now. I year began. According to Delhi 12 were arrested by the Crime ers are unable to ferret out infor- can lead it.” place everywhere, and one state cannot say who will be the PM Police data, 22 criminals with Branch, seven by the Special Cell, mation about him, an officer said. Alluding to an incident when (read Gujarat) could not be cited candidate,” Rajnath Singh said a bounty on their heads have two by the district police one by In many cases, police release Modi refused to accept a skull as an example for the rest of the on CNN-IBN’s Devil’s Advocate been arrested since January. In the Economic Offences Wing sketches of the offenders to nab cap from a group of Muslims, country. programme. 2012, Delhi Police officers earned (EOW). the criminals. the Bihar chief minister said to “What kind of development The Congress termed it an around Rs.25 lakh with the arrest Another big catch was Satender “We are proud of our officers applause: “You have to respect do we want?” he then asked. internal affair of the NDA. of 56 criminals with a bountry on alias Kala of Sonepat, Haryana. that they show determination everyone. Sometimes you have to And in remarks clearly aimed “JD-U is an ally of the BJP. We their heads. Wanted for extortion and muder, to nab rewarded criminals. The wear a cap, sometimes you have at Modi, he said he would not don’t have to comment on what This year’s biggest success so far Satender was nabbed by the money is immaterial. Our main to sport a ‘tilak’.” want a development model that they discuss among themselves,” has been the arrest of Morkheri, Special Cell following a shootout aim is to nab these criminals,” In his speech, Nitish Kumar did kept large chunks of people Congress spokesperson Rashid following a shootout on March in Rohini area of north Delhi in Deputy Commissioner of Police not mention Modi by name even deprived of drinking water. Alvi said. 20 in Alipur area on Delhi’s out- February. Haryana Police had (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar once. But in an obvious criticism However, he made it clear there IANS skirts. Officers of the Delhi Police announced a reward of Rs.1 lakh Yadav said. IANS

PM, Sonia, Rahul Bilateral meeting to campaign in Karnataka

BANGALORE: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi will campaign in Karnataka for party candidates for the May 5 assembly polls, the state unit said yesterday. Singh will campaign for a day while the mother-son duo will campaign for three days, state Congress president G Parameshwara told reporters here. All three will address public rallies only in major towns, he said. Sonia Gandhi will address rallies at Chikmagalur and Mangalore on April 26, at Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed (left), with Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Abdulaziz Gulbarga and Belgaum on April 30, and at Mysore on May 2, in Tripoli, yesterday. Parameshwara said. Rahul Gandhi will campaign at Bellary, Raichur and Bijapur on April 23, at Kolar, Tumkur and Haveri on April 28, and in Mysore, Hassan Congress MP threatens to and Shimoga on May 1. Singh will address meetings at Hubli and Bangalore on April 29. The Congress has released its quit over Telangana issue first list of candidates for 177 constituencies of the 225-mem- HYDERABAD: A Congress take a decision on a separate call. Meanwhile, another ber assembly that includes one MP from Telangana in Telangana state, to be carved Congress MP, G Vivek yester- nominated member. The second Andhra Pradesh yesterday out of Andhra Pradesh. day said he would remain within Congress list containing 47 names warned that he would quit Jagannatham along with the party. He told reporters in is likely to be released today. the party unless it gave a cat- state minister K Jana Reddy Karimnagar that he would fight Nominations for the poll close egorical assurance on sepa- called on party leader K for Telangana by staying within April 17. The vote count is slated rate statehood to the region. Keshava Rao here yesterday. the party. for May 8. Manda Jagannatham, MP The meeting assumed signifi- There is intense speculation Sons of union Labour and from Nagarkurnool, told cance in the wake of specula- that Jagannatham along with Employment Mallikarjun reporters that Telangana tions that some MPs may join two other MPs Vivek and S Kharge, and former chief minis- Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has TRS. Jana Reddy said he had Rajaiah may join TRS. ter and now Lok Sahba member invited him to join the party. He no knowledge of Jagannatham’s As many as seven Congress N Dharam Singh figure in the said he along with other MPs decision to quit the party. MPs from the region have been Congress second list of candi- from the region would meet in Jagannatham also clarified demanding the central leader- dates for the May 5 Karnataka a day or two to take a decision. that his meeting with TRS ship to take a decision on a assembly polls. He, however, exuded confi- chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao separate Telangana state. IANS dence that Congress would soon Saturday was only a courtesy IANS MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA Delhi, Berlin to step up pressure for UNSC seat Indian, German foreign ministers discuss broader reform of the world organisation NEW DELHI/BERLIN: India intensify the pressures,” Indian press for the UN Security Council of international support it may is also not represented. Asia largest contributor of troops to and Germany will jointly inten- External Affairs Minister Salman reforms through the G4, a group- command. is represented only by China. UN peacekeeping missions. It has sify efforts to gain permanent Khurshid said in the course of a ing comprising Brazil and Japan, German Foreign Minister Naturally, this system does not the world’s second largest popula- membership in an expanded brief chat in Berlin. besides India and Germany. He Guido Westerwelle also said reflect the reality,” Westerwelle tion. The global community also United Nations Security Council He was referring to the inter- did not specify what the specific that the Security Council sys- said. “We (Germany and loosely recognises it as a respon- as also for broader reform of the governmental consultations steps will be. tem must change as it does not India) will continue to work to sible nuclear weapons state. world organisation, top minis- between India and Germany that The US, China, Russia, Britain reflect today’s global realities. strengthen the rule of law at the Japan is the second largest ters of the two sides say. took place in Berlin on Thursday and France are the five perma- He said heavyweights like India, global level.” contributor to the UN budget “Security Council reform co-chaired by Prime Minister nent members of the Security Germany, Brazil and Japan can’t Among the four serious aspir- and the third largest economy was naturally one of our focus Manmohan Singh and German Council and each one of them be kept out of the most powerful ants to the high table, Germany of the world, while Brazil is the areas of discussions. We have Chancellor Angela Merkel. enjoys veto power. This means decision-making body in the UN is the third-largest contributor to largest country in Latin America, decided to continue to col- Khurshid said India and any of them can prevent any system. the UN regular budget after the in terms of bothpopulation and laborate with Germany and Germany will also continue to resolution regardless of the level “The whole continent of Africa US and Japan. India is the third economy. IANS

Hindu ritual Mercury rises Doyen of industry in Delhi, warmer R P Goenka dies day expected NEW DELHI: Delhi had a KOLKATA: RPG Group Ltd. and RPG Life Sciences. cloudy Sunday and a sprinkling founder Rama Prasad Goenka, The former Rajya Sabha mem- of shower in some parts as the a doyen of Indian industry and ber headed a bouquet of compa- mercury again climbed back business titan of eastern India, nies spanning a wide range and above 36 degrees Celsius. The died last morning at his South across diverse sectors like power weather office has forecast mer- Kolkata home after a long bat- generation, transmission and dis- cury would rise further today. tle with cancer. Goenka, 83, is tribution, electricity transmission The maximum temperature survived by wife Sushila and two engineering, tyres, carbon black, yesterday at 36.1 degrees appeared sons Harsh and Sanjiv — both retail, entertainment, plantations to be rising, though fractionally, leading industrialists. and information technology. over the past two days. It stood While Harsh is now RPG Regarded as “takeover king”, at 35.6 degrees on Saturday and Enterprises chairman, his younger Goenka in 1979 established the Friday, and at 36.1 degrees on brother Sanjiv is the chairman of RPG Enterprises with four com- Thursday. On Wednesday, it was RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, after the panies — Phillips Carbon Black, 37 degrees. tycoon amicably divided his entire Asian Cables, Agarpara Jute and Yesterday’s maximum tempera- business between them about three Murphy India - which he inher- ture was a degree above what is years ago. Goenka was chairman ited when the family assets were an average for this time of the emeritus of both the groups. divided. The four constituent season. “The weather will remain Goenka’s undivided busi- units then had an annual turno- cloudy today with the maximum ness empire encompassed - ver of around Rs.105 crore, but temperature likely to be around CESC, Noida Power Co. Ltd., by 1990 - even before the open- 37 degrees Celsius and the mini- RPG Raychem, Spencer, CEAT ing up of the country’s economy mum around 21 degrees,” an Tyers, Saregama India (previ- - Goenka was presiding over India Meteorological Department ously Gramophone Co of India), one of the leading business con- (IMD) official said. The mini- KEC International, Phillips glomerates in India, as he mostly mum temperature Sunday was Carbon Black, Fujitsu ICIM (now acquired companies once owned A Hindu devotee hangs from a rope during the Chadak ritual in Kolkata, yesterday. Hundreds attend the ritual, 21.9 degrees Celsius, which was a Zensar Technologies), Harrisons by British merchants. to worship deity Shiva, on the last day of the Bengali calendar year. degree above the average for this Malayalam, Firstsource Solutions IANS time of the year. IANS Need for empowerment policy

mnesty seekers, depor- $70bn, with around 60 percent of it v) Basic training in employable tees, job losers… Is the coming from those working in the trades, vi) Assisting in projects Gulf ‘dream’ turning Gulf. The number of Indians in the like ICT, Real Estate, and other Ainto a nightmare? Has GCC is estimated to be 6.5 million, emerging sectors. The organisa- this happened overnight? It is just out of which close to 2.2 million are tion has put forth some guidelines about a month back that we dis- in Saudi Arabia. that should form an integral part cussed the inadequacy of India’s The union minister has said of any policy framework dealing so-called schemes and knee-jerk India would pay for the air tick- with a country’s migrant work- measures in dealing with a stream ets of job losers. Political units are ers. The foremost amongst them of returnees. Even today, our chief demanding compensation in vari- is skill recognition and qualifica- ministers and union ministers ous forms including pension, finan- tion reforms. These guidelines concerned with overseas Indians cial aid and medical insurance to speak of involving government and foreign affairs are talking the needy sections, assistance to agencies responsible for sending about engaging foreign govern- the returnees to start their own and receiving workers, national ments in taking a lenient stand self-employment projects etc. If agencies responsible for recognis- on Indian workers. bad comes to worse and there ing migrant workers’ skills, local The Minister for Overseas indeed is a huge flow of return- agencies and non-government Indians Affairs, Vayalar Ravi, ees, we might also find state gov- organisations providing support assures the Indian media that ernments organising job fairs and services to departing and return- he will soon visit Saudi Arabia to loan camps… everything to make ing workers, national employers’ ‘discuss’ issues arising out of that the traumatised returnees feel and workers’ organisations, private country’s Nitaqat policy. Surely, like beggars. This simply won’t do. and overseas employment services. the minister as well as his boss, What India now needs is a proper For example, in 2010, the the honourable prime minister, policy framework with regards to Republic of Korea piloted three would know that this policy came its overseas workers. services to prepare foreign work- as many as five years back. Other ers to reintegrate into their Gulf countries too, and quite home labour markets. The first understandably so, are trying to THE NR EYE involved vocational competency improve, enhance and utilise their development training mainly to own human resources. Moiz Mannan assist the workers’ adaptation to India’s leaders are talking the Korean work culture and to about putting to use their “warm The International Labour improve the productivity of small and friendly” ties with the host Organisation (ILO), for exam- and medium enterprises. The sec- countries. At best, they will win ple, has adopted some initiatives ond was a skills or business ven- minor concessions such as avoid- to collect background informa- ture training for returning workers ing the deportation route so that tion on returnee migrant work- to encourage workers whose visas the workers escape the travel ban ers. It includes preparation of were soon to expire to plan for to other countries in the region. database, information campaign, their return and to support their They might also win some more counseling on investment oppor- smooth return with business skills. time. The Saudi authorities had tunities, entrepreneurship devel- The third was an initiative aimed assured to keep the policy’s strict opment, etc. In Bangladesh, the at employment adjustment edu- implementation on hold for two ILO has conceived a project on cation for workers transferring more months. Some relief that. development of migration man- their workplaces. . ILO has pro- If the fears are unfounded, agement with the components of posed the following services to sup- why have more than 6,000 Indian (i) Strengthening Policy measures port returning migrant workers: workers already approached the to upgrade institutional frame- 1. small business advice to ensure embassy in Riyadh seeking issu- works, (ii) Improving Operational that any capital brought back is ance of Out Pass (Emergency Efficiency and (iii) Promoting invested wisely and productively, Certificate) to leave the country? Social Protection and Support 2. the development by returning This is in addition to thousands of for Migrant Workers, with special workers of a portfolio of evidence workers who have contacted the attention to returning migrants. attesting to their new skills and Jeddah-based Indian Consulate The returning migrants do not knowledge, 3. employment profil- for outpasses. In the past, Ravi need rehabilitation as they do ing and placement services so as has boasted about the resettle- empowerment. Empowerment to gain maximum economic benefit ment and pension scheme and of the migrant workers may from their new skills, and 4. Advice other ‘measures’ adopted by the be possible ensuring appropri- on self-employment options and Indian government to take care of ate social and economic re- on any assistance available, such returnees. More recently, he called integration through i) Liaison as training for enterprise develop- together the chief ministers and with Investment opportunities, ment and information on access senior officials of nine major man- ii) Arrangement of loan from to credit and loans. Regardless of power exporting states and asked banks for SME initiatives, iii) how serious the Saudi issue is for them to prepare rehabilitation Providing Community Based Indian workers, the government programmes. Now? According to Training on cooperative basis to must finally wake up and work out the World Bank, in 2012 Indians the returnee women migrants, a comprehensive forward-looking worldwide sent back remittances of iv) Arrangement of re-migration, policy. THE PENINSULA

MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME ‘Shoot at sight’

Fajr (Dawn) 3:53 Shorook (Sunrise) 5:12 Zuhr (Noon) 11:34 Asr (Afternoon) 3:04 Maghrib (Sunset) 5:57 Isha (Night) 7:27

WEATHER

Today Tuesday Wednesday Weather Conditions: Clear Clear Partly cloudy Misty at first becomes hazy later with some High: 35° High:35° High:39° Low: 25° Low: 26° Low: 26° clouds.

