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Wednesday 14 January 2015 • 23 Rabial I 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6310 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Qatar Stars vs Bayern Munich Charlie Hebdo Free Net connection for Prophet cover draws ire 10,000 workers soon PARIS: Charlie Hebdo’s new cover of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has drawn 25 computer rooms to be set up in labour compounds ire from Muslims all over the world. BY SACHIN KUMAR The ministry yesterday signed Foundation (QF) and CH2M HILL The front page of the French a number of Memoranda of International BV (CH2M). As per satirical newspaper — its first DOHA: At least 10,000 migrant Understandings (MoUs) with the MoUs, these institutions will since many of its staff were slain workers are likely to get free five employers and the Sheikh seek to include provisions with in a terrorist attack last week Internet with the first phase Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani their contractors to provide ICT that killed 12 people — was widely of implementation of ‘Better Humanitarian Services (RAF), facilities for migrant workers taken up by media in Western Connections Programme’ of the the Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) “We are delighted to see a lot nations and in Latin America. Ministry of Information and and Microsoft Qatar. of enthusiasm from a growing But Egypt’s state-sponsored Communication Technology The employers will set up number of public and private Islamic authority, Dar al-Ifta, (ictQatar). rooms and Microsoft Qatar organisations in Qatar joining the quickly denounced it as “an unjus- The ministry, with the help of will provide the software, while Better Connections programme, tified provocation against the feel- other stakeholders, is expected charity organisations will help broaden its scope and increase ings of 1.5 billion Muslims”. to set up 25 computer rooms at in training and provide other the number of migrant work- Tabnak, a conservative online labour compounds across Qatar kind of required support. The ers who will benefit,” said Reem outlet in Iran stormed that in the next three to six months. contractors who signed MoUs Al Mansoori, Digital Society “Charlie Hebdo has again insulted These rooms will be equipped include HBK Contracting, Bin Department Executive Director the Prophet”. Major media in with computers, Internet and Omran Trading & Contracting, at ictQATAR at the MoU signing many Arab, and some African and other supporting infrastructure, Joannou & Paraskevaides, Larsen ceremony. “Today’s MoUs show Asian countries as well as Turkey, where the workers will be able to & Toubro (L&T) and the China the commitment from all of us to did not show the cover because use these devices to get informa- Harbour Engineering. They will achieving digital inclusion across many devout Muslims view any tion and communicate with their set up a total of 25 computer our migrant labour force through depiction of their prophet as for- friends and family members. rooms at their sites. improving their ICT skills and bidden. AFP The programme has evoked The ministry also inked MoUs their lives as a whole,” she added. Qatar Stars’ goalkeeper Claude Amin leaps to catch the ball while See also pages 10 & 11 positive response from employers with the Supreme Committee for Continued on page 2 Bayern Munich’s forward Robert Lewandowski (right) runs past during and charity organisations. Delivery & Legacy (SC), Qatar THE PENINSULA a friendly at the Lekhwiya Stadium in Doha yesterday. Bayern beat the Oil prices plunge Qatar Stars 4-1. See also page 28 BAHER AMIN to new lows NEW YORK: Oil prices slipped toward nearly six-year lows House in Mesaimeer sold for QR7.62bn as property deals soar yesterday after Opec officials underscored the cartel’s resolve DOHA: Qatar’s real estate sec- in Al Rayyan Municipality. The watchers told The Peninsula. were also sold at high prices in name in print told The Peninsula. to not cut output despite a sup- tor opened the New Year with 1,335,806 square metre property Of late, the market is witness- these areas. “The FIFA-related “There is still a huge demand ply glut and plunging prices. record transaction deals. The was sold for QR7.62bn. ing increasing interest in the projects have started picking up for open land along the main US benchmark West Texas combined value of the real estate The past week’s transaction residential complexes. The com- in the suburbs of Doha. Investors roads of North Doha. The land Intermediate fell 18 cents to set- transaction in the first week of value is arguably the biggest plexes that had 400 to 500 resi- are showing increasing interest in prices in areas like Al Kheesa tle at $45.89 a barrel on the New 2015, beginning January 4, hit a weekly value in Qatar’s recent dential units were sold for very these areas. However, land prices, and Al Duhail have touched their York Mercantile Exchange, its record high of QR9.55bn, com- history. With the country’s FIFA- high prices in the past week in which have gone up in exponential peaks due to better infrastructure lowest close since March 11, 2009. pared to QR1.41bn registered in focussed projects picking up, the northern part of Qatar. This rates over the past few months facilities and development of new In London, Brent crude, finished the previous week. Qatar’s real estate transaction has pushed the land prices up in have almost stabilised recently commercial streets,” he said. at $46.59 a barrel, down 84 cents The biggest deal was the sale value is projected to grow by an these areas. except in a few areas,” a property Continued on page 5 from Monday. AFP of a huge house at Mesaimeer average 25 percent in 2015, market Some commercial complexes evaluator, who doesn’t want his THE PENINSULA See also page 17 WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatar construction specifications for safer roads, buildings soon DOHA: The Ministry of the highest level of quality and in terms of quality and cost, he recognition. Environment is making final safety in buildings and roads and added. He said by 2017 the specifica- preparations for issuing Qatar improve their performance and Al Kuwari allayed fears that tions will become international Construction Specifications efficiency,” a local Arabic daily implementation of the new speci- with the issuance of the Qatar (QCS) 2014, a senior official has quoted Al Kuwari as saying. fications could lead to an increase Construction International said. An important element of the in the cost of construction mate- Specification 2017 for hot areas. Dr Mohammed bin Saif Al new specifications is the technical rials. The purpose of QCS 2014 is Until then QCS will be on vogue Kuwari, Assistant Undersecretary requirements for concrete compo- to improve quality, not to increase and upgraded in collaboration with FROM LEFT: Dr Yacoob Ahmed Al Sharah, Assistant Secretary-General, for Laboratories and Specifications nents that have taken into account cost, he said. authorities concerned. Arabisation Centre for Medical Science, Kuwait, and Ahmed Abdulla Al at the ministry, said the new speci- the environment and seeks to The issuance of the ministe- The first edition of the unified Khulaifi, Assistant Secretary-General, Administrative Affairs, Supreme fications will be mandatory for all resist earthquakes and winds and rial decision will be followed by GCC guidelines for construction Council of Health at the workshop yesterday. government and private sector save energy. an awareness campaign to famil- will be launched this December projects three months after issu- A special chapter has been iarise companies with the new and the Qatari specifications will ance of the ministerial decision. included to improve the safety of specifications. be one of the main references for QCS 2014 will make roads railways, said Al Kuwari. Al Kuwari said the ministry will the code, he said. 5,000 words added and buildings safer by improv- Many firms producing ready soon sign an MoU with American The Qatari specifications ing their quality standards. “The mix concrete have applied the Society for Testing and Materials authority is hosting a two-day new specifications are an urgent specifications on a trial basis in for putting the Qatari construc- meeting for the GCC specifications requirement for the people and the some road and building projects tion code at its database. This will authorities to prepare a GCC con- to Arabic medical nation because they can achieve and found the results excellent help the code gain international struction code. THE PENINSULA science vocabulary DOHA: To introduce more Dr Yacoob Ahmed Al Sharah, Migrant workers to become digital champions words to the medical science Assistant Secretary-General, vocabulary in Arabic, more ACMLS, share experience and than 5,000 new words were work at the centre. translated in 2014. He said only Bahrain and Saudi The Arabisation Centre for Arabia in the region teach medi- Medical Science (ACMLS) has cal science in Arabic. translated about 64,000 words In Saudi Arabia, 50 percent since 2009, and some medical of medical science is taught in journals translated into Arabic Arabic, and 10 percent in Bahrain were showcased during a work- while other GCC countries teach shop at the Supreme Council of the subjects in English. Health (SCH) yesterday. ACMLS has published medical It was conducted by ACMLS to textbooks in Arabic and a series introduce its work to nearly 100 of health education publications professionals involved with work for intellectuals. related to medical science. It also publishes Arabisation “It’s a good opportunity to share of Medicine magazine, its mouth- FROM LEFT: Naim Yazbeck, Country Manager, Microsoft Qatar, Reem Al Mansoori, ICT and Society Executive Director, ictQatar, Dr Mohamed Salah information. The SCH looks into piece. It contains latest articles Ibrahim, Executive Director, Sheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani Humanitarian Services (RAF), and Essa Al Mannai, Director, Reach Out To Asia, signing more opportunities and establish and medical research in Arabic the MoU yesterday. SALIM MATRAMKOT contacts to benefit from transla- language. tions and research being done,” ACMLS has also issued spe- Continued from page 1 while overseeing training of ‘Digital Inclusion stakeholders to provide information to said Ahmed Abdulla Al Khulaifi, cialised medical dictionaries and Implementation on contractors’ sites starts Champions’ at workers’ compounds. migrant workers and their employers and Assistant Secretary-General, colourful medical atlases as part immediately and will be based on individually At each compound, a certain number of provide eLearning content to support basic Administrative Affairs, SCH, on of its Arab medical curriculum. agreed upon plans between contractors and migrant workers will be selected and trained ICT skills training of migrant workers. the sidelines of the workshop. ACMLS has translated more partners involved in the delivery of equipment to become ‘Digital Inclusion Champions’, who Content is available in migrant workers’ ACMLS is an Arab regional than 200 authors of medical books and training. will later pass on the knowledge to colleagues. native languages such as Hindi, Nepali and organisation established in 1980 from English into Arabic. Implementation of learning components will Microsoft Qatar will donate 1,000 free Bangla. RAF will source, prepare and donate and part of the Higher Council of Its dictionaries and atlases are be ROTA’s responsibility through coordina- Windows OS and Office licences to RAF under computers to be installed at ICT facilities in Arab Ministers of Public Health, available to readers, researchers, tion, eTraining of volunteers who will train the Microsoft Software Donation Programme. workers’ compounds. the Arab League, and is head- doctors and students in the Arab migrant workers to become digital champions, ictQATAR will coordinate between all THE PENINSULA quartered in Kuwait. world. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Tala’a to test falcons’ ability QIIB to hold second Career Day for Qataris DOHA: The International to identify location of prey Islamic (QIIB) will host its sec- ond edition of Career Day at Sheraton Doha from January 20-22. It has invited all qualified 100 contestants in four groups to vie for honours in Sabkhat Marmi young Qataris looking to work in the banking sector. DOHA: One hundred competi- “Hiring Qatari males and tors are participating in the females is a decision taken by our Tala’a event which begins today human resources department, and at the sixth Qatar Falcons and we ensure that recruited candi- Hunting Festival in Sabkhat dates are provided with appropri- Marmi in Mesaieed. ate training and will benefit from Divided into four groups of 25, career enhancement and suitable the falcons will compete in the promotions,” said Abdulbasit A Al exciting category which tests Shaibei, CEO. their ability to identify the loca- “We are proud to put into tion of their prey. action directives of the Emir Abdulbasit A Al Shaibei, CEO, QIIB. An electronic Habari bird (or H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al bustard) is used in place of a real Thani which stress utmost care in them and providing them with bird. It looks like a real bird in of Qatari people and developing the best training and develop- terms of shape, size and colour. their skills. We act in accordance ment programmes, he said. It is put about one kilometre with government plans vis-a-vis Al Shaibei said a screening away and the time begins from Qatarisation,” he added. committee will interview the can- the moment the falcon is released. The three-day event will be didates and choose the right ones Ali bin Nouro Al Marri, a mem- from 8am to 3pm. The event for for the available positions in all ber of the event’s organising com- the second year in a row reflects departments and branches in the mittee, said the panel will ensure QIIB’s commitment to recruit as bank’s network. In view of heavy that everything is prepared when many young Qataris as possible turnout of candidates last year, the event starts at 6am. and encourage them to work in the number of days for interviews He urged participants to be at the banking sector. this time has been increased to the site on time. A participant displaying his shooting skills. Al Shaibei said the bank three from two. Last year’s event The competition will be partic- ensures the recruitment of hired 65 Qatari males and females ularly strong this year, Al Marri Meanwhile, two new winners respectively, caught the homing number of visitors, according to Qataris in the best way possible, for different positions. said, given that the festival is in moved past the eighth round of pigeons they chased during the Ahmed Mubarak Al Kuwari, thereby contributing to Qatar’s The bank provided them with its sixth edition, and organisers Hudud Al Tahaddi Challenge yes- event, following an exciting chase the event’s organiser. It is being economic growth. adequate training to help them have noted the ever-improving terday as the falcons Marmi and through the air above Sabkhat held from 9am to noon daily and The national workforce of perform with excellence, which standard at which hunters have Hazam, owned by Salem Mubarak Marmi. shooters target plates flung into Qatari males and females is the gives them the opportunity to been training and competing Mohammed Al Shahwani and On the sidelines of the festival, the air within the shooting range. country’s greatest asset and the grow professionally, he said. with their falcons over the years. Saleh Nasser Al Shahwani, a shooting event attracted a large THE PENINSULA bank is committed to investing THE PENINSULA

FNAC to open first store in Qatar in March DOHA: FNAC, French distributor of cultural, pioneer in the Qatari market across a spectrum of entertainment and electronic products, is partici- industries. FNAC is represented by Darwish Holding pating in the 25th Doha International Book Fair at the fair and displaying publications and French ahead of the opening of its first store in Qatar in books, including latest releases and Literary Awards- March. winnng books for children and adults in addition to For its premiere in the Middle East, FNAC will the classics of French and Francophone literature, open its first store at Lagoona Mall and plans to and French language learning books. During the fair, open many more in the country with the signing the store will host cultural and educational activities of a franchise agreement with Darwish Holding, a and signing ceremonies. THE PENINSULA

British Ambassador Nicholas Hopton with officers of the Ministry of Interior at the ceremony. MoI centre wins global accreditation DOHA: The Leaders completion of accreditation standards development programmes and work- Development Centre and nomination forms for leadership shops carried out by the centre. under the office of the and quality assurance programmes The accreditation qualifies the Minister of Interior has and their content and goals,” he said. assessing officers at the ministry for won an international He said in light of the review of all the international licence as future accreditation certificate those models and work procedures, leadership assessment officers. in the field of leader- the institute granted the certificate, Hopton stressed the importance of ship and management recognising the centre as one of the the historical relationship and coop- from British Institute accredited international ones in the eration between Qatar and the UK of Leadership and field of preparation and develop- in various fields, including training. Management. ment of leaders and accreditation of THE PENINSULA It held a ceremony to mark the occasion and honoured eight officers from the ministry who completed the assessment process of the young lead- ership at the ministry. British Ambassador Nicholas Hopton, Brig. Hussain Hassan Al Jaber, Director, Human Resources Department at the minis- try, Brig. Bader Al Ghanim, Director, the technical office of the Minister, Col. Abdul Rahman Majid Al Sulaiti, Director, Strategic Planning Department, and other officers from the ministry were present. Brig. Al Ghanim thanked the concerned departments and officers who contrib- uted for the success of the centre during the past years and praised the offic- ers who assessed the young leadership of the ministry. He said the centre is keen to take measures to lend credibility and qual- ity to all procedures to comply with the standards followed by international institutions and specialised agencies. “We coordinated with the institute to ensure that the procedures taken by the centre comply with international standards and implement measures to meet the requirements for accreditation, includ- ing the visit of a team from the institute to the centre to review its works and executed programmes and verify documents for the WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME QEWC honours ex-chairman Al Attiyah Al Sada highlights contributions

DOHA: Qatar Electricity and decisionmaking, and international Water Company (QEWC) recognition for his contributions. organised a ceremony to hon- “He was the guide and the our Administrative Control teacher, and he is today the big and Transparency Authority brother and dear friend for whom Chairman H E Abdullah bin I have all the love, respect and Hamad Al Attiyah, former appreciation,” Al Sada said. chairman of QEWC board of The Minister also highlighted directors, for his efforts towards Al Attiyah’s impact on QEWC the design and implementation under the directives on the Father of the company’s public policy. Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin QEWC leaders, board members Khalifa Al Thani. and staff were present. Over four consecutive ses- The Minister of Energy and sions, Al Attiyah as chairman Industry and Chairman of QEWC of QEWC, devoted attention to H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al develop plants and establish new Sada expressed pride to honour ones and projects and engage Al Attiyah and said the former in investments and profitable chairman’s efforts during his ten- partnerships. ure helped QEWC earn the privi- Thanks to his efforts, QEWC leged position it has reached. has become one of the leading The Administrative Control and Transparency Authority Chairman and former chairman of QEWC board of directors H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah He praised Al Attiyah’s achieve- power and water desalination ments not only as the chairman of firms in the region. It doubled its (fourth right) and the Minister of Energy and Industry and current QEWC Chairman H E Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada (third right) with other officials QEWC but also over 40 years of assets and increased annual earn- at the ceremony. hard work and continuous effort. ings exceeding paid-up capital, He said he worked with Al which positively impacted on the over QEWC’s development and the fruit of joint work and coop- Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for development. He also thanked Attiyah for more than 20 years distribution of profits to share- growth during his chairmanship eration between all members of support and motivation which the QEWC board and staff for in the oil and gas sector and wit- holders, Al Sada said. and said it had never been the the board. He praised the Father were the main reason behind their hard work to achieve the nessed his firmness and courage in Al Attiyah expressed pleasure result of individual effort, but was Emir and the Emir H H Sheikh the company’s progress and company’s goals. QNA TMS forum reviews research DOHA: The Minerals, Metals & that the partnership with QU, QEERI and Materials Society (TMS) Middle East- Qapco along with other organisations allowed Mediterranean Materials Congress on us to host such an international meeting.” Energy and Infrastructure Systems is The forum aims to build synergy among focusing on new materials research and researchers working on different materials development in applications of inter- applications but with similar objectives of est for Qatar, the Middle East and the enhancing design, sustainability, and func- Mediterranean region. tionality of materials. Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) It also aims to establish collabora- is co-hosting the forum which ends today. tion among academia, research institu- It is co-organised and sponsored by Qatar tions, and the industry in the Middle East, University, Qatar Energy and Environment Mediterranean region and the rest of the Research Institute and Qapco. world. The three-day event includes three Dr Eyad Masad, Executive Associate Dean sessions aligning with three topical tracks — and Professor of Mechanical Engineering, sustainable infrastructure materials; mate- TAMUQ, said, “The conference is organised rials for energy extraction, conversion and in conjunction with TMS which is the pre- storage; and computational materials design. Officials taking part in the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (TMS) Middle East-Mediterranean Materials Congress. mier materials society in the world. I am glad THE PENINSULA First comprehensive book on seasonal flowers on display

DOHA: Gardening in be the first in a series Arabia, the first com- that raises awareness prehensive resource on about simple steps seasonal flowers in the people can take to Gulf, is on display at the tackle environmental Ministry of Culture, challenges. Arts and Heritage “Researching and stand at the 25th Doha writing the book rep- International Book resented a first step Fair. towards my goal of edu- Written by Qatari cating people on the Shuaa Al Sada, the book wide variety of plants is Arabic and English that can flourish in the provides a practical Gulf. guide to designing and “My dream is to planting gardens in the establish an educa- Gulf. tional farm and garden It is available in book- that can expose children stores, including Jarir and adults to the flora Bookstore, WHSmith of the region and pro- and www.amazon.com mote a lifelong passion The book lists over 50 for planting beautiful plants with photographs gardens.” for each, making it a During her 18-year handy reference when career as a member purchasing seeds and beautiful gardens, by Latin name, their of the Marine Biology plants. whether small or large, botanical classification, Department, Al Sada Al Sada drew from public or private,” says origins and leaf type. collaborated on marine personal experience in Al Sada. Al Sada, a former environment research. writing the book, plant- “By understanding assistant professor While travelling, she ing each flower in her these wonderful crea- at Qatar University, would often bring back garden before docu- tions, their names and stressed the importance seeds from exotic loca- menting their colour, characteristics, we can of agriculture and gar- tions and plant them. size, flowering season, contribute to develop- dening in balancing out The book was edited and the best ways to ing or expanding green the rapid urban develop- by Sabina Knees of Royal care for the plant. spaces.” ment witnessed by the Botanical Garden’s “My goal through The book is also a region, and ensuring Centre for Middle this work is to empower scientific botanical sustainability. Eastern Plants and pub- every person, every resource, listing the Al Sada said she lished by Akkadia Press. home to create their plants alphabetically intends for the book to THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 Over 3,300 voters 59 students attend HBKU’s register for CMC poll in first two days LeaderShape programme DOHA: Fifty-nine students from Hamad Bin Khalifa DOHA: More than 3,300 Qatari registration had problems in University’s partner universi- voters signed up for the Central identifying their constituency ties have learnt about leading Municipal Council (CMC) elec- due to the changes in several con- with integrity at a six-day insti- tions in the first two days since stituencies following the recent tute, designed to support their registration opened on Sunday. restructuring. growth into future leaders. The turnout saw a sharp Some could not recall their The annual LeaderShape increase on the second day, reach- house or street number. In such programme included experien- ing 2,082 compared to 1,240 on situations, officials at the cen- tial learning activities, time for the first day. tres are helping them to identify self-reflection and dialogue and A major chunk of the voters their location using maps or by a panel session with guest speak- were women, with the number contacting relatives. ers who drew on their leadership reaching 1,444 in the first two “Voters are not turned back for expertise to guide the students’ days, according to figures pro- such reasons,” said an official. development. vided by Al Sharq. Many registration booths LeaderShape, in its ninth year Registration in the 29 constitu- reported citizens waiting for in Qatar and coordinated by the encies across the country contin- their turn even before the cen- Student Life team of HBKU, ues smoothly, said the daily. tres opened to complete the pro- forms part of EBDA – an ongo- The registration centres also cedures early. ing leadership development pro- received a good number of young Registration takes a few min- gramme involving HBKU and voters who have just completed utes, said officials. The centres Qatar University and sponsored the legal age of 18 years. are open daily from 4pm to 7pm. by Maersk Oil Qatar. Voters are required to pro- For the first time, authorities The programme focuses on The students pose for a group photo during the programme. vide details about their area of have allowed voters to register building leadership skills in stu- residence, house number, street online through Metrash 2. dents through experience-based number, electricity number and Many citizens are using the learning. cultural reference and vision. problem- solving and trust were Another speaker, Mohammed the name of their constituency. system while others are going to Ameena Hussain, Director, “I congratulate the students needed and another where a Arif, Head of Learning, However, many who came for the centres. THE PENINSULA Student Life, said, “LeaderShape who took part, and the guest transformational blueprint was Enterprise Qatar, challenged started in the US but its reputa- speakers from industry who pro- needed to overcome a situation the students to develop skills in tion for supporting students to vided real life insights about the of chaos and change. relationship management and reflect, learn and then develop challenges and opportunities of LeaderShape this year fea- collaboration. leadership skills is entrenched in modern leadership. The merging tured five speakers, including LeaderShape is open to all stu- Qatar after nine years. of theory and practical workshops Moza Al Naimi, Head, Shared dents attending HBKU and its More projects to be launched “The concept of leading with and insight was a powerful mix Services, Maersk Oil Qatar’s partner universities and those integrity is a running theme again at LeaderShape.” Human Resource Department attending Qatar University, who Continued from page 1 Doha Municipality and QR45m throughout the programme, and Each of the six days, who encourage the students not are interested in further devel- February and March will see worth land deal under Al Dayeen it is always pleasing to see stu- LeaderShape focused on a dif- to wait for opportunities, but seek oping leadership and problem- the launch of projects by the gov- Municipality. dents define it in their way, based ferent theme, including a them out and take responsibility solving skills in a challenging ernment and the private sector During the first nine months on individual personality style, team challenge course where for their personal development. environment. THE PENINSULA in these areas which will further of the past year, July witnessed push up the property value, he growth in the transaction value said. which reached QR6.8bn, up 23.6 According to real estate percent compared to July 2013. Bookings start, first marriage in new complex on Friday transaction data released by the The value during January stood Ministry of Justice, the past week at QR4.8bn, up 71.8 percent a DOHA: Bookings for the newly-built mar- makeshift walls that can be removed to make the complex in person. An SMS of confirma- saw 120 transactions compared to year ago, but the trade value fell riage complex has started and the first way for a supersize hall that can accommodate tion is also sent by the system. If the person 94 in the previous week. The sec- to QR2.9bn in February, down 6.5 marriage will be held on the premises on up to 2,500 people, Al Arab reports. does not go to the complex for confirmation ond biggest deal in the past week percent compared to the same Friday. The complex on Al Rafah Street has The hall can be booked online by logging in within 72 hours, the booking will be cancelled. was the sale of a villa in Al Waab month in 2013, before rebound- five super luxury halls built by the govern- http://www.alrayyanevents.qa/. The complex is open from 9am to 5pm. A per- under Al Rayyan Municipality for ing to QR4.2bn in March, up 44.8 ment to allot for Qataris marrying for the For online booking, the system asks per- son can book one or more halls as per the QR950m. Other top deals of the percent during the same month in first time, at nominal charges. sonal details of the user with telephone situation. The complex is the entrance of Al week include a QR70m transac- 2013. Each hall can accommodate 500 peo- number and address. After filling the data, a Rafa Street from Al Shihaniya-Dukhan Road, tion in Umm Ghuwailina under THE PENINSULA ple. They are interconnected, separated by reference number is given to be confirmed at near Al Rayan Sport Club. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME / MIDDLE EAST Kahramaa female Qatari engineers take part in Ooredoo to back more leadership workshop DOHA: Qatar General Electricity smart cities this year and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) yesterday organised a motivational session for female Supports initiatives across its global operations to lead the trend Qatari engineers to enhance their professional and leadership skills. DOHA: Ooredoo continues Asia, which are key markets for workshops. implementation, scope and The session was conducted by to enhance its leadership role Ooredoo. The company has introduced benefits of solutions, including Bashayar Al Awwad, a globally in Smart City technologies in According to the research cutting-edge Ooredoo Machine smart mobility, smart connec- renowned professional, according 2015, building on its expertise group IHS Technology, the to Machine (M2M) services to tivity, and smart IT sourcing, to a statement. and recognising the grow- number of smart cities will Qatar, enabling firms to con- and discussed how to plan, The event was in line with ing demand for such services quadruple by 2025, with at least nect business assets directly implement and operate the Kahramaa’s corporate objective to across its global footprint. 88 all over the world, up from with each other or a central smart IT ecosystem with cloud- attract, develop and retain a high- More than 10 major cities 21 in 2013. command centre, removing the based applications and infra- performing workforce and support within Ooredoo’s footprint are To be at the cutting-edge of need for human involvement, structural choices. Qatarisation. classified as “mega-cities” host- the trend, Ooredoo supported and introducing new solutions Indosat also launched three Al Awwad, Vice-President, ing a population of over 10 mil- smart city initiatives over the directly into homes. smart services at the event, pre- World Federation of Engineering lion, and more are set to join past year across its operations. Ooredoo also launched the miering MyApps, an Application Organization, (WFEO) and Bashayar Al Awwad, Vice-President, them as rural populations move In December 2014, Ooredoo Smart Living-Baytcom Project Marketplace; WAN Optimizer, Chairwoman, WFEO’s ‘Women in World Federation of Engineering into bigger urban areas. Qatar was confirmed as a lead at the recent ITU Telecom to optimise the Wide Area Engineering’ Standing Committee, Organization, conducting the This year is likely to see a rise partner in the Smart Cities World, a ‘Proof of Concept Network bandwidth for busi- highlighted key points which would workshop. in the number of smart cities Council, an industry coalition Demo House’ filled with the nesses, and its M2M platform. help participants overcome chal- — urban areas which use ICT formed to accelerate the move next generation of smart living Ooredoo is working with lead- lenges they may face in their pro- enabling simultaneously to deliver solutions to address mobile, to smart, sustainable cities. concepts. ing organisations to support fessional life. high-quality output within a healthy transport, energy sustainability, Ooredoo joined global leaders Ooredoo’s Indosat organised a the development of smart cit- The four-hour event was attended work environment. infrastructure, governance and in the smart cities sector who conference on smart technology ies and has signed an alliance by a large number of Qatari female Nasser Al Mohannadi, Corporate security issues. sit on the council, including in Jakarta, Indonesia, during the with KT Corporation of Korea engineers from various departments. Services Director, said: “Kahramaa As cities deal with increasing IBM, Microsoft, MasterCard, year. The ‘Smart ICT for your to introduce new concepts and Before the session, several direc- has set out plans to inculcate the issues, including over-popula- and Cisco. Business Success’ saw a keynote innovations. tors and managers also addressed culture of excellence and continu- tion, traffic congestion, pollu- As lead partner, Ooredoo presentation by the Mayor of It is implementing a cloud- the engineers about the session. ous professional and personality tion and high levels of energy will have the opportunity to aid Bandung on the application of based M2M platform, which will The programme focused on sup- development in its Qatari talents consumption, smart cities are the direction of the emerging smart city technologies in his be rolled out in several countries porting the engineers in creating and ensure the application of the emerging as an opportunity to smart cities sector in Qatar, city, which is the second largest this year. M2M services will be an environment where they feel standards of corporate excellence in enrich the lives of the people. the region and the world. It will metropolitan area in Indonesia available for businesses and can supported and encouraged in their all operations at all organisational There is demand in emerging also contribute to the council’s with an urban population of play a key role in implementing personality development endeavours, levels.” THE PENINSULA economies in the Middle East knowledge, including city tools around 9m. smart city technologies. and North Africa and Southeast and resources, mentoring and The forum analysed THE PENINSULA

