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Tuesday 6 January 2015 • 15 Rabial I 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6302 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Motorists face Emir meets British official OPINION The return stiffer penalty of Syrian regime’s flag

he flag of the Syrian for littering regime with its three Tcolours — red, white and black — has begun to flutter again in the Gulf as Offence to be captured on camera the Syrian embassy in Kuwait has been DOHA: Think twice before Al Hajri said that throw- handed tossing waste out of your car on ing waste from cars is the most over to the road or any area not meant common violation of the public Bashar Al for trash. You may not be able hygiene law. Assad’s to renew the road permit of The law has stipulated a fine govern- your car until you pay the fine of QR5,000 for dumping waste ment. of QR1,000 stipulated for this in public places like roads or The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with Head of Criminal Justice and President of the Courts The news offence, warns a senior official beaches. Another violation that of England and Wales Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. Another picture on page 3 comes as of the Doha Municipality. could invite an equal amount of a huge Dr Khalid Al Jaber If the civic inspectors detect fine is urinating in public or pri- surprise people throwing waste from their vate places not meant for the pur- because cars on the street or at another pose. Leaving waste bags in front the Syrian seat in the Arab public place, they would capture of houses is punishable with a fine Panel to monitor fuel Sharp dip in mercury League was given to the oppo- it in their camera and forward it of QR100. sition and their representa- to the Traffic Department. The If the violator fails to pay the tive was allowed to attend inspector would also impose a fine fine, the case could be referred to and storage stations forecast at weekend and speak at the Arab sum- of QR1,000 as stipulated by public the Public Prosecution for further mit held in Doha. hygiene law No 8 of 1974. legal procedures and the person DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad DOHA: A cold and windy weekend is ahead for The latest development is The owner of the car would not could face imprisonment up to Al Thani yesterday ratified the cabinet decision to people in Qatar as the Meteorology Department counter-productive. Syrians be able to renew the road permit one month and fines of QR500 to set up a committee for monitoring fuel and stor- has forecast significant fall in the temperature that have been fighting for democ- until he settles the issue with the QR10,000 or both. age stations, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported will be accompanied by strong winds on Thursday. racy and a better life for four municipal authorities by paying Last year, the Doha yesterday. “On Thursday, a high pressure extending from years and the civil war has the fine. Municipality detected 9,000 viola- The committee will assess and regularly monitor the Northwest of Saudi Arabia will affect the coun- destroyed most of the coun- This was disclosed by Ali tions of laws governing advertise- the safety of petrol and service stations. There will try. Strong northwesterly winds affecting the whole try, and every month thou- Nasser Al Hajri, head of the pub- ment, street vendors and public be strict monitoring of how these stations store fuel country, associated with a cold front will cause a sands of Syrians are thrown lic monitoring section of Doha hygiene violations. and fill petrol. The decision says that the committee marked decrease in temperature,” said Qatar into poverty and unemploy- Municipality at a press confer- The number of abandoned cars is to be set up under the chairmanship of a repre- Meteorology Department. The maximum tempera- ment. Syrians have entered ence on Sunday held on the side- caught during inspections had sentative of Qatar Petroleum and another of the ture is expected to be 16-20 degrees celsius while the New Year amid ruins and lines of an interactive session with fallen from over 20,000 in 2013 Ministry of Interior (General Directorate of Civil the minimum is likely to be 10-14 degrees in Doha. chaos. Their only mistake was the public, a local Arabic daily to 8,500 in 2014 due to the inten- Defence) as Vice Chairman. A representative from It is also expected to be lower than 8 degrees in the to demand freedom from 44 reported yesterday. sive campaign of the Ministry in the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning, southern part of the country. years of Assad’s family rule. The programme titled “open collaboration with the Ministry the Ministry of Economy and Commerce, the According to the department, there is a slight The regime used brute force meeting with the official” was of Interior. Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Transport, chance of rain. “With the existence of a cold air mass to suppress the peaceful pro- organised by the Ministry of During another campaign in Qatar Electricity and Water Corporation, Qatar in the upper air levels, some low and medium clouds tests and the country slipped Municipality and Urban Planning Industrial Area, 17 violations Railways Company, Qatar Woqod Company will be are expected to form with a chance of light rain in into a civil war. to promote communication of the public hygiene law were member of the committee. THE PENINSULA the area,” said the department. Continued on page 2 between public and the ministry. detected. THE PENINSULA Continued on page 4 THE PENINSULA TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of Culture launched Programme includes festivals and cultural exchanges

DOHA: Qatar Museums (QM) multiple partnerships set to will include a Turkish film week has announced the launch of strengthen the ties and create a in collaboration with Doha Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of solid platform which will encour- Film Institute and an open air Culture celebrating relations age more collaboration on the eco- Turkish Festival and Bazaar at between the two countries nomic, tourism and business fronts. the Museum of Islamic Art Park. through cultural partnerships The programmes in the Qatar Turkish Ambassador Ahmet between Qatari and Turkish Turkey 2015 Year of Culture will Demirok said: “Turkey and organisations, institutions and be grouped under four main cate- Qatar have excellent brotherly individuals. gories: Art & Culture, Community relations based on common cul- The programme will include & Education, Sports, and Business ture and centuries-old history. exhibitions, festivals, perform- and Trade. Highlights will include Having such a distinguished ances, educational programmes major exhibitions in both coun- background and in line with and cultural exchanges across tries and a Turkish Festival and shared vision of our leaders, Qatar and Turkey. The activities Bazaar in Qatar. partnership between our coun- will showcase the unique aspects Exhibitions in Qatar will tries is developing into a bright of each nation and celebrate the include a new show of modern future of cooperation. contemporary and traditional and contemporary Qatari and “At the grassroots level, Qatar Qatari and Turkish cultures, as Arab art from the collection of occupies the hearts of Turkish well as the shared interests of Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern people. Likewise, we gladly see the Participants at the opening day of sixth Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival. their citizens. and Contemporary Art and a new increasing interest of our Qatari Safiya Saif Al Hajari, Director exhibition curated by MIA called brothers and sisters toward of Strategic Cultural Relations at ‘The Hunt’, which will explore Turkey. Turkish culture attracts Qatar Museums said: “Under the images from Qatari and Ottoman a growing deal of attention in guidance and leadership of H E Royal collections. Qatar and more Qataris are vis- Month-long Falcons and Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad Exhibitions in Turkey will iting Turkey every year.” Al Thani, Chairperson of the Board include a new edition of the “The Qatar Turkey 2015 Year of of Trustees of Qatar Museums, acclaimed Pearls exhibition, now Culture will constitute a milestone we are proud to announce that seen by over 250,000 visitors in in our relations to further streng- Hunting Festival opens the Republic of Turkey will be our Japan, UK and Brazil. Musical hten human-to-human contacts partner country for this year. performances in both countries and give an opportunity to discover Al Hajari added the year-long will feature classical, Turkish the potential in our cultural rela- DOHA: The sixth edition of the The chairman of the organis- attended the day’s events, noted cultural programme will develop and Arab music, and festivals tions”. THE PENINSULA Qatar International Falcons and ing committee, Ali bin Khatim the festival’s high standard of Hunting Festival opened yes- Al Mahshadi, thanked the fes- organisation, commending the terday with an exciting compe- tival’s patron, Sheikh Joaan bin organising committee and its tition among participants in the Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani for chairman and Deputy Chairman Hudud Al Tahaddi challenge. his unlimited support of the herit- Mohammad bin Abdulatif al Revolutions will achieve their goal The month-long festival age event as well as the authori- Misnad for ensuring that the fes- under the patronage of H E ties supporting the festival. tival was actualised at such high Continued from page 1 Syria by reorganising themselves this has caused anger and resent- Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Mahshadi also announced that standard. According to the UN, the war and mobilising fighters against ment among people in our region. Khalifa Al Thani is being held passports would be issued for fal- Sulaiti also thanked the organ- has claimed more than 191,000 the horrible crimes of the Assad The sad truth is that the revo- at Sabkhet Marmi near Sealine, cons to be used as travel docu- isers for again organising the lives. The situation is getting regime, which is supported by lution hasn’t succeeded in ousting Mesaieed. ments between GCC countries Young Falconer competition, thus worse every day on humanitar- Iran and the Hezbollah who are Assad and the previous autocratic Yesterday’s event saw an which would enable falconers to demonstrating their commitment ian, security and political fronts fighting against the Syrian people regimes have come back to power intense competition between the travel with their birds by air, land to preserve this heritage sport of and this is happening not because to defend the Assad regime. in Yemen and Egypt. But the competing falcons, which were or sea, in a first of its kind step falconry, as well as the customs of the revolution or the opposi- The uprising has degenerated return of the totalitarian regimes characterised by their speed and which aims to support the herit- and traditions of the Qatari soci- tion, but because of the inaction of into a sectarian war. At the same doesn’t mean the end of the strug- strength, as they struggled to age sport of falconry. ety by ensuring that a new gener- the international community. The time, Assad has been telling the gle. The fire of the revolution will catch the homing pigeons flying For his part, the General ation of falconers would continue West has turned a blind eye to the West that he is fighting terrorists. continue to burn and achieve its beyond Sealine and towards Umm Manager of Katara Dr Khalid to practice the sports. fact that terrorist groups like Al Unfortunately, some in the West goal one day. Abirieh, North of Doha. bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, who had THE PENINSULA Qaeda are filling the vacuum in have bought his argument and THE PENINSULA TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Emir issues decision to set up steering committee for Rail

DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh decision amending some provi- fixing fees and wages at sea ports Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sions of decision No. 36 of 2011 of Qatar and ship registration issued Emiri decision amend- fees. ing some provisions of No. 39 The Emir endorsed cabinet of 2011 setting up the steering decision amending some provi- committee of the establish- Emir appoints sions of Cabinet decision No. 9 of ment of Qatar railways network 1993 regulating work of joint and (Rail). specialized committees. The decision stipulated that ambassadors The two decisions are effective the committee is to be set up with DOHA: The Emir H H starting from the second day of the Prime Minister as Chairman, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al their publication in the official the Minister of Transport as Thani yesterday issued Emiri gazette. Deputy Chairman with the decison appointing Hassan The Emir endorsed a number Minister of Municipality and Mohammed Rafee Al Emadi of Cabinet decisions related to Urban Planning, Chairman of the as ambassador to Myanmar. expropriation of some real estate Public Works Authority, Deputy The Emir also issued for the public interest. Assistant Undersecretary for Emiri decisions transfer- Meanwhile, the Emir yesterday Urban Planning Affairs at the ring Ambassador to Jordan met with the Ambasador of ssa- Ministry of Municipality and Zayed Saeed Rashid Alkmeit dor of Algeria Abdel Fattah Ziani Urban Planning, representa- Al Khayareen, envoy to the on the occasion of the expiry of tives of the Ministry of Finance, Republic of Georgia Mohamed his tenure in the country. the Supreme Committee for Khamis Nasser Al Kuwari and The Emir presented the The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday received a message from Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Delivery and Legacy Qatar Mohamed Ali Jaber Hamad Algerian envoy with the Sash of and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan General Electricity and Water Al Henzab as Ambassador Merit in recognition of the role containing an invitation to attend the World Future Energy Summit and ceremony honouring the winners of Zayed Corporation and Qatar Railways at the Foreign Ministry he played to enhance bilateral Future Energy Prize which will be held in Abu Dhabi from January 16 to 19. The message was handed over by the Company as members. Headquarters. QNA relations. UAE Ambassador Saleh bin Mohamed Al Ameri at the Emiri Diwan. The Emir also endorsed cabinet QNA Illegal agents blamed Minister of Culture gets invitation for rent increase Rent law not implemented effectively: Experts

DOHA: A number of Qatari artificial surge in the prices. employees of licensed agencies nationals and industry experts He said that even after four are even working secretly as sub- have said that the existence of years of the promulgation of the agents without the knowledge of large number of illegal real estate law, a large number of brokers the management in office. They agents is the main reason for the and agents (without license) still offer much better deals to prop- unjustified hike in the rentals exist in the market, and majority erty owners and convince them and prices of real estate proper- of them are not Qataris. to negotiate outside the ambit of ties, including plots of lands. Article 3 of the law stipulates office to mint money. Many of them urged from the a number of conditions that must He said that many offices concerned authorities to ensure be fulfilled by a real estate agent. also do not work in a transpar- the effective implementation of For instance, anyone willing to ent manner and hide the actual laws dealing with real estate obtain a license to provide real prices of deals, especially when agencies, and to crackdown on estate services must be a Qatari the property is being given on The Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari received a message from illegal brokers involved in wrong citizen (not less than 18 years of lease for rent. French Minister of Culture and Communication Fleur Pellerin containing a formal invitation to visit Paris. The practices to stabilise the market. age); he/she must not have been According to the law agents message was delivered by Ambassador of France Eric Chevallier. “Currently there is a chaos in convicted for committing any can charge maximum commis- the real estate market because crime and many other conditions, sion between 1.5 and 2.5 percent of the lack of effective implanta- including having a permanent of the total value of a deal, while tion of the Law No. 13 of 2011, office and knowledge of Arabic these illegal brokers charge com- which regulates the mediation language. missions from both the tenants or brokerage services in the real He noted that despite clear as well as from the property Advisory Council approves estate market”, a local Arabic laws, a large number of individu- owners (half month’s rent from daily reported yesterday quoting als are working without license, each). an expert. and also many of the existing “There is adequate supply in “Due to the lack of effective agencies are not owned by Qatari the market, but because of these bank transfer of salaries implementation of the law, a large nationals, which clearly contra- illegal brokers, a villa of worth number of unemployed individuals dicts the law. QR6,000 rent, is being leased at DOHA: The Advisory Council months after issuance of the law Employers should not be given have become full time real estate “The existing situation is push- QR15,000 per month,” he said. yesterday approved the pro- as grace period to adjust their clearance unless they abide by brokers running from coffee shops ing the prices of real estate proper- Another citizen, Nasser Rashid posed amendments in the status in line with the provisions this provision of the law. and cafeterias, who are greatly ties, including lands, unjustifiably, Al Johaira, however did not agree labour law making it manda- of the amended law. The Cabinet earlier approved responsible for the skyrocketing which must be addressed. The with the reason cited by others. tory on all employers to trans- The Minister of the Labour the amended law and forwarded rentals and prices of real estate effective implementation of the He added: “We can’t blame real fer salaries of their employees and Social Affairs has the right it to the Advisory Council for properties,” Abdurrahman Al law will not only bring order in the estate agents about the steady to the banks. to extend the grace period to its suggestions. The draft law Jufairi, a prominent lawyer, was market but also stabilize prices,” rise in the prices and rentals. It The Council discussed a report another six months or more includes five articles, according quoted as saying by the daily. he said. is determined by market forces— of its legal affairs committee on through a Ministerial decision. to Al Sharq. Al Jufairi said these so-called Ibrahim Al Ajlan, another supply and demand—and the cur- the draft law amending some pro- The draft law says that wages The draft law also says that the real estate agents and brokers, Qatari national, said: “There is no rent situation show that demand visions of the Labour Law 14 of and other dues of the workers required regulations organising working without licenses, always comparison between the silenced exceeds supply.” 2004 and decided to forward its who had been hired on annual or and protecting the workers’ wages try to sell and rent out proper- and unlicensed agencies as the But he suggested that the laws recommendations to the State monthly salaries are to be paid should be issued through a deci- ties at maximum prices so that number of unlicensed operators regulating the real estate market Cabinet. once a month. sion by the Minister of Labour they can have maximum possible dominates the market.” need to be updated. The draft law says that All other workers must be paid and Social Affairs. cut from the deal, resulting in Al Ajlan noted that a lot of THE PENINSULA employers will be given six at least once every two weeks. THE PENINSULA

Northwestern Ambulance accident University media Qatar Charity to survey this month sponsor Rabat meeting DOHA: Northwestern University in Qatar has DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) the Global Humanitarian Summit announced that fieldwork for its is sponsoring a coordination for the Middle East and North third annual media use survey meeting in preparation for Africa, which will be held by the will begin this month. the Humanitarian Summit United Nations Office for the The study, a recipient of a which will take place in Rabat, Coordination of Humanitarian National Priorities Research Morocco from January 26 to 28. Affairs in the first week of March Program award from the Qatar The meeting is organised in Amman, Jordan in prepara- National Research Fund, will pro- by the Humanitarian Forum tion for the 2016 Humanitarian vide new insights into people’s use and hosted by the Islamic Summit. of and attitudes toward media. Educational, Scientific and The meeting aims to discuss This year’s survey will mostly Cultural Organization (ISESCO) the outputs and national work- replicate NU-Q’s 2013 survey in coordination with Organization shops that have already been held focusing on news and informa- of the Islamic Cooperation, spon- in the Middle East, North, East tion media use in the Arab world. sored by QC and the Alwaleed Bin and South Africa and in Europe Researchers will conduct con- Talal Foundation. to develop a collective perception fidential interviews with 1,000 The meeting aims to draw the of Arab societies regarding the respondents in Qatar by phone attention of directors and heads future of humanitarian work in over the course of an approxi- of boards of directors of civil soci- the Arab region within the frame- mately three-week period. ety organizations working in vari- work of the 2016 World Summit. The NU-Q media use survey ous areas of development to the The Humanitarian Forum, in project has become an important issues of efficiency and account- collaboration with 23 humani- source of information for academ- ability, given their importance in tarian organizations, including ics, industry, and policymakers in the management of these organi- QC, has already held a national the field. The release of this year’s sations, enabling them to use cur- workshop in the Middle East, study is expected sometime this An ambulance of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) overturned on Al Waab Street on its way to attend to rent methodology and tools in North, East and South Africa and spring – details will be announced a patient. It was not clear whether anyone was injured in the accident. The cause of the accident is also not building their capacity. Europe, including 14 consultative once the fieldwork has been com- known. The meeting is being held workshops in the Arab world. pleted. THE PENINSULA ahead of the regional meeting of THE PENINSULA TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME QRC Al Khor holds first aid lecture for scouts Qatar Airways DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent’s (QRC) Al Khor branch recently participated in several social and cultural events and organ- announces new ised a first aid lecture for scouts under the ‘I Am a Paramedic’ programme. The public training pro- gramme sponsored by Ras Laffan route to Europe Community Outreach Programme (COP) during the academic year targets 4,500 students in 19 schools of Al Shamal, as well as Amsterdam service from June the teachers, administrative staff, and parents through the students DOHA: Qatar Airways yester- The Doha — Amsterdam route themselves. day announced Amsterdam as will operate with a Boeing 787 In the Cultural Convoy, a a new addition to route map. Dreamliner, one of the latest two-day event organised by the Capital city of the Netherlands next-generation aircraft in Ministry of Culture, Arts, and will join the airline’s route map the airline’s fleet, offering 254 Heritage at the Al Khor Cultural in June 2015, taking Qatar seats configured in two classes, Center and involving cultural, Airways European destination with 22 fully-flat-bed seats artistic, and folkloric activities, count up to 34. in Business Class and 232 in the branch held a special corner “Amsterdam has long been on Economy Class. to introduce the public to QRC’s our list of destinations to intro- Flying non-stop, the total mission and role in the service of duce to our network, and we are journey time between Doha and the Qatari and other societies, delighted to now be adding this Amsterdam is six hours and 35 distribute health education print- dynamic European city to our minutes. outs, and conduct blood sugar and route map,” said Akbar Al Baker, The daily flights will be depart- pressure tests for free for the 600 Group Chief Executive, Qatar ing from Doha in the morning, visitors. Airways. arriving into Amsterdam in early The branch also co-organised “Qatar Airways looks forward afternoon, with return flights the Safe Journey exhibit at the to bringing our five-star service to Doha departing in the late Al Thakhira Youth Center, in Qatar Red Crescent volunteers during the camp. to The Netherlands, and provid- afternoon. partnership with the Community ing travellers with an extensive The schedule provides the con- Policing Department, the Traffic aged 14 to 21, to educate them public, inform them of the basics deployed to medically cover the list of destinations across the venience and flexibility for pas- Department, and @@@. The on traffic rules and road safety of first aid that must be offered event location and perform medi- Middle East, Africa and the Far sengers to travel to the city for exhibit lasted for two days, one procedures. for injured people and safety cal checks for free for the attend- East that are easily accessible short leisure breaks or business for men and one for women, A QRC corner was estab- guidelines. QRC ambulance vehi- ance, whose number exceeded 500 with a minimal connection time meetings. with a special focus on youths lished to communicate with the cles and medical workers were people. THE PENINSULA in Doha.” THE PENINSULA

Qatar to host GCC ministers’ meeting New diversion at The Pearl area DOHA: Qatar will host on Thursday at Sheraton Doha Hotel the first founding meeting of the committee of ministers of education in the GCC countries, which is will be preceded by a preparatory DOHA: The Public two-lane traffic will be as an access for vehicles meeting for Education Undersecretaries tomorrow. Works Authority maintained in each direc- heading to Lagoona Mall — Ashghal — has tion of The Pearl’s new and the hotels in that announced a new diver- entrance and exit of the area. sion at The Pearl area in Pearl. The new roundabout Algerian Minister meets Qatar’s envoy West Bay effective from The diversion is due to will be opened at the ALGIERS: Algerian Energy Minister Youcef Yousfi conferred yes- early Thursday. important works taking point where the new terday with Qatar’s Ambassador to Algeria Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Access to and from place as part of the con- diversion route from The Al Sahlawi. They discussed the existing ties of cooperation The Pearl will change to struction of the Lusail Pearl meets with Lusail between the two countries and ways of enhancing them, espe- a newly built road. The Expressway project. Street. cially in the field of energy. diversion will continue The authority also This roundabout will QNA until January 8. The announced the clo- temporarily be converted sure of the entry into a signalised inter- (and exit) point section by Spring 2015, to The Pearl which will eventually be Qatar from the removed to form part Lagoona rounda- of the free-flow Lusail bout, which will Expressway. instead function THE PENINSULA

NBK Automobiles participates in interactive session at school

DOHA: In line with their com- mitment towards national progress and contributing to the development of a knowl- edge-based economy, Nasser Bin khaled (NBK) Automobiles participated in a unique learn- ing event “Scientific and Technological Evolution in Cars” organised by the Omar Bin Al Khattab Elementary School at the school premises recently. The event, attended by students along with representatives from the school administration and the teaching staff, was organised to motivate them and help broaden their horizons and understanding of scientific knowledge. NBK Automobiles used this interactive opportunity to show- case two of Mercedes-Benz most Nasser Bin Khaled Automobiles officials with students and staff of Omar popular models, the S Class and Bin Al Khattab Elementary School. GL, distinguished for their inno- vative features incorporating Khaled Shaaban, General Al Khattab School said: ‘NBK modern technology that posi- Manager of NBK Automobiles Automobiles participation in our tion them at the top their game. said: ‘NBK Automobiles is pleased programme reflects the organi- A team from NBK Automobiles to be part of this initiative and sation’s commitment towards briefed the students on their sali- support the development of the enhancing the educational envi- ent features and highlighted the education sector in Qatar. This ronment in Qatar and providing key aspects of design, technol- provides us with an interactive practical learning opportunities to ogy, luxury, power, safety & envi- opportunity to connect with the these talented young minds. The ronment. The students received next generation and contribute programme also rewarded the first-hand information on the to their learning process, help- classes that are excelled in electronic best-selling models and were ing equip them with the techni- homework through following e-bags impressed with the technologies cal knowhow and understanding rules, applying academic studies for used in both cars that have helped required for national progress. electronic short exams, and the most them achieve global acceptance Mohammad Abdulla Al interactive classes with teachers. and recognition. Muraghi, Principal of Omar Bin THE PENINSULA Panel to check petrol stations

Continued from page 1 The committee will decide on the supermarkets and laundries. A representative of the owners of commercial activities to be housed The panel will check how far private fuel stations to be nominated within the precincts of a petrol sta- the existing stations are comply- by the President of Qatar Chamber tion, and those which cannot. Currently, ing with the upgraded standards of Commerce and Industry will also many petrol stations double as com- and specifications involving health be the member of the committee. mercial complexes with eateries, and safety. THE PENINSULA TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 PM tours Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City Sheikh Abdulla orders Ashghal to complete three specialised hospitals by mid-2015 DOHA: The Prime Minister Rehabilitation Hospital together and Interior Minister H E with Translational Research Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Institute and Bio-Bank. Khalifa Al Thani has asked The project started in February the Public Works Authority — 2011 and presently at the final Ashghal — to complete three stages. More than 81 percent of specialised hospitals within the the total work of the project has Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical been accomplished, Ashghal said City to be ready for operation in a statement. by mid of 2015. The preparation works of The premier has also asked operation rooms, including medi- to complete the ‘additional cal and surgical equipment, were operation rooms building’ con- added to the project. structed at a location between Construction of Hamad Bin the Women’s Hospital and the Khalifa Medical City Hospital emergency section within the project, with a total cost of more same time frame. than QR2.4bn passed through The Prime Minister visited several stages of development and the projects in the Medical City design after studying the medical recently. services requirements. He was accompanied by H The Women’s Hospital includes E Sheikh Abdulrahman bin seven operation theatres com- Khalifa Al Thani, Minister prising four rooms for caesarean, of Municipality and Urban three rooms specialising in gynae- Planning and H E Abdullah bin cology obstetrics, 60 examination Khalid Al Qahtani, Minister rooms in the outpatient clinic and of Public Health. Receiving 21 delivery rooms. them was Engineer Nasser bin The Women’s building also Ali Al Mawlawi, President of includes an integrated accident Ashghal, along with the Director and emergency services manage- of Buildings Affairs and the ment for Caesarean operations, Head of Healthcare Projects in evaluation, Ultrasound, treatment Ashghal. rooms, and emergency deliveries The Premier and the minis- rooms. In addition, the building ters were briefed about the work includes 243 beds and more than progress made accordingly to 60 beds for new born babies. meet the requirements of the The Ambulatory and Minimally Hamad Medical Corporation Invasive Surgical Hospital (HMC) and Supreme Council of includes 130 short-stay beds, a suite Health (SCH) with an aim to pro- for radiology, examination, and The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdulla bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani visiting Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City. vide best services to the public. treatment rooms, in addition to a The project includes master suite for day care stages. a Women’s Hospital, the The operation room suite includes Rehabilitation Hospital includes occupational therapy, organ clinics include treatment rooms, also located in this building, and Ambulatory and Minimally 14 operation theatres equipped advanced suite for adults transplantation, and support gyms, social treatment room, and includes 215 beds for patients Invasive Surgical Hospital, with all resuscitation needs. Hydrotherapy in the region, treatment clinics for inpatients. a master suite for education and with all the required services. the Physical Medicine and The Physical Medicine and outpatient clinics that cover The outpatient physiotherapy support. The main laboratory is THE PENINSULA 20 Qatar University students selected to study abroad

DOHA: Qatar University (QU) opportunity for scholars to pro- Karolinska Institute, Columbia an asset to Qatar University and recognize their academic achieve- studying abroad, they must also celebrated current and returned vide prospective scholarship University, University College to your country. We are happy ments. Education plays a core role be highly determined, patient, and scholars at its Fourth Annual holders with an insight into post- London and Johns Hopkins and privileged to welcome you in the society as it is the result of persevering in their efforts to suc- Scholarship & Sponsorship graduate education and the ben- University. on campus today and hope that long-term sacrifices and efforts ceed. After graduation, they must Students Gathering ceremony efits and challenges of studying In her remarks, Prof Al Misnad these annual visits will further over the years. It also adds value have in mind the will to compete held on January 4 at Grand and living abroad. said: “The fast developing schol- strengthen your connection with to human life, and contributes in order to reach high positions Hyatt Hotel. QU President Prof Sheikha arship program at QU has your alma mater.” to help graduates reach high in the labor market and become The event program also Abdulla Al Misnad, members of been a sustainable resource of Returned scholar and cur- positions in the workforce, and tomorrow’s leaders.” included the announcement by QU leadership, deans and heads national faculty members and rently acting head of Biological become the future leaders of their Master’s scholar Aisha the Scholarships and Partnerships of departments were joined by future leaders. We have been and Environmental Sciences country.” Al-Rashdi and PhD scholars Office of twenty distinguished ambassadors Dana Shell Smith thrilled to watch students from department in the College of College of Law (LAWC) dean Maha Abdulla H I Al-Asmakh, national QU graduates selected (USA), Nicholas Hopton (UK), the program get admitted into Arts & Sciences (CAS) Dr Fatima Dr Mohamed Al-Khulaifi, himself Nayef Al-Yafei and Noor in this academic year to pursue and. Ewa Polano (Sweden), Yvette some of the best universities in Ammar Al Naemi was recognized a returned scholar, said: “Being Al-Maadeed also shared advice Master’s and PhD studies abroad. Burghgraef-van Eechoud (The the world, graduate successfully, for her active participation in QU on scholarship program is a and experiences on the advan- Additionally, 13 Masters and six Netherlands), and British Council and proceed to achieve remark- life the workforce after gradua- very important and challenging tages of studying in a high-level PhD scholars — were presented director Martin Hope. able heights of career success tion and for participating actively stage in a student’s academic life. degree program, living in a new with awards in recognition of Currently 62 students are on serving QU as leaders or moving in the university life. Students must have a clear pur- culture, and building friendships their commitment and academic scholarship at top-tier univer- onward to serve Qatar in many She said: “We are pleased to pose, a strong vision and careful with people from around the achievements. sities around the world such as other ways.” participate in this event that planning in order to achieve suc- world. The event was also an the Imperial College London, She told the students: “You are aims to encourage students and cess and reach their goals. While THE PENINSULA

Take Action: Magazine Ooredoo signs on diabetes launched agreement with DOHA: People with Diabetes in Qatar CloudClinik now have greater access to advice and DOHA: Ooredoo yesterday announced information about the condition, follow- a new agreement with CloudClinik ing the launch of the first magazine for to develop Qatar’s first cloud-based patients by Action on Diabetes. Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Seven thousand copies of the Take Action Practice Management System. magazine, in Arabic and English, have been As part of the new agreement, Ooredoo distributed to all primary healthcare cen- and CloudClinik will provide the private tres in Qatar along with the Diabetes clinics healthcare sector in Qatar a new service in Hamad general, Al Khor and Al Wakra to manage its patients’ clinical informa- hospitals. Launched in collaboration with tion in an efficient way. Action on Diabetes strategic partners — Hosted in one of Ooredoo’s high-tech the Supreme Council of Health, Hamad Qatar Data Centers, the new service will Medical Corporation, Primary Health Care use a dedicated connection, enabling the Corporation, Qatar Diabetes Association, most secure service for patient’s private Maersk Oil Qatar, and Novo Nordisk — information. Take Action provides a wealth of useful “Service such as this will literally save information written up in a simple and lives across Qatar and help our coun- accessible format for all age groups. try become a leader in smart health- The content of the magazine ranges from care facilities. We’re proud to sign with interviews with diabetes patients discuss- CloudClinik to enable this service and ing their personal experiences, to articles can’t wait to see the effects it has. 2015 that correct misconceptions about diabetes, will see Ooredoo push for bigger and to lists of useful facts on managing the condi- a simple and easy-to-understand language faster services with a focus on business tion. In addition, an Ask the Experts, column that includes various prevention tips and and smart living products to help push publishes and answers readers’ questions. information for patients on methods of Qatar into a knowledge based economy,” The magazine also includes recommended dealing with their condition. We hope that said Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaissi, CEO – nutrition intakes as well as featuring simple, this magazine benefits not only those living Ooredoo Global Services, Ooredoo. fun exercise programs in an effort to promote with diabetes, but also the family/friends of “We made CloudClinik for the health- physical activity in the community. those with the condition, to help them find care professionals of this country and are Herluf Nis Thomsen, Action on Diabetes ways to support their loved ones. “ really excited to announce our strategic Programme Manager said: “We are Action on Diabetes will publish further partnership with Ooredoo which will delighted to issue the first edition of Take editions of the magazine throughout 2015 leverage the healthcare innovation for Action magazine, as we continuously strive and distribute it, free of charge, in the wait- SMEs and the residents of this country,” to raise awareness of diabetes and help sup- ing rooms of hospitals and health centres said Sajjad Kirmani, CEO at DicoTech port and motivate those living with the con- across Doha. To view Take Action online, Infogisitic and Founder of CloudClinik dition to lead happy, healthy lives. We have visit http://aodnews.com/magazine/ Qatar. ensured that our first edition is written in THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MIDDLE EAST

