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GOIC and China Goal-machine firm sign MoU for Suarez on coursee Gulf rail network for another feat

THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 • 5 SHA’BAAN 1437 • Volume 21 • Number 6794 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

Emir meets China’s Foreign Minister Vice-presidents Metrash2 adds and Deans appointed at four more Qatar University languages The Peninsula DOHA: Dr Hassan Rashid Al Der- ham, President, Qatar University, visas, exit permits and return visas has issued several decisions and Traffic Department services, related to new appointments to The mobile app among others. key positions at the university. of the Ministry The new version also includes Dr Khalid Nasir Al Khater has of Interior has community policing services and been appointed as Acting Vice- improvement on some existing ones. President for Administrative and been made more It allows subscribers to enquire Financial Affairs; and Profes- accessible to about travel ban and locations. sor Nizam Mohammed Hindi as “With the addition of new lan- Assistant Vice-President for Plan- expatriates guages, Metrash2 service can be ning and accessed by a large number of Academic expatriates as the application is Develop- The Peninsula now available completely in six lan- ment, Dr guages”, said Brig. Abdul Rahman Al Derham Maliki, Assistant Director-General, said on Directorate of Information Systems his official DOHA: Metrash2, the mobile appli- (GDIS). Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his delegation at Twitter cation of the Ministry of Interior “Now there are more than the Emiri Diwan yesterday. Talks dealt with cooperation between both countries. Wang is in Qatar for account (MoI), has been made more acces- 241,000 subscribers of Metrash2 the seventh session of the ministerial meeting of the Arab-Chinese Cooperation Forum to be held today. yesterday. sible to expatriates with the launch and include individuals and com- Dr of a new version that uses four addi- pany representatives and they are Ahmed tional languages — French, Spanish, accessing over 120 services elec- Abdul- Dr Hassan Rashid Al Urdu and Malayalam. tronically through this app,” he said. rahman Derham, President, All MoI e-services offered Brig. Al Maliki said a large Al Emadi Qatar University. through Metrash2 will now be number of transactions have been Work on 3 specialised hospitals completed has been available in six languages, includ- completed through Metrash2 until appointed as Dean of Collage of ing Arabic and English, which are now. Education and Dr Khalid Shams already in use. For example, 180,000 residence By Fazeena Saleem The facilities can together treat expected to be completed by June. “We Al Abdulkader as Dean of College Metrash2 offers over 120 permit renewals, 140,000 vehi- The Peninsula 4,000 patients a day. are responsible for the construction of of Economy and Business. e-services through Android and cle ownership transfers, 25,000 Ambulatory Care Centre; Qatar building and equipping it with furni- Dr Rashid Ahmed Al Kuwari IOS devices where most of these fancy vehicle number transfers, Rehabilitation Institute; and Wom- ture,” Engineer Abdulmohsin Hassan has been appointed as Dean of can be accessed and completed 15,000 renewal and activation of en’s Wellness and Research Centre Al Rashid, Head of Health Projects, College of Arts and Science and Dr electronically, including payment e-gate services and 10,000 driving DOHA: Giving a major boost to the have also been partially equipped and Buildings Project Management Mohammed Essam Diyab as Dean without resorting to any MoI serv- licence renewals have been com- healthcare sector in Qatar, construc- the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) Department, Ashghal, told reporters of College of Pharmacy. ices centres. pleted through Metrash2. tion of three specialised hospitals at started the process of handing them during a tour of the facilities. Dr Nasir Abdullah Al Nuaimi The services include those Hamad Bin Khalifa Medical City has over to Hamad Medical Corporation has been appointed as Director of related to residency permit, entry → Continued on page 6 been completed. (HMC) on April 30 and the process is → Continued on page 6 Advanced Materials Centre. 02 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 HOME

Emir receives credentials of five envoys Cabinet approves draft changes to GCC unified customs tariff

weekly meeting at the Emiri Diwan and technical cooperation between yesterday. Qatar and Serbia. The weekly session Following the session, he said The meeting took decisions also approved draft the Cabinet reviewed topics on the after reviewing a memo by the agenda and took decisions. The Foreign Minister and President of MoU on tourism Cabinet approved a draft decree Qatar’s Committee for Alliance of cooperation between amending the GCC unified customs Civilisations on the annual report Qatar and Kuwait. tariff. on implementation Qatar’s plan It also approved a draft memo- for 2015, a letter by the Minister of randum of understanding (MoU) on Municipality and Environment on the tourism cooperation between Qatar Cabinet’s draft decision amending QNA and Kuwait; and a draft agreement the organisation of some administra- on avoidance of double taxation and tive units of the ministry its terms of prevention of fiscal evasion with reference; and a letter by the Minis- respect to taxes on income between ter of Municipality and Environment DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Qatar and Turkey and the draft pro- on a draft decision of the Minister, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs tocol attached thereto. amending some provisions of Law H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid The meeting also approved a No. 83 of 2011 regarding family hous- Al Mahmoud chaired the Cabinet’s draft agreement on economic, trade ing zones.

Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received the credentials of five new ambassadors at the Emiri WISH presents report at Pakistan forum Diwan yesterday. They were Jens Eikaas (Norway, pictured); Jose Andrade de Lemos (Angola); Wilfred Ali (Malawi); Mohammad Saad (Togo); and Kamlesh S Prakash (Fiji). They conveyed to the Emir the greetings of their leaders and wishes of further progress and prosperity for the people of Qatar. The Emir welcomed the envoys and wished them success and relations between Qatar and their countries further progress The Peninsula Symons spoke about the Car- Pakistan is geared towards deploy- and prosperity. The ambassadors were also accorded separate receptions at the Emiri Diwan. eReport, a new application for ment in a live clinical setting, rather patient safety incident reporting than pure research. and learning, which leverages latest “We are also proud to see our DOHA: The World Innovation Sum- technologies and human behav- WISH patient safety report reach mit for Health (WISH) has presented ioural insights and can help reduce new and wider audiences around key findings from the National the incidence of preventable med- the world. Local produce free from pesticide residues Reporting and Learning System ical errors in Pakistan and beyond. “All of us will be patients at one (LHSN) and an overview of the ‘Car- Symons said: “The opportunity time or another in life, and mak- eReport’ system to a group of leading to present CareReport as a practical ing that experience safer should health experts in Rawalpindi, Paki- output from three years of research be a core mission for all lead- The Peninsulsa The samples were found free a event organised by the Perma- stan. in patient safety reporting is exciting. ers in healthcare, it is for us as a from any remains of pesticide due nent Committee for Farmers and The event, entitled ‘The First “Showcasing the excellent col- programme.” to continuous monitoring and aware- Regulating Farmers’ Affairs at the International Conference on Patient laboration we have with WISH Dr Zakiuddin Ahmed, Chair- ness drive conducted by the Ministry headquarters of the agriculture sec- Safety’, took place from May 7 to 8 and leveraging the insights of their man of the conference, said: “WISH DOHA: Locally produced fruits and of Municipality and Environment, tor of the Ministry of Municipality and at Riphah International University. holistic systems approach to patient is a platform where top minds from vegetables have been found free from the research said. It recommended Environment. Research Scholar Nura It connected policymakers and safety, while sharing them with the different specialties in healthcare pesticide residues, in a research by a system for checking residues of Mohammad Al Shammari; Dr Fatima healthcare providers from around international community in Paki- gather from all over the world and College of Arts and Science at Qatar pesticides in fruits and vegetables to Al Naimi, Dean, College of Arts and the world with local stakeholders stan, is going to be of benefit to share research and experiences, cre- University. ensure no produce enters the coun- Science; other professors from the to improve patient safety across patients and clinicians around the ating a pool of combined knowledge. Samples of 127 local and try with residues more than required. college and senior officials of the the country. globe.” “The platform generates inno- imported fruits and vegetables were The study also recommended ministry were present. The research was presented by Egbert Schillings, CEO, WISH, vative ideas and creates guidelines tested, including tomato, cucumber, washing fruits and vegetables with The research paper was entitled Josh Symons, who leads the Big Data stated: “It is gratifying to see one of and standards, based on evidence parsley (locally known as baqdunas) acetic acid, salt and soap before eat- ‘Evaluation of the residues of organic and Analytical Unit as part of the the innovations featured at WISH get and research, which should be used and Roca leave (locally known as Jar- ing, Qatar News Agency reports. chlorinated pesticides in some local Centre for Health Policy at St Mary’s such wide traction around the globe, by those who are unable to be part jir), strawberry and lemon. The research was presented in and imported fruits and vegetables’. Hospital, Imperial College London. especially since the conference in of this gathering.” HOME THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 03

Deputy PM reviews ties with Germany UK-based firm to use QCRI technology QNA The Cambridge-based Speech- market-leading speech-to-text matics will use QCRI product — QCRI services based on latest research in DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Speechmatics will Advanced Transcription System machine learning and artificial intel- Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs use QCRI Advanced (QATS) — to transcribe Arabic broad- ligence,” he said. H E Ahmed bin Abdullah bin Zaid Al casts and audio files into text and QCRI Arabic Language Technol- Mahmoud yesterday met Dr Markus Transcription System subtitles. QATS can transcribe mod- ogies Principal Engineer Ahmed Ali, Ederer, State Secretary of German (QATS) to take Arabic ern standard Arabic and four major who has been leading the speech Federal Foreign Office, and his del- speech-to-text Arabic dialects — Egyptian, Levan- team, said Deep Neural Network egation. They discussed relations tine, North African and Gulf Arabic. (DNN) and Recurrent Neural Net- between both countries, means services to its global Dr Ahmed Elmagarmid, Exec- work (RNN) architecture were used of boosting them on all fronts and customers. utive Director, QCRI, said Qatar is in QATS. “We used over 2,000 hours issues of common concern. leading global research in speech of Arabic speech to develop and train technology for Arabic. “This is not QATS, in addition to a large archive of Drill alert just a technology transfer — it will the Web 2.0 content.” The Peninsula allow information-sharing in Arabic He said the agreement would give DOHA: The General Command around the world,” he said. QCRI access to diverse data which of Qatari Armed Forces has Dr Tony Robinson, Chief Scien- would enable it to hone its Arabic lan- The QATS team. announced that Internal Security tific Officer, Speechmatics, said the guage technologies research. Force (Lekhwiya) will conduct DOHA: The UK-based company, development, which used the com- An independent media monitor- rowing landing exercises at an alti- Speechmatics, will use technol- pany’s Auto-Auto framework, would ing company in May 2015 found QATS the BBC’s #NewsHACK in December transcribe its daily Arabic news tude of 15 metres in a radius of two ogy developed by Qatar Computing ensure Arabic-based content is “more consistently outperformed leading 2014 for translating BBC Arabic vid- reports for almost two years. Over miles in Zekreet camp on Monday Research Institute (QCRI), of Hamad discoverable and easily consumed. competitors in standard and dia- eos into English, including subtitles, 3,000 hours have been transcribed from 6am to 11am. It urged those Bin Khalifa University, to take Arabic “Speechmatics will help QCRI lectal Arabic benchmark tests by at and voiceover using speech synthesis. using the product so far. Arabic is the who frequent the area to take pre- speech-to-text services to its global expand its reach to a broad range least 10 percent. It also won the ‘Best Al Jazeera Media Network has world’s fourth most popular language cautions for safety. customers. of industries and geographies with in Show’ award at the third edition of been using versions of QATS to spoken in at least 60 countries. Qatar elected President of global Surfing on cellphones can cause headaches: Expert anti-corruption association The Peninsula or exacerbated by psychological or research suggests that it can lead to emotional reasons, stress, malfunc- eye strain, with constant refocusing QNA community’s confidence in the tioning of some body parts or lifestyle the eye has to do between checking Emir’s support to efforts towards changes. the phone and the wider world. combating corruption is the main DOHA: Using cellphones often for “To prevent primary headaches, In case of secondary headaches reason for Qatar’s election as IAACA Internet surfing and messaging could you should drink plenty of flu- and certain types of severe or com- BEIJING: The General Assembly of president. cause frequent headaches, accord- ids, particularly water, to keep the plicated primary headaches, causes the International Association of Anti- He also highlighted Qatar’s ing to an expert at the recent ‘Ask the body hydrated, and indeed the brain may vary and sufferers should con- Corruption Authorities yesterday support to fighting corruption Expert’ public lecture series at Weill hydrated and well-cushioned. sult doctor to accurately diagnose and elected unanimously Attorney-Gen- and outlined initiatives — extend- Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q). “To relieve the symptoms, you treat the underlying condition, acutely eral H E Dr Ali bin Fetais Al Marri as ing a helping hand and enhancing Dr Basim Uthman (pictured), can stretch and relax, especially and prophylactically. President of IAACA. awareness through the fight against Vice Chair and Professor of Clinical with the lights dimmed and a cool Red flags prompting an urgent The election took place at corruption as a subject in local and Neurology and Professor of Clinical bath will help rebalance the circu- visit to the doctor or emergency IAACA’s final meeting in Tianjin, international universities in the Neuroscience, WCM-Q, said there are latory system,” said Dr Uthman who department include headache onset China. Dr Al Marri succeeds his Chi- country. basically two types of headaches. also serves as a consultant in neurol- “Painkillers like Paracetamol can after 50, getting the worst headache nese counterpart Cao Jianming. Dr Al Marri said IAACA will pur- Secondary headaches caused by ogy at Hamad Medical Corporation. bring relief but should not be used on of life, a change in typical pattern of In a statement, Dr Al Marri sue a new way in the fight against high blood pressure, eye disorders, “In the case of migraine — a a regular basis, it is better to address headaches, a history of cancer, fever, expressed gratitude for the trust put corruption at international level inflammation of the middle ear or type of primary headache — suffer- the triggers or causes of the head- visual loss, double vision, a change in him by IAACA members and said and urged all states to become par- sinuses, dental pain, fever, colds, flu ers should also avoid soft drinks, ache,” he said. in personality, new onset seizures it reflected confidence in Qatar and ties to IAACA in line with the United and disorders of sugar in the blood. processed meat, pickled items, Dr Uthman warned against and HIV. The lecture series is inter- recognition of its initiatives in the Nations Convention Against Corrup- And primary headaches, which monosodium glutamate, spices and spending too much time on cell active public talks as part of WCM-Q’s field of anti-corruption. tion. Cao congratulated Dr Al Marri can occur independently of any other chocolate, which can exacerbate phone, particularly for surfing the Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First He said the international and wished him success. disease process and may be triggered headaches. Internet and messaging as some campaign. 04 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 HOME

Qatar attends GCC planning and Emir Cup Fan events at Villaggio this weekend development meet On site printing will also be available and fans will have the chance to dress up QNA Activities move to Gulf in football props, snap a photo and share on Mall on the weekend of the social media using #EmirCup hashtag or print them on site to keep a souvenir of this year’s final match, from May 18 to tournament. DOHA: Minister of Develop- 19. A football juggler will perform awesome ment Planning and Statistics football tricks and teach fans and kids new H E Dr Saleh Mohamed Salem Al ones. Futchi Rebounder, the revolutionary Nabit attended the 26th meeting of game system which combines fun with skill the GCC Ministerial Committee for The Peninsula development, will also be available for the Planning and Development in Riy- fans to try. Participants play by kicking the adh yesterday. ball against a spring net that rebounds it to The ministry said the meet- their opponent or themselves. ing discussed topics related to DOHA: In celebration of the final match of the The activities will be a meeting point for planning and development which Emir Cup 2016 taking place next week, Qatar fans to take part in the Emir Cup fever and represent key priorities of the GCC. Football Association (QFA) is organising fun- buy their final match tickets. The committee also discussed filled Emir Cup Fan activities this weekend at The final match of the Emir Cup 2016 will a memo prepared by the GCC Sec- Villaggio for all football fans in Qatar. be held on May 20 in Jassim Bin Hamad Sta- retariat on the decisions of the GCC Activities will take place today and tomor- dium (Al Sadd Stadium). Supreme Council at its 36th ses- row near Go Sport shop. Fans will also be able QFA organised these fun activities in Souq sion on joint action and economic to buy their tickets for the final match from Waqif last weekend where hundreds of fans integration; and a memorandum the ticket booth from 4pm to 10pm. took part and bought tickets to be part of the on recommendations of the com- Activities include games for all fans such Emir Cup 2016 festival this year. mittee on the minutes of the 14th as face painting where fans can have their Emir Cup Fan activities will move to Gulf meeting of the GCC planning and face painted in the colours of their favour- Mall on the weekend of the final match, from development directors. A child plays football as part of Emir Cup Fan activities in Souq Waqif. ite Qatari clubs. May 18 to 19. QC builds 116 homes for poor in Niger Ooredoo & Huawei win ‘Best 4K TV Service

The Peninsulsa Award’ at TV Connect 2016 in London

DOHA: Qatar Charity (QC) has built 116 homes at a cost of over QR4.5m for poor families affected by natural dis- asters in Niger. Some 812 people benefited from the project being executed by QC to support hapless people worldwide. After heavy rains of 2011 and the floods that hit the city, the project was launched to assist the affected peo- ple. The city suffered huge losses due to the destruction of clay houses and the families’ inability to relocate due to poverty, resulting in a severe humanitarian crisis. The beneficiaries expressed gratitude for donors in One of the homes built by Qatar Charity in Niger. Qatar for support through which QC built the homes to help reduce their suffering and met their needs. They were vegetable seeds, a tonne of potato seeds and 10.85 tonnes also happy to receive urgent aid of food and clothes from of corn seeds, at a cost of $43,500 and $9,301 for distri- QC and other organisations. QC distributed 313,18kg of bution. Some 3,000 needy people benefited.

Yousuf Abdulla Al Kubaisi (third right), COO, Ooredoo, and Haiping Che, CTO & Vice-President (third left), Huawei Carrier Software Business Unit, and other officials at the awards ceremony in London.