Georgian President meets Qatari envoy IS in high-tech war to win Western recruits QRC meeting TBILISI: Georgian President BEIRUT: Jihadist groups tied to the attack appear to be linked to presence on Facebook and hostage John Cantlie, a jour- reviews Giorgi Margvelashvili yester- men who attacked France’s Charlie different jihadist groups. Twitter and even allows its nalist kidnapped in Syria, to day met the outgoing Qatari Hebdo magazine and a Paris kosher The two brothers who tar- fighters to converse publicly present a series of “documenta- Ambassador Mohammed bin supermarket are waging an increas- geted Charlie Hebdo were with potential recruits on ries” intended to show what life changes in Khamis Al Kuwari. ingly sophisticated propaganda cam- linked to Al Qaeda in the question-and-answer sites like is life in areas under its control. He praised the envoy’s efforts paign targeting Western recruits, Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Ask.fm. Though jihadist propa- Seville deal in further enhancing relations experts say. which is based in Yemen. “Islamic State has really ganda is primarily intended between both countries. Organisations ranging from the The third attacker appears honed its media strategy,” said to encourage Western recruits DOHA: Experts discussed Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and to have pledged allegiance to IS. Charlie Winter, a researcher to join them in battle, it also humanitarian statutory Butchery closed Syria to Al Qaeda and even the Somali Jihadists use a variety of at the Quilliam Foundation, a urges sympathisers to carry out amendments on the sec- Al Shebab group have sought to exploit media for their message. counter-extremist think tank. attacks at home. ond day of the Mena Red down over fraud the anonymity and reach of the Internet Since 2010, AQAP has pro- “It has a standardised format, Last year, IS spokesman Abu Cross and Red Crescent to attract Western members. duced the English-language which makes it easy to identify Mohamed Al Adnani singled Consultative Meeting hosted DOHA: The Ministry of They urge recruits to come to the bat- Inspire magazine, released as official Islamic State propa- out France in a message urging by Qatar Red Crescent Economy and Commerce has tlefield, but also encourage them to carry periodically in PDF format ganda. It is very productive, it followers to kill “disbelievers” in (QRC). closed down a butchery in out violence at home. with articles expounding on its has an output rate of four or the West. Moderated by Saleh bin Ali Nuaija for selling Australian Jihadist groups have targeted Western ideology and instructing read- five videos a week,” he said. “The first thing they’re going Al Mohannadi, QRC Secretary- meat as New Zealand meat. recruits for decades, but the Internet has ers on how to carry out attacks. The group also relies on “a to try to do is to get people to General, the day’s events cov- The closer is for one month revolutionised their approach, accord- In recent issues it singled wide, decentralised network of come to them, but they know ered amendments proposed from January 12. ing to Clint Watts, a senior fellow at the out France as a target and put people who are almost obsessive that there are a lot of barriers,” to the International RCRC The ministry said on its website Foreign Policy Research Institute. Charlie Hebdo’s editor-in-chief in their need to share things” to said Watts. “In the absence of a Movement charter known as that the closure followed after a “Thirty years ago it took a long time Stephane Charbonnier, who distribute its material, Winter way to get there, they say ‘Stay the Seville Agreement. raid on the outlet. to get everyone to Afghanistan” where was killed in last week’s attack, added. where you are and do attacks at The meeting also held pre- Inspectors discovered that the jihadists were fighting Soviet troops, he on a “Most Wanted” list. IS and its backers also use home,’ which is why you’ve seen liminary deliberations on butchery displayed Australian said. Al Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s high-profile methods, like a lot of these sort of attacks in RCRC coordination and guide- lamb as New Zealand lamb and “Now they propagate through social Syrian affiliate, publishes slickly this week’s hacking of the recent months.” lines for using Red Cross and Pakistani calf liver as local vari- media, that’s why it can happen so produced video, as well as pho- Pentagon’s Central Command Experts say radicalisation Red Crescent emblems in the ety, which is a commercial fraud, quickly, they can rapidly ramp up tos and statements, through Twitter feed, to gain notice. through online propaganda media. the ministry said. recruitment.” official accounts on Twitter Experts say foreign recruits can happen quickly or over the IFRC (the International THE PENINSULA/QNA The three men involved in the France and the video-sharing website play a key role in jihadist course of years. Federation of Red Cross and YouTube. outreach. But they agree that address- Red Crescent) Secretary- And Somalia’s Al Shebab Most prominent jihadist ing root causes is key to stem- General, Elhadj As Sy, spoke has frequently used Twitter to groups now advertise their ming recruitment, including about the importance of the reach out to potential followers. operations in Western lan- by denying jihadist groups meeting as an opportunity to But perhaps no group has guages and often feature videos battlefield successes that fuel find out what is done by the harnessed the power of the of Westerners describing life on propaganda. national societies in such a Internet as effectively as IS, the battlefield. Winter urged governments region that has long suffered which eschewed the password- “They are a way to get to work with grassroots groups from crises but is known for protected forums preferred by through to a population that to address the marginalisation extraordinary hospitality and Al Qaeda in favour of popular might otherwise be difficult to in Western countries that is generosity, even to strangers. social media sites. reach,” Winter said. sending some into the arms of THE PENINSULA It quickly established a IS has even used British jihadists. AFP

Quality Retail Group to open fifth hypermarket

DOHA: Quality Group of Companies announced the opening of fifth hypermarket of their Retail Group in Bin Mahmoud. Quality Group Managing Director Shamsudheen Olakara told a press conference at Quality Hypermarket, Salwa Road, that the new hypermar- ket will open in the third week of February, with more innova- tions to cater to the needs and expectations of customers. The hypermarket has three FROM LEFT: A B Saneesh, Quality Retail Group Purchase Manager, Aboonavas, General Manager, floors with the total area of Shamsudheen Olakara, Managing Director, Quality Group, Mins Mathew, Group Financial Controller, and 100,000 square feet. Shahid, Executive Manager, during the press conference at Quality Hypermarket, Salwa Road Branch, The ground floor includes yesterday. KAMMUTTY VP shops and kiosks like pharmacy, optical, flowers and chocolates, and decor, stationery and fash- A Metro rail station is Manager, Aboonavas, Group coffee shops, ATMs, Automatic ion jewellery, among others. coming up adjacent to the Financial Controller, Mins Utility Payment Machines, for- The top floor houses electric, hypermarket and it will be a Mathew, Executive Manager, eign exchanges, food and non- electronic, IT and technology convenient shopping destina- Shahid, Finance Manager, food items. and home appliances shops. tion for passengers. Mahinudheen, Group HR The first floor has mobile Spacious and convenient Olakara also announced a Manager, Arif, and Purchase phone, watch and fashion shops, parking is also ready. sixth project, Quality Mall – Manager A B Saneesh also beauty parlours for men and The Travelator facility has Hilal, which will open by the participated in the press children, garments and ready- been arranged to help custom- last week of March. conference. made, footwear, home furniture ers select brands and products. Quality Retail Group General THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Court ruling may free Spain urges more help Mubarak for Gaza rebuilding CAIRO: An Egyptian appeals court yesterday overturned a three-year prison sentence Spanish FM meets families who lost homes in war against ousted strongman Hosni Mubarak on corruption GAZA CITY: Spanish Foreign homes damaged or destroyed. rain and freezing conditions. charges and ordered a retrial Minister Jose Manuel Garcia- Although the fighting stopped “The winter storms have in the sole case pending against Margallo called for more inter- more than four months ago, heightened the vulnerability of a him. Supporters of the 86-year- national help for Gaza as he met reconstruction has yet to begin population that is struggling to old former leader broke into yesterday with families who lost in earnest for a variety of rea- recover from the 50-day conflict. cheers and chanted “Long Live their homes in last summer’s sons, including delays caused by Reconstruction is slow and dis- Justice!” as the court announced war with Israel. the conditions of Israel’s blockade content is growing as funds and its decision. “The international community on the territory. support fail to materialise,” an In November, another court must act rapidly to rebuild Gaza,” Standing next to him, Pierre UNRWA statement said. had dropped murder charges he told reporters at a UN-run Krahenbuhl, the commissioner “To date, some $135m has been against Mubarak over the deaths school in Gaza City, one of a general of the UN agency for received by UNRWA, leaving a of protesters during the 2011 number of places hosting some Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), funding gap of $585m for shelter uprising that ended his three 17,000 Gazans who were displaced warned that delaying the recon- assistance. UNRWA is warning decades of autocratic rule. during the war. struction “would have negative that unless the current situation A lower court had handed down “The inhabitants of Gaza are consequences”. changes, funds for cash assistance the jail sentence against Mubarak living through a real tragedy,” Last week, a major winter will run out in February.” So far, in May last year after convicting he said, referring to the 50-day storm battered the region, leav- UNRWA has provided $70m in him of embezzling money ear- war which left nearly 2,200 ing three infants dead and thou- aid to more than 40,000 fami- An employee of the former Hamas government holds placard in front of the marked for the maintenance of Palestinians dead, more than sands of families suffering from lies for repairing their damaged gate of the unity government headquarters in Gaza City yesterday. presidential palaces. 10,000 wounded and over 120,000 the gale force winds, torrential homes, Krahenbuhl said. It had also given four-year jail On Monday, Garcia-Margallo sentences to the toppled leader’s met his Palestinian counter- Hamas employees in pay sons, Alaa and Gamal. Four other part Riyad Al Malki in the West defendants in the graft case were Bank city of Ramallah, as well as acquitted last year. Palestinian Prime Minister Rami protest at unity govt HQ The Court of Cassation did Hamdallah, who heads a national not specify whether Mubarak consensus government which was GAZA CITY: Hundreds of movement. Since the striking was a free man following its formed in June in the wake of a Hamas employees began a sit-in the deal, Hamas been demand- judgement. reconciliation agreement between in front of the headquarters of ing the new government pay the But defence lawyer Farid Al Hamas and its rivals in Fatah, the Palestinian unity government salaries of the 50,000 civil serv- Deeb said that his client ought the party of President Mahmoud in Gaza yesterday, vowing to stay ants it recruited after its takeover to go free as he “has already Abbas. until their salaries were paid. of Gaza in 2007, who took the jobs served” three years in detention, In mid-November, the Spanish “Our sit-in is peaceful and we of 70,000 Fatah employees. including the time he spent in parliament voted in favour of a do not want to destroy public Partial payments of $1,200 each custody awaiting trial. motion urging Madrid’s conserv- property, but we will stay here were made to 24,000 Hamas civil “But he will remain in hospital ative government to recognise until our members are recognised servants in late October. But the because he is not feeling well,” Palestine in coordination with and their salaries paid,” union other 26,000, who work in security Deeb said. A legal expert said any similar move by the European spokesman Khalil Al Zayan said. functions, have received nothing. there was no reason Mubarak Union, drawing an angry response Zayan noted that staff recruited “We’ve had enough of the would remain detained. from Israel. by the former Hamas administra- false promises. Either the gov- “Legally he should be released On January 1, Spain began a tion had not received any wages ernment resigns or it takes all because he has either served his two-year term as a non-perma- for seven months. of Gaza’s responsibilities, like in time or nearly finished it, and nent member of the UN Security “They can no longer support the West Bank,” Zayan said. At according to the law he could Council where the Palestinians their families, this is unaccept- the end of December, hundreds be released after serving two- tried and failed to have a resolu- able,” he said of the crisis loom- of Hamas civil servants blocked thirds of his time,” said Gamal tion passed late last year calling ing over a spring reconciliation the entrance to the unity gov- Eid, a legal expert at the Arabic Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo chats with students to set an end date for the Israeli agreement between the Islamist ernment’s headquarters during a Network for Human Rights at a school in Gaza City yesterday. occupation. group and Palestinian presi- visit to Gaza by West Bank-based Information. AFP AFP dent Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah ministers. AFP Saudi Arabia increases jail term for human rights lawyer DUBAI: A Saudi judge has argued that the lawyer had failed to comment on the case. sentenced a prominent human to retract his views or express Badawi said her husband, who rights lawyer to an addi- remorse over them. is 35, had long objected to the tri- tional five years in jail, his wife “The judge accepted the bunal set up in 2008 to try ter- said, after he refused to show request and increased the sen- rorism suspects. It has since been remorse or recognise the court tence to 15 years imprisonment,” used to send rights campaigners that handed down his original Badawi said by telephone from to prison. 10-year term for sedition. the Red Sea city of Jeddah after “Walid sees this court as lack- Walid Abu Al Khair, founder the hearing in Riyadh attended ing basic international standards and director of watchdog group by US and European Union for any tribunal and had objected Monitor of Human Rights in diplomats. to trying even terrorists in it, let Saudi Arabia, was sentenced last The Saudi Justice Ministry alone rights activists,” she said. year to 10 years in jail on charges was not immediately available REUTERS that included breaking his allegiance to King Abdullah, showing disre- spect for the authorities and creating an unauthor- ised association. The Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh also gave Abu al-Khair a five-year suspended sen- tence, fined him SR200,000 ($53,300), banned him from leaving the kingdom for a further 15 years after his eventual release and shut down all his websites. Abu Al Khair’s wife, rights activist Samar Badawai, said the court had decided on Monday to increase his sentence after an appeal by the public prosecutor, who had Tunisia arrests 3 Europeans in drugs haul TUNIS: Tunisian police seized five tonnes of can- nabis on a yacht and arrested three European nationals, in a record drugs haul for the North African country, the interior ministry said yesterday. “Three tonnes were seized at first on Sunday and then another two tonnes were found on the yacht” in the coastal resort of Yasmine-Hammamet, south of Tunis, ministry spokesman Mohamed Ali Aroui said. AFP WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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

FTER the Paris attacks, the debate is on. All sides Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate -- those advocating freedom of expression at the cost of others’ freedoms and beliefs and those Acalling for this freedom to be tempered by respect for others, and those caught in the middle -- are pulling out all stops to make their case. Much of this debate, raging in the traditional and social media, has been healthy and If milk’s cheaper than water, civilized and has helped at least some to see the full truth, and remove the self-imposed veil from their faces to take a close look at the other side, to see what is going on inside their minds. what happens to the cows? The debates and responses to the Paris attack have driven BY ROS COWARD home a number of points. First, it has proved that it’s wrong Functional would best describe it – and considerably. More British fruit is avail- to think all of the West and those who spiritedly defend random, if you consider the occasional freedom of expression in the rest of the world fully subscribe IDL, Asda, Aldi and Iceland sales of trombones and horse blankets. to Charlie Hebdo’s virulent, provocative brand of journalism. have now cut the cost of milk But leaving aside the experience, why to 89p for four pints,making should anyone object to food getting Several British and American columnists and newspapers milk cheaper than most min- cheaper? The answer is simple: pro- have been quick to point out the hatred, Islamophobia and L In America most milk eral water. This is astonishing, given ducing decent food isn’t cheap. It can’t racism lurking behind the Charlie Hebdo cartoons, and said that milk is a food that is the end be. Because if you want decent food, it is supplied by massive it’s not the kind of journalism they would like to practice in product of a slow, costly, and, hopefully, involves treating animals well, raising their own countries. The initial outpouring of compassion careful process of rearing animals and them in the open air and using farm- industrial units (I would at the killings was followed by an impartial analysis and in their fodder. No wonder the British ing practices that are sustainable and dairy industry is now looking at ruin. don’t destroy the environment. This never call them farms) that postmortem, some blame was heaped on Charlie Hebdo Asda claims that, in making this costs money. where thousands of cows too for precipitating the events. And some who wanted the recent price reduction, it is continu- If low-cost supermarkets continue world’s Muslims and their faith to answer for the perversion ing to pay producers the same price, to hold down milk prices, the end will are kept inside all year. of some militants were given taking the loss itself to get custom- come swiftly for producers providing fitting, incisive replies by their ers through its doors. But as farming milk according to those principles. We own people. For example, in costs have risen will lose the smaller milk producers able and because customers value it, it The Paris attack over the last year, and the sight of grass-fed cows in our gets a better price. a sinister tweet, media mogul the prices paid to countryside. It has never been easy convinc- has shown Rupert Murdoch said that “maybe dairy producers In America most milk is supplied ing the British public of the need to us that not most Moslems” were peaceful have been held by massive industrial units (I would pay more for our food rather than but all must be held responsible Decent food isn’t down. As the new never call them farms) where thou- less. It doesn’t come naturally to a everybody in the “until they recognise and destroy cheap, and if the mantra for shop- sands of cows are kept inside all year. nation indoctrinated for so long into pers has become Consequently you rarely, if ever, see the belief that food production should their growing jihadist cancer”. West supports ‘Lidlisation’ price “give us food as grass-fed dairy cows in fields. The only be an increasingly efficient industrial World-famous British author cheap as Lidl”, cattle seen occasionally are groups process producing ever cheaper goods. Charlie Hebdo’s of the Harry Potter fame had a wars continue it milk has been a of bullocks being raised together for Other nations are better in this regard. hate-filled witty, sharp reply to Murdoch: “I could mean the key weapon in the slaughter. That’s the way our dairy Many French people I know are much was born Christian. If that makes resulting super- industry will have to go to keep it cheap. readier to accept that food expenditure journalism. Rupert Murdoch my responsibility, end of grass-fed market price That, or milk will be imported from takes up a fairly large part of weekly wars. abroad, from places where the animals expenses, an observation borne out in I’ll auto-excommunicate,” she cows in our fields. In recent and environment are less well-tended national statistics. The British on aver- tweeted. years, few have and labour is cheap. age spend 8.9 % of their annual income Secondly, the Paris attack criticised this This is not a new argument. Fifteen on food, as opposed to 13.4% in France. shows that Arabs are as divided as ever on the issue. Clerics “Lidlisation” of the shopping expe- years ago, British apple growers were at The payoff for the French is food of in the Arab world failed to condemn the attacks unanimously. rience. On the contrary, many have risk of extinction in the way dairy farm- consistently higher quality. They must realize that condemning the terrorist attack embraced these cut-price continental ers are now. They were unable to com- The tragedy is that, until this lat- outlets with open arms. The media pete with the cheap apples imported est round of supermarket wars, many wouldn’t tantamount to supporting Charlie Hebdo. They has carried articles about the “middle from abroad which the supermarkets British consumers had begun to accept could have condemned both the magazine and the terrorists. classes” converting to Aldi and Lidl . bought in preference and used to keep that if we want decent food, produced The Paris attack has made the world a worse place to live. “Posh” journalists have been sent out the prices they paid to British grow- in ways we could feel confident about, The painful fact is that Muslims in France, Europe and other to crow over the food bargains found ers low. Environmentalists and farmers then we would have to pay a fair price. Western nations will be made to pay a heavy price – like there. This Christmas, numerous arti- joined forces to push British super- Now, in the rush for bargain basement cles talked about the half-price lobsters markets to buy local and to give fairer food, there’s a danger of going back to what happened after 9/11. Anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant and turkeys to be found there, while prices rather than importing cheap, less square one. But consumers shouldn’t forces in the West have gained more oxygen and their ranks Lidl even hosted a pop-up restaurant carefully grown produce. In particular, kid themselves: if the shopping experi- are swelling so fast that German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Shoreditch to convince shoppers that they pushed for supermarkets to rec- ence feels a bit cheap and nasty, ulti- herself joined a Muslim community rally in Berlin to promote luxury food was cheap. ognise – and promote – the value of mately, when the promotions have worn tolerance, condemn the attacks in Paris and send a rebuke to Whatever these articles said, it’s hard quality produce, grown with due care off and the customer loyalty has been Germany’s growing anti-Islamic movement. to disguise that the shopping experience to the environment. While the situa- won, the product may well be too. of Lidl is a bit cheap and not cheerful. tion is still not perfect, it has improved THE GUARDIAN The other side Quote of Lebanon prison terror ops room silenced the day

EBANON’S move on Roumieh twin suicide bombing in Tripoli was In a country whose political system that is led by Hezbollah and the rival prison came too late for the planned in Block B, from which calls is built on a delicate sectarian bal- March 14 movement led by the Future victims of the terror attacks were intercepted linking it to the ance, factional squabbling has unfor- Movement. Officials have so far been Lthat have plagued the attacks. He declared that the coun- tunately been extended to the security tight lipped about the substance of country, but the fact that it came is try’s security forces had ended “the services, jeopardising the country’s those talks, the first direct talks in I don’t want Jews commendable nonetheless. Block B legend that was Roumieh Prison”. The security. This is why Monday’s raid is several years, but the very fact that in that prison effectively functioned as real achievement that may have gone significant, not only because it rid the they are taking place is itself a positive in this country an operations room for terrorist acts in unnoticed in the operation however is country of a long lingering menace, move, and Monday’s raid may have the country. The inmates had access the consensus that Lebanese political but also because it demonstrated that been the first fruit of the renewed to be scared, or to laptops, money and mobile phones. leaders reached that led to the raid. Lebanon’s factions have made the efforts to get out of the political dead- Muslims to be They were known to even call in to Mashnouq said that the raid had been rare move of putting national interests lock. The biggest test of the talks, television stations from inside their planned four months in advance, but above narrow sectarian and partisan however, is a consensus on a presi- ashamed of their cells. its materialisation was only made pos- agendas. dent for the republic, which the fac- Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouq sible due to the agreement of all the This also comes in light of a dia- tions unfortunately have not been able faith. said that a large part of last Saturday’s country’s political factions. logue between the March 8 movement to reach as yet. Gulf News Manuel Valls French Prime Minister WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 ARAB VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Syria mirrors Algeria, Afghanistan