Hamas ‘totally Terrorists kill opposed’ to Abbas plan for 3 Saudi guards new UN bid GAZA CITY: Hamas said yes- terday it was “totally opposed” to Palestinian President on Iraq border Mahmoud Abbas’s plans to re-submit to the UN Security Council a resolution on ending Israel’s occupation which failed Four attackers killed in clashes last week. “Hamas is totally opposed to RIYADH: Three Saudi guards Cooperation Council, Abdullatif any return to the UN Security including a top commander Al Zayani, also condemned “the Council by the Palestinian were killed yesterday in a rare terrorist attack on the northern Authority,” spokesman Sami Abu attack and suicide bombing by border of Saudi Arabia”. Zuhri said in a statement. “terrorists” on the kingdom’s In July, three shells fired from “Such a step would be political border with Iraq, the interior inside Iraq hit the Arar area, foolishness which plays a danger- ministry said. without causing any casualties. ous game with the destiny of our Four attackers were also killed In 2013, Iraqi Shiite group Jaish nation. in the clash, two in suicide blasts. al-Mukhtar claimed it had fired “Mahmoud Abbas and the No group claimed responsibility six mortar rounds into a remote leadership of the Palestinian for the clash, but Saudi Arabia is area of northeastern Saudi Arabia Authority should completely stop among countries that have joined as a “warning” to the kingdom. this political foolishness,” Abu the US-led coalition carrying out Saudi Arabia shares a more A rebel fighter stands near a factory at Al Breij frontline, after what they said was an advance by them in the area Zuhri said. air strikes against jihadists from than 800km border with Iraq and and they took control of two factories and several buildings where forces loyal to President Bashar Al Assad were On January 2, the Palestinian the Islamic State group in Syria has recently stepped up efforts to stationed, in Aleppo, yesterday. leadership decided to refile a draft and Iraq. secure the frontier. resolution setting a deadline for “A border patrol in Suwayf, in In September, the kingdom reaching a final peace deal and the northern Arar region, came inaugurated a multi-layered ending the occupation. The draft under fire by terrorist elements,” fence, backed by radar and New Syria opposition head had failed to pass a vote in the an interior spokesman said in a other surveillance equipment, Security Council on December 30. statement carried by the official along its northern borders. In Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu SPA news agency. November, Riyadh announced it rules out Moscow talks plan Rudeina said the resolution would As security forces killed one had expanded a buffer zone along be presented again “soon”, with- assailant, another “detonated an the border by 20km. out saying exactly when. explosive belt he was carrying”, The kingdom’s participation BEIRUT: The newly elected It has invited 28 opposition fig- first since he was elected with The vote saw Security Council killing himself and two guards in the US-led campaign of air head of Syria’s key opposi- ures, including members of the backing from both secular and heavyweights China, France and and wounding another, the min- strikes against IS in Syria has tion National Coalition yester- tolerated domestic opposition as moderate Islamist blocs. Russia among eight countries who istry said. drawn threats of retaliation from day ruled out taking part in a well as individual Coalition mem- He is the first member of gave their support, while the US In a later statement, the min- the jihadists. Russian-led bid for new talks to bers, to Moscow later this month. the Turkmen minority elected and Australia voted against. istry said a total of three guards In a purported audio recording end the Syrian conflict. Among them are Hadi Al to the post and is seen as more Five other countries, including were killed, including General released on social media networks Khaled Khoja, who was elected Bahra, whom Khoja succeeded independent than his predeces- Britain, abstained — among them Odah Al Balawi. Saudi media last month, IS leader Abu Bakr Al early on Monday to head the oppo- yesterday, and two other previous sor, who had strong ties to Saudi Nigeria which had been expected had reported that a senior com- Baghdadi warned Saudi leaders sition grouping, said Moscow’s Coalition chiefs, Moaz Al Khatib Arabia. to vote in favour but changed its mander of the border guard was they would see “no more security proposal was impossible. and Abdel Basset Sida. Coalition member Samir stance at the last minute. among the dead. or rest”. Last month, Riyadh said “The dialogue with the regime It remains unclear whether the Nashar said Khoja’s win showed The failure to win the nine “yes” Two assailants were shot dead it had arrested 135 suspects for that Moscow is calling for is out Coalition will seek to ban those a “decline in the influence of the votes necessary for the resolution and two detonated belts of explo- “terrorism” offences. of the question,” he said at a news of its members who have been Muslim Brotherhood”, which had to be adopted spared Washington sives, the ministry said. The authorities said they had conference in Istanbul, where the invited from attending the talks backed his rival Nasr Hariri. from having to wield its veto, a Saudi news website Sabq arrested three IS supporters for Coalition is based. in Moscow. Khoja secured 56 votes, six move sure to cause embarrass- reported that Odeh commanded shooting and wounding a Dane in “We can’t sit at the same table Khatib visited Russia last year more than Hariri. The election ment with its key Arab allies. the border guards in the north- November. as the regime... except in a nego- for discussions and has recently took place in Istanbul. But it was a diplomatic blow ern region. The statement said A week after that attack, a tiating framework intended to established his own movement, The National Coalition is the for the Palestinians who had been the four were “trying to cross Canadian was wounded in a stab- achieve a peaceful transition of though he remains a member of internationally recognised repre- counting on the symbolic victory the Saudi border”, but it did not bing while he shopped at a mall in power and the formation of a the Coalition. sentative of Syria’s uprising, but of nine votes, even though the clarify in which direction. Dhahran on Saudi Arabia’s Gulf transitional body with full pow- Several opposition groups are is often accused of being out of resolution would in all likelihood Saudi Arabia’s top religious coast. Police arrested a Saudi ers,” he said. expected to meet in Cairo this touch with reality on the ground have been blocked by a US veto. body, the Council of Senior Ulema, suspect. And in November, Saudi Russia, a key ally of Syrian month to form a unified front, in the nearly four-year war. condemned the attack and reiter- Arabia also blamed IS-linked President Bashar Al Assad, has according to opposition sources, Turkey has also vied for influ- ated its support for the govern- suspects for killing seven Shiites, been trying to relaunch peace although a timetable and list of ence, including by backing the Kuwait court ment in its fight against extremist including children, in the king- talks that would include meetings participants has not been made Muslim Brotherhood bloc in the groups including IS and Al-Qaeda. dom’s oil-rich Eastern Province. between delegates of the regime public. coalition. jails online The head of the six-nation Gulf AFP and the fractured opposition. Khoja’s comments were the AFP activist

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s supreme court yesterday sen- tenced an opposition activist to IS jihadists 20 months in jail on charges of Old regime’s Essid to form new Tunisia govt insulting the emirate’s ruler on claim execution Twitter. Sager Al Hashash was TUNIS: Ex-interior minis- palace. “Consultations with (polit- minister, he served as security The prime minister designate handed a two-year prison term of eight in Iraq ter Habib Essid, who held a ical) parties and civil society will adviser to prime minister Hamadi will need the support of other by a lower court in March 2013 number of posts under Tunisia’s begin,” he added, without giving a Jebali of the moderate Islamist parties in parliament for his line- but released by an appeals court BAGHDAD: The Islamic State ousted regime, has been tasked date for the launch of talks. party Ennahda. up, as the anti-Islamist Nidaa which later reduced the sentence jihadist group has executed with forming a government as The prime minister designate “After consultations, both Tounes does not hold a majority. to one year. The new verdict is eight people, four of them prime minister designate, he has a month — renewable once — within the party and with other Ennahda, which came second in final and can not be challenged. policemen, in Iraq’s Salaheddin announced yesterday. to form a cabinet and win parlia- parties, there is consensus around the polls, has not ruled out joining Hashash was charged with province, according to a series Essid, a top interior ministry mentary approval for his line-up. the name of Habib Essid as can- a coalition with Nidaa Tounes. writing tweets in October 2012 of pictures posted online. civil servant under toppled dicta- His name was put forward by didate for the post of head of The Islamist movement reacted deemed offensive to the emir A message that accompanied tor Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, made Essebsi’s Nidaa Tounes party government,” Nidaa Tounes vice positively to Essid’s nomination at a time of opposition-led pro- the pictures, the authenticity of the announcement after a meet- which won October parliamen- president Mohamed Ennaceur and said it would be ready to join tests against the government for which could not be independently ing with Beji Caid Essebsi who tary elections by securing 86 of told reporters. a cabinet under his premiership. amending Kuwait’s electoral law. confirmed, said the eight men had last month won Tunisia’s first free the 217 seats. “He is an independent figure... “We have held a principled The courts have handed down reneged on a pledge to stop work- presidential election. Essid, 65, held government who has skills and experience,” position since before the elec- prison sentences to several oppo- ing for the Iraqi government. “I had the honour of being positions without ever being Ennaceur said, singling out his tions that we are in favour of a sition activists and former MPs It was not immediately clear received today by the president minister under Ben Ali’s iron- “knowledge of security matters”. government of national unity,” for remarks deemed insulting to when the photos were taken. who tasked me with forming fisted regime but returned after Some Nidaa Tounes members said Ennahda spokesman Zied the Emir, H H Sheikh Sabah Al Seven of the victims can be the new government,” Essid told Tunisia’s 2011 revolution. had wanted the post to be held by Ladhari. Ahmad Al Sabah. seen wearing orange jumpsuits reporters at the presidential After a stint as interior a member of their party. AFP AGENCIES similar to those worn by journal- ists and aid workers killed by IS. Captions identify them police officers, one is said to be a police- Displaced Iraqis man and three are described as “secret informants”. Turkey detains 34 cops The eighth victim is not identified. Other pictures show the men blindfolded and marching towards in wiretapping probe what appears to be an area under a bridge across a river. ISTANBUL: Turkish authori- A trial opened on Friday of 13 They are also seen lined up on ties yesterday detained at least suspects accused of setting up their knees, with pistol-armed 34 police officers in a new wave bugs to eavesdrop on Erdogan masked men wearing black uni- of raids over the illegal eaves- while he was prime minister, forms standing behind them. dropping of top officials includ- including his former top body- Another picture shows seven of ing President Recep Tayyip guard and the head of the prime the victims slumped forward with Erdogan, state media said. minister’s security department. their hands bound, blood running Police conducted raids in 13 The case is linked to last year’s from some of their heads, while cities across Turkey and detained stunning corruption allegations the eighth is still upright, appar- officers accused of wiretapping key against Erdogan and his inner ently as the militant behind him figures including businessmen, pol- circle that were based on wire- fires. iticians and government officials, tapped telephone conversations IS spearheaded a sweeping Anatolia news agency reported. and a series of leaked recordings. militant offensive in June that The dawn raids, targeting mostly Erdogan has blamed US-based overran large areas north and police intelligence unit officers, Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen of west of Baghdad, and also holds were carried out simultaneously concocting the corruption scandal significant territory in Iraq and in mainly eastern and southeast- and has purged thousands of his Syria. ern cities including Erzurum, followers from the police and the The brutal militant group has Gaziantep, Hatay and Tunceli. judiciary. executed thousands of people in The swoop was the latest in The authorities last month both countries, some of them in a series of raids since July last launched raids against pro-Gulen highly-choreographed videotaped An Iraqi woman displaced by fighting heats water in a tank near shelters built for pilgrims but now hous- year which saw dozens of other media in a move sharply criticised sequences in which the victims ing internally displaced people (IDP) yesterday, in Najaf, about 160km south of Baghdad. Death toll in Iraq policemen arrested for allegedly by the EU as marking a new ero- are beheaded. insurgency was 15,538 in 2014, compared to 17,956 in 2007. wiretapping Erdogan and other sion of press freedom in Turkey. AFP officials. AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07

Police, Salman Libya appeals supporters clash in Bahrain

MANAMA: Bahraini police for weapons to fired rubber bullets and tear gas to scatter protesters who gathered outside the home of an opposition leader yesterday, combat militia witnesses said, after he was remanded in custody for a fur- ther 15 days. Around 100 protesters angry Arab League holds emergency meeting at the decision had assembled outside his house in the Manama CAIRO: Libya’s internation- said UN spokesman Stephane suburb of Bilad Al Qadeem calling ally recognised government Dujarric. for his immediate release, accord- yesterday appealed for weapons UN envoy Bernardino Leon ing to an eyewitness, and clashes to combat militias which have was consulting all sides to reach with police ensued. seized parts of the oil-rich but agreement on the timing and Authorities were not available conflict-wracked nation, at an the venue for what would be the for comment on the fresh out- emergency meeting of the Arab second round of meetings on the break of sectarian tension in the League. worsening turmoil in Libya. Sunni Muslim-ruled, Gulf Arab “We call on the international Dujarric cited difficulties in kingdom, a close ally of the United community to assume its legal finding a “venue that complies States which bases its Fifth Fleet and moral responsibilities and to with all the security require- there as a bulwark against Iran arm, without further delay, the ments” as one of the reasons for across the Gulf. Libyan army,” said Libya’s repre- the delay. The talks, originally Sheikh Ali Salman, head of sentative to the Cairo-based Arab slated for December 9, have been the Al Wefaq Islamic Society, League, Ashur Bou Rashed. repeatedly delayed because of was arrested on December 28 More than three years after escalating violence. after leading a protest rally dictator Muammar Gaddafi was Arab League chief Nabil Al against elections that were held toppled and killed in a Nato- Arabi voiced regret at the lat- in November and which his backed revolt, Libya is awash with est postponement. “Our prior- Libyan representative at the Arab League Ashour Abu-Rashed (left) talks with Lebanese representative Khaled party boycotted, prompting US weapons and powerful militias, ity today is to adopt a decisive Ziadeh (right) during an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League permanent delegates in Cairo yesterday. criticism. and has rival governments and position that would lead to an Late on Sunday, Salman’s law- parliaments. immediate end to armed terror- yer, Abdulla Al Shamlawi, said The internationally recog- ist operations” in Libya, he said. Libya planes bomb Greek oil tanker that he had been charged by the nised government and parlia- Several regional states fear- public prosecutor with inciting a ment elected in June have been ful of a spillover, notably Niger change of government by force, based in the remote east since an and Chad, have called for inter- BENGHAZI/ATHENS: A and claimed it had been trans- Ahmed Bu Zayad Al Mismari, inciting hatred of a segment of Islamist-backed militia coalition, national military intervention in Libyan warplane from forces porting Islamist militants to the a spokesman for the government’s society, inciting others to break Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn), seized Libya, but without gaining sup- loyal to the internationally rec- city of Derna. Greece condemned General Chief of Staff, confirmed the law and publicly insulting the Tripoli last year. port from Western countries for ognised government bombed what it called an “unprovoked and the vessel was attacked by one of Interior Ministry. Fajr Libya also controls third such action. a Greek-operated oil tanker cowardly” attack and demanded it warplanes. “The secretary general of a city Misrata, while much of sec- The Arab League, in a state- anchored offshore, killing two an investigation and punishment “The ports of Derna and political society shall be detained ond city Benghazi is also in the ment at the end of its Cairo meet- crewmen in an escalation of a for those responsible. Benghazi were closed, and we for 15 more days pending inves- hands of militias. ing, condemned “all attacks on battle between the country’s Both sides have appointed rival have cautioned all oil tankers not tigation,” the official Twitter Bou Rashed insisted on the institutions and economic instal- rival factions. officials to run the NOC state oil to get close to these ports.” account of Bahrain’s Public need to score a “military victory lations” in Libya, notably its oil The air strike on Sunday company and the oil ministry, The Greek vessel had not let Prosecution said. It did not name over the brutal militias to pre- sector. In mid-December, Fajr damaged the Liberian-flagged leading to confusion over who officials know its destination and Salman. vent them from further expand- Libya launched an assault to try ARAEVO that was carrying controls which assets. did not seek permission, he said. After a US State Department ing their influence across Libya” to seize key oil terminals. 12,600 tons of crude oil when it Athens-based Aegean Shipping But an industry source said it statement on Thursday criti- and help reach a political solution. At least 22 pro-government was off the eastern port of Derna, Enterprises Co, which operates was delivering gasoil to power cising Salman’s detention, say- His comments came as the forces were killed in fighting with the Greek coastguard and Libyan the vessel, said no oil had spilled generators that supply the cities ing this would further stoke United Nations postponed peace the militias who fired a rocket officials said. as a result of the air strike. The of Derna, Khoms, Benghazi and tensions, Bahraini authorities talks it was hoping to hold yeserday that set ablaze tanks at Al Sidra Military officials allied with vessel, which it said had been Misrata. denounced what they called between Libya’s warring factions. oil terminal. The military retali- Libya’s internationally recognized chartered by NOC, was loaded The company said two mem- foreign double standards and “The dialogue had been sched- ated by raiding Misrata. government said the vessel had at Brega port for transport to bers were killed and two wounded. interference. uled to take place. It did not,” AGENCIES been warned not to enter port Derna. REUTERS REUTERS Flooded with refugees, Lebanon imposes visas on Syrians

BEIRUT: Overwhelmed by a of refugees. For months, Lebanon’s and there will be humanitarian massive influx of desperate ref- government has sounded the exceptions,” he said. “But it’s high ugees, Lebanon began imposing alarm, warning the international time to regulate the issue of Syrians unprecedented visa restrictions community that it could no longer entering Lebanon,” he added. on Syrians yesterday, includ- deal with the influx. “Their presence imposes a ing those fleeing their country’s In October, Social Affairs great security, economic and civil war. Minister Rashid Derbas social burden on Lebanon, and “Today we began implement- announced that Lebanon “no pressure that the infrastructure ing the new entry measures and longer officially receives any dis- can longer take.” Syrians at the borders have begun placed Syrians,” with exceptions Unlike Jordan and Turkey, presenting their documents to on humanitarian grounds only. Lebanon declined to create refu- enter,” a source at Lebanon’s gen- He told AFP that the new visa gee camps, meaning refugees are eral security agency said. requirement was intended to limit dispersed throughout the country. The visa restrictions are the the flood of new arrivals. The country has seen its first in the history of the two “The goal is to prevent already fragile security situation countries and come as Lebanon (Syrians) from taking refuge” in deteriorate, with jihadists from struggles to deal with more than Lebanon, and “to more seriously Syria briefly overrunning Arsal 1.1 million Syrian refugees. regulate the entry of Syrians.” in August and kidnapping sev- The influx has tested the lim- Khalil Jebara, adviser to eral dozen Lebanese police and ited resources of the country, as Lebanon’s interior minister, said soldiers. well as the patience of its citizens, the country would continue to UN refugee agency UNHCR particularly in the wake of dete- provide humanitarian exceptions, has registered 1.1 million arriv- riorating security in areas like but that restrictions were needed. als, but many more are thought Arsal, a border town in eastern “We respect our international obli- to be in the country unregistered. Lebanon hosting tens of thousands gations... we will not expel anyone AFP

Tehran busts ‘terror’ cell in Turkey ex-ministers southeast escape graft trial TEHRAN: Iran arrested a “terrorist cell” accused of kill- ANKARA: Four Turkish by MPs from the ruling Justice ing teachers in a flashpoint ex-ministers who resigned and Development Party (AKP) border area and detained in a over a 2013 graft scandal that — ruled against sending the cases separate incident three Afghans shook President Recep Tayyip to the Supreme Council court, its planning to fight in Iraq, media Erdogan’s government will not chairman Hakki Koylu said on reported yesterday. have to stand trial, a commis- national television. An undisclosed number of cell sion ruled Monday, in a decision Former interior minister members were caught near Sarbaz the opposition called a “black Muammer Guler, ex-environment in the southeast, said a statement day” for democracy. minister Erdogan Bayraktar, ex- from Iran’s elite Revolutionary The parliamentary commis- economy minister Zafer Caglayan Guards (IRGC) published by the sion’s decision appears to draw and ex-EU affairs minister official IRNA news agency. a line under the December Egemen Bagis faced accusations The report did not give the date 2013 scandal which presented of bribery and influence-peddling. of the operation but said those Erdogan, then prime minister, The decision had been awaited detained had “committed a series with one of the biggest crises of on December 22 but was unex- of terrorist attacks, including his rule over Turkey. pectedly delayed for two weeks the killing of teachers and Basij Erdogan angrily claimed the amid frenzied speculation over (Islamic militia volunteers).” scandal was the brainchild of his alleged government meddling. Sarbaz is in Sistan-Baluchistan ally-turned-foe, the US-based “The vote was open. Everyone province, which borders Pakistan cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose expressed their opinion, and cast and has a large Sunni community. Hizmet (Service) group the his vote. Every allegation, every It is plagued by violence involv- authorities have since moved to name was discussed. The vote ing Sunni extremists and drug destroy with dozens of arrests was cast accordingly,” said Koylu, smugglers. which also continued yesterday. an AKP lawmaker. AFP The commission — dominated AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Editorial Greek exit Sierra Leone was recovering EWS of possible exit of Greece from the eurozone after elections later this month is again hogging the global headlines. The news rattled European but Ebola changed everything Nmarkets yesterday, and stock prices tumbled. Greek stocks sank more than 5 percent, while the Paris, Madrid and BY TAMSIN EVANS ambulance sirens: before it was unusual is out of education. Investors have left. Milan exchanges fell more than 3 percent, and the euro hit a to see an ambulance at all. The radio The stigma from the civil war has been nine-year low on renewed concerns about the currency bloc. HE news about Pauline broadcasts back-to-back programmes replaced by Ebola, and will be lasting. German Chancellor Angela Merkel waded into the debate, Cafferkey, the Scottish nurse on how to avoid Ebola. All the pop The healthcare system has been with reports saying she views Greece’s exiting the euro as a currently fighting for her life songs are about the virus. brought to its knees. People are ter- manageable risk that would pose no existential crisis for the Tafter treating Ebola victims The previously thriving social scene rified to go to hospital for fear they common currency. in west Africa, is a sharp reminder to is dead. Gatherings are banned. Bars might become infected. Healthcare those outside the region that the virus and restaurants close from 6pm, workers are over-stretched. Ebola is The possibility of Athens bidding farewell to eurozone has is still, despite all efforts, as devastating though more exclusive hotels, such killing in many different ways: women gained momentum because an anti-austerity party is leading and deadly as ever. I’ve just returned as theRadisson Blu (formerly the UN who are pregnant, people with malaria ahead of an election on January 25. The far-left Syriza party to Sierra Leone, where I arrived in headquarters during the war), are filled and other potentially deadly illnesses – is known for its aversion to strict rules imposed on it by its January 2012 with my husband, who with humanitarian workers. they cannot receive the medical help European masters and if elected, the country will have a is an aid worker. Last August, as the One of the most striking changes is they need. Three weeks ago I lost a Ebola outbreak restricted travel, we the complete lack of human contact. dear friend and colleague here: TMan government that might be prepared to default on its debts were evacuated. The country I am wit- Sierra Leone is a country of welcome Fayia died from an abdominal issue, rather than continue with austerity measures. German nessing today is starkly different to the and warmth. The usual greeting is to seemingly a bowel obstruction, which government sources have been quoted as saying that Berlin one I left five months ago. shake hands, then touch your hand to wasn’t successfully diagnosed and sees a Greek exit from the eurozone as “almost inevitable” In our first two and a half years your chest – as if you are drawing that treated. If the healthcare system was should the radical leftist Syriza party win the snap poll. here, we saw many changes – signs of person to your heart. At the beginning not so strained his life may have been The European Union and the International Monetary Fund progress steadily of the outbreak, this was adapted with saved. He was 35 years old, and nor- building as the humour – instead of touching hands, mally fit and healthy. He leaves behind (IMF) have overseen two massive international bailouts worth country shook people greeted each other with elbows, a wife and four children. A child soldier $286bnfor Greece after its debt crisis nearly brought down the off the effects saying “elbow-la”. Now, everyone is turned yoga teacher, he was a leader of eurozone. The funds were contingent on reforms that saw the I left the country and stigma of the promoting ABC: Avoid Body Contact. Sierra Leone’s regeneration. Greek economy contract by more five months ago civil war. There At a time when people need physical To support the fight against Ebola, than a fifth over six years, with was a feeling comfort, none can be given. As I write, some friends and I have formed a fund- Athens exiting growth just starting to return but and have just that things were I can hear Aisha and Batul, the small raising group: Good Never Lost. We are really taking off. girls in our compound, calling to each raising money for King’s Sierra Leone the euro unemployment still running high. returned to find a Exciting and cre- other inKrio as they play tag: “Don’t Partnership, which is at the frontline of If Greece chooses to exit euro, ative income-gen- touch me, don’t touch anyone, or you’ll the Ebola response in Freetown. “Good would throw it will be the biggest setback for country in turmoil. erating projects die! These are Ebola times!” They are Never Lost” is a slogan often embla- the common the bloc since its formation and But if wealthy were being set five and seven years old – these are zoned on minibuses here, as a cheer- will raise serious questions about up, diasporans heavy lessons to learn. ful reminder never to give up hope. It were returning. Aisha, whose parents cannot read, encapsulates the resilience and positiv- its future and will undermine currency’s countries help, Outside invest- started school last year. But now all ity that Sierra Leoneans are known for. confidence of its smaller members. there is still hope. ment was pouring schools are closed. Lessons are being Because still, through all these dread- continued Merkel’s statement about the in. Restaurants given over the radio. Even the spelling ful times, people manage to smile. Still existence into manageability of the crisis following and hotels were classes seem related to the outbreak. people say: “Salone e tranga, wi go try the exit does not have many opening. An “off the beaten track” “Predict – p-r-e-d-i-c-t,” the radio fo kick di Ebola, wi go tinap back” – doubt. takers and can only be taken as an tourism industry was beginning to teacher says. “As in, there is no way to Sierra Leone is strong, we will try to flourish. Tarmac roads were being built. predict what will happen.” get rid of Ebola, we will stand up again. attempt to put pressure on Greeks Construction was booming. The outbreak has left many strug- To do this Sierra Leone, and all and Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras Now, the landscape is altered. gling for employment. Restricted trad- Ebola-hit nations, need the wealthy against any such moves. Military helicopters drone above ing hours are affecting people’s capacity countries of the world to stand with The mere discussion of a potential fracture in the euro the picturesque Freetown skyline. to earn. At the same time, food prices them. If there are any small mercies, zone should be a warning to European leaders that their path Treatment centres have sprung up have risen, because Ebola has affected perhaps it’s that the Ebola outbreak to ever-closer union is anything but assured. The euro has around the peninsula, like the one at farming and supplies. has brought the struggling healthcare Kerry Town, where Pauline Cafferkey Communities like Bureh, a small system here to the world’s attention. slumped to its weakest value against the dollar since 2006. was working: a surreal village of white fishing village on the western penin- Meaningful support from the west is Although there are other factors involved, it is a reminder that tents nestled at the foot of the moun- sula, were beginning to thrive on now finally on the ground, but it took a investors aren’t keen on putting their money into a currency tains. Public awareness posters are tourism, but are now struggling. Last long time to arrive. Experts expect the with an uncertain future. everywhere: “Kick Ebola out”, “Ebola, weekend, I drove to Bureh beach to outbreak to last until the end of this Any country exiting the euro would throw the common e du so” (it’s enough). At road check- find it deserted. “At weekends we used year. But much longer-term support, points and the entrances to shops and to have 40-50 customers a day,” says strengthening and community sensi- currency’s continued existence into doubt. It will give more restaurants, you must stop to wash Jabhez Benga, the manager of Bureh tisation will be needed. energy to other critics of the bloc, like Britain, where your hands and have your tempera- Surf Club. “Last Saturday no one came In the meantime life goes on. And sentiments against the European Union are very high. It’s ture taken. at all. We used to support school kids as 2014 drew to a close, and despite situation that the founders of the group would dread. Normally bustling market areas are in the community with our profits, but curfews banning the usual fantasti- If the EU is genuinely interested in keeping Athens, it eerily deserted on evenings and week- we can’t any more.” cally raucous community beach parties, should take a more sympathetic approach to the concerns of ends due to new trading curfews. Stray Even when the Ebola outbreak is friends were lighting candles at home, dogs scuttle between the empty market over, its wider effects are going to be to welcome in a new year of hope. the crisis-hit country. stands. There’s the constant wailing of felt for a long time. A whole generation THE GUARDIAN The other side Quote of Internet and its neutrality has democratised knowledge the day REATIVE destruction’ refers The debate over ‘net neutrality’ of knowledge. Gone are the days when and IT-enabled services industry is now to the relentless innovation needs to be seen in this context. Net one had to solely depend on set of few worth $120 billion. where new products and neutrality is a principle that treats inter- ‘information arbitrators’, such as pub- When the first mobile phone service Ctechnologies replace net traffic equally. lications, to get access to knowledge. was launched in India, the cost of a outdated ones. It was coined by Joseph For example, in the World Wide Web, To be sure, the telecom revolution low end mobile handset was around We are acting to Schumpeter (1942), who considered a start-up company’s website should and the plunging costs of handset Rs. 25,000. You can now buy one for rapid obsolescence an ‘essential fact have the same chance to succeed as acquisition have aided this greatly. Rs. 1,000. contain terrorism in about capitalism’. a large transnational corporation. Take the case of India. In 1995, one Smartphones, which bring the the south, but France There can be no dispute that in the Likewise, anybody wishing to read year after India began to liberalise the browsing power of the internet to your last 50 years the internet has turned the blog-post written by a secondary telecom sector, the mobile phone was palmtop, can be bought for as low will not intervene out to be the biggest example of crea- school student should not face the a luxury for most Indians. Today, your as Rs. 5,000. The importance of net in Libya because it’s tive destruction to have impacted our prospect of facing slower access to milkman and the kabadiwala carry one. neutrality in furthering this cannot be lives. It has empowered people, made the student’s blog only to make way Sometime in the middle of next year, over-emphasised. The idea of net neu- for the international communication times faster, turned for brands that spend more money on the number of mobile subscribers in trality is based on the simple principle community to live up production processes more efficient advertising their products. India will cross one billion. that a network and the data that flows and, above all, empowered billions of In many ways, the internet and its At the upper end of society, the through it are two separate entities. to its responsibilities. Francois Hollande people. neutrality has democratised the world ubiquitous information technology (IT) Hindustan Times French President TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Will the ICC move help Palestinians?

The biggest immediate hurdle for Abbas is getting the ICC, set up in The Hague 12 years ago, to take on any case it brings. Joining the court is one thing, but convincing the chief prosecutor that you have a winnable set of evidence is another.