DOHA - SUN & SEA

SUN TIDE SEA

SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 05:12 17:57 06:45 & 20:30 02:45 & 13:00 07-15/18 KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW Idris, an Indonesian statue street performer, poses with a visitor at Fatahilah museum park in Jakarta’s old city. About 10 statue performers gather HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER at Fatahilah museum park on weekends to entertain visitors. Idris’ performance, which mimics a statue, draws the attention of tourists and visitors, many of whom request to take group photos with him. Idris receives from tourists as much as 200,000 rupiah ($20) on weekdays and up to 600,000 MUSCAT 36/28 Fair 37/29 Clear rupiah ($62) on weekends. MAKKAH 39/26 Clear 40/25 Clear KUWAIT 36/23 Clear 33/21 Fair BAHRAIN 31/24 Clear 33/26 Showers/clear SANAA 29/15 Showers/clear 28/16 Showers/clear RIYADH 36/23 Fair 39/23 Showers/clear Iron Age warriors point to glories of Gaul DUBAI 39/26 Clear 38/26 Fair BAGHDAD 34/22 Partly cloudy 37/18 Partly cloudy BUCHERES, France: On a Archaeologist Emilie Millet torcs, and large bronze brooches and 260 BC, in a period known THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW muddy field located between a crouched at one of 14 burial sites decorated with precious coral — as La Tene. Another clue may motorway and a meander of the that have been uncovered in also speak of high status. come from analysis of the scab- HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER Seine southeast of Paris, French recent weeks after a nine-year In one grave, a woman was bur- bards, whose decoration changed archaeologists have uncovered excavation of the 260-hectare site. ied next to a man, separated by a according to military fashion. ATHENS 20/08 Partly cloudy 21/08 Partly cloudy an Iron Age graveyard that they At her feet are the remains of layer of soil, speaking of a close Designs in this period typically WASHINGTON 20/13 Partly cloudy 26/13 Partly cloudy believe will shed light on the a tall warrior, complete with a but as-yet unfathomable bond. had two open-mouthed dragons SYDNEY 19/13 Showers/clear 22/12 Showers/clear great yet enigmatic civilisation 70-centimetre iron sword still in “This graveyard is exceptional facing each other, with their bod- LONDON 15/08 Showers/clear 16/07 Showers/clear of Gaul. its scabbard. in more ways than one,” says the ies curled. PARIS 18/08 Showers/clear 18/09 Partly cloudy The site, earmarked for a ware- “I have never seen anything like National Institute for Preventive La Tene, whose name comes ISTANBUL 13/09 Sprinkles 12/08 Showers house project on the outskirts of it,” said Millet, gazing at a metal- Archaeological Research (Inrap), from an archaeological site in MANILA 35/26 Partly cloudy 34/25 Showers/clear Troyes, is yielding a stunning framed shield whose wood-and- which excavates sites of potential Switzerland, ran from about the th DHAKA 35/25 Showers/clear 32/24 T-storms array of finds, including five Celtic leather core has long rotted away. interest before the bulldozers are 5 century BC to the first century DELHI 36/23 Fair 40/23 Showers/clear warriors, whose weapons and Buried next to the warriors are allowed in. AD, marking the glory years of adornments attest to membership several women, whose jewellery — The jewellery suggests that the the Celts. ISLAMABAD 30/17 Partly cloudy 24/14 T-storms of a powerful but long-lost elite. twisted-metal necklaces known as dead were buried between 325 AFP Monday 15 April 2013 5 Jumada II 1434 Volume 18 Number 5670 Price: QR2

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Qatari bourse books Qatar’s travel sector to see strong growth, says report largest one-day fall DOHA: Backed by the gov- will see further advancement on With Qatar Airways domi- ernment spending on tourism the back of ambitious develop- nating the market and in close development, Qatar’s travel ment plans by the government to competition with regional Investors continue to free up cash for Doha Global IPO market is expected to grow transform Qatar’s travel industry. giants Emirates and Etihad, steadily from $5.4bn in 2012 to “Heavy investments are being PhoCusWright anticipates DUBAI: Qatar’s bourse booked The banking and financial sec- plans to guarantee a 5 percent $7.7bn in 2014, a report said. allocated to transportation, travel that gross bookings made by its largest one-day drop in four tor lost 0.86 points, the insurance dividend in its first year. The online travel market in accommodation, infrastructure the airline sector in Qatar will months yesterday as investors sector was down 1.19 points, the Qatar will see a significant boost, and other tourism-related sec- increase from $4.6bn in 2012 to took their cues from weak glo- industrial sector dropped 1.92 SOLID RETURNS rising from $944m in 2012 to an tors. Further, the Fifa 2022 World $6.8bn in 2014. bal markets to sell shares ahead points and the services sector fell The promise of solid returns estimated $1.6bn in 2014, owning Cup is set to boost Qatar’s travel Qatar has been identified as of a huge IPO planned by a new 0.54 points. from Doha Global appears to have 9.9 percent of the Middle Eastern industry, which is channeling having the smallest lodging infra- state investment firm in May. Stocks tied to global energy distracted investors from betting online market share, added the billions of dollars into significant structure in the region. In fact, The Qatar Exchange bench- demand lead declines. Industries on the first-quarter earnings of new research note released by infrastructure developments that gross bookings made in the sec- mark broke support on the Qatar retreated 2.5 percent and existing listed companies. global travel market research will support demand before and tor dipped from $808m in 2011 to March low of 8,450 points and Qatar Gas Transport (Naqilat) Commodities sold off globally firm PhoCusWright. during event,” he added. $749m in 2012. However, it is pro- retreated 100.17 points or 1.18 fell 2.1 percent. All except three on Friday, while world equity The report is co-sponsored by The report cited that while jected that bookings will increase percent to 8,381.03 points, its firms lost ground in the 20-stock markets fell after a dour reading Amadeus, a leading technology internet penetration in Qatar to $878m in 2014, the report said. lowest close since December 31 main index. of US consumer sentiment and partner and transaction proces- stands at 82 percent, mobile With online shopping across and its biggest one-day percent- Qatar under-performed other poor retail sales reinforced fears sor for the global travel and tour- penetration is among the highest the Arab world booming, grow- age loss since January 15. Gulf markets because of the plan of a weak US economy that would ism industry. A comprehensive in the world at 182 percent and ing numbers of car renters in The volume of shares traded by Doha Global Investment Co, hurt global growth. Brent crude assessment of the travel and tour- smartphone penetration is at 75 Qatar are expected to turn to up to 5.78 million from 3.3 mil- backed by assets from the sover- lost $3 a barrel on Friday to hit a ism industry in the Middle East, percent, online shopping is still the internet for domestic and lion on Thursday, and the value eign wealth fund, to offer shares eight-month low. the research particularly focuses considerably low. However, it will worldwide bookings and several of shares increased to QR181.81m to the public in May. “Sentiment was shot down on the growth and potential of to grow steadily, driven by govern- car rental operators in Qatar from QR139.25m on Thursday. It is expected ultimately to on the back of the drop in glo- the online travel segment across ment initiatives, retailer invest- have launched new websites Among the top losers were hold about $12bn of assets, rais- bal equities and commodities - markets including Qatar, Saudi ment and, most importantly, a along with simplified versions Industries Qatar whose share ing $3bn from its initial public there is mixed selling from locals Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. savvy, young population open to for mobile phone users. dropped 2.47 percent to QR153.80, offer of shares on the Qatar and foreigners, with a migration Wafiq al Wahidi, general man- trying new technologies. As a result, gross bookings Commercialbank lost 0.16 percent Exchange. “Locals have been of cash from equities to fixed ager, Amadeus Qatar, said: “The It was further revealed that made in the car rental space are to QR64, Qatar Islamic Bank selling some of the names to income,” said Ahmed Shehada, figures are indicative of the strong gross bookings made by Online seeing a steady increase and are fell 2.72 percent to QR68 and free up cash for the new issue head of trading at Qatar National growth potential of the over- Travel Agencies (OTAs) are expected to touch $50.7m in 2014, National Leasing was down 2.51 by Doha Global,” Shehada said. Bank Financial Services. all travel and tourism sector in expected to rise from $342m in the PhoCusWright report noted. percent to QR32.95. Officials have said the company REUTERS/QNA Qatar. Undoubtedly, the sector 2012 to $548m in 2014. THE PENINSULA MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Egypt stalls on IMF terms Ahli Bank nets record Mursi baulking at tax and subsidy reforms; deal unlikely, say officials QR135m profit in Q1 DOHA: Ahli Bank QSC (ABQ) CAIRO: Egypt is stalling on the to present some of the roadmap on less than $2 a day. The pro- region. “I expect there is signifi- has posted a record profit of terms of a $4.8bn International related to reforming the economic jected budget deficit has risen cant frustration.” QR135m for the first quarter of Monetary Fund loan to help it system,” Abdullah Badran of the to around 11 percent in the fis- Diplomats said the Muslim 2013, achieving a growth of 14 fight a deepening economic cri- Islamist Nour party said after cal year ending in June, foreign Brotherhood was reluctant to percent in profits over the same sis, and no deal is likely while an meeting the IMF team. currency reserves have shrunk to impose unpopular tax and fuel period last year. Under the new IMF team is in Cairo, diplomats A spokesman for the presi- less than needed to cover three price increases before parliamen- ownership, the bank’s gross oper- said yesterday. dent’s office declined comment months’ imports, and the country tary elections provisionally due ating income stood at QR196m The IMF mission is set to leave on whether Mursi had given the is suffering fuel shortages. to start in October. Nevertheless for Q12013 recording a growth of tomorrow after nearly two weeks green light for an agreement. The IMF delegation has been the Brotherhood’s Freedom and 20.4 percent against Q12012. of talks, and negotiations may One Western diplomat said holding talks in Cairo since April 4 Justice Party is pushing through The net interest income and continue on the sidelines of this that after securing $5bn in stop- on a revised economic programme parliament new tax laws appar- fees & commission income grew week’s IMF ministerial meetings gap finance from Qatar and Libya that includes a gradual reform of ently linked to the IMF deal. by 23.4 percent and 27.7 percent in Washington, they said. last week, Egypt no longer felt the costly fuel subsidies that swallow Opposition politicians accuse the respectively during the period. An IMF programme could same sense of urgency to conclude 21 percent of the budget or 12 per- government of trying to impose Cost to income ratio stood at 28.5 help stabilise Egypt’s economy in the IMF negotiations. cent of gross domestic product, and its will without dialogue. percent despite increase in costs. the rocky transition to democ- “That seemed to be the way an extension of sales tax to fewer Planning Minister Ashraf El ABQ’s total assets at QR22.70bn racy since the 2011 overthrow of things were moving since the items than previously planned. The Araby warned last week that witnessed a growth of 30 percent Sheikh Faisal bin Abdul Aziz bin former president Hosni Mubarak, Libyan and Qatari announce- country’s finance minister and cen- Egyptians would face worse auster- on a year-on-year basis. Loans Jassem Al Thani (top) and Salah unlocking up to $15bn in aid and ments. You can imagine them tral bank governor have told local ity without an IMF deal. Ministers & advances grew by a healthy Murad investment to improve a dismal reaching that conclusion; that media that the talks were going fear a long, hot summer of power 35.8 percent to QR15.22bn com- business climate. they have reached a short-term well but diplomats said the IMF cuts and possible fuel and food pared to QR11.20bn in Q1 2012. But diplomats and politicians fix, it means they are not that had not received clear answers on shortages that could spark unrest. Customer deposits increased by say Islamist President Mohammed beholden to the IMF,” he said. some issues. An Egyptian delegation includ- 28.5 percent to QR15.76bn against Mursi had yet to endorse required Egypt’s economy has dete- “The IMF and the international ing the central bank governor and QR12.26bn in Q1 2012. ROAE tax increases and subsidy cuts that riorated significantly since the community want to help but are the finance and planning minis- (return on average equity) and prompted him to halt implemen- November IMF agreement really frustrated that Egypt ters will be in Washington this EPS are strong at 16.3 percent tation of an earlier IMF deal in stalled. Tourism and investment isn’t doing as much as it should week for the annual IMF/World and QR1.06 respectively, in spite December, two weeks after it was have dwindled due to political to help itself,” said Angus Blair, Bank spring meetings and may of increased equity followed by the agreed in principle. turmoil in the Arab world’s most chairman of the Signet Institute, hold further talks on the loan issue of rights shares in Q4 2012. “The mission said it is wait- populous country, where 40 per- an economic think-tank for the deal, officials said. Sheikh Faisal bin Abdul Aziz ing until now for the government cent of the 84 million citizens live Middle East and North Africa REUTERS bin Jassem Al Thani, Chairman of Ahli Bank, said: “The result achieved is a true reflection of gains derived as a result of various strategic changes implemented DSI Qatar bags within the Bank, following Qatar DVP scheme a success: QE Foundation’s acquisition of a stra- size with a very healthy asset qual- tegic stake in Ahli Bank. We are ity. We aim to deliver both quan- QR180m contract DOHA: Qatar Exchange (QE) investors’ assets in case of rejec- confident that we can deliver a titative and qualitative record has announced that its DVP tion by the seller. sustained shareholder return achievements through implement- DOHA: Drake & Scull Qatar (delivery versus payment) These have been positive changes through applying a focussed ing a ‘managed change’ initiative (DSI Qatar) has been awarded mechanisms, launched in April and received good feedback from approach under the new strategy. and an expanded business and cus- a QR180m contract to execute 2011, have been performing the market. Commenting on the The core earnings growth of 25 tomer centric product offerings.” Mechanical, Electrical and successfully and that in no success of DVP, QE CEO Rashid percent is evidence that our jour- Murad added: “The new Ahli Plumbing (MEP) works for instance a securities buy-in or Al Mansoori said “We are very ney has begun in right earnest. Bank will focus on building its a residential project, a press a cash close-out execution was pleased to see the positive progress We thank Qatar Central Bank talents pool, and the infrastruc- statement said yesterday. required ever since its launch. of our DVP system since its imple- for its continuous support and ture for sustainable earnings. The The contract is the latest in a When DVP was first imple- mentation two years ago. Being look forward to the future with new organisational structure will series of multi-million deals sealed mented in 2011, QE facilitated the first exchange in the region optimism”. ensure the highest standards of by the wholly owned subsidiary of DVP by introducing trade confir- to implement such a sophisticated Salah Murad, Chief Executive, governance practices, whilst serv- Drake & Scull International PJSC mation procedures for investors mechanism shows our commit- said: “We are encouraged by a ing our customers in Qatar’s pros- (DSI), a regional market leader under custody and offering a buy ment and dedication to the overall strong performance momentum perous economy”. in integrated design, engineering in major tenders, particularly in in mechanism and a seller compen- development of the capital markets driven by increase in Balance Sheet THE PENINSULA and construction disciplines of the MEP and utilities sectors this sation scheme. In 2012 QE made in Qatar. It has also strengthened Civil Contracting and MEP works year. Mobilization on the latest some enhancements to the system the confidence of the international in the field of Water, Power, Rail, project will start immediately whereby on the 22nd of January, investment community that Qatar Oil and Gas. with an estimated completion 2012, investors were awarded is a safe market to invest in.” “This latest project will defi- date set for the fourth quarter enhanced protection for their secu- Going forward QE will continue Dubai Islamic Bank profit jumps 17pc nitely push our momentum of 2014,” said Karem Akawi (pic- rities during the dividends season to monitor post-trade operations towards second quarter (Q2) of tured), Area General Manager, by ensuring the applicability of to ensure that the DVP mecha- DUBAI: Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), the largest Shariah-compliant this year and beyond as we ben- Drake & Scull Qatar. the DVP process throughout the nism remains robust and efficient. lender in the emirate, said yesterday that its first-quarter net profit efit from market drivers such as Earlier this year, it was Corporate Actions period. In the course of 2013 QE expects climbed 17 percent, after the bank posted strong asset growth since the upcoming World Cup and awarded a QR304m contract for In addition, on April 11, 2012 to enhance their mechanisms December. The bank made Dh301.7m ($82.2m) in the three months aggressive national development the design, supply, installation QE further improved the mecha- further, to support the product to March 31, up from Dh258.5m in the corresponding period last initiatives. Doha in particular will and commissioning of all MEP nism by replacing the seller com- development process, most nota- year. Total assets jumped 22 percent in the first quarter compared continue to see major infrastruc- works of a mix use real estate pensation scheme with a buyer bly through securities lending and to the end of 2012, reaching Dh120.6bn at the end of March, accom- ture projects emerge this year and development project in Qatar. compensation procedure which borrowing. panied by a 32 percent increase in customer deposits over the same we are well equipped to compete THE PENINSULA now ensures full protection of the THE PENINSULA time period. REUTERS Dubai housing stock to bounce back DUBAI: Another 40,000 new homes will enter Dubai’s property market over the next two years as developers revive projects stalled after the collapse of the emir- ate’s real estate market, a report said yesterday. The new properties to be built between 2013 and 2015 will represent 11 percent of the current stock of 357,000 units, consultants Jones Lang LaSalle said in a report on Dubai’s real estate market for the first quarter of 2013. It said that a total of 28,000 dwellings are expected to be completed in 2013. Around 2,200 residential units, mostly apartments, have already been handed over in the first quarter of the year, which include the Spirit Tower in Dubai Sports City, Lakeside Tower in JLT, Bay Central in Dubai Marina as well as the Al Furjan Villas by developer Nakheel. Dubai developers are reviving building plans after nearly three years of inactivity, encouraged by a gradual recovery in the emirate’s real estate after a historic col- lapse of homes prices by over 50 percent from its peak in 2008. The REIDIN general residential sale index showed the villa sale price index and the apartment sale price index increased by 17 percent and 18 percent year-on- year respectively, the report said. However, concerns have been raised on whether Dubai is again attracting speculators who are aiming to make their fortunes by buying apartments and villas for cash and then selling them within weeks or days, repeating mistakes of the past. “An initial glance might suggest that many of the condi- tions that led to the unsustainable growth in real estate prices in Dubai in 2006 and 2007 have returned,” Alan Robertson, the Chief Executive of Jones Lang LaSalle in the Middle East and North Africa said in the report. “The excesses of the last speculative boom will hope- fully be replaced by a period of slower but more sustained growth in demand and prices.” he added. Police forces had to brought in yesterday to control crowds after Emaar Properties, Dubai’s largest developer, offered 188 town- houses for sale in its new development called Mira. The three-bedroom homes, part of a previously announced Reem development, were being sold at a start- ing cost of just Dh988,888 ($269,300), Emaar said, much cheaper than the market cost for such a property. The queues of investors outside offices of major real estate developers recall Dubai’s boom days before 2008 when money poured in from around the world, creating a property bubble that eventually led to a historic crash. REUTERS MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 First oil from Baby formula in demand Juba reaches Khartoum It’s a small testing quantity: Official