resistance against the regime, will the world allow them to win over the Syrian government especially that they are con- sidered extremists and terrorists? Of course, not! In Afghanistan, for example, when the Mujahideen defeated the Najibullah regime, which was supported by the Soviet Union, the world did not allow them to come to power. Instead, they were driven to a fierce war with each BY DR FAISAL AL QASSIM other to diminish their strength, and make them look like terrorists. Isn’t it possible that the same thing could hap- pen in Syria? t is true that every country has its The Syrian regime and its allies do not own nature, and thus its own expe- seem to be really alarmed by the progress riences that cannot be applied to of jihadists on the ground, or they are any other nation. However, some more likely to be very pleased with their historical experiences of the Syrian progress in the hope that the Algerian Icrisis can be used to predict what the repeat of the situation checks at their future of the country would look like. hands, because they know that the world Some predicted that the Syrian revo- will not accept such groups later, and will lution took from Algeria, where gener- perhaps help eliminate them. als succeeded in restoring public order It will be a trade-off then, between through intimidation by using radical those groups and the regime, having Islamist groups of “their own creation”, managed to eliminate the free Syrian who terrorised Algerians and forced army, which was an actual threat to the them to submit to military rule. government, because it did not carry an After about a quarter century since Islamist tint “extremism.” There is no the events broke out in Algeria, Islamist doubt that the world would have accepted extremist groups disappeared, and gener- a non-religious system, even if it commit- als restored legitimacy in addition to the ted all the crimes in the world, because legitimacy of liberating the people from only Islamists are considered terror- terrorists and extremists which they cre- ists and extremists by the international ated to enhance their power, and to foil community. the public uprising that could have top- Some fear that the Syrians will be back A boy plays with snow on the rubble of collapsed buildings in Aleppo. pled their regime. to square one, arguing that the alterna- Despite the fact that the Syrian regime tive is Islamist extremism, which is not is working hard since the beginning of accepted by anyone. The regime then Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen? forces, it had lost more than two-thirds If the Islamist groups keep on making the revolution to repeat the Algerian becomes the only option for Syrians, Didn’t the Americans have more of the country to jihadist groups? progress in the north, south and east of experience with the help of the Algerian as if “there was no revolt.” There is no than 140,000 military personnel in Iraq No wonder that reputed British busi- the country, there is no doubt that they generals themselves, and portraying the doubt that the regime played the terror- alone, but they were unable to eliminate ness newspaper, “The Financial Times” will become the most powerful force in opposition as terrorists is less likely to ism and extremism card since day one of Al Zarqawi and his followers, who didn’t described Syria as “Afghanistan” of the Syria, and perhaps one day enter the happen, because as the popular Arab say- the revolution. only resist in Iraq, but also spread to Mediterranean, regardless of whether it capital. Who knows? ing goes “darkness may not come to help However, the most important ques- Syria itself as the new face of Islamic was the result of the growing phenom- The one who was able to control the most the thief”. The Syrian situation may be tion that could turn the tables on every- State, which is expanding at a rapid enon of jihad, or because of US strategies. notorious camps in Adlib, Al Ruqqa and significantly different from the Algerian one is: Even though the conflict in Syria pace? And do not forget that NATO itself Based on this scenario and develop- Daraa, will not have any problems in taking one, not to mention that they came at came down to a clash between the regime fought the Taliban and its affiliates in ments, it means that Syria is on the over Damascus later. This means practi- different times. Now let’s consider other and jihadists, who can eliminate these Afghanistan for 13 years. It then left, verge of a long-term struggle, as General cally a new Syria on the lines of Somalia, examples that may help us explore the groups that have acquired phenomenal defeated to the point that America was Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Afghanistan and Iraq. This is possible unless future of Syria. experience in fighting, seized control of begging to negotiate with the “terrorists”. of Staff, expected. The situation in Syria dramatic changes take place, and the world If we assume that the Islamist mili- areas, and sometimes became an integral How can the weak and exhausted has become like that in Afghanistan and succeeds in eliminating these extremists as tant groups in Syria overpowered the part of Syrian society, especially in the Syrian army cope with these groups even Somalia, where a weak regime is strug- the goal has always been, at least according to free army, which doesn’t have any reli- north and east? Didn’t the US military with the help of Iraq, Iran and Lebanon? gling with different militant groups in some people. gious affiliation, and became the only fail to eradicate such factions in Iraq, In addition to the bombing from Allied endless long-drawn battles. Allah knows best! Reconciliation Iran and US: Waiting for the nuclear deal between Doha will be struck following the American aspiration and according to the shift of and Cairo its political compass and its interests in the region, (America is pivoting toward BY FARHAN AL AQIL Asia). In fact, the importance for the Arab region as a bloc, and for Arab countries separately, namely the Gulf he Arab world is witnessing a new phase States is the outcome of this deal and after a historic reconciliation between its implications for them. TDoha and Cairo. The fence-mending was Accordingly, the big question for carried out by the Custodian of the Two Holy the Arabs is the implication of what Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi BY KHALED AL-HAROUB may happen, especially if Iranian influ- Arabia. ence has strengthened its position in The reconciliation reduced the strain between several countries (especially in Iraq, the two countries. The King advised the two par- Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen) where it ties of the consequences of the tension. he postponement of the Iran- has promoted itself in the last decade. Riyadh’s efforts resulted in a meeting of West (Permanent Five Plus The second relevant question is envoys from Qatar and Egypt last week. The One) negotiations on Tehran’s whether there will be possible collec- Saudi King was influential and played a big role Tnuclear programme to July is tive or individual action by Arab coun- in promoting the cause of the Arab world to meet definitely a big success for Iran. tries to determine the implications of Iranian Shia pilgrims hold a portrait of the late founder of the Islamic Republic, future challenges facing the region. The meeting Basically these negotiations are the deal and to reduce its negative Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. was also aimed at achieving full integration and Iran-US talks which means (one plus effects. The Iran of Khomeini could fostering confidence among Arab states. one instead of five plus one) and the inherit the Iran of the Shah and it’s a permanent regional expansion project, each country is built upon the “nation The King’s initiative as a peace-broker was rest of the European countries seem to policeman’s role in the Gulf. as it sees in Iran, the country, a poten- state” principle, and all of them are not sudden. Both the consultative summit follow what Washington decides. However, this time Iran is driven tial to run an imperial project ahead not launching any cross-border agenda in Riyadh and the Doha summit saw serious But, how would Washington agree by an additional factor that relates to of its neighbours. According to this that could threaten Iran. measures taken by GCC leaders toward the again and again to stretch the negotia- the political Shia movement which is definition, Iran is a cross-border entity. In other words, there is no Arab region’s development politically, socially and tions with this “renegade” state? As providing Iran with objective justifica- The second Iran is the political Shia nationalism agenda by any of the Arab economically. everyone knows, Tehran buys time for tion to implement its agenda, as Iran state launched by Khomeini, which countries that could threaten Iran’s The head of the Saudi Monarchy office, Khalid its own interest? There is no direct or is presenting itself as the protector of sees itself as a protector of all Shias, unity, or violates its sovereignty or asks Al Tuweyjiri stated that this occasion witnessed easy answer to this question. It also Shias in the region and the world. not only in the region but also in the Iranians of Arab origin (who number 9 the King as a special peace envoy and resulted goes without saying that there is no By all means, this analysis does not world. It is as well a cross-border Iran million) to show loyalty to Arabs. in solidarity and strengthening of ties according naivete among Americans or Iranians. refer to Iran as the enemy of Arabs, that does not respect the sovereignty In the same sense, there is no cross- to the vision of GCC leaders. What is really cooked on the back as this assumption is neither required of other countries. border Turkish nationalist agenda This initiative comprised significant issues in burner is “the major deal” between nor practical, but is rather poten- The third Iran is the nation state that asks for the loyalty of millions diverse spheres that will revive the relationship these two parties, the deal that needed tially destructive to the whole region. which abides by international law and of Iranians whose origin is Turkish. between the two states. an extra time for its components to However, there is a necessity for Arab respects other countries’ sovereignty, Also, there is no Sunni agenda that The conciliation and other past meetings ripen. Iran also needs this time for the countries, especially the Gulf nations and is not absorbed by any ideological interferes with the Iranian structure, displayed Qatar’s merit in fostering Arab developments in the region to end or to and Egypt, to move in keeping with or cross-border imperial undertakings. working on the mindset of the Sunni interests. With its historical importance in take a direction that will directly be in Iranian influence and limit its role in There are no clear lines between the Iranians to persuade them to think the world, Egypt represents a vital strategic line with this deal and match its terms. line with common interests and with- three Irans, and there are no coherent that they are persecuted. position to the Arab world despite its recent No place here for coincidences, pre- out giving priority to any party. blocs among these, that each can stand In contrast, there is imperial and political crisis. tensions naivete or deception! Yet, we To achieve this, Arab countries need as an independent entity by itself. Shia Iranian project which interferes Both states put much consideration to the are at the heart of the “waiting” game to formulate a coherent approach However, there is an overlap and in the affairs of many Arab countries challenges facing the Arab world. This was a for reaching the deal. toward Iran that is based on equality, ambiguity between these definitions under the aforesaid justifications. common factor that led to a fruitful outcome Practically, the coming months will mutual respect of sovereignties and that make the three Irans look like Here comes the practical question towards crucial conciliation. Egypt and Qatar determine (having the outcome of the rejection of any intervention across three circles that meet together in that needs a thought, an effort and have strong ties which paved the way for this negotiations and the content of the borders whatsoever, especially inter- their centres. This means that the a comprehensive foreign policy from peace initiative. deal) the structure of the new Middle ventions for religious reasons. three forms of Iran have common the Arab countries, which revolves The bond between these two sister states East, and where Iran and Arabs will This approach may begin from factors, yet, their differences are around the possibility of strength- should be respected, especially by the media, be! All parties have to wait for this understanding how Iran defines itself only minor. ening the third Iran: the national intellectuals and leaders whom the Saudi King deal’s final detailed agreement, upon as well as comprehending the contra- The third Iran is the potential state state that can defend its interests addressed in an extraordinary monarchi- which a new coalition in the region will dictions of this definition in order to with which Arab and world coun- but in the framework of respect- cal declaration after the consultative summit be born. enhance the definition that make deal- tries can deal easily with, exchanging ing the interest of the neighbouring in Riyadh. From this declaration, it shows the It is not important now to argue ings between Iran and the Arab coun- mutual respect and equality. countries. scale of responsibility that the King has pertain- about whether or not Iran will be able tries easier. Here, we can say that Iran This Iran is built on the nation state So, how will the Iranian bloc(s) be ing to the issues of the Arab world as well as to snatch a regional role, regardless of today has three internal “Irans” and whose citizens are Iranians by defini- strengthened within the state and advising all leaders to put more effort in order of the US blessing, which seems to each of these has his own definition for tion (The Persian and Shia are not the within the Iranian community, which to promote regional welfare. be bored of the region since it has no the role of Iran in the region. central definitions of its identity). This believes in the nation state — the Iran We welcome the reconciliation between Qatar further energy or drive to follow all The first Iran is the heiress of the state aligns with neighbouring coun- which is defined as “Iranian” and not and Egypt and call for regional unity so that we regional issues. It is also not important imperial Persian legacy that is full of tries — Arabs or Turks — taking into “Persian” or “Shia”. Does such a defi- can face future challenges. to think over whether or not this deal history pushing the country towards consideration that the foreign policy of nition formulate its foreign policy? WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 MIDDLE EAST 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Israel buries Jews slain in Paris attack

JERUSALEM: Israel held an emo- The bodies of the four Jews were flown the Jewish community in both France tional funeral yesterday for four Jews to Israel early yesterday and laid out in and Israel badly shaken. killed by an Islamist gunman in Paris, shrouds in front of an Israeli national flag For many Israelis, the killings were with thousands turning out to mourn for the funeral. Afterwards they were further evidence that France is becom- the victims of an attack that shook the buried in a more private ceremony at the ing hostile territory for Jews and proof Jewish community. sprawling Givat Shaul cemetery on the that the authorities there are unable to Shock and sorrow was palpable in western outskirts of Jerusalem. protect them. the crowd as family members and top “This is not how we wanted to welcome But French Ecology Minister Segolene Israeli officials stood to pay tribute to the you to Israel,” said President Reuven Royal, who was representing Paris at the four men who were shot dead on Friday Rivlin, addressing the victims by name funeral, sought to reassure the Jewish when an extremist stormed a kosher as he fought back tears during the cere- community, saying anti-Semitism “has supermarket. mony attended by more than 2,500 people no place in France” and vowing the Tearful mourners held placards bear- including Israeli political leaders. government would wage an unstinting ing portraits of Tunisian national Yoav “We wanted you alive.” campaign against “all forms and acts of Hattab, 21, along with French citizens Rivlin said that it was unacceptable anti-Semitism.” Philippe Braham, 45, Yohan Cohen, 20, that Jews were once again living in fear The Jewish community in France num- and Francois-Michel Saada, 63, with the in Europe. “We cannot allow that in 2015, bers 500,000 to 600,000 people. French words: “I am dead because I’m Jewish.” 70 years since the end of World War II, migration to Israel hit a record high last Some waved the Israeli flag while oth- Jews are afraid to walk in the streets of year of 6,600 people, and many believe the ers hugged each other. Europe” wearing a skullcap and prayer trend will accelerate. The four were among 17 people gunned shawl, he said. For many, Friday’s supermarket attack down in Paris during three days of blood- On a sunny but cold winter morn- brought back memories of the March shed that began with a grisly attack on ing, French flags were flying across the 2012 attack in the French city of Toulouse the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, in city alongside signs reading: “Jerusalem when another gunman killed three young violence that convulsed France and sent is with the French people, we are all children and a teacher at a Jewish school. People mourn at a cemetery in Jerusalem yesterday as they attend funeral of four Jews shock waves through its Jewish commu- Charlie”. They were buried in the same Jerusalem killed in an attack on a kosher supermarket in Paris last week. nity, the third-largest in the world. The attack on the supermarket has left cemetery. AFP Pardon still possible for Egypt religious authority slams new Charlie Hebdo cartoon Jazeera scribes: Minister CAIRO: Egypt’s state sponsored Islamic author- to provoke “religious strife... and deepen hatred”. ity yesterday denounced as a provocation the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused planned publication of another cartoon of the the West on Monday of hypocrisy for its stance over Fate of three reporters depends on retrial: Shukri Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) in the the attack on Charlie Hebdo and the hostage-taking new issue of French magazine Charlie Hebdo. at a kosher supermarket in which four Jews were NAIROBI: Egypt’s President that is the prerogative of the head content angered Cairo, would help “This action is an unjustified provocation against killed, while failing to condemn anti-Muslim acts Abdel Fattah Al Sisi could still of state when he deems it neces- improve strained ties with Qatar. the feelings of 1.5 billion Muslims,” the Dar Al Ifta in Europe. pardon three jailed Aljazeera sary or appropriate to do so,” he “You could say it is a contribu- said in a statement. “The West’s hypocrisy is obvious. As Muslims, journalists who are now facing said during a visit to the United tory factor,” he said, although he “This edition will result in a new wave of hatred we’ve never taken part in terrorist massacres. Behind a retrial if he deems it appropri- Nations’ Africa headquarters in did not mention other specific in French and Western society. What the magazine these lie racism, hate speech and Islamophobia,” he ate, the country’s foreign minis- Nairobi. steps needed. is doing does not serve co-existence and the cultural said. ter said yesterday. He said the fate of the three, Qatar was one of the main dialogue Muslims aspire to,” the statement added. Meanwhile, Charlie Hebdo’s chief editor said a Canadian-Egyptian Mohamed who include Greste, a Nairobi- supporters of Egypt’s presi- Dar Al Ifta is headed by the mufti, the govern- Turkish version of the satirical French magazine Fahmy, Egyptian Baher Mohamed based journalist who was detained dent Mohamed Mursi and his ment’s official interpreter of Islamic law. will be sold today because constitutional secularity and Australian Peter Greste were on assignment in Cairo, now Brotherhood during their year in His adviser, Ibrahim Negm said the institution is “under attack” in mainly Muslim Turkey. sentenced last June to seven to 10 depended on the retrial process. power before his government was condemned the bloody attack on the magazine’s However, it was not immediately clear exactly how years for spreading lies to help a About a dozen Kenya-based ousted by the army in July 2013. offices last week by militants, after it published it would be published and distributed. “terrorist organisation” — a refer- journalists staged a small pro- Egypt has accused Aljazeera of satirical depictions of the prophet. Gerard Biard of Charlie Hebdo said that the ence to Egypt’s outlawed Muslim test against the jailings in front being a mouthpiece for the now- “We call on all Muslims not to participate in vio- Turkish version was “the most important” of the Brotherhood. of the minister in the UN com- banned Brotherhood, which the lence,” he said. five foreign versions of the weekly being published a Sisi said in November the issue pound, taping their mouths shut channel denies. “We denounce violence and respect freedom of week after 12 people were killed in a jihadist attack of a presidential pardon was to reflect their view that Egypt Sisi met a Qatari envoy last opinion. But the other side has to understand that on its Paris offices. under discussion. Egypt’s High was stifling free speech. month, the latest step in diplo- we love the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH).” He added that an arrangement had been struck Court ordered a retrial of the men Rights groups and Western matic efforts led by Saudi Arabia The Grand Mufti described the attack on Charlie with Turkey’s centre-left opposition newspaper on January 1. governments have criticised to help patch up ties. Hebdo as “terrorist” and Egypt’s Al Azhar, a thou- Cumhuriyet for it to print the Turkish version Asked about a presidential the detentions. Aljazeera says “The efforts of Saudi Arabia, sand-year-old seat of religious learning respected and sell it along with copies of its own daily. But pardon, Foreign Minister Sameh the trial was flawed and has the recent emissary (from Qatar) by Muslims around the world, has referred to the Cumhuriyet initially denied and said that such a deal Shukri said: “All avenues are on demanded their release. ... his meeting with the presi- attack as a criminal act. But they have also been crit- was just a “rumour”. the agenda in the context of the Shukri said a decision by the dent, provide an opportunity for ical of caricatures of the Prophet, which provoked A journalist from the Turkish newspaper, speak- president’s constitutional and Doha-based channel to halt the normalisation of relations,” protests when they were first published in 2005. ing on condition of anonymity, said discussions were legal rights.” broadcasts last month of its Shukri said, without saying when The Grand Mufti’s office called on the French under way on printing all or part of Charlie Hebdo, “So in principle that is also an Egypt-focused operation Al Egypt might send an ambassador government to reject what he called the “racist act” but a decision had not yet been taken. avenue that might be pursued but Jazeera Mubasher Misr, whose back to Doha. REUTERS by Charlie Hebdo, accusing the newspaper of seeking AGENCIES

Rowhani visits power plant Yemen not a terror exporter, says president

SANA’A: Yemen’s president said yesterday his country was a victim not an exporter of “ter- rorism” after it emerged one of the Paris gunmen received training from Al Qaeda in the violence-torn country. Said Kouachi, one of the two brothers behind the attack on French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, travelled to Yemen in 2011 and received weapons and train- ing from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), security sources said. His brother Cherif meanwhile told French television before he was shot dead by police that he was acting on behalf of Iranian President Hassan Rowhani and Iran’s Atomic Energy Organisation chief Ali Akbar Salehi visiting Yemen-based AQAP. the control room of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in the port city of Bushehr yesterday. But President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi told French ambas- sador Jean-Marc Grosgurin that Yemen had been the victim of militant violence ever since 1998, UN to hold ‘last’ Libya peace talks when they seized 16 Western tour- ists leading to a shootout in which four of the hostages were killed. GENEVA: The United “This is an opportunity the rapidly into chaos, despite UN “We affirm that Yemen has suf- Nations will host talks Libyans cannot afford to miss,” efforts to contain the violence. fered greatly from the terrorism between Libya’s warring fac- the EU’s foreign policy chief It is now mired in its worst exported to it from abroad, and tions from today in Geneva, Federica Mogherini said on the fighting since Kadhafi’s down- is not, as some say, an exporter amid warnings that they eve of the talks. fall. And now, the head of the of terror,” he said. could be the last chance for “I want to praise both sides internationally-recognised Hadi voiced his country’s “full peace in the battle-scarred participating and encourage all government, Prime Minister solidarity with the French people nation. those in Libya that have not yet Abdullah Al Thinni says his and the families of the victims” of The talks will be overseen decided on participation... to do beleaguered government needs last week’s shootings which left by UN envoy to Libya and the so”. This is the opportunity the the embargo to be lifted to fight 17 people dead. He noted that on UN chief’s special representa- Libyans cannot afford to miss,” the militias. the same day that Charlie Hebdo tive Bernardino Leon. A press she said. The UN Security “The international commu- was attacked, 40 people were conference is scheduled this Council imposed an arms nity must cooperate with Libya killed in the Yemeni capital in afternoon before they start. embargo at the start of Libya’s to put an end to extremism and a car bombing targeting would- The oil-rich North African 2011 uprising, which ousted terrorism and help government be police recruits. “This proves country is in tatters with rival and killed dictator Muammar institutions, namely the army, that terrorism does not draw a governments and parliaments Gaddafi, to protect civilians by lifting the arms embargo,” distinction between one country and a slew of militias fighting from his forces. Thinni said ahead of the talks. and another... or one religion and for territory. But the country descended AFP another,” said Hadi. AFP WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 France is at war with terror, not Islam: PM Hollande pays tribute to three killed police officers

PARIS: France’s prime min- “I don’t want Jews in this coun- The special sitting came after ister yesterday declared “war try to be scared, or Muslims to be President Francois Hollande against terrorism”, as the satir- ashamed” of their faith, he added. oversaw a solemn ceremony pay- ical magazine targeted in last Tackling security weaknesses, ing tribute to three police officers week’s jihadist killing spree Valls said convicted extremists killed in France’s bloodiest week hit back with a defiant issue would be isolated in prisons before in decades, while four Jews shot featuring Prophet Muhammad the end of the year to prevent dead in one of the attacks in Paris (PBUH) on the cover. them radicalising fellow inmates. were laid to rest in Israel. Prime Minister Manuel Valls, He also said an improved sys- “Our great and beautiful in a speech that drew several tem for the exchange of data on France will never break, will standing ovations, called for the European travellers would be in never yield, never bend” in the intelligence capabilities and anti- place by September. face of the Islamist threat that terrorism laws to be strengthened A rare outpouring of national is “still there, inside and outside” after previously admitting to unity in the wake of the attacks the country, said Hollande, sur- “clear failings” over the attackers. that left 17 people dead spread to rounded by weeping families and “France is at war against ter- parliament where a packed house uniformed colleagues. rorism, jihadism, radicalism. gave a stirring rendition of the French Muslim groups urged France is not at war against Marseillaise anthem, a first since their communities to “stay calm A woman holds up a sign that reads ‘I’m Muslima #NotInMyName’ at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin yesterday. Islam and Muslims,” Valls said. the end of World War I. and avoid emotive reactions” A vigil is taking place after the terror attacks in Paris under the slogan ‘cosmopolitan and tolerant Germany and to the depiction of Prophet for freedom of expression and religion’ at the Brandenburg Gate. Muhammad (PBUH). The con- troversial weekly, which lampoons Up to 5,000 EU nationals everyone from the pope to the Merkel vows to fight intolerance president, has become the sym- bol of freedom of expression in in jihadist ranks: Europol the wake of the bloodshed. This BERLIN: A day after anti- And members of a new right- diverse through immigration - reli- week it is preparing a print run Islam protesters marched in wing party, the Alternative for giously, culturally and mentally,” LONDON: Up to 5,000 European Union citizens have joined of three million copies, compared record numbers in Dresden, Germany (AfD), have allied with Gauck, a former pastor and East jihadist militant ranks, the head of European police agency to its usual 60,000. German Chancellor Angela PEGIDA in criticising her for German dissident, told the group Europol told British lawmakers yesterday. Meanwhile an outpouring of Merkel said her government allowing in too many immigrants of several hundred next to the “We’re talking about 3,000, 5,000 EU nationals,” Rob Wainwright shock and grief that has united would do everything in its power and asylum seekers. Brandenburg Gate. “This diversity told a parliamentary committee when asked how many foreign fighters France and saw some four million to fight intolerance, calling dis- Speaking in Berlin, Merkel has made our country successful, had left from Europe. The Europol chief added that the mostly young people march across the country crimination based on religious delivered one of her strongest interesting and likeable.” men pose a threat to their country of origin if they return there. on Sunday, continued yesterday faith “humanly reprehensible”. repudiations of the PEGIDA Declaring in French “I am “We’re dealing with a large body of mainly young men who have as several victims were buried. Roughly 25,000 demonstrators, movement and its sympathisers. Jewish, I am Muslim”, Aiman the potential to come back and have the potential or intent and At the main police headquarters some carrying mocking posters of “What we need to do now is to use Mazyek, head of the German capability to carry out attacks we have seen in Paris in the last in Paris, a grim-faced Hollande Merkel in a headscarf, marched in all the means at our disposal ... to Council of Muslims, added: “We week,” Wainwright said. laid the country’s highest deco- Dresden on Monday, to demand combat intolerance and violence,” stand together for a Germany Calling the returning militants “the most serious terrorist threat ration, the Legion d’honneur, on stricter immigration rules and Merkel said. that is open to the world, with that Europe has faced since 9/11” 2001 attacks, Wainwright called for the coffins of three fallen police an end to multiculturalism in “To exclude groups of peo- a big heart, which honours free- greater scrutiny of the use of social media, which he said was used as officers draped in the Tricolore. Germany, home to 4 million ple because of their faith, this dom of opinion, of the press and a recruitment tool by jihadists. “We have to have a closer, much more Two policemen were killed dur- Muslims, most of Turkish origin. isn’t worthy of the free state in of religion.” Christian and Jewish productive relationship between law enforcement and technology firms. ing the attack on Charlie Hebdo The movement, called PEGIDA which we live. It isn’t compat- leaders also spoke. “One of the important evolutions we’re seeing right now in the and a policewoman was gunned or Patriotic Europeans Against ible with our essential values. A recent poll by the current terrorist threat is the way the Internet is used, clearly down the next day. “They died so the Islamisation of the West, has And its humanly reprehensible. Bertelsmann Foundation showed much more aggressively, much more imaginatively by the networks,” that we could live in freedom,” drawn far fewer supporters in Xenophobia, racism, extremism 57 percent of non-Muslim he added. The names of about 2,500 suspects have been collected Hollande said. other cities. And counter-dem- have no place here,” she added. Germans feel threatened by by Europol from the security services of various EU countries, To ease fears in a nation still onstrations against racism have Her message was echoed by Islam. It was conducted before Wainwright said. jittery after its worst attacks in drawn far larger crowds. President Joachim Gauck, who the attacks in Paris. On Monday, The European Union’s counter-terrorism chief Gilles de Kerchove half a century, Defence Minister But the backlash against joined Merkel and religious lead- Merkel declared that Islam was a estimated in September 2014 that around 3,000 European citizens Jean-Yves Le Drian announced immigrants represents a major ers at a vigil for victims of last central part of modern German had joined jihadists in Syria and Iraq. De Kerchove said that around that some 10,000 troops will be challenge for Merkel. Her con- week’s attacks by Islamic extrem- society, a comment that was plas- 30 percent have returned to their EU countries. AFP deployed to protect sensitive sites. servative party includes a number ists in Paris that killed 17 people. tered on the front pages of leading AFP of prominent Islam sceptics. “Germany has become more newspapers. REUTERS

Hacks show need for cybersecurity law: Obama Shelling on Ukraine bus kills

WASHINGTON: US President Obama said he had spoken to better cybersecurity informa- share information about cyber 10 as airport battle worsens Barack Obama said yester- the Republican leaders of the tion sharing between the private threats with the Department of KIEV: Shelling hit a passenger bus in eastern Ukraine yesterday , day that the cyber attacks House and Senate and “I think sector and government, and it Homeland Security, which has killing at least 10 people, and fighting intensified around the inter- against Sony and the Pentagon’s we agreed that this is an area enhances collaboration and infor- been setting up special units for national airport in the city of Donetsk as separatists tried to oust Central Command highlight where we can work hard together, mation sharing amongst the pri- threat analysis and sharing. government forces. The bus attack near the town of Volnovakha the need for toughened laws on get some legislation done and vate sector.” Obama was expected to make south of Donetsk, which is the heart of a nine-month-old separatist cybersecurity. make sure that we are much The plan also “would allow comments on the initiative later conflict, further deflated peace hopes after talks between Russia, Obama made the comment more effective in protecting the for the prosecution of the sale at the National Cybersecurity Ukraine, France and Germany ended without notable progress on as the White House unveiled a American people from these kinds of botnets, would criminalize the and Communications Integration Monday. Pro-Russian rebels seized parts of eastern Ukraine after proposal to revive cybersecurity of cyberattacks.” overseas sale of stolen US finan- Centre. Obama has pressed for Kiev’s Moscow-backed president was toppled by popular unrest. legislation stalled over the past The proposal unveiled yes- cial information like credit card cybersecurity legislation to allow “Ten people have been killed and at least 13 are wounded,” a regional few years. terday would allow increased and bank account numbers, would the private sector to share data Ukrainian administration spokesman said, adding that the bus “With the Sony attack that sharing of information on cyber expand federal law enforcement on threats without fear of liabil- came under attack from rebels holding the town of Dokuchaevska took place, with the Twitter threats from the private sector authority to deter the sale of spy- ity for any adverse consequences further to the north. account that was hacked by with protection from liability. ware used to stalk or commit ID from the disclosures. Islamist jihadist sympathisers The measure also would crimi- theft, and would give courts the On Monday, the US Central Moratorium on Gitmo transfers urged yesterday, it just goes to show how nalise the sale of stolen finan- authority to shut down botnets Command suspended its Twitter much more work we need to do — cial data, and require companies engaged in distributed denial of page after a group declaring sym- WASHINGTON: US Senate Republicans including John McCain both public and private sector — to notify consumers about data service attacks and other criminal pathy for Islamic State jihadists introduced a measure yesterday that temporarily halts transfers of to strengthen our cyber security,” breaches. activity,” the statement said. hacked its social media accounts most of Guantanamo’s war-on-terror detainees, saying the releases the president said at a meeting A White House statement said The proposal would shield and posted internal documents. only lead to more attacks. McCain joined ally Senator Kelly Ayotte with congressional leaders. the updated proposal “promotes companies from liability if they AFP in support of her legislation that would put a two-year moratorium on international transfers of detainees determined to be medium or high risk, as well as a two-year halt to all transfer of Yemeni detain- ees. Of the 127 men remaining behind bars at Guantanamo, 81 are London bus drivers stage walkout from Yemen. Ayotte said a time-out on the releases was needed, particularly after the deadly attacks last week in France, where Italy president authorities determined that one of the Islamist extremist suspects earlier had been jailed but released. “We shouldn’t just release them to resign: PM back out in this security setting that they could come back and attack us again,” Ayotte told reporters. She said “the overwhelm- ROME: Italian Prime Minister ing majority” of remaining Guantanamo detainees have been deter- Matteo Renzi announced the mined to be medium or high-risk. President Barack Obama has imminent retirement yesterday pledged to close the US prison camp in Cuba, where US authorities of President Giorgio Napolitano, have been speeding up releases as they aim to finally shut the facil- setting up a risky search to ity that opened 14 years ago, months after the September 11, 2001 replace the former Communist terror attacks on the United States. stalwart who extended his term to guide Italy through political Boko Haram: Over 11,000 flee to Chad turmoil. Napolitano, who agreed to a GENEVA: The United Nations yesterday said that the latest wave second term in 2013 after a dead- of Boko Haram’s “vicious, ruthless attacks” in northeastern Nigeria locked election left the country had sent 11,320 people fleeing into Chad in a matter of days. The in a crisis, had let it be known he Islamist group stormed the town of Baga on January 3, and sub- would leave after Italy’s six-month sequently razed it and at least 16 surrounding settlements. While presidency of the European Union, it has been impossible for aid workers to enter the area to verify which ended yesterday. accounts of the slaughter and of corpses rotting in the streets, The election of his successor the attack is feared to have been the worst massacre since Boko carries political risks for 40 year- Haram’s deadly insurgency began in 2009. In a sharp condemna- old Renzi, a centre-left leader in tion, the African Union denounced the group’s “despicable attacks” power for almost a year. Analysts in parts of Nigeria and elsewhere in the region. Some 20,000 people believe Renzi will push for new are said to have fled their homes in the Baga area since the attack, elections if he cannot find broad Commuters walk across London Bridge during a one-day strike by bus drivers over pay dispute, in London and the UN refugee agency said Tuesday that some 11,320 people support for a new candidate. “I yesterday. Members of the Unite union, which represent more than 27,000 bus workers, are calling for a single had arrived in neighbouring Chad alone. A full 60 percent of the would like us to salute Napolitano, wage between different operators, similar to the one used for underground drivers. At the moment, more than new arrivals in Chad were women and girls, UNHCR spokesman a committed Europeanist who in William Spindler told reporters, adding that 84 unaccompanied 80 different pay rates exist across the city, leading to differences in hourly rates, the union said. these hours will leave his post,” children had also crossed over. Renzi said. REUTERS AGENCIES WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES Pope backs search for wartime truth Rajapaksa denies Francis calls for inter-faith dialogue coup bid COLOMBO: Pope Francis called blessing for his new government. on Sri Lanka to uncover the The pontiff departed past a COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s truth about its long civil conflict long line of costumed elephants, former president Mahinda and bring religious communi- reaching their trunks towards his Rajapaksa yesterday denied ties closer together, as he began white jeep, which briefly came to a government allegations a visit to the island nation whose halt surrounded by crowds lining that he attempted a coup wartime leaders were voted out the road. The motorcade’s slow to remain in office after it of power only days ago. progress through the tropical became clear that he had lost Francis, 78, looked tired at heat took its toll. last week’s election. an evening meeting of Buddhist, “Due to the hot sun he could In comments published on Hindu, Muslim and Christian not go,” Sri Lankan Church Twitter, Rajapaksa insisted leaders, and earlier yesterday he spokesman Cyril Gamini said of he had readily accepted “the cancelled a meeting with bish- the bishops’ meeting. The Pope people’s verdict” in what ops after a long flight from the later met the president as sched- was his first reaction to last Vatican and a sun-baked ride in uled. Francis is the first Pope to Thursday’s polls. Top aides of a jeep along packed roads from visit Sri Lanka in 20 years. new President Maithripala the airport. Fighting between the mainly Sirisena have alleged the vet- Soon after landing in Hindu Tamils and the mostly eran strongman tried to cling Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, he Buddhist Sinhalese majority to power in the early hours of appeared to make the case for a ended in 2009 with a crushing Friday by urging the island’s truth commission to investigate defeat for the Tamils. A 2011 UN army and police chiefs to the 26-year civil war, an election estimate put the death toll from deploy the security forces. pledge of the government voted the final army assault at up to But Rajapaksa wrote: “I deny into office on Thursday. 40,000 civilians. in all possible terms reports of “The process of healing also The Pope carried a message attempts to use the military needs to include the pursuit of of inter-faith dialogue, chiming to influence election results. truth, not for the sake of opening with the new government’s push I accepted the outcome long old wounds, but rather as a neces- for religious harmony. “My gov- before the final official results sary means of promoting justice, ernment is promoting peace and Pope Francis shakes hands with Maulavi Ash-Sheikh M F M Fazil during an inter-religous meeting at Bandaranaike were released and congratu- healing and unity,” he said, draped friendship among our people after Memorial International Conference Hall in Colombo yesterday. lated the new president.” in a long garland of yellow and overcoming a cruel terrorist con- The 69-year-old, who came white roses. flict,” Sirisena said. going to back an international a pilgrimage site that was shelled must embrace improving infra- to power in a 2005 presiden- The Pope’s comments chimed However, Meenakshi Ganguly, investigation,” said Ganguly. in 1999. Francis called for a more structures and meeting mate- tial election, added that he had with his readiness to address South Asia director of Human About 70 percent of Sri inclusive society in Sri Lanka, in rial needs, but also, and even “always bowed down to the contemporary political and eco- Rights Watch, was doubtful the Lankans are Buddhists. Hindus comments that seemed directed more importantly, promoting people’s verdict”. Sirisena’s new nomic issues. Francis spoke first new government would agree to make up about 13 percent and at former president and wartime human dignity, respect for human administration has pledged to at Bandaranaike International a UN inquiry into the end of the Muslims 10 percent. Catholics leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, who rights, and the full inclusion of make an investigation into what Airport, where he was met by war, preferring a domestic-led are about 7 percent, split between lost office after a resurgence in each member of society,” he said. it has called “the coup and con- President Maithripala Sirisena, probe. Sirisena was acting defence ethnic Sinhalese and Tamils. religious tensions and anger at Rajapaksa is feted as a hero for spiracy” one of its top priorities troupes of dancers and a children’s minister as the war wound up. Francis will canonise Sri Lanka’s alleged corruption. ending three decades of war. and ordered the sacking of hun- choir. Sirisena said the visit was a “Sirisena has also said he is not first Catholic saint today, and visit “The great work of rebuilding REUTERS dreds of Rajapaksa-appointed officials. AFP Divers retrieve AirAsia’s cockpit voice recorder