BY LUKE BAKER Since its inception, the court has for- mally opened just nine investigations, all or someone nearing 80, of them relating to genocide, war crimes President Mahmoud Abbas still or crimes against humanity committed knows how to shake things up. in Africa. FBut his decision last week to A shift of focus to the Middle East join the International Criminal Court would be welcomed by those who accuse (ICC) is a high-risk move that may set the court of a post-colonial, Western back the ultimate goal: an independent bias, but it’s no guarantee of success Palestinian state. after the failure of several high-profile Frustrated by the lack of progress in cases and only two convictions. negotiations with Israel — the last, fruit- Carsten Stahn, a professor of inter- less talks broke down in April — and the national criminal law and global justice failure of his New Year’s Eve statehood at Leiden University in the Netherlands, bid at the United Nations, Abbas followed believes the Palestinians may have a through on a long-promised threat to join case to make on war crimes grounds, the ICC, filing the relevant documents but it is far from cut-or-dried or simple on January 2. to make. The decision, to be formalised in the At every stage of the process — from next 2-3 months, opens the way for war the assessment of the case to investiga- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Ameen Madani, crimes charges to be brought against tion, prosecutor’s summonses, the pre- at the headquarters of the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. Israel, whether relating to last summer’s trial phase and, if warranted, a full trial conflict in Gaza or the impact of Israel’s - Israel could challenge the ICC’s jurisdic- Hamas rises, said Grant Rumley, an threat by saying it will withhold $120m the situation on the ground. 47-year-long occupation of Palestinian tion and the admissibility of evidence. expert in Palestinian politics at the of tax and customs receipts it collects on The United States and EU agree with territory. “If you include all of that and appeals Foundation for Defense of Democracies behalf of the Palestinians each month. Israel that an independent Palestinian Equally, it opens the Palestinians up and challenges, a case could take close to in Washington. Other more damaging steps, such as fur- state should only come about via to war crimes charges, and Israeli offi- a decade at least,” said Stahn. “Abbas understands that if he isn’t ther settlement expansion and tighter negotiations. cials have said they plan to make such swimming, he’s sinking,” said Rumley, controls on Palestinian movement and In that regard, the UN bid and ICC moves via courts in the United States or “SWIMMING NOT SINKING” calli ng ICC membership the next-best- access, could follow. membership are problematic. A return to elsewhere. For Abbas, who has been in power since thing after the UN statehood bid to show That moves the Palestinians further talks with Israel is even less likely. But the biggest immediate hurdle for 2005 and turns 80 in March, a decade is Palestinians there is movement. away from an independent state rather And if and when those talks do Abbas is getting the ICC, set up in The a long time, and in any case the expec- “The question is whether the ICC than closer to it. resume, Israel’s position is only likely to Hague 12 years ago, to take on any case tation was always that an independent works better as a threat against Israel, And while the recognition of Palestine have hardened, with the current right- it brings. Joining the court is one thing, state would happen before then. and whether they have a plan once they’re by Sweden was welcome, along with wing leadership even more unwilling but convincing the chief prosecutor that It also amounts to Abbas trying to members. I think ‘yes’ to the former, and non-binding votes in the British, Irish, to relinquish its grip on Palestinian you have a winnable set of evidence is show that he is still relevant as his ‘probably not’ to the latter.” Spanish, French and European parlia- land and allow an independent state to another. popularity wanes and support for Israel has already responded to the ments, none of those steps have changed emerge. REUTERS Media freedom hits decade low China censors reporting of New Year stampede manner to the detriment of the right to so long to obtain records under the law, and So far, Arab Spring has not inform and be informed.” Information was they are often so heavily redacted, that the law sacrificed in the name of combating terror- is losing its value for the press. US congres- BY SIMON DENYER done any good to press ism and national security and surveillance. sional leaders, at the end of the session this The US, which fell 13 place to 46, is a year, permitted a bill that would strengthen ven as China’s president ordered an investigation into a New freedom in the region. The good examples of states who sacrifice free- FOIA to die, despite widespread bipartisan Year’s Eve stampede in Shanghai that killed 36 people, the dom of press to mute criticisms and illegal support for it in the House and Senate. nation’s censors and police were hard at work — restricting mechanisms of control, and unlawful actions against journalists and Moreover, reporters’ Freedom of Eindependent reporting of the incident, curtailing interviews news organisations The trial and conviction Information Act requests are increasingly with relatives of the victims and intimidating critics. censorship, intimidation of Private Bradley Manning, now known as reported to public affairs officers and other Shanghai police have admitted they failed to deploy enough officers Chelsea Manning, and the pursuit of NSA political appointees so they can monitor to control a large crowd that had collected on the city’s waterfront on and self-censorship are analyst Edward Snowden “were warnings to reporters’ work. Wednesday night, after underestimating the number of people who all those thinking of assisting in the disclosure Already the world’s most dangerous country would turn up. there to stay. of sensitive information that would clearly be for journalists, Syria saw a further decline in Nevertheless, with some officers fearing they could lose their jobs, in public interest,” the report said. the security situation in 2014 as the conflict the force did not take kindly to criticism. Dozens of people who posted In the United States, reporters do not face became more complex. Nearly 130 news and critical comments online were subsequently interrogated by police, “as BY DR MOHAMED KIRAT physical threats so much as an expanding set information providers have been killed since a warning to those unfriendly Internet users,” one police officer told of insidious, bureaucratic efforts to intimi- the conflict began in March 2011. the South China Morning Post, asking not to be identified. ttacks and kidnappings of journal- date journalists and to push them to self- They are under attack from both sides: on The paper said several interviews with relatives of victims ists have soared over the past year. censorship. American agencies at all levels, the one hand by Bashar Al Assad’s regular were interrupted by people who described themselves as “vol- More regression than progress in as well as corporations, are increasingly army, which continues to arrest and kill those unteers” at a Shanghai hospital, and who argued the interviews Athe cause of press freedom world- barring employees from talking to report- who document the conflict; and on the other were “improper.” wide has been noted. Sixty-six journalists were ers about the public’s business, except when by armed Islamist groups in the so-called “lib- Central government authorities also issued strict guidelines to killed as they did their jobs professionally and under the watchful eye of public affairs erated” areas in the north, above all by Islamic domestic media organisations demanding they “strictly use authori- responsibly. The Islamic State’s (IS) beheading specialists. State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS). tative copy from central and Shanghai major news units,” and avoid of James Foley and Steven Sotloff were two of Very often, prosecutors and judges put Since the spring of 2013, these Jihadi groups using material from commercial Web sites, according to the China the more atrocious cases among many others. reporters in such situations, and it threat- have been abducting journalists and install- Digital Times Web site, which tracks censorship instructions. In addition, 119 journalists were kidnapped ens the ability of sources who need to remain ing legal “Using information from Weibo, WeChat, other social media, or and 178 imprisoned. anonymous to trust that their identities can committees that dispense arbitrary justice. foreign media is strictly prohibited,” the instructions said. “The use of There is a negative correlation between free- be kept quiet. Under threat from all sides, Syrian news pro- inaccurate or incomplete information published by netizens who were dom of information and conflicts, disputes and In a recurring failure to address this prob- viders are fleeing the country in large num- at the scene is strictly prohibited. Publication of excessively tragic and wars. In an unstable environment, the media lem, Congress once again failed this year to bers. In Jordan, the Arab Spring and the bloody images is strictly prohibited.” become strategic goals and targets for groups send the president a bill that would provide a Syrian conflict have led the authorities to In an implicit acknowledgement of how serious an embarrassment or individuals whose attempts to control nationwide shield protecting reporters from tighten their grip on the media and, in par- the incident has become, censors also demanded media “delete mali- news and information violate the guarantees having to reveal anonymous sources except in ticular, the Internet, despite objections and cious information, remove opportunities to attack the Party and the comprised in international law, in particular, certain circumstances. complaints from civil society. government, and information attacking the social system.” article 19 of the International Covenant on The Pentagon, meanwhile, is not allow- Access to around 300 news websites was Nevertheless, state-run media acknowledged that the local govern- Civil and Political Rights, the 1949 Geneva ing reporters to embed on military mis- blocked within Jordan in June 2013 under a ment could not escape responsibility for the incident on the city’s Conventions and the 1977 Protocols Additional sions against IS targets, and the Defense new media law that drastically restricts online famous waterfront, known as the Bund. 1 and 2 to the Geneva Conventions. China and Department is restricting access to infor- freedom of information. “It was a lack of vigilance from the government, a sloppiness,” the Iran continue to lead the world in the jailing mation about conditions at its prison in In Egypt, Libya and the Kingdom of Xinhua news agency wrote in a commentary. “The disaster, which hap- and mistreatment of reporters. But American Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Bahrain, the situation is worsening as any pened in China’s financial hub of Shanghai, served as a wake-up call allies, too, have drawn criticism for assaults The idea of embedding journalists is another move towards democracy is blocked by those that the world’s second-largest economy is still a developing country on the press. way to control the media, thus sacrificing the in power. So far, Arab Spring has not done which has fragile social management.” Turkey has cracked down on free expression very meaning of freedom of the press. At the any good to press freedom in the Arab world. President Xi Jinping last week told Shanghai officials to provide an and recently detained numerous journalists same time, unclassified documents in trials for The mechanisms of control, censorship, explanation of what went wrong, and said that local officials around the with seemingly trumped up allegations. Egypt alleged terrorists are being kept from report- intimidation and self-censorship are there to country should ensure that no repeat of the incident occurs elsewhere still holds three Aljazeera journalists in jail, ers’ eyes. Law enforcement personnel also tar- stay. The new regimes are reproducing the old during next month’s Lunar New Year festival. among other reporter detainees. In Venezuela, geted reporters. schemas of media manipulation and control But some Netizens asked whether a credible investigation was pos- Ecuador and elsewhere in Latin America, gov- In Ferguson, Mo., this year, police roughed used by their predecessors. The press in Egypt sible when censors were so determined to suppress information about ernments are directly blocking newspapers up reporters and restricted their physical under Al Sisi regime is no better than that of the incident. from doing their jobs by restricting access to movements — a too frequent occurrence. At former president Mubarak. “No resignation, no apology, no responsibility, no accountability, only newsprint. the same time, US borders are civil liberties block it out,” said one user of the Weibo social media service. Reporters Without Borders’ asserted that dead zones where US border agents regu- The writer is a professor of public relations “It happened, we have to face it, solve it and avoid it happening again,” the ranking of some countries this year was larly search and seize reporters’ computers, and Mass Communication at the College of Arts wrote another. “What’s the meaning of controlling public opinion? affected by a “tendency to interpret national cameras and notebooks. The Freedom of and Sciences, Qatar University. Where’s the confidence? It will only backfire, and produce the opposite security needs in an overly broad and abusive Information Act, or FOIA, is failing. It takes THE PENINSULA result.” WP-BLOOMBERG TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 INTERNATIONAL 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Boko Haram kills dozens in Nigeria town Eleven soldiers among those slain

MAIDUGURI: Boko Haram brought us water and food ... We killed dozens of civilians and at snuck out and on our way, we saw least 11 soldiers when the mili- lots of dead soldiers and 10 bodies tants took control of a Nigerian of women.” town and army base on the A military source said at least shores of Lake Chad at the 11 soldiers had been killed along weekend, a military source and with a large number of civilians witnesses said yesterday. around the town, which was still The Islamists attacked the in the militants’ hands yesterday. northeastern town of Baga and He said they set fire to houses and the barracks on its outskirts on shot at residents as they tried Saturday, potentially providing to flee. a launchpad for more attacks The military did not imme- in Nigeria and neighbouring diately respond to a request for countries. official comment. Lying at the end of a semi- The growing brutality of Boko desert road, Baga is the head- Haram, which began as a rela- quarters of a multinational force tively peaceful clerical movement comprising troops from Niger, opposed to Western education, Ukrainian servicemen listen to President Petro Poroshenko as he hands over new military equipment to the Ukrainian forces near the city of Ghytomyr, Nigeria, Chad and Cameroon, all threatens Nigeria’s neighbours. some 140km from the capital Kiev yesterday. of which touch Lake Chad, though At least 15 people were killed only Nigerian troops are usually in an attack by suspected Boko stationed in the town. Haram on a bus in northern Troops fled the area after Boko Cameroon, officials said on Haram took over the base. Saturday. Doubt cast over summit on Ukraine The group’s five year insurgency “They are still there and many to establish an Islamic state has people (civilians) mostly women, PARIS: Germany cast doubt worst crisis in relations between makes sense if we can make real in September but the ceasefire it killed many thousands in Africa’s children and aged one are still yesterday on whether a four- Russia and the West since the progress.” established has been regularly vio- top economy and most populous trapped in the town,” a man way summit on the Ukraine Cold War. “We have a very clear idea of lated and has sometimes threat- nation. More than 10,000 died in who works between the city of crisis in Kazakhstan’s capital Ukrainian President Petro what constitutes real progress. ened to break down completely. the violence last year, the Council Maiduguri and Baga said. Astana on January 15 would Poroshenko said on December This would be first and foremost In an interview with France on Foreign Relations says. Another witness, who gave take place and France’s presi- 29 he had invited the leaders of achieving the full implementation Inter radio, French President Witnesses who escaped to the his name only as Yusuf, said he dent said the meeting would Russia, France and Germany of the Minsk peace accord and a Francois Hollande said he would bush ran past the bodies of sol- tripped and fell as he tried to flee depend on the likelihood of “new to talks in an attempt to genuine and lasting ceasefire, a travel to Astana only if there diers and civilians along the way. the town. When he got up, he saw progress” being made. restore peace. contact line between areas con- was a “possibility of making “I was hiding on a tree top about 20 bodies scattered along More than 4,700 people have Asked about the planned sum- trolled by Ukraine and rebels, and new progress. If it’s just to meet since that Saturday night until the ground where he was. been killed in fighting between mit, German Chancellor Angela a withdrawal of heavy weaponry. and talk without making any this morning at 3am,” Abubakar As well as killing, the militants Kiev’s forces and pro-Russian Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Such things must be prepared in actual advances then there’s no Usman, a Baga resident, told have also kidnapped hundreds rebels in eastern Ukraine since Seibert, said: “I can’t say yet if advance,” he said. point. But I think there will be Reuters by telephone. of mostly young people in the last April. and when such a meeting will The Minsk accord between progress”. “Women in a nearby house past year. REUTERS The conflict has provoked the take place. Such a meeting only Kiev and the rebels was signed REUTERS

Wing within a plane Swedish police Roma family buries refuse to rule out accident in baby after uproar CHAMPLAN: The dead baby member of the ASEFRR associa- mosque attack of a Roma family at the centre tion that helps Roma, the mother of a huge racism row in France “says that her heart has been STOCKHOLM: Swedish police was finally laid to rest yesterday ripped out” by the baby’s death. yesterday said they could not with just close family present. “But she has nothing to say rule out the possibility that The tiny white coffin was bur- about the mayor. Just that she accident rather than arson was ied in a cemetery in Wissous doesn’t understand,” Ducrocq the cause of a fire at a mosque south of Paris after a religious said. Others, however, have on Christmas Day. ceremony attended by 100 or so had plenty to say, with Leclerc Five people were injured in the people, including representatives accused of racism and the case blaze which was the first and most from the Roma community. highlighting France’s tense rela- serious in a spate of mosque fires The tragic death of the two- tionship with the Roma, most that have been widely blamed on and-a-half-month-old baby hit of whom come from Eastern anti-immigration sentiment. the headlines over the weekend Europe. Rumours had earlier circulated after the local town refused them The Roma, a nomadic people that an object had been thrown a burial plot, with the mayor whose ancestors left India cen- into the mosque in the city of reportedly saying priority should turies ago, have long suffered Eskilstuna, west of the capital be given to taxpayers. from discrimination and are fre- Stockholm, but police have been The mayor, Christian Leclerc, quently accused of carrying out unable to find witnesses. has since strenuously denied this, petty crimes. Swedish network TV4, mean- saying he had been a victim of a The European Union believes while, yesterday cited police misunderstanding. there are currently 10 to 12 mil- sources saying that an accident With fury mounting and even lion Roma throughout Europe, was in fact the cause of the fire. the prime minister describing the which makes them the largest “There are a thousand ways to refusal as an “insult” to France, minority on the continent. start a fire. At the moment, we Leclerc offered his condolences The burial row came as it do not know,” Eskilstuna police to the family and said they could emerged that another two- spokesperson Lars Franzell told bury the baby in his town of month-old Roma baby died in a AFP, adding that police were Champlan. shack near the train station of the awaiting a forensic report due in Solar Impulse crew members load a piece of the wing of the experimental aircraft ‘Solar Impulse 2’ into a However, the family refused his northern city Lille amid freezing late January. Boeing 747 cargo plane at the airbase in Payerne, Switzerland, yesterday. A Boeing 747 plane will take off offer. temperatures on Thursday. “We cannot dismiss suspicions early today carrying the experimental aircraft Solar Impulse to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. According to Csilla Ducrocq, a AFP that a crime was committed,” he added. Police have said they sus- pect arsonists were behind two subsequent mosque fires, in the southern town of Esloev and in Uppsala, north of Stockholm, Italian PM Renzi which occurred within a week of Kremlin critic Navalny cuts off monitoring tag the Eskilstuna blaze. in ‘road fury’ The fires sparked protests in MOSCOW: Kremlin critic held pending the publication of the current exchange rate, from several cities and condemnations Alexei Navalny said yester- the verdict on January 15 — a two firms including an affiliate of ROME: Just a week after it was by political and religious leaders. day he would no longer com- situation that even the police did French cosmetics company Yves opened, a new viaduct on a road According to the anti-racism ply with the terms of his house not know how to deal with. Rocher between 2008 and 2012. linking the cities of Palermo magazine Expo, there have been arrest and had cut off his “It is stupid to brag, but I am Opposition figures say jailing and Catania in Sicily, is already at least a dozen confirmed attacks monitoring tag. the first person in the history of Navalny risked new protests so unusable due to a partial col- on mosques in Sweden over the Navalny, who led mass protests Russian courts to be sitting under he was being punished through lapse, officials said yesterday. past year. Many in Sweden see the against Putin three years ago, was house arrest after the verdict,” he his brother instead. The Kremlin The closure was ordered after incidents as a reflection of grow- handed a suspended sentence on said on his blog. denies influencing court decisions. the road, which was officially ing Islamophobia amid concern December 30 after being found “I refuse to comply with the After the sentencing, Navalny inaugurated on December 23, that mass immigration is fuel- guilty of embezzling money in requirements of my illegal deten- broke house arrest to join a rally subsided by around 50 centime- ling the rise of the populist far a trial which led to his brother tion under house arrest. The of hundreds of his supporters tres at one access point, according right in the traditionally tolerant being jailed on similar charges. bracelet with some effort has been outside the Kremlin but was to the website of Anas, the com- Nordic country which is expected He was placed under house cut off with kitchen scissors,” swiftly detained and driven home pany that manages Italian roads to receive a record 100,000 asylum arrest almost a year ago during he wrote, alongside a picture of by police. Navalny led the mass and motorways. Italian Prime applications this year. the investigation but said in a the bracelet, or tag, that moni- demonstrations in the winter of Minister Matteo Renzi inter- In December, the country’s blog that he was perhaps the only tors his movements. He said he 2011-12 that at times brought vened on Sunday with an angry political landscape was altered person in Russian legal history to had no plans to travel far. When tens of thousands of people on to tweet in which he demanded that after the Sweden Democrats, a be kept under house arrest after Navalny was handed his sus- the streets of Moscow and sev- the official responsible be named. far right anti-immigration party, being sentenced. pended sentence, his brother was eral other big Russian cities to “I demand that Anas name the helped strike down the minority He said he should have been jailed for three and a half years. protest against corruption and person responsible. It will pay for government’s budget. released after sentencing in late They had faced charges of stealing alleged election fraud. everything. The party is finished,” Alexei Navalny. AFP December, but instead was being 30m roubles, around $500,000 at REUTERS he said on Twitter. AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 Fending off insurgents, UK parties limp to polls No party likely to get clear majority, says survey

LONDON: Britain’s politicians Fast forward five years need to hold another election in returned yesterday from their and Cameron’s right-leaning short order. Christmas break to launch Conservatives are divided over Some pundits say Britain could campaigns for what could be Europe, while left-leaning Labour even suffer turbulence similar to the closest election in memory, is beset by doubts about the abili- the 1970s when power changed with the rise of anti-Europeans ties of Ed Miliband, its leader. hands three times via four and Scottish nationalists cre- Cameron’s Liberal Democrat national elections and four prime ating uncertainty unseen since junior partners have the biggest ministers. the 1970s. problems. They have seen their Cameron wants to fight the Britons who have seen two par- support fall by two thirds, with election on his economic record. ties alternate in power for genera- voters disillusioned by the party’s On his watch, Britain’s $2.8 tions could wake to find no fewer role in a centre-right govern- trillion economy has emerged than five parties vying for a role ment. Many of their 56 seats in from its deepest downturn since in a coalition government after a the House of Commons may be World War Two to enjoy one of May 7 election. up for grabs. the fastest growth rates of any The trend that in 2010 saw Meanwhile, 2014 saw the pop- major advanced economy. FROM LEFT: British Culture Secretary Sajid Javid, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, Chancellor of the Exchequer neither Prime Minister David ulist anti-EU UK Independence While inflation has outpaced George Osborne, Home Secretary Theresa May and leader of the British House of Commons William Hague Cameron’s Conservatives nor Party (Ukip) surge into first in wages for much of his five-year attend a Conservative Party press conference to present their cost analysis of the opposition Labour party policy opposition Labour win an out- elections for the European par- term in office and many voters in central London yesterday. right majority in parliament for liament in Britain and win its have struggled with rising food the first time since World War first two seats in the British and heating bills, the falling cost Cameron of presiding over a people first, deals with the deficit from the United Kingdom. Two has intensified, with polls parliament when Conservatives of oil has now helped take infla- recovery that favoured the and protects our NHS.” The first opinion poll of 2015 showing more than a third of defected. Its rise mainly hurts tion to a 12-year low. wealthy at the expense of the poor Nick Clegg, the Liberal showed the parties broadly voters now spurning the two big Cameron, though Ukip also courts The Conservatives, also known and said his party offered a fairer Democrat leader, criticised both stuck where they have been for parties. working class Labour voters wor- as Tories, portray Labour, who alternative. Labour and the Conservatives, months. The poll, by Opinium “It’s a more complex world,” ried about immigration. were in power during the 2007/8 Miliband wants to put the state saying only his party could anchor for the Observer newspaper, had Gus O’Donnell, a British lord And the Scottish Nationalist financial crisis, as the party that of Britain’s free National Health a future coalition in the centre- Labour barely ahead on 33 per- and the country’s former top civil Party (SNP), despite losing a “crashed the car” and shouldn’t Service (NHS) at the heart of the ground and stop it lurching either cent, the Conservatives on 32 per- servant, told Sky News. referendum on independence, be given the keys back. election campaign, an institution to the right or the left. cent, UKIP on 17 percent and the “People should be ready for is on course to win dozens of On Monday, finance minister which Britons regard as one of Britain’s future in the Liberal Democrats on 8 percent. the fact that it might take Scottish seats once thought safe George Osborne accused Labour their crown jewels. European Union could also be at Unlike most European rather longer to form a gov- for Labour. That clearly hurts of planning to spend billions of “This is nothing less than a stake. Cameron is promising to countries with proportional ernment than the five days Miliband. pounds more in its first year of once in a generation fight about renegotiate Britain’s EU ties and representation, Britain’s first- last time,” said O’Donnell, who The plights of both main lead- office than is sustainable. He cast who our country works for,” said hold an in/out membership refer- past-the-post system, in which helped oversee talks in 2010 to ers means that whoever wins the election as a choice between Miliband. “It is a choice between endum by 2017 if re-elected. And lawmakers win seats in individual form the first coalition since the might need the support of two “competence and chaos”. a Tory plan where only a few at if Britons vote to leave, national- constituencies, makes the out- 1940s, bringing in the centre-left other parties to form a govern- “Don’t put our recovery at risk,” the top can succeed and our pub- ists in Scotland have made clear come tricky to predict even when Liberal Democrats in support of ment, and the arrangement could Osborne told a news conference. lic services are threatened. Or a they’d be likely to push for a sec- polls look stable. Cameron’s Conservatives. prove so fragile that Britain might Labour’s Miliband accused Labour plan that puts working ond referendum on independence REUTERS

Grand juror Inspector general is resigning by month-end: CIA in Missouri WASHINGTON: CIA inspec- was unrelated to politics or any- ago complained to the Senate with the common understanding” General or general counsel’s tor general David Buckley, who thing he had investigated. Intelligence Committee’s leader- about access to the network which complaints. shooting case investigated a dispute between Buckley’s office last July issued ship, then headed by Democratic the Senate panel and agency had Buckley, who served both as a the agency and Congress a report on a dispute between Senator Dianne Feinstein, that reached in 2009, a CIA statement senior official in the Treasury and regarding the handling of the agency and the Senate Senate investigators had obtained said. Defense Departments as well as sues prosecutor records of the CIA’s detention Intelligence Committee. The documents to which the agency Buckley’s office sent its report in senior positions at the Senate and interrogation activities, is report found that some agency believed they should not have had on the dispute to the Justice Intelligence Committee and the MISSOURI: A member of resigning effective January 31, employees had “acted in a man- access. Department. Meanwhile, the Government Accountability the grand jury that declined the CIA said yesterday. ner inconsistent” with an under- Subsequently, according to CIA’s acting general counsel Office, was praised by both CIA to indict the white Missouri The agency said in a statement standing between the CIA and an agency statement, Feinstein filed a criminal referral with the colleagues and the White House. police officer who fatally shot an that Buckley, who had served as the committee regarding access expressed concern that CIA offic- Justice Department complain- CIA director John Brennan said unarmed black 18-year-old sued the agency’s internal watchdog for to a special computer network ers acted improperly when they ing about the actions of Senate that during his tenure, Buckley the prosecutor in the case yeter- more than four years, was leaving set up to share documents about searched the special computer investigators. had “demonstrated independence, day, criticising the way evidence the agency to “pursue an opportu- the agency’s involvement in harsh network to locate the documents. The Justice Department later integrity, and sound judgment in was presented to grand jurors nity in the private sector.” treatment of detained militants. Buckley’s office reported “a decided that it had insufficient promoting efficiency, effective- and seeking court permission Officials at both the CIA and According to the report, CIA judgment that some CIA employ- grounds to open a full-scale inves- ness, and accountability.” to speak publicly about the way on Capitol Hill said his departure director John Brennan a year ees acted in a manner inconsistent tigation into either the Inspector REUTERS the case was handled. The lawsuit was filed in fed- eral court in St Louis against St Louis County prosecutor Robert New Ebola case in Nebraska McCulloch by the grand juror, whose name was withheld and New Irish party to was referred to as “Grand Juror Doe.” The lawsuit relates to the August 9 shooting of Michael sound centrist voice Brown by officer Darren Wilson in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson. DUBLIN: The growth of the property market. Brown’s death and the grand extremist groups in Europe She said yesterday that her jury’s decision not to indict Wilson should not obscure the huge party would favour overhauling triggered months of protests potential for centrists, a former the income tax code to make it over police treatment of African- Irish minister who is creat- simpler and more targeted, and Americans in the United States. ing her own new party said cut rates if the economic condi- The suit argues that state laws yesterday. tions allowed. Tax incentives for prohibiting the grand juror from Dublin’s former minister for the property sector would also be talking about the case are uncon- Europe, Lucinda Creighton, laid brought to an end. stitutional. Jeffrey Mittman, exec- out plans last week to form the She also strongly supported utive director of the American as-yet-unnamed party ahead of proposed Irish central bank Civil Liberties Union in Missouri, wide open elections next year restrictions on mortgage lend- said the Brown case is an impor- that could give the former ally ing that the government wants tant public policy issue and the of Prime Minister Enda Kenny eased, that are opposed by banks grand juror should be allowed to influence over any new coalition. and described by the main opposi- speak about the proceedings. Calling herself “passionately pro- tion party as social engineering. After the November 24 European”, the 34-year-old lawyer “It’s a blunt instrument, it’s dif- announcement by McCulloch sees the rise of parties such as ficult and maybe it needs to be that the grand jury decided not to Greece’s leftist Syriza as a concern. phased in over a period of time indict Wilson, and the release by But she says the success of more but the principle is absolutely cor- McCulloch of evidence presented, moderate new voices in Slovenia rect. I think if you can’t afford a some critics accused the prosecu- An ambulance carrying an American health care provider who was possibly exposed to the Ebola virus while and Italy shows voters do not have deposit for a home, then you can’t tor of unfairly skewing the proc- working in Sierra Leone arrives at the Biocontainment Unit at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha yesterday. to move to the far left or right. afford to buy your home,” she said. ess in favour of the police officer. “The potential for a sensible, With frustration over the A spokesman said McCulloch non-extremist party that doesn’t economy spilling into street pro- had no comment on the lawsuit. have the baggage of the cronyism tests, support for the coalition The lawsuit claims that evi- of established party, I think is in Ireland has tumbled. But this dence was presented to the grand UK Ebola nurse ‘stabilised’: Minister immense and that’s the unknown has not benefited any one group, jury in a manner markedly differ- quantity in Ireland,” Creighton signalling a potential shift away ent than in previous cases heard told Reuters in an interview. from dominant parties. by the same grand jury, with the LONDON: A British nurse stabilised yesterday and continues Cafferkey as “shambolic”—were “A lot of bad decisions have led Creighton said it would be “insinuation” that Brown was the hospitalised with Ebola is in to receive the best possible care,” deemed to be working well. Save us to this point in Europe and “nigh on impossible” for her party “wrongdoer” rather than Wilson. a critical but stable condition, Health Minister Jeremy Hunt the Children said yesterday it has given oxygen to the extrem- to form any sort of coalition with It also claims the prosecutor’s a week after she was diag- told British lawmakers. had launched an investigation ists on both sides. Those of us who the rising left-wing Sinn Fein, nor office presented applicable laws to nosed with the deadly virus, He commended the “excep- into how Cafferkey contracted believe in the European project will they prop up Fine Gael or the grand jurors “in a muddled and Britain’s health minister said tional bravery and compassion” the virus while working in have a lot to answer for but this fellow centre-right Fianna Fail. untimely manner” unlike presen- yesterday. of Cafferkey and her colleagues Kerry Town, not far from Sierra has to be about saying to people But a big opportunity for influ- tations in other cases. Nurse Pauline Cafferkey, who is in the battle against Ebola in Leone’s capital Freetown. on the margins that the solution ence may exist. “At the moment The grand juror also contends being treated at London’s Royal the west African country, where The Scottish nurse was diag- isn’t extreme socialism.” you would say that there will be that McCulloch’s public state- Free hospital, contracted the dis- she had been working as a vol- nosed in Glasgow on December Creighton, who was sacked no dominant party so that does ments about the decision not to ease while working at a British- unteer with the charity Save the 29, a day after flying home, and from Kenny’s centre-right Fine change the political landscape. It indict were not “entirely accu- built Ebola treatment centre in Children. transferred to the Royal Free, Gael party in 2013 for opposing an gives an opportunity to influence rate,” including the “implication Sierra Leone. Hunt said Ebola screen- which has the only isolation ward easing of Ireland’s abortion laws, the next government in a way that all grand jurors believed “As has been reported, Pauline’s ing procedures at London’s in Britain equipped for Ebola has laid out a pro-small business that mightn’t have been the case that there was no support for any condition has deteriorated to Heathrow airport—described by patients. platform, criticising an over-reli- before,” Creighton said. charges,” the lawsuit stated. a critical state although she a doctor travelling home with AFP ance on foreign companies and REUTERS REUTERS TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES

North Korean Indonesian soldier crosses border, kills air officials four Chinese SEOUL: A North Korean believed to be a runaway sol- dier killed four Chinese dur- ing a robbery after he crossed the border into China in search suspended of food, media reports said yesterday. The young North Korean crossed the border in late More AirAsia bodies recovered December and stole money and food at a house before killing PANGKALAN BUN: AirAsia Indonesia, a unit of four residents in China’s north- Indonesia yesterday ordered the Malaysia-based AirAsia, has eastern city of Helong, South suspension of aviation officials already been suspended from fly- Korea’s Yonhap news agency and as it investigates the crash of ing the Surabaya-Singapore route Dong-A Ilbo newspaper said. Both AirAsia Flight 8501, also prom- — although Singapore officials cited sources in the border areas ising action against any domes- said they had given permission between China and the North. tic airlines violating their flying for the flight at their end. The victims were either shot permits. Murjatmodjo said they would dead or beaten to death, Dong-A The crackdown came as a major halt any other airline found vio- said, adding he was later shot and search in the Java Sea entered lating its permitted flight sched- captured by Chinese authorities. its ninth day, struggling in bad ule in the country, which has a “Killing several Chinese nation- weather to find more bodies or patchy aviation safety record. als... is a major crime, so there the “black box” flight data record- “If, after assessment, another are good possibilities that China, ers which are crucial to determin- airline is also not flying on the Indonesian air force members and rescuers from the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) carry unlike other runaway North ing the cause of the disaster. approved schedule, that is a passenger seats during a search and rescue operation for the victims of an AirAsia plane crash, at Iskandar Military Korean soldiers captured before, Only three more bodies were violation and we will suspend Airport in Pangkalan Bun, Indonesia, yesterday. will not hand him over to the recovered yesterday, bringing it too,” Murjatmodjo said, add- North,” said an unnamed Seoul the total found to 37. A total of ing that they were investigating standby,” Soelistyo told reporters. Indonesia’s military chief The initial report by BMKG official quoted by Yonhap. 162 passengers and crew were how AirAsia had been flying on The search, assisted by several General Moeldoko said he had into the likely cause of the crash In Beijing, foreign ministry aboard the Airbus A320-200 on an unapproved schedule without countries including the United offered to take relatives out to the referred to infra-red satellite spokeswoman Hua Chunying said December 28 when it crashed en the ministry’s knowledge. States and Russia, has been trying crash site to pay their respects. pictures that showed the plane China “has already lodged repre- route from Indonesia’s second city Search and rescue agency chief to expand eastwards on suspicions “We will bring them to the navy was passing through clouds with sentations with North Korea”, Surabaya to Singapore. Bambang Soelistyo, meanwhile, said that strong currents have caused ships and we will take them to the top temperatures of minus 80 to when asked about the report at a Indonesia alleges the plane was three more bodies from the crash parts of the plane to drift. location to scatter flowers, and I minus 85 degrees Celsius. regular press briefing. She refused flying on an unauthorised sched- were recovered yesterday, but only Earlier in the day several hope coming to the location can But it remained unclear why to give any further details. ule. The transport ministry has two advance divers had been able aircraft made their way from reduce their sadness and the feel- other planes on similar routes “Relevant departments will now ordered airport and air navi- to go down to the wreckage off the Pangkalan Bun, a town on Borneo ing of loss,” he told reporters. were unaffected by the weather, deal with this case in a lawful gation managers to “suspend the island of Borneo. Five large parts of with the nearest airstrip to the Indonesia’s meterological and other analysts said there manner,” she added. personnel involved” in the activity the plane including the suspected wreckage, to scour the sea’s sur- agency BMKG has said weather was not enough information to All able-bodied young men in of Flight 8501, director general of tail have so far been located. face. Speedboats were sweeping was the “triggering factor” of the explain the disaster until the the North are subject to 10 years air transport Djoko Murjatmodjo “The current was strong. So the coastline to look for any bod- crash, with ice likely damaging flight recorders were recovered. of military service. Many army told reporters. (most of) the divers are still on ies that may have drifted ashore. the plane’s engines. AFP bases are known to suffer food shortages and starving troops often cross the border to China in search of food. Private markets cropping up across the North in recent years have helped ease starvation Bangladesh PM accuses rival of anarchy, year after polls among ordinary citizens. Seoul’s unification minis- DHAKA: Bangladeshi Prime and killings, of arson and dam- “Not only am I prisoner, but the later spoke to journalists who roads and railways today. try which handles North Korea Minister Sheikh Hasina age to property,” Hasina said in whole of the country is being held managed to sneak over the wall. Zia’s confinement evoked mem- affairs declined to comment on accused her besieged opposition a televised address to the nation, captive. What kind of country are Hasina and Zia have ruled ories of voting day when she was the incident. “Chinese authori- rival of trying to trigger anar- exactly a year after she was re- we living in?” said Zia after she Bangladesh for most of the last also prevented by riot police from ties have already reached an chy yesterday as security forces elected in what was effectively a failed to breach the police cordon. three decades and their hatred of leaving the compound. agreement with the North not clamped down on protests on one-horse race. The siege intensified on each other is notorious. The BNP was one of 20 opposi- to officially announce it,” Yonhap the first anniversary of her con- Hasina warned against efforts Monday as security forces parked “This government is illegal tion parties which boycotted last quoted the Seoul official as saying. troversial re-election. to create “anarchy and instabil- a convoy of trucks laden with because it was not elected by the year’s election, claiming that the Dong-A said the victims were After main opposition leader ity” on a day of widespread vio- sand and bricks outside the office people. They sprayed pepper at us. outcome would be rigged. two elderly ethnic Korean couples. Khaleda Zia accused Hasina of lence that also saw riot police compound before then padlocking It is not a normal situation. Is the Hasina, in power since 2009, Koreans make up for about 30 per- trying to cling onto power by force, clash with BNP supporters when the gates. country facing a war?” said Zia, had refused to step down before cent of the population in China’s the prime minister countered Zia tried to break a siege of her When dozens of her support- calling the government “illegal” the election so the poll could be Yanbian Korean Autonomous that the Bangladesh Nationalist headquarters. ers tried to break the siege, riot and urging people to join protests. organised by a neutral caretaker Prefecture that borders the North. Party chief was responsible for a Zia, a two-times former pre- police fired pepper spray at them. “They want to hang on to administration. “It has become pretty common wave of violence that left at least mier, has been confined to her Television footage showed BNP power... by bullets, tear gas and The boycott meant most mem- for the past decade that North four people dead in the volatile offices in the capital Dhaka members wiping away tears after bombs.” bers in the 300-seat parliament Korean soldiers sneak across the South Asian nation. since Saturday to prevent her they tried to prise open the com- “The protests will continue... No were returned unopposed, hand- border at night to seek food here,” “I am urging the BNP leader from spearheading protests to pound gates. dictator can cling onto power like ing Hasina another five years in Dong-A quoted one resident of to stop these bomb and grenade denounce the elections on January Zia could be seen sitting in her this,” she added while her party power. the area as saying. attacks, these acts of sabotage, 5, 2014, and demand new polls. car, with the engine revving. She vowed to mobilise a blockade of AFP AFP