The Peninsula industry awards in London. The awards, held in TV Connect 2016 is the principal glo- London every year, aim bal show focusing on the evolution of the to celebrate excellence Connected Entertainment industry, bring- in connected entertain- DOHA: Ooredoo and Huawei have been ing together a mix of leaders in OTT TV, ment innovation, and presented with the joint Best 4K TV Serv- Pay TV, Broadcast, Cable, Broadband and honoured Ooredoo and ice or Solution Award at TV Connect 2016 Telco, with leading technology providers. Huawei for crystal-clear 4K TV Service or Solu- tion, which works with multiple devices and brings a better customer experience. Ooredoo tv was launched in Febru- ary 2016 by Waleed Al Sayed, CEO, Ooredoo Qatar, and was designed as an evolution in home entertainment serv- ices, combining apps, on-demand and live tele- vision in one easy-to-use box. Utilising the powerful fibre connection of Oore- doo’s Supernet, Ooredoo tv offers incredible 4K TV viewing quality so that viewers can enjoy a high definition experi- ence even on the largest screen. The Ooredoo 4K Video solution was provided by Huawei Technologies, includ- ing IPTV Middleware, Smart CDN, Android 4K STB and FTTX fibre net- work. Huawei E2E 4K TV solution benefits include the best user experience, best integration to mar- ket, best O&M efficiency to optimise TCO, and best availability to ensure uninterrupted services. Ooredoo tv is avail- able via Ooredoo Shops, Starlink, TechnoBlue and Jumbo outlets. The service has no upfront charges, no equipment costs and no ongoing contracts. HOME THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 05 QF to launch Quiz on mobile app on Qatar’s environment By Raynald C Rivera mobile library The Peninsula DOHA: Nearly 200 students from 60 private and Independent schools in Qatar participated in the third edition of the Qatar e-Nature Schools Con- next month test which ended yesterday. This year’s edition of the competition featured a quiz show during which teams were asked ques- of collaborations with local stake- tions on the Qatar e-Nature application — a first of holders and partners. It represents a its kind smartphone application that highlights the National Reading nationwide effort to nurture a book- rich diversity of Qatar’s environment. Campaign (NRC) loving culture in Qatar. Reading Four schools vied for the title at an exciting helps to improve creativity, con- final round held at the City Centre Rotana Hotel reaches Ezdan Mall. centration and language skills. yesterday. Therefore, these weekend events Each of the team members of the winning are aimed at engaging the public team representing Abu Hanifa Model Independ- — men, women and children of all ent School received a voucher worth QR4,000 and Phinda Vilakazi, President GTL Ventures, Sasol Ltd, Fawziya Al Khater, Director of the Education The Peninsula ages — and are designed to cultivate a gold medal while team members of the second Institute, Supreme Education Council, Dr Saif Al Hajri, Chairman, Friends of Environment Centre self-learning.” placer Al Khansaa Primary Independent School and other officials with winners of the Qatar e-Nature Schools Contest 2016 final at Hotel “We are absolutely delighted for Girls each took home a voucher worth QR3,000 Rotana City Center yesterday. Photo: Kammutty VP with the overwhelming response we and a certificate of achievement. DOHA: Qatar Foundation (QF) will have received so far,” he continued. The third and fourth place students from New- Held under the patronage of H E Dr Moham- Environment Centre (FEC). Fawzia Abdulaziz Al host a series of fun and interac- “We look forward to rolling out the ton International School – Lagoon and Birla Public med Abdul Wahed Ali Al Hammadi, Minister of Khater, Director of the Education Institute, said tive community-inspired activities rest of the campaign over the com- School collected vouchers worth QR2,000 and Education and Higher Education, the contest the promotion of environmental awareness among at Ezdan Mall over the next two ing months, including the exciting QR1,000, respectively. All four winning schools was organised by Sasol, Ministry of Education Qatari students is among the educational goals of weekends as part of its innovative launch of the ‘Reading Truck’. The received a Qatar e-Nature award. and Higher Education (MEHE) and Friends of the the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. National Reading Campaign (NRC). mobile library will be found in busy The schedule will roll out from today public areas at the weekend, and its to May 14 and from May 19 to 21. location and route will be trackable Next month, Qatar Foundation via the National Reading Campaign Independent will launch a mobile library as part website and social media channels.” Consumer Price Index rises 3.4 of the campaign. The Ezdan Mall events will run Schools to close Designed as a community out- from 4pm to 10pm. Activities include reach tool, the ‘Reading Truck’ will a Book Hangout, where children can tour the country and aim to involve, dress up as their favourite story- percent in April over last year early from May 15 engage and inspire the entire com- book characters and act out specific munity, particularly young people, scenes; a Book Swap, where visitors The Peninsula by fostering a love of reading. can exchange books; and Qatar’s The Peninsula percent compared to April 2015. CPI 0.2 percent, and “Recreation and Cul- The ‘Reading Truck’ will be first Story Maze, where children for April 2016 is estimated at 107.7, ture” by 0.1 percent. easy to spot, sporting a colourful, will be given the chance to read showing a slight increase month-on- Compared to the same period DOHA: The Ministry of Education child-friendly appearance, captur- different stories depending on the month basis of 0.1 percent compared last year, the CPI indices showed and Higher Education has asked ing imaginations and bringing the route chosen. Additional activities DOHA: The Consumer Price Index to CPI of March 2016. a decline in prices of other groups all Independent Schools to reduce world of storytelling to life. It will include bookmark making and sto- (CPI) for April 2016 has showed an An analysis of month-on-month such as “Restaurants and Hotels” by their working hours from May 15. provide youngsters across Qatar rytelling sessions, as well as games increase of 3.4 percent compared to basis of CPI for April, 2016 compared 1.1percent, “Health” by 0.9percent, KG classes will close at with the opportunity to purchase a like Scrabble and oversized puzzles. the same month last year. with March, 2016, where indices of “Housing, Water, Electricity and Gas” 11:10am, primary schools at wide selection of books and related The National Reading Campaign Statistical data issued by the four main groups of commodities and “Communication” by 0.1percent 11:45am and preparatory and sec- learning materials. community outreach programme Ministry of Development Planning have showed respective increase each. Prices of other commodities ondary schools at QR12:35pm. Fahad Saad Al Qahtani, Presi- will see a range of innovative and & Statistics (MDPS) showed that the this month, namely: “Food and and service like “Tobacco”, “Furniture The instruction was issued by dent of Community Development, interactive activities and events CPI for April, 2016 increased on a Beverages” by 1.4 percent, “Miscel- and Household Equipment”, “Trans- the Schools Affairs Department at QF, said: “The National Reading across the country in the months year-on-year basis by 3.4 percent laneous Goods and Services” by 0.6 port, and “Education” have remained the Ministry in a circular sent to all Campaign is the result of a series ahead. and month-on-month basis by 0.1 percent, “Clothing and Footwear” by flat at last month’s price level. Independent schools, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reports. The decision was taken to give an opportuny to students to revise their lessons and prepare for forth- Kutnu fabric collection debuts in Qatar coming annual examination. Qatar Construction The Peninsula Kutnu fabric is the embodiment timeless. Just like various cultures, of unique values of a powerful his- Kutnu has been embraced for centu- Specification tory. It conveys the marks of the Silk ries, I brought different items together DOHA: A Turkish fabric symbolically Road which is symbolically the path with Kutnu in the collection. I com- linked to the Silk Road has been first of unity and interaction of cultures bined Kutnu with leather, chiffon, meet on May 22 launched in Qatar as part of a project without racial, religious, and linguis- and velvet. ” under the patronage of Dr Sare Davu- tic discrimination. She added: “Everything was in The Peninsula toglu, wife of Turkey’s Prime Minister Passing from Anatolian Seljuks perfect harmony. Women who wear Ahmet Davutoglu. to Ottomans, Kutnu finds life on the Kutnu will feel its power, uniqueness The historical Kutnu fabric was looms of craftsmen of Gaziantep and timelessness” DOHA: The Ministry of Munici- reintroduced to the world as the today. Kutnu is repositioned as the The show about this collection pality and Environment will hold fabric of peace on Tuesday at The fabric of all times with the collec- debuted ‘Reflect Your Light with 3rd Qatar Construction Spec- Ritz-Carlton Doha. tion created by Turkish fashion Kutnu’ project and was organised ification (QCS) conference in ‘Reflect Your Light with Kutnu’ designer Rabia Yalçin. The unique in association with Turkish Export- collaboration with Qatar Primary Mate- invited the world to unite for peace. collection of 45 looks can be seen ers Assembly and support of Turkish rials Company ( QPMC) on May Emphasising the importance of living as an intercultural bridge between Embassy in Doha. Besides delegates 22 at Torch Hotel, Aspire Zone in peacefully and in unity, the project is the past and future. Yalçin said she from Turkey, ministers, diplomats, Doha. to be launched in several countries went far beyond fashion and out of businessmen, journalists, fashionista The conference will be held after Qatar, as part of the motto ‘Tur- limits because Kutnu is too special from Qatar and the region attended under the theme: “Primary Materi- Models in Doha parade designs in Turkey’s Kutnu fabric. key — Discover the Potential’. a fabric to be constrained. “Kutnu is the premiere. als are the Basis of Specifications.” ‘Animals in Islamic Art’ on show in Canada

The Peninsula

DOHA: Museum of Islamic Art’s internationally acclaimed exhibition “Marvellous Creatures: Animals in Islamic Art” recently opened at the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Can- ada. Running until September 11, the exhibition focuses on the real and mythical animals that appear in the legends, tales, and fables of the Islamic world and has been expanded to include additional works from the Aga Khan Museum Collection, loans from international private and pub- lic institutions, and a contemporary installation by Lebanese artist Moha- “Marvellous Creatures: Animals in Islamic Art” recently opened at the mad-Said Baalbaki. Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, Canada. Divided into the natural quad- rants of fire, air, earth, and water, demonstrate the enduring appeal of over the world. We hope that this these magical creatures take cen- these characters and stories across exhibition successfully introduces tre stage in artworks on show at diverse cultures and generations. these stories to a new audience, to the museum, spanning the 7th to The illustrations and motifs seen in create new opportunities for dialogue 21st centuries, and introduce well- the exhibition reflect the diversity of and exchange, to educate visitors on known and beloved classic fables Islamic art production. the breadth of Islamic art production, from the Middle East, North Africa, Shaika Nasser Al-Nassr, Head of and to help the world understand the and Indian subcontinent, including Exhibitions at the Museum of Islamic essence of Qatar.” Kalila wa Dimna, the Shahnameh, Art, said:“We are proud to be bring- “Whether you’re considering and One Thousand and One Nights. ing this magical exhibition to a new Aesop’s Fables or a Persian epic like The wide variety of objects pre- audience of art lovers in Toronto for the Shahnameh, Marvellous Crea- sented in the exhibition including the first time. The timeless tales high- tures of all kinds play a powerful role manuscripts, textiles, ceramics, lighted in the exhibition will appeal in our collective imaginations,” says jewellery, glass, and metalwork, to people of all different cultures all Director and CEO Henry Kim. 06 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 HOME

Ambulatory Care Centre has 116 beds

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“We have fixed some equip- ment such as MRI machines and the robotic pharmacy which has to be fixed within the building. The oth- ers we call loose equipment will be fixed by HMC. “There are 559 beds, including those in ICU. The rest will be outpa- tient facilities,” Al Rashid added. Ashghal has also completed examination, inspection and testing procedures for technical and elec- tromechanical systems. The QR3.7bn project has been completed in four years. The three hospitals are intercon- nected and built according to highest specifications and international A partially equipped robotic surgery facility at the Ambulatory Care standards and provide a comforta- Children interact with the Angry Birds Movie characters Chuck and Red. Centre. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula ble indoor environment for patients, medical staff and visitors. Ambulatory Care Centre has 116 rooms. Qatar Rehabilitation Institute Centre includes 190 beds and 53 neo- beds and 14 operating theatres with has 200 beds, and one state-of-the- natal intensive care cots. It also has Water consumption rises 70% in seven years recovery rooms. Ambulances have art adult hydrotherapy suite. It is also seven operating theatres, and 21 the facility to drive near to elevators equipped with a ‘Patient Lift’ which delivery and 60 outpatient examina- AFP More than 740 million cubic “Government” water consump- which will lift patients to operating helps patients unable to move. It is an tion rooms. It includes an emergency metres (26 billion cubic feet) of water tion grew the most during that time theaters. automated equipment hanging from department and rooms for C-section, were used in 2013, up from just over period, increasing by almost 400 per- The operating theatres include an the ceiling that carries patients to triage, ultrasound, and treatment and DOHA: Water consumption in Qatar 437 million in 2006, reflecting the cent, said the MDPS. integrated system through screens help them stand up and move. emergency deliveries rooms. increased by 70 percent in the seven country’s rapid expansion, figures Industry use was up by more connected with medical and non- “The hydrotherapy suite is con- The main kitchen of the Medical years up to 2013, the first ever water from the Ministry of Development than 200 percent, though the biggest medical systems in the room. They sidered one of the most advanced City’s hospitals has a daily capacity statistics published by Doha revealed Planning and Statistics (MDPS) consumers were agriculture and res- also have the facility for robotic sur- hydrotherapy suites in the Gulf,” said of preparing 8,000 meals. Pharmacy yesterday. show. idential households. geries. The building has extensive Al Rashid. robotic systems that transfer and pre- radiology and examination suites and The building includes outpa- pare medications automatically for treatment rooms, and 12 examination tient clinics for occupational therapy, various sections are also situated rooms for ENT audiology. prosthesis, organ transplantation and within the eight-storey building “Ambulatory Care Centre will inpatient therapy support. which houses the three hospitals. serve patients who need minor sur- The outpatient physical therapy HMC recently announced that geries and could leave the hospital has 12 treatment rooms, four gyms Ambulatory Care Centre, Qatar Doha to get first Angry overnight,” said Al Rashid. and a main suite for education and Rehabilitation Institute and Wom- Qatar National Diabetes Centre is support services. The main labora- en’s Wellness and Research Centre in this building, with over 30 exami- tory is also in this building. are among seven hospitals to open Birds park in Mideast nation and more than 50 short-stay Women’s Wellness and Research by end of 2017.

the new theme park. #DohaFestivalCity, fans of the block- It will form part of a larger enter- buster video game Angry Birds, Angry Birds World tainment offering at Doha Festival media and guests attended the 3D will offer visitors City’s Family Entertainment Complex. screening |at NOVO cinema in The the opportunity to Trevor Hill, General Manager, Pearl-Qatar. Doha Festival City, said: “With over Rovio Entertainment’s Chief play and engage 38,000sqm of space across four Commercial Officer Alex Lambeek with the Angry Birds world class theme parks, including said, “The Rovio team is extremely Angry Birds World, the Family Enter- delighted to support this special characters tainment Complex at Doha Festivals screening of the Angry Birds Movie City is sure to be one of the lead- for our valued fans and friends. The ing attractions in Doha, reflecting movie brilliantly captures the mag- our commitment to entertainment nitude of fun and excitement that The Peninsula and we look forward to welcoming Qatar’s Angry Birds World would Qatar residents and visitors alike bring to its visitors upon its launch. from 2017.” “We are proud to bring one of In the run-up to the much-antic- the world’s top-class attractions to DOHA: The first Angry Birds theme ipated launch of the theme park, the region, for the first time ever park in the Middle East will open at Doha Festival City, in partnership in Doha Festival City, through our Doha Festival City’s Family Enter- with Talal Bin Mohammed Trading fruitful partnership with Talal tainment Complex next year. and ADabisc , has hosted a grand Bin Mohammed Trading and Featuring over 35 state-of-the-art screening of the Angry Birds Movie ADabisc.” The Family Entertainment attractions with dedicated indoor and which will be released worldwide Complex is also home to the unique outdoor spaces, Angry Birds World today. Snow Dunes, Juniverse and Virtuoc- will offer visitors the opportunity to The ten winners of a com- ity theme parks. Snow Dunes will play and engage with the Angry Birds petition launched on their social be Qatar’s first indoor snow characters as they journey through media platforms under the hashtag experience. The Russian group “Stanitsa” performs at Katara Esplanade. Russian troupe at Katara DOHA: Russian group “Stanitsa” performed at Katara Esplanade on Monday and Tuesday as part the Cultural Diversity Festival organised by the Cultural Village Foundation — Katara in cooperation with the Unesco office in Doha. The troupe staged folkloric performances that reflected the way of life in the Kuban region. The performers greeted the audience with a military per- formance entitled “March”, followed by “Kazachok” which is a traditional dance from southern Russia. Other folkloric items included Small Pillow, “Naur- skaia” performance which originated from the North Caucasus, and “Pleskach” show.

Smart ID card not must for Metrash2

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Security services (such as reporting abandoned build- ings, law violations, selling prohibited items, damaging facilities, among others), social services (reporting fam- ily disputes, behavioural issues, social support, among others), invitations and requests (for awareness lectures, school and company visits, event participation, among others) and other general services (informing on road damage, damage to traffic and service signboards, dan- gerous intersections, not working signals, among others) are included as part of community policing services. Brig Al Maliki said new languages can be added to the app as per requirements and the number of speak- ers and hoped that new additions will facilitate easy use of app for the speakers of those languages. Subscribers can download the app in more than one device and with any services provider in Qatar and a smart ID card is not a condition for Metrash2. GDIS has set up a 24-hour call centre (2342000) to assist them in case of inquires or technical help. MIDDLE EAST THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 07

Strike in 94 dead in Baghdad triple car bombings Tunisia over

bombings that hit civilians,” the local controls 14 percent of Iraq, down from resident said. The politicians “should 40 percent. But the jihadists have halt to Libya The worst bombing all get out”. Cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, retained their ability to strike in the struck the frequently who spearheaded a protest movement heart of Baghdad and other govern- demanding a cabinet reshuffle and ment-held areas with bomb attacks. border trade targeted Sadr City other reforms, has a huge following The months-old political crisis area of northern in the working-class neighbourhood has led to repeated mass demonstra- of Sadr City, which was named after tions that required a huge security AFP Baghdad at about his father. deployment and hampered govern- 10:00am, killing at Another suicide car bomb ment action at a time when Iraq is still least 64 people. The attack killed at least 17 people at the battling jihadists on several fronts. entrance of the northwestern neigh- Security forces are currently TUNISIA: A town in southern attacks, all claimed bourhood of Kadhimiya, which is engaged in large-scale military oper- Tunisia went on strike yesterday by the Islamic State home to an important Shia Muslim ations in the provinces of Anbar and in protest at a decision by Libyan shrine. Access to the neighbourhood, Nineveh as they close in on Fallujah authorities late last month to halt group. which has also been repeatedly tar- and Mosul, IS’s two major remaining cross-border trade on which its geted over the years, is heavily hubs in Iraq. The United States and economy depends. controlled. the United Nations have warned the Ben Guerdane, one of the Several members of the security political impasse could undermine North African nation’s poorest AFP forces were among the victims, hos- the fight against IS. towns, was also hit by jihadist vio- pital sources said. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi lence from across the border that In the Jamea district in western has sought to replace the cabinet killed seven civilians and 13 secu- Baghdad, another car bomb went of party-affiliated ministers with a rity personnel in March as well as BAGHDAD: Three car bombs in off in the afternoon, killing at least government of technocrats, a move 55 extremists. Baghdad, including a huge blast at a 13 people, an interior ministry offi- opposed by powerful parties that rely Shops and offices in the town market in a Shia area, killed at least cial and medics said. on control of ministries for patronage of 60,000 inhabitants were all 94 people yesterday, the bloodiest day A total of around 150 people were and funds. Angry demonstrators last closed in response to the one-day in the Iraqi capital this year. wounded in the three bombings. IS month broke into central Baghdad’s strike called by the UGTT main The attacks, all claimed by the issued an online statement claiming fortified Green Zone and stormed trade union confederation, it was Islamic State group, came with the responsibility for all three attacks. It parliament after lawmakers again reported. government locked in a political crisis said they were carried out by suicide failed to approve new ministers. Only the hospital emergency that some have warned could under- bombers, for whom they each pro- While the protesters withdrew the department, a pharmacy and some mine the fight against the jihadists. vided a nom de guerre. The UN’s top following day, parliament has still yet schools remained open in the The blast set nearby shops on fire envoy in Iraq, Jan Kubis, condemned to hold another session. town, whose economy is heavily and left debris including the charred, the bloodshed. Zainab Al-Tai, a lawmaker from dependent on cross-border trade twisted remains of a vehicle in the “These are cowardly terrorist Sadr’s political movement, said the and where smuggling is rife. street. Dozens of angry people gath- attacks on civilians who have done most recent efforts to resume the Libyan border officials say ered at the scene of the bombing, nothing but going about their normal parliamentary process were still they halted all freight traffic since blaming the government for the daily lives,” he said. floundering Wednesday. the end of April through the Ras carnage. IS, which overran large areas in “Some disagreements remain, Jedir crossing in a bid to stop the “The state is in a conflict over 2014, considers Shias, who make up there is no session and we have yet smuggling of fuel, which is much (government positions) and the people the majority of Iraq’s population, to to set a date for the next session,” she cheaper across the border. are the victims,” said a man named be heretics and often targets them said. Negotiations focused on cus- Abu Ali. “The politicians are behind with bombings. Government spokes- “Parliament is divided in three toms duties have so far failed to the explosion.” man Saad Al-Hadithi went on state groups... I don’t think we can reach reach a settlement. Libya’s prime Iraqis inspect the site of a car bomb attack in Baghdad’s Sadr city, Abu Muntadhar echoed his anger, television hours after the Sadr City a result, the decision will be in the minister-designate Fayez al-Sar- “The state is responsible for the bombing and said that IS now only hands of the people,” she added. yesterday. raj, whose unity government is trying to assert its authority over the violence-plagued country, met on Wednesday in Tunis with Pres- ident Beji Caid Essebsi. “The anti-terrorist strug- Turkey refuses to have change in anti-terrorism laws gle was at the top of the subjects raised, as well as our aim of an economic partnership,” Sarraj Reuters in reducing the flow of migrants into would step down after weeks of ten- which needs to sign off on visa liber- Many insisted there could be no visa told reporters, while the Tunisian Europe. But Ankara’s minister for EU sion with Erdogan. alisation, have criticised the proposal. deal if all criteria are not met. But presidency said the situation at affairs, Volkan Bozkir, told broad- The migration deal has sharply “This is not about meeting the others also defended the measure as Ras Jedir was also raised. Despite caster NTV Turkish legislation already reduced the flow of refugees and criteria or not, it’s a purely political a way to show ordinary Turks that the oppressive heat, hundreds of ANKARA: Turkey refused again met EU standards. migrants after some 1.3 million peo- process in which the EU has shown it Europe was open to them. protesters gathered in front of the yesterday to make changes to its anti- “It is not possible for us to accept ple passed through Turkey to reach is prepared to go very far in accept- German government spokes- union offices in Ben Guerdane but terrorism laws demanded by Brussels any changes to the counter-ter- Greece and Italy since the start of ing violations of human rights and woman Christiane Wirtz said Berlin a planned march failed to take in a hardening of its stance that could rorism law,” Bozkir said, echoing 2015. For many Turks, visa-free travel freedoms,” said Malin Bjork, a left- expected Ankara to meet its side of place. jeopardise a major deal with the bloc earlier comments by President Tayyip to Europe is the main reward in the wing Swedish lawmaker. the migrant accord but declined to “They tell us there are contacts covering migrants, free travel and Erdogan who last week told the Euro- deal. But Turkey has still to meet The parliament’s head, Martin speculate on would happen if it did (with the Libyan side) but we don’t militants. pean Union: five of 72 criteria the EU imposed, Schulz, has said lawmakers will not not. see anything. We want radical EU officials and rights groups “We’re going our way, you go including the narrower definition of deal with the proposal before Turkey Adding to concerns about Anka- solutions at Ras Jedir. The people have accused Turkey of using broad yours.” Bozkir’s assertion that there terrorism. meets all the criteria, adding he did ra’s rights record, the UN High are very dissatisfied,” local UGTT anti-terrorism legislation to stifle dis- had never been a deal over the laws One Erdogan adviser and a not see this happening before July. Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid official Mohsen Lachiheb said. sent. Ankara says it needs the laws to will upset EU officials already worried member of Turkey’s parliament for Several lawmakers said the par- Ra’ad al-Hussein, said on Tuesday A man in his 30s who asked battle Kurdish militants at home and by the departure of Prime Minister the ruling AK Party, Burhan Kuzu, liament’s stance would eventually he had received “alarming” reports not to be named blamed the threats from Islamic State in neigh- Ahmet Davutoglu, the main Turk- tweeted late on Tuesday: “The Euro- hinge on the political call made by about violations allegedly commit- town’s economic woes on Tuni- bouring Iraq and Syria. ish broker of the deal under which pean Parliament will discuss the EU capitals, which are keen to prevent ted by Turkish security forces in the sia’s politicians. Brussels wants Ankara to nar- Turkey takes back migrants reach- report that will open Europe visa- a repeat of mass arrivals from Turkey. largely Kurdish southeast during their “In March, we faced a terror- row its legal definition of terrorism ing Europe from its shores in return free for Turkish citizens. If the wrong During a debate in its Strasbourg offensive against militants. ist attack. They wanted to kill us and change some other laws to meet for concessions including the scrap- decision is taken, we will send the chamber, members across the politi- They include reports of unarmed with bullets. Our politicians want EU standards - as part of the wide- ping of visas for Turks visiting the EU. refugees (back to Europe).” Many cal spectrum denounced Erdogan and civilians being deliberately shot by to kill us with their policies,” he ranging deal to secure Turkish help Davutoglu announced last week he members of the European Parliament, Turkish “blackmail” over the refugees. snipers and other military, he said. said angrily.