KHARTOUM: Sudan’s oil min- with the first revenue arriving up istry said yesterday that the to 40 days later, he added. first crude from South Sudan Fatah said engineers are still reached its territory, bringing checking the condition of the both impoverished nations closer Sudanese pipeline, which runs to billions of dollars in revenue for about 1,500km. So far there after a dispute over fees. appears to be no major problems. “The first batch of oil already Workers on the South Sudanese arrived on Sudanese land yester- side found a bullet hole in the day,” Sudan’s undersecretary at local pipeline on Saturday but the petroleum ministry, Awad the leak has been stopped, he said. Abdul Fatah, said. “It’s a small South Sudan split from Sudan testing quantity.” in July 2011, following an over- Eight days ago South Sudan whelming referendum vote for Aptamil baby formula products are on sale in a Berlin drug store. Because of a strong demand the store has restricted the sale of Aptamil prod- held a ceremony to restart oil independence under a peace deal ucts to three items per person. Blamed for empty shop shelves from Europe to Australia, networks of baby formula traffickers are shipping milk production at the Thar Jath field that ended a 22-year civil war. powder to Chinese parents fearful of local products, and working ever harder to meet demand. in Unity state after a shutdown of The new country separated with more than a year. “We’re really in roughly 75 percent of the 470,000 a hurry to do things quickly, both barrels per day of crude produced of us,” Fatah said. “We’d like for by the formerly unified country, the money to start flowing to the while refineries and export pipe- treasuries as soon as possible.” lines stayed under Khartoum’s The South halted crude pro- jurisdiction. Gulf oil producers see no need to trim output duction in early 2012, cutting off Independence left key issues most of its revenue after accusing unresolved, including how much DUBAI/DOHA: Gulf Arab Opec exporters are happy to leave group’s next meeting on May 31. $100 a barrel since early 2011, Khartoum of theft in a row over the South should pay for shipping oil producers do not see the need production unchanged at current Saudi Arabia’s oil minister said driven by unrest in Libya and a export fees. China was the biggest its oil through Sudan’s export to change production levels to price levels, delegates from all the last month that around $100 a standoff over Iran’s nuclear pro- buyer of the oil. Fatah said the oil infrastructure. Rising tensions support crude prices, Opec dele- Gulf Opec producers said. barrel was a “reasonable” price for gramme, worrying investors that flowed into a tank on Sudanese led to border clashes and a 10-day gates said after benchmark Brent Price hawk Iran did not call on consumers and producers alike. elevated energy costs will hurt the territory from South Sudan’s South Sudanese occupation of the touched new lows on Friday. the Opec price doves across the Brent prices recovered a little on fragile global recovery. Block 5A, southeast of the Unity north’s main Heglig oil field last A sell-off in commodities saw Gulf to cut production, but its oil Friday as oil traders started buy- Western sanctions have cut state capital Bentiu. “They have year. At talks in Addis Ababa last Brent contracts fall from around minister said yesterday that oil ing the global benchmark while Tehran’s oil exports by more than already processed this oil and month, Sudan and South Sudan $106 a barrel on Wednesday to prices should stay above $100 a selling US crude oil on news of half over the past year, making they have pushed this through to finally settled on detailed timeta- lows near $101 on Friday. Brent barrel. “An oil price below $100 a large increase of Canadian oil every extra dollar it can raise the export tank” on the Sudanese bles to resume the oil flows and recovered to $103.11 at close is not reasonable for anyone,” flows into the United States. from those barrels it can sell vital side, Fatah said. implement eight other key pacts of trade last week and Gulf Rostam Qasemi said ahead of the Brent has traded mostly above for public coffers. REUTERS He expressed hope that within to normalise relations. a week oil could begin moving The deals had remained dor- into the main pipeline to begin a mant after signing in September journey of about 45 days to the as Khartoum pushed for guar- export terminal at Port Sudan on antees that South Sudan would 20m jobless in Arab states the Red Sea. “This operation will no longer back rebels fighting in start small because they cannot South Kordofan and Blue Nile ALGIERS: Unemployment in Luqman said the upheavals that • Bullion - Mumbai open all thousands of wells at the states. Independence of the South Arab countries rose to 16 per- swept the Arab world in 2011 and Gold (10 gm) Standard Rs. 29390 same time,” Fatah said. “They have left Khartoum without most of cent in 2012 following the revolts 2012 had caused the rise, particu- Silver (1 kg) Rs. 53060 started already opening the wells.” its export earnings and half of its which erupted the previous larly because of a plunge in foreign • Indian Rupees QR1 = 14.86 He anticipates an initial flow fiscal revenues. year, Arab Labour Organisation investments and the number of of 10,000 barrels per day moving As a result, the pound cur- chief Ahmed Mohamed Luqman tourists visiting the region. • Sensex towards Port Sudan, where stock rency plunged in value on the announced yesterday. “The return of foreign invest- BSE 18242.56 will have to build until there is black market while inflation rose “The unemployment level in ment and political stability will be NSE 5528.55 enough to fill a tanker which can to more than 40 percent, where the Arab world was 14 percent in indispensable in reversing the rise • Short-term investment plan from LIC International upto 6.4 percent return hold more than 600,000 barrels. it remains. Loss of the export fees 2010, which translates to 17 mil- in unemployment in Arab Spring p.a. (in dollar) Production from South Sudan’s from South Sudan’s oil added to lion people out of work,” Luqman countries,” he said. A meeting of • Housing loan from HDFC LTD Upper Nile state, where most of the north’s economic burden said here. “This increased by the ALO, which is affiliated to the • Mutual Fund: Buy & Sell: SBI MF, HDFC MF, UTI MF, Birla Sun Life MF, the fields are located, should reach but, for the South’s government two points by the end of 2012 to 22-member Arab League, opens Tata MF, Reliance MF etc. Sudan in two or three weeks, in Juba, shutting oil production 16 percent, or 20 million people here today where ministers and • Advise on Indian Income Tax matters for NRIs. Fatah said. The first ship carrying meant the loss of 98 percent of unemployed,” the ALO director experts are to discuss ways of Contact: Investec, Tel: 44325060/44365060 email: [email protected] oil could leave sometime in July, its stated revenue. AFP general added. tackling unemployment. AFP Egypt sells $600m in special auction to import basic goods

CAIRO: Egypt’s central bank sold $600m to banks in a special auction of foreign exchange yesterday to pay for wheat, meat, cooking oil and other essential imports to a country struggling with a currency crisis. The size of the auction — 15 times the amount the central bank has been selling at its regular currency auctions — showed the extent of pent up demand for dollars as Egypt struggles with an economic crisis two years after the ousting of Hosni Mubarak. The central bank has been rationing dollars since late December in a system of regular foreign currency auctions brought in to cope with the impact of a run on the pound. Foreign exchange dealers said the authorities would have to use more dollar reserves to guarantee food supplies. Food price inflation has stoked unrest in the past. “The effect will be temporary because the demand is a lot higher than this. They must do it again but it is not clear when that will be,” said a currency dealer. Prime Minister Hisham Kandil said yesterday that the government was looking for ways to stabilise prices of key goods and to ensure the flow of goods into the local market. He said that the unspecified measures were needed to stabilise prices in the coming period in the face of possible price hikes. The hard currency was sold at 6.87 pounds to the dol- lar — near the official rate. The pound is trading much weaker on the black market where most private sector importers are having to source their hard currency needs. The special auction follows Qatar’s pledge last week to buy $3bn in government bonds — a boost to foreign cur- rency reserves that had fallen to critically low levels below the $15bn needed to cover three months worth of imports. At the end of March, the reserves stood at $13.4bn. At official rates, the currency has lost a tenth of its value since the beginning of foreign exchange rationing. The cen- tral bank has been holding three auctions per week, selling $40m at each. Shortages of imported fuel are disrupting transport and leading to power cuts. Egypt, the world’s big- gest importer of wheat, has also cut back on international purchases this year in the hope of a bumper local harvest. Yesterday’s auction was held for banks with clients importing staple commodities such as wheat, cooking oil, tea, meat, fish, beans, butter, corn and baby milk, components for drugs and vaccines as well as spare parts, the central bank said. REUTERS MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET

QE Indices Summary QE Index 8,381.03 1.18 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Total Return Index 11,970.46 1.18 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 2,540.35 1.15 % RATE QE All Share Index 2,131.91 1.22 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 1,997.25 0.86 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 5010.263 36.579 0.74 5174.4 4664.6 QE All Share Consumer Goods & 5,258.34 0.54 % QR183.2605 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 Services Cac 40 Index/D 3763.89 20.18 0.54 3871.58 3600.81 UK ...... QR 5.5526 QR 5.6338 QE All Share Industrials 2,936.52 1.92 % SILVER QE All Share Insurance 1,936.85 1.19 % Dj Indu Average 14802.24 128.78 0.88 14826.7 12035.1 QR 3.2392 Euro ...... QR 4.7304 QR 4.8261 QE All Share Real Estate 1,541.39 1.14 % CA$ ...... QR 3.5606 QR 3.6363 Egypt Cma Gn Idx 1026.29 32.57 3.28 999.95 312.38 QE All Share Telecoms 1,185.34 0.97 % Swiss Fr ...... QR 3.8870 QR 3.9756 QE All Share Transportation 1,416.2 1.31 % Hang Seng Inde/D 22101.27 66.71 0.3 23944.74 21612.05 Yen ...... QR 0.0365 QR 0.0374 QE Market Summary Comparison Aus$ ...... QR 3.7823 QR 3.8783 Iseq Overall/D 3912.54 19.13 0.49 4009.59 3396.67 CRUDE OIL Today Previous day Ind Re ...... QR 0.0658 QR 0.0673 14-04-2013 11-04-2013 Karachi 100 In/D 18764.55 41.2 0.22 18791.22 16036.31 Index 8,381.03 8,481.20 BRENT Pak Re ...... QR 0.0367 QR 0.0375 Change 100.17 30.08 Nikkei 225 Index 13549.16 261.03 1.96 13331.39 10398.61 Peso ...... QR 0.0866 QR 0.0893 % 1.18 0.35 $105.43 SL Re ...... QR 0.0288 QR 0.0293 YTD% 0.26 1.46 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 1589.07 1266.74 DUBAI Taka ...... QR 0.0462 QR 0.0469 Volume 5,785,436 3,303,018 Straits Times/D 3308.8 15.55 0.47 3331.26 3160.83 Nep Re ...... QR 0.0416 QR 0.0424 Value (QAR) 181,813,824.17 139,257,572.03 $103.35 Trades 2,882 2,365 SA Rand ...... QR 0.4054 QR 0.4135 Straits Times/D 2989.31 24.69 0.83 3035.78 2657.77 Up 03 | Down 31 | Unchanged 02