Protest against train tariff hike Former Taiwan Gunmen hurt three leader Chen Shui-bian Sirisena supporters freed on parole COLOMBO: Three supporters law violations since Rajapaksa of the challenger for Sri Lanka’s called the poll for Jan. 8 in TAIPEI: Taiwan’s ailing ex- presidency were injured by uni- November. president Chen Shui-bian was dentified gunmen yesterday, the Tennakoon said the three freed from prison on medical latest in a series of violent inci- Sirisena supporters were shot at parole yesterday after serving dents ahead of the South Asian before dawn as they prepared a six years of a 20-year sentence island nation’s election this rally stage in the gem-mining dis- for graft, as political leaders week. trict of Ratnapura. One was in a called for reconciliation on the Over the weekend a volley of critical condition, he said. deeply divided island. shots were fired at a campaign A district court ordered the The 64-year-old, who led meeting just after Mithripala arrest of a deputy minister in Taiwan from 2000 to 2008, Sirisena, who has emerged as Rajapaksa’s administration and waved to crowds of support- a serious threat to President two local councillors over the inci- ers as he left Taichung prison Mahinda Rajapaksa’s bid for a dent, media said. yesterday afternoon after being third term, had left the stage in International monitors say they granted a month’s parole due to his rural heartland home district. have received complaints of abuse ill-health. Two Election Commission offic- of state power, violence against His freedom will be contingent ers were also attacked in the east- opposition supporters, and mili- on his medical condition, said ern port district of Trincomalee tary intimidation in northern deputy justice minister Chen Filipino protesters shake the gate of the Supreme Court to protest the sudden implementation of a new train by backers of Rajapaksa’s party, areas where a war with Tamil Ming-tang, and he will be subject fare hike in Manila, yesterday. the Centre for Monitoring Tiger separatists raged for 26 to monthly health check-ups. Election Violence said. years until 2009. The former Democratic “Violence is on the rise and “People who we met raised con- Progressive Party (DPP) it seems to be a well calcu- cern over the military presence leader, who ended 50 years of lated strategy to prevent the in the north and intimidation of Kuomintang party rule when he Women-only buses introduced in Nepal opposition campaign,” Keerthi voters,” Bharrat Jagdeo, the head came to power, was sentenced to Tennakoon, executive director of of the Commonwealth Observer life in prison in 2009 for money- the Campaign for Free and Fair Group, told reporters on Sunday. laundering and bribery during KATHMANDU: Nepal’s capi- “Groping and sexual assault is a said that the goal was to eventu- Election (CaFFE),said. Rajapaksa’s party has rejected his term in office — reduced to tal has introduced women-only problem for women who use buses, ally employ an all-women crew. Sirisena left the government to allegations that it is behind inci- 20 years after appeals. minibuses in a bid to protect especially during peak hours when In a 2013 World Bank survey, take on the president. Since then dents of election-related violence Chen was transferred to a female passengers from sexual buses are overcrowded,” said 26 percent of female respondents more than two dozen Rajapaksa and says the opposition fabricates prison hospital in April last year assault, the transport opera- Bharat Nepal, president of the aged between 19 and 35 years said loyalists in the 225-seat parlia- stories to win votes. after being diagnosed with severe tor organising the service said Bagmati Federation Transport they had experienced some form ment have defected. Political analysts expect further depression, suspected Parkinson’s yetserday. Union, which introduced the of sexual assault on public trans- Many Sri Lankans still back election violence, including possi- disease and other conditions. Four 17-seater minibuses were service. port in Nepal. the president but his popularity ble clashes between parties of the He attempted suicide in June, flagged off in Kathmandu with “This is our small initiative to In 2011, a 21-year old Buddhist has waned amid complaints of ethnic Tamil and Muslim minori- trying to hang himself with a large “women-only” signs on make commuting safe and secure nun was gang raped in a bus in corruption and nepotism. ties that back Sirisena and the towel in a bathroom of the prison Sunday and they will operate on for female travellers.” eastern Nepal by five men, includ- CaFFE, a local poll monitor, extremist Buddhist groups behind hospital. key routes in Kathmandu during Only one of the buses currently ing the bus driver. said it has received 157 complaints Rajapaksa. AFP morning and evening rush hour. has a female conductor but he AFP of violence and 1,201 of election REUTERS TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 Govt can shift Memorandum to UN any case to military courts Article 175, clause 3 to be changed

ISLAMABAD: The 21st The federal government’s per- Constitutional Amendment mission has been made manda- presented before Pakistani par- tory for prosecution of terrorists liament will affect Article 175 under the Army Act. Under the of the Constitution that deals amendment, the government will with the establishment and also have the power to transfer jurisdiction of courts but the any terrorism-related case pend- amendment will be repealed ing in any court to the military automatically after two years. courts. However, the proposed In case of the transfer of a Constitutional amendment does pending case, the military courts not specify what measures will be will not be required to record taken to ensure that an innocent the evidence which is already person is not tried in military recorded by the previous court. courts apart from the fact that Some experts believe that even the permission of the federal gov- the case of the assassination of ernment will be required to try former Prime Minister Benazir any civilian in a military court. Bhutto could be transferred to the According to the draft of military courts if the government the 21st Amendment Act 2015, decides to do so. changes will be made in clause 3 Under the proposed amend- of Article 175, which calls for the ment “any person who is or claims separation of the judiciary from or is known to belong to any ter- Residents of Pakistan-administered Kashmir hand a memorandum to a UN military observer demanding the UN fulfil a promised plebiscite on self- the executive. rorist group or organisation using determination, during a protest against India, in Muzaffarabad, yesterday. The amendment will make the name of religion or a sect and clause 3 non-applicable for two raises arms or wages war against years after which the Constitution Pakistan or attacks the armed will revert to its normal position. forces of Pakistan and the law The 21st Amendment gives full enforcement agencies, or attacks Courts dispose most high-profile graft cases protection to four acts, namely any civil or military installations the Protection of Pakistan Act in Pakistan or kidnaps any per- 2014, the Pakistan Army Act 1952, son for ransom or causes death ISLAMABAD: Islamabad’s court rejected his acquittal plea the NAB’s application seeking dismissed the request in May The Pakistan Navy Ordinance of any person or injury, or is in accountability courts may be and the cases have been fixed for revival of the over a decade-old last year. 1961 and the Pakistan Air Force possession, storage, fabrication credited with disposing of some January 8 for further hearing. corruption references. The Hudaibia Paper Mills ref- Act 1953, by placing them in the or transport of explosives, fire- high profile cases last year, yet In the polo ground reference, Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief erence pertained to money depos- first schedule of the Constitution. arms, instruments, articles, sui- many cases are still pending for Zardari was facing charges of ille- Minister Shahbaz Sharif, their ited in banks in other peoples’ The experts believe that the cide jackets or vehicles designed adjudication. gally constructing a polo ground late father Mian Muhammad name allegedly by the Sharif fam- purpose of placing these acts to be used for terrorist acts, or In 2014, the Islamabad account- and other ancillary works at the Sharif, their mother Shamim ily while the Raiwind Assets ref- in the first schedule is to pro- receives or provides funding from ability court acquitted former Prime Minister’s House when Akhtar, Finance Minister Ishaq erence charged them of building tect them from any future legal any foreign or local sources for president Asif Ali Zardari in his late wife Benazir Bhutto was Dar, Nawaz’s wife Kulsoom Nawaz, palatial houses on vast tracts of challenges. such illegal activities and acts or three corruption references filed the prime minister. In the Ursus Hamza Shehbaz, Hussain Nawaz, land using finances disproportion- The government has also does any act to overawe the state by the National Accountability tractors’ reference, Zardari was Mian Abbas Sharif, Sabiha Abbas, ate to their declared sources of tabled amendments in the Army or any section of the public or a Bureau (NAB) 17 years ago. accused of misappropriation in Maryam Safdar and Hudaibia income. Legal experts believe the Act 1952 to expand its scope to sect or a religious minority or Zardari, who is also co- chair- the purchase of 5,900 Russian and Paper Mills’ company secretary cases were politically-motivated civilians who are found involved to create terror or insecurity in person of the Pakistan Peoples Polish tractors. Syed Ajmal Sibtain had been as NAB failed to provide solid evi- in waging war against the gov- Pakistan or attempts to commit Party (PPP), was facing five cor- The second high profile case was named in the references. dence to prove charges. ernment, military, and civilian any of the said acts, within or out- ruption references; however, the also adjudicated on September 20 On April 4, 2001, while Sharifs Three corruption references — establishments. side Pakistan, shall be punished court acquitted him in three — last year, when an accountabil- were in exile in Saudi Arabia, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority Under the new amendments under the Army Act”. the polo ground scam, ARY graft ity court in Rawalpindi acquitted proceedings into the two ref- (Ogra), Rental Power Projects to Section 2 of the Army Act, The amendments mention the case and the Ursus tractors’ case. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif erences were adjourned indefi- (RPP) and Modaraba scan- civilians will also be tried in the following 10 offences to be tried in Zardari is still facing two ref- in two corruption references — nitely. In 2011, the NAB filed an dal cases — are still pending in military courts under certain con- military courts. erences — SGS and Contecna — Hudaibia Paper Mills and Raiwind application to revive the cases, accountability courts. ditions, which are specified. INTERNEWS and on December 22 last year, the Assets — after the judge rejected but the Lahore High Court INTERNEWS

Suicide blast Security for VIPs costs KP Province Rs279m every year hits EU vehicle PESHAWAR: While many in to Rs22.23m per month. costing the provincial excheq- Afridi’s security detail comprises the government over Rs2.8m. in Kabul the general public evade regular The document, which was sub- uer Rs10m a year. Similarly, K-P seven guards and costs Rs2.2m Incidentally, JI chief Sirajul Haq militant bombings and assaults mitted in response to a question Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser’s per year, while excise minister has only three people deployed for KABUL: A Taliban suicide mostly by sheer luck, politicians raised by JUI-F lawmaker from security entourage of 22 security Mian Jamsheduddin also has security which drains Rs1 million bomb hit a European Union have a helping hand. Around Hangu, Mufti Syed Janan, shows officials costs around Rs8m. seven guards which drain Rs1.3m from the kitty per year. police vehicle in Kabul yes- 653 security personnel guard that federal minister and former Provincial ministers for edu- from the provincial kitty. MNA and former K-P chief terday, killing at least one more than 250 VIPs in Khyber- K-P chief minister Akram Khan cation and agriculture Atif Khan Not far behind, ANP law- minister Amir Haider Hoti’s passer-by but not injuring any Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province at Durrani has the highest number and Akramullah Gandapur have maker Haji Ghulam Ahmed security retinue of 12 personnel passengers, officials said, days an estimated cost of Rs278.9m of personnel deployed for his eight and 11 guards each at an Bilour has eight guards that costs Rs4.6m, while prime min- after the Nato bcombat mission every year. security. As many as 35 official estimated cost of more than cost Rs3.2m, QWP parliamen- ister’s adviser Amir Muqam’s 12 ended in Afghanistan. According to details submit- guards have been assigned to the Rs2.8m and Rs3.1m, respectively. tary leader Sikandar Sherpao’s guards cost more than Rs3.5m a The blast, which was heard ted in the provincial assembly minister whose security costs an Likewise, PTI MPA from Swat 16-man security team costs the year. ANP secretary general and across the city, was the first major by the Home and Tribal Affairs estimated Rs7.96m annually. Dr Haider Ali Khan has nine government Rs6.6m, while ANP former K-P information min- attack since the New Year when department, a total of 653 secu- Incidentally, the politician with security guards and their cost Senator Abdul Nabi Bangash’s ister Mian Iftikhar Hussain’s US-led Nato forces downgraded rity officials have been assigned the second-highest deployment is amounts to over Rs2m, while seven guards cost Rs2.2m. security detail comprises 10 from a combat mission to support to 273 politicians, MNAs, MPAs, also from Durrani’s party. JUI-F another PTI MPA Ayub Khan has MPA from Mardan Jamshed persons and costs the province and training duties helping the senators and other VIPs in K-P. chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has 11 guards costing Rs2.2m. Adviser Mohmand has been provided about Rs3.5m. Afghan army and police. This costs the provincial kitty up a security detail of 33 personnel to the Chief Minister Amjad eight security guards and it costs INETRNEWS The European Union Police Mission in Afghanistan (EUPOL) works to improve the country’s civilian police force, one of the Cooling down many efforts to try to boost security as international troops Polio vaccination drive withdraw. “A EUPOL vehicle was involved in a vehicle borne sui- cide attack whilst it was travel- begins in Quetta ling east on the Jalalabad Road in Kabul,” the mission said in a ISLAMABAD: A seven-day different zones to make the cam- statement. polio vaccination campaign was paign a success. “The vehicle’s occupants were launched amid tight security in Pakistan’s first case of polio uninjured.” Quetta after a gap of more than virus for the year 2015 was “Six civilians were wounded, five weeks during which chil- reported from Balochistan’s one later died of his wounds in dren below the age of five would Chagai district on Jan 1. hospital,” Kabul police spokesman be administered polio drops. An eighteen-month-old child Hashmat Stanakzai said. District Health Officer Quetta fell prey to the crippling disease Dr Sher Ahmed Satakzai said in Chagai’s Barabcha area near Sharif, US envoy that the vaccine will be admin- the Pak-Afghan border. istered to 700,000 children in During the year 2014, a total of discuss Kerry visit Quetta. 23 polio cases were reported from The provincial government Balochistan. Most of the cases ISLAMABAD: Pakistani of Balochistan has declared an were reported from Balochistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif emergency in Quetta and other Killa Abdullah, Pishin and Quetta and US Ambassador to Pakistan high-risk districts of the prov- districts. Richard Olson yesterday dis- ince to eradicate the paralysing Pakistan is one of only three cussed the upcoming visit of US disease. countries in the world where polio Secretary of State John Kerry, Teams comprising health remains endemic, the other two the PM office said. department officials and volun- countries being Afghanistan and John Kerry will visit Islamabad teers were formed to make sure Nigeria, but efforts to stamp it to lead the US delegation in polio drops were administered out have been badly hit in recent the ministerial level Strategic An Afghan firefighter sprays water on a US armoured vehicle after a suicide attack on the outskirts of Jalalabad, to children below the age of five years by attacks on immunisation Dialogue with Pakistan, the yesterday. An attacker targeted a US convoy but no causualities were reported. years in all parts of Quetta. teams. Foreign Ministry said. Initially, Quetta was divided in INTERNEWS AGENCIES TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA ‘Terror suspects’ were aboard blown up boat Occupants were not smugglers, second boat was in international waters, says defence minister

NEW DELHI: The people of some drugs can throw away some and gold, whatever.. even drugs, very clear. It was dark and if it fire to it early January 1. the spokespersons of BJP to stop a Pakistani vessel that blew drugs and surrender,” he said. they normally take a route which (the boat) was laden with explo- Parrikar also lauded the Coast making public relation events out up and sank off the coast of Parrikar’s remarks came as is busy. Because they can mingle sives, which appears to be partly Guard personnel for their effort, of issues of national security. It Gujarat were “suspected ter- questions arose in the media on with the other boats and pass off at least correct, it could have saying they did the “right job at is our right as the opposition to rorists” and did not appear to the nature of the “illicit transac- as one of the fishing boats,” he said. induced injuries and damage to the right time”. question the conflicting reports in be smugglers, Defence Minister tion” being carried out by the sus- The boat was almost stationary the Coast Guard,” he said. “...It is based on intelligence the media,” he said. Manohar Parrikar said yester- picious vessel in the Arabian Sea. at an “isolated location” for more Asked about the presence of a input and there is no speculative “Every citizen of this country day, as the incident on the open The Congress, which has asked than 12 hours and perhaps longer second boat, the minister said it part left to Coast Guard when has the right to question the gov- sea continued to hog headlines the BJP-led government to come than a day, he said, noting this was in international waters. such issues comes. They reacted ernment, the ruling party cannot amid border tensions between clean on conflicting reports in the “does not indicate any smuggling According to the defence minis- immediately, they got air surveil- brand them as Pakistanis,” he India and Pakistan. media, yesterday said every citi- type of activity but some other try, the suspicious boat was inter- lance done on the boat for almost said, adding the Congress how- He also confirmed that another zen of the country has the right to kind of activity... we are not sure cepted by the Coast Guard based 12 to 14 hours, intercepted it as ever commended the “valiant boat was also traced but it was in question the government. what is the other kind”. on an intelligence input Dec 31, soon as possible and stopped it efforts” of the Coast Guard for international waters. Parrikar said he would not “Secondly smugglers don’t and it was traced in the Arabian after a chase,” he said. foiling such an incident. “The most important factor, speculate on the “cargo” of the keep in touch with a maritime Sea, 365km off Porbandar in Parrikar’s comments came a The incident took place amid if you ask me, why I will classify vessel but “their activities do not Pakistani agency or a maritime Gujarat. The dramatic incident day after the BJP slammed the tensions between India and them under suspected or probable fit description of a smuggler”. security of Pakistan or their army was a reminder of the manner Congress for seeking a probe into Pakistan over ceasefire violations terrorists is because they have “There are a lot of specula- or international contacts,” he said. Pakistani terrorists sneaked into the incident and said the opposi- along the international border committed suicide... ‘Harakiri’. No tions... I don’t intend to be part He said the Coast Guard just Mumbai in 2008. tion party raising questions in the and Line of Control in Kashmir. one is going to be killing himself of speculations. Except saying followed the standard operating The vessel, which had set matter showed it had touched a Pakistan has rejected India’s unless you are motivated enough one very important aspect that procedure. off from near Karachi on New “new low” in politics. claim about the suspicious ves- to do that,” Parrikar told report- the location is not normal route “The Coast Guard could not Year’s Eve, turned into a ball of Congress spokesperson Randip sel and said no boat from Karachi ers on sidelines of an event here. for the fishing boats... Even the have done any better because fire and sank after its occupants, Singh Surjewala Monday hit had gone to the open sea. “A normal boat even carrying smugglers carrying contraband the operating instructions are believed to be four in number, set back at the BJP. “We request IANS

Anti-drugs awareness rally Modi launches Shoe thrown at Rs10 per LED bulb Bihar CM, scheme in Delhi man arrested NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday PATNA: A shoe was hurled launched an LED bulb distribu- at Bihar Chief Minister Jitan tion scheme in the capital under Ram Manjhi during his weekly which the power-saving lamp ‘Janata Durbar’ here yetserday, will be made available to people police said. The shoe missed its at an initial cost of Rs10. target but the man who threw it He replaced one bulb in the was arrested. South Block — which houses sev- A smiling Manjhi told the media eral ministries — symbolically he failed to understand the inten- launching the efficient light- tion of the man — identified as ing programme for Delhi and a Amritosh Kumar, a resident of national programme for LED- Saran district. “The shoe fell four- based home and street lighting. five feet from Manjhi but it shocked Through a web-based system him. He never expected such an launched by Modi, Delhiites will incident,” a police officer said. be able to register their requests Patna Senior Superintendent of for procuring LED bulbs under Police Jitendra Rana told report- the scheme. They can also send ers it was a planned act by the an SMS to a designated number man and he confessed during for the same. police interrogation. The bulbs will be provided to all Amritosh Kumar told police he domestic consumers at an initial was fed up and angry as his work payment of Rs10 each, and Rs10 was not done despite several visits will be added each month in their to the ‘Janata Durbar’. electricity bills for 12 months to He said Manjhi has not done recover the bulb’s cost, an official any development work and was statement said. Hence, the cost involved in “caste politics”. Many of an LED bulb for domestic con- political parties condemned the sumers will be Rs130 compared incident and described it as a to the market price which ranges reflection of the growing undemo- from Rs350 to Rs600, it added. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) members listen to SAD President and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal during an anti-drugs aware- cratic manner of protest. IANS ness ‘dharna’ at Dana Mandi Attari near Wagah, some 35km from Amritsar, yesterday. Badal said the SAD had asked for greater surveillance of the India-Pakistan border to control the flow of narcotics into Punjab state. 1,700 Hindus convert to Buddhism in Bihar India reacts strongly to US certification of Pakistan PATNA: Around 1,700 Hindus in Bihar have embraced NEW DELHI: In a strong the conditions that Pakistan must “Also with increasing citings of prerogative,” he said. Congress in 2010. Buddhism citing the religion’s reaction to Washington’s pat fulfil to be eligible for aid from Punjabi/Urdu speaking elements US Secretary of State John It requires the US administra- emphaisis on unity and no dis- to Islamabad for acting against the US. It authorises the release operating with terrorist groups Kerry certified Pakistan’s action tion to certify that the Pakistan crimination among its followers, terror groups, India yesterday of $1.5bn per year to Pakistan as inside Afghanistan, we now also against terror outfits LeT and government has taken action to an official said yesterday. said it does not believe Pakistan non-military aid. know that these very groups also Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). prevent “Al Qaeda, Taliban and Of these, 1,200 belong to was showing “sustained commit- “India does not believe that pose a significant threat to mem- President Barack Obama is associated terror groups such as Bainkathpur and Kudarbagha ment” in fighting such outfits. Pakistan is showing sustained bers of the international com- expected to grant a $532m aid Lashkar-e-Taiba from operating villages in Saran district, about India, however, said how commitment or making signifi- munity working in Afghanistan package soon to Pakistan under in the territory of Pakistan”. 80 km from here, said a district Washington chooses to spend US cant effort or ceasing support or including to Indian diplomatic the Kerry-Lugar Bill for economic The certification comes ahead police official The conversion took taxpayers’ money “is entirely its dismantling bases of operations personnel working in the Indian development and counter-terror- of Kerry’s visit to India for the place on Saturday and on Sunday, prerogative”. of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e- embassy in Kabul and our four ism efforts. Vibrant Gujarat Summit this the official added. According to the The ‘certification’ by the US Muhammad, the Haqqani net- consulates. The Bill, also known as the month and to Islamabad later in official, most of those converted to makes Pakistan eligible for an work and quite possibly the Al “But as I said before - how the “Enhanced Partnership with the month. Buddhism were dalits and maha- aid package under the Kerry- Qaeda,” external affairs ministry government of the United States Pakistan Act of 2009” was pro- Obama is to attend the Republic dalits and have been facing social Lugar Bill. The Bill has “actions spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin of America decides to spend US posed by Kerry and Richard Day parade as the chief guest. discrimination in day to day life. against terror groups” as one of said in a statement Monday. taxpayers’ money is entirely its Lugar and passed by the US IANS AGENCIES

Special soccer Over 13m to vote in Delhi polls

NEW DELHI: Over 13m people fresh applications and requests capital,” Bhushan said. are eligible to vote in the upcom- for corrections in the existing Voter turnout in the last Delhi ing polls to the Delhi assembly, voter ID cards. assembly polls, held in December the Election Commission said “During this period, we received 2013, was 65.6 percent while the here yesterday. over two lakh application out of voter turnout in the Lok Sabha The national capital, which has which around 1.5 lakh were filed polls in Delhi, in April last year, 70 assembly seats, is likely to go online,” Bhushan said. was 65.07 percent. to polls in February. As per the recent elec- Bhushan said the gender ratio The poll panel said 1,59,854 new toral rolls, assembly constitu- after the final publication of elec- voters were added to the electoral ency-34, Matiala in West Delhi, toral rolls was 802. list, taking the total to 1,30,85,251. has the highest number of elec- “Also the Electorate “Of the total, 72,60,633 are tors with 3,39,686 voters while Population (EP) ratio in the male voters while 58,24,618 are AC-20 Chandni Chowk has the final electoral roll was 70.02 females,” Chandra Bhushan lowest electorate with 1,12,739 percent,” Bhushan said adding Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer of voters. that a total of 1,72,450 voters in Delhi said. Bhushan said the Election the age group of 18-19 will vote He was speaking to reporters Commission will start the for the first time. after the final electoral rolls of Systematic Voter Education and Bhushan also said that dur- Delhi were published Monday. Electoral Participation (SVEEP) ing the revision, a total of 89,156 In the last assembly polls in programme and, through its vari- multiple entries and 1,20,605 December 2013, there were 1.19 ous media platforms, make people image duplication cases were crore voters while during the aware and urge them to exercise detected by booth-level officers 2014 Lok sabha polls the number their voting right in the upcoming during a special “IT-enabled of voters was 1.27 crore. assembly polls. application and field verifica- Visually impaired students of a school for the blind fight for the ball during a soccer match inside their school The Election Commission “Currently, there are 11,763 tion” process to identify bogus in New Delhi yesterday. between October 15 and polling booths in 2,527 poll- electors. November 10 last year received ing locations in the national IANS TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15

Child play Progress in Urban bodies talks with PDP, no breakthrough told to mobilise yet, says BJP

NEW DELHI: The BJP yes- terday said that there has own resources been some movement in the talks with the PDP for govern- ment formation in Jammu and Kashmir following a fractured Levy tax to improve amenities: Minister verdict but no breakthrough has been reached between the HYDERABAD: Stating statement but a fact. two parties so far. that urban governance is in a Stressing the need for trans- Bharatiya Janata Party gen- “very bad” shape, union Urban parency and accountability in eral secretary Ram Madhav told Development Minister M their functioning, he suggested media persons here that there has Venkaiah Naidu asked municipal that every municipal body should been “some progress” in talks but bodies to mobilise resources by tell people what is its revenue and “no breakthrough” yet. “The talks levying taxes wherever necessary expenditure and what are its plans. will continue,” he said. to improve basic civic amenities. “People feel that the taxes go Madhav, along with BJP’s lead- Underlining the need for for paying salaries to employees ers from the state met party pres- reforms for better urban govern- and for providing facilities to ident Amit Shah yesterday and ance to overcome the challenges leaders. They will come forward discussed political developments of inadequate infrastructure and to pay taxes if you convince them in the state. resources, he urged the urban bod- that it will be used for their bet- He said the BJP leaders sug- ies to improve physical and social terment,” he said. gested that talks with the Peoples infrastructure and ensure effec- “You have to be brutally clear in Democratic Party, the single larg- tive governance by involving people your approach saying without peo- est party in the state, should be in planning process and inviting ple’s participation, without paying A child rides a remote-operated toy car at the India Gate in New Delhi. taken forward. investments by the private sector. taxes things will not improve,” he BJP leaders said that PDP Addressing municipal commis- told the commissioners. has shown some initiative in sioners of cities with a population Stating that he will intro- taking forward talks between of more than a lakh, he advised duce credit rating system for the two parties to form a stable them to mobilise resources locally all municipalities, he suggested India must be prepared for two-front government. by levying new taxes wherever them to raise loans from banks Party sources said the state necessary after convincing peo- and national and international leaders held discussions on issues ple that they will get better infra- financial institutions by improv- like the post of chief minister and structure and services. ing their credit worthiness. war, says Integrated Defence chief the party’s stand on article 370 Municipal commissioners from The minister asked the munici- and Armed Forces Special Powers over 70 cities and officials of pal bodies to take up digitisation NEW DELHI: India must be external security environment. stature and economic clout and Act in case BJP goes along with urban development departments of properties, revenues, assets and prepared for a two-front war “We have to be prepared for a hunger for resources to feed its PDP in the state. The two parties from the five southern states — other details, saying the central keeping in view the growing collusion and a two-front war,” manufacturing conglomerate, have differed on issues like article Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, government will provide the nec- closeness between China and he said. has stepped up diplomatic and 370, which grants special status to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh essary funds for the project. Pakistan, Integrated Defence The chief of the Integrated economic activities in our area of the state, and AFSPA. — and the union territory of Naidu said Prime Minister Staff chief Air Marshal P P Defence Staff also said India’s interest. China is building ports Among those present at the Puducherry attended the day- Narendra Modi wants all munici- Reddy said yesterday. old ally in superpowers Russia is and infrastructure, providing meeting was union minister long consultative workshop. pal bodies to start a website and “We are located in a diffi- now suffering on economic front long-term loans and economic Jitendra Singh and BJP state This was the first workshop a weekly electronic news digest, cult neighbourhood, with two following the sanctions following aid as well as exporting arms, to president Jugal Kishore Sharma. organised by the ministry before giving details of its activities and nuclear-armed adversaries. Our Ukraine crisis and downfall in the all our neighbouring countries,” BJP appears keen to be part of launching its new initiatives on prepare a list of the poor. primary external security chal- prices of crude oil. At the same he said. next government in Jammu and urban development and housing. Advocating the need for devo- lenges arise from the immediate time, its relations with China “Unfortunately, the state of Kashmir as it has the highest per- Doing some plain talking, lution of more powers to urban neighbourhood, that is, to the are getting deeper while the US our economy and defence indus- centage of votes. Naidu said hard decisions were local bodies, the minister said north and west, and to a cer- already has business interests in try does not allow us to compete With its 25 seats all from the needed for better future. He made they should frame their own laws, tain extent, from the extended China. with China. Many countries in Jammu region, the party finished it clear that the municipal bodies rules and regulations for better neighbourhood, especially ter- “In case of any war, both the our neighbourhood look up to us second in the assembly elections, should not expect thousands of governance. rorism in the name of religion,” countries will be fence sitters,” to provide training, equipment while the PDP emerged as the crores from the central and state Stating that every state will get Air Marshal Reddy said at he said. and infrastructure, but we are largest party with 28 seats. governments. “Government has two to three smart cities, Naidu the Conference on Aerospace, Looking at the growing differ- unable to do this,” he added. Other two players — the no money but they will not say so made it clear that the central gov- Defence and Homeland Security ence in India’s and China’s econ- Reddy said this is where National Conference (15) and and make all promises,” he said. ernment will provide no funds and organised by industrial chamber omy, Air Marshal Reddy further domestic manufacturing assumes the Congress (12) were in third Referring to former prime min- that the urban bodies will have to ASSOCHAM. said that it has become difficult importance, and urged the indus- and fourth positions. The results ister Manmohan Singh’s famous raise private investment and go for He said China’s “growing for New Delhi to match up to its try to come forward in defence of the five-phased assembly polls remark “money doesn’t grow on public-private partnership model. assertiveness and cooperation neighbour. manufacturing sector. were declared December 23. trees”, Naidu said it was a harsh INTERNEWS with Pakistan” complicates the “China, with its growing IANS IANS

Special units to tackle crimes Criminal Tracking Network System set up in Tripura AGARTALA: A Crime and the CCTNS,” Director General with the police stations in and CCTNS would create a national down by 12 percent last year and against women Criminal Tracking Network of Tripura Police K. Nagaraj told outside Tripura or with the data bank of crime cases and the militant activities have been System (CCTNS) is being set up reporters. national agencies,” the police chief criminals and their biometric largely tamed in 2014, he said. in Tripura as part of a nation- Tripura has 72 police stations, said. profiles. This database will be “Since November last year, the proposed wide project to keep tab on including four all-women police “The director general of synchronized with databases of Bangladesh Army, Rapid Action criminals and to curb crimes, stations. national crime records bureau, other agencies of the criminal Battalions and Border Guard NEW DELHI: The central a top Tripura Police officer said Nagaraj said: “After the BSNL R.R.Verma has recently appre- justice system like courts, jails, Bangladesh have taken a series government yesterday proposed here yesterday. (Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited) ciated the excellent progress of immigration services centres, of actions against the Tripura to set up “Investigative Units The CCTNS project, launched provides the connectivity, the work of CCTNS in Tripura as passport authorities, forensic labs, militants who are hiding in that on Crimes against Women” by union home ministry in 2009, system would start functioning compared to others states in the transport department and mobile country or have set up camps (IUCAW) in 20 percent of the is an advanced software applica- immediately. In some police sta- country,” Nagaraj said. companies in a phased manner. there,” he said. districts in each state on half- tion which would empower police tions located in remote and inac- According to an official docu- Nagaraj said that due to the con- “Camps of Tripura militants cost sharing basis. organisations and help polic- cessible areas, VSAT (very small ment, the Central government certed efforts of the police admin- have been destroyed and huge Home Minister Rajnath Singh ing through the e-governance aperture terminal) has been has approved Rs.2,000 crore to istration and all stake holders, cache of arms and ammuni- has written to the chief min- method. installed to operate this system.” inter-connecting 14,000 police the conviction rate in Tripura has tion seized in different parts of isters saying there was a need “All police stations in Tripura “The new system would help stations and 6,000 supervisory increased to 22.51 percent last year Bangladesh,” the DGP said quot- to strengthen various elements have been inter-connected police to solve criminal cases and related offices across the compared to 14.67 percent in 2013. ing reports from across the border. of the criminal justice system, through Internet networks under promptly and share information country under the CCTNS. The overall crime rate came IANS namely investigation, prosecution and trials by courts to deal with rise in crimes against women, an official release said. Magh Mela The minister said the objective of these units will be to investi- Assailant of Mamata gate cases referred to them, aug- ment the investigative machinery of the states in relation to heinous crimes against women, especially nephew arrested rape, dowry death, acid attack and human trafficking. KOLKATA: The youth who Charges of attempt to murder, The objectives also include slapped Trinamool Congress MP criminal trespass, voluntarily caus- encouraging women to come for- Abhishek Banerjee, the nephew ing hurt and criminal intimidation ward and file complaints, and of West Bengal Chief Minister were slapped against the youth. on improving the gender ratio Mamata Banerjee, was arrested Police said there were plans to in the state police forces, which yetserday on various charges present him in court tomorrow if his was adversely affecting imple- including attempt to murder condition improved substantially. mentation of legislations relating even as he lay hospitalised in But despite television channels to women. a serious condition after being carrying extensive footage of the These units will have the brutally assaulted by a mob. mob beating Acharya black and additional functionality of But none of those who almost blue, no one from among the mob proactive policing, intelligence lynched Debasish Acharya after has been arrested so far. gathering, tackling organised he hit Abhishek Banerjee on “Cases of culpable homicide crime, monitoring implemen- the dais of a Trinamool Youth have been registered against tation of legislative provisions, Congress (TYC) public meeting unknown people under various helping in awareness genera- Sunday, were taken into custody sections of the Indian Penal Code tion and promotion of social by police, who only slapped “cul- dealing with assault and lynching,” participation in checking crimes pable homicide” charges against East Mindapore Superintendent of against women. some “unknown people”. Police Sukesh Jain said over phone. The ministry proposed to set Acharya, a resident of Tamluk Meanwhile, Inspector General up 150 such IUCAW units initially in East Midnapore district, is of Police (Law and Order) Anuj on a pilot basis in the most crime- now under treatment in Tamluk Sharma said the youth’s family prone districts of each state. Hospital after he was mercilessly had conceded that he had con- The home minister said these thrashed by a mob of purportedly tacts with the Akhil Bharatiya units may consist of 15 personnel, Hindu priests perform an evening prayer ritual known as Arti at the Sangam, the confluence of the holy rivers Trinamool workers for attacking Vidyarthi Parishad and the five of them preferably women. Ganges and Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the annual Magh Mela in Allahabad yesterday. Banerjee during the TYC meeting Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. IANS in Chandipur. IANS TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME Different ball game