Egypt court Filming refugees’ life Forces in Western Libya to launch recommends death for 25 operation to get back Sirte from IS

AFP Reuters on the ground. Misrata’s brigades Though it has struggled to win have largely transferred their support support and hold territory in parts to it from a self-declared government of Libya, Islamic State controls a strip formed in Tripoli in 2014. of more than 250 km (155 miles) of CAIRO: An Egyptian court yester- MISRATA: Forces in western Libya But the unity government has Libya’s central coastline, from which day recommended death sentences are preparing to advance on the city struggled to win support from it has launched attacks to the east, for 25 people over deadly tribal of Sirte, seized by Islamic State last another administration based the west and south. clashes in 2014 in the southern year, their spokesman said, pushing east and the military forces allied Over the last week it has made province of Aswan, judicial and ahead with plans for a counter-attack to it. They have also said they gains, carrying out suicide attacks in prosecution officials said. The after the Islamists made territorial would move against Sirte, though the sparsely populated area between court asked the mufti—the coun- gains in the last week. past announcements have come to Sirte and Misrata, including at a try’s official interpreter of Islamic The fighters based in the city nothing. major checkpoint at Abu Grain. law—to consider the death sen- of Misrata would like international Late last month the unity gov- Gasri confirmed that Islamic tences and it scheduled a session logistical support to help retake what ernment urged both sides to hold State took several villages in the area to pronounce its final decision on has become Islamic State’s most off attacking Sirte before a unified and that the line of defence was now June 7. important base outside Syria and command is created, fearing an at Assdada, about 80km south of Mis- The 25 defendants were among Iraq, but will not wait for it before uncoordinated offensive could lead rata. The militants have dug trenches 163 people accused of killing 28 launching the operation, they said. to civil war. and planted mines around the Abu people in clashes between two “We are ready and we are pre- “We need logistical support from Grain checkpoint, he said. tribes in Aswan that erupted after a paring our security arrangements to the international community, and we Thirteen members of the security woman was accosted in April 2014. attack Sirte,” said Brigadier General need weapons and ammunition,” forces were killed and 110 wounded Egyptian law requires the Mohamed al-Gasri, spokesman for Gasri said. “Whether they’re going in last week’s fighting, Gasri said. mufti to sign off on death sen- a newly formed military operations to support us or not, we will be there Wounded fighters at a hospital tences. His opinion is not binding room in Misrata. soon. We will not stand and watch.” in Misrata said suicide bombers had but is usually respected by courts. The operations room was set up Islamic State took advantage of attacked in armoured vehicles, one 16 of the defendants were by a UN-backed unity government the political turmoil and security of which approached a checkpoint present while 9 were tried in that arrived in Tripoli at the end of vacuum after the uprising that over- behind cars carrying families flee- absentia. They were charged with March. European powers and the threw Muammar Gaddafi five years ing Sirte. Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei (right) is seen during the murder, attempted murder and United States hope the unity govern- ago to build a power base in Libya. Misrata brigade members fought arson. The two clans, Bani Hilal filming of a documentary about Palestinian refugees in the ment will be able to unite Libya’s rival The Misrata brigades were to defend the Abu Grain checkpoint and the Nubian Dabudiya family, streets of Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, political groups and armed factions present in Sirte as Islamic State began for nearly an hour but were forced had long-standing tensions before yesterday. to take on Islamic State, though it is to establish control, but withdrew last to withdraw as they were outnum- the incident. unclear how far its authority extends summer. bered, one said. 08 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 MIDDLE EAST

Dubai police seek Syrian army battles jihadists near Palmyra two Canadians and Iranian after A military source told the SANA — brokered by Russia and the US two other rebel-held neighbour- rebels in force since February. official news agency that Syrian air after a spike in violence in the city last hoods, he added. Rebel rocket fire hit The truce has led to a sharp investor shot The latest fighting force had carried out strikes against IS month — is set to expire at midnight. two government-controlled districts reduction in the death toll. Rebel comes as world around the main facility in the Shaer The former economic hub has in the west of the city, the Observatory rocket fire on government neighbour- gas field northwest of Palmyra. been divided between the regime- said. Rebel sniper fire killed a garbage hoods killed three civilians on Sunday Reuters powers prepare to A security source said: “Military held west and rebel-controlled east collector, SANA reported. but otherwise it has largely held. It has meet in Vienna next operations are ongoing in Shaer gas since 2012. Two people were wounded Truce took effect in Aleppo last been extended twice after 11th-hour week to try to revive field,” which is one of the biggest in when regime aircraft strafed rebel Thursday after a surge in fighting killed diplomatic intervention from major DUBAI: Dubai police are seeking central province of Homs. Both sides positions in two eastern neighbour- more than 300 people and threat- powers, but there was no immediate at least two Canadians and one peace talks aimed at have been battling each other in the hoods with heavy machinegun fire. ened to unravel nationwide ceasefire word of any new extension ahead of Iranian in connection with the ending a five-year desert around Palmyra since IS was Government warplanes struck between regime forces and non-jihadist expiry time. fatal shooting last week of a real ousted from the city in late March. estate investor in an upscale neigh- conflict. The jihadist group last week bourhood. seized the Shaer gas field from the In a killing linked to organised regime. President Bashar Al Assad’s crime, the Turkish citizen of Ira- troops retook Palmyra with support nian origin was shot nine times in AFP from Russian air strikes on March 27 his car in the Dubai Marina on May -- an achievement his regime cele- 4, the daily Emarat Al-Youm cited brated with concerts in its ancient police chief Khamis Matar Al Muz- amphitheatre last week. aina as saying. BEIRUT: Syrian regime forces yes- But today IS surrounds Palmyra Muzaina said police had iden- terday battled jihadists who cut a key from all directions except the south- tified suspects involved in attack, supply route west of ancient Palmyra, west, Observatory chief Rami Abdel though some had left the country. after new bombardments hit Aleppo Rahman said, adding that IS was One was an Iranian citizen and city where a ceasefire is due to expire within 10km of the city. others were Canadian citizens, he at midnight. In Deir Ezzor province, at least said. The latest fighting comes as world seven civilians were killed, including The police had provided infor- powers prepare to meet in Vienna a child, in regime air strikes. mation about suspects to Canadian next week to try to revive peace talks They died in “regime air strikes authorities, he was quoted as say- aimed at ending a five-year conflict on the Shuhail district in the east of ing. Muzaina declined to comment that has killed more than 270,000 Deir Ezzor province targeting a health when reached by phone, referring a people. The Syrian Observatory for facility and other areas in the dis- news agency to the report in Ema- Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, trict”, the Observatory said. rat al-Youm. said the Islamic State (IS) group cut the In the northern battleground city The gunmen used silenced main road from Homs city to Palmyra of Aleppo, witnesses said earlier the pistols, and the crime was only just weeks after the army recaptured city’s rebel-held east was calm after Opposition fighters drive a tank in a rebel-held area of the southern Syrian city of Daraa, during renewed discovered later when a security the city, a UNESCO world heritage site. fighting overnight. A local truce clashes with regime loyalists. guard discovered the body in the car, parked in a residential build- ing, Emarat Al-Youm cited police sources as saying. Street crime is rare in Dubai. Walking around the Marina, it Egypt opens Rafah crossing for 48 hours Bomber strikes Yemen is not unusual to see wallets laid on cafe tables and keys left in car ignitions. Reuters bordering the Palestinian territory. Cairo said Rafah was opened at the Hamas denies the allegation. request of West Bank-based Palestin- military convoy; 3 dead Some 30,000 Gazans are on a ian President Mahmoud Abbas, who Worsening food waiting list to cross at Rafah. Only met Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah al- GAZA: Egypt opened its bor- a few thousand, including patients, Sisi this week. Reuters Yemeni government forces when crisis in der with Gaza for the first time in students and holders of residency Hamas ousted Abbas’s Fatah the attack took place, later visited three months yesterday, giving Pal- permits in third countries, were movement from power in Gaza in a wounded soldiers at Seyoun hospital estinians a two-day respite from likely to do so before it closes again. brief civil war in 2007. and vowed to keep pushing to “uproot South Sudan a closure stemming from friction “I have been waiting for sev- At Cairo international airport, ADEN: A suicide bomber killed at this malicious plant from our midst”. between Cairo and the enclave’s eral months to get a chance to have immigration sources said 90 Pales- least three people and wounded 12 The state-run news agency said JUBA: The UN World Food Pro- Islamist rulers. advanced cancer checks in Cairo,” tinians from Gaza, stranded in third yesterday in an attack on the con- that one soldier and two civilians gramme yesterday released video Egypt’s shuttering of Rafah and said Umm Ahmed, a 55-year-old countries, had arrived and would voy of a senior military commander died in the attack. The agency did highlighting a worsening food cri- destruction of cross-border smug- Gaza resident, urging Egypt’s pres- travel by bus to Rafah. The sources who survived the assault, President not say whether Halili was wounded. sis in South Sudan, where up to gling tunnels, along with tight ident to reopen the Rafah crossing said another 120 Palestinians were Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi’s state- A local security official put the to 5.3 million people could face restrictions imposed by Israel along for good because “we are brothers, expected to land later. run news agency reported. death toll at eight, including two severe food shortages over the its own frontier with Gaza, have not enemies”. Last week, Israel said it planned A security official put the death civilian passersby, and said Halili March to September lean season. deepened economic misery for many For Gazans who live or work to reopen a second border point for toll in the attack near the city of al- was injured. WFP footage showed young of the 1.9 million Palestinians in the outside the enclave, a visit home is commercial traffic into Gaza, a step Qatan at eight and said that 17 other Hadi supporters, backed mainly children waiting at a food distri- enclave. hard to schedule, and it carries the toward gradually easing the block- people were wounded, including the by United Arab Emirates (UAE) forces bution centre in the northern Bahr Egypt’s military-backed gov- risk of being stuck in the territory ade it imposed since 2007. commander of the First Military in the Saudi-led coalition, drove al El Ghazal region for malnutrition ernment has kept its border with and losing residency rights in host Israel says its blockade prevents Region, General Abdul-Rahman al- Qaeda militants from the Hadramout tests as well as one family saying the Gaza Strip largely closed since countries. the movement of militants and stops Halili, who suffered minor injuries. provincial capital in a military offen- they were leaving South Sudan for Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Broth- “You never know when the cross- construction materials that could No one claimed responsibility sive last month. Darfur because of the food crisis. erhood, was ousted as president three ing will be open, so if you want to be used by Hamas to make bunkers for the attack, but Islamist militants Islamist militants have exploited From January to March, some years ago. come and visit your family at home, and tunnels. from Al Qaeda and Islamic State a civil war pitting supporters of the 2.8 million people were classed as Egyptian officials view Gaza’s you should be prepared to risk your Palestinians there say they have repeatedly carried out attacks Saudi-backed Hadi and the Iran- being in “crisis” or “emergency” governing Hamas group as a threat, job,” said a Gaza merchant who does are under siege and are unable to against Yemeni military and secu- allied Houthis to extend their control food situations, with about 40,000 accusing it of supporting an Islam- business in the Gulf. rebuild homes destroyed by Israeli rity forces in recent months. over areas in southern and eastern thought to be suffering an outright ist insurgency in the Sinai peninsula The Palestinian Embassy in bombing in a 2014 war Halili, who was on way to inspect Yemen and recruit followers. famine.

4 cops & 2 jihadists die in Tunisia raids

AFP

TUNIS: Four policemen and two suspected jihadists were killed during security operations yesterday near the Tunisian capital and in the south of the country, the government said. Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, has suffered from a wave of jihadist violence since its 2011 revolution that ousted longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. In yesterday’s violence, four policemen were killed when a militant detonated his explosives belt after a firefight erupted in the Tatouine governorate, said the interior ministry. A national guard unit had carried out the raid acting on information from an “anti-terrorist” operation earlier the same day near Tunis. “One terrorist element was shot dead while the other detonated his explosives belt, killing two officers and two agents of the national guard,” said the ministry. In the earlier raid, two suspected jihadists were killed during a raid near the capital against a cell plan- ning “simultaneous” attacks, the same source said. Sixteen others were arrested during the operation in Ariana province just outside Tunis, and Kalashnikov assault rifles, pistols and ammunition seized. The interior ministry said the suspects had gath- ered in the area from different parts of the country. A resident of the Sanhaji district said that a two- hour gunbattle erupted with the suspects after the national guard launched the raid at around 8am. “They were not from the neighbourhood. We didn’t know them. They rented the house recently,” she said. The Islamic State group claimed brazen attacks last year on the National Bardo Museum in Tunis and a beach resort near Sousse that killed a total of 60 peo- ple, all but one of them foreign tourists. A November suicide bombing in the capital, also claimed by the IS, killed 12 presidential guards and prompted the authorities to declare a state of emergency. ASIA / PHILIPPINES THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 09

Duterte set for Clearing out Abu Sayyaf frees four wild foreign Indonesian policy ride captives Anatolia

foray into a delicate maritime dis- pute with China -- involving many TUBAN: Indonesia’s president It is not to contribute nations but with the Philippines a confirmed yesterday that four to the comfort of key player -- may have the most far- nationals held hostage in the reaching impact. southern Philippines for nearly a other nations. I have Playing to nationalist sentiment, month were released. to make the Filipino Duterte vowed to ride a jet ski to “Thank God, finally the four plant a Philippine flag on remote Indonesian citizens taken hos- comfortable first South China Sea islands, where Bei- tage by armed groups… have been before I give you jing is accused of using bully-boy released. They are in good condi- tactics to intimidate smaller nations tion,” kompas.com quoted Joko comfort, outside my with rival claims. Widodo as saying at the presiden- country: Duterte But he also signalled a poten- tial palace in Jakarta. tially signficant reversal of Earlier this month, the Daesh- government policy, saying he would linked Abu Sayyaf militant group be prepared to hold direct talks had released 10 other Indonesian Filipino government workers clean the city filled with campaign posters in Manila, yesterday. More than AFP with China on the issue -- poten- sailors, turning them over to the tially shattering the united front 50 million Filipinos voted on May 09 to elect a new president, vice-president, senators, congressmen governor of the Muslim major- of claimant nations backed by the and around 18,000 provincial and local officials. ity southern Philippine province United States. of Sulu. MANILA: After proposing a jet-ski “By the Philippines breaking Indonesian authorities have mission to defend remote islands ranks over this issue, it might affect... insisted that the government did against China, daring the United efforts to fend off China’s intrusion. not pay a $1m ransom demanded States to sever ties and joking about There is a need to be united over this for the release of the 10 men, who burning Singapore’s flag, Rodrigo issue,” said Faisal Syam Hazis, head Election officials challenge Marcos Jr to had been seized off the Philippines’ Duterte is set for a wild foreign policy of the Centre for Asia Studies at the Tawi-Tawi island province in late ride as the next Philippine president. National University of Malaysia. March. The firebrand politician stormed Other foreign policy stumbles Their release came six days to victory in national elections this sprang from Duterte’s no-holds- prove vote count anomaly allegation after the Abu Sayyaf beheaded a week using an incendiary brand of barred election pitch. At one rally Canadian hostage, 68-year-old populism and nationalism that his he recounted how he had person- John Ridsdel, after a $6m ransom aides insist he will moderate once ally killed inmates who had staged AP based on the PPCRV results that gave failed to be paid. he has the keys to the presidential a 1989 Davao prison riot. him an unassailable lead. The official “I thanked the Philippine gov- palace on June 30. But he also said that in the after- count and proclamation of the pres- ernment for providing excellent Duterte angrily told the US and math of the riot he discovered that ident and vice-president is done by cooperation in the double release Australian ambassadors to “shut an Australian missionary had been PHILIPPINES: Philippine election Congress, which will convene May 24. of the hostages,” Widodo said, their mouths” after they criticised a raped and murdered. officials challenged Sen. Ferdinand If Marcos wins, that would put The four men freed yesterday joke he made about abuse. The Australian and US ambas- “Bongbong” Marcos Jr (pictured) him a step away from the presidency would be returned to Indonesia The 71-year-old offered no apol- sadors criticised his comments, yesterday to prove his allegation of 30 years after his late father was shortly Last week. ogies when asked on election night triggering a furious reaction from irregularities in the counting of votes ousted by a public uprising amid alle- Indonesia agreed to hold joint for a message to members of the the contender, who told them not to for vice president, where he has been gations of plunder and widespread patrols with the Philippines and international diplomatic commu- interfere and raised the prospect of overtaken by his closest rival. They human rights abuses. Malaysia following a trilateral nity who may be concerned. cutting diplomatic ties. also rejected Marcos’ request for “These accusations are not true ... meeting to address the recent “It is not to contribute to the Duterte also enraged Singa- a stop to the unofficial tally by an we are committed to being impartial, hijacking and kidnapping inci- comfort of other nations. I have to pore when he said at a rally he accredited citizens’ watchdog, which to be neutral,” Commission on Elec- dents in the region’s waters. make the Filipino comfortable first would burn its flag in reaction to its uses the same election returns that by more than 230,000 votes, putting tions chairman Andres Bautista said. In early April, Filipino gunmen before I give you comfort, outside my embassy disavowing a hoax state- are transmitted to the Commission her 0.6 points ahead of Marcos. On Tuesday, Marcos’ campaign also abducted four Malaysian crew country,” he said. ment which purportedly said it on Elections. The tally is based on 95.5 per- adviser Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz from a vessel off the Malaysian Duterte, the long-time mayor of endorsed him. Diplomats can expect The son of late dictator Ferdinand cent of votes nationwide. Ballots said they sent an urgent request to state of Sabah, whose eastern coast southern Davao city, thrilled his sup- a different Duterte when he becomes Marcos Sr. had initially led the partial from overseas Filipinos are now the Elections Commission to halt the is located just around 50 nautical porters but outraged his critics with president, according to his spokes- count by the watchdog known by its considered crucial in the race for PPCRV count because it showed “an miles from the southernmost Phil- a series of diplomatic firebombs on man, Peter Lavina. In China, at least, acronym PPCRV. But as of yesterday vice-president. Rodrigo Duterte, the alarming and suspicious trend” con- ippine island of Sitangkai. the campaign trail. While his insults his foreign policy platform has been afternoon, the administration’s can- bombastic mayor of southern Davao trary to independent exit polls and The Abu Sayyaf is believed to caused gasps in various capitals, his welcomed -- despite the jet ski jibe. didate Rep. Leni Robredo was leading city, was elected the new president, the campaign’s estimates. still be holding several captives. Clashes in Bangladesh after Islamist leader hanged