JAKARTA: Indonesian divers was found close to where the to the Airbus A320-200 plunging Forty-eight bodies have been pulled out the cockpit voice flight data recorder was recovered into the sea. The cockpit voice plucked from the Java Sea and recorder from the sunken from the bottom of the Java Sea recorder is expected to be sent to brought to Surabaya for identifica- wreckage of an AirAsia pas- on Monday. the capital, Jakarta, for analysis. tion. Searchers believe more bodies senger jet yesterday, a key step “Today we have completed Investigators may need up to a will be found in the plane’s fuselage. towards determining the cause searching for the main things that month to get a complete reading Government officials sought of the crash that killed all 162 we have been looking for,” Rear of the data. to reassure victims’ families that people aboard. Admiral Widodo, the commander The AirAsia group’s first fatal divers would continue to search Indonesia AirAsia’s Flight of the navy’s western fleet, told accident took place more than for bodies. QZ8501 lost contact with air reporters after handing over the two weeks ago, but wind, high “Our main task is to find the traffic control in bad weather on cockpit voice recorder to inves- waves and strong currents have victims,” Fransiskus Bambang Dec. 28, less than halfway into a tigators. “But the team will still slowed efforts to recover bodies Soelistyo, head of the National two-hour flight from Indonesia’s try to find the body of the plane in and wreckage from the shallow Search and Rescue Agency, told second-biggest city of Surabaya case there are still bodies inside.” waters off Borneo island. reporters in Jakarta before head- to Singapore. Together the black boxes, which Dozens of Indonesian navy ing to Surabaya to meet fami- The cockpit voice recorder, are actually orange, contain a divers took advantage of calmer lies of the victims. “Even if both The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from AirAsia flight QZ8501 is displayed which retains the last two hours wealth of data that will be crucial weather this week to retrieve the (black boxes) are found, it doesn’t by officials upon its arrival in Pangkalan Bun yesterday. of conversation between the pilots for investigators piecing together black boxes and now hope to find mean that our operation is over.” and with air traffic controllers, the sequence of events that led the fuselage of the Airbus. REUTERS Manila slum fire aftermath Nepal arrests over 70 protesters in Maoist-led strike KATHMANDU: Nepalese police arrested more than 70 protesters yesterday for attack- ing vehicles or coercing shop- keepers during a Maoist-led strike called before next week’s deadline to draft a constitution. Protesters belonging to a 30-party alliance headed by the former Maoist rebels vandalised vehicles whose drivers defied the strike call in Kathmandu, police spokesman Dinesh Acharya said. “In two cases, protesters broke the windows of moving vehicles. In another case cadres threw stones at a taxi, injuring a passenger inside,” Acharya said. Another police Filipinos collect belongings inside their burnt house at a slum community in Manila yesterday. More spokesman said 74 people had been than 100 houses were razed by a fire on Monday leaving around 300 families homeless. The cause for arrested for trying to vandalise vehi- the fire is yet to be determined. cles or force shops to close. The strike, which closed down factories, schools, colleges and pub- lic transport, came nine days before Nepal’s deadline to draft a new constitution and conclude a peace process begun after Maoist rebels China shuts 50 online accounts ended their 1996-2006 insurgency. Opposition parties organised the BEIJING: China has closed 50 websites and and publishing information related to gambling one-day strike to put pressure on social media accounts for violations rang- or fraud. Jiang Jun, a spokesman for the cyber- politicians from the ruling coali- ing from pornography to “publishing political space watchdog, said the CAC would regularly tion. The coalition is pushing for news without a permit”, Beijing’s cyberspace publish a “black list” of violators, according to the country’s constituent assem- watchdog said yesterday. the statement. bly to put disputed issues to a vote The government is pursuing a crackdown on Last fall, Xinhua said the cyberspace watchdog and publish a draft constitution by unwanted material online. Critics say the increas- had closed nearly 1.8 million accounts on social January 22. “We called the strike ing restrictions further limit free speech in the networking and instant messaging services since to oppose ruling parties’ attempt one-party Communist state. launching an anti-pornography campaign earlier to establish a new constitution by Authorities shut 17 public pages on the mobile in the year. In 2014, authorities received almost 11 exploiting their majority num- social messaging app Weixin, also known as million reports of what was described as harmful bers in the assembly,” said Prem WeChat in English, as well as 24 websites and 9 information online, Xinhua reported separately Bahadur Singh, an opposition alli- channels or columns on websites, the Cyberspace on Tuesday. ance spokesman. Administration of China (CAC) said in a state- In November, Chinese officials called for con- The opposition warned the rul- ment on its website (www.cac.gov.cn). trols on the Internet to preserve stability. With ing parties against holding a vote The Weixin accounts were shut down dur- a population of 1.4 billion and 632 million people to push through a new constitu- ing the past two months, the state-run news online, China is a market no one wants to miss tion, and said it would organise a agency Xinhua said. Some of the other offences out on. But it also has the world’s most sophis- nationwide strike next Monday. listed by CAC include publishing fake informa- ticated online censorship system, known outside AFP tion under the guise of the government or media, the country as the Great Firewall. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 Pakistan hangs seven convicted militants 16 executed since lifting of moratorium on death penalty

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan yesterday of the militants, Zulfiqar Ali, was con- Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), for- hanged seven convicted militants, offi- victed of killing two policemen during an merly known as Sipahe Sahaba, and were cials said, raising to 16 the number of attack on the US consulate in Karachi named as Shahid Hanif, Talha Hussain executions carried out since it lifted a in 2003. and Khalil Ahmad. six-year moratorium on the death pen- An official in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail, They were convicted for assassinating alty in December. speaking on condition of anonymity, con- Syed Zaffar Ali Shah in 2003, who was Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif lifted firmed his hanging. at the time working as a senior official in the moratorium in the aftermath of a Shuja Khanzada, home minister for Pakistan’s defence ministry. brutal Taliban assault on a school in Pakistan’s Punjab province, added two Another senior prison official said one Peshawar that left 150 dead, including men, Mushtaq Ahmed and Nawazish more militant, Behram Khan, was hanged 134 children. Ali, were executed in the central city in Karachi for the killing of a lawyer. The executions, which were carried out of Faislabad for a 2003 assassination The United Nations, European Union, across the country, came as US Secretary attempt on former military ruler Pervez Amnesty International and Human of State John Kerry visits Pakistan where Musharraf. Rights Watch have called on Pakistan to he has pledged to boost security and intel- Mumtaz Ahmad, a prison official in re-impose its moratorium on the death ligence cooperation for Islamabad’s fight southern Sindh province, added: penalty. against militancy. “Three persons convicted in sectarian Rights campaigners say Pakistan over- Officials in four Pakistani jails con- killings were hanged in Sukkur.” uses its anti-terror laws and courts to Policemen keep vigil outside the central jail in Karachi, where authorities are said to have firmed that the hangings took place Those executed were militants belong- prosecute ordinary crimes. executed a prisoner. early morning amid tight security. One ing to the banned anti-Shia organisation AFP US, Pakistan to intensify fight against terrorism

ISLAMABAD: The US and ended a moratorium on the death network and the Lashkar-e-Taiba Pakistan vowed yesterday to penalty for convicted militants. — “continue to pose a threat not intensify a crackdown on mili- The attack was “a reminder just to Pakistan and its neigh- tants hiding in lawless border of the serious risk of allowing bours but also to the United areas, as top diplomat John extremists to find space, and be States and the world”. Kerry urged renewed peace able to command that space and “Make no mistake the task is talks with India to strengthen operate within it”, Kerry said. a difficult one and it is not done,” regional stability. Earlier in strategic talks with Kerry said. Last month’s shocking school a top Pakistani official, he said “We all have a responsibility to massacre in Peshawar by the the operation in Waziristan had ensure that these extremists are Pakistani Taliban triggered glo- already led to “significant results”. no longer able to secure a foothold bal outrage, and sharpened the Kerry later met senior in this country or elsewhere.” focus on militant groups hiding Pakistani military command- Some analysts believe in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal ers at their headquarters in Pakistan’s security services see region. Islamabad began a full-scale Rawalpindi to discuss joint mili- the Haqqanis as an “asset” and offensive against Taliban and other tary efforts and plans for greater maintain close links with them. militants in the North Waziristan intelligence-sharing. But Aziz vowed yesterday that tribal district in June, after ignor- The US has carried out a series Pakistan would take action “with- ing US calls for action for years. of drone strikes in the tribal out discrimination, against all Speaking at a joint press con- regions since Islamabad resumed groups” seen as spreading terror ference with Pakistan’s national its own offensive there, raising both in Pakistan and neighbour- security adviser Sartaj Aziz, Kerry speculation that the two nations’ ing countries, adding that the said Pakistan deserved “enormous militaries are working together Haqqani network’s infrastructure credit” for the operation. on Pakistani soil. Pakistani offi- had been “totally destroyed” by US Secretary of State John Kerry gestures during a joint news conference with Pakistan’s National Security Adviser “I emphasised that the US is cials, however, denounce the the North Waziristan operation. committed to deepening our secu- drone attacks as a violation of Kerry also stressed that Sartaj Aziz (not pictured) in Islamabad yesterday. rity relationship with Pakistan sovereignty. Kerry had planned Washington had what he called in order to eliminate threats in to visit Peshawar where the mas- a “uniform concern about the work. It means you have to put abruptly called off planned peace shelling across the de facto bor- the border area and elsewhere,” sacre took place, but the State region’s stability”, urging India a lot of time and effort into over- talks last August after Pakistan der in Kashmir which started in the US Secretary of State told Department later issued a state- and Pakistan to return to peace coming historical mistrust and consulted Kashmiri separatists October. reporters. ment saying weather concerns talks. past events, enmities.” before the dialogue began. Recent exchanges of fire across Last month’s massacre killed forced him to cancel the trip and “It is profoundly in the inter- Washington would do whatever Pakistan and India, who have the frontier known as the Line of 150 people, mostly schoolboys. he later departed for Geneva. ests of Pakistan and India to move it could to help, the top US dip- fought two of their three wars Control (LoC) have killed more In response the government Kerry warned that all terror their relationship forward,” he lomat said, but he stressed it was over disputed Muslim-majority than two dozen civilians and announced plans for military groups — such as the Pakistani told reporters. ultimately up to the two sides to Kashmir, have traded blame forced thousands to flee their courts to hear terror cases and and Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani “This is the hardest kind of resolve their differences. India for an upsurge in firing and homes on both sides. AFP

Peshawar rally pays tribute to Paris attackers

ISLAMABAD: While last week’s attack on French satiri- cal magazine Charlie Hebdo sparked global outrage, dozens of people in Pakistan’s north- western provincial capital of Peshawar paid tribute to the brothers who carried out the murders. The small-scale event was led by local cleric Maulana Pir Mohammad Chishti, who is widely respected by the local people. Twelve people were shot dead Charlie Hebdo — including a Muslim cop Ahmed People holding a banner in solidarity with the two killed assailants responsible for shooting at Merabet — when two militants magazine, in Peshawar, Pakistan, yesterday. had stormed into the Charlie Hebdo offices in reaction to dis- shooting at Charlie Hebdo that government of France and its attack, she added that Pakistan respectful cartoons of Prophet left 12 people dead. citizens for the loss of life. in the past had moved a resolu- Muhammad (peace be upon him) Spokesperson Tasneem Aslam had also said that tion in the United Nations and published by the magazine. Aslam had said that Pakistan Pakistan’s stance over blas- the world needs to get out of Last week, the Foreign Office deplores all forms of terrorism phemous cartoons is very clear. Islamophobia. had condemned the deadly and extends condolences to the While strongly condemning the INTERNEWS

Afghan cop kills commander, district chief

KABUL: An Afghan police- Sayed Murad Agha. Two other the militants. Taliban insurgents Kabul attack was also claimed man killed his commander people were wounded in the have stepped up their attacks by the Taliban. and a district chief in south- incident, which also left the recently in an effort to exploit So-called “insider attacks” in ern Afghanistan, officials said attacker dead. the end of Nato’s combat mission recent years undermined rela- yesterday, in a new “insider “The attacker was wounded in Afghanistan at the end of last tions between foreign soldiers attack” in the country after a in an exchange of fire with the year after 13 years of fighting. and the Afghan military, which recent decline. guards and later died in the In the Afghan capital yester- was being trained to take on the The shooting occurred in the hospital,” Obaid said. “We don’t day, a roadside bomb killed at Taliban alone after Nato’s exit. Nawzad district of Helmand know the motive behind this least two people and wounded Insider attacks declined rap- province on Monday, accord- attack yet,” he added. two others, including a woman. idly last year, however, as Nato ing to provincial police spokes- A Taliban spokesman, “The car was completely combat troops closed many out- man Farid Ahmad Obaid. The Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed destroyed, there were no mili- posts and reduced operations. policeman killed his commander responsibility for the attack on tary personnel in the area,” Screening of Afghan army Shamsullah, who goes by only his official Twitter account, say- Kabul police spokesman recruits was also tightened. one name, and district chief ing the policeman had defected to Hashmat Stanakzai said. The AFP WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA

Bofors gun on display Uber cab Sakshi Maharaj defiant driver’s trial despite BJP notice to begin MP asked to respond in 10 days on four-children theory tomorrow NEW DELHI: A court here NEW DELHI: BJP MP Sakshi framed rape and other charges Maharaj, who stirred a contro- against an Uber cab driver versy by asking Hindu women Another BJP leader creates row accused of sexually assault- to produce at least four chil- KOLKATA: Days after BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj asked Hindu ing a woman executive here on dren, remained defiant yester- women to produce four children, a party leader from West Bengal December 5 amid high drama day despite the party issuing raised the number to five — so that Hindus don’t get “extinct”. “I as he refused to sign the order. him a show-cause notice, and have only one request... Every Hindu mother and sister will have Later, the accused pleaded not said it was an “internal matter” to produce at least five children,” said Shyamal Goswami, the BJP’s guilty and sought trial in the case. of the party. vice-president in Birbhum district. West Bengal BJP president Rahul Additional Sessions Judge “I will talk to my party, not to Sinha said Goswami had apologized for the remarks. “The comments Kaveri Baweja framed charges you,” he told reporters here. were not made during a party programme but at a private event... under sections 376(2)(m) (while The parliamentarian from He has apologised to the party for the remarks,” Sinha said. IANS committing rape causing grievous Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, who was bodily harm or endangering life served the notice by the Bharatiya “I am not aware of any notice. I the show-cause notice was not of a woman), 366 (kidnapping or Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, have not got any notice.” enough. “Sakshi Maharaj is sym- abducting woman), 506 (criminal denied he has received any. Party spokesperson GVL bolic of politics of division. There intimidation) and 323 (voluntarily According to BJP sources, the Narasimha Rao said action was are many Sakshi Maharajas in causing hurt) of the Indian Penal show-cause notice has asked the taken as the MP made the state- BJP... The PM’s silence and such Code against Shiv Kumar Yadav. MP to respond within 10 days why ment despite Prime Minister mild action encourages such The court fixed January 15 for he made the controversial state- Narendra Modi’s instruction to statements,” Congress leader recording of statement of pros- ments despite instructions from legislators to restrain from mak- Abhishek Manu Singhvi said. ecution witnesses in the case the party not to do so. “I have not ing such comments. “A strong Addressing a gathering in including the victim. The trial will got any notice yet. I will respond message was given during winter Meerut, Maharaj said the concept be conducted on day-to-day basis. to the notice if I get it... Even if session by the prime minister that of four wives and 40 children will Meanwhile, a high voltage I get any notice, it is an internal MPs should not make controver- not work in India and the time drama was created inside the matter of the party. I will not dis- sial statements,” Rao said. “That has come when “a Hindu woman court room after Yadav refused cuss it with media,” he said. advisory was violated, so a notice must produce at least four chil- to sign on the copy of order on In response to questions from was issued,” he said. dren” in order to protect Hindu Children play near the Bofors gun of the army displayed at the Gateway charges, claiming that the argu- reporters, he kept on repeating: The opposition Congress said religion. IANS of India as a part of Army Day celebrations in Mumbai yesterday. The ments on charges were not Army celebrates the 67th anniversary of its formation tomorrow. advanced in his presence and he was not given a chance to engage a lawyer for himself. At this, the court responded that he was present during the argument on charge. India slams Pakistan over proxy war in Kashmir After getting the court’s assur- ance that it is general legal pro- LUCKNOW/NEW DELHI: In Defence Minister Parrikar said year was “65 to 70 percent more The army chief, addressing a rights violations. “Commanders cedure that one has to follow and a strong message to Pakistan, action was being taken, and than last year”. press conference ahead of Army have a free hand to operate, to nothing wrong was being done both Defence Minister Manohar assured of results in six months. The minister, however, empha- Day, said the recent terror attacks retaliate in a manner they think to him, Yadav signed on the copy Parrikar and Indian Army chief Addressing a press conference in sised that India wanted peace, but in Jammu and Kashmir showed is adequate,” he said. while claiming his innocence in General Dalbir Singh yesterday Lucknow, Parrikar said: “On proxy dialogue was not possible till vio- that terrorist camps in Pakistan Giving out figures of eliminated the case and also gave it in writ- accused the country of wag- war, the government is very clear lence stops. “We want peace with were intact. Answering a query, he terrorists, Singh said 110 mili- ing that he was signing the order ing a proxy war in Jammu and about what is happening. “We have our neighbours, but if there is an said ceasefire violations by Pakistan tants were eliminated last year, of on charge at his own will. Kashmir, and said India was taken a stand and though I will not attempt for a proxy war, we will have shifted towards the interna- which 104 were done by the army. Yadav, 32, allegedly raped the taking action and the results will like to tell you what is the exact take some proactive steps. But, I tional border (IB) in Jammu region In comparison, 65 militants were woman in the cab she hired to be visible soon. action we are taking... you will be can assure you that we will ensure from the Line of Control (LoC), as killed in 2013. He also said India head back home in north Delhi’s “Pakistan is supporting a proxy able to see the difference in six that the enemy doesn’t show any the counter-insurgency grid was may suffer from a “spillover effect Inderlok area. war in Jammu and Kashmir despite months in actual figures,” he said. interest in proxy war or the inter- very strong on the LoC. He said from Afghanistan due to the evolv- Special public prosecu- suffering casualties within their The comments come in wake of est comes down,” he said. there were streams and rivulets ing situation (there)”. He said it tor Atul Srivastava told the country. Recent strikes by terror- repeated ceasefire violations, foiled On dialogue with Pakistan, along the IB which the elements was “being watched carefully”. court at the last hearing that ists reflect their desperation. It terrorist infiltration bids, and ter- Parrikar said: “If any dialogue has from across the border may try to The latest ceasefire violation by Yadav caused injuries to the also indicates that the (terrorist) ror attacks in northernmost state. to be done with Pakistan, they use to infiltrate. Pakistan came on Monday night victim while committing rape. infrastructure or camps across the The defence minister, mean- should first stop ceasefire viola- General Dalbir Singh said mili- when Pakistan Rangers targeted In the over 100-page charge sheet, border are intact,” General Dalbir while, said the difference was tion and intrusion of terrorists. tary commanders have been given Border Security Force (BSF) posts which was filed Dec 24, the police Singh said. already visible and the number of If it does not stop, then dialogue a free hand to retaliate to cross- on the international border in cited 44 prosecution witnesses in Within hours of his statement, terrorists being neutralised this alone will not bring a solution.” border fire, except for human Jammu and Kashmir. IANS support of its case. IANS

Celebrating Lohri Congress raps Arvind Panagariya takes charge Modi govt on as NITI Aayog vice chairman NEW DELHI: Eminent economist Arvind Panagariya took charge ordinances as the first vice chairman of NITI Aayog, an official statement said here. The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) NEW DELHI: The Congress Aayog has been established by the government to function as both a strongly criticised the Narendra think-tank and a policy forum replacing the Planning Commission. Modi government for taking the Panagariya was professor of economics at New York’s Columbia ordinance route and bypassing University. A Rajasthan University alumnus, he holds a PhD in eco- parliament on crucial matters. nomics from Princeton University. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, has also appointed full-time members, ex-officio members and spe- whose message was read out cial invitees. Sindhushree Khullar is the chief executive officer of to press persons, after a four- NITI Aayog. The full-time members are Bibek Debroy, an economist hour-long Congress Working and professor at the New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research, Committee (CWC) meeting here, and scientist VK Saraswat, who has served as director general of said: “The BJP government has the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and already promulgated 10 ordi- as chief scientific adviser to the defence minister. IANS nances in seven months alone, which roughly translates to one ordinance every 28 days. It’s not Death toll from toxic liquor hits 31 just frequency of ordinances, we LUCKNOW: A batch of home-brew liquor has killed at least 31 should take cognizance of, but also people in northern India, with more than 100 others ill in hospital, context, nature and timing.” police said yesterday, in the latest incident of alcohol poisoning in “...Modi government is not the country. The figure jumped from Monday’s toll of 14 after more serving national interest by-pass- people died in hospital after drinking the toxic alcohol in a village ing parliamentary debates.... Is on the outskirts of Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. AFP there any ulterior motive behind this,” she asked in the message. Earlier, party leader Ambika Odisha scam: CBI raids 14 places Soni said after the meeting that BHUBANESWAR: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the discussion on Congress vice presi- CBI searched 14 places in Odisha in connection with the chit fund dent Rahul Gandhi’s prospective scam, officials said. The searches were conducted in four districts elevation to the party’s presidency — Balasore, Ganjam, Sambalpur and in Bhubaneswar in Khurdha was not on the agenda. IANS College girls fly kites during celebrations of the Lohri festival in Amritsar yesterday. The harvest festival com- district — in connection with Safex Infra India Private Ltd, said memorates the winter Solstice and is marked by the lighting of bonfires and the flying and battling of kites. sources in the Central Bureau of Investigation. The SIT is probing the scam following a Supreme Court order. IANS NC sends support letter for PDP JAMMU: The National Conference yesterday formally handed AAP can be trusted, but not tested: Maken over a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Governor NN Vohra stating its support to the PDP for forming the government in the state. NEW DELHI: Congress leader Earlier, in the same brief- sources said that his annointment minister in the Sheila Dikshit A statement issued by the National Conference said party leader Ajay Maken, who was yesterday ing, Congress’ Delhi in charge “essentially means he will be the cabinet. In 2003, he was elected Devender Rana called on the governor to hand over the communi- named the party campaign com- PCChacko announced that party face of the Congress in Delhi”. as speaker of the assembly. cation. Reacting to the development, PDP chief spokesman Naeem mittee chief for the Delhi assem- chief Sonia Gandhi appointed In his mainstream political He first became MP in 2004, Akhtar said the party would deliberate on the offer in an appropri- bly elections, said his party was Maken, a party general secretary, career that spans over 21 years, and was re-elected in 2009 during ate forum. IANS the only “trusted and tested” to head the 101-member campaign Maken, 64, has won three elections which he had thrice been in the option against the AAP, which committee for the February 7 to the Delhi assembly and twice to union council of ministers. was “trusted” but not “tested”. polls. Maken said he was the only parliament. Meanwhile, Chacko, scorch- River inter-linking to get priority “We (Congress) are trusted Congress leader to return to con- Beginning his political jour- ing all media speculation result- NEW DELHI: The government will take up inter-linking of riv- and tested. We have Kiran Walia, test assembly elections after hav- ney as president of the Delhi ing from Dikshit’s proposal for a ers on a priority basis, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Arvind Singh Lovely, Yoganand ing won the Lok Sabha elections University Student’s Union in post-poll alliance with the AAP in Naidu said yesterday. Speaking during a function organised to Shastri and other trusted faces twice. 1985, he became the youngest case of a fractured mandate, said: mark the ‘India Water Week’ in the capital, Naidu said: “Some of we want to present to the people Although the party refrained member of the Delhi assembly in “We don’t endorse any such opin- our environment friends are raising voices. There will be voices in (of Delhi),” Maken here. “AAP can from formally announcing Maken 1993 at the age of 29. In 2001, he ion that we will be supporting any democracy, let there be. We have to take up rivers inter-linking on be trusted but (it is) not tested.” as its chief ministerial candidate, was transport, power and tourism alliance.” IANS a priority basis,” he added. IANS

WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME Remembering Ekberg

Fajr (Dawn) 5:01 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:21 Zuhr (Noon) 11:43 Asr (Afternoon) 2:44 Maghrib (Sunset) 5:05 Isha (Night) 6:35

WEATHER

Today Thursday Friday Weather Conditions: Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Moderate temperature during High: 23° High: 21° High: 21° the day with some Low: 13° Low: 15° Low: 16° clouds and cold by night.