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 14-04-2013

Commodities: Brent oil at new low; gold dives

LONDON: Brent crude oil sank “Prices have come under pres- barrels per day (b/d) this year and said Barclays analyst Suki Cooper. retreated to $1,854 a tonne Ethiopia,” said Commerzbank this week to an eight-month sure as oil demand forecasts for the IEA is of the same opinion. She added: “Cyprus holds 13.9 from $1,888. Three-month lead analysts. Leaf rust has caused low, hit by the poor outlook the rest of 2013 have been lowered By Friday on London’s tonnes of gold valued at $697m. declined to $2,029 a tonne from coffee trees to produce fewer and after a raft of demand forecast by three major industry bodies Intercontinental Exchange, Brent The European Commission $2,067. Three-month tin dropped lower-quality beans. By Friday downgrades and in line with the within the past few days, citing North Sea crude for delivery in May assessment earmarked ¤400m to $22,000 a tonne from $22,800. on LIFFE, Robusta for delivery stronger dollar, analysts said. a worsening economic outlook in tumbled to $102.12 a barrel from ($520m) of gold for disposal, the Three-month nickel reversed in July rose to $2,056 per tonne Precious metal gold meanwhile the eurozone as a key factor. $104.82 the previous week. On the equivalent of 10.4 tonnes.” to $15,918 a tonne from $16,065. from $2,003 for the May contract dived under $1,500 per ounce, The market was rocked by fore- New York Mercantile Exchange, By late Friday on the London Three-month zinc slipped to the previous week. On NYBOT- reaching the lowest level since July cast downgrades for 2013 from West Texas Intermediate or light Bullion Market, the price of gold $1,853 a tonne from $1,887. ICE, Arabica for July firmed to 2011 on the back of speculation that the Organisation of Petroleum sweet crude for May slid to $91.19 eased to $1,535.50 an ounce from COCOA: Cocoa futures 139 US cents a pound from 138.95 Cyprus could sell reserves. Other Exporting Countries (Opec), the a barrel from $92.27. $1,568 the previous week. Silver advanced despite expectations of cents for the May contract. commodities turned in a mixed International Energy Agency (IEA) PRECIOUS METALS: Gold rose to $27.40 an ounce from a large crop from top global pro- SUGAR: Prices diverged as performance as traders also eyed and the US government’s Energy tumbled as low as $1,492.68 ounce $26.97. On the London Platinum ducer Ivory Coast. By Friday on traders contemplated a produc- the Cyprus debt crisis. Information Administration. on Friday, hit by the strong dol- and Palladium Market, platinum LIFFE, London’s futures exchange, tion surplus in Brazil, which is the Eurozone finance ministers Crude futures fell on Thursday lar and speculation over the sale dipped to $1,514 an ounce from cocoa for delivery in July climbed world’s biggest producer. By Friday formally approved the terms of after the IEA projected that global of Cyprus reserves. The dollar $1,531. Palladium reversed to to £1,487 a tonne from £1,430 for on LIFFE, the price of a tonne of a Cyprus bailout on Friday, after oil demand would grow by 795,000 strengthened after minutes to $715.50 an ounce from $720. the May contract a week ear- white sugar for delivery in August some confusion over whether it barrels per day to a total of 90.6 the latest Federal Reserve policy BASE METALS: Base or lier. On New York’s NYBOT-ICE fell to $498.70 from $503.10 for the needed revision, saying it could million barrels a day in 2013. The meeting showed an increase in industrial metal prices fell exchange, cocoa for July rose to May contract the previous week. now go ahead once cleared by figure is slightly lower than its sentiment toward reeling in its amid jitters over the strength $2,243 a tonne from $2,127 for the On NYBOT-ICE, the price of unre- national parliaments. previous outlook, as a decline in QE bond-buying this year. of demand from key consumer May contract a week earlier. fined sugar for July rose to 17.78 US OIL: London’s Brent North European demand partially offset The stronger greenback makes China. “Copper moved lower on COFFEE: Prices advanced cents a pound from 17.63 cents for Sea crude slumped on Friday to growth elsewhere. dollar-priced raw materials more concerns that recent increases as a tree fungus in Central the May contract. $102.12 per barrel, which was the “Perhaps the most significant expensive for buyers using other in supply will not be matched by America continued to hit crops. RUBBER: The market flat- lowest point since July 13, 2012. element of all three reports has currencies. That tends to weigh Chinese demand,” noted CMC “In its latest monthly report, the tened as traders awaited the out- “Oil prices have dropped to been demand pessimism, imply- on demand and prices. “Gold Markets analyst Matt Basi. By International Coffee Organisation come of a key producers’ meeting reach their lowest levels for over ing doubts about global GDP (eco- prices have endured further pres- Friday on the London Metal (ICO) writes that the crops lost in Thailand from April 10-12. The eight months during the week, nomic) growth this year,” noted sure amid hawkish Fed minutes Exchange, copper for delivery in to the Roya fungus in Central Malaysian Rubber Board’s bench- falling to below $103 per barrel PVM oil analyst David Hufton. and news that Cyprus may sell three months slipped to $7,384 a America will be offset by higher mark SMR20 stood at 257.40 US for the first time since July 2012,” “Opec forecasts that global its excess gold reserves to help tonne from $7,421 the previous production in other countries cents a kilo, down from 257.50 said Inenco analyst Gary Hornby. demand will grow by 800,000 meet some of its bailout costs,” week. Three-month aluminium such as Brazil, Indonesia and cents the previous week. AFP MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23 Dickey leads Blue Jays to Celtics lock up victory over Royals

KANSAS CITY: RA Dickey East’s 7th seed hopes the injury to Jose Reyes sparks the Toronto Blue Jays. After finding out the star Paul and Clippers halt Grizzlies’ streak shortstop likely will be sidelined until the All-Star break, Dickey allowed one run and five hits in 6 ORLANDO, Florida: Courtney NBA Results straight contests. Blake Griffin 1-3 innings yesterday in the Blue Lee scored 20 points as the chipped in 12 points and nine Jays’ 3-2 win over the Kansas City Charlotte 95 Milwaukee 85 Boston Celtics clinched the sev- rebounds for the Clippers in the Royals . enth play-off seed in the Eastern Boston 120 Orlando 88 win. Reyes is likely out for three Conference standings yesterday LA Clippers 91 Memphis 87 Marc Gasol had a game-high months with a severe left ankle by routing the Orlando Magic Minnesota 105 Phoenix 93 18 points and 15 boards and Zach sprain, an injury sustained steal- 120-88. Randolph finished with 16 points ing a base on Friday night. Lee was one of seven Boston and Nik Vucevic recorded a dou- and 12 rebounds for the Grizzlies, “It certainly hurts to lose a players to reach double-figures ble-double with 16 points and 12 who lost their first game at home player of Jose’s caliber and per- in scoring. Jeff Green and Jordan rebounds for Orlando, who have since February 5 against Phoenix. sonality,” Dickey said. Crawford had 17 and 16 points, lost six of their last seven games. Memphis are in fifth spot in the “I think it also provides us with respectively. “Very disappointed,” said Western Conference, one position an opportunity to come together “I like our team, I like our Harris. “Played a great team back of the Clippers. and collectively shoulder the bur- team a lot,” said Celtics coach and just didn’t live up to the Paul put the Clippers ahead den that we will miss with his Doc Rivers. opportunity.” 89-87 late in the fourth. After Los absence. Sometimes a situation “The key for us is to get through Both teams shot well in the Angeles forced a turnover on a like that can really cause a team these two games, have some great third quarter, especially the pass from Memphis’ Mike Conley, to jell.” practices and get ready for the Magic who scored 27 points, with Griffin went to the free throw line Jose Bautista hit a two-run playoffs. That’s what you play the Harris and Vucevic combining to to try and extend the lead, but he homer off James Shields (1-2), whole season for.” record all but one. missed both shots. who pitched a two-hitter with six Kevin Garnett, Brandon Bass Boston had 28 points in the But Griffin was fouled on a strikeouts and three walks and and Avery Bradley also scored 14 quarter on 64.7 percent shooting clear path violation, giving the was the hard-luck loser. points apiece for Boston who were from the field. ball back to the Clippers. Jamal Reyes was hitting .395 and led coming off a 109-101 loss to Miami The Celtics led by as many as Crawford then made two free the majors with five stolen bases on Friday. 27 points late in the third to take throws with 2.2 seconds left to before the injury. Garnett finished with nine a 85-64 advantage into the final ice the victory. “We’re going to go as far as rebounds and Paul Pierce scored quarter. With the win, the Clippers the rotation is going to bring us,” 12 points for the Celtics, who beat Meanwhile, Chris Paul sank one took the season series 3-1 and Blue Jays general manager Alex Orlando for the eighth consecu- of two free throws with 18 seconds are looking to earn home-court Anthopoulos said. tive time. left as the Los Angeles Clippers advantage, even though they cur- “That’s really what it comes Boston has just two games snapped the Memphis Grizzlies’ rently share the same record with down. It starts there. No question, remaining in the regular season 13-game home win streak with a Memphis with two games left in Reyes is a big loss offensively, but as they will face Indiana at home 91-87 NBA victory yesterday. the 2012-13 season. I do think we have enough depth on Tuesday before finishing the Paul finished with 13 points and The Clippers are now one-half from our offensive standpoint to regular season in Toronto on five assists, while DeAndre Jordan game behind the Denver Nuggets Memphis Grizzlies’ Tony Allen (left) is fouled by Los Angeles Clippers’ Matt be fine. We just need to get the Wednesday. had 16 points and 12 rebounds for for the third seed in the Western Barnes while driving to the basket during the second half of their NBA rotation going.” Tobias Harris scored 22 points Los Angeles who have won five Conference. AGENCIES action in Memphis, Tennessee, yesterday. Memphis won 91-87. “Nobody has been happy with the way things have gone, not as a starting staff,” Dickey said. “We all talk about it. It’s obvious we haven’t performed, not only Australia make the expectations, but our ability. And we all feel very responsible five changes NHL: LA Kings hold off Ducks to that. That being said, nobody in here is panicking and nobody in for New LOS ANGELES: Open ice and are hoping the Kings and Ducks here is trying any less hard than scoring chances were awfully NHL Results will meet in the postseason for normal.” scarce in the final Freeway Buffalo 1 Philadelphia 0 the first time in their 20 years Acquired from the New York Zealand Test Faceoff of the regular season, Colorado 4 Vancouver 3 together in the NHL. Mets after going 20-6 last season with Los Angeles and Anaheim Toronto 5 Montreal 1 Southern California’s two and winning the NL Cy Young SYDNEY: Australian coach both thinking about their posts- NY Rangers 1 NY Islanders 0 teams are enjoying their strong- Award, Dickey was 0-2 with an Tim Sheens yesterday made five eason position and concentrat- est simultaneous season, with 8.44 ERA in his first two starts Washington 6 Tampa Bay 5 changes to the side that beat ing on play-off-style hockey. Anaheim sitting in second place for Toronto. New Zealand last year for the Drew Doughty and the Kings Carolina 4 Boston 2 in the West for most of the season Against the Royals, the knuck- Kangaroos team to take on the made the most of what little they Pittsburgh 3 Florida 1 and the Kings closing in on a top- leballer struck out four, walked Kiwis in Canberra on Friday. got. Columbus 3 Minnesota 2 four seed for their title defense. two and hit a batter, throwing Australian regulars Justin Doughty had a goal and an Dallas 2 San Jose 1 “I liked our team,” Los Angeles 64 of 100 pitches for strikes. Hodges, Luke Lewis, Anthony assist, Jonathan Quick made 19 Calgary 4 Edmonton 1 coach Darryl Sutter said. AGENCIES Watmough and Sam Thaiday saves and the Kings crept closer “We just finished seven of 11 on Los Angeles 2 Anaheim 1 return to the side after missing to the Ducks atop the Pacific the road, (along with a trip to) last October’s encounter through Division standings with a 2-1 vic- the White House, and managed Baseball Results injury. tory yesterday. (27-10-5) by seven points with to still win our home games while Boston 2 Tampa Bay 1 Newcastle Knights utility Kurt Mike Richards scored the tie- six games to play. The clubs split we were doing it. Without having San Francisco 3 Chicago Cubs 2 Gidley is set to play his first game breaking goal late in the second their four-game Freeway Faceoff one day off anywhere there, with for the national team since 2010 period as the defending Stanley series, with the home team win- all that traveling, I think all of our Atlanta 3 Washington 1 after being named on the inter- Cup champions solidified their ning each time. guys did a good job.” Cleveland 9 Chicago White Sox 4 change bench. grip on a top-four seed in the But defense dominated until Ryan Getzlaf scored a short- Baltimore 5 NY Yankees 3 Back rower Tony Williams, Western Conference by holding the third period at Staples Center. handed goal and Viktor Fasth Detroit 7 Oakland 3 who has been in poor form for off the powerful Ducks, who have There wasn’t much of the frenetic stopped 16 shots for the Ducks, NY Mets 4 Minnesota 2 the Canterbury Bulldogs this sea- lost two straight. energy of last weekend’s meeting who have lost in their past five St Louis 8 Milwaukee 0 son, missed out on selection while Brandon Prust of the Montreal “Both teams were checking in Anaheim, won 4-3 in a shootout trips to Staples Center. Pittsburgh 3 Cincinnati 1 Melbourne’s Ryan Hoffman was Canadiens skates in a game hard, playing well defensively and by the Ducks. Anaheim is still in prime posi- Toronto 3 Kansas City 2 also squeezed out of the team. against the Toronto Maple making sure they weren’t mak- “Everybody wants to make tion for a strong playoff run, The Kangaroos beat New Leafs at the Air Canada Centre ing any mistakes or turnovers,” that big rivalry about the Ducks,” but coach Bruce Boudreau is Miami 2 Philadelphia 1 Zealand 18-10 in their last in Toronto, Ontario, Canada Doughty said. “When two teams Doughty said. “There definitely worried about his club’s offense LA Dodgers 7 Arizona 5 meeting in Townsville, north are doing that to the best of their is one, but it’s nothing out of the after second straight one-goal yesterday. The Leafs defeated Colorado 9 San Diego 5 Queensland, last October after ability, it’s hard to create.” ordinary.” performance. the Canadiens 5-1. LA Angels 5 Houston 4 winning 20-12 in Auckland last Los Angeles (24-14-4) trails Perhaps only a playoff series “We’re not scoring any goals,” Texas 3 Seattle 1 April. division-leading Anaheim would change that: Fans already Boudreau said. AGENCIES Meanwhile, Australian coach Tim Sheens said yesterday World Cup places were still up for grabs after making five team changes for this week’s rugby league Test against New Zealand in Canberra. Cuban Rigondeaux snaps Donaire’s streak Australian regulars Justin Hodges, Luke Lewis, Anthony NEW YORK: Cuba’s Guillermo 30-fight win streak. He dropped Rigondeaux compiled one of the Watmough and Sam Thaiday Rigondeaux beat Nonito Donaire to 31-2 with 20 knockouts. greatest amateur careers of all return to the side for Friday’s Test by a unanimous decision yester- Donaire’s only previous loss time before defecting from Cuba after missing last October’s 18-10 day to retain his WBA junior was March 10, 2001 in his second four years ago. win over the Kiwis in Townsville featherweight world title and pro fight. He captured two Olympic through injury. hand the Filipino his first loss in He said he was sorry after the gold medals (2000 and 2004) Newcastle Knights utility Kurt 12 years. fight for the way he fought in the and won the World Amateur Gidley is set to play his first game Two-time Olympic gold medal final rounds. Championship in 2001 and 2005. Guillermo for the national team since 2010 winner Rigondeaux recovered “I apologize,” Donaire said. “I He won the WBA title with a Rigondeaux of after being named on the inter- from an earlier knockdown to win wanted to deliver. During the last sixth-round knockout of previ- Cuba celebrates change bench. the 12-round bout at Radio City two rounds, I got stupid. I didn’t ously undefeated Rico Ramos in after being declared “It’s a side that is quite familiar, Music Hall on all three judges’ do my job. January 2012. the winner by but it is a long year and nobody is scorecards, 114-113, 115-112 and “I didn’t use my jab and go to Back in the Philippines, unanimous decision guaranteed a spot,’ Sheens said. 116-111. my left. I have no excuse. He beat Donaire’s fans were left to rue over Nonito Donaire “State of Origin always throws The 32-year-old Rigondeaux me tonight.” the defeat of another champion of the Philippines up a few candidates and was orig- remained undefeated as a pro, Rigondeaux pushed the action following boxing legend Manny in their WBO/WBA inally used as a trial for the Test improving to 12-0 with eight for much of the fight, landing 129 Pacquiao’s loss to Timothy junior featherweight side.” knockouts. He also took Donaire’s of 396 total punches compared to Bradley in June. title unification fight Back rower Tony Williams, WBO version of the belt. 82 of 352 for the Filipino. “No more Pacquiao, no more who has been in poor form for “As I told you before, I would do Donaire delivered a left hook Donaire,” exclaimed Bert Castro at Radio City Music the Canterbury Bulldogs this sea- my job and I did,” Rigondeaux said that floored Rigondeaux in the as he and dozens of patrons left a Hall in New York, son, missed out on selection while through an interpreter. “I made opening minute of the 10th round, sports bar in Manila. “What hap- yesterday. Melbourne’s Ryan Hoffman was him look bad. You can’t win by while the Cuban connected on a pens next to Philippine boxing?” also squeezed out of the team. landing one shot.” hard left that stunned Donaire The fight was just the second Canterbury’s Josh Morris is The Cuban defector Rigondeaux early in the 12th and opened a cut in the 82-year history of the named 18th man as a precaution, went down from a left in the 10th over his right eye. famed Radio City Music Hall. In with Nate Myles keeping his place round but dominated the 12th. Donaire fought the rest of the 2000, Roy Jones Jr. retained the ahead of Williams. Thirty-year-old Donaire came round with his glove up high to light heavyweight championship AGENCIES into the bout riding a brilliant protect that side of his face. against David Telesco. AFP MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Tomic crashes out Father-son duo wins QGL Golf Tournament in Monte Carlo Almagro to face Isner in Houston final