AFP “There were 500 Jamaat Security was also stepped up government that has seen tens activists who were protesting the in Nizami’s ancestral district of of thousands of Jamaat support- execution. We fired rubber bullets Pabna, where his body was taken ers detained. Secular protesters as they became violent,” Rajshahi under armed escort for burial in cheered the midnight hanging, DHAKA: Clashes erupted in police inspector Selim Badsah told his family’s grave. “At least 16 with hundreds gathered outside Bangladesh yesterday after the AFP, adding that about 20 were activists of Jamaat were arrested the jail and at a square in cen- execution of a top Islamist leader, arrested. (in Pabna) Tuesday night as part tral Dhaka overnight to celebrate heightening tension in a country Jamaat and ruling party sup- of the security clampdown,” local what they described as an historic reeling from a string of killings of porters also clashed in Chittagong, police inspector Ahsanul Haq said. moment. secular and liberal activists. where about 2,500 Islamists Jamaat called a nationwide Mubashar Hasan, an assistant Motiur Rahman Nizami attended a service for the executed strike for Thursday in protest at professor at Bangladesh’s Univer- (pictured), leader of the Jamaat- leader, the port city’s deputy police Nizami’s execution, saying the sity of Liberal Arts, said Tuesday’s e-Islami party, was hanged at a chief Masudul Hasan told AFP. charges against him were false execution may sound the death Dhaka jail late Tuesday for the Security was tight across the and aimed at eliminating the par- knell for the already embattled massacre of intellectuals during country, with checkpoints erected ty’s leadership. Jamaat. the 1971 independence war with on main roads in Dhaka to deter Executions of Jamaat officials “With the execution of Pakistan. violence, and thousands of police in 2013 triggered the country’s Nizami, the Jamaat leadership Police said they fired rubber patrolling the capital. deadliest violence in decades. who revived the fortune of the bullets after hundreds of Niza- Nizami, a 73-year-old former Around 500 people were killed, party in the post-1971 period are mi’s supporters attacked them government minister, was the fifth mainly in clashes between Islam- now almost gone,” he said. with stones in the northwestern and the most senior opposition ists and police. But a fresh wave of It comes amid a wave of city of Rajshahi, where a liberal figure executed since the secular bloodshed is considered unlikely gruesome murders by suspected professor was killed by suspected government set up a controver- following a major crackdown by Islamists, with an atheist student, Islamists last month. sial war crimes tribunal in 2010. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s two gay rights activists, a pro- fessor, a Hindu tailor and a Sufi Muslim leader hacked to death since last month. The Islamic State and a Bang- ladesh branch of Al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for sev- eral murders, but the government blames homegrown extremists and accuses the opposition of trying to destabilise the country. Nizami took over as Jamaat leader in 2000 and played a key role in the victory of an Islamist- allied government in the 2001 general election. The 1971 conflict, one of the bloodiest in world history, led to the creation of an independ- ent Bangladesh from what was then East Pakistan. Prosecutors said Nizami was responsible for setting up the pro-Pakistani Al- Badr militia, which killed top writers, doctors and journalists A Bangladeshi activist shouts slogans outside Dhaka’s Central Jail, early yesterday, after Motiur in the most gruesome chapter of Rahman Nizami, leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, was executed. the war. 10 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 VIEWS

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

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

ACTING MANAGING EDITOR MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED [email protected]

DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR HUSSAIN AHMAD [email protected] United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (centre) arrives for an official meeting with Malagasy members of Parliament at the Malagasy Senate in Antananarivo, yesterday.

EDITORIAL Trumpphilia reigns Islamophobia defeated in he global media’s romance with Donald Trump and the egregiousness he exudes embodies a defiance of the normative element in global politics. The London Mayoral elections Terosion of values in all spheres has been exponential and politics is no exception. The media transmits messages along with the ideology they represent. Technology was seemingly not enthusiastic being questioned as never before’ into an attack on Islam instead of has opened up new vistas leading to a proliferation in the speed about congratulatingSadiq Khan is highly significant.Sadiq Khan’s focusing the discussion on how to and frequency with which information is passed around the and wish him well in his new posi- victory is a great one and we should serve London citizens by developing tion. The political right in America be happy that an Islamophobic and the transport system, supporting globe. and France also expressed concern, scurrilous campaign against him the underprivilegedand protecting It’s a world of Big Data, Big Pharma, Big Finance, and now and dismay, mainly insinuating by the Tories was thwarted by the the environment. Similar to the USA Big Media. that London is being taken over by good sense of Londoners. presidential campaign, the heated Trump’s verbal rampages — from alluding to a female Muslims, and even bitterness and Moreover, what is significant in debate was blown up out propor- journalist’s intimate biological process to naming rival shock from a well-known French the campaign was the way it was tion by the media and turned into Republican Ted Cruz’s wife in a campaign speech — are as academic, Alain Finkielkraut, in conducted by the two candidates a crude stigmatization of Muslims. a recent television interview, who especially the message of Khan’s By overwhelmingly voting for incendiary as the gun crimes ripping across the United States. said, ‘“this image of the victory of opponent. Building on previous Sadiq Khan, Londoners have taught He has been playing to the galleries by choosing issues as varied Dr Noureddine Miladi the Muslim poor over the rich Jew experience, Sadiq Khan seemed the Conservative Party a lesson as the treatment of Muslims to taxes leaves me with a bitter taste”. more confident and his campaign in respect and decency. People’s and healthcare to multilateral ties. It’s Sadiq Khan is a man of the more effective. His opponents had power has transcended money, no crime to take up issues close to the n Friday 6 May 2016, people, he can understand their nothing to criticize him for except slur and Islamophobia. public’s heart in a democratic exercise Sadiq Khan was declared problems, and has been known his faith, Islam. Their mistakes The new mayor’s four years are that is looked up to. Mayor of London, the to stand up for the underdog, is made him look more positive and going to be challenging not least Reams of “first Muslim mayor of well experienced and a compe- well-aware of the Londoner’s needs. in the next EU referendum.But to The maverick Trump represents a Oa major European city”.Khan was tent manager of people, and that His focus on highlighting day-to- secure a lasting legacy, Khan must newsprint category of celebrities who represent born in London, where he has lived is why they chose him. It should day problems faced by people and work tirelessly to serve the citi- and zillions the neo-liberal clique given to most of his life.He is of Pakistani not be that hard to understand. offering practical solutions put him zens of London who brought him of eyeballs prevarication, obfuscation of truth heritage, and the son of a ‘working His stated aim is to improve the ahead of his opponents and made to power. Khan’s victory challenges celebrate and narcissism. The reality TV star has class’ bus driver and a seamstress lives of all Londoners. He was the him look more genuine as a leader the increasing trend of right- a juvenile take on foreign policy — the who had come to London in search best man running for the job, and and a citizen of London. wing groups in western politics. of a better life. Like Dick Whitting- Londoners put their trust in him, In addition to being disengaged The Trump phenomenon in US Donald most contested sphere of influence the ton, a character famous in British regardless of his faith. from the people of London,Zak has totally failed in Europe and is Trump and most powerful country in the world story-telling who gradually rose But is this the first time a Muslim Goldsmith’s campaign made grave doomed to fail wherever people’s the perverse uses to spread its power. from poverty to be elected mayor leader will run a major European mistakes by making groundless choice is given a chance without mindset he In spite of all that is bad about of London, through kindness, hon- city? Unfortunately this fact is miss- accusations about Khan attempting media or Islamophobic fear-mon- Trump (it is hard to point out virtuosity esty and hard work, Khan started ing in partial European history toassociate him with extremismand gering. Even Trump has now had represents. in his campaign), he has been egged from a humble beginning, grow- books. Before London,Rotterdam conveying the idea that he should to make a concession that if he on by thousands of Republican ing up in a south London council (Netherlands) appointed Ahmed be feared. This tactic involved even becomes President of the United estate and attending a comprehen- Aboutalebin of Moroccan origin Prime Minister David Cameron and States, Mayor Sadiq Khan will be delegates and supporters. That’s a sive school-Ernest Bevin College. inOctober 2008 as its Mayor, and serving Mayor at the time, Boris an exception to the ban on all Mus- democratic right and it would be He worked hard and graduated in he still holds that position.During Johnson. lims entering the USA! unjust to deprive Trump of the support Law from The University of North the long Islamic rule in Spain,Abd David Cameron subscribed to The prominent English actor Ian of his constituency. London. al-Rahman I served as Emir of Cor- the smear campaign against Sadiq McKellencommented that ‘Khan’s It is the media frenzy generated by Trump that should be of After graduation, he started his doba in 756. In Sicily Ja’far al-Kalbi Khan,by openly callingto British cit- win represents a new sort of Eng- concern keeping in view the quality of political discourse in the professional career as a human (983–985) was its Emir and mayor izens to distance themselves from land’ (The Guardian). In fact this rights lawyer before joining the of Palermo, the capital. Europeans him, “It is very important that we is evidence that British citizens United States. Even if powerful corporate media can be forgiven Labour Party and steadily ascended are not expected to know these don’t back these people and do not are resilient in the face of crude for sensationalising what the swashbuckling Trump says, the the leadership ladder. Khan became facts, as much of their history that appear on platform with them. I brainwashing, and that the British erudite columnists who are often considered opinion makers in transport Minister in 2009 under is linked to the Islamic Civilization have to say I am very concerned multi-culturalism model is defi- liberal western democracies do not have an alibi for painting the Leadership of the then Prime has been, until recently, deliberately about candidate (Sadiq Khan) as nitely working and is increasingly their columns red with what Trump says. Tens of thousands of Minister Gordon Brown, then Cam- left out of most widely read history Mayor of London” (Channel 4 news). setting a model for the rest of the stories, editorials and op-eds on the phenomenon called Trump paign Manager for Ed Miliband and books, including more than 700 It is obvious that the Islamo- world regarding Muslims’ and other have been dished out. Justice Minister in 2010 under Mili- years of Islamic influence on the phobic attacks that Khan received minorities’ positive integration in band’s leadership. No stranger to culture of Europe, before and dur- during the campaign wouldn’t have Western societies. All that happens in US elections makes news. But the bullying, which he suffered as ing the European Enlightenment. been made towards a candidate The writer is Associate Professor journalistic establishment needs to balance sensationalism a child, Sadiq Khan defied and Now the appointment of Sadiq from other faiths. The trend is of Mass Communication. He can be against the quality of the content it transmits. Going berserk on rose above the racist and islam- Khan to a high profile position when unfortunately to demonise Islam reached via e-mail: nmiladi@hot- Trump leads to a cycle that feeds on what he shoots from the hip. ophobicslurs and slander, and the ‘legitimacy of British Muslims is and Muslims. The campaign turned mail.com fear-mongering of the Conserv- ative Party’s campaign to get Zac Goldsmith elected as Mayor. Reactions to his election have been varied. The London commu- nity, including priests and Rabbis, Quote of the day and Muslim Imams and other prom- inent community figures, both male We managed to break and female, seemed to welcome him through the energy blockade with open arms and warm smiles at The Southwark Cathedral, at his of Crimea within a brief signing in ceremony. Many congrat- period of time, and we will ulations were sent via Twitter and likewise do away with any Facebook, and by other means from other blockade against Russia, all over the world, including from Hillary Clinton. Many said it was a should someone wish to test great victory over islamophobia. us again. However, predictably,the Brit- ain First candidate turned his back in protest during Sadiq Khan’s vic- Vladimir Putin ‘Sadiq Khan, is well received by Londoners of all backgrounds and faiths, as he signs in as the tory speech, when the result was Russian President New Mayor of London at Southwark Cathedral.’ announced, and David Cameron

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Austria’s crisis is a dire warning to Merkel

By Leonid Bershidsky Bloomberg

ust last autumn, German Chancel- lor Angela Merkel and her Austrian counterpart Werner Faymann stood together as champions for Syrian ref- Jugees seeking shelter in Europe. Both have since backpedaled, and now Faymann has resigned because of pressure within his own party to open the way to a possible coalition with the anti-immigrant Free- dom Party. Merkel ought to be mindful of his fate: Inconsistency on matters of prin- ciple can be costly. Until the European Union’s deal with Turkey, which effectively cut off the Bal- kan route for the refugees and others who joined them on their flight, Austria was the final country aspiring immigrants passed through on their way to Germany, where Merkel would, they thought, welcome them. It was a transit country, but some of the newcomers decided to stick around -- with 88,151 asylum applications filed, more than at any time in recent memory: Happier times: German Chancellor Angela Merkel with her Austrian counterpart Werner Faymann. Germany, of course, accepted 442,000 first-time asylum applications last year, and many more refugees -- about 1.1 mil- lion -- actually came in, so the migration than Germans. While International Labor Austria’s presidency is largely ceremo- of the refugee influx, closing Austria’s bor- one, so her attempts to limit the influx found offices are still besieged and swamped. Organization figures show German unem- nial, but it’s impossible for the mainstream ders temporarily and building a fence on more understanding among the party’s But Germany is much bigger than Aus- ployment shrank to 4.2 percent in March parties not to reckon with the strength of the border with Slovenia -- not a univer- members and core voters. The German tria. Each added more than 1 percent to from 4.8 percent a year earlier, in Aus- the hard-right populists. If there is an early sally popular undertaking. In March, he chancellor’s political force, the Christian their populations. tria it rose almost to 11 percent in January election -- and that’s not out of the ques- criticized his erstwhile German ally. “Mer- Democratic Union, has slipped in the polls Austrians were even less ready for this before declining to 9.1 percent in April, the tion given the dramatic shift in parties’ kel’s policy can end up damaging Austria,” but it’s still by far the biggest party in the same as a year before, according to the popularity -- the Freedom Party is likely he said, adding that it was “unfair” and country, with no strong rival on the right. Austrian Institute of Economic Research. to come in first and be asked to form the that he didn’t want Austria “to be Germa- The anti-immigrant, anti-EU Alternative So there was more of an opening for Aus- government. ny’s buffer zone.” for Germany party has been doing better trian populists to blame economic troubles The People’s Party won’t rule out a coa- It was no longer clear to Austrian Social in the polls, but it still only has 15 per- on immigrants. lition with Strache and his team. Faymann Democrats why this Faymann was object- cent support. Merkel is at risk of catching the The Freedom Party is one of Europe’s has adamantly ruled it out, and many of ing to a deal with the Freedom Party. After Finally, Merkel’s efforts to reduce Faymann disease: What she stands oldest and strongest right-wing populist his allies have been uneasy with that line all, the populists feel much the same about immigration have been smarter and more for isn’t as clear as it was last parties. It was already doing quite well because it’s likely to deny his party its Merkel and about opening the country’s efficient than Faymann’s: Instead of building before the refugee crisis: In the 2013 par- chance to participate in government in doors to refugees. fences, she made the Turkish deal, ensur- year. The courageous stance she liamentary election it came third with 20.5 the next election cycle. “This country needs a chancellor whose ing that refugees who brave the voyage took angered many, but it was percent of the vote, not far behind the two Faymann, however, also faced pres- party is fully behind him,” Faymann said from Turkey to Greece know that they will unequivocal and visionary. The main centrist parties. Now, it regularly polls sure from the left: Liberal party members as he stepped down on Monday -- and yet likely be returned. It is politically costly more than 30 percent, far ahead of Fay- are unable to forgive him his about-face he continued to defend his stricter immi- and difficult to implement, but at least it current manoeuvring shows off her mann’s Social Democrats, who head the on refugees. gration stance, which had by then stopped really works. political skill, but makes her less ruling coalition with a partner, the center- In September, 2015, he stood next to making sense because of the uncannily Despite all these advantages, Merkel right People’s Party. Merkel in Berlin as she made her famous effective Turkish deal. According to the is at risk of catching the Faymann disease: compelling as a leader. Inconsistency, The Freedom party’s leader, Heinz- speech that concluded, “If we must apol- United Nations, only 121 refugees arrived what she stands for isn’t as clear as it was and not bungling, is what sank Christian Strache, is the top candidate for ogize for showing a friendly face in an in Austria via the Balkan route on May 8, last year. Faymann. chancellor. And in this year’s presidential emergency situation, then this is not my compared with an average of about 2,000 The courageous stance she took angered election, Norbert Hofer, also representing country.” Faymann responded emotion- in February. many, but it was unequivocal and vision- the Freedom Party, has made it to the sec- ally: “I am very grateful to you that you There are, of course, important dif- ary. The current manoeuvring shows off ond round and is running head-to-head did not hesitate to make this decision.” ferences between Merkel’s situation in her political skill, but makes her less com- with Alexander van der Bellen, backed He wasn’t so grateful by the end of the Germany and Faymann’s in Austria. Merkel pelling as a leader. Inconsistency, and not by the Greens. year, though, calling for a radical reduction leads a center-right party, not a center-left bungling, is what sank Faymann. The corruption continuum: When giving gifts bleeds to bribery