Fajr (Dawn) 4:59 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:21 Zuhr (Noon) 11:40 Asr (Afternoon) 2:39 Maghrib (Sunset) 5:00 Isha (Night) 6:30

WEATHER

Today Wednesday Thursday Weather Conditions: Clear Partly cloudy Mostly cloudy Misty to foggy at places at first High: 26° High: 26° High: 27° becomes moderate Low: 18° Low: 19° Low: 19° temperature daytime with some clouds and relatively cold by night. DOHA - SUN & SEA SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 06:21 17:00 06:00 & 17:00 13:15 & 23:00 03-12 KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER

MUSCAT 29/19 Clear 28/19 Clear Sumatran tigers play near a ball during the annual stocktake photocall at London Zoo yesterday. The compulsory annual count is required as part MAKKAH 30/20 Mostly cloudy 29/17 Partly cloudy of the zoo’s licence. There are two adult tigers and three cubs in the zoo. KUWAIT 22/12 Clear 23/08 Clear BAHRAIN 24/16 Clear 27/16 Clear SANAA 22/05 Partly cloudy 23/05 Partly cloudy RIYADH 25/12 Clear 27/13 Clear DUBAI 26/17 Clear 26/17 Clear Italian singer-songwriter Daniele dies at 59 BAGHDAD 19/09 Clear 17/07 Partly cloudy ROME: Pino Daniele, one of Italy’s most Marley. Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris accounting in high school but decided early THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW popular singer-songwriters, who fused the ordered flags on city buildings to be flown at on he wanted to be a musician. HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER musical traditions of his native Naples with half-mast and declared a day of mourning for He made his debut album “Terra Mia” jazz and blues, has died of a heart attack at the man whose melancholic, nasal voice made (My Land) in 1977. In it, he spoke of the hope ATHENS 06/01 Partly cloudy 05/01 Chance of showers age 59, his agent said yesterday. him instantly recognisable to millions. and despair of his city, home to the Camorra WASHINGTON 01/-3 Snow -2/-8 Partly cloudy Daniele was born and raised in the tough, “I still have his music in my ears,” Prime organised crime group. crime-infested Sanita neighbourhood of Naples Minister Matteo Renzi said. “He had an Just four years later, his success was SYDNEY 29/19 Partly cloudy 31/19 Clear and drew on that experience to tinge his love incredible voice ... his guitar playing was pre- crowned when he drew some 200,000 fans LONDON 11/01 Chance of rain 11/09 Chance of showers songs with themes of poverty and injustice. cious and he had a rare sensitivity that was to an outdoor concert in one of the southern PARIS 07/05 Clear 08/04 Partly cloudy From humble beginnings, the self-taught tinged with passion and melancholy that will city’s biggest squares. ISTANBUL 03/-2 Snow 01/-4 Snow showers guitarist went on to play with greats such as continue to tell the story of our country to He composed soundtracks for a number of MANILA 30/22 Partly cloudy 28/23 Partly cloudy Eric Clapton, Richie Havens, Pat Metheny the whole world.” Italian films, particularly those by the late DHAKA 23/14 Clear 22/14 Clear and Chick Corea. His band was once the open- Daniele, who often sang in a mix of Italian, Neapolitan actor and director Massimo Troisi. DELHI 17/09 Partly cloudy 18/08 Partly cloudy ing act for a historic concert in Milan by Bob Neapolitan dialect and English, studied REUTERS ISLAMABAD 18/06 Clear 19/05 Clear French leader’s ex-girlfriend making movie based on book

PARIS: A movie adaptation of a international companies”. egotist and — perhaps most damagingly very close friend — would have final say Trierweiler, 49, who works for French kiss-and-tell bestselling book that The news will be a fresh blow to — alleges he once insulted the poor as over the film. magazine Paris Match, has already earned deeply embarrassed French President Hollande, who was embarrassed by “toothless”. The biopic would require changes more than ¤1.3m ($1.5m) in France alone Francois Hollande is in the works after Trierweiler’s book, “Thank You for this Trierweiler’s relationship ended a year from the book to make it work for the from her book, according to her pub- his journalist ex-girlfriend who wrote Moment” (“Merci Pour Ce Moment” ago when another French celebrity maga- big screen, notably with the character lisher. It remains in the top three books it agreed to team up with a producer in French), which first came out last zine, Closer, published photos of Hollande representing Trierweiler “recounting being sold in France. friend. September before being translated into cheating on her with a glamorous actress, her story to a confidante, so the political Hollande, whose popularity ratings are The producer, Saida Jawad, told 12 languages including English. Julie Gayet. context is better understood,” Jawad said. hovering near record lows on the back of French celebrity magazine Gala in an The memoir lays bare the turbulent, Jawad, who is also an actress as well as But Jawad added: “I’m not look- a stagnating economy, admitted at the interview published yesterday that she six-year relationship that Trierweiler a screenwriter and a producer through ing to make a controversial film, I just end of 2014 that he had been through a and Hollande’s ex, Valerie Trierweiler, experienced with Hollande, including 18 her company Romarin Films, said: “I want to tell the story of the fight of a “tough year”. “are currently developing the movie months by his side after he became presi- guarantee that you will discover new woman in love, even if the story is excep- He has sought to keep his post-Trier- adaptation of the bestseller and are look- dent in 2012. It portrays France’s unpop- things” in the movie adaptation. She said tional because the man she loves is the weiler personal life out of the public gaze, ing at co-productions with French and ular Socialist head of state as a callous Trierweiler — whom she described as a president.” but to little effect. AFP

Renovation of iconic Paris building stalled

PARIS: A French appeals the planned construction into court yesterday blocked the its urban surroundings.” renovation of the iconic former A spokesman for LVMH told Parisian department store La AFP they would appeal the Samaritaine, saying its modern decision at the French supreme makeover would clash with its administrative court, known as historic surroundings. the State Council. Perched on the right bank of La Samaritaine, a Paris land- the Seine, the hulking store occu- mark, had its golden age dur- pies some of the choicest Parisian ing the 1930s at the height of real estate but was shut down in the Art Deco era but went into 2005 when it ran afoul of health decline for the last 30 years of and safety regulations. its existence. Efforts to redevelop the site It had its start in 1870, when have hit several snags, notably Ernest Cognacq, a hawker over plans by Japanese architec- from the west coast of France, ture firm Sanaa to build a mas- opened a small “novelties” shop sive undulating glass facade over a on the banks of the Seine. part of the building, which is now He called it La Samaritaine owned by luxury brands company (the Samaritan woman) after a LVMH. pump on the nearby Pont Neuf But critics say the design will whose facade depicted Christ be an eyesore in the centre of the and the woman of Samaria French capital. at Jacob’s Well, as recounted LVMH, which owns brands in the Gospel according to such as Louis Vuitton, plans to St John. turn the complex, including the He would later buy up adjoin- main building and three adjacent ing buildings until the store properties, into a five-star hotel, covered 70,000 square metres. offices, shops and flats at a cost of However, the business piled some ¤460m ($630m). up losses and in 2001 was bought by LVMH, owned by The Samaritaine in Paris. France’s richest man Bernard Arnault. However, heritage groups permits, saying the glass wall He was forced to shut it including the Society for the “clashed” with the look of the down after a police report said Protection of Landscapes and other buildings in the area. the whole art deco structure Aesthetics as well as SOS The administrative appeals needed to be urgently renovated Paris filed a complaint over the court yesterday upheld the can- to replace antiquated electrical design plans. cellation of the permit, saying circuits, malfunctioning smoke In May 2014, a court can- the new building “did not com- extraction systems and flam- celled one of the renovation ply with the obligation to fit mable wooden flooring. AFP Tuesday 6 January 2015 15 Rabial I 1436 Volume 19 Number 6302 Price: QR2

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Oil extends crash into new year; Brent at $53 Brent, US crude near six-year lows QE downward trend NEW YORK: The selloff in global oil markets showed little signs of slowing in the new year, ‘Oil price helps continues, index slips falling as much as 6 percent yesterday to their lowest since US economy’ below 12,000 levels spring 2009, as fears of a supply glut that vexed the market for WASHINGTON: US officials DOHA: Qatari bourse extended its bearish the past six months deepened. monitoring the recent drop trend to fifth straight session yesterday. The US crude crashed below $50 in oil prices believe the dip so benchmark index fell 1.91 percent to 11,995 a barrel while benchmark Brent far has been beneficial for the points on profit-taking. crude tumbled under $53 after US economy, White House Sell-off continued because of the fresh drop in data showed Russian oil output spokesman Josh Earnest said. oil price. Oil price slipped to a fresh lows in the at post-Soviet era highs and Iraqi US average petrol prices have international market, market watchers noted. oil exports at near 35-year peaks. fallen below $2 per gallon in The entire seven sectors experienced downward US driller ConocoPhillips much of the country. That pressure yesterday, with the insurance sector added to the bearish sentiment, has boosted US car sales and performing the worst. The sector index plunged announcing it had struck first oil other areas in recent months. 2.42 percent, followed by the banking sector at a Norwegian North Sea project. The White House has also (2.17 percent), real estate sector (1.87 percent), Top crude exporter Saudi said that President Barack Transportation (1.12 percent) and Industrials (1.59 Arabia revealed it had made deep Obama believes the proposed percent). Trading volume rose to 7.4 million shares cuts to its monthly oil prices for Keystone XL pipeline would from 6 million, and the total value increased to European buyers, the sixth time have little impact on US gas QR309m from QR194.45m. in a row since June when it had prices. REUTERS Barwa was the most active with a turnover of slashed prices, corresponding QR39m, or 11 percent, of the market’s total turno- with the rout in crude futures ver. Ezdan ranked first with a trading volume of markets over the period. Some traders seem certain 1.16 million shares, or 16 percent of the total vol- Analysts read the latest cut as that US crude will be trading in ume. Among the banking stocks, Masraf Al Rayan reflecting Saudi Arabia’s deepen- the $40 region later in the week lost the most, by 3.81 percent. QIB lost 2.45 per- ing defence of its market share if weekly oil inventory numbers cent, while QNB fell 1.89 percent. for crude. The Opec kingpin also for the United States tomorrow Real estate stock Barwa slipped 3.15 percent and trimmed its prices for US refiners show another supply build. “We’re Ezdan retreated by 1.46 percent. Vodafone crashed for a sixth straight month, while headed for a four-handle,” said 3.50 percent. raising rates for Asia. Tariq Zahir, managing member at Weak crude prices continue to affect the senti- “There’s no doubt that we have Tyche Capital Advisors in Laurel ment of the retail investors who dominate local a combination of supplies hit- Hollow in New York. “Maybe not stock markets. Saudi Arabia’s main index dropped ting their zenith at a time when today, but I’m sure when you get 3 percent as shares in petrochemicals giant Saudi demand is weakening,” said Phil the inventory numbers that come Basic Industries (SABIC) tumbled 4.6 percent. Flynn, analyst at Price Futures out this week, we definitely will.” Profits in the petrochemical sector are particularly Group in Chicago. Open interest for $40-$50 vulnerable to cheap oil, Reuters reported. US crude settled down $2.65, or strike puts in US crude have Dubai’s index dropped 3.4 percent as all but a A pedestrian looks at rates in the window of a currency exchange in London yesterday. 5 percent, at $50.04 a barrel and risen several fold since the start handful of stocks fell. Abu Dhabi’s index edged tumbled immediately thereafter of December, while $20-$30 down 0.5 percent as Aldar Properties, the emirate’s to a post-settlement low of $49.80. puts for June 2015 have traded, biggest listed developer, dropped 3.6 percent and The last time US crude traded said Stephen Schork, editor of telecommunications firm Etisalat lost 0.5 percent. below $50 was in April 2009. Pennsylvania-based The Schork Euro falls to nine-year low Bahrain’s Gulf Finance House (GFH), cross- Front-month Brent was down Report. listed in Dubai, was one of the few gainers, jumping $3.42, or 6 percent, to $53.00 a Russia’s oil output hit a post- TOKYO: The euro fell to a nine-year the Federal Reserve poised to hike rates 3.4 percent after the company said it had won a barrel by 1939 GMT. It dropped Soviet high last year, averaging low against the dollar yesterday as bets in 2015 thanks to a recovering economy $11.5m legal case pertaining to its investment in earlier to $52.66, its lowest since 10.58 million bpd, up 0.7 percent mounted that the currency will suffer while ECB’s monetary policy is so far a Qatari firm. May 2009. thanks to small non-state produc- further declines, faced with the possi- headed in the opposite direction. Egypt’s market remained more upbeat and the Oil has plunged nearly 55 per- ers, Energy Ministry data showed. bility of more monetary easing by the Draghi told the German newspaper Cairo index edged up 0.8 percent. As an energy cent in value since June, when Iraq’s oil exports were at their European Central Bank and its dimin- Handelsblatt that the ECB was less likely importer, Egypt stands to benefit from cheaper Brent traded above $117 a barrel highest since 1980 in December, ishing status as a reserve currency. to preserve price stability than it was six oil, and bidding wars for local companies such as and US crude above $107. an oil ministry spokesman said, The euro was in retreat after ECB months ago, suggesting it was ready to Bisco Misr and Arab Dairy Products have under- The selloff, which began on with record sales from the coun- President Mario Draghi late last week take bolder steps on monetary stimulus scored growing interest in local equities. “Overall, concerns of oversupply in high try’s southern terminals. underscored the divergence between early this year to shore up the flagging some foreign investors seem to perceive this to be quality US shale crude, acceler- The Russian and Iraqi data European and US monetary policy, which euro zone economy and ward off deflation. an ideal time, in order to be favourably exposed ated after the November meet- overshadowed reports of drops is set to remain a key theme in 2015. “There were basically three factors that to Egypt’s fundamental dynamics being on a path ing of the Organisation of the in Libya’s oil output due to con- The common currency fell to $1.1860 in pushed the euro lower. First was Draghi’s of recovery,” Cairo-based Naeem brokerage said Petroleum Exporting Countries, flict. Libya’s oil output has fallen early Asian trade, its lowest since March comment, second was the prospect of a in a note. where Saudi Arabia ruled out pro- to around 380,000 bpd after the 2006. It last stood at $1.1950, down 0.4 weak eurozone inflation data print on The Kuwait index fell 0.8 percent to 6,497 points, duction cuts as means of boosting closure of the Opec producer’s percent on the day. The euro also fell Wednesday and lastly IMF’s central bank while the Oman index fell 0.7 percent to 6,312 prices. The kingdom had reasoned biggest oil port Es Sider, along against the yen, stooping to a two-month statistics,” said Yunosuke Ikeda, senior FX points and the Bahrain index slipped 0.3 percent that reducing output will hurt its with another oil port Ras Lanuf. low of 146.36 yen. The euro shed nearly strategist at Nomura Securities in Tokyo. to 1,422 points. THE PENINSULA market share instead. REUTERS 12 percent against the dollar in 2014 with REUTERS

Preparing for CES Amira Foods enters Volvo acquires Qatar in GFT deal 45 percent of Chinese firm DOHA: Amira Foods, the com- consumption in the GCC, Yemen pany that has made Amira Rice and Iran is approx. 7 Million MT STOCKHOLM: Swedish truck an international brand is offi- which is valued around $9.5bn. maker Volvo Group said yes- cially establishing its presence “The Middle East is a key mar- terday it had completed the in Qatar announcing a strategic ket for us and this agreement acquisition of 45 percent of a partnership with Global Food with Global Foods is something subsidiary to Chinese motor Trading (GFT). that we are delighted with as it giant Dongfeng for $893m. GFT was formed in 2012 with underscores our commitment Announced in January 2013, the vision of becoming the leading to providing the best rice in the and now confirmed by Beijing, operator in the food trading and region. GFT has a great stand- the deal awards Volvo a share in distribution industry in Qatar. ing in the market and together I Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles GFT Qatar will be responsible believe we can create the proper (DFCV) worth 5.5bn yuan. for increasing the footprint of the synergies and make Amira a The other 55 percent remains highly popular Amira Rice range, household name in Qatar.” in the hands of the parent com- which includes 13 different kinds GFT employs a dynamic team pany, Dongfeng Motor Group, one of Basmati options, ensuring that who strategically and successfully of the main shareholders of the the right grains are available for focus their efforts towards the French carmaker PSA. the right cuisine. wide range of food and non-food “This strategic alliance is a Today, Amira Foods is available items which are under the GFT real milestone and entails a fun- in 40 countries and the decision Qatar canopy. Mr. Peter Mathews, damental change in the Volvo to enter the Qatar market makes COO of GFT, expressed his content Group’s opportunities in the for good business sense, accord- over the signing of the deal with Chinese truck market, which ing to Karan Chanana, Chairman Amira and said its quality and its is the largest in the world,” Daniel Cervantes of Detail Werks cleans a 2015 Ford Mustang in preparation for the 2015 International and CEO of The Amira Group. variety spoke for a very successful Volvo wrote in a statement Consumer Electronics Show (CES) at Las Vegas Convention Center, Nevada. According to him, total rice venture. THE PENINSULA yesterday. AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS IBQ wins Fed may not raise rates in 2015: Gross Best Private Bond investor predicts status quo as global growth remains sluggish and inflation subdued Banking NEW YORK: The Federal Group. With global economies developed countries will remain said. “Do not look, therefore, for since 2006, instead slashing them Reserve could find itself chal- struggling, Gross said, “it’s going near the zero bound, as well,” economic growth to be the magic to near zero to boost growth in lenged to raise US interest to be very difficult for the Fed as Gross added. elixir for 2015.” the world’s largest economy dur- Service award rates this year as global growth the major central bank for the Gross quit Pimco, the bond firm Because of potential volatility, ing the financial crisis. remains sluggish and infla- global reserve currency to raise he helped co-found, in September, he said, “investors should be flexi- Last month Fed policymakers DOHA: International Bank of tion subdued, closely watched interest rates to historical levels.” shocking markets as he moved to ble and consider more liquid secu- signaled that a rate hike could be Qatar, (ibq), has been recognised bond investor Bill Gross said That could keep the Fed’s major smaller rival Janus Capital Group. rities. Fixed income with shorter coming this year. by Banker Middle East with yesterday. interest rate capped at around 1 Sometimes called the bond king maturities is one starting place.” But Gross suggested higher the prestigious ‘Best Private “With the dollar strengthening to 2 percent, Gross said, keeping for his decades-long track record The Janus Global Unconstrained markets will require “the potion Banking Service’ accolade in and oil prices declining, it is hard yields on the benchmark 10-year in fixed income, Gross remains Bond Fund, which Gross started of monetary policy” in 2015. Yet its Banking Product Awards for to see even the Fed raising short US Treasury note not far from widely followed. managing in October, attracted much of the gains from such loose 2014. This is in recognition of rates until late in 2015, if at all,” its “seemingly ridiculous” current Gross sounded a cautionary an estimated $770m in November, policy could already be priced into ibq’s unrivalled private banking said Gross, who oversees the Janus yields. That note last traded at a note on global growth. “Aside from bringing its assets to more than markets, he added. services, as evidenced by ibq’s Global Unconstrained Bond Fund, yield of 2.0476 percent yesterday the United States, the growth out- $1.2bn, according to Morningstar “Be prepared for low returns private clients’ loyalty to the in a collection of investment views morning. look for developed countries and data. The Federal Reserve has not in almost all asset categories,” brand across generations. posted online by Janus Capital “Interest rates in almost all many emerging ones is subpar,” he raised benchmark interest rates Gross said. REUTERS The Banker Middle East Awards are among the most important recognition for the financial services industry in the China stocks at five-year high region. The Banker Middle East Qatar Product Awards 2014 are Big UK firms plan to designed to identify and reward quality and excellence in finan- cial products and services. With more than a decade of experience raise investments in running awards programmes for the financial services industry, Banker Middle East understands the importance of best-in-class despite risk: Deloitte benchmarks that are growing a dynamic and successful regional LONDON: Major British busi- reached in 2014, in line with simi- finance industry. nesses plan to step up invest- lar reports from Lloyds Bank and Jabra Ghandour, Managing ment this year despite seeing the EEF manufacturers’ associa- Director of ibq said: “We are very increased risks from May’s tion, also released yesterday. proud to have received this sig- general election and a softer CFOs had the lowest confidence nificant award. Being recognised economic outlook, a survey by about the outlook for their com- by Banker Middle East serves accountants Deloitte showed pany in two years, while the EEF to underline our private bank- yesterday. survey showed the proportion of ing excellent offerings for private Deloitte said firms planned to executives expecting economic wealth management services. It raise investment by an average of conditions in Britain to improve also highlights how ibq is fully 9 percent this year compared with falling sharply from a year earlier. equipped and focused on providing 8 percent in 2014, which would But a bigger concern for the the best banking customer service take business investment to its firms taking part in the Deloitte and financial expertise to HNWI highest share of gross domestic survey was Britain’s election in and ultra HNWI in Qatar.” product since the dotcom bubble May 2015. Opinion polls show the With a tailor-made suite of in 2000. “Chief financial offic- opposition Labour party slightly banking and wealth management ers expect 2015 to be a year of ahead of the Conservatives, who services, ibq’s private banking has investment and of recovering real currently govern in coalition with maintained its position as a truly earnings ... suggesting the UK will the Liberal Democrats. It is pos- pioneering Qatari bank. post decent growth through 2015,” sible once again that no one party An investor looks at a computer screen showing stock information at a brokerage house in Shanghai yes- THE PENINSULA said Deloitte chief economist Ian will win enough seats for a work- terday. China stocks surged to their highest close in five years, led upward by property and energy shares. Stewart. able majority. Firms’ investment growth in The possibility of policy change Britain is likely to be higher than and uncertainty linked to the in the United States, eurozone or election topped CFOs’ assess- Japan, Deloitte said. It added that ment of risks, followed by the risk CFOs expected to raise wages by of deflation in the eurozone and KeyBS signs franchise deal with KBS Qatar 2.9 percent. a future British referendum on Both investment and wages leaving the European Union. DOHA: KeyBS, a leading tech- “This agreement is in keeping over the next five years more than Continuing its expansion, have repeatedly undershot expec- Deloitte said this marked a big nology provider for financial with our expansion strategy in the two-thirds of customers are like to KeyBS recently hit a new mile- tations since 2010. Although they shift in firms’ thinking. “Going institutions, which recently GCC. Qatar is a very significant be self-directed.” stone reaching 565 locations all started to pick up last year, the into each year, from 2008 to 2013, entered into a franchise agree- market for us and we are delighted KeyBS has already installed 25 over GCC covering the UAE, Bank of England has said that CFOs’ main concern was the state ment with KBS Qatar, has to partner with KBS Qatar that kiosk machines in Qatar, and it Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. overall economic growth appears of the UK economy. Now the risks announced to install 100 is well placed to drive our growth expects to reach 75 machines in Across its network, the company unsustainably dependent on con- are seen as lying elsewhere,” KeyKIOSK and 500 POS (point in this key market. Qatar, like the country by April, 2015. Qatar’s offers more than 15 services in 10 sumer spending. Stewart said. of sale) within this year, said a the rest of the GCC, is witnessing economy is forecast to grow 7.7 different languages. KeyBS pro- Figures on Friday showed con- The survey was conducted press statement yesterday. strong demand from consumers percent in 2015. It will be the vides advanced automated, kiosk, sumer credit growing at its fastest between November 27 and According to the statement for automated and digital pay- country’s fastest expansion since point of sale, Web Portal and in nearly a decade, while banks’ December 15 and covered 119 issued by KeyBS, a member of ment solutions. This has necessi- 2011 and an acceleration from Mobile Technology systems and lending to businesses remained large companies, most of which Arabi Holding Group KSC, this tated banks, exchange houses and 6.3 per cent estimated for this services for remittance transac- soft and manufacturing growth were listed on the British stock is part of the franchise agree- other financial institutes to swiftly year. The Qatari banking sector tions and bill payments as well as slowed. market. The value of the listed ment with KBS Qatar to open respond to this growing demand has been one of the stellar per- customised software and hardware The Deloitte survey showed firms was equivalent to just under KeyKIOSK and KeyPOS in thus creating unprecedented formers in the GCC, capitalizing tailored to boost productivity and confidence about the economic a quarter of the stock market. the country. Ibrahim Darraz, opportunities for a company like on the huge investment, financial efficiency that in turn help cut outlook slipping from highs REUTERS Managing Director, KeyBS, said: ours. Industry research shows that resources and economic growth. down costs. THE PENINSULA

Barwa Real Estate Russian shale beating US is ONGC’s last bet completes purchase NEW DELHI: Oil & Natural Gas Bakken area in North Dakota. The oil reported in the interview. steepest annual loss since 2008. Weak Corp, India’s biggest energy explorer, can be extracted by cracking open the Russia has potentially the big- economic growth in China, a global oil is banking on the world’s largest rocks using a mixture of water and gest shale oil resources, followed by glut and Opec’s refusal to cut output of Lusail Golf project shale oil reserves to save its Russian chemicals at high pressure, a process the US, according to a January 2014 have pushed crude into a bear market acquisition. Stumbling blocks include called hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, report by the US Energy Information since June. DOHA:Barwa Real estate has concluded oil prices at a five-year low and US pioneered in the 1990s in the US. Administration. Shale basins in the US In Russia, ONGC Videsh owns 20 the purchase and transfer of the 50 percent sanctions. Bazhenov may hold as much as 360 have helped boost the country’s produc- percent in the Sakhalin-1 project off shareholding of the Lusail Golf Development Imperial Energy Corp, which the billion barrels of recoverable reserves, tion to the highest in more than three the country’s far eastern coast, which it Company through its fully owned subsidiary Indian state-run explorer bought in Bloomberg Industries said in a decades, drawing it into a price war acquired in 2001. The project produces Barwa International, according to QNA. 2009 for $2.1bn, will drill four wells in December 2012 report, citing estimates with Saudi Arabia as oil prices slump both oil and gas and ONGC Videsh gets Lusail Golf is a Qatari Company with Limited Russia’s Bazhenov shale formation by by Russian subsoil agency Rosnedra. to the lowest since 2009. a share of the output or equivalent Liability, located in Qatar with a capital of QR 10m. July, seeking to find enough oil to start Venezuela holds 298.35 billion barrels, The Russian government will revenue from the sale. The company With the completion of this transaction, Barwa commercial production, said Narendra the world’s biggest known oil reserves. allow companies that produce in the is also in talks with Rosneft, Russia’s Group now owns 100 percent of the shareholding of Kumar Verma, managing director of Russia’s Bazhenov has yet to yield Bazhenov formation to retain about biggest oil producer, to study the pos- Lusail Golf, with a 50 percent shareholding initially ONGC’s overseas unit, which owns oil. The formation has proved to be 40 percent of their revenue, compared sibility of buying stakes in two other owned by Barwa Real Estate. Barwa Real Estate Imperial. Failure would mean seeking tougher to drill than areas in the US, with 21 percent that Imperial gets now, oil and gas fields in Russia, ONGC had previously announced the signing of the rel- options, including selling the unit, he prompting Russian oil majors such as Verma said. “If we are able to have sub- Chairman Dinesh Kumar Sarraf said evant SPA for a total purchase value of QR 2.48bn. said. “We’re banking on that silver lin- OAO Rosneft and OAO Gazprom Neft stantial production from Bazhenov, in November. “Lusail Golf transaction is considered to be one ing,” Verma, the chief of ONGC Videsh to seek partnerships with US and then our net back may improve, bot- Imperial has always performed of this Barwa’s biggest purchase transactions in Ltd, said in an interview in his office in European companies. tomline may improve and we may sail below expectations for ONGC. A plan 2014. The importance of the transaction comes New Delhi. “We have to think of alter- Imperial had given Denver-based through,” he said. “I’m not saying we to revive production from Imperial’s from the importance of Lusail City itself. This mas- native strategies. All options are open,” Liberty Resources LLC a contract will make profits, I’m saying the com- fields was scrapped just months after sive developmental project aims to construct a high should Bazhenov flop, he said. to drill in its shale-oil acreage in the pany may sail through.” ONGC completed the purchase in 2009 standard community and create balance between ONGC plans to more than double Bazhenov formation. Liberty ended Current output at Imperial’s fields because the fields didn’t meet expecta- the beauty of architecture and the need of people its oil and gas production from over- the contract following US sanctions in western Siberia, which holds part of tions. India’s federal auditor in March to live in a descent and inspiring community. The seas fields in four years even as it on Russia, Verma said. Imperial is now the Bazhenov formation, has declined 2011 said ONGC lost Rs11.8bn in the city is now undergoing infrastructure works, being seeks to reverse declining output from drilling two wells on its own and plans to about 7,000 barrels a day from 17,000 15 months ended March 31, 2010, after implemented according to the highest standards, Imperial’s fields, revive assets in trou- to drill a total of four by July, he said. barrels in April 2010. Imperial produced at half of the tar- best designs and environmentally friendly technol- bled Sudan and Syria and boost output France’s Total SA is reevaluat- Even in a scenario where oil is at get rate. ONGC announced the plan ogies which comply with the urban plan of Qatar in Venezuela. It gives away 79 percent ing plans to explore for shale oil $100 a barrel, Imperial is left with to buy Imperial in August 2008 and 2030,” QNA quoted a Barwa press note as saying. of its revenue from Imperial’s fields as with Moscow-based OAO Lukoil in $6 after spending as much as $15 on completed the purchase in 195 days. The total plot area of Lusail City is 38 square taxes to the Russian government, which Bazhenov. Royal Dutch Shell Plc and production, and paying oil extraction Brent crude, which slumped 62 percent kilometers. Through owning the entire stake in is facing the prospect of defaulting on Norway’s Statoil ASA may also miss levies, Verma said. It pays about $2 a in that period, reached $36.6 a barrel Lusail Golf, Barwa Real Estate will be developing its debt amid sanctions following the out on Russian shale, Bloomberg barrel as income tax to the government in December that year as the global 3.66 million square meters of Lusail City, which is annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Intelligence analyst Philipp Chladek and the remaining $4 has to fund oper- financial crisis deepened. ONGC then approximately equivalent to 10 percent of the total “At the moment, Bazhenov is the wrote in a report. ating costs, capital expenditure and justified the acquisition saying oil would city. In addition to the land in the northern area of promising thing,” Verma said. “We Russia can develop its shale oil administrative costs, he said. rebound to $100 a barrel. Fox Hills in Lusail City which Barwa is now using have to see how much it yields, as shale resources even without foreign part- Plunging crude oil prices is making it Most negotiations for the Imperial to develop its project. oil wells are costlier due to horizontal ners, Interfax reported on December worse for Imperial, Verma said. Brent acquisition “happened in the peak Lusail Golf transaction is considered to be a drilling and hydro-fracking.” 29, citing Lukoil President Vagit crude, a benchmark for more than price of oil, but before closing it slid,” valuable addition into Barwa’s distinctive invest- Shale oil is trapped in non-porous, Alekperov. The development is not prof- half the world’s oil, declined 48 per- Verma said. “We could not come out of ment portfolio. THE PENINSULA shale-rock formations, also found in the itable at current oil prices, Interfax cent last year in London trading, the the deal.” BLOOMBERG TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 JPMorgan more valuable Welcoming Lithuania India plans to raise $10.2bn if broken apart: Goldman in spectrum Could unlock value by splitting four main businesses auction NEW DELHI: The Indian NEW YORK: JPMorgan Chase other businesses,” Dimon wrote in government plans to raise & Co’s parts are probably worth a letter to shareholders last year. Rs648.4bn ($10.2bn) selling tel- more to investors than the JPMorgan “This is one of the key reasons we ecommunications airwaves as it whole after regulators proposed have maintained good financial seeks to narrow the budget defi- tougher rules penalising firms settles lawsuit performance.” cit to a seven-year low. for size and complexity, accord- The logic of a breakup would The government expects to ing to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. NEW YORK: JPMorgan rely on the consumer business, earn Rs160bn from an auction JPMorgan could unlock value by Chase has reached a set- commercial bank, investment bank of some of the spectrum before splitting its four main businesses or tlement with accusers who and asset management unit being March 31, according to a state- dividing into consumer and institu- charged in a lawsuit that valued closer to so-called pure-play ment yesterday on its website. tional companies, Goldman Sachs it had manipulated foreign financial companies, the Goldman The defence ministry also will analysts led by Richard Ramsden exchange rates to its advan- Sachs analysts wrote. The parts free up additional airwaves for wrote in a research note. Units of tage, a source said. probably could operate with lower commercial use, according to the New York-based JPMorgan trade The bank was one of 12 capital levels as stand-alone firms, statement. at a discount of 20 percent or more named in the class-action suit resulting in higher returns on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, to stand-alone peers, they wrote. filed in March alleging that equity. The maneuver would risk who is preparing to present the “Our analysis suggests that a its staff conspired to manipu- some of the $6bn profit JPMorgan budget for the financial year breakup into two or four parts late rates in the multi-trillion says it makes tied to synergies starting April 1, aims to cut the could unlock value in most scenar- dollar forex market in ways between businesses, though a split deficit to 4.1 percent of gross ios, although the range of outcomes that cheated customers while into halves would preserve much domestic product this fiscal year we assessed is wide, at 5 percent to boosting bank earnings. of those benefits. amid missed revenue goals. The 25 percent potential upside,” the JPMorgan was not expected The Federal Reserve laid out a shortfall reached about 90 per- analysts wrote. to divulge the financial terms plan last month that may require cent of the full-year estimate by The move would reverse much of the deal with the plaintiffs, JPMorgan to add more than $20bn the end of October, with tax rev- of Chief Executive Officer Jamie who include large investment to its capital by 2019. The rules enue falling 62 percent short of Dimon’s work since taking over funds, urban governments and could get even stricter, prompt- target. JPMorgan in 2006. Under Dimon, employee pension plans, said ing banks to consider new busi- To reach his goal, Jaitley is also 58, the firm grew to become the the source. AFP ness models, the Goldman Sachs increasing taxes on petrol and largest US lender by assets and the analysts wrote. “JPMorgan — and diesel. Last month he decided world’s biggest investment bank creates opportunities to cross-sell other money centres — would against extending a tax break after acquiring ailing firms dur- products and better serve clients. strongly consider strategic alter- that would have benefited the ing the 2008 financial crisis. “Each of our four major busi- natives, providing shareholders local automobile industry. Andrew Gray, a JPMorgan nesses operates at good econo- with a breakup ‘put option’ if capi- A banner welcoming Lithuania into the eurozone adorns the Modi’s cabinet set a base price spokesman, declined to comment. mies of scale and gets significant tal requirements get tougher,” they European Commission headquarters in Brussels yesterday. Lithuania of Rs36.5bn for the auction of 800 Dimon has said the firm’s size additional advantages from the wrote. BLOOMBERG became the 19th member of the zone, switching currency from the megahertz frequency, Rs39.8bn litas to the euro, ten years after it joined the European Union. for 900 megahertz and Rs21.9bn for 1,800 megahertz, a telecom ministry official in New Delhi told reporters, asking not to be identi- fied citing rules. The defence ministry agreed German inflation slows, boosting case for ECB move to vacate 5 megahertz each in 17 circles in the 2,100 megahertz FRANKFURT: Inflation in Germany was lower than 0.2 per- the entire eurozone could begin and roll out other anti-deflation Bank economist Christian Schulz. frequency. Germany, Europe’s biggest cent was in October 2009. Taking falling and tip the region into measures such as a series of asset The ECB is scheduled to hold its In the 900 megahertz fre- economy, hit a five-year low in 2014 as a whole, inflation stood deflation — a sustained and wide- purchase programmes to inject first policy meeting of this year on quency, the spectrum being December, data showed yester- at an annual average 0.9 percent, spread drop in prices that ham- cash into the economy. January 22 and there is already offered is currently licensed day, turning up the heat on the Destatis calculated. pers economic activity and could But if euro area-wide inflation widespread speculation that ECB to Idea Cellular Ltd, Vodafone European Central Bank to do Using the Harmonised Index of lead to job losses. turns negative, then the ECB may chief Mario Draghi may announce Group Plc and Bharti Airtel Ltd, more to ward off the threat of Consumer Prices (HICP) — the While falling prices may sound have to resort to even more radi- some sort of QE programme, the nation’s telecommunications deflation, analysts said. ECB’s yardstick — inflation in good for consumers, deflation can cal measures, such as so-called despite opposition from the likes regulator said in October. India In a preliminary flash esti- Germany was even lower at 0.1 trigger a vicious spiral in which quantitative easing (QE), the of the Bundesbank or German raised $9.8bn from an auction of mate, the federal statistics office percent in December, way under businesses and households delay large-scale purchase of sovereign central bank. wireless spectrum in February Destatis calculated that German the central bank’s target of just purchases, throttling demand bonds, analysts said. Critics see QE as a licence to 2014 in which billionaire Mukesh inflation stood at just 0.2 percent below 2.0 percent. and causing companies to lay off “For the ECB, such low inflation print money to get governments Ambani’s Reliance Jio Infocomm year-on-year last month, down The sharp slowdown in infla- workers. Such concerns already rates in Germany should make it out of debt, which the ECB is Ltd emerged as a competitor from 0.6 percent in November. tion in Europe’s biggest economy persuaded the ECB to cut inter- easier to argue the case of further strictly forbidden from doing to Vodafone Group and Bharti The last time inflation in will fuel fears that prices across est rates to a new all-time low monetary easing,” said Berenberg under its statutes. AFP Airtel Ltd. BLOOMBERG