MONTE CARLO, Monaco: German Philipp Kohlschreiber, Spanish grinder David Ferrer, Bernard Tomic’s European clay a two-time quarter-finalist, losing finalist in Miami to Murray court season got off to the worst became the first seed into the and the 2011 losing finalist here to possible start as the Australian second round as the tournament Nadal, withdrew before the start went down 6-2, 6-4 to Alexandr number 16 dispatched Thomaz with the thigh injury which both- Dolgopolov to exit in the first Bellucci of Brazil 6-4, 6-2. ered him in Florida. The participants who took part in the golf tournament organised by Qatar Golf Lovers (QGL) over the weekend round of the Monte Carlo Action for leading lights should Meanwhile, top seed Nicolas at the Doha Golf Club pose for a picture. Wayne Manuel teaming up with his son Jeff Manuel emerged victori- Masters yesterday. highlight play from today, though Almagro, whose 12 previous ous in the golf tournament. A total of 32 teams participated in the event which was played on ‘Texas Scramble’ Tomic, who now has a base in elite seeds are unlikely to take to ATP wins have all come on clay, format. Jeff Penney and Shane McEchern carded the same net score as the winners but had to settle for the the tax-free principality, failed to the courts before tomorrow at the reached the final of the US Clay second prize on countback. Pierre Phillipe won the ‘longest putt’, Richard Msweli won the ‘longest drive’, shine in his new locale, losing in earliest. Court Championships yester- Kim Critchley won the ‘closest to rope’ and Colin Mitchell won the ‘closest to pin’ prizes. a quick one hour to the Ukranian All eyes are on third seed day by routing wild card Rhyne ranked 22 who has now won four Rafael Nadal, starting a bid for Williams 6-2, 6-1. of their five career meetings. an unprecedented ninth straight Spain’s Almagro squares off in The result was a duplicate of trophy at the event which he has today’s final against last year’s the defeat Tomic suffered to the dominated. runner-up John Isner, who won Ukranian here a year ago in the Scot Andy Murray, the Miami a re-match against defending Asian Communities Football second round. champion a fortnight ago, takes champion Juan Monaco 1-6, 6-4, The number 43rd ranked the second seeding and could be 6-4 in the other semi-final. Qeenslander was broken three lining up against Spain’s king of “I think I played better than times in the brief affair which clay in a possible semi-final. yesterday,” said Almagro. “I felt Tournament kicks off in Doha marked his ATP spring introduc- But new world number two good today. I’m very happy with tion to the clay after winning both Murray is also in danger, with my game. I tried to be focussed DOHA: The inaugural Asian Communities The next game will be on April 19 with South of his Davis Cup ties on the sur- calculations suggesting that if he all the time. That’s important for Football Tournament of Qatar Football Association Korea taking on Malaysia at 6pm which will then face in Uzbekistan last weekend. loses before the quarter-finals, his me. I tried to play aggressive, and (QFA) kicked-off on Friday with Japan regis- be followed by Singapore taking on impressive Japan The Australian’s loss was his place in the rankings will be taken I did it.” tering a fluent 4-1 win over Indonesia Al Khor at 8pm. seventh of the season against 13 back by Roger Federer. World number 12 Almagro Community team. The first and second teams in each group will wins; he now stands 1-3 in Monte The Swiss, currently third, is is also bidding to claim his first Hajime Kuroda scored all the 4 goals for Japan. meet each other in the semi-finals with the final and Carlo. missing the only optional Masters title on American soil and 13th In the second game, it was a traditional rivalry prize-presentation ceremony on May 10. With leading seeds given 1000 to continue a pre-planned on clay. Earlier this year he suc- between Malaysia and Indonesia PERSIQA With support and partnership with QFA, this first-round byes at the cliffside training block in his native cessfully defended his title at the (Indonesia Football Association in Qatar) team. Asian Football tournament is able to promote com- Country Club, only three main Switzerland. His return is set ATP Nice event. Almagro broke True to its competitive spirit between the two munity outreach programme and will include the draw matches were scheduled on for the Madrid Masters in three Williams five times, winning 61 sides, the closely-fought game ended in an exciting other international expatriate communities based the day as the qualifying round weeks, where he will be defending percent of his return points in the 3-3 draw. in Qatar for next year’s tournament. wrapped up on a postcard perfect his 2012 title won on controversial 59 minute match at River Oaks Six teams are taking part in the tournament. THE PENINSULA day on the Mediterranean coast. blue clay. Country Club. AGENCIES

Marek Semjan (second right) of the Slovak Republic, winner at the Qatar ITF Futures poses for a picture along with runner-up Yuki Bhambri of India (second left) and Qatar Tennis Federation Secretary General Tariq Zainal (centre) and other officials at the prize distribution ceremony, in Doha, on Saturday. Bhambri who took the first set pulled out due to an injury with the score reading 3-6, 6-6 (retired). Ambassadors from Malaysia and Indonesia and diplomats from Japan, South Korea and Singapore pose for a picture along with team representatives of the teams taking part in the inaugural Asian Communities Football Tournament of Qatar Football Association (QFA). Seville, West Bromwich Albion set for Under-18 tournament in Qatar DOHA: The second edition of the Aspire Academy International Under-18 Tournament 2013 kicks off today at Aspire Zone with teams travelling in from Europe and Bahrain to take on the best players at the Academy, Aspire Team A and B. The Under-18 side from the Premier League club and former FA Cup winners West Bromwich Albion launch the competi- tion in a match with Spain’s top tier football Action from the club Seville’s Under-18 at Aspire Academy match between outdoor football pitches. Aspire Academy In what will certainly be a clash of titans and English in terms of football, a high level of football Premier League skill will be on display as Seville has pre- club Tottenham viously been named the best club in the Hotspurs at Aspire world. Academy in this file Aspire will get an opportunity to shine picture of April 25, against Benfica, considered to be one Portugal’s ‘Tres Grandes’ or Big Three - the 2012. nickname given to the top three clubs in the country today at 4.30pm. Bahrain’s Under- 18’s side will take on Benfica the following day at the high-tech and well equipped sports stadium.