we should regulate gifts to public offi- The case involved campaign contri- the quid pro quo are blatant. The Boston process requires that the criminal law cials; the issue is whether the criminal butions, which the court found to be Globe recently reported that the Massa- give notice to citizens about where the law can be used as a bludgeon when protected by the First Amendment; to chusetts Republican Party announced line between legal and illegal conduct we have not done so. I think not. As a those in the majority opinion, politi- a new program designed to solicit high- lies. As then-Attorney General Robert matter of due process, criminal pros- cal speech and political contributions dollar contributions from political action Jackson would argue, when the law is ecutions can be brought only when were indistinguishable. Any govern- committees. In exchange for the con- unclear, a prosecutor is free to pick the we have clearly defined what is legal ment regulation on speech had to be tribution, the party offered “meetings, person he or she wants to prosecute and what is not. justified by a compelling interest, the one on one calls and fundraising events” and then contrive the charge. At the one end of the quid pro quo highest legal burden. Regulation of with Mass. Governor Charlie Baker. For To say that something is not crimi- continuum is money in exchange for money in political campaigns in the a mere $43,400 per person, the email nal is not to say that it is good and should the exercise of government power in interest of preventing corruption or announced, the contributor can have be encouraged. These exchanges can The rules enforced favour of the donor, which is indis- even the appearance of corruption, direct contact with the state’s highest and should be regulated. We should By Nancy Gertner putably criminal. At the other end is according to the court, was not enough. elected official. (Baker was quoted as create clear bright line limits on gifts by the criminal The Washington Post money for what the Supreme Court But the majority’s language swept disavowing the email.) to officials. Indeed, we may even want law have to be referred to in Citizens United as “access even further. Money for ingratiation But outside of the context of politi- to ban gifts to politicians over a certain and ingratiation,” in effect, corrup- and access to a politician was not cor- cal campaigns, the situation is murky. amount (Virginia, where McDonnell clear: Due process tion with a small “c .” This exchange ruption at all, let alone the appearance The quid (what is being given) include was prosecuted, for example, had not). requires that the hen we talk about politi- is not criminal, but hardly good for a of corruption. It was simply part and the litany of benefits that the Supreme Indeed, I join with many who think criminal law give cal corruption, what often democracy. parcel of US politics. As Justice Anthony Court now grapples with in McDonnell’s Citizens United was wrongly decided. Wcomes to mind is what the The “quid” - what the donor gives Kennedy wrote: “The fact that speakers appeal - including golf trips, rides in When the majority in Citizens United notice to citizens law calls “quid pro quo”: I give a pol- - could be a campaign contribution, [i.e., those who made campaign con- private planes, elegant dinners, use of a noted that the “appearance of influence itician money and in exchange he or as in Citizens United , or money for a tributions] may have influence over luxurious lake home and a trip to Cape or access [from campaign contribu- about where the she gets me a government contract or favoured charity, or just the money or access to elected officials does not Cod. While these benefits could be reg- tions] . . . does not cause the electorate line between legal votes in my favour. But there is a con- spent taking a politician to dinner and mean that these officials are corrupt.” ulated because they are not remotely to lose faith in our democracy,” it was and illegal conduct tinuum of quid pro quo exchanges, a Broadway show. The quo - what the It did not matter that “access and political speech (or at least, not yet), flat-out wrong. As this election sea- some plainly illegal, some not and politician delivers - could be a vote or ingratiation” skewed the political we have not done so with any con- son makes clear, it has. lies. some ambiguous. a contract (outright bribery); access agenda, putting contributors’ con- sistency or clarity. Regulation of gifts But I also joined with other law In the case of former Virginia gov- to public officials (“I will always take cerns ahead of those of an ordinary to politicians is a patchwork quilt of professors in criticizing the McDonnell ernor Robert McDonnell, the Supreme your call”); invitations to government citizen. Nor did it matter that even if federal and state statutory rules and prosecution. We don’t use the criminal Court will decide whether it is consti- dinners (sitting next to a governor or the politician didn’t guarantee a par- ethical provisions. law to bludgeon compliance with con- tutional to prosecute a public official senator); or just introductions to the ticular outcome for the contributor, In this morass, the only thing that is duct that we never bothered to define for conduct on that continuum, con- relevant decision-makers. insider access made a favourable result clear is that there is no role for crimi- with any clarity. That practice enables duct never before determined to be at Citizens United went a long way to more likely. nal prosecutions. The rules enforced by a different sort of corruption, with a the illegal end. The issue is not whether legitimize corruption with a small “c.” And in a post - Citizens United world, the criminal law have to be clear: Due small “c.”

All thoughts and views expressed in these columns are those of the writers, not of the newspaper. All correspondence regarding Views and Opinion pages should be mailed to the Editor-in-Chief. 12 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 ASIA / AFRICA

Farming fun US condemns Thailand backs arrest of activist’s mother curbs on human in Thailand rights at UN AFP WASHINGTON: The United States yesterday condemned Thailand’s were “meant for those who stir up arrest of an activist’s mother who violence”, a representative of Thai- allegedly insulted the royal fam- Some UN members land’s justice ministry said in a live ily in a one-word Facebook post. urged the military to broadcast of the meeting, responding Patnaree Chankij, 40, was to the concerns raised at the review, charged with violating Thailand’s review controversial the country’s first since 2011. severe royal defamation law on laws, such as a royal The military seized power in Friday and could face up to 15 May 2014, saying it had to end a bit- years in prison if convicted. insults law, that ter cycle of political unrest that had According to her lawyers, rocked Thailand since 2006, when she was charged for writing “ja” rights groups say Students participating in an agritainment programme transplant rice seedlings manually in a rice the army ousted former prime min- -- the Thai equivalent of “yeah” have increasingly ister Thaksin Shinawatra. paddy at an urban agricultural park in eastern Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. -- in response to a private Face- been used to silence Rights groups say the junta has book message critical of the royals. critics. tightened its grip on power and Patnaree’s son Sirawith Ser- severely repressed rights in the past itiwat has been a thorn in the side year. It has jailed critics, introduced of Thailand’s military junta since it new laws aimed at curbing freedom seized power in 2014 and has him- of speech, censored the media and self often been jailed. Reuters restricted political debate. Comoros votes in partial re-run Washington, a former close The military government has ally of Thailand now increasingly stepped up prosecutions of those exasperated by the government’s accused of defamation, handing antics, condemned the latest in a BANGKOK: Thailand yesterday down harsher sentences. of presidential elections series of arrests. defended its curbs on freedom of The latest crackdown comes as “These actions create a climate expression at a review of its rights the military government prepares of intimidation and self-censor- record by the UN Human Rights to put a widely criticised military- ship,” the State Department’s Council, saying that the measures written constitution to the public in AFP Turnout was high yesterday, with the Comoros -- Anjouan, Grande- spokeswoman for East Asia and were aimed at “those who stir up August. Thai authorities on Tues- hundreds of people waiting in line as Comore and Moheli -- have a total the Pacific, Katina Adams, said. violence”. day released on bail eight activists armed security forces stood guard to population of just under 800,000 “We are troubled by the recent At a time of fresh arrests of arrested in April over Facebook ensure voting was smooth. “We did people, nearly all of whom are Sunni arrests of individuals in connec- online critics accused of criticising comments critical of the junta and COMOROS: Several thousands of not vote last time but today the mili- Muslims. The fourth island of Mayo- tion with online postings, and the Thailand’s junta, UN member states the draft constitution. voters in Comoros, the archipelago tary are protecting me and my blind tte voted against independence and detention of Patnaree Chankij,” attending the review in Geneva Two of the eight activists face nation off the east coast of Africa, husband,” Boueni Aboudou said. is still governed by France. she said. expressed concern over the dete- separate charges of royal insult. headed to the polls yesterday in a Assoumani took 40.98 percent The islands, situated between “The arrest and harassment of riorating rights situation since the They were charged on Wednesday partial re-run of the presidential of the nationwide vote in April, just Madagascar and Mozambique, have activists and their family mem- military took power in a May 2014 with insulting the revered monar- election with the result hanging in ahead of Vice President Mohamed been plagued with coups and politi- bers raise serious concerns about coup. Some UN members urged chy in private Facebook messages. the balance. Ali Soilihi, the ruling party’s pres- cal instability, and a disputed election Thailand’s adherence to its inter- the military to review controversial Thailand’s strict royal defama- Former coup leader Azali Assou- idential candidate, who picked up result could revive tensions. national obligation to protect laws, such as a royal insults law, that tion law makes it a crime to defame, mani won last month’s run-off vote 39.87 percent. Soilihi, who is known A first-round vote in February freedom of expression.” rights groups say have increasingly insult or threaten the king, queen, by just 2,100 votes, according to pro- as Mamadou, said he rejected the between 25 candidates took place Thailand’s ailing 88-year-old been used to silence critics. heir to the throne or regent. Those visional results, but a court ordered provisional result. Assoumani first only on Grande-Comore island, in King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the Thailand should “allow all Thai found guilty face prison terms of up 13 polling stations on Anjouan island came to power in 1999 after ousting line with electoral rules to choose world’s longest reigning monarch people to fully participate in the to 15 years for each offence. to vote again due to “irregularities”. acting president Tadjidine Ben Said the president on a rotating basis from and revered by many Thais as a political process,” the United States Thailand is one of 14 countries The vote on Anjouan, one of the Massounde in a coup. He then won the three islands. The April 10 run- demi-god. Anxiety over his even- said in a brief statement to the coun- being questioned at the Universal nation’s three islands, was tarnished the presidential election three years off was expanded to all three islands. tual succession has helped fuel the cil, and called for the elimination of Periodic Review (UPR), a cyclical by broken ballot boxes, interruptions later, stepping down when his term Comoros’ system was established in past decade of political turmoil, “mandatory minimum sentences review of the human rights record in voting, accusations of ballot stuff- ended in 2006. 2001 after about 20 coups, four of which the junta claims it is seek- for lese-majeste”. The restrictions of the 193 United Nations members. ing and some incidents of violence. The three islands that make up which were successful. ing to resolve.

Anti-terrorism drill Australia stops five from taking boat to Indonesia to join jihad

AFP because they intended to “leave Aus- concerned about its citizens fighting tralia by sea, transiting to Indonesia with jihadist organisations such as and, from Indonesia, seeking to reach Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, say- Syria to engage in hostile acts in that ing some 110 Australians had left the SYDNEY: Five men, with cancelled country”. country to join such groups. passports, were yesterday accused “The suspicion is that they were Between 50 and 59 nationals of planning to sail to Indonesia from seeking to leave Australia by (the) have so far been killed fighting in Australia en route to join jihadist vessel to avoid the fact that they Iraq or Syria, Brandis said last week. groups in Syria. couldn’t travel by air because their Australia has long been worried The men included notorious passports had been cancelled,” he about homegrown extremism and the Australian Islamic preacher Musa said. terror threat alert has been raised to Cerantonio, who was detained in The nationalities of the men, aged level to high since September 2014. the Philippines in 2014 and deported between 21 and 33, was not given and It has passed a raft of national for reportedly urging people to join they have yet to be charged. security laws, including legislation jihad in Iraq and Syria, the Austral- Police did not say when they were allowing for passports to be cancelled ian Broadcasting Corporation said. picked up but Melbourne’s Age news- to prevent Australians from leaving The men bought a seven-metre paper reported they were detained the country. boat and drove it 2,840km from on Tuesday. Brandis said they were At least six attacks have been Melbourne north to Queensland arrested at an unspecified loca- foiled on Australian soil over the past Tokyo Fire Department special rescue unit members wearing special anti-NBC (Nuclear, Biological, state where they planned to set sail tion north of Cairns, a gateway to 18 months, but several have taken and Chemical weapons) suits during an anti-terrorism drill in preparation for the upcoming Group to Indonesia, the Australian Federal the Great Barrier Reef popular with place, including the terror-linked of Seven Ise-Shima Summit at Shima Kanko hotel in Shima, Mie Prefecture, central Japan, yesterday. Police said. Attorney-General George international tourists. murder of a police employee in Syd- Brandis said they were arrested Canberra has been increasingly ney in October. Children and babies dying in ‘Boko Haram’ detention facility: Amnesty

AFP “The discovery that babies and who said many died from disease, 250, the report said.“There are many detainees, including 50 children, has previously accused the military of young children have died in appall- hunger, dehydration and injury. children with us in the cell (aged) who had been detained on suspi- summarily executing more than 600 ing conditions in military detention In March, a total of around 1,200 between one month and one year. The cion of involvement in “terrorism or detainees who escaped from Giwa is both harrowing and horrifying,” people, including some 120 children, cell is too congested, you can’t turn insurgency”. in March 2014 after a Boko Haram LAGOS: Amnesty International yes- said Amnesty’s Africa director Net- were believed to be detained at the from right to left when you sleep,” one Amnesty claimed that none of attack. terday urged Nigeria to shut down a sanet Belay. barracks in overcrowded and unsan- woman was quoted as saying. them had been brought before a court Last June, Amnesty catalogued a military detention facility for Boko “We have repeatedly raised the itary conditions. Witnesses said soldiers ignored or allowed access to lawyers while in list of actions carried out by senior Haram suspects after nearly 150 peo- alarm over the high death rate of Improvements put in place since pleas for medical attention, diseases detention, in violation of domestic and army commanders during opera- ple, among them children and babies, detainees in Giwa barracks but these previous criticisms of the facility, such as measles and diarrhoea were international law. tions against Boko Haram that it said died there in custody. findings show that, for both adults and appear to have been cancelled out common, and there was a lack of Gravediggers at Maiduguri’s big- constituted war crimes and crimes The human rights monitor has children, it remains a place of death. by an increase in mass detentions in cleaning facilities. gest cemetery in the Gwange district against humanity. previously criticised the treatment “There can be no excuses and no the ongoing military counter-insur- “It is like a toilet,” said one man. told AFP in February that civilians Nigeria’s President Muhammadu of civilian detainees and “inhumane” delay. The detention facilities in Giwa gency, the report stated. Other complaints included the who died in Giwa barracks were bur- Buhari has promised to look into those conditions at the Giwa barracks in barracks must be immediately closed Witnesses were quoted as saying splitting up of families who were ied at the site. claims, saying the government “will Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria. and all detainees released or trans- 12 children had died since February arrested together, and a lack of food The report said 136 men had died not tolerate or condone impunity and In a new report, it claimed at least ferred to civilian authorities.” and that disease was rife because of and water. in addition to the 12 children since reckless disregard for human rights”. 149 people had died at the camp this - 250 people per cell - overcrowding in three women’s cells - Bodies in rubbish trucks - January and that bodies from Giwa But in its latest report, Amnesty year alone, 12 of them children. The In a report entitled: “’If you see it, where young children and babies Nigeria’s military has not denied were brought to a local mortuary in said “no steps have been taken so far victims included 10 boys and two girls, you will cry’: Life and death in Giwa were being held. it has detained children. a rubbish truck “two or three times to initiate independent, impartial and most of whom were under five. The barracks”, Amnesty interviewed Since last year, the number of On February 12, the army said a week”. effective investigations or prosecu- youngest was five months old. former detainees and eye-witnesses detainees had risen from 25 per cell to it had cleared and released 275 The London-based rights group tions of crimes committed”. PAKISTAN THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 13 Ali Haider Gilani home after 3-year hostage ordeal

to drum beats greeted the 30-year- forces which at the critical moments killing thousands and sweeping oth- old’s arrival at his family’s home in of my release provided me with shel- ers over the border. The offensive Well-wishers dancing Lahore in a black SUV strewn with ter, food and medical care. “And, at has improved security in Pakistan to drum beats pink rose petals. Later, up to ten goats this time, I am looking forward to be but added to Afghan resentment of were sacrificed in celebration. reunited with my family, just getting Islamabad, which it has long accused greeted the 30-year- Faiza Malik, a Punjabi politician, back to normal life.” of supporting Taliban insurgents. old’s arrival at his said she was “very emotional” after Gilani was rescued in the Giyan Gilani’s release allowed for a rare family’s home witnessing the scene inside the house. district of Paktika province on Tues- moment of cordiality between Paki- “Almost everyone had tears in day by US Special Operations Forces stan and Afghanistan. in Lahore in a black their eyes after meeting Ali Gilani,” and Afghan commandos, according Nato said the raid was carried out SUV strewn with pink she said. “There was nobody — to Nato. under Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, brother, sister, uncles — who was not The Afghan presidency said the the US mission focusing on counter- rose petals. weeping after hugging him.” raid targeted an Al-Qaeda cell. terrorism as well as training, advising Gilani, who is a triplet, was He was kidnapped by militants in and assisting Afghan troops. accompanied by his brother Ali Kasim the outskirts of Multan in the central Four “enemy combatants” were on the journey from Kabul in a plane Pakistani province of Punjab on May killed during the raid, it said. AFP that the Pakistani foreign minis- 9, 2013, just two days before a bitterly The Pentagon was tight-lipped try said was sent by Prime Minister contested national election in which about events leading up to the raid, Nawaz Sharif. he was campaigning. but said it occurred after US and LAHORE: The freed son of a former His father was reportedly absent In May last year, he was able to Afghan forces had “identified terrorist Pakistani premier was reunited with from the reunion, with television phone his father to tell him he was activity”. “There were terrorists where his family in a shower of rose pet- channels reporting his appearance well. At the ceremony in Kabul, Gilani they struck and conducted this raid, als in Lahore yesterday, three years in a court in Islamabad on corrup- also thanked Pakistani soldiers fight- and during that activity they were able after he was kidnapped then taken tion charges. ing in the tribal areas on the porous to rescue Mr Gilani,” US Central Com- to Afghanistan. “I really appreciate the... Afghan border who “forced my captors to flee mand spokesman Colonel Pat Ryder Ali Haider Gilani, son of Yousaf forces efforts,” Gilani, bearded and from Pakistan to Afghanistan”. said. Raza Gilani, was rescued during a wearing a white T-shirt and cam- In 2014 the Pakistani military US Defence Secretary Ashton counter-terror raid by US and Afghan ouflage baseball cap, told media at a launched an offensive in the tribal Carter heralded the raid as evidence forces in eastern Afghanistan on Tues- ceremony earlier yesterday in Kabul. areas where militants had pre- of progress by Afghanistan’s strug- Ali Haider Gilani waves as he arrives at his house in Lahore yesterday. day. Crowds of well-wishers dancing “I would also like to thank the US viously operated with impunity, gling security services. Govt finalises mega policy Nawaz Sharif to reshuffle cabinet soon