Growing Apple Turkey inflation QNB gets new global up at 8.17pc domain name QNB.com ISTANBUL: Annual inflation in Turkey ticked up to 8.17 per- DOHA: QNB Group has browsers and continue to go about cent i n 2014, sl ig htly h ig her tha n revealed a key milestone in its their normal banking business 2013 and well over the central global banking ambitions with across QNB’s extensive channel bank’s medium-term target, the announcement of its new network. the state statistics office said. domain name QNB.com Commenting on the impor- However the figure was lower Starting tomorrow, this signif- tance of the new website address, than expected by analysts, with icant next step in QNB’s vision QNB Group Executive General inflation falling 0.44 percent in takes effect and aligns with the Manager and Chief Operating December from November. prudent, strategic expansion Officer, Ali Rashid Al Mohannadi The central bank had also fore- undertaken in recent years which said: “The QNB Brand has been cast at the end of October annual now sees the QNB Group operat- at the heart of our recent expan- inflation of 8.9 percent in 2014 ing in more than 26 countries and sion drive and it seems only fitting while the government had pre- across Asia, Africa and Europe. that this momentum is comple- dicted 9.4 percent QNB said that customers mented by the establishment of Inflation however remains well will not be impacted by the new a global domain website address. above the central bank’s medium developments, and the old website Importantly, we will ensure that term target of five percent. address www.qnb.com.qa will con- this website address change has Inflation in 2013 was 7.49 percent. tinue to operate. no impact or adverse implications “The sharp fall in Turkish infla- It will be “business as usual” for for our customers. They will con- tion last month was an encourag- the customers of Qatar’s biggest tinue to receive our best efforts in ing development, but core inflation bank and a leading financial insti- providing innovative products and remained extremely high,” said the tution in the region. Customers a quality service no matter where London-based Capital Economics are encouraged to save the new they are located across the QNB Pedestrians walk past a billboard featuring Apple’s logo and Chinese calligraphy in front of a new Apple consultancy. AFP name of QNB.com onto their network. THE PENINSULA store to be opened in February in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province yesterday. US drivers will pay up to $1,499 for tech features, says study

DETROIT: A majority of US drivers vehicles controlled by smartwatches. In-vehicle technology is the top sell- entertainment systems, rather than also redesigned the Uconnect Access are willing to pay as much as $1,499 Automakers and suppliers are seeking a ing point for 39 percent of auto buyers, rely on better integrating smartphone app to make it function faster and more to have high-tech entertainment and piece of the $11.3bn in factory- installed compared to the 14 percent who care functions into dashboard touch screens. intuitively. safety devices in their vehicles as technologies going into cars this year, most about horsepower and handling, “We’re in the information era and A record 10 automakers are showing consumers demand more connectiv- according to the Consumer Electronics according to a survey from consulting shoppers are informed and they are their wares at CES on an exhibit space ity, according to a Harris Poll. Association. “Consumer electronics are firm Accenture Plc. adamant about the features they want,” the size of three football fields. Ford Back-up cameras, USB ports and quickly becoming a spectacle in the Internet-connected cars world- Krebs said. “From manufacturers to Motor Co. Chief Executive Officer Mark smartphone charging are among the automotive industry,” Michelle Krebs, wide will grow more than fourfold to suppliers and even aftermarket con- Fields and Daimler AG CEO Dieter top desires, according to the online an analyst for AutoTrader, said in a 152 million by 2020 from 36 million sumer electronics companies, this study Zetsche will deliver keynote speeches survey of 1,033 vehicle owners done for statement. “Consumers are spending now, according to researcher IHS shows us that there is still plenty of at the convention. researcher AutoTrader.com. About 55 more time and money on car technol- Automotive. opportunity in the vehicle electronics The amount of exhibit space at CES percent said music streaming services ogy and they are particular about what The AutoTrader survey, conducted market.” dedicated to vehicle technologies has such as those of Pandora Media Inc. they’re buying.” in October, also found that while only FCA US, formerly Chrysler Group, almost doubled during the last five years and Spotify Ltd make driving more If automakers come up with smart 3 percent of vehicle owners have Wi-Fi today said it’s adding services on its to 165,000 square feet, according to Tara enjoyable. technology that’s easy to use, 51 per- in their cars, almost two-thirds of those Uconnect dashboard infotainment Dunion, a spokeswoman for the show. Advanced auto technologies will be cent of those surveyed said they would use it daily. system that help drivers find a car Almost one-third of US households on display at the Consumer Electronics be willing to pay as much as $1,499 for About 48 percent of respondents in a parking lot, provide navigation now own a vehicle that has an electronic Show opening in Las Vegas on January 6, it. Half also said they would wait about expressed a desire for in-vehicle Wi-Fi. destinations to vehicles remotely and infotainment system, according to the including self-driving cars, dashboards a year to get a car with the advanced And 52 percent said automakers should automatically send e-mails on a car or Consumer Electronics Association. covered in curved touch screens and features they want. invest to improve information and truck’s mechanical health. FCA said it BLOOMBERG TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Fiat Chrysler, GM lead US car sales in 2014, a best year since 2006

MICHIGAN: General Motors Co, Ford outsold cars every month of the year for year, albeit at a slowing pace, as volumes 2000 to 2007. The record, set in 2000, was 12 percent increase in deliveries for the Motor Co and other major automak- the first time since 2004, played to GM’s return to pre-recession levels. 17.4 million. namesake brand. ers reported rising vehicles sales in the and Fiat Chrysler’s strengths, such as their The annualised selling rate, adjusted for Chrysler brand sales rose 53 percent, Honda sales rose 1.5 percent, less than US in December, capping the best year sport-utility vehicles and large pickups. seasonal trends, may have been 17.3 mil- led by the new 200 family sedan, which the 6.3 percent increase predicted by ana- since 2006 thanks to cheap fuel and low Ford’s sales gains were tempered by lower lion, including medium and heavy trucks nearly tripled deliveries, to 16,229. It was lysts. Honda finished the year with 1.54 interest rates. GM topped sales esti- production for its top-selling F-Series that typically account for at least 200,000 the brand’s best December in seven years. million vehicle sales, a 1 percent increase. mates while Ford and Honda fell short pickup. The F-150 truck was redesigned sales annually, said the former Chrysler Jeep sales jumped 19 percent to 63,274, After FCA US, the biggest estimated of predictions. with an all-aluminum body. “Our best Group, which now calls itself FCA US. powered by the Cherokee, Grand Cherokee increases for the month were 14 percent GM’s 274,483 sales produced a 19 per- December sales in a decade pushed our The average of 13 estimates was for a and the Wrangler. Ram pickups soared for Toyota Motor Corp and 13 percent for cent gain, compared with analysts’ fore- full-year sales over the 2 million unit light-vehicle selling rate of 16.9 million, 32 percent to 44,222. For the year, Ram GM. Ford, which offered dealers special cast of 13 percent. Ford sold 219,369 light threshold for our best annual sales since down slightly from November’s 17.2 mil- pickup sales jumped 24 percent to 439,789. bonuses for meeting sales targets on its vehicles, up 1.3 percent, missing analyst 2006,” said Reid Bigland, head of US sales lion, but still the third-fastest pace of the FCA US now reported rising sales for 57 cars and Escape compact sport-utility forecasts for a 2.8 percent gain. The US for the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based unit. year. Dealers last month may have sold 1.5 consecutive months under Chief Executive vehicles, may report a 2.8 percent increase unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV sold All automakers were projected to million cars and light trucks, the average Officer Sergio Marchionne, and dealers are in December light-vehicle sales. 193,261 cars and trucks last month, up 20 report sales increases in December as the of seven analysts’ estimates, which would feeling good. Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors were percent for December and giving full-year strengthening job market, available credit bring the full-year total to 16.5 million and Nissan and Infiniti brands combined projected to report a combined 6.7 percent sales a 16 percent boost on its way to gain- and the lowest gasoline prices in more than cap a 58 percent increase since 2009, when to sell 117,318 models last month for a 6.9 sales gain for December, while Volkswagen ing the most market share. Analysts had five years bolstered consumer confidence. General Motors Corp and Chrysler LLC percent gain that topped the average esti- AG’s VW and Audi brands were pre- estimated a jump of 23 percent last month. Deliveries are projected to rise again this restructured in bankruptcy. Light-vehicle mate for a 6 percent rise. Full-year sales dicted to report a 6.1 percent increase. The market’s shift to light trucks, which year for an unprecedented sixth straight sales in the US averaged 16.8 million from rose 11 percent to 1.39 million, led by a BLOOMBERG Abenomics halts Japan property slide, briefly But recovery patchy, limited to bigger cities

OSAKA: An economic rebound country in the near term,” said big office tower is built in Osaka’s and loose money policy under J-P Toppino, managing partner of city centre, new tenants move in Prime Minister Shinzo Abe private-equity investor PAG Real from the same area, not from out- briefly halted a long slide in Estate. A huge city block in cen- side Osaka,” he said. Japan’s commercial property tral Osaka, the priciest section of Keihanshin generates 90 per- market, but the benefits of Japan’s second city, is emblematic cent of its revenue in Osaka, but “Abenomics” appear increas- of the problem. It remains unde- wants to increase its focus on the ingly limited to Tokyo, leaving a veloped, except for temporary Tokyo market, Inoue said. moribund hinterland. office structures, since Japan Post In the city of Nagoya, heart For a while, as the Bank of Co tore down the Osaka Central of Japan’s third-biggest regional Japan printed money and Abe Post Office in 2012, intending to economy and home to Toyota spent it, commercial property build a 40-storey office and retail Motor Corp, the property mar- investment, a barometer of eco- tower complex. ket took heart in anticipation of nomic activity, spilled beyond the Japan Post has shelved the a super-high-speed train service, capital into the country’s larger project while it “considers the eco- though it won’t be in operation for regional cities. nomic environment and develop- at least 12 years. In the year to July 1, commer- ment plans in the neighbourhood”. The number of Nagoya office cial land prices rose 1.9 percent in The neighbourhood doesn’t property transactions jumped 8 Businessmen walk by in front of stock market indicator board on the first trading day of 2015 in Tokyo yesterday. Tokyo, and 1.5 percent in Osaka look promising. On the other percent in the first half of 2014 The Nikkei Stock Average ended down 0.24 percent to 17,408.71 points. and Nagoya, notching up a second side of the station, within sight of from a year earlier to 94 deals, year of gains. That patchy recov- Japan Post’s temporary premises, according to local broker Ichi. ery — prices in the rest of Japan lies the giant Grand Front Osaka And the city’s offices are filling still fell 2.2 percent, marking a office and retail complex. That up faster than Osaka’s, with the 23rd consecutive annual decline development, which opened in vacancy rate down to 7.5 per- McDonald’s Japan hit by more woes — now appears to be narrowing. 2013, is 30 percent empty. cent in November from 9.8 per- Rents for prime offices in Tokyo Though Miki Shoji says vacancy cent a year earlier, Miki Shoji TOKYO: McDonald’s Japan food-supplier Shanghai Husi Food day as the suspect item would continued to rise in November rates for prime Osaka offices data shows. But that trend looks said it was facing more chicken Co following a television report not be sold, a company spokes- from October, but in Osaka they fell to 8 percent in November unsustainable. nugget woes after a customer alleging the plant mixed out-of- woman said. “We are starting to were flat, and those in all other from 9.85 percent a year ago, More than 330,000 square found a piece of vinyl inside the date meat with fresh product that investigate how this could have major cities fell, according to that remains above the 5-6 per- metres of prime office space is popular menu item. was then supplied to McDonald’s happened,” she said. the latest data from broker and cent considered healthy, and set to come online in the coming The company said the foreign and other major fast-food chains. It comes less than two weeks research firm Miki Shoji Co. the city’s average annual office two years, including five major object was discovered at an outlet The summertime crisis after the Japanese unit said “Large foreign investors are rent has fallen 1.5 percent over office towers. That would add in the northern city of Misawa, prompted the Japanese arm of an emergency airlift has eased directing their focus to Tokyo, the past year. That’s because more than 10 percent to the cur- in a nugget sourced from a Thai the global firm to drop Chinese a french fries shortage which where rents for office properties there’s no influx of new blood, rent total, and one local broker company it had switched to in the poultry suppliers and switched to forced the chain to ration the are clearly growing, which could says Yasutaka Inoue, managing predicts it could push Nagoya’s wake of a food scare at one of its manufacturers in Thailand. crispy treat at more than 3,000 increase the gap in asset values director at Osaka-based developer vacancy rate back as high as 17 Chinese suppliers. Batches of nuggets made by restaurants across the country. between Tokyo and the rest of the Keihanshin Building Co. “When a percent. REUTERS In July, Chinese officials shut the Thai supplier on the same AFP

British banks plan to protect ordinary customers Cyprus LONDON: Britain’s biggest Among the requirements will ring-fenced unit by 2019. At will be flexible in the way different entity, whereas those with more plans two lenders have only a day before be new boards of directors for present, six lenders would need banks are handled under the new risky investment activities, such the deadline passes for submis- the ring-fenced entities, new staff to do so: HSBC, Lloyds Banking rules and will not adopt a “one size as Barclays and HSBC, want sion of their plans to protect contracts and separate pension Group, Barclays, Royal Bank of fits all” approach. fewer of their assets to be kept international ordinary customers from the schemes. Banks will also need to Scotland, Santander UK and the However, Andrew Tyrie, head of within the ring-fence, industry banks’ risky activities, starting separate their risk-management Co-operative Bank. an influential parliamentary com- sources have said. a four-year industry overhaul and IT operations. Another batch have deposits of mittee that scrutinizes Britain’s The regulator will publish final debt issues that will cost billions of pounds. The cost of running the sepa- almost £25bn and could be above finance ministry, has warned that rules in the first half of 2016, giv- The Bank of England is forcing rated operations with higher capi- that level by 2019. These include banks could look to find ways ing banks three years to prepare. NICOSIA: Cyprus plans two the banks to set up a boundary tal standards is likely to cost the TSB and Virgin Money, both of around the ring-fence and should “It will then be a Herculean international debt issues this around their branch operations industry between £1.7bn ($2.6bn) which said that they will be sub- face the threat of being broken up task to implement within each year, its finance minister said to protect taxpayers from any and £4.4bn a year, Britain’s finance mitting ring-fencing plans. if they do. Britain’s biggest cus- bank the necessary require- yesterday, seeking a firmer repetition of the multibillion- ministry has estimated. The plans must be submitted tomer-facing banks — Lloyds and ments operationally,” said Tony footing in markets after a near pound bailouts required during Any bank with £25bn of UK before tomorrow and the Bank RBS — hope to include as much Anderson, a partner at law firm meltdown in 2013. the financial crisis of 2007 to 2009. deposits will need to set up a of England has indicated that it as possible within the ring-fenced Pinsent Masons. REUTERS The Mediterranean island nation is preparing for two issues under its European Medium Term Note programme, Finance Jobless in Spain falls Minister Harris Georgiades said. Details have not yet been decided. Brazil posts first trade The European Union member state, which required a €10bn lifeline to stave off bankruptcy in March 2013, successfully tapped deficit in 14 years international markets last June with a €750m issue taken under SAO PAULO: Brazil in 2014 to analysts surveyed. Growth is the same programme. It was the posted its first annual trade expected to pick up this year as the swiftest comeback of a bailed-out deficit in 14 years as commod- central bank forecasts a weaker nation to international markets in ity prices fell and trade with real and faster global growth will the history of the euro debt crisis. Argentina shrank. fuel external sales. “Cyprus is implementing an Latin America’s largest econ- Swap rates on the contract due ambitious programme of eco- omy posted a $3.9bn trade deficit in January 2017, the most traded in nomic reform and consolidation last year, as December ended with Sao Paulo yesterday, fell four basis which is already delivering early a surplus of $293m, the Trade points, or 0.04 percentage point, to and tangible results. On such Ministry said in a report. That 12.85 percent at 3:14pm local time. sound foundations we are aiming is the worst annual result since a The real, which has depreciated 9.9 to re-establish sustainable market $1.2bn deficit in 1999. The median percent in the last three months, access,” Georgiades said. estimate from 18 economists sur- weakened 1.2 percent to 2.7274 per Cyprus required a bailout veyed was for a surplus of $219m US dollar. Exports in December from the EU and International in the final month of 2014. were $17.5bn and imports $17.2bn, Monetary Fund after fiscal slip- Brazil in 2014 probably expanded compared with median estimates page that had kept it out of inter- at the slowest pace in five years of $18.7bn and $18.2bn respectively. national markets for months. A worker adjusts a mannequin standing next to a Spanish flag outside a souvenir shop in central Madrid as above-target inflation eroded Exports for the year were $225bn, Georgiades said the upcoming yesterday. The number of registered jobless in Spain fell by 1.4 percent in December from a month earlier, or consumer confidence and the down from $242bn in 2013, while debt issues would not substitute by 64,405 people, leaving 4.45 million people out of work, data from the Labour Ministry showed. lower price for mineral and farm imports were $229bn in 2014, down but complement existing financ- products hurt exports, according from $240bn. BLOOMBERG ing from lenders. REUTERS TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 BUSINESS VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

Safety overhaul puts strain on Dhaka garment industry US oil hedges may

BY KRISTA MAHR and SERAJUL QUADIR

ndaunted by a run of horrific factory accidents that have test Opec’s patience hit Bangladesh’s garments industry, two entrepreneurs bought Adorn Knitwear Ltd earlier this year. It is a small business not far from the rubble of Rana Plaza, a Dhaka BY LUCAS IBERICO year, so we need to wait at least derivatives marketing desk at of just pocketing the cash, some U LOZADA suburb building that collapsed in April 2013 killing more than 1,100 until the first quarter to see what Societe Generale in Houston, companies are using the funds to people, most low-paid seamstresses, and prompting a costly safety is going to happen,” United Arab which has been involved in some shield themselves against a fur- overhaul at plants large and small. s a war of nerves Emirates Energy Minister Suhail restructuring transactions. While ther market slide by buying swaps Whether people like Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, one of Adorn’s between US shale pro- bin Mohammed Al Mazroui said. the proportion of oil companies and options pegged closer to cur- new owners, can afford those improvements will be critical for the ducers and Gulf pow- Yet that hope is based largely on actually executing those deals is rent prices. With the December future of a sector that accounts for over 80 percent of this South Aerhouses intensifies, quarterly company reports from not that high, the deals thus far 2015 put option for $60 a barrel Asian nation’s export earnings, industry leaders say. Last month, Opec’s biggest members are several months ago, when drillers have been large in terms of volume now trading at around $9 a barrel, Adorn’s production lines were silent and its sewing machines gath- counting down the months until last made their hedging portfo- and dollars, he said. According to swaps cashed in now could buy a ering dust as the lengthy process of checking the building for struc- their upstart rivals lose the one lios public. In the meantime, with their last filings, oil companies producer nearly four times more tural weakness was underway. “We’re losing money every minute,” thing shielding them from crash- the price rout showing no sign of such as EOG Resources, Anadarko protection at that price. said Chowdhury, 35, as he looked around his factory, which has a ing oil prices — hedges. reversing, at least some firms Petroleum, Devon Energy and A spokeswoman for EOG said list of potentially expensive fixes to be completed before reopening. They may need much more have put on new hedges that will Noble Energy had hedged some that it was not selling off its Many high-volume factories depend on smaller firms, contracting patience than they reckon, how- help prevent their revenues from of their 2015 production at prices hedges. Devon Energy declined out work to meet orders from big Western retailers under tight ever, because those hedges are a falling further — and allow them of $90 a barrel or more. to say whether the company was deadlines. Today, up to 20 percent of the 3,500 exporting garment moving target. Rather than wait to drill far longer this year than The net short position of oil restructuring is large hedge book, factories subcontract, says the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers for their price insurance to run earlier expected. “Opec should producers and other non-financial but said it had not ‘monetised’ and Exporters Association (BGMEA). If that support system crum- out, many companies are racing to not expect to see any impact on companies in US crude oil futures any of its position. So far only bles, some factory owners worry Bangladesh’s $24bn industry could revamp their policies, cashing in US shale growth in the first half and options markets —used as a two companies have confirmed lose the agility that took it to number two in the global league of well-placed hedges to increase the of the year and the impact in rough gauge of hedging activity — winding down their hedge books. garment exporters. Since Rana Plaza, nearly two-thirds of the number of future barrels hedged, the second half is being attenu- has grown from 15 million barrels Continental Resources pocketed country’s exporting garment factories have been inspected. Many according to industry consult- ated significantly by producer in August to more than 77 million $433m by liquidating its hedges have been handed lists of structural, electrical and fire safety fixes ants, bankers and analysts famil- hedging,” says Ed Morse, global barrels last week. For many com- in September. and upgrades that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars. iar with the deals. Opec officials head of commodities research at panies that set up “in the money” American Eagle Energy Larger factories can generally pay for those changes independ- hope that once US oil companies Citigroup, one of the biggest US hedges prior to the slump, the announced that it sold off its ently, or have access to a growing number of affordable financing get fully exposed to the impact of banks involved hedging. downturn offers a chance to cash 414,000 barrels of oil hedged arrangements backed by wealthy customers. Hundreds of smaller an over 50 percent slide in crude For the moment, it is unclear in or extend their protection. at $89.59 a barrel through last factories do not, leaving them exposed at a time when owners say prices since last June, they will which companies are involved in For example, a company that December for a profit of $13m to they are grappling with a slide in orders and an increase in mini- have to drill fewer new wells, the effort. New hedging strategies had sold swap contracts to hedge improve its liquidity — even as mum wages for the industry’s workforce of more than 4 million. causing US production growth to are only likely to get disclosed in a part of its 2015 production at the firm said it would have to stop Already about 450 factories have gone to the wall since last year’s stall and putting a floor under oil quarterly earnings reports in late $90 a barrel — essentially shorting drilling until prices improved. disaster, the BGMEA says. “If all the factories are becoming big, prices now testing $50 a barrel. January. “It’s a hot topic of dis- forward oil prices to guard against That appears to be the effect who will do the smaller things?” said Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury, “There are companies which cussion that everyone is thinking a drop — could buy them now that Opec is looking for, although chairman of Evince Group and a former BGMEA president. “Then are hedged until the beginning of about and looking at,” said Craig back at around $57 for a profit thus far it is the exception rather who will come to Bangladesh?” the year or until the end of the Breslau, who heads the energy of about $33 a barrel. Instead than the rule. REUTERS At Adorn, labourers ripped up flooring to expose steel rods that needed testing. Above them, the word “crack” was spray-painted in red in three spots, all to be analysed by engineers in a weeks-long assessment. Getting factories up to speed after inspections may cost owners from $100,000 to $1m apiece, according to the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC). The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh and the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, brand-backed initiatives that have inspected some 1,700 factories, offer mechanisms through which members are helping suppliers compensate workers for lost wages due to closures and finance factory revamps. Several major apparel firms belonging to the Alliance or the Accord said they had made significant investments to help suppli- ers improve safety. Not all factories have needed outside funding. The US-based VF Corporation, an Alliance member whose brands include The North Face and Wrangler, announced it would guarantee up to $10m for the IFC and Bangladesh’s BRAC bank to lend its suppliers. So far, three VF supplier factories have received $1.3m in loans. The IFC is in talks to do the same with several more Accord and Alliance brands. Even with more help coming, there are fewer options for the exporting factories that do not sell to Accord or Alliance companies. According to the International Labour Organization, they number roughly 1,800. The BGMEA says it has asked the government to help these factories get up to speed by setting up a fund offering them low-cost loans, but the government says it is up to owners to find a way to meet safety standards after inspections. “It will be the responsibility of the owner to pay, or he’ll have to close it,” said Mikail Shipar, secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment. Some suppliers may be too unhealthy to secure another bank loan to stay afloat, said Ian Spaulding, senior adviser to the Alliance. “It’s going to happen throughout the market, and that’s a natural correction that needs to happen.” Saving smaller factories is crucial for the local industry to keep its edge, but also for the economy, said Mohammad A. Rumi Ali, a director at BRAC Bank. “If 75,000 people lose their jobs, and the majority are women, it’s a big cost,” he said. Down a dirt road clogged with bicycle rickshaws in Badda, a congested area on the edge of Dhaka, a small garment factory is squeezed into a row of buildings. The owner, who requested ano- nymity, said he could not meet all the inspectors’ requirements, primarily because his business is in a rented building and the landlord refuses to help. “I can’t do all of it,” he said. “Lower-class factories aren’t getting any help.” REUTERS Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Catching a falling knife in the oil market

BY JOHN KEMP Prices are now too low to pro- levels. Prior to the Christmas hol- wells, especially shale wells, are position when Brent and WTI the equivalent of 113 million bar- vide the cash flow to sustain drill- idays, the number of rigs drilling very steep. Output falls to a half prices were trading above $100 rels at the start of November on’t try to catch a ing programmes and nowhere for oil across the United States or even a third of its initial level per barrel was to assume that to less than 78 million before falling knife” is sage near enough to provide the finan- had already fallen by 110 (7 per- by the end of the first 12 months. prices would need to decline in Christmas. advice for investors cial incentive to make equity or cent) since early October, accord- Thousands of new wells must the short to medium term to By contrast, hedge funds long trying to identify the debt available. ing to oil field services company therefore be drilled each year eliminate the obvious emerging positions betting on an increase trough in a market Continental Resources, one Baker Hughes. simply to sustain output at its imbalance in the market. in prices have remained broadly Dlike oil following a sharp selloff. of the largest producers in the Hundreds more rigs will be current level of more than 9 mil- Now Brent and WTI prices are steady at a little under 300 mil- Yet big moves also create the Bakken, revised its capital budget idled in the next few months as lion barrels per day. trading below $60, and realised lion barrels since the end of greatest potential for the mispric- for 2015 down for the second existing drilling programmes are Drilling can become more prices for many US producers, October, down from 450 million ing of financial assets and com- time in two months just before completed and much smaller ones efficient (faster time to depth, who have been the marginal sup- in June. modities, which is what makes Christmas. are undertaken in 2015. longer laterals, less time spent pliers in the oil market, are below Those long positions have lost them attractive to contrarians “This revised budget prudently Continental, for example, said moving locations and rigging up, $50 or even $40, the conserva- a substantial amount of money: and specialists. aligns our capital expenditures it will reduce its rig count from 50 and targeting only the richest tive position is to assume there as much as $30 per barrel over Fear about catching a falling to lower commodity prices,” the to 34 by the end of the first quar- parts of the shale plays). will have to be a limited recovery the last two months. knife suggests the market is in company said in a statement, ter and average just 31 in 2015. And costs can be reduced (cut- at some point to put the mar- However, the ratio of long to the grip of an unsustainable one- putting a brave face on the If those cuts are mirrored ting pay rates for contractors, ket back on a more sustainable short positions, one way to meas- way herd mentality (the precise enforced changes. across the whole industry, an day rates for rigs and fracturing trajectory. ure the hedge fund community’s opposite of the advice about not Lending to oil and gas explorers extra 550 rigs could be idled equipment, and prices for sand Hedge funds and other money overall outlook on prices, plunged trying to pick the top of a bubble). will slow sharply in the months across the industry by the middle and other materials). managers have started to think from 13:1 back in June to a low But with crude oil prices ahead as banks and securities of this year, taking the rig count But it is hard to imagine the along these lines according to the of just 2.5:1 in November but halving since June, the balance investors seek to reduce their below 1,000. industry cutting costs and rais- position data contained in the had edged up closer to 4:1 before between risk and reward has credit exposure to the sector. In the very short term, US oil ing efficiency enough in the short US Commodity Futures Trading Christmas. shifted from further falls towards Even with cost reductions output will continue rising as the term to offset fully a 40 percent Commission’s weekly report on If hedge funds are not bull- a rise in prices in the future. and improvements in efficiency record number of wells drilled or more reduction in the number Commitments of Traders. ish, they have become less bear- Prices realised by oil producers to improve well economics, it is before October are completed of rigs operating. Aggregate short positions ish and more cautious about the in Texas have fallen below $50 per only a matter of time before US and enter their most productive Successful speculating is betting on a further fall in the probability of further large price barrel and those for producers in oil production peaks and begins phase. all about the balance of risk price of WTI-linked futures and declines. North Dakota are sub-$40. to fall if prices remain at current However, decline curves for oil and reward. The conservative options were cut 30 percent from REUTERS TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET

QE Indices Summary QE Index 11,995.67 1.91 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Total Return Index 17,891.43 1.91 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 3,992.1 2.34 % RATE QE All Share Index 3,079.9 1.78 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 3,111.58 2.17 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 5429.457 14.43 0.27 5415.027 5366.4 QE All Share Industrials 3,976.44 1.59 % QR139.6190 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 QE All Share Transportation 2,285.95 1.12 % Cac 40 Index/D 4214.86 -37.43 -0.88 4311 4224.34 QE All Share Real Estate 2,203.43 1.87 % SILVER UK ...... QR 5.5165 QR 5.5934 QE All Share Insurance 3,806.6 2.42 % Dj Indu Average 17832.99 9.92 0.06 18103.4 15340.69 QR 1.8708 Euro ...... QR 4.3140 QR 4.3750 QE All Share Telecoms 1,443.45 0.79 % CA$ ...... QR 3.0617 QR 3.1229 QE All Share Consumer Goods & 6,854.35 0.62 % Hang Seng Inde/D 23721.32 -136.5 -0.57 23867.46 23635.6 Services Swiss Fr ...... QR 3.5909 QR 3.6416 QE Market Summary Comparison Iseq Overall/D 5238.37 9.68 0.19 5278.86 5207.18 Yen ...... QR 0.0300 QR 0.0306 Aus$ ...... QR 2.9115 QR 2.9687 Today Previous day Karachi 100 In/D 32757.79 26.18 0.08 32776.39 32134.82 CRUDE OIL 05-01-2015 04-01-2015 Ind Re ...... QR 0.0568 QR 0.0580 Index 11,995.67 12,229.08 Nikkei 225 Index 17408.71 -42.06 -0.24 0 0 Pak Re ...... QR 0.0358 QR 0.0365 Change 233.41 56.70 BRENT Peso ...... QR 0.0801 QR 0.0817 S&P 500 Index/D 2058.2 -0.7 -0.03 2093.55 1737.92 % 1.91 0.46 $ 55.68 SL Re ...... QR 0.0275 QR 0.0280 YTD% 2.36 0.46 Straits Times/D 3328.28 -42.31 -1.26 3375.13 3359.95 Taka ...... QR 0.0463 QR 0.0473 Volume 7,421,153 6,077,895 DUBAI Nep Re ...... QR 0.0356 QR 0.0363 Value (QAR) 359,040,478.03 194,454,718.45 Straits Times/D 3290.99 -1.82 -0.06 3387.84 2953.01 SA Rand ...... QR 0.3076 QR 0.3137 Trades 5,999 3,995 $ 52.01 Up 06 | Down 33 | Unchanged 02 Straits Times/D 3274.06 -8.82 -0.27 3291.83 2953.01