Ivan Bravo, Director General of Aspire took place last month which pitted the Academy said: “This is certain to be a thrill- 1998 and 1999 teams against top European ing and exciting tournament. The Aspire clubs Gheorghe Hagi Football Academy and Academy team have much to gain from Schalke 04. hosting these challenging matches and the Aspire Academy regularly organises and international teams benefit from the calibre hosts international sports tournaments at of training and facilities on offer here.” Aspire Zone giving their young players expo- The five-day tournament will end on sure to the competition environment and April 19. giving all teams involved the opportunity to The games get under way at 4.30pm every practice their skills. afternoon with two matches taking place In January this year, Aspire Zone simultaneously. The event is open to all and Foundation co-hosted the second annual spectators are encouraged to come along to Al Kass Tournament with Qatar Football cheer on the young teams. Association and Al Kass Sport Channels The Aspire Academy International bringing together 12 teams from around the U-18 Tournament 2013 follows on from globe over a ten days competition. the Triangular Local Tournament that THE PENINSULA MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Guan struggles Cricket: to 77 but Pakistan still enjoying bans two Masters Brandt Snedeker umpires over AUGUSTA: Chinese 14-year- of the old schoolboy Guan Tianlang, US plays the youngest player in Masters during the spot-fixing history, struggled to a five-over third round par 77 in the third round of the of the 77th LAHORE: Pakistan cricket 77th Masters to stand third- authorities yesterday banned Masters at from last. two umpires, including one Augusta Simply reaching the weekend international, after finding by making the cut on the number National them guilty was a triumph of sorts for Guan, Golf Club of being the youngest player in a major in Augusta, willing to since Scotland’s “Young” Tom Georgia. spot-fix in Morris made his British Open INSET return for debut at age 14 in 1865. (left): Angel money. “It’s just a great week for Cabrera of Nadeem me, and I really enjoy it,” Guan Argentina Ghauri said. “People here are nice and I talks with (pictured), learned a lot from the top players. his caddie who stood I played pretty good rounds these Angel in five three days. It’s really great.” Cabrera Tests, 43 Guan, who won the Asia-Pacific Jr as one-day and four Twenty20 inter- Amateur Championship last year they walk nationals was suspended for four in Thailand to qualify for the towards years while domestic first-class Masters, stood on nine-over par umpire Anis Siddiqui received a the green 225 after 54 holes. three year penalty. on the 12th Today, Guan will play along- The Pakistan Cricket Board side Scotland’s 55-year-old Sandy hole. (PCB) announced the meas- Lyle, the 1985 Masters winner, in ures after the private India TV the second group. channel aired footage in October “I’m pretty excited I get to in which a number of umpires play with all the top players on faced questions from undercover the weekend,” Guan said. “I had reporters asking if they would a pretty good run in the first two give decisions in return for cash. days, and today feels pretty good, The PCB said in a statement not badly. I did a couple unlucky that Ghauri, 50, “straight away (things), but that’s golf.” agreed to extend undue favours After a bogey at the par-3 for material gains, therefore, fourth for the second day in a row, he cannot be cleared to offici- Guan took bogeys at the par-4 ate matches for a period of four ninth and par-4 11th for the sec- years”. ond time in three days. He also Snedeker and Cabrera However, it noted that Siddiqui made bogeys at 14 and 17 playing “resisted their undue demands alongside Denmark’s Thorbjorn repeatedly, but finally conceded Olesen. to them on their persistence”. “Unbelievable. He’s a great The umpires caught up in player,” Olesen said. “Every shot the sting included the two from he hit was almost at the pin and share lead at Masters Pakistan, three from Sri Lanka in the right spots. He could have and Nadir Shah of Bangladesh. holed a few more putts, but I was The Bangladesh Cricket Board really impressed by his game. It last month banned Shah, also an was impressive to watch.” Three Australian golfers in top five after day three international umpire, for ten Guan has not made a birdie years after he appeared to show since sinking a 20-foot putt on he was willing to give lbw (leg the 18th hole on Thursday to fin- AUGUSTA, GEORGIA: a 70 in difficult conditions. “I’m world, made a steady start, par- Veteran American Fred before wicket) decisions in return ish his first Masters round with American Brandt Snedeker right there in the ballgame,” he ring his first 12 holes before reel- Couples started the third round for cash. a sizzling 71. REUTERS and Angel Cabrera of Argentina said. “As of right now I’m four ing off three birdies on the back a shot behind Day but quickly lost All the umpires were immedi- survived a drama-packed day at back with a great shot to win this nine to join Day in the lead. touch with his younger rivals and ately suspended by their respec- Third-round scores the Masters yesterday to share championship.” The American briefly held the carded a 77, while Rory McIlroy’s tive countries on the instructions the lead after the third round, Tournament officials used their lead in the final round at Augusta charge crumbled when he shot a of the International Cricket at the Masters nosing themselves ahead of discretionary powers to allow five years ago but crumbled under 79 that included a triple bogey Council (ICC) pending inquiry. a congested leaderboard that Woods to remain in the champi- the pressure and finished tied for and a double bogey on the back “Today’s decision reiterates the AUGUSTA, Georgia: included the imposing figure of onship after reviewing an incident third. nine. commitment of the PCB to keep Complete scores after the third Tiger Woods. in the second round. “I’ve spent 32 years of my life “I was only a few off the lead our great sport free of all corrupt round of the 77th Masters at Snedeker kept his cool in the The world number one could getting ready for tomorrow and going into seventh hole today practices,” the PCB statement par-72 Augusta National Golf suffocating pressure of Augusta have been disqualified for an ille- it’s all been a learning process,” and then all of a sudden I play said after reaching a decision Club: National to shoot a flawless three- gal drop at the 15th hole but the he said. seven through 11 in five over par during a meeting of the integrity 209 Brandt Snedeker (USA) under par 69 to finish the day at Masters competition committee “I’m not here to get a good fin- and basically my chances in the committee. 70-70-69, Angel Cabrera seven-under and in sight of a first took a lenient approach, slap- ish. I’m not here to finish top-5. tournament are gone,” said the The allegations were broadcast (ARG) 71-69-69 major title. ping him instead with a two-shot I’m here to win.” Northern Irishman. only days after the final of the 210 Adam Scott (AUS) 69-72-69 He was joined at the top by penalty. Day, who finished joint runner- The defending champion, World Twenty20 tournament in 211 Marc Leishman (AUS) Cabrera, the 2009 Masters cham- Woods said he was unaware up with Scott two years ago, led by American left-hander Bubba Sri Lanka. The PCB said it had 66-73-72, Jason Day (AUS) pion, who drained a birdie putt that he had breached any rules a shot overnight. Like Snedeker, Watson, made six birdies but undertaken a rigorous investiga- 70-68-73 at the last hole for a 69, igniting after officials investigated the he also parred his first 12 holes handed back four shots with a tion before coming to its decision. 212 Matt Kuchar (USA) a huge roar from the greenside episode on Friday night and ini- then birdied the par-5 13th but pair of bogeys and a double to “The committee obtained 68-75-69 galleries that echoed around the tially cleared him of any wrongdo- slipped up with bogeys on each of finish the day at two-over. unedited video footage from the 213 Tim Clark (RSA) 70-76-67, Georgia course. ing but conceded he had made an the last two holes. “I have to shoot a real low one India TV along with all relevant Tiger Woods 70-71-70 Adam Scott was third at six- innocent mistake. Scott, who threw away a four- tomorrow to have a chance,” said evidence available with the ICC, under after also signing for 69, “I understand and accept the shot lead with four holes to play at Watson. and after authenticating Ghauri 214 Rickie Fowler (USA) one stroke ahead of his fellow penalty and respect the com- last year’s British Open, gave him- “But I will come out tomorrow and Siddiqui were asked to give 72-68-70, Steve Stricker Australians Jason Day (73) and mittee’s decision,” Woods said in self a chance for redemption with and just enjoy the walk as my last a written submissions and were (USA) 73-70-71, Bernhard Marc Leishman (72), raising a statement before starting his a tidy round while Leishman, who day as defending champ and try cross examined,” it said. Langer (GER) 71-71-72, Lee hopes the winner’s green jacket round. shared the lead at times through- to shoot a decent number.” Sri Lanka Cricket’s inquiry Westwood (ENG) 70-71-73, could finally be heading Down The decision not to disqual- out the day, made a bogey at 17 to China’s teenage sensation Guan against their umpires Gamini Jim Furyk (USA) 69-71-74 Under after years of near-misses. ify Woods triggered an instant finish level with Day. Tianlang, the feel-good story of Dissanayake, Maurice Winston, 215 Nick Watney (USA) 78-69- Matt Kuchar (69) was at four- debate around the golfing world, The Masters is the only major the tournament, once again Sagara Gallage is still pending. 68, Bo Van Pelt (USA) under, just one ahead of South with players and fans divided over that has eluded Australia’s best wowed the galleries with his Ghauri said the suspension had 71-74-70, Sergio Garcia African Tim Clark, who shot the whether he had gotten off lightly. golfers but with three players in clever shotmaking and nerves of left him reeling. (ESP) 66-76-73, Gonzalo best round of the day with a 67, Critics said he should have vol- the top five heading into the final steel that belied his tender years. “The four years ban is a big Fernandez-Castano (ESP) and the ever-present Woods, who untarily withdrawn to uphold the round, the drought could soon be “I get to play with all the top shock for me,” he said. “I will 68-74-73 was almost disqualified for a rule game’s integrity, but for the play- over. players on the weekend,” the consult lawyers and friends before 216 Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN) infringement. ers on the course, it was business “It’s a great opportunity for 14-year-old said after his 77. “It’s taking the next step. I was never 78-70-68, Zach Johnson Woods has never come from as usual as they tried to make up all of us to be the first,” said Day. great for me, and I think I had a involved in any sort of corruption (USA) 69-76-71, Justin behind on the final day to win a ground on what is traditionally “So if it happens tomorrow, that’s pretty good run in the first two as player or as umpire.” Rose (ENG) 70-71-75, major but believes he can add to known as moving day. great. If it doesn’t, then we’re days, and today feels pretty good.” Ghauri featured in one Test Jason Dufner (USA) 72-69- his tally of 14 after carving out Snedeker, ranked fifth in the going to keep plugging away.” REUTERS and six one-day internationals for 75, Fred Couples (USA) Pakistan as a player in 1989-90 68-71-77 and his last international umpir- 217 Fredrik Jacobson (SWE) Lin lifts sixth Asian Tour ing fixture was Pakistan against 72-73-72, Bill Haas (USA) South Africa in UAE in 2010. 71-72-74, Dustin Johnson Pakistan has been at the centre (USA) 67-76-74, John title with impressive win of fixing scandals since 1994 when Senden (AUS) 72-70-75, their captain Salim Malik was Charl Schwartzel (RSA) MANILA: Lin Wen-tang scrambled from the trees on his last two alleged to have offered bribes to 71-71-75 holes to set up an unlikely win at the Solaire Open and claim his Australian players Shane Warne, 218 Bubba Watson (USA) sixth Asian Tour title yesterday. Tim May and Mark Waugh to 75-73-70, John Huh (USA) The overnight leader came up with two remarkable shots on the 17th underperform during matches 70-77-71, Ernie Els (RSA) and 18th to pip Thai veteran Thammanoon Sriroj, who had snatched on the tour. Malik was subse- 71-74-73, Luke Donald the lead earlier in the day, and Asian Tour rookie Richard T Lee of quently banned for life by a judi- (ENG) 71-72-75, K.J. Choi Canada by one stroke. cial inquiry while Wasim Akram, (KOR) 70-71-77 Thammanoon’s title hopes were dented by bogeys on the 16th and Inzamam-ul Haq, Waqar Younis, 219 Branden Grace (RSA) 18th in a final round of one-over 73, while Lee signed off with a strong Saeed Anwar, Mushtaq Ahmed 78-70-71, Robert Garrigus 69 for his best Asian Tour finish. and Akram Raza were fined. (USA) 76-71-72, Stewart Trailing Thammanoon going into the 17th, Taiwan’s Lin hit his tee Three Pakistani players -- Cink (USA) 75-71-73, D.A. shot into the woods but he managed to punch the ball out and then Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif Points (USA) 72-75-72, sink his second birdie of the day. and Mohammad Aamer -- were Henrik Stenson (SWE) Lin’s second shot on the 18th also found the trees but he somehow also banned and jailed after a 75-71-73 worked the ball onto the green from there and holed a 15-foot par putt newspaper sting operation caught 220 Jose Maria Olazabal (ESP) for the win. The manner of victory revived memories of Lin’s 2008 Hong them in spot-fixing scandal on the 74-72-74, Kevin Na (USA) Kong Open victory when he had to hit over the trees to stay alive in tour of England in 2010. 70-76-74, Brian Gay (USA) a playoff with Rory McIlroy. Pakistan’s leg-spinner Danish 72-74-74, Vijay Singh (FIJ) Lin won the top prize of $300,000. Kaneria was also banned for life 72-74-74, Richard Sterne Korean Wang Jeung-hun (69) finished a stroke further back while Tiger Woods of the US plays a shot during the third round of the 77th by the England and Wales Cricket (RSA) 73-72-75, David Elmer Salvador (74) was the best placed Filipino in fifth at level-par Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. Board on charges of spot-fixing Toms (USA) 70-74-76 288. REUTERS last year. REUTERS MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Ankle Al Sadd in Emir Cup final injury still a concern for Eljaish win second match of the best-of-three series against Al Rayyan Djokovic BY DANOTZKI SANTOS MONTE CARLO, Monaco: DOHA: Al Sadd came to the World number one Novak match riding high on a master- Djokovic admitted yesterday ful domination of Al Arabi in that he cannot guarantee he’ll their first game, and repeated start the Monte Carlo Masters over their foes, 79-74, in Game as he battles the after effects of 2 last night at the Al Gharafa an ankle injury. Indoor Arena to clinch the first “I can’t guarantee 100 percent finals berth in the the Emir that I’ll be on court. I have to be Basketball Cup. realistic and cautious,” said the At the Al Gharafa Indoor world number one who rolled his Stadium yesterday, Al Sadd right ankle badly a week ago dur- surged to a 12-8 lead halfway ing Serbia’s Davis Cup win in the in the first period and pegged a United States. 24-11 advantage behind Ibrahim “I’ve had three days of practice Thomas’ 19 points with still 2 and I’ve been increasing the level minutes left in the period. each day. If I have discomfort over The defending champions the next two days that would be would pound harder to close the an indication if I should or should first period soaring high at 31-18 not play.” and kept the surge in the second Djokovic, who is based in Monte quarter as the disorganized white Carlo and feels a responsibility to shirts starved on the offensive end compete if possible in his “home” to trail by a mile, 33-48 at half event, said that he will make a time. final decision by tomorrow. Al Arabi came pushing and He and the other top eight managed to prune the black seeds all received byes into the shirts’ lead at 58-47, with 4 min- second round. utes gone in the third but with “This is a strong event and inferior firepower the white shirts there is no room for compro- got buried deeper and stared mise,” added the Australian Open at a 66-74 with the game clock champion. reduced to 68 seconds. “This is the start of a new sea- Jalloh hit from long range com- son on a new surface. To compete ing off a time-out and made it at a high level I must be 100 per- 69-74. cent fit. Al Sadd would lose possession Al Sadd player De La Rosa tries to score a basket while being challenged by Al Arabi player Rogers Mattew during their Emir Cup basketball match at “I’ve been taping the ankle in the next offensive with time Gharafa Indoor Stadium yesterday. RIGHT: Eljaish player Fadi Abilmona and Al Rayyan player Burston Matthew vie for the ball during their Emir Cup and doing all I can to be ready down to 41 seconds and Alvin game at Gharafa Indoor Arena yesterday. PHOTO BY: KAMMUTTY VP on the court. I know there is a Mofunanya sank a put back but lot of expectation for me to play missed the gift shot. deadlock in their best-of-three nine-point lead at the start of deficit before the start of the final 58-49 with the game approaching - no one wants me to be out Thomas paced Al Sadd with series and force a rubber match the third and Ali buried succes- period at 44-50. Al Rayyan, who the homestretch. there more than I do. I consider 23 points. Michael Benjamin tomorrow. sive jumpers as Eljaish established missed the services of the injured The reigning Heir Apparent this a very special place and I’m Southall and Rashad Anderson Ali Turki Ali and Fadi their biggest lead, 47-31. Harold Boney Watson, inched champions crawled back in con- extra-motivated. contributed 19 points each for the Abilmona combined for 22 mark- The well-rested Fadi was sent closer to 47-50 as the final period tention at 53-60 with 2:40 in the “I’m really encouraged by the winners. ers in the first half alone to push back in midway in the period began but Fadi and Ali joined game clock but Antonio Anderson progress over the last few days, On the other hand, Eljaish Army to a 40-31 lead in the first with the white shirts making a forces once again in igniting an hit back-to-back twinners in the it’s much more than I would have held off Al Rayyan, 64-55, ear- 20 minutes of the game. headway and eventually complet- 8-2 counter-offensive that gave ensuing plays to nail the win for expected it to be. I’ll do every- lier in the evening to forge a 1-1 Mohammed Bakir made it a ing a 13-3 run that chopped the Eljaish some breathing space at Army. THE PENINSULA thing in my power to play.” AFP Scoreboard Gebrselassie wins in Vienna Gambhir, Kallis steer KINGS XI PUNJAB Mandeep Singh c Binny b Sreesanth ...... 2 A C Gilchrist c Trivedi b Sreesanth ...... 0 VIENNA: Ethiopian distance didn’t stop encouraging me.” In in six years to contest an individ- M Vohra (run out-Faulkner) ...... 3 star Haile Gebrselassie won his March, Gebrselassie stated he ual sprint at a major champion- Knight Riders to win third consecutive Vienna half was still in love with running and ships after claiming an impressive D J Hussey c Dravid b Trivedi ...... 41 Gurkeerat Singh c Samson b Trivedi ...... 10 marathon yesterday, timing one had no intention of retiring. 200-metre victory at the national KOLKATA: Holders Kolkata Sachitra Senanayeke (1/18) R Sathish c Samson b Faulkner ...... 11 hour one minute and 14 seconds. He is scheduled to take part in world trials in Sydney yesterday. Knight Riders brought their made an impressive IPL debut Azhar Mahmood b Cooper ...... 23 Gebrselassie, a double Olympic a race in Bern on May 18 before Ross won the event in a campaign back on track, hum- for KKR. All-rounder Kallis, who P P Chawla c Rahane b Cooper ...... 7 10,000 metres champion who defending his Great Manchester B-qualifying time of 20.57 seconds, bling Sunrisers Hyderabad by earlier impressed with the bat, R J Harris (not out) ...... 2 turns 40 next week, took control 10km Run title on May 26. His just four hundredths of a second 48 runs in an Indian Premier returned to torment the visitors P Kumar (run out-Samson) ...... 15 of the race at the midway point. Vienna performance was outside outside his personal best set back League match at the Eden with the ball (3/13) as well. P Awana c Samson b Faulkner ...... 0 After crossing the line ahead his two previous winning times in in 2007. It came a day after he Gardens here yesterday. Kallis removed both the open- Extras (LB-2, W-7, NB-1) ...... 10 of Kenya’s Hosea Kipkemboi 2011 and 2012, and well short of claimed a record-equalling seventh The Sunrisers managed 132/7, ers, derailing the visitors’ run Total (all out in 18.5 overs) ...... 124 (1hr02.21) and Ethiopian his best ever half marathon mark national 100m title, guaranteeing replying to an imposing 180. chase as they failed to sustain Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-8, 3-10, 4-45, 5-67, Mekuant Ayenew (1hr02.21) he of 58 minutes 55 seconds. him a spot in the 4x100m relay Gautam Gambhir (53), Jacques the momentum while the hosts 6-75, 7-92, 8-104, 9-124, 10-124. reflected: “It was a magnificent Meanwhile, Josh Ross will squad for the world championships Kallis (41) and Eoin Morgan (47) tightened their grip. Bowling: A Chandila 3-0-14-0; S Sreesanth festival, with a golden public who become the first Australian man in Moscow in August. AGENCIES were the main contributors for The burly South African came 4-1-20-2 (1nb, 1w); K Cooper 3-0-33-2 (1w); KKR. Playing at home after los- back in the penultimate over to J P Faulkner 3.5-0-30-2; S K Trivedi 4-0-21- ing two successive away games, get rid of Thisara Perera 36 (25b 2; S T R Binny 1-0-4-0. KKR garnered full two points, to 2x4 1x6). RAJASTHAN ROYALS inflate their kitty to four from as Sunil Narine (1/31) and Rajat S R Watson c Mandeep Singh b Awana ....32 many games. Bhatia (2/33) were the other A M Rahane (not out)...... 34 Stage set for today’s finals The Sunrisers started off solidly wicket takers. R Dravid c Gilchrist b Kumar ...... 9 with explosive batsman Cameron Earlier, choosing to bat first, S T R Binny c Gilchrist b Kumar ...... 0 White promoting himself up the KKR began well as their open- B J Hodge lbw Chawla ...... 15 order to partner Parthiv Patel. ers Gambhir and Manvider Bisla S V Samson (not out) ...... 27 at InterContinental Squash The duo put up the first 50-run scored fluently reaching 50 in Extras (LB-6, W-3) ...... 9 opening partnership for the visi- the 7th over as Sunrisers bowl- Total (for 4 wkts in 19.2 overs) ...... 126 DOHA: The finals of the tors in IPL-6. ers looked listless against the bat- To bat: J P Faulkner, K Cooper, S K Trivedi, A InterContinental Squash However, the stand was broken ting onslaught. Chandila, S Sreesanth. Tournament of Qatar Squash at 57 when Patel 27 (31b 2x4 1x6) Sangakkara kept on rotating Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-58, 3-58, 4-79. Federation will be played today was castled by a Jacques Kallis his bowlers but they failed to Bowling: P Kumar 4-1-10-2 (1w); R J Harris at InterContinental Doha Bay delivery while going for an expan- make any impact. 4-0-30-0 (2w); P Awana 4-0-35-1; Azhar Club. sive shot. KKR’s foreign recruits Kallis Mahmood 4-0-23-0; P P Chawla 3.2-0-22-1. The tournament is sponsored Patel’s exit led to the fall of and Morgan revved up the run Player-of-the-Match: JP Faulkner (Royals) by InterContinental Hotel and two more wickets. Cameron 34 rate towards the end as they Galaxy Sports and is contested (31b 2x4 1x6) and skipper Kumar flayed the Hyderabad bowlers all in ten categories. Today’s action Sangakkara (2) departed in quick around the park. Morgan scored begins at 5.00pm. secession, leaving the visitors in 22 of the last over of Thisara Royals clinch THE PENINSULA trouble at 71/3 in the 12th over. Perera, including three bounda- With the asking run rate ries and a six, to take KKR past mounting, the Sunrisers’ frail the 150 run mark in the 18th over. third victory Results Professional: Ahmed Noor bt Alex Rosca batting line-up wilted under pres- Morgan 47 (21b 5x4 3x6) was (3-0) 11-1, 11-2, 11-1; Azlan Amgad bt sure, as the willowers threw their run out in the very next over to JAIPUR: Rajasthan Royals Fabian Chenais (3-0) 11-1, 11-6, 11-2; wickets away in their endeavour bring curtains to his blistering recorded their third win in the Ahmed Al Tamimi bt Fabian Chenais, (3-0) to score quick runs. knock. IANS Indian Premier League (IPL) 11-1, 11-2, 11-9. this season and moved to third in Level A: Alex Rosca bt Haythm Gooda (3-0) the standings with a six-wicket Scoreboard 11-3, 11-3, 11-9; Ahmed Noor bt Graham win over Kings XI Punjab at the Hermanx (3-0) 11-2, 11-2, 11-1; Fabian Sawai Mansingh Stadium here KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS C L White c Pathan b Kallis ...... 34 Chenais bt Khaled Al Hendawi (3-1) 11-2, yesterday. M S Bisla c Vihari b K V Sharma ...... 28 K C Sangakkara c Tiwary b Bhatia ...... 2 11-8, 10-12, 11-7; Umair Zaman bt Filip Poor shot selection from Punjab G Gambhir b Ashish Reddy ...... 53 D B Ravi Teja c Tiwary b Narine ...... 10 (3-0) 11-3, 11-5, 11-4. J H Kallis (run out-Mishra/Patel) ...... 41 N L T C Perera b Kallis ...... 36 batsman coupled with some tight bowling by Royals bowlers led to Level B: Sadam Mehawesh bt Haytham E J G Morgan (run out-Steyn) ...... 47 A Ashish Reddy b Senanayake ...... 4 Gouda, (3-2) 0-11, 7-11, 11-7, 8-11, Y K Pathan (not out)...... 3 K V Sharma (not out) ...... 5 the visitors being bowled out for 124 in 18.5 overs. S Sreesanth, 11-8; Grham bt Waleed Emam (3-0) 11-1, Extras (LB-4, W-4) ...... 8 G H Vihari c Tiwary b Bhatia ...... 1 11-4, 11-5; Abdellaziz Emera bt Ayman Total (for 4 wkts in 20 overs) ...... 180 A Mishra (not out) ...... 1 Kevon Cooper, James Faulkner and Siddharth Trivedi all took Mohammed, (3-0) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8; Did not bat: M K Tiwary, R Bhatia, L R Shukla, Extras (B-1, LB-6, W-5) ...... 12 Abdellwahab Eshak bt Amer El Samady (3-0) S M S M Senanayake, S P Narine, L Balaji. Total (for 7 wkts in 20 overs) ...... 132 two wickets apiece while David Hussey (41 off 31 balls) was the 11-3, 11-1, 11-2. Fall of wickets: 1-59, 2-102, 3-169, 4-180. Did not bat: D W Steyn, I Sharma. Ladies: Nagwan Ahmed bt Hadya Ayman Bowling: D W Steyn 4-0-29-0 (1w); G H Vihari Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-68, 3-71, 4-107, top scorer for Punjab. In reply, Rajasthan stuttered (3-0) 11-4, 11-3, 11-3; Mayar Elsakaa bt 1-0-14-0; I Sharma 4-0-33-0 (1w); N L T C 5-115, 6-124, 7-127. Alaa (3-1) 9-11, 11-8, 11-7, 11-9; Hana Alaa Perera 4-0-44-0 (2w); A Mishra 3-0-28-0; K V Bowling: L Balaji 4-0-30-0; S M S M Senanay- to 126 for four in 19.2 overs, largely thanks to Shane Watson’s El Lethy bt Goud El Sakawi (3-0) 11-1, 11-9, Sharma 2-0-13-1; A Ashish Reddy 2-0-15-1. ake 4-0-18-1 (1w); S P Narine 4-0-31-1; J H Action from the InterContinental Squash at InterContinental Doha Bay 11-4. SUNRISERS HYDERABAD (32) initial blitzkrieg and Sanju Kallis 4-0-13-3 (1w); R Bhatia 4-0-33-2 (1w). Club yesterday. The finals of all the ten categories will be played today at Under-11: Habiba Amgad bt Lamiaa P A Patel b Kallis ...... 27 Player-of-the-Match: G Gambhir (KKR) Samson’s (27 not out) cameo in the end. IANS InterContinental Doha Bay Club. Atasawolly, (3-0) 11-3, 11-3, 11-3 MONDAY 15 APRIL 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27