on hydropower projects Internews informed about the change. Kamran Programme chairperson has been may still be accommodated in the declining offers to appear in televi- cabinet in some other ministry, the sion talk shows to defend the prime sources said. minister and the Sharif family. Internews approvals and competitive bidding. ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Prime Min- Two young, firebrand parlia- Marvi is going to lose whatever The result was capacity addition ister Nawaz Sharif (pictured) has mentarians, Daniyal Aziz and Talal statuses she has been enjoying after of over 7423MW of thermal power decided to reshuffle the federal cab- Chaudhary, who have been defending her refusal to defend PM Nawaz and plants by the private sector between inet after assessing the performance the government and the prime min- his family members on national ISLAMABAD: Amid support for 1995 and 2015 when only 84MW of of the current members in defending ister on the Panama leaks, are also media, the sources said. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-like Net hydropower could be harnessed the government over Panama leaks. likely to be given portfolios. Marvi is likely to be replaced by Hydropower Profit (NHP) for Gilgit- because it was difficult for the pri- The cabinet may also be expanded to Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Maryam Aurangzeb, who has strongly Baltistan, Pakistan administered vate sector to execute hydro projects accommodate some people from the who had to resign earlier after a con- defended the premier during the Kashmir and the tribal region in and the Wapda did not have financial allied parties. troversy on civil-military relations, ongoing crisis. Pakistan, a new government policy resources and even though “this is Official sources said on the con- is expected to return to the federal The Fazlur Rehman-led Jamiat- seeks expeditious development of clean energy without any input cost”. dition of anonymity that PM Nawaz cabinet. Ulema-e-Islam might get some more mega hydropower projects of about On top of that, multilateral has finalised the names of the par- Some more are likely to lose their share in the expanded cabinet cour- 24,200MW through public-private lenders had their own policies and liamentarians to be included in the positions as well. The highest chance tesy of the Maulana’s unrelenting partnership with mostly Chinese priorities for financing develop- expanded federal cabinet. of removal from the federal cabinet support of the prime minister amid companies. ment projects ‘in different regions’ Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo of the replace Kamran Michael as the ports is of Marvi Memon, the sources said. the Panama leaks controversy, the The draft Policy for Development and sensitivity towards dislocation Balochistan National Party is likely to and shipping minister, who has been The Benazir Income Support sources added. of Mega Hydel Power Projects was of and disturbance to people, loss of finalised yesterday at a consultative heritage and environmental issues. meeting attended by representatives He said a total of seven mega of all the four provinces, AJK, GB, the projects of 24,200MW were being Civil servants Federally Administered Tribal Areas indicated for development on the Keeping a vigil (Fata), Water and Power Develop- Indus Cascade through the new and technocrats ment Authority (Wapda) and the initiative and more projects would federal ministries of water and follow. The new policy offered could fill CEC slot power, finance, planning. two options for private sector Wapda Chairman Zafar Mah- participation. mood told journalists after the Wapda would complete pre- ISLAMABAD: The parliamentary meeting that the policy which took liminary works and get feasibility committee on electoral reforms more than a year and half to be com- stage upfront tariff from the regu- has agreed to change eligibility cri- pleted would now be forwarded to lator at attractive commercial terms teria for the appointment of Chief the Economic Coordination Com- before handing over the project to Election Commissioner (CEC) and mittee (ECC) of the cabinet and the private investors through compet- four members of the Election Com- Council of Common Interests (CCI) itive bidding mission of Pakistan (ECP), allowing for approval. . The competitive bidding, how- senior civil servants and techno- He said he supported KP-like ever, would not be based on lowest crats to hold these offices besides NHP payments to GB, AJK and Fata costs and tariffs because experiences the retired judges of the superior and so was the federal government. suggest the companies engaged in courts. Under a unique arrangement, KP cut throat competitions to secure Sharing details of the pro- is entitled to Rs19bn annual NHP for projects at 20-25 per cent lower costs posal, minister for law Zahid power generation from Tarbela dam. than engineering estimates and sub- Hamid said the sub-committee He said all the provinces endorsed sequently delayed projects or created of the parliamentary committee the draft policy for submission to the problems for cost escalations. on electoral reforms had carried ECC and CCI for approval. The IPE would shortlist bidders out spadework on the constitu- According to Mahmood, the new on the basis of technical and finan- tional amendments relating to the initiative is based on past experi- cial strength and bidders would ECP and shared its report with the ence where private investors got fed be asked to compete on the basis main committee. Accordingly, for up with time consuming prepara- of early completion of the project the appointment of the chief elec- tory works like feasibility studies, against a bank guarantee. Afghanistan security forces keep a watch in Daykundi province yesterday. Nili, the capital of Daykundi, tion commissioner, a retired judge engineering design and other legal Wapda would finance IPE for one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, is located about 310km west of Kabul. of the Supreme Court or a person and technical formalities like tariff supervision of construction. qualified to be the judge of the Supreme Court, or a senior gov- ernment servant or a technocrat could be considered. As for the appointment of the four members of the commission, Lack of education and health facilities hit youth one member would be taken from each province. A retired judge of the high Internews the youth years because of lack of as many as 3,029 died by intestinal disorders and road injuries come on of youngsters lose their lives in inci- court or a person who qualifies education and health facilities. infections, 876 by diarrheal diseases third, fourth and fifth rank, respec- dents of violence. They are suffering to be judge of the high court or a The biggest cause of death in and 832 by tuberculosis. Road inju- tively. In the category of 15 to 19 years from different types of deficiencies, senior government officer or tech- Pakistani children aged 10-14 is intes- ries and drowning claimed the lives of age, road injuries, skin and subcu- such as iron. They are affected by nocrat could be considered for the ISLAMABAD: Lack of education tinal infections that not only reflect of 1,137 and 644 children of the same taneous diseases, depressive disorder, water borne diseases.” appointment as member of the and health facilities have detrimen- lack of education but also lack of category. intestinal infection and low back and According to Alamgir, findings election commission. tal effect on the health and wellbeing facilities. The major cause of death Among the youth from 15 to 19 neck pain were five major problems. of the study show that the youth in As a onetime exercise, initially, of young people in Pakistan, interna- in the youth aged 15-24 is road acci- years of age, 2,865 died in road acci- Among the youth from 20 to 24 Pakistan need training and proper to secure the institutional memory tional health journal Lancet says in a dent which clearly shows the lack of dents, 1,447 by interpersonal violence, years of age, road injuries, depres- guidance. The global report was two members of the commission report. The journal released its global education and civic sense. 2,556 by intestinal infections, 1,157 by sive disorder, low back and neck pain, launched by Lancet Commission in shall stand retired after two and report on the youth health yesterday. While the second big cause of tuberculosis and 880 poisoning. interpersonal violence and tubercu- London yesterday. a half years while the other two The report also reveals major death in the youth aged 15-20 is In the category of 20 to 24 years losis were major reasons. It claims that decades of neglect would retire after the next two causes of death and the disability- intestinal infections, the situation is of age, 4,363 died in road accidents, Health expert Nadeem Hussain and chronic underinvestment have and a half years. Besides holding adjusted life year (DALY) in Pakistan. alarming for the youth aged 20-24. 2,204 in interpersonal violence, and Alamgir said that the study could be had serious detrimental effect on elections of the national and pro- DALY is a measure of overall dis- In this age group, the second highest 2,063 by tuberculosis, 1,978 intesti- useful for policy making. “Unfor- the health and wellbeing of adoles- vincial assemblies, the ECP would ease burden, expressed as the number cause of death is interpersonal vio- nal infections and 1,342 by chronic tunately health and education are cents aged 10-24 years. Two-thirds also hold election of local bodies, of years lost due to ill-health, disabil- lence which again is highly reflective kidney diseases. neglected sectors in Pakistan. The of young people are growing up in for which necessary amendments ity or early death. It was developed in of lack of education and training. According to the report, among database depicts that the youth of countries where preventable and were being proposed. Zahid Hamid the 1990s as a way of comparing the In case of DALY, the reason is children from 10 to 14 years of age as the country do not have awareness treatable health problems like HIV/ said there was broad agreement overall health and life expectancy in mostly the deficiencies and infections many as 238,459 were affected by the and that the way they are brought up AIDS, early pregnancy, depression, on all the proposed amendments. different countries. of different kinds. Based on the data of iron deficiency anemia and 227,240 they don’t get basic information about injury and violence remain a daily The chair, with the consensus of According to the report, the cause 2013, the study shows that in children by intestinal infection. Skin and their health,” he said. threat to their health, wellbeing and the house, decided that the com- of death can be pre-determined from from 10 to 14 years of age in Pakistan subcutaneous diseases, depressive “It is strange that a large number life chances. mittee would meet next Monday. 14 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 INDIA

On alert Inter-linking Rawat back of rivers may not be as CM of feasible: Joshi IANS

Uttarakhand NEW DELHI: Inter-linking of rivers may not be feasible in most parts of the country as most rivers People of this country and the in India are already short of water, institutions built by our founding veteran BJP leader Murli Manohar It has been a tense fathers will not tolerate the murder Joshi said yesterday. period, a period of of democracy,” Congress vice pres- Joshi was speaking at a press ident Rahul Gandhi tweeted. conference after the estimates uncertainty and the But Rawat, 69, said he had no committee of the Lok Sabha state suffered losses. acrimony with the BJP government presented a report on Ganga and needed its support for the state’s rejuvenation. But all is well that progress. Asked if inter-linking of rivers ends well: Rawat “It has been a tense period, a Members of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) patrolling near the fence at the India-Pakistan can be a solution to India’s water period of uncertainty and the state International Border at Budwar post of Arnia sector, about 40km from Jammu, the winter capital of woes, the Bharatiya Janata Party suffered losses. But all is well that Kashmir, yesterday. (BJP) leader said: “It is a compli- ends well,” an elated Rawat told a cated issue. Ken and Betwa rivers IANS crowded news conference in Dehra- can be linked but Ken and Ganga dun. Congress workers in Dehradun cannot be.” broke into festivities. They danced “All rivers are drying, how can and sang, distributed and ate sweets, you link the rivers?” he questioned. NEW DELHI: A day after ousted hugged each other and burst fire- Joshi said the issue needed to Chief Minister Harish Rawat won the crackers near Rajiv Bhavan, the Sheena murder: Driver Rai wants be debated thoroughly. trust vote, the union cabinet headed party headquarters in the heart of “Inter-linking of rivers needs by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Dehradun.A peeved Bharatiya Janata much debate. It is feasible only in yesterday revoked President’s Rule Party (BJP) claimed the Congress’ to turn approver; seeks pardon some places. The idea of linking in Uttarakhand to pave way for the jubilation would be “shortlived”. rivers from Ganga to Kaveri is not Congress government to return in “This majority is just for show. possible,” he said. the state. It will be a short-term glory. They “What would one beggar give The cabinet decision came after have already lost the confidence IANS box yesterday by Special Central former media baron Peter Muker- another beggar,” he added. the BJP-led central government told of the people of Uttarakhand. The Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Judge jea, who was arrested in November The idea behind inter-link- the Supreme Court that Rawat got Congress majority in the assembly HS Mahajan and questioned about last year by the CBI. Rai has already ing of rivers lies in the theory that 33 votes while 28 legislators voted was a result of purchase and sale the case, wherein he admitted that confessed that he had witnessed the some rivers are water surplus, and against him in the Tuesday floor test of elected members,” BJP leader MUMBAI: In a major twist in the Sheena Bora was strangled to death. crime, and was present when Sheena some have less water. The plan supervised by the apex court. Shrikant Sharma told IANS out- Sheena Bora murder case, driver “I am aware of the acts connected Bora, Indrani’s daughter from a pre- focuses on connecting these riv- Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi side parliament. The return of the Shyamwar Rai, one of the four prime with the offence and was a partici- vious relationship, was strangled and ers for more equitable distribution told Justices Dipak Misra and Shiva Congress government, however, accused, here yesterday expressed a pant in the (Sheena Bora) murder,” during subsequent developments of water. Kirti Singh that there was “no awaits President Pranab Mukher- desire to turn approver and sought Rai told the Special Court. culminating in the dumping of her Environmentalists and scien- doubt” that Rawat had the leg- jee’s proclamation. the court’s pardon after making cer- He added that he was not under half-burnt body in the dense forests tists have however warned against islative strength to head the state The court ruling ended Rawat’s tain disclosures about the sensational any threat, pressure or coercion to of Raigad district, around 90km the project, stressing that riv- government. more than 45-day long legal battle crime. reveal the facts pertaining to the south of Mumbai, in April 2012. ers cannot be treated like water “It is clear (Rawat) has proved after he was dismissed by the cen- Rai -- the former trusted driver case and was “repentant” about his Sheena, 24, was reported to have pipelines, and diverting flow may the majority,” Rohatgi said. tral government on March 27 citing of another prime accused Indrani actions. Thereafter, Special Judge disappeared mysteriously, but it later destroy the ecology of the river, The court asked the central poor governance. Mukerjea -- had recently written a Mahajan directed the CBI to file its came to light that she was killed on and the river itself. government “to revoke forthwith The crisis for the Congress began two-pager letter to the Special CBI reply on Rai’s application to turn April 24, 2012. Water Resources Minister the order of proclamation of Presi- in the state when the BJP tried to lev- Court from jail, expressing his will- approver by May 17. Her body was found on May 23 Uma Bharti, in a special commit- dent’s Rule” to let Rawat return as erage a rebellion in the Congress led ingness to become approver and seek Rai, who was arrested by Mumbai that year by the local police, but the tee meeting for inter-linking of the chief minister. Rawat’s victory, by Vijay Bahuguna, whom Rawat pardon from the court in the case, an police, along with Indrani and her ex- crime remained unnoticed till August rivers last month, made a strong which was already known but offi- replaced. The problems peaked official said. husband Sanjeev Khanna in August 2015 when the sensational murder pitch for focusing on river inter- cially announced yesterday, sparked on March 18 when the assembly “He has written that he wants last year, has been in continuous cus- case unfolded and forensic tests con- linking to tackle drought. jubilation in the Congress camp in passed the budget Appropriation to shed light on certain important tody since the past over eight months. firmed that the remains belonged With the summer gained its Dehradun as well as in Delhi. Bill by voice vote while the opposi- aspects of the case and is prepared If Rai’s plea is accepted by the to her. Among other things, certain peak in India experts opined about In Delhi, the Congress said it tion and nine Congress rebels sought to turn approver, and also sought the courts, it could significantly help financial deals are believed to be the interlinking rivers in the country was the “victory of democracy”. recorded voting in the house of 70 court’s pardon,” a legal official said. the prosecution case against the motive behind Sheena Bora’s killing, as a solution to put an end to the “Hope Modiji learns his lesson. members. He was summoned to the witness remaining prime accused, including which the CBI is investigating. water woes.

Farmers’ income Tea maiden to be doubled SC scraps call drop by 2022: Modi penalty system; govt IANS vows quality check

TAMIL NADU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said his IANS decision was a “populist” measure target was to double the farmers’ to accommodate consumers as call income by 2022 when the country drops were happening for host of will be celebrating the 75th year of external considerations not attrib- independence. NEW DELHI: Telecom operators utable to them. Addressing an election rally in heaved a sigh of relief yesterday However, TRAI had defended this coastal region, about 360km with the Supreme Court scrapping its decision to impose the call drop from Chennai, Modi said his gov- the watchdog’s order on compen- penalty, describing it as a “least inva- ernment stood for development sating subscribers for call drops even sive way to deal with the issue” and and his dream was to take the as the government assured mobile told the apex court that the service people on the development path. phone users that it will keep a check providers must enhance their invest- He urged the people of Tamil on service quality. ment in infrastructure as they were Nadu to vote for the Bharatiya “Unreasonable, arbitrary, non- earning huge revenues. Janata Party (BJP) in the May 16 transparent and unconstitutional,” “Consumers expect mobile oper- assembly elections and change the was how the apex court bench of ators to provide good services. I as state’s fate. “By 2022, when India A Kashmiri woman carries traditional teapot called samovar in a basket on her head, as she walks on Justice Kurian Joseph and Justice the minister will keep a check that celebrates its 75th year of inde- a road on the outskirts of Srinagar, yesterday. Rohinton Fali Nariman described they are doing it,” Communications pendence, farmers’ income will the relevant notification by the Tel- Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, be doubled,” Modi said. ecom Regulatory Authority of India adding the telecom firms must iden- He pointed out the central (TRAI) on call drop penalty. tify the gaps and step up investments government’s new agricultural The bench struck down the in infrastructure. insurance scheme would take care December 16, 2015 verdict of the “Telecom companies are respon- of the farmers’ problems. Karnataka gives aid to 3.2m farmers Delhi High Court judgment that had sible to give satisfactory service to Pointing out that there was upheld the regulator’s order that kept customers.” Prasad said the telecom no corruption charge against the the penalty at one rupee to be cred- companies have added 90,000 cel- BJP-run central government, Modi ited to a user’s account for every call lular sites since last July across the urged the people of Tamil Nadu to IANS supplemented by the state budget- (1,036) in the state,” Gowda added. drop, subject to three such events a country. “They need to do more.” vote for his party. Modi said fisher- ary allocation,” Gowda said. Alarmed by the spate of suicides day. “We are very pleased with the Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi men can now get bank loans to buy Reeling under a worst drought by debt-ridden farmers in the state Supreme Court verdict. It affirms had earlier said in his arguments that deep sea fishing vessels. He said in over four decades due to defi- since June 2015, the state government what we have been saying all along,” there were a total of 800 crore call fishermen would also be encour- BENGALURU: The Karnataka gov- cit south-west monsoon for two cracked the whip on money lenders, Rajan S. Mathews, director general drops a year. If the call drops at the aged to cultivate sea weed that is ernment has disbursed financial aid consecutive years, the state govern- pawn brokers and private financiers of the Cellular Operators’ Associa- users’ end were taken into consid- finding use in the pharma sector. to 3.2 million farmers to compensate ment sought Rs.3,840 crore from the who were fleecing the drought-hit tion of India (COAI), said, alluding to eration, the penalty would amount According to Modi, the central for crop loss due to severe drought in Centre in the last fiscal (2015-16) to farmers for repaying their credit bor- a host of factors being responsible for to no more than Rs.512 crore. government’s Sagarmala scheme 27 of the 30 districts in the state, agri- compensate farmers for kharif crop rowed at high interest rates. the menace of call drops. This, he had added, would get would help the fishing community culture minister Krishna Byre Gowda loss and an additional Rs.1,250 crore “In addition to compensation and “Now, let us move forward and reduced further if the cap of three as it includes building of cold stor- said yesterday. for rabi crop loss to mitigate hard- waivers, we are providing free coun- fix the real issues -- like having more were invoked. age and other facilities. “We have compensated ships they were facing. selling and medical aid to farmers cell towers, affordable spectrum and The COAI and the Association of He said the BJP government 31,90,000 farmers across the state “Besides compensation, inter- and their families to check rising sui- working with the local authorities Unified Service Providers of India had opened the doors of banks so far by depositing money directly est on loans were waived and their cides by their fraternity. As a result, to get the infrastructure in place,” (AUSPI) in a joint statement said the for small businessmen. With the in their bank accounts through repayments deferred to this fiscal to the number of suicides declined Rajan said, just ahead of the next telecom firms are committed to work Mudhra Bank, over three crore RTGS (real-time gross settlement) ensure that farmers cope with the drastically to 45 in April from about round of auction for airwaves. with TRAI on focusing on the core small businessmen were able to as per their land holdings from crisis and prevent them from com- 150-200 between June and August The service providers, during the issues that impede the delivery of get loans. funds the central govt granted and mitting suicide, which was highest last year,” Gowda said. hearing, had contended that TRAI quality of service. INDIA THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 15 SC raps Haryana, Gujarat & Bihar on drought issue

IANS “It should be emphasised that address, a possible drought-like situa- in updating and revising the Manual”. formulated over the last 10 years, there is no loss of face or prestige tion or a drought, by not disclosing full The court said the availability of although a policy document has been In an unsparing or dignity in the state government facts about the prevailing conditions adequate food grain and water is cer- prepared. We can appreciate that the indictment of the declaring a drought if it is warranted, in these states.” “A candid admission tainly of utmost importance but they formulation of a National Plan will NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court although succour to the distressed does not imply a loss of face or invite are not the only factors required to take some time, but surely 10 years yesterday rapped Haryana, Gujarat attitude of the three might be too late in the day,” said an imputations of ineffective governance be taken note of. Seven directions is far too long for such an exercise.” and Bihar on the drought issue and state governments, apex court bench comprising Jus- -- it is an acknowledgement of real- were issued to the Centre, including The apex court then directed or directed the Centre to convene an tice Madan B. Lokur and Justice N.V. ity. An ostrich-like attitude is a pity, on “setting up of a National Disaster the formulation of the National Plan urgent meeting with their chief secre- the apex court Ramana. particularly since the persons affected Response Force within six months in terms of Section 11 of the Act of taries to assess the drought situations remarked that these Saying that the agriculture secre- by a possible drought-like situation from today with an appropriate and 2005 at the “very earliest and with in these states. tary “might also consider convening usually belong to the most vulnera- regular cadre strength” as mandated immediate concern”. Appreciating In an unsparing indictment of the states lacked the will a meeting of the National Executive ble sections of society.” under Section 44 of the Disaster Man- the Drought Management Manual, attitude of the three state govern- to even admit to the Committee and issue directions, if “The sound of silence coming agement Act, 2005. The Centre was the court direct that the Manual be ments, the apex court remarked that drought-like situation necessary, to Bihar, Gujarat and Har- from these states subjects the vul- also asked to establish a National Dis- revised and updated on or before these states lacked the will to even yana and their authorities in response nerable to further distress”, the bench aster Mitigation Fund within three December 31, 2016. admit to the drought-like situation in in their jurisdictions. to any threatening disaster situation said in its judgment. months from today as required under The court said weightage be given their jurisdictions. or disaster”, the bench quoted Lok- It pointed out that the “humani- Section 47 of the Act of 2005. to rainfall, storage water levels in res- The court directed the union agri- manya Bal Gangadhar Tilak: “The tarian factors such as migrations from The court referred to Section 11 of ervoirs, surface and ground water as culture secretary to hold a meeting it was necessary. problem is not lack of resources or affected areas, suicides, extreme dis- the Disaster Management Act, 2005, well as sowing and crop conditions to within a week with the three chief The court also ordered for the set- capability, but the lack of will.” tress and the plight of women and which requires the formulation of a determine drought and its duration. secretaries in view of the available ting up the National Disaster Response Justice Lokur said: “This lack of children are some of the factors that National Plan relating to risk assess- The court was hearing a plea data and, if so advised, persuade the Force and the National Disaster Mit- will is amply demonstrated, in which ought to be kept in mind by the state ment, risk management and crisis by NGO Swaraj Abhiyan seeking its state governments to declare drought igation Fund within six and three Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana are hes- governments in matters pertaining to management in respect of a disaster. intervention for relief in 11 drought- in whichever district, taluka or tehsil months respectively. itant to even acknowledge, let alone drought and the government of India “Such National Plan has not been affected states.