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 05-01-2015

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS A List of Shares from the world

COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED A B G Infra-T/D 152.7 -8 7847 Chola Invest-B/D 497.4 6.9 119224 Goodyear I -B/D 641.35 1.4 5988 Kalpat Power-B/D 232.95 -2.5 157611 Orient Hotel-T/D 24.25 0.65 7140 Centrica/D 273.2 -3.6 3098288 A C C-A/D 1429.4 3.6 22408 Chowgule St-T/D 25.85 1.2 6168 Hcl Infosys-B/D 56.05 0.25 562152 Kalyani Stel-T/D 168.8 8.35 180616 Orient.Carb.-T/D 389.6 20.25 29921 Gkn/D 339.8 -4 716970 Aarti Drugs-B/D 957.25 7.6 11063 Cimmco-B/D 76.45 -4 24190 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 18.4 -0.25 1131155 Kanoria Chem-B/D 37.35 0.55 9923 Orient.Carb.-T/D 389.6 20.25 29921 Hsbc Holdings/D 607.9 -4.1 5518211 Aban Offs-A/D 514.45 3.15 341414 Cipla-A/D 632.75 2.6 104053 Himat Seide-B/D 93.3 -0.9 50816 Kg Denim-B/D 17.95 1.1 70714 Patspin India-/D 8.21 -0.65 2200 Imperial Tobac/D 2843 39 955779 Ador Welding-B/D 206.95 -2.05 4152 City Union Bk-/D 97.2 3.05 309685 Hind Unilever-/D 760.75 4.55 73027 Kilburnengg-T/D 40 -1.05 18646 Punjab Chem.-B/D 120.65 -0.9 6329 Kingfisher/D 333.1 -3.2 1231784 Aegis Logis-B/D 441.9 -2.3 13585 Cmc Ltd-A/D 1938.7 -29.15 5950 Hind Motors-T/D 8.11 0.04 41224 Kinetic Eng-B/D 50 1.5 6244 Radico Khait-B/D 87.65 -0.65 31885 Land Secs Grou/D 1165.448 14 453681 Ahmed.Forg-B/D 364.3 8.1 138442 Colgate-A/D 1833.6 -10.5 7148 Hind Org Chem-/D 22.6 -0.95 17228 Kopran-B/D 58 3.4 243720 Rallis India-A/D 221.7 0.65 37566 Legal & Genera/D 245.7 -0.2 2721401 Alembic-B/D 45.1 1 373870 Container Cor-/D 1378 19.3 4264 Hind.Petrol-A/D 562.25 15.95 191654 Lakshmi Elec-B/D 464.2 -8.4 3093 Reliance Indus/D 486.55 -1.5 60349 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 75.25 -0.9 24594089 Alfred Herb-B/D 509.55 84.9 1855 Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 162.4 -4.75 10344 Hindalco-A/D 157.1 -3 749344 Lakshmi Mach-A/D 4008.9 93.6 1797 Ruchi Soya-B/D 37.5 0.5 46440 Marks & Sp./D 462.7 -14.4 2787317 Alkyl Amines-B/D 396.25 16.05 4383 Dcm Financia-B/D 1.3 0.1 5200 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1156.65 -15.15 49817 Lakshmi Mill-B/D 2700 27.65 140 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 655.95 -21.7 29809 Next/D 6783.2 30 168579 Alok Indus-A/D 10.49 0.02 788911 Dcm Shram Ind-/D 104.55 -7.55 27288 I F C I-A/D 38.05 -0.05 399073 Lgb Broth-B/D 652.15 -0.1 4632 Samtel-T/D 7 0.25 2438 Pearson/D 1175.8066 0 372223 Apollo Tyre-A/D 229.25 5.75 406679 Dhampur Sugar-/D 44 -0.2 13999 Idbi-A/D 76.05 -0.85 517027 Lloyd Metal-B/D 10.44 0.64 1316 Saur.Cem-B/D 43.9 -4.35 151116 Prudential/D 1483.5 -8 684822 Asahi I Glass-/D 118.75 -0.95 13510 Dr. Reddy-A/D 3146.8 -70.55 42604 Ifb Agro-B/D 414.35 -4.9 5939 Lok.Hous&Con-T/D 13.97 0.66 51562 Tanfac Indust-/D 13.99 0 2315 Rank Group/D 162.2 2.2 3856 Ashok Leyland-/D 57.85 4.45 6744294 E I H-B/D 118.25 -1.55 10448 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 489 6.35 13969 Lumax Ind-B/D 439.7 4.65 16070 Tanfac Indust-/D 13.99 0 2315 Rentokil Initi/D 119.54 -0.3 192813 Bajaj Hold-A/D 1464 27.85 1621 E.I.D Parry-A/D 198 -1.15 16641 India Cement-A/D 87.6 1.1 238313 Lupin-A/D 1425.95 -6.75 22654 Thirumalai-B/D 100 0.15 7829 Rolls Royce Pl/D 860.6949 -4 1336205 Ballarpur In-B/D 15.85 -0.1 323339 Eicher Motor-A/D 15133.55 68 2963 India Glycol-B/D 108.5 -0.65 27909 Lyka Labs-T/D 31.6 2.85 182852 Til Ltd.-T/D 390 4.3 2246 Rsa Insrance G/D 433.6 -3.9 895372 Bata India-A/D 1327.85 7.25 17008 Eimco Elecon-T/D 391.4 18.6 6687 Indian Card-B/D 115.05 0.15 1609 Mafatlal Ind-B/D 145 -2.45 6079 Timexgroup-T/D 13.28 0.45 54078 Sainsbury(J)/D 240.3713 -2.9 3626596 Bayer Crop-A/D 3350.6 -145.15 9061 Electrosteel-B/D 18.7 0.25 86509 Indian Hotel-A/D 120.5 -0.85 30857 Mah.Seamless-B/D 249.15 4.05 7045 Tinplate-B/D 64.85 0 57201 Schroders/D 2669 -10 48479 Beml Ltd-A/D 773.6 -10.05 68032 Emco-B/D 40.2 -0.1 50846 Indo-Tcount-T/D 341 -3.95 6147 Maha Scooter-B/D 1027 31.85 2061 Ub Engineer-Z/D 7.46 -0.14 2053 Severn Trent/D 2010.3589 11 158084 Bh Electronic-/D 2866.65 -59.45 12836 Escorts Fin-B/D 5.72 0.26 17661 Indusind-A/D 814.05 -1.4 68580 Mangalam Cem-B/D 332.75 13.05 39751 Ucal Fuel-B/D 140.8 1.75 49960 Smith&Nephew/D 1163 -2 1153008 Bharat Bijle-B/D 711.4 -5.6 9336 Escorts-A/D 127.85 -0.75 150573 J.B.Chemical-B/D 206 1.65 12642 Maral Overs-B/D 19.35 -0.1 1540 Ultramarine-B/D 70.95 0 48232 Smiths Group/D 1092 -4 588143 Bharatgears-B/D 67.25 1.8 4536 Essar Oil-T/D 107.15 0.4 57429 Jagatjit Ind-T/D 46 -1.35 1713 Mastek-B/D 403 1.75 138424 Unitech P -A/D 18.1 0.7 5779976 Standrd Chart /D 952.9 -9.3 2125172 Bhartiya Int-B/D 409.8 3.5 10543 Eveready Indu-/D 182.75 3.05 69442 Jagson Phar-B/D 41.15 -0.55 47941 Max India L-A/D 393.95 6.25 350900 Univcable-T/D 47.1 0.35 1300 Tate & Lyle/D 599.5 0 373282 Bhel-A/D 273.15 -2.25 291885 F D C-B/D 160.35 -1.9 7833 Jamnaauto-B/D 137.65 -2.65 1423 Mrpl-A/D 48.65 0.55 74289 Uppergsugar-T/D 39.35 1.2 1557 Tesco/D 187.496 -0.55 9310413 Bhuwalka Stl-T/D 9.7 -0.5 2705 Federal Bank-A/D 147.85 -1.3 105770 Jbf Indu-B/D 250.35 -3.05 69384 Nahar Spg.-B/D 98.25 -0.45 20923 Unilever/D 2598 -8 587594 Bom.Burmah-B/D 444.75 19.9 200081 Ferro Alloys-B/D 6.99 0.38 36646 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.83 0.1 406756 Nation Alum -A/D 53.6 -1.45 90991 LONDON United Util Gr/D 927 8.5 536752 Bombay Dyeing-/D 66.85 -0.9 183310 Finolex-A/D 260.15 -1.2 10617 Jct Ltd-B/D 3.99 0.01 74664 Navneet Edu-B/D 106.55 -0.15 15967 Vodafone Group/D 220.1 -1.8 9508390 Camph.& All-B/D 270 -8.75 5093 Forbes-B/D 1905.45 90.7 1812 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 5.32 0.25 55028 Nepc India-T/D 2.52 -0.04 4283 3i Group/D 449.9 -4.1 593178 Whitbread/D 4750.8504 34 124462 Canfin Homes-B/D 574.45 17.2 62599 Gail-A/D 446.65 2.55 76564 Jindal Drill-B/D 177 1.65 2956 Neuland Lab-B/D 513.7 5 2220 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3166 -28 176318 Caprihans-B/D 88.75 0.1 82759 Gammon India-T/D 28.45 -0.1 73037 Jktyre&Ind-B/D 134.55 3.55 665113 Nrb Bearings-B/D 137 0.95 18306 Barclays/D 239.4 -3.75 9983040 Cast.Bo/D 502.85 3.2 39820 Gangotri Tex-B/D 1.62 0.14 10400 Jmc Projects-T/D 192 -4.15 11080 O N G C-A/D 353.25 4 454791 Bg Group/D 840.8 -23.4 3166184 Century Enka-B/D 172.25 3.1 29840 Garden P -B/D 31.25 0.1 5023 Kabra Extr-B/D 89.2 6.15 101046 Ocl India-B/D 450.4 14.9 17192 Bp/D 397.3 -13.15 14606572 Century Text-A/D 535.55 2.1 56600 Godfrey Phil-B/D 586.85 -4.3 2451 Kajaria Cer-A/D 619 0.8 20185 Oil Country-B/D 36.4 0.35 2200 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3462.5 10 852178 Chambal Fert-B/D 61.45 -0.25 138723 Goodricke-B/D 160.25 1.9 6051 Kakatiya Cem-B/D 109.3 -1.6 1375 Orchid Chem-B/D 66.55 -0.2 151837 Bt Group/D 398.8 -2.2 3680314 TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23

UAE, Kuwait call off friendly over recording dispute

GOLD COAST, Queensland: A disagreement over the recording of a pre-Asian Cup friendly between the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait led to a last-minute cancellation of the match on Saturday, rob- bing both teams of vital match practice before the January 9-31 tournament. The players had lined up in the tunnel ahead of the game on the Gold Coast but it was called off after the UAE refused to agree to Kuwait’s request to record the match. In a statement on its website, the UAE Football Association said A Qatari player vies for ball possession against a Wellington FC player during a friendly in Canberra yesterday. RIGHT: Qatari coach Djamel Belmadi gives instructions during the friendly at both sides had previously agreed the Australian Institute of Sport. The match was a warm-up for Qatar’s Asian Cup campaign, which opens against the United Arab Emirates at the Canberra Stadium on Sunday. Qatar beat to play the friendly behind closed Wellington 3-1 yesterday but the ASB Premiership leaders gave the Maroons a tough hit-out. doors without recording, broad- casting and the presence of the media or public. “The Kuwaiti delegation has unfortunately declined to adhere to the previous agreement under Who dares wins at wide-open Asian Cup which an official letter was sent to the Kuwaiti Football Association SYDNEY: With hosts Australia players who qualified for three semifinalists South Korea lurk for and understand the media have the courage to abandon caution on December 15, and clearly in a state of flux and holders successive World Cups — or at the hosts in Group A. a job to do, but that is my sole and take risks. stipulated that the match should Japan engulfed by scandal, the the very least, a quick fix with However, pressure will also objective.” South Korea last lifted the not be telecast, recorded or open Asian Cup looks to be the most his side short on firepower in be on Japan, whose Mexican Failure at the Asian Cup could trophy in 1960 — the year for the media and the public,” it wide open in years. attack. coach Javier Aguirre is under end in the termination of his con- Muhammad Ali, then Cassius said. Redemption for a humiliating Much of the responsibility investigation following claims of tract, however, although the four- Clay, won Olympic boxing gold — “But, the Kuwaitis insisted on 2014 World Cup beckons should will fall on talisman Tim Cahill, match-fixing while he was man- time champions will be expected and will be hoping that the success filming the game and this was Australia, Japan, South Korea or who lit up the World Cup with ager of Spanish club Zaragoza in to comfortably negotiate their of their Under-23 side in winning against the purposes of the tech- Iran win Asia’s showcase tourna- a stunning volley against the 2011. first-round group, which also fea- last year’s Asian Games rubs off nical staff of the UAE national ment, which begins on January 9 Netherlands but will need his sup- To what extent the furore tures Jordan, Iraq and war-torn on the senior team, despite their team.” when the Socceroos face Kuwait porting cast to step up. unsettles the Blue Samurai Palestine. own lack of cutting edge. The differences seemed to have in Melbourne. “We have to be ruthless,” the remains to be seen but Aguirre, Iraq overcame conflict and tur- Iran, led by former Portugal been sorted out with the players The quartet flopped badly in former Everton forward told the who is scheduled to appear in moil to win the Asian Cup in 2007 and Real Madrid coach Carlos lining up in the tunnel but the Brazil as Asia failed to register Sydney Morning Herald. “If we court in Valencia next month, but Uzbekistan could prove the Queiroz, will also be looking to game did not proceed. a single victory for the first time are ruthless, teams are not going has raised eyebrows with his team best of the rest this time around, make an impact after a disap- “At this stage, the Kuwaiti since 1990, a new-look Australia to know what’s hit them.” selection since taking over after with the United Arab Emirates pointing World Cup, but the team’s manager escalated the arguably emerging with the most Australia have added incentive the World Cup. and Qatar also potentially dan- three-time Asian champions have situation and threatened that the credit. after being upset by Japan in the “All my attention is focused on gerous to the top sides. struggled to fill the void left by match could be cancelled unless But coach Ange Postecoglou 2011 final in Doha, but the defend- winning the Asian Cup,” Aguirre But with no outright tourna- the likes of Ali Karimi, Mehdi their requirement is responded must find an alchemist’s touch ing champions will be a tough nut told reporters before flying to ment favourite, the title could Mahdavikia and record goal- to,” the UAE Football Association to replace a golden generation of to crack, while 2002 World Cup Australia. “I have nothing to hide come down to which team has scorer Ali Daei. AFP said. REUTERS Cowboys rally to shake Mavericks rout Cavaliers 109-90

CLEVELAND: Monta Ellis Pistons 114, Kings 95 scored 20 points and the Dallas Brandon Jennings scored a off Lions, Colts advance Mavericks won their fifth season-high 35 points and the straight, beating the Cleveland Detroit Pistons collected their Cavaliers to spoil forward Kevin fifth straight victory by defeat- Romo’s late touchdown pass gives Dallas thrilling win Love’s best game with his new ing the Sacramento Kings. team. Center Andre Drummond Love scored a season-high 30 added 15 points and 14 rebounds DALLAS: Tony Romo’s touch- points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Pistons (10-23). down pass to Terrance Williams for the Cavaliers, who were again DeMarcus Cousins led the with less than three minutes to without forward LeBron James Kings (14-20) with 18 points and play lifted the Dallas Cowboys and lost guard Kyrie Irving in the 15 rebounds but shot 5-for-17 to a thrilling 24-20 NFL play- third quarter due to a tight lower from the field. off triumph yesterday over the back. Suns 125, Raptors 109 Detroit Lions. The Cavs have lost five of their Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic Romo connected with Williams last seven while the injuries pile and Isaiah Thomas combined with an eight-yard throw with up, but general manager David for 56 points and 14 assists, 2:32 remaining. Griffin emphatically insisted and the Phoenix Suns (20-16) Romo guided the Cowboys on before the game that head coach scored a season-high 43 points three straight scoring drives to David Blatt’s future is safe and his in the second quarter in a rout erase a 20-7 third-quarter deficit job security was never in question. of the Toronto Raptors. Jonas and grab the win in the National Heat 88, Nets 84 Valanciunas scored 21 points and Football Conference first-round Dwyane Wade scored 10 of Kyle Lowry added 19 points and clash. Miami’s last 12 points as the seven assists for the Raptors, who The victory sends the Cowboys Heat snapped a four-game losing lost three straight games for the into a second-round meeting with streak, holding off the Brooklyn first time this season. REUTERS Green Bay. Nets. Carolina, who punched their Wade had 25 points, seven second-round ticket on Saturday assists and six rebounds. Heat NBA Results with a win over Arizona, will face forward Chris Bosh scored a New York 82 Milwaukee 95 reigning Super Bowl champions game-high 26 points. LA Lakers 88 Indiana 87 Seattle next weekend. The Heat (15-20) were coming Detroit 114 Sacramento 95 In American Football off their worst loss in five year, Miami 88 Brooklyn 84 Conference action, Andrew Luck falling by 36 points at Houston on Phoenix 125 Toronto 109 and the Indianapolis Colts earned Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo (right) is sacked by Detroit Lions’ player Ndamukong Suh in the Saturday night. But, on short rest, Cleveland 90 Dallas 109 a lopsided 26-10 victory over second-half of the NFL wildcard play-off game at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday night. they improved to 7-12 at home. injury-hit Cincinnati to book a second-round meeting with the to their first post-season victory The Lions had to punt the ball A.J. Green was still out with Denver Broncos. since 1991 before Romo and the away with 8:10 to play following concussion symptoms and tight Good show by Al Mari The Broncos are trying to Cowboys turned things around. quarterback Matthew Stafford’s end Jermaine Gresham was side- get back to the Super Bowl on “More than anything, it’s try- incomplete pass on third down lined with back and leg trouble. February 1, a year after they were ing to keep your poise,” said — on which a pass interfer- The Bengals amassed just 254 humbled 43-8 by the Seahawks in Romo, who was composed even ence call against Cowboys line- total yards, and went three-and- the NFL’s championship. as the Lions defense stymied the backer Anthony Hitchens was out on their first four possessions Next weekend will also see Cowboys offense early. overturned. of the second half. Luck piloted AFC top seed New England host “You just have to stay in the There was no such drama in back-to-back scoring drives to Baltimore, who beat Pittsburgh moment and understand the Indianapolis, where the Colts stretch the Colts’ lead to 23-10. on Saturday. game,” Romo said. never trailed. Luck hit rookie receiver Donte Detroit appeared on their way Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant Adam Vinatieri made all four Moncrief with a 36-yard scoring was limited to a modest 48 yards of his field goal attempts, Daniel pass midway through the third NFL Play-off Results on three catches while double cov- Herron gained 141 yards and ran quarter to give the Colts a 20-10 AFC ered much of the contest. for a touchdown, and T.Y. Hilton lead. After a holding penalty on Williams stepped up, pulling in caught six passes for 103 yards Moncrief nullified an apparent At Indianapolis a 76-yard touchdown catch late in for the Colts. touchdown catch by teammate Indianapolis 26 Cincinnati 10 the first half and finishing with 92 Marvin Lewis fell to 0-6 in Coby Fleener on the Colts next NFC yards on three catches. the post-season as Cincinnati’s possession, they settled for a At Dallas DeMarco Murray added a head coach, the last four of those 22-yard field goal from Vinatieri. Dallas 24 Detroit 20 touchdown run while grinding out defeats came with Andy Dalton Vinatieri booted a Colts’ post- Saturday’s Results 75 yards on the ground against at quarterback. season record 53-yard field goal AFC the Lions’ top-ranked rushing Dalton, under pressure and any hope of a Cincinnati Qatar’s Hamdan Hamad Al Mari in action at the 29th Junior Men’s Asian defense. throughout, threw for just 155 comeback ended when Jerrell Baltimore 30 Pittsburgh 17 and seventh Arab Youth Weightlifting Championships in the 94kg category The Cowboys also benefitted yards on 18-of-35 passing. Freeman stripped Dalton of the NFC at Hotel Marriott on Sunday. Al Mari finished in second place in both the from a controversial call that He was also without his top two ball with less than three minutes Asian and Arab championships. Carolina 27 Arizona 16 preceded the game-winning drive. targets in wide receiver. to play. AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Scoreboard

West Indies (I inning): ...... 329 Total (all out) ...... 215 Williamson fights to keep South Africa (I innings): ...... 421 Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-27, 3-95, 4-182, West Indies (II innings): 5-202, 6-204, 7-213, 8-213, 9-213. K Brathwaite b Harmer ...... 16 Bowling: Steyn 23.5-3-75-3; Philander 16-4- D Smith c De Villiers b Morkel ...... 7 27-0; Morkel 14-7-18-2; Harmer 24-7-82-4; L Johnson c Amla b Morkel ...... 44 Van Zyl 2-0-6-0. M Samuels c Elgar b Harmer ...... 74 South Africa (II innings): Kiwis alive in Wellington S Chanderpaul (run out-Bavuma) ...... 50 D Elgar (batting) ...... 5 J Blackwood b Steyn ...... 13 A Petersen b Benn ...... 0 D Ramdin c Harmer b Steyn ...... 0 Extras (B-4) ...... 4 J Holder c Amla b Harmer ...... 2 Total (for 1 wkt) ...... 9 Hosts secure118-run lead after batsman’s unbeaten 80 J Taylor c Elgar b Harmer ...... 0 Fall of wicket: 1-9. S Benn c De Villiers b Steyn ...... 0 Bowling: Taylor 1-0-1-0; Samuels 1-0-4-0; S Gabriel (not out) ...... 2 Benn 0.3-0-0-1. WELLINGTON: Kane New Zealand’s BJ Watling Extras (B-4, LB-3) ...... 7 SA need 115 with 9 wkts remaining. Williamson and BJ Watling pro- (right) and his team-mate Kane duced an unbroken sixth wicket Williamson walk from the field stand of 94 to keep New Zealand after third day’s play of the alive on the third day of the sec- second Test match against Sri Samuels dismissal ond Test against Sri Lanka in Lanka in Wellington yesterday. Wellington yesterday. New Zealand were 253-5 at sparks WI collapse stumps, a 118-run advantage Scoreboard with five wickets in hand, after CAPE TOWN: Marlon Samuels went down the pitch and the stubborn Williamson-Watling New Zealand (I innings): ...... 221 Samuels played one big shot too hit the ball high towards long-on. partnership recovered the innings Sri Lanka (I innings): ...... 356 many and opened the way for The ball held up just enough into from a perilous 159-5 New Zealand (II innings): a West Indian collapse on the the wind for Dean Elgar to make Williamson was on 80, in sight T Latham c Jayawardene b Pradeep ...... 35 fourth day of the third and final a good running catch close to the of his ninth Test century, and H Rutherford c Chandimal b Pradeep ...... 40 Test against South Africa at boundary. Watling was on 48, nearing his K Williamson (batting)...... 80 Newlands yesterday. The breakthrough achieved, ninth half century. R Taylor b Herath ...... 0 The West Indies collapsed from Amla brought back Dale Steyn, However, despite their dogged B McCullum lbw Prasad ...... 22 182 for three to 215 all out, losing who produced a superb spell of fight, the odds remained in favour J Neesham lbw Pradeep ...... 19 seven wickets for 33 runs in 15 fast reverse swing bowling. He of Sri Lanka pulling off a series- B Watling (batting) ...... 48 overs. bowled Jermaine Blackwood with levelling win after losing the first Extras (LB-6 W-2, NB-1) ...... 9 South Africa were left needing a ball which swung in and then Test in Christchurch by eight Total (for 5 wkts) ...... 253 124 to win. They were nine for one straightened to hit the off stump, wickets. Fall of wickets: 1-75, 2-78, 3-79, 4-122, at the close after Alviro Petersen and had Denesh Ramdin caught For New Zealand skipper 5-159. was bowled by Suleiman Benn in at square leg. Harmer picked up Brendon McCullum, returning Bowling: Lakmal 20-2-50-0 (1w); Pradeep the last over of an extended after- two more wickets, with Jason to the Basin Reserve for the first 19-3-57-3 (1w); Herath 32-8-58-1; Prasad noon’s play, following a lengthy Holder chipping to midwicket and time since his match-saving 302 19-1-53-1 (1nb); Mathews 11-3-29-0. rain delay. Jerome Taylor hitting recklessly against India a year ago, there Samuels made 74, sharing part- to deep midwicket. were to be no heroics this time. nerships of 68 with Leon Johnson Steyn had Benn caught behind He was out for 22 while Jimmy fourth day at least. New Zealand positively, reaching 75 before their balls before he was bowled by (44) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Chanderpaul was run out by Neesham, who scored a century had ended the first day of the Test reply was ripped apart in a 30-ball Rangana Herath. From 75 (50) before holing out to long- a direct hit from Temba Bavuma in the India Test, was out for 19. in charge after making 221 on a burst that claimed three wickets. without loss New Zealand were on against off-spinner Simon at backward point to complete After McCullum’s departure bowler’s wicket and reducing Sri Rutherford could not resist quickly 79-3 with the fourth and Harmer. a disastrous late afternoon for it fell to Williamson to shoulder Lanka to 78-5 in reply. slashing wildly during a barrage fifth wickets of McCullum and Samuels, who said after making the tourists on a day when rain responsibility for keeping New Kumar Sangakkara’s imperi- of short deliveries outside off and Neesham following at 122 and 159. a century in the second Test in threatened to prevent any play. Zealand afloat. ous 203 on the second day led Sri was caught in the third-man trap. Pradeep, who was omitted from Port Elizabeth that he didn’t like Rain fell from early morning He was dropped on 29 and Lanka to a 135-run first innings His dismissal unsettled Latham the Sri Lanka line up in the first to be dominated by spin bowlers, and continued until after lunch. again on 60 in an otherwise cau- lead and gave the tourists the who shuffled around for a few Test, showed he should not be was highly aggressive against the But the weather cleared and play tious innings in which the part- advantage. more overs before being caught overlooked on New Zealand wick- debutant Harmer. resumed at 3pm South African nership has seen off the second Openers Tom Latham and behind to give Nuwan Pradeep a ets with three for 57 to go with He faced 150 balls in making time, with a potential 53 overs to new ball and ensured the Test Hamish Rutherford started the second wicket. his career best 63-4 in the first his 74 but hit 46 off 47 deliveries be bowled, all in one session. As should extend deep into the New Zealand second innings Ross Taylor lasted just seven innings. AFP from the off-spinner. The assault it was, play stretched until 7pm. included two sixes, one of them Steyn finished with three for over a fielder at long-on. 75, while Harmer completed a But South African captain highly successful debut with four O’Brien brothers carry Ireland hopes Hashim Amla persisted with for 82. Both bowlers had match Harmer, who switched ends. figures of seven for 153. AFP

DUBLIN: Experienced cam- squad who earns his living in the more experienced players on their are due to play four one-day South African paigners William Porterfield English county championship. toes. Competition for places has internationals in the United Arab bowler Simon and brothers Kevin and Niall “We’ve produced some wonder- been fierce and that’s got to be Emirates against fellow-qualifiers Harmer O’Brien were yesterday named ful performances over the years in good for Irish cricket.” Afghanistan and Scotland, before celebrates at the core of Ireland’s squad for World Cups, and there’s no rea- Ireland kick off the campaign flying out to Australia at the the World Cup. son why we can’t claim further on February 16 against West end of January. The World Cup after taking the The trio, along with Ed Joyce successes in Australia and New Indies in Nelson before going on is being played in Australia and wicket of West and John Mooney, will be playing Zealand. to face South Africa, Zimbabwe, New Zealand from February 14 Indies Batsman at their third World Cup while “While we may have lost the India, Pakistan and the United to March 29. AFP Marlon Samuels the 15-man squad also includes six surprise factor over the years, Arab Emirates in their Pool B (not in picture) tournament debutants – Andrew we’ve certainly gained a lot of campaign. during the 4th Balbirnie, Peter Chase, Andrew respect for our brand of cricket Kevin O’Brien made history at Squad day of the third McBrine, Tim Murtagh, Stuart which has been pretty pleasing. the 2011 event in India when he William Porterfield (captain), Andrew Balbirnie, Test match Thompson, and Craig Young. The Warwickshire batsman hit the fastest-ever World Cup Peter Chase, Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, at Newlands “It’s fantastic to be leading told the Irish Post: “There’s a great century against England in a Ed Joyce, Andrew McBrine, John Mooney, Tim Cricket Stadium Ireland in another global tour- mix as always in the squad, and stunning win in Bangalore. Murtagh, Kevin O’Brien, Niall O’Brien, Paul in Cape Town, nament,” said captain Porterfield, the younger guys coming through Ireland, coached by former Stirling, Stuart Thompson, Gary Wilson, Craig yesterday. one of a number of players in the are all hungry which keeps the West Indies star Phil Simmons, Young.