English Premier League Results United pick up easy points; LONDON: Collated English Premier League results yesterday: Newcastle 0 Sunderland 3 (Sessegnon 27, Johnson 74, Vaughan 82) Sunderland beat Newcastle Stoke 0 Manchester Utd 2 (Carrick 4, Van Persie 66-pen) Played Saturday: Aston Villa 1 (N’Zogbia 55) Fulham 1 (Delph ‘The Red Devils’ march on with convincing 2-0 win over Stoke City 66-og) Arsenal 3 (Arteta 85-pen, Bassong 88-og, LONDON: Manchester United Earlier, Sunderland won 3-0 at Podolski 90) Norwich 1 (Turner 56) took a step closer to the Premier local rivals Newcastle United to League title with a 2-0 win at fire their bid to avoid relegation Everton 2 (Gibson 40, Anichebe 56) QPR 0 Stoke City yesterday that saw and give Paolo Di Canio a memo- Manchester Reading 0 Liverpool 0 them re-establish a 15-point rable victory in his first northeast City’s French lead over Manchester City at derby. Southampton 1 (Ramirez 59) West Ham 1 midfielder the top of the table. Stephane Sessegnon, Adam (Carroll 66) Samir Michael Carrick gave United an Johnson and David Vaughan Nasri (right) early lead and Robin van Persie scored three excellent goals, mov- Scottish Cup completed victory by claiming his ing Sunderland three points clear celebrates first club goal in 11 games from of the bottom three and to within with team- Results the penalty spot mid-way through two points of Alan Pardew’s mates after the second half. Newcastle. scoring the GLASGOW: Scottish Cup Victory allowed the leaders “I’m happy for my players opening goal semi-final result at Hampden to return to winning ways after because they were warriors during the FA Park yesterday (aet denotes Monday’s loss in the Manchester today,” Di Canio told BBC Sport. Cup semi- after extra time): derby, and although City have a “I was excited to see our fans final against Dundee United 3 (Mackay-Steven 24, Daly game in hand, their hopes of a late celebrate because I know what it Chelsea at 30, 71) Celtic 4 (Commons 2, 60, Wanyama United collapse appear forlorn. means to win here. Wembley 31, Stokes 104) “I have told the players that “Yes, it’s a big win in terms of Stadium we are going to take the next six the area, but it’s only one step and yesterday. Played on Saturday games as the start of the season and not a big step in terms of the and try to win them all,” said table.” Hibernian 4 (Harris 51, Griffiths 78, 115, United manager Alex Ferguson. Sessegnon broke the deadlock Doyle 83) Falkirk 3 (Sibbald 6, Fulton 18, “Would we fancy ourselves mid-way through a frantic first Alston 30) to win that league? I think we half at St James’ Park. would.” The recalled James McClean Stoke, meanwhile, find them- picked up a loose pass from Jonas Ancelotti to selves in real danger of slipping Gutierrez and fed Sessegnon, who into the relegation zone, having held off Gutierrez and drilled a stay at PSG, FA Cup: City end Chelsea won just once in 13 league games low shot past goalkeeper Tim in 2013. Krul from 25 yards. Tony Pulis’ side currently sit Di Canio’s reaction was typi- says Leonardo three points above the relegation cally effusive, the new Sunderland zone, but they have played two manager sprinting down the PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain journey in semi-finals games more than third-bottom touchline and punching the air sporting director Leonardo Wigan Athletic. in delight. intimated yesterday that LONDON: Manchester City squad still have enough energy to produce a smart early save to United, who played with Wayne Newcastle received a blow coach Carlo Ancelotti would be withstood a valiant fightback for the battle to win a Champions deny Aguero when he prodded Rooney in midfield, broke the shortly before the hour when Krul staying at the runaway Ligue from Chelsea to win a grip- League place. the ball goalwards after Gareth deadlock in the fourth minute at had to go off after landing awk- 1 leaders next season while a ping FA Cup semi-final 2-1 at Benitez was aggrieved that Barry’s shot was helped on by a windswept Britannia Stadium. wardly, with Rob Elliot coming on decision on David Beckham’s Wembley Stadium yesterday substitute Fernando Torres was Yaya Toure. Phil Jones met a right-wing in his place. future was up to the player and knock the holders out of the not awarded a late penalty after The Czech goalkeeper also corner from van Persie and with Manager Pardew later revealed himself. competition. going down under a challenge repelled a near-post effort from the ball bobbling around the area, Krul had sustained a dislocated “Carlo, like us (the direc- Goals in each half from Samir from Vincent Kompany. Carlos Tevez, before Chelsea Carrick stuck out his foot to toe it shoulder, ruling him out for rest tors), wants to win the league, Nasri and Sergio Aguero put City “Was it a penalty? Yes, clearly. began to assert themselves. into the bottom-left corner. of the season. the idea is to continue with him, in control, but Chelsea replied Very clearly. You can see the pic- Kompany came to City’s res- In response, Robert Huth The hosts had a goal controver- he’s very important to us. through Demba Ba, only for tures. We have two situations like cue in the 23rd minute, heading headed over for Stoke, while sially disallowed for offside in the “But it’s not the time to talk Roberto Mancini’s men to resist that in the second half,” he said. the ball off the line after Eden Rooney whipped a long-range 62nd minute, despite Papiss Cisse about that, the idea is to first the holders’ desperate search for “But we played against a very Hazard’s volley into the turf free-kick narrowly wide shortly appearing to be onside when he win the championship and the an equaliser. good team. If they had scored looped over Pantilimon, who had before half-time. fired home from close range. French Cup,” the Brazilian told Fifteen points behind another, the game would have come for a cross and missed. Van Persie ended his two- Johnson made it 2-0 with a fine TF1 French television. Manchester United in the Premier been over. But we keep going and The Chelsea revival proved month wait for a United goal in goal in the 74th minute, drifting Leonardo added: “It’s been League, City seem destined to we had chances to be back in the short-lived, however, and 10 min- the 66th minute, steering a pen- in from the right and shaping a a long time now that Real relinquish their league crown, but game, so these decisions were utes before half-time, City went alty past Asmir Begovic after he 20-yard shot inside the left-hand Madrid has been courting him,” they will be strong favourites to very important.” ahead. Toure slipped a pass inside had been felled inside the area by post. This time, Di Canio opted but Ancelotti denied any over- defeat Wigan Athletic in the FA In stark contrast to Saturday’s to Aguero, who in turn found Andy Wilkinson. for a knee slide. tures from Madrid, telling TF1 Cup final on May 11 and reclaim first semi-final between Wigan Nasri, and when the Frenchman’s The Dutchman celebrated Vaughan killed the game with “no,no, no Real Madrid (for the trophy they won in 2011. and Millwall, which took place attempted return pass bounced by embracing Ferguson on the eight minutes to play by arrowing next season)”. “I said before the game, it beneath steady drizzle and in back to him off Cesar Azpilicueta, touchline, but only a brilliant a glorious shot into the top-right As for Beckham, who joined would be difficult because Chelsea front of nearly 27,000 empty he lashed the ball past Cech from David de Gea save to keep out a corner from 20 yards, although PSG in January on a six-month are in a good moment, but we seats, yesterday’s game was a close range. Charlie Adam free-kick spared the Welshman appeared to be deal, Leonardo explained: “He deserved to win,” said City man- sell-out played amid balmy spring James Milner then saw a United from an edgy finale. offside when he received the ball. was the first person I called ager Mancini. temperatures. goalbound shot hit Aguero and “It was a big win, let me put “We were better in the second when I arrived at PSG. He’s a “Now we have to win the final City goalkeeper Costel Kompany spurned a fine chance it that way,” said van Persie, who half but the crucial moment in leader in the dressing room, it’s and finish second in the champi- Pantilimon was rewarded with in first-half injury time, side-foot- has now scored 20 league goals the game was when our goal was a privilege to have him with us. onship - that is our target.” a starting place for his perform- ing wide from 10 yards after Cech this season. ruled out for offside,” said Pardew. We are trying to continue with For Chelsea, there will be no ances earlier in the tournament, could only parry Milner’s cross. “My goal came at an important “This won’t leave me because him, but at 38 (Beckham turns fifth FA Cup in seven seasons, while Demba Ba returned to the It was an opportunity that City point in the game, but the main it’s our home and we don’t want 38 next month) it’s up to him to and although there is the conso- Chelsea line-up after an ankle were to rue for only two minutes thing today was to win. It was all to get beat by our rivals. I will decide about his future.” lation of a Europa League semi- injury. of the second half, as Aguero dou- about the win - I wouldn’t have make sure it hurts the players.” REUTERS final with Basel, interim manager City started with intent and bled his side’s advantage in the cared who had scored the goal.” REUTERS Rafael Benitez will hope his tired Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech had 47th minute. REUTERS Qatar celebrates Abu-Issa’s ‘huge win’ in UAE