UK turns down request Water woes SC extends for deportation of Mallya Subrata Roy’s parole IANS & Agencies Mallya was a member of Rajya Sabha before he sent his resignation IANS last week. The resignation came as the ethics committee of the upper NEW DELHI: Finance Minister house had recommended that he Arun Jaitley yesterday said the UK should be expelled. NEW DELHI: In a relief that has has turned down India’s request for MEA spokesperson Vikas eluded Sahara chief Subrata Roy deportation of liquor baron Vijay Swarup said in a statement, “The UK for over two years, the Supreme Mallya, but added that he can be Government has informed us that Court yesterday extended his extradited once a chargesheet is under the 1971 Immigration Act, the parole till July 11, if he promises filed against him. UK does not require an individual to deposit Rs200 crore with mar- Jaitley, who is Leader of House to hold a valid passport in order to ket regulator SEBI by then. in Rajya Sabha, was speaking after remain in the UK if they have extant The top court had on May 6 Janata Dal-United (JD-U) member leave to remain as long as their pass- granted four weeks of parole to Sharad Yadav raised the issue in the port was valid when leave to remain the jailed Roy and his son-in-law house. “Government has said we will or enter the UK was conferred,” he Ashok Roy Choudhary to attend get him back. UK has clearly denied added. He also said that Britain the last rites of his mother who it and said there is no question of acknowledges the “seriousness of the passed away on the night of May 5. sending him back. This man took allegations” and is keen to assist the Giving one more chance to Roy so many things from here and gov- Indian government. to prove his credentials, the apex ernment was sleeping,” Yadav said. Mallya, who has defaulted on court bench of Chief Justice TS Local residents collect water in containers from municipal corporation tanker on a hot summer day Jaitley, in response, said that his payment of loans of Rs.9,000 crore Thakur, Justice Anil R. Dave and in Ahmedabad, yesterday. deportation was sought by the inves- to various banks, is currently in Justice A.K. Sikri cautioned him tigative agencies, but was turned Britain. that if he failed to deposit Rs.200 down by the UK. Idia delayed the auction of an crore with SEBI, he would be back “Investigative agencies are prob- impounded luxury jet used by ex- in Tihar Jail. ing the wrongdoings. In course of billionaire Vijay Mallya by seven The request to deposit Rs.200 the investigation, since his diplo- weeks, according to a notice posted crore by July 11 is over and above matic passport has been cancelled, on the website of state auctioneer, Sahara’s 60 properties that market the investigative agencies sought MSTC Ltd. World’s largest cargo plane to regulator SEBI is putting on block. his deportation,” Jaitley informed The delay comes after the gov- “We’re inclined to give one the elders. The minister, clarifying ernment received little interest from chance to Subrata Roy and Ashok that he is still collecting information, prospective bidders, people with Roy Choudhary to make good their said: “What I have got to know so direct knowledge of the matter said. land in Hyderabad tomorrow word by July 11 and show us their far is that deportation is not allowed Three or four more parties may bonafides,” the court said, accept- when a person entered on a valid be interested and they need to get a ing the plea by senior counsel Kapil passport and then the passport is chance to inspect the Airbus A319, Sibal. cancelled.” two of the people said, asking not IANS also has the largest wingspan of any Reliance Defence together with The court ordered the exten- “The process is that when a to be identified as the information is aircraft in operational service, the Antonov will jointly address various sion of the ongoing parole after chargesheet is filed, we seek extra- private. The service tax department, statement added. requirements including 50-80 seat Sibal urged the judges to give Roy dition. It is another legal process,” he which is conducting the auction, “Specially built to undertake passenger aircraft programme of the a chance to deposit Rs.200 crore if said. Jaitley added the UK has done received only one offer when the MUMBAI: The world’s largest cargo transcontinental route airlifting load HAL, in its basic configuration and his parole was extended till July 11. it in the past as well. deadline for pre-bidding ended on aircraft, Antonov AN -225 Mriya -- or between 180-230 tonnes, the aircraft in all its variants such as transport, Urging the court for a sympa- The British government has Tuesday, one person said. The two- the Dream, is scheduled to make its will be coming in to Hyderabad from maritime patrol and other military thetic consideration of his plea, turned down India’s request to day auction, which was scheduled first landing in India tomorrow at the Turkmenistan.” roles. Sibal told the court that Roy would deport Mallya and has called for to open Thursday, will now open Rajiv Gandhi International Airport The development comes close on India is said to require over 200 not flee. requesting mutual legal assistance on June 29. Sumanto Bhattach- at Hyderabad, the Ukraine compa- the heels of Anil Ambani-led Reli- medium lift turbofan aircraft valued Roy and two other directors, or extradition. “They have asked arya, a spokesman for Mallya and ny’s collaborators here said yesterday. ance Defence signing a strategic pact at Rs.35,000 crore, which is the back- Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok the Indian government to consider his UB Group, declined to comment, The wide body aircraft is pow- last month with ANtonic Company bone of all tactical transport support Roy Choudhary, are in judicial cus- requesting mutual legal assistance while D.S. Malik, the spokesman for ered by six turbofan engines and is of Ukraine for the assembly, manu- of the air force, army and para-mil- tody since March 4, 2014 for the or extradition,” MEA spokesperson the finance ministry in New Delhi, the longest and heaviest airplane ever facture, and maintenance and repair itary forces. failure of Sahara group’s two com- Vikas Swarup said in a statement on didn’t answer two calls to his mobile built, with a maximum takeoff weight of is platforms in India, both for the It was termed a mile stone by panies to comply with the court’s Wednesday. phone. of 640 tonnes, a statement said. It commercial and the military market. experts and public. August 31, 2012 order.

Towards spirituality Second phase of odd-even scheme successful: Study panel

IANS around six random schools and disrupted the traffic very adversely noticed that the area in the vicinity and it had a cascading effect in a of the schools witnessed congestion radius of almost 8-10 kms” it said. as students used cars and other pri- The committee also observed NEW DELHI: The six-member vate vehicles to commute. that there was a minor decrease in panel formed to study the impact of “Schools being in session during the number of vehicles entering Delhi schools and hot weather conditions odd-even phase II was found to be a from the satellite towns of Gurugram on the second phase of the odd-even major reason of congestion in vicin- (Gurgaon) and Noida. scheme, submitted its report to the ity and roads where the schools are “The data obtained from DND Delhi government yesterday. situated. Around five to six kilome- fly way indicated that 16,224 cars The report said the second phase tres of the area around the school entered Delhi from Uttar Pradesh of the road rationing policy was “suc- witnessed heavy congestion. It was during two days of odd-even between cessful”. However, the hot weather not noticed during the first phase 8.30 am to 10.30 am whereas 18,071 conditions and schools resulted in since the schools were shut for win- cars entered during two days after more number of vehicles on the road. ter vacation”, read the report. the traffic scheme at the same time. The report revealed that there The panel further said that con- Similarly, on NH-8, 20,427 vehicles was an additional volume of 3,88,886 struction activities in Delhi also entered Delhi from Gurugram on one cars (private cars and car pooling), added to the congestion. day while 23,613 vehicles entered 1,34,598 two wheelers and 8,000 “Major construction activity at after the odd-even,” the report added. Hindu devotees pray at the river banks of the Shipra River during the month long Simhastha Kumbh buses on the roads. The panel, headed Bhairon Marg, Rao Tula Ram Marg The report further said that Mela festival in Ujjain, some 180km from Bhopal, yesterday. by Special Commissioner of Trans- and dismantling of BRT corridor is approximately 30,000 CNG stickers port KK Dahiya, carried out surveys found to be a major bottleneck which were sold during the second phase . 16 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 EUROPE / UK

Scotland will Diplomatic gaffe vote to stay in by Queen and EU: Sturgeon Reuters

EDINBURGH: Scottish First Minis- British premier ter Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday she is “reasonably confident” Scot- land will vote to remain in the a Chinese state visit last year. European Union in next month’s Police commander Lucy D’Orsi referendum. The British monarch was introduced to the queen as the All five parties in Scotland’s never expresses woman who oversaw security for the devolved parliament support Brit- visit of President Xi Jinping and his ish membership of the European overtly political wife in October, to which the mon- Union, arguing that important views and is known arch replied: “Oh, bad luck”. trade and political links need to for her reserve and The queen went on to say to be preserved. D’Orsi that members of the Chi- UKIP, a party which supports a discretion, never nese delegation “were very rude to British exit, did not win any seats at granting an interview the ambassador” and exclaimed: last week’s election for Scotland’s “Extraordinary!”. devolved parliament. in her 64-year reign. Queen Elizabeth speaks to Commander Lucy D’Orsi during a garden party at Buckingham Palace in London, The BBC said that the queen’s on Monday “At this stage I am reasonably comments were blanked out on BBC confident that there will a signifi- World transmissions in China. Sino-British relations.A clutch of con- extremely successful and all parties Welby, who worked as an oil exec- cant vote in Scotland to stay in the The British monarch never tracts said by Cameron to be worth worked closely to ensure it proceeded utive in West Africa and who has also European Union but (...) I have a AFP expresses overtly political views and almost £40bn (€51bn, $58bn) were smoothly,” a palace official said. undertaken conflict resolution work in job to do to make sure that is the is known for her reserve and discre- announced during the visit. Earlier, Cameron was overheard Nigeria, noted that “this particular pres- case,” she told a news conference. tion, never granting an interview in Chinese foreign ministry spokes- at another Buckingham Palace event ident is actually not corrupt”. Scotland has about 3.9 mil- her 64-year reign. man Lu Kang yesterday said the visit to mark the queen’s birthday calling “He’s really trying,” Cameron lion registered voters, out of a total LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II was Her husband Prince Philip on the was “very successful”. “Both sides have Nigeria and Afghanistan “possibly two agreed, and the queen noted to Welby: of 44.7 million across the United caught on camera describing some other hand once referred to Chinese high level recognition of that,” he said. most corrupt countries in the world”. “He is trying, isn’t he?” Kingdom’s four constituent parts. Chinese officials as “very rude” in leaders as “appalling old waxworks” Foreign minister Philip Ham- He was filmed making the It was not clear to whom they Sturgeon has raised the a rare diplomatic gaffe by the long- and told a group of British students mond, however, was quoted by British remarks to the queen and Archbishop were referring, but Nigerian President possibility of another Scottish serving British monarch over a state during a visit to China in 1986 that media as saying that the visit had of Canterbury Justin Welby, ahead of Muhammadu Buhari and Afghani- referendum on independence if visit that drummed up billions in Chi- they would become “slitty-eyed” if been “hugely stressful”. an anti-corruption summit in London stan’s President Ashraf Ghani are both Scotland votes to stick with the nese investment. Her comments, aired they remained in the country. But he added: “Our relationship today where the Afghan and Nigerian due to attend the summit. EU in the June 23 referendum and yesterday, came after Prime Minister Prince Charles has had a famously with China is very strong and has presidents are expected. Buhari said he did not want an Britain as a whole votes out. David Cameron inadvertently public fraught relationship with China been greatly strengthened by the suc- “We’ve got some leaders of some apology from Cameron but said She said it was important that remarks, referring to Afghanistan and because of his friendship with the cess of that visit.” fantastically corrupt countries coming Britain could return assets stolen by those who are supporting a vote to Nigeria as “most corrupt”. Dalai Lama and has yet to make an Buckingham Palace said it would to Britain,” the prime minister said. officials who fled to London. “I am not remain run a positive campaign. The queen could be heard during official visit to country’s mainland. not comment on the queen’s private “Nigeria and Afghanistan, possi- going to demand any apology from “One of the things that a cam- a garden party at Buckingham Palace But Britain and China at the time conversations. bly the two most corrupt countries in anybody. What I am demanding is the paign could do is encourage people making unguarded comments about hailed Xi’s visit as a high watermark in “However Chinese State Visit was the world,” he added. return of assets,” Buhari said. to think about the opportunities that are on offer rather than cow- ering in a corner feeling fearful, and I hope that (the campaign) will do that,” she added. Poland’s PM So far Scottish support for London mayor urged to honour suffragettes staying in the European Union is slams previous 57 percent, a Survation poll for the Daily Record showed earlier gov’t as harmful Reuters The online petition was started by Abi Morgan, screenwriter for the 2015 Two of its best-known members this week, higher than other polls feminist campaigner Caroline Criado- British film “Suffragette.” were Emmeline Pankhurst, who indicate for Britain as a whole. Perez, who led a successful campaign Khan described himself as a helped found the activist movement However the same poll also to get British author Jane Austen on proud feminist during his campaign that became known as suffragettes, found 21 percent of Scots were AP LONDON: New London Mayor Sadiq the 10-pound banknote from 2017. for the mayoralty which culminated and Emily Davison who was fatally undecided. Khan said he would be interested in “There are 11 statues in Parlia- in his election last week to succeed injured at Epsom racecourse during Scotland voted 55 percent to finding a prominent site for a statue ment Square. Not a single one is of Boris Johnson. the 1913 Derby under the hooves of 45 percent against independence WARSAW: Poland’s conservative to commemorate the approaching a woman,” she said in her petition. “There are practical issues to King George V’s horse. from the United Kingdom in a 2014 prime minister yesterday accused centenary of Britain’s suffragette “In two years’ time it will be 100 consider, such as planning permis- Any application to erect a statue referendum. But a few days earlier the previous government of “ego- movement which fought to give years since those women won their sion and funding, but he would be would have to be submitted to the it had looked like Scotland might ism, wastefulness and contempt” women the right to vote. fight and women were first granted interested in exploring a suitable planning authority, Westminster vote to split and British politicians toward citizens and hinted those He was responding to a petition, the right to vote. They deserve to be high-profile site for a statue, whether Council. offered Scotland’s devolved par- responsible could be prosecuted. signed by several high-profile fig- remembered. Give them a statue in this were to be Parliament Square, or “We will consider any proposals liament new powers to encourage Beata Szydlo made the accu- ures including Harry Potter author J Parliament Square.” another location in central London,” which are made and would consult Scots to reject secession. sations in a parliament speech K Rowling and actress Emma Watson, Other signatories included James his office said in a statement. the public as we do with all planning Sturgeon’s Scottish National summing up the eight-year rule calling for a statue of a woman to be Bond actress Naomi Harris, sev- The women’s suffrage movement applications,” a spokesperson said, Party then took all but three of of the Civic Platform and Polish erected in the square outside par- eral female members of parliament began in the late 19th century in Brit- confirming that it has never received Scotland’s 59 seats in the British People’s Party coalition that was liament - an area so far exclusively including the Green Party’s Caroline ain and finally achieved its full aim an application for a statue of a woman parliament in a May 2015 general ousted in elections last year and is occupied by men. Lucas and Labour’s Stella Creasy and in 1928. in Parliament Square. election. now in opposition. The two parties “did not rule, they only stayed in power and drew profits from it,” Szydlo said. Ewa Kopacz, prime minister Johnson & Brown clash on EU as Brexit bus tour hits the road in the previous government, said the accusations were lies, and fig- ures used by Szydlo have no base. Kopacz and her party colleagues Bloomberg be a leader in the European Union,” to the single market in the way that seemed shocked by the attack. Brown said in a speech at the London many other countries have.” Szydlo’s Law and Justice party School of Economics yesterday morn- Johnson argued that the EU reg- won parliamentary polls on prom- ing. “This referendum is about what ulation has been “one of the drag ises of better social policy and bonuses LONDON: Former Prime Minister kind of a leader we are and what kind anchors on growth in Britain.” to poor families and more jobs from Gordon Brown made his first major of a leader we will become.” Echoing Prime Minister David development of Polish industry. The intervention in the campaign to keep While online polls suggest the Cameron’s intervention earlier this party argues the previous government Britain in the European Union as Boris contest for the June 23 referendum is week that membership is central failed in these and other areas. Johnson, the prominent proponent of too close, less frequent telephone poll- to maintaining peace in Europe, “This is not political revenge, leaving, started a nationwide bus tour ing has put the “Remain” camp ahead. Brown said Britain’s place isn’t on this is showing the truth,” she said. to push for a so-called Brexit. Still, political analyst Matt Singh’s the sidelines. Szydlo pointed to the 2010 Brown stressed importance of Number Cruncher Politics Referen- “What has happened in these last plane crash that killed President Britain remaining in the EU, saying dum Forecast has shown probability 70 years since the World War II is not Lech Kaczynski as an example of cooperation between member states of an unprecedented British exit from a temporary truce, it is not simply a lack of responsibility. She said the and “the full clout” of bloc is key to the the EU creeping up to 22 percent this cease-fire,” Brown said, pacing the 2012 Amber Gold financial pyra- fight against tax havens, terrorism, week from 20 percent late last month. stage. “It is the development and evo- mid scandal exposed the previous climate change and controlling illegal “We should get out of the empire lution of a new structure of decision government as indifferent to the immigration. Johnson, former mayor of of EU lawmaking and instead we making.” fate of the thousands of ordinary London, appeared to back away from should have access to the single mar- “It is like we have not just people who lost money in it. Under his suggestion in March that Britain ket,” Johnson told the BBC from Truro exchanged swords for plowshares,” Former Mayor of London Boris Johnson poses with asparagus as the previous government, from should seek a post-Brexit Canadian- in southwest England, where the bus he said. “We have made it possible so 2007-2015, the nation lost some he launches the Vote Leave Bus Tour in St Austell, Cornwall, Britain, style trade deal with the EU. tour started yesterday morning. “We that people never think swords will €77bn, she estimated. yesterday. “Britain is in a position and should should make sure that we have access be used again.” ‘Kleptocracy Tour’: London sightseeing that passes through shady deals

AFP money fuelling high-end London prop- the bus drove past prime London real is serving a 13-year sentence. (€154bn, $176bn) worth of property money, saying: “There is no place for erty market and the teams of British estate—from mansions in leafy, gated “The view of corruption is that it’s a across England and Wales. Buying dirty money in Britain.” “enablers” who make it happen. complexes to hotels to luxury pads in problem of developing countries,” said properties through offshore compa- The government subsequently “The idea behind the tour is to tourist hotspots. Saira O’Mallie from the ONE Campaign nies can be a way of hiding the true launched a consultation on propos- LONDON: A black bus winds its way attract public attention to the fact of One of the stops is a six-bedroom set up by U2 frontman Bono, which co- owners and avoiding taxes. als to require foreign companies to through some of London’s most expen- massive money laundering through house with an indoor pool on a pri- organised the bus tour. The system—laid bare last month in provide information on their benefi- sive neighbourhoods for a sightseeing properties in London,” Borisovich vate road near Hampstead Heath in “But actually we realise that UK the leaked so-called Panama Papers, a cial ownership before buying land or tour with a difference—a guided visit told reporters on the tour, ahead of north London that used to belong to and many European countries and the portion of which was released online— property in England and Wales. around luxury houses bought by shady an international anti-corruption sum- James Ibori, ex-governor of Nigeria’s US facilitate that corruption... It’s right has been used by world’s super-rich to There is speculation that Cam- international tycoons and officials. mit being hosted by Prime Minister oil-rich Delta State. under our noses.” buy tracts of London real estate. eron will announce measures to this The “Kleptocracy Tour” was set up David Cameron. Ibori pleaded guilty to 10 counts of More than 36,000 properties in In a speech last year in Singapore, effect at today’s anti-corruption sum- by anti-corruption campaigner Roman With a group of British lawmak- money laundering and conspiracy to London are owned through offshore Cameron promised to crack down on mit—a move that campaigners and the Borisovich, who aims to expose dirty ers, campaigners and media on board, defraud in a British court in 2012 and firms, which own a total £122bn the use of London property to launder industry alike would welcome. EUROPE THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 17