India’s captain Hughes plaque reminder for Virat Kohli (right) shares a light moment with team-mate Mohammed Smith’s Australia in Sydney Shami during training at the SYDNEY: The memory of bats- for Shane Watson, Nathan Lyon, Sydney Cricket man Phillip Hughes will linger Mitchell Starc, Brad Haddin and Ground (SCG), Australian cricketer over the Australian cricketers David Warner, who were all field- yesterday. Michael Clarke in this week’s poignant final ing on November 25 at the SCG inspects a plaque Test against India at the Sydney when Hughes, 25, was fatally remembering the Cricket Ground (SCG) where struck by a bouncer. late cricket batsman he fell. “Coming back to the place Phillip Hughes as A plaque honouring Hughes where it happened, I thought it it is prepared to was installed outside the home was going to be extremely tough Kohli vows positive be mounted in the dressing room at the SCG for the boys,” said the Australian Member’s Stand at yesterday. captain. the Sydney Cricket It means skipper Steve Smith “Particularly the ones that Ground (SCG), in and his team will be faced with a were out there on the day. display from India reminder of Hughes’s shock death “It’s going to be a tough Test Sydney yesterday. at the famous venue every time match – hopefully we can hold BOTTOM: The SYDNEY: New India skipper cricket and the same aggressive they take the field in the Test that our emotions together well and Virat Kohli says he will encour- intent.” plaque remembering begins today. end this series well.” age his team to play positively Kohli, who led India in the first late batsman Phillip “Particularly this week, it’s Hughes’s family are expected and not back down against Test in Adelaide while Dhoni Hughes is mounted going to be great to be able to to attend. Australia in the final Test in was recovering from a fractured in the Member’s walk past that and see the lit- “We’ve just got to make sure Sydney, which begins today. thumb, has been his side’s leading Stand. tle fella there and give us a bit we’re very respectful to the Kohli has been thrust into the batsman in the series, averaging of inspiration as we’re going out Hughes family who are going to captaincy following the shock 83.16 with three centuries and a on the field,” Smith said yester- be down here for this Test match,” Test retirement of Mahendra fifty. day, on the eve of the fourth Test Smith said Singh Dhoni following last week’s Kohli has been at the fore- against India.. Warner, who was fielding close drawn third Test in Melbourne. front of on-field confrontations “Hughesy was one of us, he was to Hughes and then held his India’s premier batsman said with Australian players, notably one of our good mates. We’ve just mate’s hand as he was carried India will continue to stand up to Mitchell Johnson, Brad Haddin got to take care of each other this off in a critical condition, says the Australians, who have already and David Warner and his style week.” he won’t know how he will react reclaimed the Border-Gavaskar of leadership will be under scru- Smith said it will be important until he walks out on to the field Trophy with an unassailable 2-0 tiny in the wake of Dhoni’s sudden for the players to keep each of for the pre-match anthems. lead in the four-match series. exit. “We were all taken aback by their team-mates in good spirits. “It’s going to be tough but I’ve “It’s important for the players his decision because it was so sud- “It’s going to be another emo- got to try and hold back the emo- to know that we need to be in den,” Kohli said of Dhoni. tional Test match and hopefully tions and do what I do for the a positive frame of mind, a line “We had no clue. We never we can do the Hughes family team and try and score runs,” doesn’t need to be crossed,” Kohli saw it coming, so it was pretty proud by playing well this week,” Warner said this week. told reporters yesterday. shocking. he said. “But every time I come here, “But we are not here to back “There’s so much to learn from The occasion will be challeng- every time I walk out on the field, down from any sort of confronta- him, especially in tough situa- ing for the entire team and their every time I’ve got nothing on my tion or any sort of battle. tions: his composure, his decision- support staff. mind I’m going to be thinking “You will still see positive making at important times. AFP But it will be especially taxing about it.” AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25

French Cup Results PARIS: Selected French Cup results yesterday: Round of 64 Real Madrid’s record run Grenoble 3 (Nasralla 9, Hachi 47, Bengriba 119) Marseille 3 (Gignac 5, 32, Ayew 98) - after extra time Grenoble win 5-4 on penalties Epinal 1 (Touati 11) Metz 2 (Milan 15, N’Daw 50) Bordeaux 2 (Toure 10-pen, Traore 71) ends as Barca also lose Toulouse 1 (Ben Yedder 84-pen) Lens 2 (El-Jadeyaoui 76-pen, Coulibaly 90) Lyon 3 (Fekir 5, Lacazette 14-pen, Dabo 30) La Liga leaders go down to Valencia, Catalans crash to Sociedad defeat Saint-Etienne 1 (Tabanou 97) Nancy 0 aet Nimes 0 Monaco 2 MADRID: Valencia came from (Silva 33, Germain 90+5) behind to snap Real Madrid’s Dinan-Lehon 0 Guingamp 3 (Beauvue 51, winning streak at 22 games, 64, Pied 81) however Barcelona failed to Dunkirk 1 (Aabiza 3) Rennes 2 take advantage as they lost 1-0 (Doucoure 2, 27) at David Moyes’s Real Sociedad On Saturday on Sunday night. Bobigny 0 Evian 3 Jordi Alba’s early own goal was (Camus 68, Nielsen 76, Wass 90+4) enough to consign Barca to defeat St Maur Lusitanos 1 (Ayi 46) Reims 3 (Diego after coach Luis Enrique had left 39, Charbonnier 49, de Preville 57) Lionel Messi and Neymar on the Nantes 4 (Deaux 15, Narcissot 32-og, bench. Rongier 78, Vizcarrondo 90+1) Club Earlier, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Franciscain 0 first-half penalty looked to have Valenciennes 2 Madrid on course to start the (Coulibaly 11, Poepon 44) Nice 0 new year as they finished 2014, but Valencia roared back after the Avranches 1 (Diongue 59) Lorient 0 break with goals from Antonio SC Bastia 2 (Ayite 5, 25) Lille 0 Barragan and Nicolas Otamendi to move above Sevilla into fourth. It is the first time since April Fourth-division 30, 2011 that both Madrid and Barcelona have lost on the same Grenoble knock day and means Los Blancos retain their one point lead over Marseille out of the Catalans and Atletico Madrid having also played one game less than their title rivals. French Cup “We had lots of chances. We Valencia’s goalkeeper Diego Alves saves the ball during the Spanish La Liga’s Primera Division match against Real Madrid at Mestalla Stadium in started badly with an own goal Valencia, eastern Spain, on Sunday night. Valencia won the match 2-1. RIGHT: Barcelona’s forward Pedro Rodriguez kneels on the field during the PARIS: Ligue 1 leaders and that punished us in the end, Spanish league match against Real Sociedad de Futbol at the Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian on Sunday night. Marseille were sensationally but we didn’t deserve this result knocked out of the French Cup at all,” said Barcelona midfielder on Sunday night as fourth-tier Xavi Hernandez. crucial points in the game at his side’s lead 12 minutes later Otamendi. And just moments San Sebastian as Alba stretched Grenoble prevailed in a penalty “It is a lost opportunity. We Mestalla. when Bale’s deflected cross fell later, the Argentine centre-back to reach Sergio Canales’s cross shoot-out after the sides fin- have started the year badly, but “I don’t think we deserved to perfectly into his path, but after was the star at the other end of but could only turn the ball into ished 3-3 after extra-time. we will keep going.” lose,” said the Italian. rounding Diego Alves, Ronaldo the pitch as he towered above his own net. Without their other The last-64 tie went to an extra Real Madrid boss Carlo “We just didn’t have the luck to could only turn the ball into the Ramos to power a header high two South American stars, Luis 30 minutes when Grenoble came Ancelotti also lamented the score when we had the chances to side-netting with the goal gaping. past Casillas. Madrid rallied in Suarez ploughed a lonely furrow back twice to level at 2-2 before chances missed by his side at make it 2-0, then to go ahead 2-1 Valencia also started the sec- the final 15 minutes, but couldn’t up front. However, even he was Ghana’s Andre Ayew appeared to and finally at the end when we ond-half in the ascendency as find an equaliser as Ramos sent ineffective as the visitors’ best score the winner with his strike LA Liga Results had many chances to make it 2-2.” Andre Gomes sent a thunder- a header inches wide before Alves two efforts before the break came in the first half of extra-time for Results of the LA Liga matches yesterday Despite a bright start Valencia ous volley inches wide, but they denied Isco with a brilliant save from Pedro Rodriguez who fired Marseille. night had to come from behind when were finally rewarded when Pepe from point-blank range and over before Geronimo Rulli bun- However a superb header from Getafe 1 Rayo Vallecano 2 Alvaro Negredo handled Gareth turned a low drive from Barragan Otamendi cleared the danger dled a low drive to safety. Grenoble’s Selim Bengriba in the Valencia 2 Real Madrid 1 Bale’s flick on from Toni Kroos’s past the helpless Iker Casillas. before a Madrid player could Canales could even have added dying seconds set up the penalty Atletico Madrid 3 Levante 1 free-kick and Ronaldo duly Bale had a great chance to pounce on the rebound. to the Basques’ half-time advan- finale and former Grenoble mid- stepped up to fire home his 33rd restore Madrid’s lead when he Barca boss Enrique’s huge gam- tage as he left Martin Montoya in fielder Florian Thauvin missed Deportivo Coruna 1 Athletic Club 0 goal of the season from the pen- galloped in behind the Valencia ble to leave Messi and Neymar, his wake with an outrageous piece the only kick of the shootout to Elche 2 Villarreal 2 alty spot. defence seven minutes later, how- amongst nearly 300 million euros of skill only to see the former hand the home side a famous Malaga 1 Almeria 2 The World Player of the Year ever the Welshman was denied of talent on the bench, took fewer Sociedad ‘keeper turn his effort victory. Sevilla 1 Celta Vigo 0 should have doubled his tally and by a fine saving challenge from than two minutes to backfire in behind for a corner. AFP “We didn’t do what we had to do and to lose this match is unac- ceptable,” said Ayew. “We were leading three times Blades cut down but we now have to concentrate on the second half of the league season which is very important. Grenoble showed a lot of desire and determination but we’re very QPR in Cup upset disappointed.” Elsewhere, there were few surprises as seven Ligue 1 sides LONDON: Chelsea, Manchester had to wait until the 64th minute including Monaco, Lyon and United, Manchester City and for Ander Herrera to put the visi- Saint-Etienne all marched into holders Arsenal reached the FA tors in front with a glorious, loop- the next round. Cup fourth round on Sunday ing strike from 20 yards. Holders Guingamp began their night, while third-tier Sheffield Yeovil continued to press, but defence in style as they dispatched United demonstrated their cup United killed the game off in the lower tier outfit Dinan-Lehon 3-2 pedigree by eliminating Queens last minute when Rooney freed while Bordeaux edged Toulouse Park Rangers. substitute Angel di Maria to run 2-1 in an all top flight affair in Arsenal progressed after win- through and chip home. the south. ning 2-0 at home to Hull City in a “I had expected this,” said Van “For our first match after the repeat of last season’s final, which Gaal. “It is always difficult to play break, we can be satisfied with saw Arsene Wenger’s side end against a team like this, who play our performance,” said Bordeaux their nine-year trophy drought long balls. You have to fight and coach Willy Sagnol. by coming from behind to win 3-2. they gave us a lot of pressure.” “We showed something today The reunion with Steve Bruce’s Chelsea enjoyed a rather more that was lacking during the last Hull was a less dramatic affair. straightforward victory, winning ten days in December and this Per Mertesacker headed Arsenal 3-0 at home to second-division victory allows us to start the in front from Alexis Sanchez’s Watford courtesy of second-half year well and now go to Monaco 20th-minute corner and Sanchez strikes by Willian, Loic Remy and with some confidence,” he added sealed victory with a precise shot Kurt Zouma. looking ahead to their league eight minutes from time. It could prove a positive omen match next Sunday at the Louis “We missed some chances, but for Jose Mourinho’s side, as Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez (top) and Hull City’s Harry Maguire (down) in action during the English FA Cup third II stadium. we needed to be patient and do Chelsea beat Watford en route to round match at Emirates Stadium in London, Britain, on Sunday night. French champions Paris Saint- the job in a professional way,” glory in the competition in 1970, Germain take on Montpellier in Wenger told the BBC. 2009 and 2010. the only Monday fixture. “If we could stop Hull scoring, Sheffield United, who reached Three goals inside the opening you could see the second goal last season’s semi-finals and QSL elite to face off against FC 30 minutes was enough for Lyon would come. It came late, but we face Tottenham Hotspur in to hold off Lens 3-2 in Calais while dealt with the situation.” the last four of this season’s Monaco were too strong for sec- Premier League joint-leaders League Cup, won 3-0 at QPR ond division Nimes running out Manchester City were given a via a Marc McNulty goal and a Bayern Munich in Doha friendly 2-0 victors. scare by second-tier Sheffield second-half brace from Jamal “To score three goals away from Wednesday before coming through Campbell-Ryce. DOHA: German giants Bayern to arch rivals Real Madrid in days, from January 9 to 17 and home in the French Cup is a great 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium thanks QPR became the second top- Munich, who will travel to 1994, with whom he won his fifth they will be training at the Aspire performance,” said Lyon coach to a 91st-minute winner from flight team to be knocked out Qatar for a fifth year in a row La Liga title in a row. Academy for Sports Excellence. Hubert Fournier. James Milner. in the third round following as part of winter break train- Luaudrap retired from interna- Meanwhile, the organisers of “We had to be conscious of the Wednesday had lost 7-0 at City Newcastle United’s 1-0 loss at ing programme – will play the tional duty in 1998 after scoring the match said that the tickets for mental capacities of Lens who in the League Cup in September, Leicester City on Saturday. elite players of the Qatar Stars 37 goals in 104 appearances for the match will be available in the never gave up and it is good prep- but they took a 14th-minute lead “We know we can come and League (QSL) in a friendly Denmark. upcoming days via various web- aration for when we face them in through Atdhe Nuhiu, only for compete with top teams,” said match, it was announced here Guardiola on the other sites including the official QSL the league in the coming weeks.” Milner, on his 29th birthday, Sheffield United first-team coach yesterday hand played for Spanish giants website. Franck Tabanou starred for to equalise in the 66th minute Chris Morgan. The match is organised by Barcelona, besides Brescia and It is expected that a large Saint-Etienne when his extra- before snatching a last-gasp “It’s great to have a run in the QSL and the local side will be led Roma in Italy, Al Ahli in Qatar, number of spectators will come time volley on 97 minutes was winner. cup -- great for supporters and by Lekhwiya SC coach Michael and Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico. to witness the game, particularly the difference in a 1-0 victory over City’s cross-town rivals for the revenue of the club.” Laudrup while the German side The one off match, known as: as it is a chance to see the Bayern second division Nancy. Manchester United also recorded Southampton were taken to will be led by coach Pep Guardiola. ‘The Clash of the Star’ is to be Munich internationals as well as Last year’s finalists Rennes, a hard-fought victory over lower- a replay by Championship side The former Swansea boss played on January 13 at Abdullah the elite stars of QSL, organizers took their place in the next round league opposition, winning 2-0 at Ipswich Town after a 1-1 draw at Laudrup, won league titles with Bin Khalifa Stadium is one of said in a press release. with a 2-1 win at Dunkirk. third-division Yeovil Town. St Mary’s, while it took a pow- Ajax, Barcelona, Real Madrid the two friendly matches the The Germans will play a second Bastia knocked out Lille on United manager Louis van erful late effort by Christian and Juventus. Whilst playing for Bavarian will play during the friendly on January 17 in Saudi Saturday when Ligue 1 sides Gaal named a strong side featur- Benteke for Aston Villa to over- Spanish club Barcelona he won winter break. Arabia, the opponents which are Evian, Reims and Nantes all won ing Wayne Rooney and Radamel come second-tier Blackpool 1-0. nine trophies, including four The Bundesliga leaders’ Qatar yet to be named, as part of their against sixth division opposition. Falcao for his first FA Cup tie, but AFP straight La Liga titles. He moved winter camp will be for eight winter tour. THE PENINSULA AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Handball: Nine days to go for worlds Sports fans can expect an incredible spectacle at sporting mega-event: Qatar 2015

precious stones set in yellow Championship to the Supreme gold. The new trophy will replace Committee for Delivery and the existing trophy that will be Legacy, which we believe will retired this year and kept at the help prepare for future events.” DOHA: Within nine days to go IHF Museum. Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al There has been strong global for the opening of the 24th Men’s Speaking about the interna- Kuwari, Director General, and local interest in the event. Handball World Championship tional dignitaries who will be Qatar 2015. More than half of all tickets have on January 15, the Qatar 2015 attending the event, Dr. Thani already been sold, either online Organising Committee has Abdulrahman Al Kuwari said: at http://www.qatarhandball2015. confirmed that everything is “Invitations to the Championship com/tickets or via merchandising on track for the sporting mega- have been issued by the State outlets across Qatar. event, and that sports fans can of Qatar to Presidents, Vice- Special arrangements are in expect an incredible spectacle. Presidents and Crown Princes place for spectators and visi- In the past few months, the from brotherly nations across tors expected in Qatar for the Organising Committee has suc- the world. We also look for- Championship. Attractive travel cessfully completed and delivered ward to hosting members of the and accommodation packages the key aspects of the master- International Olympic Committee have been provided to more than plan for the Championship. The and Ministers of Sports from 5,000 international visitors who stage is now set for one of the various countries that have been have confirmed their attendance biggest handball experiences ever invited by. The support given to at the Championship. organised for both players and us by the government has been Partner hotels have attractive spectators. phenomenal and we thank the accommodation options and gov- Dr Thani Abdulrahman Al Prime Minister and Minister of ernment initiatives will welcome Kuwari, Director General, Qatar Interior, H E Abdullah bin Nasser tourists with the warm hospital- 2015, said: “We are pleased with bin Khalifa Al Thani, who has ity associated with the State of the preparations and are confi- provided strong support for this Qatar. dent that this will be the best edi- key event.” The community in Qatar has tion of the Men’s Handball World The Opening Ceremony of also shown enthusiasm to attend Championship. Under the leader- the 24th Men’s Handball World matches and be a part of one of ship and guidance of H E Sheikh Championship will take place at Qatar’s biggest sport celebrations. Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, we the Lusail Multipurpose Hall on Through the Schools Programme have met with the International January 15. This will be the main the captains of each of the teams Attiya Arena have been tested event will create for Qatar, Dr. organised in association with the Handball Federation (IHF) to venue of the Championship and bearing their national flags as with the recently held IHF Thani Abdulrahman Al Kuwari Supreme Education Council, stu- provide updates on the progress authorities have ensured that it they enter the venue which will Super Globe Championship 2014 said: “Each of the stadia built for dents will be present with their of our work. We have introduced will be easily accessible for all enhance a sense of national pride and the 17th Asian Clubs League the Championship is capable of families at several matches as several new elements to the handball fans through the pro- during the event.” Championship. Both test events hosting other sports events such they cheer on the national team Championship for the very first vision of smooth traffic man- The journey towards the ran successfully and provided as basketball, volleyball, badmin- with the ‘Al Anabi’ cheer. time.” agement and the preparation of Championship began in January important information that has ton, gymnastics and – in the Several handball activations “We have received strong feed- alternative routes to the stadium. 2011, with preparations begin- helped committees prepare for case of the Ali Bin Hamad Al and contests have also been lined back from the IHF and the wider Sharing details about the ning the very day that Qatar was the main Championship. Attiya Arena – even ice hockey. up over the next few weeks, and, global handball community. This Opening Ceremony, Dr Thani confirmed as the host nation of While a large-scale event has This investment will contribute as the anticipation builds, people is the first Championship to have further added: “The Opening the 24th Men’s Handball World not been organised at the Lusail greatly to Qatar’s status as an are encouraged to buy their tick- its own Official Song. We are also Ceremony will be held under Championship. Since then, the Multipurpose Hall, the stadium international hub for sporting ets to the 24th Men’s Handball proud to unveil a new trophy that the patronage of the Emir H H Qatar 2015 Organising Committee has been tested with a friendly event. This Championship, along World Championship as early as was designed and conceptualised Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al has been working towards raising match between Qatar and Serbia. with other sports events that possible. here in the State of Qatar,” he Thani, the Emir of Qatar. The the profile of the sport in Qatar To ensure that all aspects of the will be hosted in Qatar, will pave All ticket sale proceeds are added. event will include all 24 artists through a series of community venue are up and running a sec- the way for the FIFA World Cup going to “Educate A Child”, a glo- The new trophy, which will be who were involved in the mak- initiatives and by hosting test ond test event will also be held 2022. To help make an active bal programme from Education unveiled at the Opening Ceremony ing of the Official Song, as well events at the brand new stadia. with another friendly match contribution, the Organising Above All (EAA), founded by of the Championship, showcases as displays of Qatari culture to The Duhail Handball Sports between Qatar and Portugal. Committee will also submit a Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint key Qatari design elements with a global audience. We will have Hall and the Ali Bin Hamad Al Speaking about the legacy the detailed report at the end of the Nasser. THE PENINSULA

Pliskova spoils Azarenka Nasser takes overall comeback in lead at Dakar Rally

Brisbane SAN JUAN, Argentina: Roma is already out of contention Nasser Al Attiyah bounced back after the Spaniard broke down in BRISBANE, Australia: Czech from being stripped of victory on his Mini on Sunday and had to player Karolina Pliskova spoiled Sunday’s opening stage by tak- be towed home, losing more than Victoria Azarenka’s comeback ing the overall lead after win- six hours. bid after an injury-marred ning yesterday’s second stage at In the motorbike section 2014, winning a gruelling first- the Dakar Rally in Argentina. Spain’s Joan Barreda Bort also round match at the Brisbane Driving a Mini, Al-Attiyah had moved into the overall lead by International yesterday. claimed victory on Sunday only taking victory on the second Pliskova displayed incredible to be stripped of his success for stage. fighting spirit to hold off the speeding -- clocking 68km/h in a He finished 6min 13sec ahead former world number one and win section limited to 50km/h -- and of his Honda teammate Paulo the match 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-4 in earning a two-minute penalty Goncalves with fellow Spaniard three-and-a-quarter hours. that saw him relegated to sev- Ruben Faria third on a KTM at Azarenka, who won her maiden enth place. 9min 16sec. WTA title in Brisbane in 2009, But the Qatari, the 2011 cham- Reigning champion Marc played only nine tournaments last pion, put on a masterful display Coma, another Spaniard riding year after suffering foot and knee yesterday to finish eight and a half a KTM, finished eighth at more injuries. She slipped to a year- minutes clear of South Africa’s than 12min and is now down in end ranking of 32 and entered Giniel de Villiers to take the over- sixth place at a similar distance the season-opening tournament all lead following the 518km stage overall. unseeded. Pliskova, ranked eight from Villa Carlos Paz to San Juan. Briton Sam Sunderland, who places higher at 24, withstood Andy Murray of Britain hits a return against Benoit Paire of France during their men’s singles match on day two De Villiers’s Toyota team-mate won Sunday’s opening stage, got everything Azarenka threw at of the Hopman Cup in Perth yesterday. Bernhard Ten Brinke was second lost and didn’t finish amongst the her, saving two match points in at more than 10 minutes behind top 50 yesterday. the 84-minute second set before and those two now hold the same This year’s rally features a forcing a decider. positions in the overall standings. gruelling 9,000km trek through She finished the stronger of ATP Chennai Open Veteran Peugeot drivers Carlos Argentina, Chile and Bolivia the two, breaking Azarenka in Results Mid-match coffee Sainz and Staphane Peterhansel, before arriving back in Buenos the ninth game of the third set both former winners, struggled Aires for a January 17 finish. CHENNAI, India: Results to serve for the match at 5-4. for the second day in a row, the This year’s event, the seventh in from day one of the $450,000 Azarenka refused to give in ATP Chennai Open yesterday first losing more than 26 minutes South America since its enforced and had three chances to break (x denotes seeding): perks up Serena and the second much further transfer for security reasons from straight back. But Pliskova saved First Round: Gilles Muller (LUX x8) bt Edouard behind. Africa, is the 37th of all time. them all, eventually clinching Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 6-7 (11/13), 6-1, 7-6 PERTH, Australia: World later this month, had her hands Defending champion Nani AFP victory when a tired-looking (7/3); Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) bt Marcel number one Serena Williams full with 12th-ranked Pennetta in Azarenka forehand sailed wide. Granollers (ESP x7) 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 2-0 (retired); needed a shot of coffee to regain the early stages of her first singles Germany’s Angelique Kerber Borna Coric (CRO) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-2, her best form during her open- match of the new year. ended a run of defeats by the 6-2. ing match at the mixed teams Pennetta raced through the seeded players when she downed Hopman Cup Hopman Cup at the Perth Arena first set in just 19 minutes, win- Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia in yesterday. ning 6-0 as a listless Williams PERTH, Australia: Results straight games 6-4, 6-3. Perked up by a cup of coffee at made a string of unforced errors. from the mixed teams Fourth-seeded Slovakian Hopman Cup at the Perth the end of the first set, Williams After the fifth game, a weary Dominika Cibulkova had earlier Arena yesterday. recovered from a disastrous start Williams asked an amused chair crashed out to American Madison Group B tie to defeat Flavia Penetta as the umpire if she was allowed have Keys 7-5, 6-2, joining fellow seeds Great Britain bt France 2-1 United States beat Italy 3-0 in an “espresso” coffee delivered to Andrea Petkovic (5) and Jelena Men’s singles: Andy Murray (GBR) bt Benoit their Group A tie. her courtside. Jankovic (6) as first-round losers. Paire (FRA) 6-2, 7-5 After Williams gave the At the end of the set, Williams Eighth seed Garbine Muguruza Women’s singles: Alize Cornet (FRA) bt Americans the lead, the tower- received the coffee and it had an of Spain was forced to withdraw Heather Watson (GBR) 6-2, 6-2 ing John Isner then secured the immediate impact, as she broke from the tournament yesterday Mixed doubles: Watson/Murray (GBR) bt tie with a grinding three-set win the drought by winning the first with a left ankle injury. Cornet/Paire (FRA) 6-4, 2-6, 10-8 (match over Fabio Fognini. game of the second set. Although There were no such problems tiebreak) Isner dropped the first set, but Pennetta made another two early for Kerber, who had too much Group A tie fought back to win 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 breaks to lead 3-2 in the second firepower for her French oppo- United States bt Italy 3-0 (7/4) in two hours and 27 minutes. set, Williams then kicked into nent, wrapping up the match in Women’s singles: Serena Williams (USA) bt The Americans then survived gear, rattling off the last 10 games a shade under 90 minutes. Kerber Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 0-6, 6-3, 6-0 two match points to claim the of the match in an early-season broke Garcia once in the first set Men’s singles: John Isner (USA) bt Fabio dead mixed doubles rubber in a reminder of her brutal power. and three times in the second Fognini (ITA) 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) match tiebreak, 6-2, 2-6, 11-9. The American won 0-6, 6-3, 6-0 Mini’s driver Nasser Al Attiyah of Qatar gets ready for the 2015 Dakar to set up a second-round clash Mixed doubles: Williams/Isner (USA) bt Williams, who will be aiming and said she needed something to Rally stage 1 between Buenos Aires and Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina, against Australian-based Russian Pennetta/Fognini (ITA) 6-2, 2-6, 11-9 (match for her 19th Grand Slam sin- perk her up, having only arrived yesterday. qualifier Daria Gavrilova. AFP tiebreak) gles title at the Australian Open in Perth on Saturday. AFP TUESDAY 6 JANUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns the ball during a doubles match at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha yesterday. Djokovic and his Serbian team-mate Filip Krajinovic beat Qatar’s Mohammed Ali Mutawa and Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri 6-1, 6-4. RIGHT: Spain’s Rafael Nadal returns the ball during a doubles match. Nadal teamed up with Juan Monaco of Argentina to beat Simone Bolelli and Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 6-3, 6-3. PICTURES: SALIM MATRAMKOT Gasquet recovers to reach round two World number one Djokovic, defending champion Nadal complete easy doubles wins

BY RIZWAN REHMAT confidence,” Gasquet said after Last year, Nadal beat the match. “In the second set, I Frenchman Gael Monfils in the Today’s Order of DOHA: Former champion had a problem with my serve but final to start the 2014 season with Richard Gasquet of France I kept fighting a lot.” a bang. Play yesterday overcame a second- “I could have won 5-3 but it In other interesting match- set stutter to reach the sec- became five-all because guys like ups today, third seed Tomas CENTER COURT: Start ond round of the $1.2m Qatar Pablo always make it tough,” Berdych of the Czech Republic 3.30pm ExxonMobil Open where top Gasquet, who kept re-wrapping will play unseeded Denis Istomin Denis Istomin (UZB) vs [3] seeds Novak Djokovic and his racket grip, said. of Uzbekistan while fourth seed Tomas Berdych (CZE) Rafael Nadal crushed opponents “I know this is not Australia David Ferrer of Spain will take [1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs in their doubles clashes. but I was sweating a lot,” the to the court for a match against Dusan Lajovic (SRB) Gasquet, the 2013 Qatar Open Frenchman said when asked Dutch qualifier Thiemo de Bakker. [Q] Michael Berrer (GER) vs champion, beat Spain’s Pablo about his grips. “It was a very Two Germans — fifth seed [2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) Andujar 6-3, 7-5 in 1 hour and 32 important win for me when Phillip Kohlschreiber and Jan- [4] David Ferrer (ESP) vs [Q] minutes on the Centre Court at I won here two years ago. It is Lennard Struff — also go into Thiemo de Bakker (NED) the Khalifa Tennis Complex here. always important to start the sea- the new season with a first-round Earlier yesterday, Simone son well and that’s why I am in match-up COURT 1: Start 3.30pm Bolelli fired 10 aces to beat Doha. I hope I continue like this,” The 31-year-old Kohlschreiber [8] Leonardo Mayer (ARG) vs German veteran Benjamin Becker Gasquet, 28, said. won his fifth career title in Andreas Seppi (ITA) to reach round two of the opening Also yesterday, defending Dusseldorf last year. He also Joao Souza (BRA) vs [WC] event of the season. champion Nadal teamed up with made the semi-finals at Halle, Malek Jaziri (TUN) Bolelli, 29, won 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) in Juan Monaco of Argentina to Hamaburg, Dubai and Vienna. Lukas Rosol (CZE) and Sergiy 1 hour and 29 minutes. beat Bolelli and Leonardo Mayer Richard Gasquet of France returns the ball to Pablo Andujar of Spain In a clash that could have Arab Stakhovsky (UKR) vs Pablo Bolelli, who reached the quar- of Argentina 6-3, 6-3 in exactly during their match at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha yesterday. tennis fans interested, Brazil’s Andujar (ESP) and Andreas ter-finals in Doha in 2013, pro- one hour. Joao Souza and Tunisia’s Malek Seppi (ITA) duced five aces in each set to seal In another doubles clash In other singles matches yes- first-round clashes at Khalifa Jaziri will face off. Julian Knowle (AUT) and the match with ease. yesterday, world number one terday, unseeded Dustin Brown Tennis Complex today. Eighth seed Mayer of Argentina Philipp Oswald (AUT) vs [2] Gasquet grabbed the first set Djokovic and Serbian team-mate of the Germany beat Italy’s Paolo Djokovic will take on compa- will be hoping for a win against Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) with ease but saw Andujar, 28, Filip Krajinovic breezed past Lorenzi 7-6, 6-3 in 81 minutes triot Dusan Lajovic in his first Andreas Sippi, the experienced and Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) fight back in game seven while Mohammed Ali Mutawa of Qatar while Croatia’s Ivan Dodig eased ATP Tour clash of the 2015 season Italian. Sippi, 30, made the quar- trailing 4-2. Despite the stutter at and Malek Jaziri of Tunisia. past Egypt’s Mohammed Safwat on Centre Court. ter-finals at six events in 2014. COURT 2: Start 3.30pm 5-3, Gasquet took the second set Djokovic, set to make his Doha 6-3, 6-1. Defending champion Nadal will Also today, Russia’s Mikhail Juan Monaco (ARG) vs [Q] Blaz 7-5 and completed his first career debut today in the singles, and Top seed Djokovic and second be up against qualifier Michael Youzhny will face Georgian quali- Kavcic (SLO) win over the Spaniard. Krajinovic won 6-1, 6-4 in about seed Nadal will officially kick-off Berrer of Germany in his first fier Nikoloz Basilashvili. Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) vs “It was important to build my 53 minutes. the new ATP Tour season with match of the new season. THE PENINSULA [5] Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) David Marrero (ESP) and Fernando Verdasco (ESP) vs New dad Djokovic kicks off Player development [4] Ivan Dodig (CRO) and Max Mirnyi (BLR) COURT 3: Start 3.30pm Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) vs fresh season with Doha test top priority: Khelaifi [WC] Mohammed Ali Mutawa (QAT) BY FAWAD HUSSAIN the season up to his standards DOHA: Apart from organising Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) vs [Q] back in 2013, but then again this the mega events like the Qatar Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) DOHA: World number one year we were fighting up to the ExxonMobil Open, the Qatar [1] Alexander Peya (AUT) Novak Djokovic of Serbia feels last couple of matches in London Tennis Federation (QTF) is also and Bruno Soares (BRA) vs ready to defend his top billing at for number one spot,” he said focusing on producing top ten- Benjamin Becker (GER) and this week’s Qatar ExxonMobil before counting other threats. nis players, said the country’s Artem Sitak (NZL) Open, the season’s first event. “Andy (Murray) is right up game governing body President It is the first event for Djokovic there, and then you have (Tomas) Nasser bin Ghani Al Khelaifi — who became a father last Berdych, (David) Ferrer, these yesterday. Qatar Open October — in Qatar and also guys that have been very con- “It is my dream to see Qatari the first time that his family is sistent and established top-10 players become a regular feature Results traveling with him on the ATP players. of major tournaments,” said Al Tour. “Then you have some new faces Khelaifi when asked about his Results from the first day of the “I (had) never been in Doha, coming up that we, you know, vision of producing top tennis ATP Qatar ExxonMobil Open yesterday never played here, and heard only have seen in the last season that player from the country. QTF President Nasser bin Ghani the nicest things. This is a tour- can challenge and that can win Jabor Mohammed Ali Mutawa, Al Khelaifi speaks in Doha First Round: Simone Bolelli nament that has the long tradi- against the best players in the who got a wild card entry, is the yesterday. (ITA) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) tion, you know, over 20 years, that biggest tournaments, like Cilic, only player representing the hosts 6-3, 7-6 (7/2); Ivan Dodig (CRO) was one of the reasons I wanted to Wawrinka, Nishikori, Raonic, and in the main round. “As you know we have four bt Mohamed Safwat (EGY) 6-3, come here,” Djokovic, who with- Dimitrov, to name a few. Meanwhile, in the press con- players from top ten rankings. 6-1; Richard Gasquet (FRAx6) drew from the final of an exhi- “It’s normal to expect that ference which was held before Novak (Djokovic) is in Doha bt Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-3, bition tournament in Abu Dhabi there is a new wave of tennis opening day’s matches of the for the first time and then Rafa 7-5; Fernando Verdasco (ESP) last week, said yesterday. players who are able to contend Qatar ExxonMobil Open, the QTF (Rafael Nadal), and then (David) bt Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) “I am feeling better. Today, World number one Novak Djokovic for the top spots of the world, President appreciated the role of Ferrer.” 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(7-4); Dustin Brown I’m supposed to play doubles smiles during a press conference who are able to compete for the title sponsors. Flanked by Al Khelaifi at the (GER) bt Paolo Lorenzi (ITA) 7-6(7-3). and see how it goes,” he told a at the Khalifa International Tennis major titles. This time was com- “I would like to thank press conference, the ExxonMobil press conference at the Khalifa and Squash Complex in Doha ing sooner or later and we all ExxonMobil Qatar for their sup- Qatar President and General First Round (Doubles): International Tennis and Squash yesterday. knew that,” said the 27-year old. port,” he said. Manager Alistair Routledge Dominic Inglot (GBR) and Complex ahead of his doubles Despite all the challenges, “It is always an honour to hoped for a spectacular action in Florin Mergea (ROU) bt Denis match. champions and they are still my Djokovic is turning out to be a have them as partner. They are the event. Istomin (UKR) and Mikhail The challenge from his arch- biggest rivals and there is no good father and he was affirm- supporting us since a long time “We look forward to a very Youzhny (RUS) 6-4, 6-7 (3), rivals — Roger Federer and Rafael question about it,” he said. ative to a query ‘whether he and we hope to continue this exciting tournament in pres- 10-6; Juan Monaco (ARG) and Nadal — together with emergence “Rafa didn’t play many matches changes diapers?’ partnership. ence of top players. Its 21st year Rafael Nadal (ESP) bt Simone of young players have forced the in last four, five months. He had “I am giving lots of love and “Without their support we of our sponsorship and truly we Bolelli (ITA) and Leonardo Serb to start the season from the similar issues with injuries few attention to my family, to my could have never been able to do have benefited from this special Mayer (ARG) 6-3, 6-3; Novak first week — only the third time years back, and then he came baby. Of course I’m changing this event like it is today,” the relationship. We thank the team Djokovic (SRB) and Filip in his career. back in 2013 and played maybe diapers. Are you kidding me? Of QTF President said before hop- (QTF) for their hard work they Krajinovic (SRB) bt Mohammed “You cannot count out Rafa, the year of his life,” Djokovic said. course,” he laughed. ing for another successful edition do for delivering a successful Ali Mutawa (QAT) and Malek neither Roger, they are great “Roger also didn’t experience THE PENINSULA of the annual event. event.” THE PENINSULA Jaziri (TUN) 6-1, 6-4.