DOHA - SUN & SEA

SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 06:21 17:05 00:15 & 10:00 03:30 & 17:45 12-18 KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER An image of Swedish actress Anita Ekberg, protagonist of Federico Fellini’s movie “La Dolce Vita”, is projected onto the Trevi Fountain, where one of the film’s most famous scenes was shot, during the “White Night” festivities in Rome in this file photo. The striking blonde Swedish actress whose MUSCAT 27/16 Partly cloudy 27/16 Clear sashay through Rome’s Trevi fountain in “La Dolce Vita” made her an icon of cinema, died on Monday at a clinic near Rome. Ekberg was born in MAKKAH 27/21 Partly cloudy 28/18 Partly cloudy Sweden in 1931. Her career began after she was crowned Miss Sweden in the early 1950s. KUWAIT 18/07 Clear 18/08 Chance of showers BAHRAIN 19/12 Clear 21/16 Clear SANAA 23/06 Partly cloudy 23/07 Partly cloudy RIYADH 18/10 Clear 22/11 Partly cloudy DUBAI 24/16 Clear 24/17 Clear Woody Allen to direct his first TV series BAGHDAD 16/03 Clear 18/04 Clear NEW YORK: A m a z on s a id ye s- sure where to begin,” said Allen first Golden Globe victory with typically runs about a dozen epi- THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW terday it has signed a deal with in a statement from Amazon its transgender-themed comedy sodes, released simultaneously. HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER Woody Allen that will see the Studios, the company’s TV con- “Transparent.” “Woody Allen is a visionary prolific 79-year-old American tent arm. Amazon said Allen is to deliver creator who has made some of the ATHENS 13/06 Clear 16/06 Clear filmmaker write and direct his “My guess is that (Amazon “a full season” of half-hour epi- greatest films of all-time, and it’s WASHINGTON 00/-2 Chance of ice 03/-1 Partly cloudy first-ever television series. Studios chief) Roy Price will sodes that subscribers to its an honour to be working with him In a statement, the world’s regret this.” Prime Instant Video service will on his first television series,” Price SYDNEY 26/19 Partly cloudy 31/19 Chance of showers biggest online retailer said the The project is a coup for be able to see in the United States, said. “From ‘Annie Hall’ to ‘Blue LONDON 07/07 Partly cloudy 09/04 Rain “Untitled Woody Allen Project” Amazon’s on-demand Internet Britain and Germany. Jasmine,’ Woody has been at the PARIS 08/06 Chance of showers 11/06 Chance of rain would run sometime next year video streaming service, which “Additional details, including creative forefront of American ISTANBUL 09/03 Clear 07/04 Partly cloudy on its growing Amazon Prime alongside rival Netflix is upending casting information, will be made cinema, and we couldn’t be more MANILA 30/22 Mostly cloudy 29/20 Mostly cloudy Instant Video service. the traditional broadcast televi- available in the future,” it said. excited to premiere his first DHAKA 25/15 Clear 25/14 Partly cloudy “I don’t know how I got into sion business model. A season of original TV pro- TV series exclusively on Prime DELHI 15/08 Clear 16/07 Clear this. I have no ideas and I’m not On Sunday, it celebrated its gramming for the Internet Instant Video next year.” AFP ISLAMABAD 14/03 Partly cloudy 16/04 Clear

Filmmaker Jumbo pose Polanski trusts Elephant’s sugar Poland’s craving is testy justice system BANGKOK: Whether stressed out, frisky or just craving WARSAW: Filmmaker Roman a snack, wild bull elephants have been causing havoc in a Polanski said he “trusts” Thai national park — shocking visitors by stomping on cars Poland’s justice system as it and raiding restaurants. weighs extraditing him to the In the latest incident early on Monday a 30-year-old ele- United States for sentencing on phant named “Duan” — “amputated” in Thai, on account of charges he raped a 13-year-old his damaged tail — destroyed a small restaurant because he girl in 1977. was apparently unable to resist the aroma of cooking food. “I will comply with the legal “He wanted to get salt, sugar and other seasoning. He likes proceedings,” Polanski told private them,” Kanchit Srinoppawan, head of Khao Yai National Park Polish television station TVN24 in in central Thailand, told AFP yesterday. an interview on Monday. The giant pachyderm needs the minerals along with the 200 “I trust the Polish justice kilogramme daily food intake, he added. system. I hope everything will In the most startling incident, another male elephant go well.” stomped on the bonnet of an occupied car with his front two The latest extradition request legs, before momentarily sitting on the vehicle. comes months after the United The car was among dozens visiting the park on Saturday, States attempted to have the Thailand’s Children’s Day. French-Polish director arrested “The drivers stopped when they saw the elephant and the for sex offences when he travelled elephant could not cross the road so he felt stressed and to Warsaw for the opening of a stomped the car,” Kanchit explained. Jewish museum in October. “It pushed the car with its tusks and the bonnet fell off,” At that time, Polish prosecutors Kanchit said, adding the young male elephant then headed questioned the 81-year-old maker back into the forest. of “The Pianist”, “Chinatown” and It was the second time since January 1 that the same bull “Rosemary’s Baby” but allowed had attacked a vehicle. him to walk free. Authorities in the vast park, which is home to at least 300 Polanski told the television he wild elephants, have urged visitors to take care if they see an is in Poland to work on a film elephant — more so since it is mating season and the bulls can about France’s Dreyfus Affair, the Princess Stephanie of Monaco poses with circus artistes and an elephant during a photo call for the presentation of the become aggressive. case of an army captain wrongly 39th International festival circus of Monte Carlo in Monaco yesterday. The festival runs in Monte Carlo from tomorrow AFP convicted in 1894 of espionage and until January 25. treason. The story of the captain’s ordeal has become a symbol of injustice and anti-Semitism. Polanski was accused of raping Samantha Geimer after a photo Boyhood behind, all eyes on Oscar nominations tomorrow shoot in Los Angeles in 1977 when he was 43. LOS ANGELES: Coming-of-age drama 22, nobody hurt their chances, and a few evening was Wes Anderson’s stylish crime Daily — something of an understatement He pleaded guilty to the charge, “Boyhood” may have earned top honours people boosted their goodwill,” he told AFP. caper “The Grand Budapest Hotel” taking about a body long lampooned in Hollywood. avoiding a trial, but then fled the at the Golden Globes weekend, but indus- Going into the Globes race, the frontrun- best comedy/musical film, over “Birdman.” For some pundits, the reaction from country fearing a hefty sentence. try watchers say everything is still up for ner was dark comedy “Birdman,” which “The ‘Grand Budapest’ triumph throws the Globes audience, most of whom are US officials have pressed for his grabs in the all-important Oscars race. had been nominated in seven categories something of a curveball into the Oscar Academy members, could be the most tell- extradition regularly to no avail. All eyes in Hollywood are now on — on top of a series of nods and wins in race,” wrote the Los Angeles Times. ing aspect of Sunday night’s ceremony. American prosecutors for- the Academy Award nominations, to be other prize races. “Long a fan favourite with modest Oscar “The loud applause a certain film gets warded their latest request on announced tomorrow, after a few surprise It won two, including best comedy/musi- traction, awards groups have been warming during the show is something you can feel Monday to Polish authorities Globes wins on Sunday injected some cal actor for Michael Keaton — now seen to the quirky Anderson of late.” because the audience really are the people which have said Polanski’s extra- drama into the annual awards season. as being in a tight Oscar with the other A key point as the Oscars race unfolds is voting on awards,” Stone told AFP. dition remains possible. “My first caution to Globes winners: Globes best actor winner, Britain’s Eddie the vast difference between who votes for “I felt that ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ However, even if a court don’t get over-confident,” said Variety Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”). the Globes, and who chooses the Oscar win- was well received with the crowd, as was approves the US request, Poland’s awards editor Tim Gray, warning that the But the top prizes went to “Boyhood” ners. Whereas the Globes are selected by ‘The Theory of Everything,’ ‘Birdman’ and justice ministry would still need Globes are a poor predictor of glory at the — best film drama and best director for fewer than 100 members of the Hollywood ‘Selma.’” to give the final go-ahead. Oscars, set for February 22. Richard Linklater. Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the For Variety’s Gray, some Globe-winning Polanski, who became a French Gray pointed out that balloting for the Amy Adams won best comedy/musi- prestigious Academy of Motion Picture actors definitely improved their Oscar citizen in 1976 after moving there Oscar nominations — due to be unveiled at cal actress for “Big Eyes,” while Julianne Arts and Sciences — which hands out the chances. from Poland, was arrested in a traditional pre-dawn ceremony — closed Moore won best dramatic actress for “Still Oscars — has some 6,000 voting members. “The wins for Patricia Arquette, Julianne Switzerland on an international last week. Alice.” Both women have multiple Oscar “The HFPA are not the film industry,” Moore and J K Simmons are added to some warrant in 2009. “So the Globes won’t affect nomina- nominations, but neither has ever won. said Sasha Stone, founder and editor of critics’ prizes, and it’s always nice to have AFP tions. As for Oscar winners on February Possibly the biggest surprise of the film/awards discussion website Awards a reputation as a winner,” he said. AFP Wednesday 14 January 2015 23 Rabial I 1436 Volume 19 Number 6310 Price: QR2

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Brent, US crude QNB Group’s full-year net profit jumps to QR10.5bn

DOHA: QNB Group, the larg- one of the lowest amongst banks As a result of the Group’s high est lender in the region, contin- in the Middle East and Africa, credit ratings and outstand- dip below $46 ued to record robust growth in reflecting the high quality of the ing asset quality, it was selected profitability posting a full-year Group’s loan book and the effec- as one of the world’s 50 safest net profit of QR10.5bn for 2014, tive management of credit risk. financial institutions by Global up by 10.3 percent from 2013. The Group’s conservative policy in Finance. Based on the Group’s UAE defends Opec decision not to cut production Based on the strong financial regard to provisioning continued continuous strong performance results, the Group’s Board of with the coverage ratio reaching and the expanding international NEW YORK/LONDON: Oil Directors is recommending to the 124 percent in December 2014. presence, the Group improved prices fell by 3 percent to near General Assembly the distribu- At the same time QNB Group its ranking as the most valuable six-year lows yesterday, with tion of a cash dividend of 75 per- increased customer funding by 7.4 brand in the MENA region, with Brent briefly trading at par to cent of the nominal share value percent to QR360bn. This led to a world ranking of 101 (Brand US crude for the first time in (QR7.5 per share). the Group’s loan to deposit ratio Value: $1.81bn) from 120 in 2012 three months as some trad- The Group’s prudent cost con- reaching 94 percent. Total equity (Brand Value: $1.31bn). ers moved to take advantage trol policy and strong revenue increased by 7.9 percent from In the second half of 2014, QNB of ample storage space in the generating capability allowed it to December 2013 to reach QR58bn acquired a 19.4 percent stake (both United States. maintain an efficiency ratio (cost as at 31 December 2014. Earnings ordinary and QNB convertible Traders were searching to to income ratio) of 20.8 percent, per Share reached QR14.9 , com- preference shares) in Ecobank store the glut of oil, which has which is considered one of the pared to QR13.5 in December 2013. Transnational Incorporated knocked down prices 60 percent best ratios among financial insti- The Group started implement- (Ecobank), the leading pan-African in the last six months. So far this tutions in the region. ing updated QCB and Basel III bank. Ecobank is a strategic part- week, Brent has lost 8 percent Total assets increased by 9.7 requirements for the calculation ner for QNB and the acquisition and US crude about 6 percent. percent from December 2013 to of the Capital Adequacy Ratio of this stake is a fundamental step Brent was down $1.48 at $45.95 a reach QR486bn, the highest ever (CAR) from early 2014. The towards QNB’s strategy of being a barrel by 1850 GMT, after falling achieved by the Group. This was ratio stood at 16.2 percent as at MEA Icon by 2017. to $45.19, its lowest since March the result of a strong growth rate 31 December 2014, higher than In the second half of 2014, QNB 2009. US crude was down 65 cents of 8.8 percent in loans and advances the regulatory minimum require- also acquired an additional stake at $45.42 a barrel, after hitting an to reach QR338bn. The Group was ments of the Qatar Central Bank. in QNB Indonesia, (rebranded April 2009 low of $44.20. able to maintain the ratio of non- The Group is keen to maintain from QNB Kesawan) to have a Oil tumbled earlier in the ses- performing loans to gross loans a strong capitalisation in order total stake of 82.59 percent. sion after big Opec producer at 1.6 percent, a level considered to support future strategic plans. THE PENINSULA United Arab Emirates defended the group’s decision not to cut output to boost prices. The UAE said that the cartel could not stop world prices falling — and called for a cut in booming shale oil out- put in the United States. A woman looks at a board at a fuel station before she fills her car’s tank in “We cannot continue to be Minsk, Belarus, yesterday. protecting a certain price,” UAE Energy Minister Suhail bin Moody’s slash the country’s debt States a major producer again and Mohammed Al Mazrouei said. rating by two notches to “Caa3” has led to reduced need for crude “We have seen the oversupply, saying its lost oil revenues had imports from the Middle East. coming primarily from shale oil, “clearly increased” the risk of Kuwaiti Oil Minister Ali Al and that needed to be corrected,” bankruptcy. For non-Opec mem- Omair said that “nobody can jus- he told participants in the Gulf ber Russia, the plunging oil prices, tify the drop now,” but “we expect Intelligence UAE Energy Forum coupled to Western sanctions over this situation to continue until the in Abu Dhabi. Ukraine, have hit its currency surplus on the market is absorbed Global oil prices have slumped hard, with the rouble losing 41 and the world economy improves.” by almost 60 percent since June, percent against the dollar in 2014. He said forecasts indicate that as the market faced abundant Yesterday, the rouble dropped this will not happen before the supplies, demand fears and a around a further 5 percent. second half of 2015. strong dollar in a stuttering global In Scotland the energy minis- “The market is in a bit of a panic economy. The slide accelerated in ter appealed to the government in now and the momentum is really November when the Organisation London to take measures to help quite negative. We haven’t seen any of Petroleum Exporting Countries the North Sea oil industry deal actions or comments that could maintained its production ceiling with “serious challenges” from the reduce this aggressive selling,” at 30 million barrels per day. lower oil prices. said Ole Hansen, senior commod- Venezuela, which wanted Opec The breakneck growth in shale ity strategist at Saxo Bank. to cut production, yesterday saw oil output has made the United REUTERS/AFP Gulf states plan laws to curb fuel smuggling Bahrain to raise natural

ABU DHABI: Gulf countries including the gas prices for industry United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia are DUBAI: Bahrain’s cabinet has decided to raise formulating new legislation to curb fuel smug- prices of natural gas sold to companies, official news gling, the UAE energy minister said yesterday. agency BNA reported in a sign that the govern- Smuggling of fuel, including diesel, gasoline ment is seeking ways to save money as the plunge of and other products, is frequent across the bor- global oil prices pressures state finances. ders of some Gulf Arab states, where different The price of natural gas sold to industrial users levels of fuel subsidies create price gaps that will be unified and raised gradually from April 1, BNA criminals can exploit. reported without specifying the size of the increases. “The ministry is working on a law to prevent The cost of natural gas used to generate energy for smuggling of diesel or other products. Saudi is industrial projects will also rise. The cabinet “stressed also working on a similar law, and some neigh- that the readjusted natural gas prices for power gen- bouring countries also where it is subsidised,” eration will not affect citizens nor will it have an Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazroui told an impact on Bahrain’s competitiveness or its ability to energy forum. lure investors in the industrial sector”, BNA said. “If there’s a subsidy, countries don’t want Government officials were not available to comment those products to be sent across the border,” on the report. State subsidies keeping gas prices down he said, adding that Kuwait was also moving to are a major drain on the government’s budget; 35 compa- curb fuel smuggling, which was damaging partly nies including Aluminium Bahrain benefit from natural because it encouraged excessive consumption. gas subsidies worth 610m dinars ($1.62bn) annually, Mazroui did not specify how the new laws would the Gulf Daily News quoted officials as saying last year. work, but said details would be released soon. Bahrain’s state finances are weaker than those of neigh- One way to eliminate smuggling would be for bouring states, so low oil prices threaten its budget. governments to adjust the billions of dollars of Last September, when Brent crude was at $97 a subsidies which they pay so that national fuel barrel, analysts surveyed by Reuters projected the prices moved into line with each other. However, kingdom would run a state budget deficit of 5.7 per- such changes could hurt consumers and would cent of gross domestic product in 2015. Brent is now therefore be politically sensitive. at $49, so the deficit may turn out to be much bigger. The recent plunge in oil prices has prompted Reducing subsidies is politically sensitive, however. some Gulf governments to reduce, or consider In December 2013, the National Oil and Gas Authority reducing, some fuel subsidies, but complete said it would gradually raise the domestic selling price reform remains distant. for diesel fuel, almost doubling it by 2017. But the plan REUTERS was suspended after protests by some members of parliament. REUTERS

WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS

European indices end higher; Qatar bourse Dow follows suit

LONDON: Retail shares led European equities higher yes- index ends terday, with expectations of new economic stimulus meas- ures from the European Central Bank also helping to prop up stock markets. The STOXX Europe 600 Retail in the green Index rose 2.9 percent, outper- forming a 1.4 percent advance in the broader, pan-European Gulf markets edge up; Egypt surges STOXX 600 index and a simi- lar rise in the pan-European DOHA: Qatar Exchange gained The lender made SR1.23bn FTSEurofirst 300 index. 24.89 points or 0.21 percent as ($328m) in the quarter. Bank British supermarket operator it closed yesterday at 11,936.58 Aljazira added 1.3 percent after Morrison advanced 4.5 percent as points up from the previous its fourth-quarter profit rose 32.7 investors welcomed the departure closing of 11,911.69. percent to SR199m. Among losing of chief executive Dalton Philips, Among the top gainers were stocks, Saudi Arabian Fertilizer who had presided over weak Qatar Islamic Bank whose shares Co slid 1.6 percent after report- Christmas trading figures. added 0.86 percent to QR106 and ing a 3 percent drop in fourth- Traders digested news that Commmercial Bank of Qatar was quarter net profit to SR779m. Britain’s annual inflation up 2.23 percent to QR68.90 per Dubai’s index rose 1.7 percent rate halved to 0.50 percent in share. Qatar Electricity & Water as the two most traded stocks, December from November. Co was up 1.94 percent to QR189 developer Emaar Properties and “The talk of full-blown QE from and Ooredoo increased 1.21 per- builder Arabtec Holding, jumped Rashid bin Ali Al Mansoori (third left) with visiting German delegation and top Qatari officials yesterday. the ECB still echoes around trad- cent to QR116.70. 4.2 and 3.7 percent respectively. ing floors, and European equity The industries sector fell 0.06 Investment bank Shuaa Capital markets continue to cling on to percent to 3,777.69 points while surged 3.3 percent after the firm the possibility of extra stimulus,” banking and services sector was said its unit Gulf Finance Corp Deutsche Börse team visits QE said IG analyst David Madden. up 0.64 percent to 3,191.94 points. had raised a Dh500m ($136.1m ) London’s benchmark FTSE 100 The real estate sector was down loan which will be used to fund DOHA: A delegation repre- during which both sides were Börse in order to achieve the index closed up 0.63 percent to 1.21 percent to 2,193.4 points while its growth in the UAE and Saudi senting the Deutsche Börse yes- briefed about strategies and dis- common interests of both sides. 6,542.20 points, while Frankfurt’s the insurance sector lost 0.75 per- Arabia. Abu Dhabi’s benchmark terday visited Qatar Exchange cussed in details a number of top- He also stressed on QE’s keen- DAX 30 climbed 1.63 percent to cent to 3,741.71 points. rose 1.4 percent as National Bank (QE) and met with Rashid bin ics, particularly the content of the ness to offer German companies 9,941 points and CAC 40 in Paris Gulf stock markets were vola- of Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Ali Al Mansoori, CEO, QE and Letter of Intent signed between dual listing opportunities on gained 1.47 percent to 4,290.28 tile as oil prices hit new lows, but Commercial Bank climbed 4.5 and other top officials of the local the two parties in order to pro- Qatar bourse and attract German Wall Street followed European most bourses eventually edged up 4.4 percent respectively. bourse. mote cooperation in the areas of institutional investors to invest equity markets higher. Around on the back of positive corporate The Bahraini market slipped The German delegation, product and market development, in the promising Qatari capital midday in New York, the Dow announcements and expectations, 0.6 percent, dragged down by which included Andreas Peruss, market data dissemination, indi- market, especially in the wake of Jones Industrial Average was up continuing a trend towards par- Aluminium Bahrain, which Deputy CEO of Deutsche Börse, ces and technological matters. upgrading the Qatari market to 1.29 percent to 17,869.11 points. tially decoupling from oil. dropped 2.9 percent after Bahrain’s and Tom Bindiksen, member of Al Mansoori gave a presenta- an emerging market status. The broad-based S&P 500 climbed Saudi Arabia’s stock index cabinet decided to raise prices of the Executive Office of Eurex tion on the Qatar stock exchange Al Mansoori stressed on QSE 1.06 percent to 2,049.85, while the edged up 0.7 percent as petro- natural gas sold to industrial users. Frankfurt AG for the areas of and its development strategy desire and efforts to enhance tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index chemicals were nearly flat while Meanwhile, the stock market strategy and exchange cooperation, aiming to develop the exchange cooperation with global stock gained 1.60 percent to 4,739.17. banks extended their gains after in oil-importing Egypt continued discussed the prospects and oppor- to become a leading regional mar- exchanges and international In foreign exchange activity, the a series of strong fourth-quar- to outperform the broad Middle tunities for enhancing cooperation ket that is capable of attracting financial institutions in the areas euro sank to $1.1753, it lowest since ter results. Shares in Samba East region and jumped 2.2 per- between the two sides in the areas investors from around the world. that would contribute to the December 2005, before recovering Financial Group jumped 4.5 per- cent in a broad rally. GB Auto, of capital markets developments Following the meeting, Al development of the Qatari capital to $1.1776. On the London Bullion cent after it posted a 22.5 per- led gains as it surged its daily 10 and technical cooperation. Mansoori expressed the keenness market and the strengthening of Market, gold rose to $1,231.50 an cent rise in its fourth-quarter net percent limit for the second day The delegation held a session of of Qatar Exchange to promote the national economy. ounce from $1,226.50 on Monday. profit, beating analysts’ forecasts. in a row. QNA/REUTERS talks with Qatari bourse officials, cooperation with the Deutsche THE PENINSULA AGENCIES