DOHA: Qatari quad bike rider Mohamed Abu-Issa, who was crowned the Abu Dhabi’s Desert Challenge 2013 champion, was extended a warm reception by motor sport officials and spon- sors yesterday. Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah President of Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), representatives from Salam International, and a huge gather- ing of fans assembled at The Gate Mall to celebrate Abu-Issa’s win. The Desert Challenge track on which Mohamed Abu-Issa raced, reached deep into the Liwa desert covering towering dunes and desert plains with the route cross- ing some of the most demanding landscapes on earth, testing driv- ers, riders, and machinery to the limit. Abdul Salam Abu-Issa dep- uty COO of SIIL said: “We are delighted for Qatar and for Mohamed. The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is one of the world’s most prestigious cross-country rallies and we know that driv- ers and riders from all over the world compete while facing the most extreme conditions. When he started this quest, we were Qatari quad bike rider Mohamed Abu-Issa, who was crowned the Abu Dhabi’s Desert Challenge 2013 champion, cuts a cake along with Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah President of Qatar happy to see Mohamed manage Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF), and Issa Abu Issa, Chairman and CEO of SIIL, at The Gate Mall in Doha yesterday, RIGHT: Al Attiyah hands over a QMMF memento to Abu-Issa. a win.” THE PENINSULA Monday 15 April 2013 5 Jumada II 1434 Volume 18 Number 5670 Sport Price: QR2 LATEST NEWS UPDATES LATEST NEWS UPDATES IN TAMIL FROM PHILIPPINPHILIPPINES NBA: Boston Snedeker and TAMIL TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER AVAILABLE Celtics beat Cabrera share AT ALL LEADING BOOK STORES / SUPERMARKETS Orlando Magic Masters lead Available every Wednesdays in all leading IN QATAR supermarkets and shops in Qatar & Bahrain FOR ADVERTISEMENTS CONTACT: FOR ADVERTISEMENTS CONTACT: TEL: 4465 0600 TEL: 4465 0600 EMAIL: [email protected] Sport | 23 Sport | 25 EMAIL: [email protected]

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Chinese Grand Prix Results SHANGHAI: Results from Alonso tops Shanghai field Chinese Grand Prix yesterday: 1. Fernando Alonso (ESP/ Ferrari) 305.066 km in 1hr 36min 26.945secs (average speed: The Spaniard finishes the Chinese GP ahead of Raikkonen, Hamilton 189.779 km/h) 2. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN/Lotus) SHANGHAI: Ferrari’s at 10.168 Fernando Alonso emerged 3. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/ unscathed to take victory yes- Mercedes) at 12.322 terday in a drama-packed 4. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Red Chinese Grand Prix, with the Bull Racing) at 12.525 Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen and 5. Jenson Button (GBR/ Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton McLaren) at 35.285 holding on for second and third. 6. Felipe Massa (BRA/Ferrari) A charging Sebastian Vettel at 40.827 came fourth, just 0.2 seconds 7. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Toro behind Hamilton, after adopting a Rosso) at 42.691 different tyre strategy from most 8. Paul di Resta (GBR/Force of his rivals, while his Red Bull India) at 51.084 team-mate Mark Webber failed 9. Romain Grosjean (FRA/ to finish on a dreadful weekend Lotus) at 53.423 for him. Jenson Button, of McLaren, 10. Nico Hulkenberg (GER/ was fifth, and Alonso’s team-mate Sauber) at 56.598 Felipe Massa sixth. 11. Sergio Perez (MEX/ Daniel Ricciardo, of Toro McLaren) at 1:03.860 Rosso, Force India’s Paul di 12. Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA/Toro Resta, Romain Grosjean of Lotus Rosso) at 1:12.604 and Nico Hulkenberg, of Sauber, 13. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/ rounded out the top 10. Spanish Formula One driver Williams) at 1:33.861 Going into the Bahrain Grand Fernando Alonso of Scuderia 14. Pastor Maldonado (VEN/ Prix next weekend, reigning Ferrari lifts the trophy on the Williams) at 1:35.453 three-time world champion Vettel podium after winning the Chinese 15. Jules Bianchi (FRA/ leads the drivers’ standings on Grand Prix at the Shanghai Marussia) at 1 lap 52 points, followed by Raikkonen International Circuit in Shanghai 16. Charles Pic (FRA/Caterham) (49), Alonso (43), Hamilton (40) yesterday. RIGHT: Alonso stands at 1 lap and Massa (30). on his Ferrari after winning the 17. Max Chilton (GBR/Marussia) Alonso said that he was race. at 1 lap delighted to get his season back on track after retiring early in 18. Giedo van der Garde (NED/ Caterham) at 1 lap Malaysia last month. The two- on the home straight, just held off Sutil, of Force India. Flames lost a right-rear tyre. Several cars second place and quite a good time world champion was sec- the rampaging Vettel at the line licked from the right side of had to swerve as the tyre rolled result in the end.” Retirements: Esteban Gutierrez ond, behind the rejuvenated to earn a second podium place for Sutil’s machine as engineers bat- across the track. Hamilton’s team-mate Nico (MEX/Sauber): 5th lap; Adrian Raikkonen, in the season-opening his new team. tled to save his race. But both cars Webber’s bad weekend got even Rosberg, winner in Shanghai last Sutil (GER/Force India): 6th lap; Mark Webber (AUS/Red race in Melbourne. “I’m really happy with today’s were out. worse soon after when race stew- season, was the next to retire, as Bull Racing): 16th lap; Nico “It feels good, it is a long time result and very happy for the Vettel, under the spotlight ards blamed him for the Vergne Button, Alonso and Vettel all had Rosberg (GER/Mercedes): 22nd from my victory here eight years team. We didn’t quite have over his deteriorating relation- incident. He will drop three grid turns in the lead. lap ago,” said the Spaniard, who nar- the pace of these two (Alonso ship with Webber, started ninth places in Bahrain as punishment. Twenty laps to go and Overall standings Drivers: 1. rowly lost out to Vettel for the and Raikkonen) but we’re very on the grid in a calculated gamble Raikkonen too was in the thick Raikkonen and Hamilton were Sebastian Vettel (GER) 52.0pts, world title last season. pleased to get on the podium.” with his tyres. of it, suffering slight damage also still in the hunt. 2. Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) 49.0, “It was not easy to understand In warm and dry conditions, But he was soon moving omi- when Sergio Perez, of McLaren, Alonso surrendered his lead 3. Fernando Alonso (ESP) 43.0, this race sometimes, not an easy and in front of a packed grand- nously up the field. attempted to snuff out the Finn’s -- nearly 20 seconds by then -- 4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR) 40.0, race. The risk is there when you stand -- not always the case at the Likewise Webber, who started overtaking manoeuvre. “What the to Vettel when he went in for a 5. Felipe Massa (BRA) 30.0, 6. overtake. Chinese Grand Prix -- the race the race from the pits after a dis- hell’s he doing?!” exclaimed the change of tyres. But the Spaniard Mark Webber (AUS) 26.0, 7. “This is a good reward for the got off to a clean start. astrous qualifying session. That straight-talking Raikkonen over snatched it back again on lap 43 Nico Rosberg (GER) 12.0, 8. team after the disappointment in Hamilton streaked to the cor- run to the front was curtailed the team radio. of 56, darting inside the Red Bull. Jenson Button (GBR) 12.0, 9. Malaysia. ner with Alonso, third on the grid, though on lap 16 when he had a “I was surprised there was Alonso was in full flow now, Romain Grosjean (FRA) 11.0, “Let’s hope this is now the start in hot pursuit. Raikkonen, who collision with Jean-Eric Vergne, not more damage,” the Finn, a clocking the fastest lap time of 10. Paul di Resta (GBR) 8.0, of the championship and we need was starting in second, was slow of Toro Rosso. big favourite with the Shanghai the race, as Vettel -- whose tyre 11. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 6.0, to keep going like that.” out the blocks. Webber suffered damage to the crowd, said later. strategy meant a late pit stop 12. Adrian Sutil (GER) 6.0, 13. Hamilton, whose lead from pole But there was soon drama, front of his car and was called “I hit him quite hard, and was -- Raikkonen and Hamilton Nico Hulkenberg (GER) 5.0, position lasted only into lap five, as Sauber’s Esteban Gutierrez into the pits. But shortly after- also surprised I didn’t have more scrapped it out for the other two 14. Sergio Perez (MEX) 2.0, 15. when Alonso activated his DRS slammed into the back of Adrian wards the Australian inexplicably problems. It was a good fight for podium places. REUTERS Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) 1.0 Qatar set for Palestine game; Fahad names squad

DOHA: Qatar today will assem- Squad: Saad Al Seeb, Wisam matches to be played until the end Al Sadd play ble for a short training camp for Rizq, Talal Al Balushi, Khalfan of next year,” he added. their friendly against Palestine “We will also have a second Ibrahim, Abdul Karim Hassan, Qatar later this week, coach Fahad Hassan Al Haydos, Yusuf string so that the players who Al Rayyan in Thani said yesterday. don’t get a game with the seniors, coach Ahmed, Mehdi Hassan, Ibrahim Fahad Qatar take on Palestine on Majid, Musab Al-Mahmoud, can go and appear for the Qatar Thani is HA Cup semis April 17 at Jassim Bin Hamad Mohamed Gedo, Maher Yousef, B team,” Fahad said at football seen with Stadium, a Qatar Football Abdul Qadir Ilyas, Majed headquarters in Aspire Zone DOHA: Qatar Stars League Association (QFA) statement said Mohammed Ahmad Sofian, “The B team will also help us national (QSL) champions Al Sadd yesterday. Khaled Abdul Rauf, Sebastian prepare a back-up side for the team player will take on Al Rayyan in The friendly against Palestine Soria, Khaled Muftah, Ahmad senior team,” he said. Hassan Al the first semi-final of the is part of Qatar’s preparations for Yasser, Ibrahim Al Ghanim, Fahad said the backroom Haydos of Heir Apparent Cup, it was two key 2014 FIFA World Cup Majdi Siddiq, Qasim Burhan, staff will be closely monitoring Al Sadd announced yesterday. qualifying matches to be played Hamid Ismail, Abdul Karim Ali, the progress of the players and club during The first semi-final will be in June. Jarallah Marri and Mohammad their fitness as the national team a team played on April 27 at Jassim Bin On June 4, Qatar host Iran at Al Maal. approaches the remaining two training Hamad Stadium. the same venue before heading to Coach: Fahad Thani qualifying matches in Group A. session in In the second semi-final, Uzbekistan for the last Group A, Manager: Abdurehman Al Qatar, who are below Doha last former QSL champions Asian Zone, qualifying match on Mahmood Uzbekistan, Korea and Iran in month. Lekhwiya have a date with June 18. Group A, must win their two Qatar Eljaish at the same venue the The match on April 17 in Doha Asian Cup campaign after edg- games in June. Fahad said not all will play same night. will start at 6:45pm, QFA said. ing Lebanon in a friendly in late was lost for Qatar. The first semi-final kicks off The forthcoming clash will be January. “We still have chance to qualify. Palestine at 5:15pm whereas the second the first match for Qatar since “We will be playing a series of We have two matches and two in a friendly last-four clash will start at their hard-fought clash against matches before our next World wins can make a lot of difference on April 8:30pm, officials said yesterday. hosts Korea in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches,” Fahad in the end,” Fahad said. “God 17, it was The title clash of the 2013 Cup qualifying match in Seoul on said. “After the matches in June, Willing, we will win,” he added. confirmed Heir Apparent Cup will be held March 26. we will have more games for our “We must deal with situations by Qatar on May 5 at the same venue. Under Fahad, Qatar has played team so that the players build realistically,” he said. “In order to Football Participating teams Al Sadd, a series on friendlies and won all capacity for greater number of achieve greater success, we have Association Lekhwiya, Al Rayyan and of them. games,” he added. to build a strong team in the (QFA) Eljaish were the top four teams Qatar played two friendlies - “We are in the process of final- future,” he said. “We promise our yesterday. in the QSL campaign. beating Thailand 1-0 and Egypt ising a list of friendlies against fans that we will fight in the last THE PENINSULA 3-1 - last month. In February, Asian countries and European two matches,” he said. Qatar beat Malaysia 2-0 in a 2015 teams. This list will include THE PENINSULA