Sale of Kuwaiti Toyota ends three-year food company freeze on expansion Americana DETROIT/TOKYO: Toyota “The only thing we are waiting Motor Corp is ending a three- for is a final green light from the falters: Report year freeze on building new vehi- top,” said one of the executives cle assembly plants and is looking who is a senior manager in China. LONDON: The sale of Kuwaiti to open two new assembly plants The situation is more or less the food company Americana is in China and another in Mexico, same in Mexico, he said. All four close to being put on hold, partly four executives familiar with the Toyota executives who spoke to due to differences on price, company’s plans said. Reuters declined to be identified three sources familiar with the The Japanese carmaker has because they are not authorized matter said yesterday. already completed initial feasi- to speak to reporters. Americana, backed by Kuwait’s bility studies in both China and A renewed expansion drive by billionaire al-Kharafi family, Mexico, according to those execu- Toyota, the world’s largest auto- operates franchises for restaurant tives, and “the teams are ready to maker, would put more pres- chains including KFC and Pizza execute,” as one of them put it. sure on rivals, including General Hut. The group has a market The sources spoke over the last Motors Co and Volkswagen AG, in value of 1.13bn dinars ($3.84bn). few weeks. a global automotive marketplace Reuters reported in April last Jim Lentz, head of Toyota’s still burdened by excess capacity. year that Americana was explor- North American operations, said Immediately after the financial ing a sale with investment bank on Monday that after “a three- crisis, big carmakers were cau- Rothschild. Private equity funds year hold” on new capacity invest- tious about adding production KKR and CVC were among the ments, the standstill is over for capacity. Now, with demand in the main contenders for the busi- Officials pose for a group picture. Toyota. Lentz, who spoke on the United States back at pre-reces- ness in a lengthy bidding process sidelines of the Detroit auto show, sion levels and China’s auto mar- that also attracted interest from would not comment on specific ket growing, albeit more slowly, Saudi food producer Savola Group Total officials attend Muntajat B V launch plans to add production capacity carmakers are announcing more among others. in Mexico or China. expansion plans. Americana said in November DOHA: Total attended the open- Abdul Rahman Ali Al Abdulla, for Muntajat, and we would like “We’re going to grow again. We Toyota’s top decision-makers, last year that the Kharafis were ing ceremony of Qatar Chemical CEO of Muntajat. to congratulate them for estab- will climb the staircase,” he told including president Akio Toyoda, in preliminary talks with various and Petrochemical Marketing In order to signify the strong lishing their marketing head- Reuters in an interview. “But it’s decided earlier this month to lift parties. But the sale is faltering and Distribution Company relationship between Total and quarters. We have had a strong a different way than in the past. the three-year freeze on new because offers have so far failed to (Muntajat)’s international mar- Muntajat, Xavier Bontemps, relationship with Muntajat from It’s not going to be growth for capacity expansion, people famil- meet price expectations and buy- keting headquarters ‘Muntajat Senior Vice-President, Polymers their establishment in 2012, and growth’s sake.” iar with the decision said. The ers have struggled to reach agree- Besloten Vennoot’ (Muntajat B Business Unit, at Total, handed we will continue with this strong Toyota’s Chinese operations freeze was supposed to expire at ment with the Al Kharafi family. V) which recently took place in over a congratulatory trophy cooperation”. are evaluating plans to build two the end of the year ending March Two of the sources said the deal the Hague, Netherlands. to Yousef Jahem Al Kuwari, Total had a continuous pres- assembly plants - one in the north- 2016. might not be totally dead and an Over forty of Total’s employ- Executive Marketing Director, ence in Qatar for close to 80 years, eastern city of Changchun and the Toyota spokesman Ryo Sakai agreement could still be reached. ees and customers were present and Yousuf Darwish Fakhroo, and is the only international oil southern city of Guangzhou where said Toyota over the past few “It remains to be seen if it in the ceremony which consisted Polymer Director of Muntajat. company active in all branches the company already produces years has been focusing on comes back at a later date. But of a gala dinner, and opening Dr Philippe Vindevoghel, of Qatar’s oil and gas sector. This cars. In Mexico, Toyota is looking squeezing maximum production at the moment we have no trac- speeches of H E Dr Mohammed Managing Director, Refining includes exploration and produc- at a site for a passenger car plant from the company’s existing fac- tion on this deal at all,” one source bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister & Chemicals, Qatar, who also tion, refining and petrochemicals, in and around the central state of tories around the world, as well familiar with the matter said, of Energy and Industry and attended the ceremony said: and the marketing of lubricants. Guanajuato, people familiar with as improving quality. asking not to be named because Chairman of Muntajat, and “This is an important milestone THE PENINSULA the plans said. REUTERS the talks are private. CVC and KKR declined to comment. MAK, the private investment company backing Americana, was not immediately available to comment. Sources close to the deal said Malaysia’s $20bn bank merger set to collapse the fact that the business was family-backed had thrown up KUALA LUMPUR: A $20bn merger to Malaysia’s ambitious plan to promote its board meetings today to discuss the merger. questioned CIMB’s ability to extract syner- obstacles as this introduced an create Malaysia’s biggest bank is about firms as regional champions. “Should there be any material devel- gies from the deal. “We have been cautious element of emotional attachment to collapse after CIMB Holdings and The collapse of the deal would be a major opment on the proposed merger which on the mega-merger proposal, especially to the pure economics of the deal. RHB Capital failed to agree on new deal blow for CIMB Chairman Nazir Razak, warrants disclosure, the appropriate on synergy creation vis-a-vis the high The Kharafi family own 66.8 terms, people familiar with the matter brother of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib announcement will be made on Bursa merger cost,” Tan Ei Leen, analyst with percent of Kuwait Food Company, said yesterday. Razak. Nazir has spearheaded the bank’s Securities accordingly,” CIMB said. Kuala Lumpur-based Affin Hwang Capital, according to Thomson Reuters The merger of CIMB, RHB and expansion over the past 16 years, snapping However, two people familiar with the wrote in a note to clients on Monday. data, through the private invest- Malaysian Building Society Bhd (MBSB) up a domestic rival, lenders in Indonesia matter said an announcement cancel- The CIMB share price fall reduced the ment company MAK (Mohammed would have formed a banking group with and Thailand and businesses owned by ling the deal could come as early as today deal’s appeal, prompting RHB to seek an Abdulmohsin al-Kharafi & Sons). assets of about $190bn, eclipsing Malayan Royal Bank of Scotland. evening, after the CIMB board meeting. improved share swap ratio, and possibly Kuwait Food Company sells goods Banking Bhd (Maybank) and making it All three firms said in separate stock CIMB shares had tumbled more than cash, people familiar the with the situa- under the brand name Americana. southeast Asia’s fourth-biggest bank. market filings that talks were ongoing. 26 percent between the launch of the deal tion said. REUTERS The state-backed deal was part of CIMB and MBSB said they would have in early October and Monday, as investors REUTERS WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21 Dubai World Airbus beats Boeing debt deal creditors to with 1,456 orders vote in March DUBAI: The court adminis- Firm trailing US rival in deliveries of passenger jets tering Dubai World’s restruc- turing has set March 17 as the TOULOUSE: Airbus said yes- Airbus Chief Executive Fabrice consumption. provisional date for creditors terday that it beat Boeing with Bregier said that “2014 has been Boeing had dominated this to vote on whether to back a 1,456 net orders last year, but an excellent year and the teams segment of midsize long-haul $14.6bn debt deal. despite handing over a record in Airbus not only delivered on, aircraft, with its 787 Dreamliner The Dubai World Tribunal 629 planes to airlines in 2014 but exceeded their targets and having won over 1,000 orders. yesterday held its first hearing it is still trailing its US rival in commitments.” Bregier added: Airbus expects this segment will on a second major restructuring deliveries of commercial pas- “We will this year deliver slightly see demand over the next two in four years, aimed at securing senger jets. higher numbers of aircrafts.” decades of 7,800 planes worth a more sustainable debt repay- The European aerospace com- Despite trailing Boeing in over- around $1 trillion. ment schedule for the conglomer- pany said in a statement that the all deliveries, Airbus edged out This year is also an important ate than the timetable agreed in results “exceeded its targets for Boeing in the biggest segment of one for Airbus for the develop- a 2011 deal. 2014” and that at the end of last single-aisle medium-haul aircraft. ment of new aircraft. Under the plan, announced by year it “commanded more than 50 Airbus delivered 490 of its A320 Airbus hopes to have A320neo Dubai World on Monday, part of percent market share for aircraft aircraft while Boeing handed over certified in the third quarter and its debt will be repaid early and above 100 seats”. 485 of its 737 planes to airlines. begin delivering the plane to cli- the maturity of the rest extended Airbus said its second-best year These aircraft also accounted ents before the end of the year. by four years to 2022 with added ever for new orders propelled it for most new orders: 1,321 of With fuel one of their largest incentives for creditors. to an industry record backlog of Airbus’s 1,456 orders last year. expenses, airlines have been plac- Speaking at the hearing on 6,386 aircraft valued at $919.3bn But Airbus missed its target of ing many orders for fuel-efficient behalf of Dubai World, Mark Hyde at list prices. selling 30 of its superjumbo A380 aircraft in order to ensure they of law firm Clifford Chance said Boeing, which announced its aircraft, which can carry between remain competitive in an industry the restructuring was expected to sales and delivery figures last 525 and 850 passengers in its dif- with tight margins. be completed by early May. week, had been leading in the ferent seat configurations, with But the price of oil has more Dubai World’s request for a debt orders category throughout the just 14 net orders. “We believe we than halved in the past six standstill on $25bn of obligations year, but as frequently happens will get additional customers this months to under $50 a barrel. in 2009 that resulted in a global Airbus announced a number of year,” Bregier said for the A380. Airbus executives said they were markets sell-off. deals in December. Boeing deliv- He noted the project would not concerned. A “lower price of Hyde said 73.01 percent by value ered a record 723 aircraft and break even this year and had more oil is always good for airlines,” said of creditors that would vote on took in a record 1,432 orders last than two years worth of orders at John Leahy, Airbus’s chief operat- the latest restructuring deal had year, with its unfilled orders also the current production rate of ing officer for customers. signed a document saying they climbing to a record 5,789 planes. around 30 aircraft per year. The Toulouse-based manufac- would support it. Including govern- While the companies focus on A milestone for Airbus in 2014 turer also announced a longer- ment creditors, which have waived the order numbers as they seek was the certification and first range version of its A320 aircraft voting rights because of a conflict of to woo even more clients, analysts delivery of its long-haul A350, the that it says will able to make interest, the approval rate stands and investors concentrate on the first of its new generation aircraft transatlantic flights after having at 66.92 percent, he said. delivery numbers as the manufac- whose wings and fuselage are received a preliminary order of Airbus Chief Executive Fabrice Bregier talks to media during the annual That is still above the 66.67 per- turers get paid when they hand made of carbon fibre and which 30 of the planes from Air Lease press conference in Colomiers, southern France, yesterday. cent level at which Dubai World over a plane to airlines. will save up to 25 percent in fuel Corporation (ALC). AFP can amend the original terms of the restructuring. Over this level, and with court approval, it can impose the agreement on any dissenting creditors — a process Pakistan rolls out known as a ‘cramdown’. Hyde said Dubai World campaign to boost European banks face $52bn in litigation costs expected creditor support to rise ahead of a February 8 deadline Islamic finance LONDON: Royal Bank of they still have to pay, much of it prove culture and business models $6.5bn from interest rate bench- which gives lenders an ‘early Scotland and Barclays may related to foreign exchange trad- are transformed before returns marks Libor and Euribor and bird’ premium. A hearing, set for ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s cen- have to pay some of the biggest ing and U. mortgage mis-selling, and payouts can rise,” analyst $9.4bn related to US mortgages. February 15, will see Dubai World tral bank is launching a second bills from an estimated $52bn in could restrain how much they pay Huw van Steenis said in a note. US banks are more advanced in put its case to the three-member phase of a mass media campaign fines and other litigation costs in dividends, the analysts said. RBS, majority owned by the their litigation payouts, the ana- judicial panel managing the proc- designed to raise awareness and facing Europe’s banks in the The fines and compensation UK government, will have to pay lysts said. Five major U.S. banks ess and see creditors categorised acceptance of Islamic finance next two years, Morgan Stanley in the last five years are related another $10.6bn on top of the have paid out $128bn and are into voting classes. among consumers in the world’s analysts said. to practices that include alleged $12.6bn already paid or provisioned forecast to incur another $18bn. Hyde said Dubai World had second most populous Muslim U.S. and European banks manipulation of benchmark inter- for, Morgan Stanley estimated. JPMorgan analysts this week requested the court club all credi- country. have paid $230bn in litigation est rates and mis-selling of mort- The analysts predicted Barclays also said British banks faced addi- tors into a single voting category. The campaign is part of the costs since 2009 and could pay gages in the United States and could have to pay another $8.3bn, tional litigation provisions. They Such a move would help Dubai central bank’s five-year plan for out another $70bn by the end of insurance in Britain. HSBC $7.7bn, Lloyds $6.1bn and forecast the big four banks faced World and speed a deal, as it would the industry. The new phase, 2016, mostly from the 20 largest Regulators fined six banks Germany’s Deutsche Bank $5.1bn. £15.1bn ($22.8bn) of extra provi- prevent creditors from fighting announced at the end of December, European banks, they said in a $4.3bn in November after trad- They estimated that future liti- sions for litigation in the next two each other to secure preferential will shift from building the overall research note yesterday. ers tried to manipulate foreign gation costs for European banks years, to add to £11.6bn of reserves treatment. If there are no hold-ups, visibility of the industry to educat- European banks have paid out exchange markets. “FX settle- would include $7.5bn related to they already have set aside for such a valuation date will take place on ing consumers on the value propo- about $104bn so far and the $52bn ments underscore (the) need to alleged foreign exchange rigging, payouts. REUTERS March 6. REUTERS sition of Islamic finance. “There is desire among consum- ers to know more about Islamic banking and address some crucial China’s 2014 trade surplus soars questions,” central bank deputy governor Saeed Ahmad said. In October, the central bank released a British inflation rate country-wide study showing latent demand for Shariah-compliant finance; it highlighted consumer tumbles to new low outreach, rural banking and the need for stand-alone Islamic banks LONDON: British inflation gradual and a little more limited as issues to be addressed. plunged to its lowest level since ... largely because of factors out- The campaign aims to help the May 2000 last month and Bank side our shores.” Crude oil prices industry reach ambitious targets of England Governor Mark fell to their lowest level in nearly including a 20 percent share of Carney said it looked set to fall six years yesterday, pointing to Pakistan’s banking system by 2020. further. Official figures yester- further falls in inflation. As of September, the industry held day showed the annual rate of In November, the BoE pre- an 9.9 percent share of banking consumer price inflation halved dicted CPI would reach its tar- assets and 10.7 percent of deposits. to 0.5 percent in December from get of 2 percent only towards the Last week, the central bank 1 percent in November. end of 2017. Financial markets are launched a financial innovation The tumble reflected a slide in expecting the BoE to start raising competition which will extend global oil prices. Coming four rates only in early 2016. grants to develop new Islamic months before a national election, Economists in a Reuters finance products. Regulators want the government said it was good poll had expected inflation in to encourage more profit-shar- news for consumers, boosting December to fall to 0.7 percent. ing modes of Shariah-compliant their spending power after years Sterling weakened after the data finance such as musharaka, whose of weak wage growth. and was close its lowest level share of overall Islamic financing in It also may delay any rate rise against the dollar in 18 months. Pakistan reached double digits for Workers at the assembly line at the Geely Automobile Factory in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China. from the BoE if price falls spread Carney said the BoE would look the first time in September at 10.1 China’s trade surplus soared by almost half last year to a record $382bn, the government announced beyond food and energy. Most closely at Britons’ inflation expec- percent, compared to 4.2 percent a yesterday. Exports increased 6.1 percent to $2.34 trillion in 2014, while imports rose 0.4 percent to economists say Britain, where tations, which at the moment show year earlier. REUTERS consumer spending remains they think inflation will rise fairly $1.96 trillion, the General Administration of Customs said. strong and wages are starting to close to the BoE’s 2 percent target rise, faces less danger of deflation in coming years. Such expectations than the euro zone, where fall- partially gauge whether consum- ing prices have sparked fears of a ers are minded to put off spending Japan-style economic stagnation. hoping for cheaper prices. Germany balances budget for first time since 1969 Carney said that he expected After years of prices rising faster inflation to drift lower in com- than wages, the inflation data may ing months, but then to return help the government of Prime BERLIN: Germany has balanced the federal of Greece. Peter Tauber, general secretary of take out ¤6.5bn ($7.7bn) in net new debt last towards 2 percent. “A little bit of Minister David Cameron to com- budget for the first time in almost half a cen- Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, said year but ended up not needing to take any, and inflation is good for the economy,” bat criticism from the opposition tury, helped by strong tax revenues and rock- the budget was a “historic success” and sent even managed to pay off old debts worth ¤2.5bn. he told the BBC. “We have the Labour Party that it has presided bottom interest rates, but the extra leeway is a clear signal to the rest of Europe that Berlin This was due to income tax revenues being bol- means at the Bank of England over a “cost of living crisis”, one of unlikely to translate into spending that could was leading by example and now only spending stered by record employment and Berlin spend- and the will and responsibility ... the big political themes ahead of a boost weak eurozone growth. money in its coffers. ing significantly less on debt interest payments to bring inflation back up to the May 7 national election. Berlin had been aiming to achieve the But some Germans have harboured deep-seated as the European Central Bank’s main interest 2 percent target.” The Office for National so-called “schwarze Null” in 2015 - but the fears of inflation since the hyperinflation of the rate languishes at historic lows. Carney added that he still Statistics said falling petrol finance ministry announced on Tuesday it had 1920s that wiped out an entire generation’s sav- Tax revenues climbed to ¤270.8bn last year expected interest rates to rise prices and lower electricity and got there in 2014, a year ahead of schedule. ings and many have an aversion to debt. Christian — about ¤2.6bn higher than forecast, accord- in the foreseeable future, though gas bills compared with a year ago It was the first time since 1969 that Germany Schulz, economist at Berenberg Bank, said the ing to preliminary 2014 budget figures pro- increases may be slower than were the biggest factors pushing had achieved the feat and is both a domestic government had staked a lot of credibility on vided by the ministry. The number of people once thought. down inflation in December. Food and European political fillip for Chancellor balancing the budget and would reap a politi- in work in Germany hit a record high of 43.1 “It’s a question of the pace of prices, which have been pushed Angela Merkel’s government, which wrote the cal dividend from voters “who are very keen on million in November and the unemployment those interest rate increases, and down by a supermarket price war goal into a coalition agreement in late 2013 the German government not borrowing more”. rate has fallen to a historic low of 6.5 percent. the degree. Relative to a year and lower commodity prices, fell and has preached budget discipline to the likes The government had originally planned to REUTERS ago, it is probably a little more 1.9 percent. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET

QE Indices Summary QE Index 11,936.58 0.21 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Total Return Index 17,803.29 0.21 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 3,976.9 0.31 % RATE QE All Share Index 3,063.64 0.02 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 3,191.94 0.64 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 5382.097 -17.433 -0.32 5447.6 5301.2 QE All Share Industrials 3,777.69 0.06 % QR145.5188 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 QE All Share Transportation 2,298.56 0.55 % Cac 40 Index/D 4262.63 34.39 0.81 4311 4076.16 QE All Share Real Estate 2,193.4 1.21 % SILVER UK ...... QR 5.4832 QR 5.5601 QE All Share Insurance 3,741.71 0.75 % Dj Indu Average 17640.84 -96.53 -0.54 18103.4 15340.69 QR 1.9987 Euro ...... QR 4.2698 QR 4.3291 QE All Share Telecoms 1,383.8 0.40 % CA$ ...... QR 3.0146 QR 3.0738 QE All Share Consumer Goods & 6,905.12 1.01 % Hang Seng Inde/D 24215.97 189.51 0.79 24169.06 23312.5 Services Swiss Fr ...... QR 3.5546 QR 3.6055 QE Market Summary Comparison Iseq Overall/D 5149.93 31.75 0.62 5278.86 5072.7 Yen ...... QR 0.0305 QR 0.03104 Aus$ ...... QR 2.9476 QR 3.0066 Today Previous day Karachi 100 In/D 33371.29 -46.91 -0.14 33513.92 32134.82 CRUDE OIL 13-01-2015 12-01-2015 Ind Re ...... QR 0.0581 QR 0.0592 Index 11,936.58 11,911.69 Nikkei 225 Index 17087.71 -110.02 -0.64 17540.92 16808.26 Pak Re ...... QR 0.0359 QR 0.0366 Change 24.89 102.66 BRENT Peso ...... QR 0.0806 QR 0.0822 S&P 500 Index/D 2028.26 -16.55 -0.81 2093.55 1737.92 % 0.21 0.85 $ 45.55 SL Re ...... QR 0.0274 QR 0.0280 YTD% 2.84 3.04 Straits Times/D 3341.07 -3.82 -0.11 3375.13 3267.89 Taka ...... QR 0.0463 QR 0.0473 Volume 10,871,675 10,651,756 DUBAI Nep Re ...... QR 0.0363 QR 0.0370 Value (QAR) 537,282,437.65 681,342,778.34 Straits Times/D 3290.99 -1.82 -0.06 3387.84 2953.01 SA Rand ...... QR 0.3139 QR 0.3203 Trades 6,810 7,535 $ 42.47 Up 13 | Down 25 | Unchanged 04 Straits Times/D 3274.06 -8.82 -0.27 3291.83 2953.01

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 13-01-2015

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 173.2 -2.65 14059 Chowgule St-T/D 29.5 1.4 21569 Goodyear I -B/D 624.05 5.15 9771 Kakatiya Cem-B/D 116 4.6 7588 Orient.Carb.-T/D 431 -15.3 12950 Hsbc Holdings/D 604.552 1.9 5766196 A C C-A/D 1443.45 38.05 28427 Cimmco-B/D 73.5 -0.25 5933 Hcl Infosys-B/D 51.35 -1.5 211779 Kalpat Power-B/D 234.95 -6.25 47153 Orient.Carb.-T/D 431 -15.3 12950 Imperial Tobac/D 2977 10 368034 Aarti Drugs-B/D 1028.05 8.6 6801 Cipla-A/D 635.05 4.05 102792 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 17.85 -0.4 993723 Kalyani Stel-T/D 163.35 -2.55 24030 Punjab Chem.-B/D 114.05 -3.1 3605 Kingfisher/D 330.7 6.3 1104852 Aban Offs-A/D 483.55 -8.9 244541 City Union Bk-/D 96.9 -0.95 49624 Himat Seide-B/D 90.4 -0.85 22320 Kanoria Chem-B/D 37.3 2.25 16023 Radico Khait-B/D 87.35 1 108935 Land Secs Grou/D 1203 10 384558 Aegis Logis-B/D 428.5 -9.1 3494 Cmc Ltd-A/D 1899.8 -37.95 8058 Hind Motors-T/D 7.9 -0.01 62453 Kg Denim-B/D 18.3 0.4 57698 Rallis India-A/D 216.6 3.4 81634 Legal & Genera/D 245 0.3 3186735 Ahmed.Forg-B/D 338.75 -8.15 82570 Colgate-A/D 1935.05 7.95 39265 Hind Org Chem-/D 22.3 -0.1 74700 Kilburnengg-T/D 42.1 -1.25 12215 Rallis India-A/D 216.6 3.4 81634 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 73.908 0.35 23422459 Alembic-B/D 46.75 0.2 451536 Container Cor-/D 1360.95 9.25 23736 Hind Unilever-/D 884.7 -11.95 378298 Kinetic Eng-B/D 49.4 -0.25 2751 Reliance Indus/D 470.2 -4.05 73494 Marks & Sp./D 457.9 9.6 3662222 Alkyl Amines-B/D 392 -3 2783 Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 183.35 6.3 33995 Hind.Petrol-A/D 588 3.15 86344 Kopran-B/D 60.1 3.25 570616 Ruchi Soya-B/D 37.35 0.15 54894 Next/D 6998.4294 50 107292 Alok Indus-A/D 10.79 -0.48 2751458 Dcm Shram Ind-/D 106.45 2.9 7045 Hindalco-A/D 151.45 0.4 326127 Lakshmi Elec-B/D 451.95 5.15 5151 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 662 -13.05 22434 Pearson/D 1203 18 700556 Apollo Tyre-A/D 224.15 -1.2 209708 Dhampur Sugar-/D 44.9 -1.4 33476 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1120.95 -8.75 61655 Laxmi Prcisn-B/D 44.7 -1.2 3756 Samtel-T/D 6.55 -0.06 5591 Prudential/D 1486.275 7.5 871302 Asahi I Glass-/D 116.65 -0.65 12327 Dr. Reddy-A/D 3222.75 20.65 7591 I F C I-A/D 36.35 -0.45 496977 Lgb Broth-B/D 629.9 -23.05 5543 Saur.Cem-B/D 42.25 0.45 415525 Rank Group/D 159.2 1.2 1426 Ashok Leyland-/D 59.6 -0.55 2719783 E I H-B/D 115.9 0.75 73668 Idbi-A/D 74 -0.9 570709 Lok.Hous&Con-T/D 13 0.49 28690 Sterling Tool-/D 353.15 -17.45 4891 Rentokil Initi/D 121.6 2.6 782406 Bajaj Hold-A/D 1469.75 14.95 2022 E.I.D Parry-A/D 186.45 -1.3 21311 Ifb Agro-B/D 387.2 -3.6 2572 Lumax Ind-B/D 438 4.4 5118 Thirumalai-B/D 95.4 -0.9 4561 Rolls Royce Pl/D 860.5 -8 2843529 Ballarpur In-B/D 16.1 -0.15 267220 Eimco Elecon-T/D 489.9 22.4 10405 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 468.8 0.55 35298 Lupin-A/D 1430.6 -0.8 29887 Til Ltd.-T/D 461.65 10.7 13222 Rsa Insrance G/D 438.5 2.5 621672 Banaras Bead-B/D 45.2 -0.45 2372 Electrosteel-B/D 18.8 0.35 281117 India Cement-A/D 89.75 3 609654 Lyka Labs-T/D 30.9 -0.75 37137 Timexgroup-T/D 14.8 -0.44 44916 Sainsbury(J)/D 247.6 7.3 3654226 Bata India-A/D 1392.6 20.25 13616 Emco-B/D 38.8 -0.55 68469 India Glycol-B/D 106.6 4.85 99484 Mah.Seamless-B/D 221.3 6.15 29840 Tinplate-B/D 62.05 -0.75 15283 Schroders/D 2658.666667 38 121972 Beml Ltd-A/D 870.4 -2.55 418559 Escorts Fin-B/D 5.4 -0.2 12237 Indian Hotel-A/D 118.15 -0.25 265089 Maha Scooter-B/D 1004 -3.7 2193 Ucal Fuel-B/D 137 -2.1 15153 Severn Trent/D 2095 24 313906 Bh Electronic-/D 3332.9 114.75 100805 Escorts-A/D 126.4 0.8 204312 Indo-Tcount-T/D 352.5 -0.35 26014 Mangalam Cem-B/D 331.45 6.25 34028 Ultramarine-B/D 70.1 -0.05 6083 Smith&Nephew/D 1160 -20 853157 Bhansali Eng-T/D 14.16 -0.34 18880 Essar Oil-T/D 103 0.85 53346 Indusind-A/D 822.55 -8.85 401627 Maral Overs-B/D 21 1.25 4178 Unitech P -A/D 16.1 -0.9 8206186 Smiths Group/D 1080 13 296193 Bharat Bijle-B/D 709.2 -9.15 6234 Eveready Indu-/D 175.75 -0.65 32787 J.B.Chemical-B/D 201.15 1.15 17047 Mastek-B/D 420.15 -2.1 97096 Standrd Chart /D 926.2 5 3020624 Bharatgears-B/D 71.3 -0.75 14250 F D C-B/D 156.35 -1.7 30376 Jagatjit Ind-T/D 46 2 2880 Max India L-A/D 404.9 8.7 43261 LONDON Tate & Lyle/D 652 9 808510 Bhartiya Int-B/D 412.05 -0.05 10864 Federal Bank-A/D 148.75 -1 135617 Jagson Phar-B/D 37.55 0.45 29898 Mrpl-A/D 48.1 -1.4 70860 Tesco/D 210.15 5.6 14136515 Bhel-A/D 257.7 -0.1 503009 Ferro Alloys-B/D 6.53 0.18 25535 Jbf Indu-B/D 248.55 4.15 137662 Nahar Spg.-B/D 95.8 -0.4 5500 Unilever/D 2710.2471 33 1041186 Bom.Burmah-B/D 469.8 -5.55 81710 Fgp Ltd-B/D 2.47 -0.13 3535 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.74 -0.01 20749 Nation Alum -A/D 48.85 -0.8 216931 3I Group/D 434.5698 5.1 454584 United Util Gr/D 944.725 -5 522541 Bombay Dyeing-/D 65.35 -0.75 218964 Finolex-A/D 300.8 37.65 379726 Jct Ltd-B/D 3.69 0.02 154943 Navneet Edu-B/D 113.8 2.8 51411 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3134 27 282101 Vodafone Group/D 228.7 1.9 17889434 Canfin Homes-B/D 620.65 4.15 60730 Forbes-B/D 2172.55 -114.3 3910 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 6.02 0.28 58469 Nepc India-T/D 2.91 -0.05 32690 Barclays/D 232.9 1.5 6725139 Whitbread/D 4791 17 126004 Caprihans-B/D 89 -0.5 9742 Gail-A/D 428.45 -1.75 129447 Jik Indust-B/D 1.04 -0.08 3701 Nrb Bearings-B/D 136.9 -2.05 10368 Bg Group/D 818.6 18.6 3958769 Cast.Bo/D 510.35 4.95 83952 Galada Power-T/D 14 0.6 2100 Jindal Drill-B/D 164.75 -2.65 2144 O N G C-A/D 339.65 -8.25 552623 Bp/D 394.4253 -2.35 9885338 Century Enka-B/D 181.75 6.85 70331 Gammon India-T/D 24.6 -0.55 89301 Jktyre&Ind-B/D 133.45 1.1 267329 Ocl India-B/D 503.1 7.95 14911 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3576.5 54.5 746306 Century Text-A/D 548.95 6.35 143699 Gangotri Tex-B/D 1.75 0.05 25151 Jmc Projects-T/D 176.65 -0.15 6916 Oil Country-B/D 35.45 0.45 9313 Bt Group/D 399.45 1.5 2437040 Chambal Fert-B/D 60.75 -1 33284 Garden P -B/D 31.65 1.15 16093 Kabra Extr-B/D 95.5 -1 9094 Orchid Chem-B/D 63.45 -1.1 78427 Centrica/D 270.0301 9 6239177 Chola Invest-B/D 495.8 0.9 608977 Goodricke-B/D 154.55 0.7 12282 Kajaria Cer-A/D 621.3 -3.45 53429 Orient Hotel-T/D 23.5 -0.25 2500 Gkn/D 352.1 3.6 1055030 WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23 Nets’ Garnett ejected for Head coach Fox, Broncos part ways

LOS ANGELES: The Denver Broncos and head coach John head-butting Howard Fox have mutually agreed to part ways, the National Football League team said on Monday, a Brooklyn lose again as they go down 113-99 to Houston day after a season-ending play- off loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Fox led Denver to four division NEW YORK: Kevin Garnett titles since taking charge of the lost his cool and his Brooklyn team in 2011 but his teams came Nets lost again on Monday up short in the playoffs each year, night, falling 113-99 to the losing last season’s Super Bowl Houston Rockets. and falling in the second round Garnett, known for his passion of the play-offs the other three in a 20-year NBA career, played seasons. little over four minutes before he Broncos General Manager John was ejected from the game for Elway said in a statement that he Denver Broncos head coach John an altercation in which he head- and Fox met for over an hour on Fox butted Rockets centre Dwight Monday to discuss the latest sea- Howard with 7:53 to play in the son and goals for the future when Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Oakland first quarter. it became clear that the timing Raiders and Chicago Bears all Howard was slapped with a was right to make a change. looking for head coaches. technical foul after some testy “While we have made signifi- REUTERS shoving between the two but cant progress under Coach Fox, stayed in the game. there is still work to be done,” said The Rockets were off to a hot Elway. Buckeyes win start, making their first seven “I believe this change at the shots en route to a 23-14 lead. head coaching position will be in College Football Emotions were hot as well the best interest of our long-term when Howard and Garnett tan- goal, which from day one has been Play-off crown gled beneath the basket and the to win World Championships.” Nets veteran fired the ball toward Parting ways with Fox could be ARLINGTON: The Ohio State Howard after the All-Star big the start of an offseason of rebuild Buckeyes grabbed a slice of man gave him a light push. in Denver given the uncertainty American college football his- The two then stepped towards surrounding 38-year-old Peyton tory on Monday with a 42-20 each other, and Garnett butted An official tries to restrain Kevin Garnett (centre) of the Brooklyn Nets after he and Dwight Howard of the Houston Manning’s future with the team triumph over Oregon in the his head to Howard’s jaw. Howard Rockets got into a scuffle in the first quarter of a NBA game at the Barclays Center in New York on Monday. following Sunday’s loss to the first College Football Play-off responded with an open right Colts and a long list of free agents. Championship. hand to the face before both play- Harden finished with 30 adding 13 points off the bench for sixth straight. AFP Expectations for a Super Ezekiel Elliott ran for 246 yards ers were restrained. points, connecting on nine of 13 Houston. Bowl title have been sky-high in and four touchdowns for Ohio After order was restored, from the field as the Rockets Howard scored eight points and NBA Results Denver since 2012 when the team State, who become the first uni- Houston was up by as many as posted their fourth straight pulled down five rebounds — and Boston 108 New Orleans 100 landed Manning, a future Hall versity to claim a national foot- 11 in the first quarter and owned victory. was booed every time he touched Brooklyn 99 Houston 113 of Fame quarterback who owns ball title via a knock-out playoff a 37-28 advantage at period’s Donatas Motiejunas contrib- the ball after his run-in with several passing records and won competition. Toronto 111 Detroit 114 end behind 15 points from James uted 18 points and 11 rebounds Garnett. an NFL championship with the The national collegiate title has Harden. in the victory, with Josh Smith The Nets dropped a season-high Chicago 114 Orlando 121 Indianapolis Colts. long been a coveted commodity But in their only trip to the in a sport that sparks pride and Super Bowl under Fox, Denver passions across the United States were humiliated by the Seattle often greater than those produced Obama toasts, teases NBA champions Seahawks in one of the most lop- by professional teams. sided championship games. But the one thing lacking from WASHINGTON: US President a non-Bulls team in the White assistant coach, and welcomed the Fox, who was also head coach the spectacle has been the kind of Barack Obama welcomed NBA House,” he said. “That’s all I’ve wealth of international talent the with the Carolina Panthers when playoffs so beloved of US sports champions San Antonio to the been able to do — so far.” team has brought to the league. they reached the Super Bowl in enthusiasts — head-to-head com- White House on Monday, and Despite the demands of his “It’s the UN of basketball 2004, went 46-18 in Denver. petitions that let fans point to the said he’d be glad to offer advice Bulls fandom, however, the teams,” he said of a squad that “I had a productive visit with last team standing as true and as they pursue a title repeat. President admitted the Spurs features French players Tony John Elway this afternoon in deserving champions. “If you guys need any tips on were “hard to dislike.” Parker and Boris Diaw along with which we were both very honest Instead, for decades, rankings winning back-to-back, you know “First of all, they’re old,” he Argentina’s Manu Ginobili. Italy, about our time together and how or polls determined the national where to find me,” quipped the said of the squad led by 38-year- Brazil, Australia and Canada are to best move forward,” said Fox. collegiate football champion. second-term President, no doubt old Tim Duncan. “For an old guy, also represented on their roster. “After this discussion, John and I For the last 16 years, the Bowl aware that the Spurs’ five NBA it makes me feel good to see — “They find folks who didn’t mutually agreed that the timing Championship Series system pit- titles don’t include any in succes- where’s Tim? Tim’s got some gray. have a chance someplace else was right for this decision.” ted two top teams in a title game sive years. There’s a few others with a little and suddenly they figure out a With six division titles and based on a combination of human US President Barack Obama As a passionate fan of the sprinkles around here.” way to make them shine as part two Super Bowl berths between polls and computer rankings. holds a basketball autographed Chicago Bulls, Obama admitted As a father of two daughters, of a team. In that sense, they’re a Carolina and Denver along with This season, a selection com- by the San Antonio Spurs at the it was bittersweet to yet again one of whom plays basketball, great metaphor for what America an overall record of 119-89, Fox mittee of 13 chose and seeded four White House on Monday. congratulate another team. Obama praised the Spurs as the should be all about,” said Obama. could find work quickly with the teams to play in semi-final games. “It’s never easy celebrating first NBA team to hire a woman AFP San Francisco 49ers, New York AFP Lightning Reed holds nerve to shock trounced by Flyers 7-3 Walker and win at Kapalua PHILADELPHIA: Mark KAPALUA, Hawaii: Streit had a goal and two assists, Strong-finishing Patrick Reed while Chris VandeVelde, Brayden held his nerve to beat fellow Schenn and Jakub Voracek also American Jimmy Walker in a scored and recorded a helper, as play-off for the $5.7m Hyundai the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Tournament of Champions on Tampa Bay Lightning 7-3. Monday to clinch his fourth R.J. Umberger, Michael Raffl victory on the PGA Tour. and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare Reed, who vaulted into con- also scored for the Flyers (17-19- tention by spectacularly holing 7), who got five goals in the second out from the fairway to eagle period to grab control. the par-four 16th, coolly sank The Flyers had lost six in a an 18-foot birdie putt at the row to the Eastern Conference- par-five last to win the PGA leading Lightning (27-13-4), who Tour’s opening event of the got goals from Steven Stamkos, year. Brian Boyle and Ryan Callahan. Walker, who moments ear- Capitals 2, Avalanche 1 lier had missed a putt from Washington’s Alex Ovechkin the same distance on the 18th broke a tie late in the second green to land the title in regu- Patrick Reed kisses with the winner’s trophy after winning the final period with his 22nd goal of the lation, was six feet short of the round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the Kapalua Golf season to give the Capitals a 2-1 cup in four after hitting a poor Club in Hawaii on Monday. win over the Colorado Avalanche. chip shot for his third which Ovechkin’s goal was his 74th ran off the back of the green. Russell Henley (67) after equal- the front nine to reach the turn career game-winner for the “Here on the last, I gave ling the tournament course two strokes clear. Capitals, giving him the franchise myself a chance and I was lucky record with a sizzling 62. Walker appeared to tighten lead over former Caps great Peter enough to make it,” a beaming Walker, like Reed bidding for his grip on the title with another Bondra. Reed, 24, told NBC Sports after a fourth victory on the PGA birdie at the 10th, where he hit Washington goaltender Braden being embraced by his wife Tour, was left to rue missed an exquisite approach to nine Holtby stopped 31 of 32 shots in Justine. chances after squandering a feet, to lead by three. the victory, improving his record “My confidence level is really three-shot lead with eight holes However, he surprisingly to 21-8-7 while outdueling former high right now. At the same to play. bogeyed the 14th after missing Avs netminder Semyon Varlamov time, you continue to tighten “It was there for me to win,” a four-footer for par and was (36 saves). up on things and you continue said the 35-year-old, who won caught at the top when Reed The Capitals (23-11-8) are now to move forward.” three times in just eight starts holed out from 80 yards to eagle 13-1-4 in their last 18 games while Reed and Walker had fin- to launch his 2013-14 season in the 16th. the Avalanche (18-17-8) lost for ished the 72 regulation holes sizzling fashion. Walker missed birdie chances the first time since Jan. 4, snap- in the elite winners-only event “It was a bummer I didn’t from eight feet at the 15th and ping a three-game win streak. on 21-under-par 271, Walker close the door on it. You feel 16th before being handed a one- REUTERS closing with a four-under 69 the pressure, you are trying to shot cushion when Reed lipped on the hilly Plantation Course win a golf tournament. I was out from four feet to bogey the NHL Results and Reed carding a 67. hitting good shots ... just didn’t 17th. Australian Jason Day fin- make any putts.” After Reed birdied the last, Los Angeles 2 Toronto 0 ished in a tie for third at 20 Tied for the lead overnight Walker parred the hole to take Philadelphia 7 Tampa Bay 3 under with Japan’s Hideki with Matsuyama, Walker made the tournament into a play-off. Washington 2 Colorado 1 Matsuyama (70) and American a fast start with four birdies on REUTERS WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Star Del Potro wins on comeback Argentine beats Ukraine’s Stakhovsky in his first match in 10 months after surgery

SYDNEY: Juan Martin del triumph for Del Potro after going Potro savoured the thrill of being under the knife last March on his Rain wipes on court again by winning his left wrist, which forced him off first match in 10 months since the tour. wrist surgery at the Sydney “It was a great moment for me. out play at International yesterday. I think I played well to be in my The giant Argentine, who is first match after 10 months,” he defending his Sydney title on a said. Kooyong wildcard after his ranking sank “I served well. My forehand is to 338 due to his inactivity, had a still working out. So that’s a good MELBOURNE: Steady rain 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) win over Ukraine’s sign for the future. wiped out play at the Kooyong Sergiy Stakhovsky. “I need to work very hard to my Classic yesterday, although It set up the 2009 US Open backhands and my movements, Japanese headliner Kei champion and one-time world but I think now is time to think Nishikori managed to secure number four with a second-round about my comeback and enjoy this an indoor practice session as encounter with Italian top seed moment a lot,” he added. the Australian Open countdown Fabio Fognini. “I have been at home for a long heats up. Just to be playing again was a time, really sad. To be honest, I Nishikori, the US Open final- didn’t expect this moment to be ist and world number five, tops Sydney International early in the season. I’m so happy, the bill at Kooyong for the annual so glad.” eight-man tune-up prior to the Men’s Round 1 Del Potro’s playing career has first Grand Slam of the season. been sidetracked by wrist prob- After a dry and sunny few Results lems since he beat Roger Federer days, wet weather which had been in the final at the US Open six forecast for last weekend finally SYDNEY: Results from the years ago, and he is taking his reached Melbourne, drenching Sydney International Men’s comeback slowly. courts both at Melbourne Park Singles Round 1 matches “I have to go very slowly, tour- and Kooyong. yesterday. nament by tournament. But if I Officials had little choice but to Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) bt Samuel Groth play like 15, 20 tournaments that cancel the opening programme of (Australia) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6); Viktor Troicki will be a great season for me,” he what is scheduled to be a four-day (Serbia) bt 8-Martin Klizan (Slovakia) 6-2, 6-3; said. Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro reacts after victory against Ukraine’s Sergiy Stakhovsky during their men’s tournament. 7-Jeremy Chardy (France) bt Sam Querrey (US) “Just staying healthy for all the singles match on day three of the Sydney International in Sydney, yesterday. Nishikori, who won the title a 6-4, 6-4; Vasek Pospisil (Canada) bt Andreas season will be great for me. I’m year ago by beating Czech Tomas Seppi (Italy) 6-3, 7-6(4); Mikhail Kukushkin making a schedule, but a shorter Berdych, instead managed to have (Kazakhstan) bt Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) one.” on television. “I think for all the trying to win a Grand Slam again. serve before taking the opening a hit under the closed roof of the 6-3, 7-6(1); Pablo Andujar (Spain) bt Jarkko Del Potro, who still needs one players watching the big tourna- But I was at home trying to fix set in 31 minutes. He was again Hisense arena at Melbourne Park. Nieminen (Finland) 6-2, 6-2; Bernard Tomic hour of treatment before and ments on TV is really bad,” said my wrist.” untroubled on serve in the sec- Asia’s top player arrived in (Australia) bt Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) 6-1, after each match, said it had the seasoned player. After breaking Stakhovsky in ond set, but needed a tiebreaker Melbourne after reaching the 6-2; Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) bt Sergiy been “horrible” sitting at home “I’m supposed to be there play- the third game of the match, del to clinch victory after one hour semi-finals in Brisbane, where Stakhovsky (Ukraine) 6-3, 7-6(4). in Buenos Aires watching tennis ing with these guys, looking at Potro barely dropped a point on and 21 minutes. AFP he lost in three tie-break sets to Canadian Milos Raonic, a fellow member of the next generation who has also moved into the top ‘Tired’ Radwanska upset by 10 with a ranking of eight. While Nishikori now has a Grand Slam final on his record, the Florida-based 25-year-old is Spain’s Muguruza in Sydney not in a rush to try to take a per- manent place among the elite in SYDNEY: A tough play- Australia’s top-ranked player the sport. ing schedule caught up with Sydney Samantha Stosur 7-6 (7-1), 6-2 Instead, the Japanese, coached world number six Agnieszka and will face defending champion by former Chinese-American Radwanska when she was International Tsvetana Pironkova in the next great Michael Chang, is prepared dumped out in the first round round. to take a slow, steady course of the Sydney International Women’s Round 2 Pironkova won her 13th toward the top. yesterday. Results straight match at the Sydney “My goal is to maintain my top Spain’s Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, tournament, progressing on an five ranking,” Nishikori said in the who won last year’s Hobart injury retirement into quarter- run-up to the first major of the Garbine SYDNEY: Results from the International as a qualifier and is finals of the tournament. season. Muguruza Sydney International Women’s currently ranked 24, fought back Pironkova advanced when “I also want to stay healthy. I Blanco hits a Singles Round 2 matches after dropping the opening set to yesterday. American youngster Madison don’t want to look farther ahead shot during beat the Polish third seed 3-6, 7-6 Keys was forced to retire from than that.” her second Jarmila Gajdosova (Australia) bt 7-Dominika (7/4), 6-2. Cibulkova (Slovakia) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; 2-Petra their second-round encounter Washed out by the weather round match It is the first tournament that with a right shoulder injury. was the showcase opening match against Kvitova (Czech Republic) bt Peng Shuai (China) Radwanska, coming off Poland’s 6-1, 7-5; Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Czech Keys had won the opening set between Nishikori and world Poland’s win in the mixed teams Hopman Republic) bt Samantha Stosur (Australia) 6-4 but trailed 4-1 in the second number 274, Australian Jordan Agnieszka Cup in Perth, is playing under new 7-6(1), 6-2; Garbine Muguruza Blanco (Spain) before calling it quits. Thompson. AFP Radwanska coach and tennis great Martina bt 3-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) 3-6, 7-6(4), The Bulgarian continued on at the Navratilova. 6-2; Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) bt Madison her winning way and remained ATP Auckland Sydney “(Tired) a little bit, yes, espe- Keys (US) 4-6, 4-1 (Keys retired); Carla Suarez on track to win the trophy as a International, cially that last couple matches Navarro (Spain) bt 6-Ekaterina Makarova qualifier for the second succes- Open Results yesterday. was pretty long,” Radwanska (Russia) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; Karolina Pliskova (Czech sive year. said of her recent Hopman Cup Republic) bt Nicole Gibbs (US) 6-0, 6-0. Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro AUCKLAND: Results from campaign. ousted Russian sixth seed day two of the ATP Auckland “Plus the mixed doubles and “For me to win this match, Ekaterina Makarova 4-6, 6-1, Open yesterday: not much rest and I was playing I feel like I improve a lot,” she 6-4 to progress to a quarter-final First Round: Alejandro Falla (COL) bt Jose here the first round. So I think said before adding: “When I play against the Czech Republic’s Statham (NZL) 6-4, 6-4; Kenny De Scheper just everything in (a) row. against her I really have to con- Karolina Pliskova. (FRA) bt Santiago Giraldo (COL x6) 6-2, “I think she (Muguruza) has centrate and do my game, because Pliskova took full advantage of 6-3Donald Young (USA) bt Go Soeda (JPN) 6-7 really good potential, and I think she makes me play different styles the withdrawal of Romanian top (7-2), 6-1, 6-3; Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) bt every day she’s playing really good and dropshots and long balls.” seed Simona Halep to trounce Borna Coric (CRO) 6-4, 6-3; Jiri Vesely (CHI) bt tennis, better tennis, and defi- Two-time Wimbledon cham- American Nicole Gibbs 6-0, 6-0, Thomaz Belucci (BRA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4); Diego nitely the tennis that we going to pion and Czech second seed Petra in one-sided match. Schwartzman (ARG) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez see much more of in the future.” Kvitova was too strong for China’s Halep said she was forced out (ESP x7) 6-2, 4-6, 6-1; Michael Venus (NZL) bt Muguruza, who lost her previ- Peng Shuai, winning 6-1, 7-5 after with gastroenteritis she picked Alejandro Gonzalez (COL) 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7); ous two matches with Radwanska, an impressive show. up during her tournament win Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) bt Paolo Lorenzi said the win showed how much Fellow Czech Barbora in Shenzhen in China last week. (ITA) 6-4, 6-3; Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE x9) bt Juan she has improved her tennis. Zahlavova Strycova knocked out AFP Monaco (ARG) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. Middle East, Asia boost investment in top level sports

LONDON: A new report has while French champions Paris St also invested heavily in soccer investment table. Similarly in the highlighted the growing reach Germain and Spanish top flight sponsorship, with some of the United States, Asian investment and depth of Asian and Middle- club Malaga are 100 percent largest European clubs now spon- is increasing in sports ownership Eastern investment in top-level Qatari owned. sored by Middle East airlines. and sponsorship. sports around the world with no Abu Dhabi Holdings spent Spanish giants Barcelona are Pakistan-born Shahid Khan sign of any slowdown. $330m for a 90 percent share in sponsored by Qatar Airlines, became the NFL’s first minority Entitled “Emerging Giants”, Manchester City in 2008 and so Manchester City are backed by ethnic owner when he bought the the report released by sports far their investment has been Etihad, while Real Madrid, PSG, Jacksonville Jaguars in 2012 for an marketing research company rewarded on the pitch with two Arsenal and AC Milan all carry estimated $760m. Repucom, examines the trend Premier League titles, an FA Cup the Emirates logo on their shirts. As Middle Eastern and Asian of investment in sports sponsor- and a League Cup. The United Arab Emirates, businesses continue to invest in ship from the Middle East into Likewise, Qatar Sports whose investment was virtually top level sports around the world, European soccer and from Asia Investments spent $130m for non-existent less than 10 years the hosting of major sporting into US sports franchises. a 100 percent stake in Paris St ago, has emerged as the biggest events in the region is growing Across Europe, $1.5bn has Germain in 2011. single investor in the sponsorship as governments and cities become been spent by Middle-Eastern Having laboured in Ligue 1 for of European team soccer shirts, more sports minded. investors and groups on team many years, PSG’s new-found the report says. South Korea will host the 2018 ownership, while in the last two spending power has seen them During 2009/10 season, shirt Winter Olympics before the 2022 years alone, Asian businessmen crowned champions in the last sponsorship by Middle Eastern World Cup is staged in Qatar. have invested approximately two seasons, while Brazilian David companies was worth $24.6m. While economies in the Middle $1.1bn in US sports franchises, Luiz became the world’s most In 2014, UAE companies, led East and Asia remain strong and Paris Saint-Germain’s (PSG) players and officials celebrate with the trophy the report says. English football expensive defender in June when by Emirates and Etihad, invested have large reserves of wealth, the after winning the match against EA Guingamp in Beijing, in this August clubs Manchester City, Arsenal he joined from Chelsea for around $163m in shirt sponsorship as the globalisation of sport is unlikely to 2014 file photo.Qatar Sports Investments spent $130m for a 100 percent and Nottingham Forest all have 50m pounds. Arab state surpassed Germany show any signs of slowing down, stake in Paris St Germain in 2011. Middle-Eastern shareholders, Middle Eastern brands have at the top of the sponsorship the report says. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Messi’s purple patch of confusion at Ballon d’Or Star baffles all with contrasting statements over Barca future

MADRID: Lionel Messi con- reported showdown with Enrique fused everyone at the Ballon last week and his statement on d’Or awards with his purple Sunday describing reports linking tuxedo and his comments about him to Chelsea and Manchester Saeed Ajmal his future at Barcelona. City as “all lies”. The Argentine superstar’s “I have never demanded any- spangly suit was the latest of a thing to ensure that I stay because long line of fashion statements at I never had any intention of leav- Ajmal to the annual football gala – where ing,” he told Barca TV after a bril- he was beaten to the top award by liant performance in his side’s 3-1 Cristiano Ronaldo. win over Atletico Madrid. have action He made notable headlines two Barcelona’s tumultuous week years ago with a striking polka also included the sacking of sport- dot outfit. ing director Andoni Zubizarreta. reassessed “Ronaldo deserved to beat Messi, still a giant on the foot- Messi in the Ballon d’Or on choice ball pitch, appears uncertain in in Chennai of suit for the event alone,” com- public. mented former English Football After the Zurich press confer- LAHORE: Suspended Pakistan Association communications chief ence, Messi spoke to some report- spinner Saeed Ajmal will have Adrian Bevington. ers who quoted him as saying his bowling action reassessed But there is as much specu- that his comments are always in India this month as he tries lation about whether Messi will “twisted” and “I’m in no way to make a comeback to inter- stay at Barcelona – his club of the thinking about leaving”. national cricket, an official said past decade – as there is on his If Messi is uncertain, it could yesterday. fashion sense. be the result of a year without The 37-year-old was ranked Messi’s reportedly rocky rela- club titles as well as losing the world number one in one-day tionship with Barcelona coach World Cup final to Germany and internationals when his action Luis Enrique already has major the world player of the year title was reported during the Galle European clubs on alert, accord- to Ronaldo for the second year Test in Sri Lanka in August last ing to media reports. in a row. year. He was suspended by the The alarm bells rang louder The speculation could also be International Cricket Council after Messi said on Monday “I’ve the result of the intense scrutiny (ICC) a month later after a bio- always said I want to end my given to every word and gesture Argentinian striker Lionel Messi (left) signs autographs as he arrives on the red carpet prior to the FIFA Ballon mechanical analysis. career at Barcelona”. he makes. d’Or 2014 gala held at the Kongresshaus in Zurich, Switzerland, on Monday. Ajmal last month withdrew He added: “But you never know His move to follow Chelsea’s from next month’s World Cup what will happen in the world of Instagram social media account after failing to completely alter football. I do not know where I’ll and to put Chelsea manager other major problems. The club when the season ends, having the top job at the Camp Nou. But his action, leaving Pakistan’s be next year.” Jose Mourinho in third place in is banned from signing new play- brought forward the vote because he has not yet declared himself a bowling attack badly weakened. Messi refered reporters to his votes for coach of the year ers until January 2016. They of the multiple storms surround- candidate. Mohammad Akram, head coach comments by his big rival Ronaldo all added to the turmoil at team could also face criminal proceed- ing the club. A Messi departure or even a of the Pakistan Cricket Board’s that “lots of things change in foot- Barcelona. ings over hidden fees in the 2013 Former president Joan Laporta, public battle between Messi and national academy, said Ajmal ball and anything can happen.” The Messi storm is a worry transfer of Brazilian star Neymar. who oversaw two Champions Enrique would make a change at would travel to the Indian city of The statement by the four- for Barcelona leaders, includ- Messi’s future could take cen- League triumphs when in charge the top more likely. Chennai for a reassessment. time Ballon d’Or winner further ing Enrique and club president tre stage when Bartomeu seeks between 2003 and 2010, has been Barcelona need a purple patch “Ajmal will have his bowling clouded his intentions after a Josep Bartomeu as they confront reelection as Barcelona president strongly linked with a return to from their star player. AFP action reassessed in Chennai on January 24 and he as well as we are confident that he will clear FIFA finds piece of first the test,” said Akram. Under ICC rules bowlers are allowed to bend their elbow by up to 15 degrees, beyond which the World Cup, says official action is deemed illegal. AS Roma’s Suspended bowlers must Francesco Totti ZURICH: FIFA has found a 1930 and 1950. Uruguay and Italy remodel their action and then takes a selfie as long lost piece of the original each won the tournament twice in undergo a reassessment to get he celebrates after World Cup which will become that time. The base was replaced clearance to play again. scoring his second one of the major exhibits at its in 1954. Ajmal, whose elbow flex goal against SS new museum to open next year. Brazil was given the gold Jules reached 43 degrees, did reme- Lazio during The gemstone base of the tro- Rimet trophy permanently after dial work under former Pakistan their Italian Serie phy first awarded in 1930 was they won the World Cup for the spinner Saqlain Mushtaq and had A match at the found last month, according to third time in 1970. It was stolen unofficial tests in England. Olympic Stadium in David Ausseil, creative director in 1983 and has never been found. Under ICC rules if a bowler Rome on Sunday. of the museum which is still being The new 3,500 square metre fails a reassessment test he does built in Zurich. World Football Museum in the not face any ban but will have to “We found this base in storage centre of Zurich is expected to appear for another assessment, at FIFA. It is the original base of open its doors in March, 2016. the time period for which will be the Jules Rimet trophy in lapis FIFA, which was established determined by the ICC Bowling lazuli,” Ausseil said. in 1904, is also based in the Review Group. The 10 centimetre (4-inch) tall Swiss city. It is hoping to get up If Ajmal passes the January 24 base has the names of the first to 300,000 visitors a year at the test he will be available for inter- four World Cup winners between museum. AFP national cricket. However he will be banned for Roma hit back in ‘selfie’ row 12 months should his action be reported again at international MILAN: The President of Serie “It’s a pity Lotito commented on the game, not during it. My cap- level within two years of the first A side Roma, James Pallotta, Francesco’s selfie in this way: I tain would never have done the report. Akram said Ajmal was Brazilian soccer has hit back at Lazio counter- would have almost preferred a same,” he said. Lotito, speaking on withdrawn from the World Cup player Marta part Claudio Lotito in a row selfie with his face.” Totti cel- Rai Radio2, also said he would “bet after serious consultations. over a ‘selfie’ picture taken ebrated taking his career league my presidency” of the capital club looks at a “We feel Ajmal needs to play by Francesco Totti during the tally to 239, 35 short of the all- that Roma would not win the scu- replica of the domestic cricket before being sides’ 2-2 derby draw on Sunday. time record held by Silvio Piola detto this year. Roma’s sporting FIFA World Cup inducted at the higher level,” he Lotito claimed Roma, who sit (274), as well as setting a new director Mauro Baldissoni deliv- trophy during said. three points behind champions record of scoring 11 goals in the ered a wry retort to Lazio, whose her visit to the Pakistan also face a race against and leaders Juventus, have no city derby by taking a picture of captain Stefano Mauri served a construction time in the case of all-rounder chance of winning this year’s scu- himself with a mobile telephone six-month ban last year for his site of the FIFA Mohammad Hafeez, whose action detto and hit out at Roma cap- handed to him by a coaching alleged involvement in a match- World Football was reported last November tain Totti for an “inappropriate” assistant. fixing scandal. “Given that Lazio Museum in before he was suspended. ‘selfie’ during the game. Although it created hype on are the betting experts, if Lotito Zurich yesterday. Hafeez is included purely as But Pallotta, one of three social media around the world, wagers his presidency there’s a a batsman in Pakistan’s 15-man Americans who bought a major Lotito said Totti’s gesture was risk that the supporters of Lazio squad for the February-March share in the Serie A giants in misplaced. will also end up supporting us,” World Cup in Australia and New August 2012, retorted on Twitter: “It would have made sense after said Baldissoni. AFP Zealand. He is likely to take a reassessment test in the last week of January to try to resume bowling. Meanwhile, retiring Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq vowed to roll back the years and lead his Dakar Rally: Barreda’s title hopes dented team to victory in the World Cup starting in Australia and New Zealand next month. IQUIQUE, Chile: Pablo While Honda’s Spanish rider The 38-year-old Spaniard the sweeter as it came on home stage on the event described as Misbah, 40, on Sunday Quintanilla won Monday’s attri- Barreda, who led the standings by admitted the stage had been turf. He moved up a place into motorsport’s Everest. announced he would quit the one- tional eighth motorbike stage over six minutes overnight, is still extremely gruelling. third overall, almost half an hour “Today was a really hard day,” day game after the mega-event in in the Dakar Rally as overnight riding his chance of glory went up “It was a very extreme day,” behind Coma. confessed Sanz. “At the begin- February and March. leader Joan Barreda’s title bid in smoke as he lost almost one said Coma. “It was too difficult on He only took the stage by a ning some riders didn’t want to “For me it will be a big moti- evaporated in the spectacular and a half hours. the salt lake, there was the alti- mere 11sec from Juan Pedrero start because it was dangerous vation to give whatever I can, sand dunes on Chile’s Pacific The riders’ classification is now tude, the cold, everything mixed Garcia, with Slovakia’s Stefan and cold. whether it’s physical, mental or coast. led by last year’s winner, Marc in.” Three other high profile con- Svitko another second away in “But in the end for me it was skill-wise to finish on a high and The gruelling 784 kilometre Coma, who was placed second tenders whose race ended prema- third. a good stage. I’m very happy with do what the 1992 Pakistan team (416km timed) trek from Bolivia’s going into Monday’s ride. turely on Monday were Michael In fourth came Australian this fifth position,” added the did – win the World Cup,” Misbah salt flats in Uyuni to Iquique led The Spanish four-time Dakar Metge, Alessandro Botturi and Dakar first-timer Toby Price, 29-year-old, who first competed told reporters. to a host of high profile contend- winner riding a KTM finished Daniel Gouet. only 41sec behind the stage win- in the Dakar in 2011. Monday Pakistan start their campaign ers for the 2015 title limping out, ninth behind Quintanilla to lead KTM’s Chilean rider ner, and in fifth Laia Sanz, who was a rest day for the car cate- with a highly-charged opening including last year’s runner-up overall by over nine minutes from Quintanilla was celebrating his is edging closer to being the first gory which Qatari veteran Nasser game against arch-rivals and Jordi Viladoms. Paulo Goncalves. first ever stage win, made all ever woman to win a motorbike Al-Attiyah leads. AFP title-holders India. AFP WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Postecoglou Aussies roar into quarters scoffs at FIFA ranking SYDNEY: Australia coach Ange Postecoglou said his team had made a mockery of the FIFA rankings after the 100th- as South Korea limp on ranked Socceroos pummelled Oman to reach the Asian Cup quarter-finals. Hosts thrash Oman; Korean joy tempered by injuries to key players Postecoglou said yesterday’s 4-0 victory over Oman, which fol- lowed a 4-1 thumping of Kuwait MELBOURNE: Hosts in the tournament curtain raiser, Australia and success-starved would have statisticians at world South Korea reached the Asian football’s ruling body scratching Cup quarter-finals yesterday, their heads. although Korean joy was tem- “People have been saying we pered by injuries to key play- haven’t playing well, the results ers and a flu bug sapping their haven’t been there,” said the squad. Aussie boss. Australia dispatched Oman “I’m sure there’s some bloke 4-0 with ruthless efficiency in at FIFA at the moment now who Sydney, making it eight goals in does the rankings who’s got a two games. headache trying to work out how A team which managed just a a team ranked as low as we are single victory in 11 matches last can play that kind of football.” year has caught fire at the Asian Australia were irresistible Cup and they put Oman to the at Sydney’s Stadium Australia, sword boosted by two goals in smashing in three goals before three first-half minutes. the break in a performance which South Korea, World Cup semi- man-of-the-match Robbie Kruse finalists in 2002 but seeking to said could have yielded “seven or end 55 years of hurt in Asia’s eight”. showcase competition, laboured Beaten coach Paul Le Guen to a 1-0 win over Kuwait to join named Australia as favourites Australia in the last eight. for the tournament, belying their The Australians picked up ranking which rates them as 10th where they left off after thrash- out of the 16 teams. ing Kuwait 4-1 in the tourna- Le Guen’s assessment is also a ment opener, Matt McKay poking far cry from just a few days ago, in from close range in the 27th when Australia’s poor recent minute before Robbie Kruse, record and low ranking had made who was a blur of movement all a maiden Asian Cup triumph look evening, added a superb second unlikely. with Australia’s next attack. When asked whether Australia Latching onto a clever flick could now handle the pressure from Massimo Luongo, Kruse of being favourites, Postecoglou trapped the ball on his thigh snorted: “Please mate — I reckon before clinically sweeping past I’ll handle it okay. I handled Oman goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi. people writing us off, I think I Mark Milligan, in for injured can handle a bit of hype. I’ve got skipper Mile Jedinak, smashed a real belief in this group of home a penalty in first-half injury players. South Korea’s Nam Tae-hee (left) celebrates with team-mate Park Joo-ho after scoring a goal during their Asian Cup Group A match against Kuwait at time and substitute Tomi Juric “Whether people think we’re the Canberra Stadium yesterday. RIGHT: Mark Milligan of Australia (left) celebrates with team-mate Matthew Leckie after scoring on a penalty against made it four with the pick of the favourites now, or they still think bunch with a sharp finish after Oman during their Group A match in Sydney. we’re ranked 300 in the world 70 minutes. that talisman Tim Cahill did South Korea advanced courtesy this decision to send him home. champions Japan impressing in doesn’t make any difference to “The players were fantastic,” not join Jedinak in the treat- of a Nam Tae-Hee header in the But you have to go on.” their opening game. AFP me,” he added. gushed Australia coach Ange ment room, however, after he 36th minute. Right-back Kim Chang-Soo The Socceroos are through to Postecoglou, who has seen eight was chopped down by a shocking But the news that midfielder also failed to recover from a the last eight even before their different players score in their two-footed lunge from Ahmed Lee Chung-Yong will miss the rest knock in time, while German Asian Cup Results final Group A game against South first two games and promised no Mubarak. of the tournament after suffering Stielike also has illness concerns Group A Korea, who also qualified after let-up in their final Group A game Incensed Australian players a fractured tibia cast a shadow with several of his players floored a less convincing 1-0 win over against the South Koreans at the surrounded Japanese referee over their win against 1980 cham- by a fever, including superstar Australia 4 (McKay 27, Kruse 30, Milligan Kuwait in Canberra. weekend. Ryuji Sato demanding a red pions Kuwait in Canberra. Son Heung-Min. 45+3 pen, Juric 70) Oman 0 The two title contenders will “They were outstanding tonight card but Mubarak astonishingly “It’s a big loss because he’s a The Koreans, who won the Kuwait 0 South Korea 1 (Nam 36) meet in Brisbane on Saturday and we won’t have the hand-brake escaped with a yellow, raising fur- player with a lot of experience,” first two Asian Cups in 1956 and Today’s Matches with the prize of finishing top of on against Korea. We’ll be going ther questions over the standard said South Korea coach Uli 1960, have their work cut out to North Korea vs Saudi Arabia (0700 GMT) the group, a position more likely for it.” of officiating after several contro- Stielike. “I saw a lot of sad faces end that mystifying drought with to carry an easier quarter-final The Socceroos will be grateful versies early in the competition. around him when we had to take Australia flying and defending China vs Uzbekistan (0900 GMT) draw. AFP ‘Haunted’ Qatar look to avoid curse of Gulf Cup champions stadium spooks SYDNEY: Qatar have it all to then six-team tournament in Iran It is unclear what the reason do in tomorrow’s Asian Cup but were beaten by the hosts 1-0 is, but Qatar were meant to be Sydney visitors clash against Iran in Sydney if in Tehran. different at this Asian Cup. they are to prevent the curse of In 1996, they were fourth, and Just one defeat in 2014 and SYDNEY: Eerie sound effects the Gulf Cup champions strik- they made the quarter-finals four their impressive Gulf Cup tri- at Sydney’s Stadium Australia ing once again. years later, but like Saudi Arabia, umph in Saudi Arabia last month are leaving passers-by in a No side have managed to follow the UAE and Iraq they are still had them labelled as dark horses state of confusion. Snatches of up a Gulf Cup title with victory waiting to double up. in Australia. Algerian head coach Aboriginal singing, the Muslim in Asia’s biggest tournament, with Iraq’s golden generation of the Djamel Belmadi has won praise call to prayer and whooshing Qatar the 12th team to attempt 1980s never managed to attempt for his team’s style, with attack- wind effects can all be heard the feat. the double with the ‘Lions of ing verve provided by Khalfan when walking past the former A 4-1 loss to United Arab Mesopotamia’ not competing in Ibrahim and Hasan and the defen- Olympic venue in Sydney’s sub- Emirates on Sunday, coupled four Asian Cups from 1980. sive stability brought by Bilal and urbs, prompting pedestrians with the loss of key defender Bilal Three-times Asian champions goalkeeper Qasem Burhan help- to stare about in puzzlement. Mohammed for the remainder of Saudi Arabia finished bottom of ing them go 11 games unbeaten. The eclectic sounds come from the tournament, leave them odds their group in 2004 after lifting However, they froze on Sunday, speakers mounted on poles and on to be the fourth consecutive the Gulf Cup the previous year, with their back-line, shorn of were, according to people famil- Gulf champions to exit the Asian with the UAE also making a first Bilal, continually ripped apart and iar, installed during the 2000 Cup at the group stage. round exit in 2007 following the Qasem tossing in numerous errors Olympics. Only Kuwait have managed to regional triumph. to help inflate the scoreline. The Swindon effect make some kind of headway after Kuwait made it 10 titles at the Next up is Iran, who beat Third-tier English club winning the Gulf Cup, reaching Gulf Cup in December 2010 but Bahrain 2-0 in their Group C Swindon Town is having an the knockout stages of the Asian could only manage three defeats opener. Defeat for Qatar, the unforeseen impact on the Asian Cup on three occasions after win- a month later at the Asian Cup in 2022 World Cup hosts, would Cup after providing two of the ning the biennial tournament. Qatar as they slumped out. likely result in the Gulf Cup curse stars so far. First Massimo Qatar’s Mohammed Muntari jumps for the ball during an Asian Cup Group At the 1976 Asian Cup, the Fatigue perhaps or pressure to claiming another victim. Luongo was man-of-the-match C match against the UAE at the Canberra Stadium on Sunday. Kuwaitis reached the final of the deliver? REUTERS for his sparkling performance in Australia’s 4-1 win over Kuwait, including a brilliant headed goal. Yaser Kasim then lit up Iraq’s First coach recalls time with World Player of the Year game with Jordan by slaloming through the defence to score the PARIS: Cristiano Ronaldo’s his technical skills and was drib- he could be needing an intermedi- votes as his bitter rival and four- game’s only goal, and also earning first manager at Sporting bling too much. ate stage,” said Boloni. time winner Lionel Messi, who man-of-the-match honours. Lisbon, Laszlo Boloni, asked him “But preventing him from drib- “But I was wrong... six months only just edged Bayern Munich’s Melbourne ‘Azadi’ to stop showing off although he bling would have been crazy. The later he was speaking English and Neuer into third place. Iranian fans earned respect never had problems coaching essential part of my job was to he played 30 games in his first Neuer, who was outstanding at and praise for their vociferous the Portuguese international find and maintain a balance.” season. When he is confronted last year’s World Cup in Brazil support during the 2-0 win over who now has three Ballon d’Or Ronaldo played his first official to new situations... Ronaldo has and also helped Bayern clinch a Bahrain in Melbourne. Thousands globes to his name. game against Inter Milan in 2002 always shown stunning adapting domestic double, has let in just of Iran supporters raised the roof Romanian Boloni coached the in a Champions League clash. skills and an incredible maturity. four goals in 17 league games so in Melbourne, turning it into a Real Madrid forward at Sporting “Was he ready? Yes, he did not “In his head, he has always been far this season. mini Azadi stadium and making from 2001-03. lack the courage nor the desire,” very strong.” “I think this is unfair,” said it appear like a home tie for ‘Team “At the beginning I had to fight said Boloni, who believes his Disappointed Germans Germany’s former World Cup- Melli’. against some permanent exagger- former protégé is the ultimate Germans, who had hoped for a winning captain and coach Franz According to some observers, ations and correct some things,” professional. clean sweep at the FIFA Ballon Beckenbauer. “It seems that in noise levels were higher than Boloni told France Football mag- “He was never late, there was D’Or, expressed disappointment this vote success does not count when Australia played in the azine yesterday after Ronaldo never any important problem,” yesterday after their World as much as appearances.” same venue a few days earlier. secured the FIFA Ballon d’Or he said. Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel “Keepers are in a difficult spot. Australian news agency AAP said on Monday ahead of Argentine Ronaldo joined Manchester Neuer came third in the vote for People want to see goals, not the hundreds of fans were also left Cristiano Ronaldo smiles after Lionel Messi and Germany’s United in 2003 and quickly set- the 2014 World Player of the Year. people stopping the goals,” the outside during the match, una- receiving the Ballon d’Or globe Manuel Neuer. tled at Old Trafford. Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo German legend added. ble to buy tickets because booths “He could not stop showing off “I thought that at the age of 18 polled more than twice as many AGENCIES in Zurich on Monday. were left unattended. AFP WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27

Teams arrive for Qatar 2015

Austrian players and brothers Maximilian and Alexander Hermann take a picture in front of the team bus after arriving at Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar, yesterday. Austria is one of the 24 teams which will be participating at the Qatar 2015 Men’s Handball World Championship that starts in Qatar from tomorrow. RIGHT: German team arrives at Hamad International Airport. The event begins with the match between hosts Qatar and Brazil at the Lusail Multipurpose Hall (8:30 local time). The final will be staged at the same venue on February 1 at 7:15 (local time). Qatar 2015 to get global coverage Broadcast ensured for over 150 million, best facilities for media in line for Worlds

DOHA: The Qatar 2015 from Qatar to every corner of the 24th Men’s Handball World world. We fully acknowledge the Factbox: Players Championship which starts importance of the media play in tomorrow will be one of its kind, our digital era. and Coaches Q: keeping in view the arrange- Which facilities and working % 8 former or current IHF World Handball ments which have been made by conditions can the media repre- Players of the Year are expected to be on court the organisers. sentatives from all over the world at Qatar 2015: Arpad Sterbik (Spain, 2005), Not just for the fans and play- expect at the newly-built venues? Nikola Karabatic (France, 2007), Thierry Omeyer ers from the 24 competing coun- A: The media are an integral (France, 2008), Slawomir Szmal (Poland, 2009), tries, the event is expected to be part of our planning and we are Filip Jicha (Czech Republic, 2010), Mikkel Hansen an unprecedented one for the proud to offer facilities that can (Denmark, 2011), Daniel Narcisse (France, 2012) and Domagoj Duvnjak (Croatia, 2013). media who will gather in Doha be considered top class in every % to cover the global tournament as aspect. Lusail offers the media 2 players can win their fourth World strenuous efforts have been made facilities such as Media Tribunes, Championship gold medal at Qatar 2015: the Frenchmen Thierry Omeyer and Jerome Fernandez, by Media & Broadcasting (M&B) a restaurant and a working who had been in the successful winners in 2001, Committee in this regard. room, and at the same time it is 2009 and 2011 already. Following are the excerpts of an the main operational hub for all % 7 players can win their third World interview with Fatma Al Obaidly, media, volunteers and staff – the Championship gold medal at Qatar 2015: the Qatar 2015 Head of Media & Main Media Centre (MMC). Frenchmen Daniel Narcisse (2001, 2009), Luc Broadcasting Committee in which MMC is the headquarters of Abalo, Michael Guigou, Guillaume Joli, Nikola she tells about the steps taken by the media operations during Karabatic and Cedric Sorhaindo (all 2009 and the body to ensure arrangements the 24th Men’s Handball World 2011) and the Spaniard Raul Entrerios (2005, for the media in line of mega Championship. Similar top-class 2013). sporting events like Olympics. media facilities are available in all %6 coaches of the 24 Qatar 2015 participants Q: As a Head of the Media & venues that will host the games - have been World Champions as players: Staffan Broadcasting Committee - what in Al Sadd and in Duhail. Olsson, Ola Lindgren (both Sweden, 1990, 1999 is your special anticipation for Q: Like at Olympic Games with Sweden), Youri Chevtsov (Belarus, 1982 with the 24th Men’s Handball World journalists have the opportunity Soviet Union), Alexander Rymanov (Russia, 1982 with Soviet Union), Oleg Kuleshov (Russia, 1997 Championship in Qatar in terms to improve their work by using an with Russia), Slavko Goluza (Croatia, 2003 with of media? Info System and a picture library. Croatia). A: As we are getting closer What is the intention to imple- %7 coaches of those 24 Qatar 2015 participants to the opening ceremony of the ment those systems? A: come from Ex-Yugoslavia: Boris Denic (Slovenia), 24th Men’s Handball World For the first time in the A beautiful view of illuminated Qatar Handball Association Complex, one of the venues which will host the Qatar Slavko Goluza (Croatia), Dragan Markovic (Bosnia- Championship (tomorrow), the history of the Handball World 2015 World Men’s Handball Championship. Herzegovina), Ivica Obrvan (FYR Macedonia), Sead excitement is growing and thou- Championship, the News Service Hasanefendic (Tunisia), Borut Macek (Iran), Goran sands of people from all over will provide a web-based news and Dzokic (Saudi Arabia). the world are gathering here in information system called Info lists and results reports will also would like to emphasise the team world will see those images pro- % 4 coaches of the 24 Qatar 2015 par- Doha for a unique celebration of system published in English and be distributed to pigeonholes at work at the M&B Committee, duced from Qatar 2015. How was ticipants are Icelandic born: Aron Kristjansson sport. We are expecting media Arabic, to assist accredited media the MMC as well as to journalists which plays a huge role in making the cooperation with beIN sport, (Iceland), Gudmundur Gudmundsson (Denmark), from practically every corner of in covering the competitions. This and broadcasters in venue trib- this mega event a unique expe- the host broadcaster - and how Patrekur Johanesson (Austria), Dagur Sigurdsson the globe and we are taking all is a service usually offered at mul- unes and in venue media centers. rience for media. This wouldn’t will their production ensures a (Germany). necessary steps to ensure that tisport global events, such as the Flash quotes, press conference happen with the full support we successful event? %3 coaches of the 24 Qatar 2015 participants their experience will be quite Olympic or the Asian Games and highlights, previews and reviews, have from Dr Thani Al Kuwari A: BeIn Sport has established are Spanish born: Valero Rivera (Qatar), Manuel memorable. we trust that it will prove to be will also be available for media Director General, Organising three separate production teams Cadenas (Spain) and Jordi Ribera (Brazil). Q: How huge is the global an essential tool for all media. and broadcasters at competition Committee Qatar 2015. that will cover activities in all %2 coaches of the 24 Qatar 2015 participants media interest in the event? The Info system will contain venues and the MMC. Q: How can this sport-specific venues that will be used during had been World Champions as coaches: Claude A: Well over a thousand jour- competition results and schedules The purpose of the photo content provided by media & the Championships, in order to Onesta (France, 2009, 2011) and Valero Rivera nalists from all over the World provided by a statistics expert service is to provide media with broadcast promote handball on a ensure that the TV coverage will (Qatar, World Champion with Spain 2013). have been accredited, out of which companybiographies, historical images from the Qatar2015 event global scale? be of the highest possible stand- %5 top scorers of previous World Championships over 200 are photographers, who records, team profiles and other for print or online ards. We acknowl- are expected to be on court at Qatar 2015: will convey images, full of sporting useful background information. viewing purposes. edge the global Anders Eggert (Denmark, 2013: 55 goals), Mikkel Hansen (Denmark, 2011: 68 goals), Kiril Lazarov achievements and human effort Hard-copy reports, such as start The libraries for the popularity of hand- (FYR Macedonia, 2009: 92 goals), Gudjon Valur World Championship ball and we want Sigurdsson (Iceland, 2007: 66 goals), Wissem are updated on a to make sure that Hmam (Tunisia, 2005: 81 goals). daily basis during all fans, no matter % 4 top scorers of European champions are each match of the where they live, will expected to be on court at Qatar 2015: Joan game with photos have a world-class Canellas (Spain, 2014: 50 goals), Kiril Lazarov from all three ven- TV show unfolding (FYR Macedonia, 2012: 61 goals, Filip Jicha ues. “Find Photo” right before their (Czech Republic, 2010: 53 goals), Siarhei Rutenka feature will help media to search A: Sport is associated to human eyes. beIN Sport has planned (Belarus, 2006: 51 goals). In addition the 1998 top with keywords such as participat- effort and is not just statistics, to have wide distribution based scorer Jan Filip (48 goals) is present in Doha as ing countries and athletes. Even scoreboards and sporting achieve- on territories of Europe, Asia, coach of the Czech team. though all images are water- ments. It is much more: This is America, Middle East, Oceania %7 top scorers of the EHF Champions League, marked and under Qatar2015 exactly what we want to demon- to cover more than 150 mil- among them three double top scorer, are expected copyright, images can still be strate, that behind every success lion TVs globally. Generally, we to be on court in Doha: Hans Lindberg (Denmark, 2012/13: 101 goals), Mikkel Hansen (Denmark, downloaded in both low and/or story, a big win or a dramatic offer right holders open / indoor 2011/12: 98 goals), Uwe Gensheimer (Germany, high resolution for editorial pur- loss of a handball game, there is studios, commentator positions 2010/11: 118 goals), Filip Jicha (Czech Republic, poses to promote either handball the human element, all the vir- and booths, ENG positions, flash 2009/10: 119 goals and 2008/09: 99 goals), Kiril or the State of Qatar as the host tues sport promote and above all interview area in front of the Lazarov (FYR Macedonia, 2007/09: 96 goals and country. highlight the fact that Sport is an field of play and mixed zone to all 2005/06: 85 goals), Nikola Karabatic (France, Apart from that, the 24th Men’s integral part of life. We, at Qatar media, along with Stand up posi- 2006/07: 89 goals) and Siarhei Rutenka (Belarus, Handball World Championship is 2015, will offer to the World’s tions. In addition to broadcasters 2004/05: 85 goals and 2003/04: 103 goals). a unique opportunity to demon- media stories that will enhance with studios inside arenas, includ- % 5 Champions League titles is the highest A view of a counter at the media center to facilitate journalists at the strate our commitment to Qatar’s their reports and will offer an ing but limited to: beIN Sports number by an individual player who will be on 2030 Vision and further enhance insider’s view of what will be hap- Arabic, Al Kass 1, TV2 Denmark, court at Qatar 2015: Belarusian Siarhei Rutenka. Lusail Hall Stadium during the Qatar 2015 24th Men’s Handball World Four titles were won by French goalkeeper Thierry Championship. the image of our nation to a global pening during the event. DR DK, and SBS Sweden. audience. Sport is in our hearts! I Q: TV viewers from all over the THE PENINSULA Omeyer. Wednesday 14 January 2015 23 Rabial I 1436 Volume 19 Number 6310 Sport Price: QR2

Aussies roar Qatar 2015 into Asian Cup to get global quarter-finals coverage

Sport | 26 Sport | 27

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Bayern Munich’s forward Thomas Muller (right) tries to go past Qatar Stars goalkeeper Claude Amin during a friendly at the Lekhwiya Stadium in Doha yesterday. LEFT: Bayern Munich’s David Alaba (right) poses with fans for a selfie after a training session in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: BAHER AMIN

Bayern Munich players Bastian Schweinsteiger (left) jokes with Dante during a training session in Doha yesterday.

Ruthless Bayern outclass Qatar Stars Pep Guardiola’s skilful squad kicks off 2015 with a comfortable 4-1 victory in Doha

BY ARMSTRONG VAS Hamdi Harbaoui finding the net. keeper with an angular left-footed defender Ahmed Fathi of Umm The Bundesliga giants com- drive. Salal and Hernandez eluded the DOHA: German giants Bayern pleted their domination of the Coach Pep Guardiola’s boys target. Munich — playing with enough first-half with another goal two continued to dominate, sending Ribery, who saw his placement variety and firepower — coasted minutes from the break with the local players on a leather go wide in the 34th minute, found to an emphatic 4-1 win over Frenchman Frank Ribery beat- hunt and they nearly increased success nine minutes later finish- the Qatar Stars in a friendly ing the Qatar Stars keeper with the lead in the 18th minute but ing off a move started by Rode. at the Lekhwiya Stadium here his adroit placement. Lewandowski’s header off a nar- Both teams started the second yesterday. Bayern Munich, who were in row angle went inches off the far half with a host of substitutions. The Bayern players dazzled Doha for the fifth successive year, post. Bayern created two early open- before the 6,838 spectators but started the game on a fluent note Four minutes later, ings but failed to beat substitute the fans missed out on seeing two and it did not take much time to Lewandowski was again in the goalkeeper Khalifa Ndiaye. stars who had impressive at last break open the rival defence. thick of the action as his place- At the other end, substitute year’s World Cup in Brazil. Success came their way when ment off a Ribery pass missed the Tuncay Sanli’s header went over German goalkeeper Manuel Thomas Muller set up Rode with target. the bar. Neurer and Dutch forward a perfect pass for Rode to beat Qatar celebrated the two quick Both coaches, Michael laudrup Arjen Robben did not take the goalkeeper Claude Amin with a escapes with a goal much against and Guardiola, continued to make field because they couldn’t make fierce drive which lodged into the the run of play. substitutions giving all the play- it back in time to Doha after back of the net. Spanish midfielder Pablo ers a chance to take the field but attending the Ballon d’Or awards A minute later Bayern almost Qatar Stars forward Hamdi Harbaoui (centre) tries to beat FC Bayern Hernandez, who plays for Al could not add to the first-half gala in Zurich on Monday night. increased their lead, however, Munich goalkeeper Pepe Reina during a friendly at the Lekhwiya Stadium Arabi, found himself free on the score. Yesterday, the German giants, Robert Lewandowski’s chip over in Doha yesterday. right flank and squared it to Finally, substitute Claudio who are in Qatar for their win- the advancing keeper sailed over the unmarked Harbaoui inside Pizarro added one in the 90th ter training programme, opened the bar. Stars striker Harbaoui beat the with the local side coming up with the box. The Tunisian striker of minute, taking advantage of a the scoring in the third minute The Qatar Stars, a side com- off side trap but his end effort the occasional moves. Qatar Sports Club found enough goal-mouth confusion to slot through Sebastian Rode and prising players of various Qatar went wide off the goalpost in the The visitors increased the lead power and elevation to beat Reina home a loose ball past Ndiaye. added a second goal 11 minutes Stars League teams and hailing seventh minute. with a goal initiated by Ribery. with his right footer, much to the The Bavarians end their Qatar later with Mitchell Weiser getting from four different continents, Thereafter, the current The playmaker’s perfect cross delight of the local supporters. tour on January 16 and will his name on the scorer’s list. after an initial hesitant period Bundesliga leaders meant busi- found Weiser on the right flank. Goaded by a goal, Qatar twice play their second friendly of the Qatar Stars pulled one back in regrouped and got their act ness and pressed for the midfield The striker beat his marker by threatened to get the equal- winter tour against Al Hilal club the 26th minute, much against together and managed to test advantage and held sway over it sheer pace and found enough iser but on both occasions snap in Saudi Arabia. the run of play, with forward Bayern keeper Pepe Reina. Qatar for a major part of the first-half space to beat the Qatar Stars drives from overlapping Egyptian THE PENINSULA Qatar train for Iran clash in Sydney SYDNEY: The Qatar national squad underwent light training yesterday ahead of their second Asian Cup group-stage match tomorrow against Iran, a Qatar Football Association (QFA) offi- cial said. Watched by QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, coach Djamel Belmadi led the squad at the training session under overcast conditions in Sydney. Qatar will be playing World Cup qualifiers Iran tomorrow after losing 4-1 to their regional rivals UAE on Sunday. Striker Khalfan Ibrahim and Kareem Bouzif also took part in the training drills despite slight niggles. Qatar is attempting to be the first team to win the Asian Cup following a Gulf Cup triumph. The Qatari coach Djamel Belmadi (centre) speaks to players during a training Maroons had won the Gulf Cup in session in Sydney yesterday, ahead of their second Asian Cup group Members of the Qatari team carry out drills during a training session in Sydney yesterday. November. THE PENINSULA stage match tomorrow against Iran.