Italian cops Terror suspects bust migrants’ among refugees smuggling ring Reuters in Germany ROME: Italian police arrested seven people yesterday for running a peo- ple-smuggling ring in which Somali such cases since January and is boat migrants who reached Italy by likely to deepen concerns about boat were held prisoner until their IS appeared to have threat level in Germany, which has families paid their passage further sent some militants not suffered a large-scale Islamist north, a statement said. attack like the ones that have rocked A court in Catania in eastern Sicily via Balkan route neighbours France and Belgium. ordered that 13 people be detained for to fan fears about In the past, the German govern- running the smuggling operation, but ment has played down the risks of only seven were picked up. The oth- refugees, head of Islamic State (IS) fighters entering ers were thought to be living abroad. People walk past tents at a train station at a makeshift camp for migrants and refugees at the Greek-Macedonian Germany’s domestic Europe with the tide of migrants, The investigation raided nine in part to avoid exacerbating public border near the Idomeni village, Greece, apartments in and around Catania intelligence agency concerns about the influx, which hit used by the group to hold migrants in Hans-Georg Maassen a record 1.1 million last year. 10,000 a day last autumn, but has fallen 40 merited further investigation by meant to participate in those attacks lieu of payment. Thirty-seven Soma- said. But the head of Germany’s dramatically in recent months due to the federal and state authorities. That rep- but were delayed and arrested in a ref- lis were freed from the apartments domestic intelligence agency Hans- closing of the Greek border with Mace- resents a sharp increase from the 213 ugee centre in Salzburg in December. when the arrests were made, includ- Georg Maassen told a conference donia and a deal between the European warnings and 18 investigations that the There is also evidence that Saleh ing three minors, the police said. that although there were more effi- Union and Turkey that has discouraged police had recorded in early January. Abdeslam, believed to be the lone sur- Families used pre-paid credit cient ways to smuggle in fighters, IS refugees from crossing the Aegean Sea. “German security officials have viving suspect from the attacks, picked cards, or hawala, an informal pay- Reuters appeared to have sent some via the The reduction in numbers has indications that members and support- up three unidentified militants who ment system based on personal Balkan route from Greece in order to eased pressure on German Chancellor ers of terrorist organisations are being entered Europe with the refugees in relationships, to pay off the smug- fan fears about refugees and “send a Angela Merkel, who came under fierce smuggled in with refugees in a targeted, the southern German city of Ulm in glers, who would pick them up from political signal”. criticism last year for welcoming hun- organised way in order to launch attacks October of last year. migrant shelters in Sicily and neigh- BERLIN: German authorities are “I am not telling you a secret when dreds of thousands of migrants with in Germany,” the BKA spokeswoman In early February, German author- bouring Calabria, at the southern end investigating 40 cases in which I say that I am concerned about high the optimistic slogan “We can do this”. said, noting however that there was no ities arrested a 35-year-old Algerian of the Italian peninsula. Islamist militants are suspected of number of migrants whose identities A spokeswoman for the Bun- definitive confirmation of this. man and his wife at a refugee centre The money was then used to buy having entered the country with we don’t know because they had no deskriminalamt (BKA), or federal Two of the suicide bombers from in the town of Attendorn. The man, bus or train tickets for the migrants to the recent flood of refugees from papers when they entered the coun- police, said there had been 369 warn- the November 13 attacks in Paris that a suspected Islamic State member, send them to their final destination the Middle East, the federal police try,” Maassen said. ings about possible extremists entering killed 130 people came into Europe reportedly posed as a Syrian when further north in Europe or within Italy, said yesterday. The number of migrants entering the country since the influx of refu- through the Balkan route and so did he entered Germany in the autumn and for fake documents that allowed That represents a doubling of Germany reached peaks of more than gees accelerated last year, of which two men who authorities believe were of 2015. them to move freely, police said.

Bulgaria’s ruling Up in smoke Swiss panel finds no party says govt stable despite split evidence of secret

SOFIA: The stability of Bulgaria’s government is not at risk despite a 1970s deal with PLO small centre-left ally withdrawing its support, leaving the centre-right coalition without a majority in par- Reuters The task force—with representa- liament, a top official from the tives from the Swiss military, foreign leading GERB party said yesterday. ministry, federal police and justice The leadership of the ABV departments as well as the attorney party said it would end its back- ZURICH: A Swiss investigation has general and federal archive—also ing for the government due to found no evidence that a former gov- found no evidence that Swiss pros- disagreements over policy and ernment minister struck a secret ecutors had been obstructed from changes in election code, and its deal offering diplomatic assistance investigating the air disaster. deputy prime minister and labour to the Palestine Liberation Organ- The panel reached its conclu- minister resigned. The mini-crisis isation in 1970 in exchange for the sions after examining nearly 400 has hit Prime Minister Boiko Bori- PLO halting attacks on Swiss targets. government and police files, Graber’s sov’s government as it struggles to The allegations emerged in a book, papers and the archives of the Inter- spur economic growth and raise “Swiss Terror Years,” which also raised national Committee of the Red Cross. living standards. questions whether a pact with the PLO It also obtained written replies The two-party coalition gov- had interfered with an investigation from Kaddoumi; Walter Buser, the ernment led by Borisov’s GERB, into a bomb attack on a Swissair jet only participant at cabinet meetings which took office in 2014, lacks an in 1970 that killed 47 people. in 1970 still alive; and Pierre-Yves outright majority and has relied on Firemen at work as smoke billows from a blaze in a storage facility at the Dong Xuan shopping centre Carlos the Jackal, the Marxist Simonin, then Graber’s personal the support of other parties includ- in Berlin’s Lichtenberg district yesterday. The smoke affected several nearby neighbourhoods. guerrilla who became a symbol of adviser. ing ABV. Cold War anti-imperialism, told a However, yesterday’s report did newspaper in March that he moved not address his contentions. freely through Switzerland in the In his book, Swiss journalist 1970s under a “non-aggression pact” Marcel Gyr wrote that Graber, who between the government and PLO. died in 2003 at age 94, secretly Germany eyes truce extension in Ukraine talks He is serving life sentences in France struck a pact with the PLO after for a series of attacks. attacks including the killing of an The government yesterday said a Israeli airline pilot in 1969 at Zurich AFP round of fruitless talks risks under- on a peace deal in Belarussian capi- and successful,” said Steinmeier. “I task force set up to review the alle- airport and a 1970 incident in which mining a fragile peace agreement. tal in February 2015. But the truce has hope we can get things moving today.” gations found no indication of a hundreds of hostages on three jets “We have achieved a certain calm suffered frequent violations and there Steinmeier on Tuesday expressed secret pact between former cabinet were forced to land in Jordan. (on the ground) but there is constant has also been deadlock on organis- exasperation at the pace of the talks, member Pierre Graber, or any other The task force wrote Gyr BERLIN: Germany’s foreign minis- escalation and re-escalation,” said ing local elections in the rebel-held complaining that “in terms of seeking Swiss representative, and PLO offi- declined to provide access to anon- ter said he hoped the warring sides Steinmeier ahead of talks with his Donetsk and Lugansk regions. a political solution, things have been cial Farouk Kaddoumi. ymous sources he used for his book. in Ukraine’s conflict could agree to Russian, Ukrainian and French coun- On April 29, Kiev and the pro- moving along at snail’s pace”. “The task force has come to this Gyr yesterday said he found the extend a shaky truce, ahead of peace terparts. “It cannot go on like that as Russian rebels agreed on a new truce, “It cannot go on like that,” he said. conclusion: There was no ‘secret report “fair and substantial” but talks in Berlin. each meeting that fails to yield results but barely hours after it took effect Germany and France are spear- agreement’ reached in 1970 between stuck by his original hypothesis that Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he hurts credibility of the Minsk agree- fresh fighting erupted. heading efforts to end the fighting F. Kaddoumi and representatives of a secret deal had been forged, based also wanted negotiators to move for- ment,” he said. “I am going on the principle that between Ukrainian troops and pro- Switzerland in Geneva,” the task on interviews he conducted with ward on organising local elections in Russia, Ukraine and pro-Russian the parties in conflict have an inter- Russian rebels in Ukraine’s eastern force wrote in a 3-1/2 page sum- anonymous sources that formed eastern Ukraine, warning that each separatists in eastern Ukraine agreed est for dialogue to be both substantial industrial heartland. mary of its conclusions. the basis of his book.

Problems galore at Belgium prisons Guarding Cannes

AFP of Prime Minister Charles Michel is prisoners deprived of exercise and facing growing criticism at home and visits from family, while furniture has abroad for failing to get a grip on the been smashed and fires have been problem. The crisis has also put spot- started, Deswaef said. FOREST, BELGIUM: Belgium faces a light back on Belgium’s ability to govern Over the weekend, prison war- growing crisis in its prisons, with the itself in the face of deep communal and dens rejected a draft agreement army called in to help and inmates linguistic divisions, after criticism of between Justice Minister Koen Geens stuck in their cells 24 hours a day as the country’s actions before and after and their unions aimed at ending the the government struggles to end a the March 22 Brussels attacks. strike which began over staffing cuts. strike by prison staff. Violence has broken out in many As a result Belgium has been “Situation has become unbeara- of the 17 prisons affected by the strike forced to call in six platoons of up ble, there is a lot of tension inside,” said in the French-speaking region of to 30 soldiers each to help out, with Vincent Spronck, the governor of For- Wallonia and mainly francophone three of them already deployed at est prison on the outskirts of Brussels. Brussels as inmates become increas- three of the worst-hit prisons, includ- “The inmates can’t go out, they are ingly frustrated. ing Forest. stuck in their cells all day, they aren’t “The situation is nearly insurrec- The decision to call in the army getting fresh air, bedsheets aren’t get- tional” in some of the prisons, said is controversial. ting changed, they are not allowed any lawyer Alexis Deswaef, president “It looks like the blackest days of visits,” he told journalists. “We have to of Belgium’s Human Rights League, eastern Europe or like present-day French Gendarmes patrol in the bay of Cannes to survey the coast and the boats few hours before find a solution to this crisis.” adding that “detention conditions Russia or North Korea,” said Marc the opening ceremony of the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, yesterday. The unprecedented strike is now have become completely inhuman.” Dizier, president of the Association in its third week and the government Fights have begun between of Francophone Prisons. 18 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 AMERICAS

Trump to face Hillary on track Republican despite defeat sceptics today Reuters

WASHINGTON: Presumptive US by Sanders Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will visit Republican lawmakers today, but instead of what is usually just a rite on the road to the in the contest for delegates needed nomination, Trump will face pressure to secure the Democratic presiden- to tone down his rhetoric and clarify Despite victory in tial nomination. his policy positions as a step toward West Virginia, Bernie Clinton is in the mop-up phase unifying the fractured party. now, 94 percent of the way to the Trump’s takeover of Republican Sanders trails in the magic number when the party insid- Party has shaken party’s establish- contest for delegates ers known as superdelegates are ment and prompted soul-searching needed to secure included, and on track to clinch the over whether to reluctantly get behind nomination in early June. him or cede any role in the presiden- the Democratic Republican Donald Trump is tial election. closing in on his prize, too, 92 per- Republican officials say Trump has presidential US Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addresses a campaign rally in Salem, Oregon. cent of the way after wins in West potential to appeal to a greater number nomination. Virginia and Nebraska on Tuesday— of Republican voters but must make in a field with no rivals left. Virginia Democratic primary, about a $525,000 in ads planned for Califor- Hillary has a lot more to offer than changes to make party leaders more Sanders is vowing to fight on. He third said they would support Trump nia and $63,000 each in West Virginia Bernie internationally,” the 68-year- comfortable with him. campaigned in Oregon and Califor- over either Clinton or Sanders in and Oregon, according to advertising old retiree said. “I think she handles “I think he has to show what kind AP nia and his victory in West Virginia November. An additional 2 in 10 said tracker Kantar Media’s CMAG. herself well. I’ve known about her for of president that he would be,” Sena- highlighted anew Clinton’s strug- they wouldn’t vote for either candi- That’s a significant decline from 30 years, just like everybody else has. I tor Susan Collins said. “But I believe gles to win over white men and date. But 4 in 10 also said they consider the wall-to-wall advertising cam- don’t think there will be any surprises.” he can do that, so I am not one who independents—weaknesses Trump themselves to be independents or paign he ran earlier in the primary, Even as the primaries continue, has foreclosed possibility of eventu- LOUISVILLE: Bernie Sanders has wants to exploit in the fall campaign. Republicans, and not Democrats, during which his $74m in ads outspent Clinton has largely shifted her focus ally supporting him. But I need to see won his 19th state, only four short “Let me be as clear as I can be, according to exit polls. Clinton by $14m. Edward Milam, of to the general election. more from him.” of Hillary Clinton’s tally, but that’s we are in the campaign to win the While Sanders is still attracting Cross Lanes, West Virginia, is a self- “I don’t care about what he says Many Republicans have been not the gap that counts. Democratic nomination,” Sanders thousands to rallies, his campaign described socialist who gave money about me,” she said of Trump in Lou- appalled at Trump’s incendiary style, Despite his decisive victory in said at a campaign event in Salem, has grown more difficult as Clinton to the Sanders campaign but his vote isville, Kentucky. “But I do resent what such as his remarks that former Ted West Virginia on Tuesday, winning Oregon. “We are going to fight for closes in on the nomination. His fun- Tuesday to Clinton. he says about other people, women Cruz’s father was in contact with Lee 51 percent of the vote to her 36 per- every last vote.” draising has fallen off and so, too, “After about six-seven months who have worked hard, women who Harvey Oswald before Oswald assassi- cent, Sanders trails nearly hopelessly Among those voting in the West has his advertising, with only about of debating and watching, I think have done their part.” nated President John F. Kennedy in 1963.

Attacker among Back to square one Canada may change three dead in mass stabbing electoral system in Massachusetts Reuters which can help spur the creation of multi-party coalitions. The proposed committee will AFP study different voting systems, such OTTAWA: Canada will set up an all- as preferential ballots and propor- party committee to study alternatives tional representation, and possibility NEW YORK: An assailant stabbed to the country’s first-past-the-post of mandatory and online voting. at least six people, killing two, at a voting system, the ruling Liberals said “Our country is better when gov- home and a shopping mall in the yesterday, a move that could drasti- ernments work for all Canadians,” US state of Massachusetts before cally reshape the way its governments Maryam Monsef, the Liberals’ min- an off-duty sheriff shot the suspect are elected and formed. ister of democratic institutions, said. to death, police said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “We deserve broad, representative The violence began after the who won power last year, had politics, a stable government and an suspect, identified as Arthur DaRosa, pledged that 2015 would be the last opportunity to shape our democracy.” 28, crashed his car into a truck in election in Canada to use the elec- The committee would be made Taunton, south of Boston, around toral system it inherited from Britain. up of 10 members drawn from three 6km from the mall, Bristol District Advocates of reform note the major parties-the Liberals, Conserv- Attorney Thomas Quinn III said. current system allows a party to win atives and New Democrats-as well Entering a house, DaRosa a majority government with less than as one non-voter each from smaller stabbed two people, including an Cuban migrants prepare to depart from Panama City to Ciudad Juarez, in northern Mexico along the US 40 percent of the popular vote. Green Party and Bloc Quebecois. The 80-year-old woman who died and border. Panama shut its border crossing with Colombia to Cuban migrants, becoming the third Central Many European countries, committee would report its findings her adult daughter who was under American country to halt access to an unrelenting exodus of Cubans trying to reach the United States. including Germany, use alternatives and recommendations to parliament treatment for life-threatening inju- like proportional representation, by the beginning of December. ries in the hospital, Quinn said without identifying the women. DaRosa, of Taunton, then drove a car into the glass entrance at a Macy’s department store at the US to switch on European missile shield despite Russian alarm city’s Silver City Galleria, Massa- chusetts State Police said. After assaulting people in the Macy’s, he stabbed four more Reuters shield could be used against Moscow. show of force by its Cold War rival to neutralise Moscow’s nuclear arse- upgrading at least one frigate to house people at a restaurant in the mall, “We now have the capability to in formerly communist-ruled east- nal long enough for the US to make a a ballistic missile sensor. including a 56-year-old Taunton protect Nato in Europe,” said Rob- ern Europe where it once held sway. first strike on Russia in the event of war. Turkey is already hosting a man who died, Quinn said. Wit- ert Bell, a Nato -based envoy of US Moscow says the US-led alliance is The shield relies on radars to US radar and the Netherlands has nesses said the victims included BUCHAREST: The United States’ Euro- Defence Secretary Ashton Carter. “The trying to encircle it close to the stra- detect a ballistic missile launch into equipped ships with radars. The US a pregnant woman who had been pean missile defence shield goes live Iranians are increasing their capabil- tegically important Black Sea, home to space. Tracking sensors then measure also has four ships in Spain as part of stabbed in the stomach. An off- today almost a decade after Washington ities and we have to be ahead of that. a Russian naval fleet and where Nato the rocket’s trajectory and intercept the defences, while all Nato nations duty Plymouth County sheriff’s proposed protecting Nato from Iranian The system is not aimed against Russia,” is also considering increasing patrols. and destroy it in space, before it re- are contributing funding. deputy shot and killed DaRosa at rockets and despite Russian warnings he said, adding the system will soon be The readying of the shield also enters the earth’s atmosphere. The “Ballistic missile defence sites the restaurant, Quinn said. that the West is threatening the peace handed over to Nato command. comes as Nato prepares a new interceptors can be fired from ships could pose threats to the stability and “But for the actions of the dep- in central Europe. The US will also start construction deterrent in Poland and the Baltics, or ground sites. strategic assets of the Russian Feder- uty sheriff, there may well have Amid high Russia-West tension, US on a second site in Poland tomorrow following Russia’s 2014 annexa- Russian ambassador to Den- ation,” Russia’s ambassador to Nato, been other victims,” he added. and Nato officials will declare opera- that is due to be ready in 2018, giving tion of Crimea. In response, Russia mark warned a year ago that Danish Alexander Grushko, said last month. Although DaRosa’s motive tional the shield at a remote air base in Nato a permanent, round-the-clock is reinforcing its western and south- warships would become targets for US officials dismiss the Russian remains under investigation, “we Deveselu, Romania, after billions of dol- shield in addition to radars and ships ern flanks with three new divisions. Russian nuclear missiles if Denmark view as “strategic paranoia” and are aware of no nexus to terrorism,” lars in investment and failed attempts already in the Mediterranean. Despite US assurances, the Krem- joined the shield project by install- blame Moscow for breaking off talks police spokesman Paul Sullivan said. to assuage Russian concerns that the Russia is incensed at such of lin says the missile shield’s real aim is ing radars on its vessels. Denmark is with Nato in 2013. Mexico museum hangs shoes in hunt for missing

AFP Mexico and neighboring countries. message about the missing victim for her son, who disappeared in 2012 More than 28,000 people are written on the green-painted soles, while on holiday in the eastern state reported to have gone missing in Mex- are those of a nine-year-old boy. His of Veracruz, another region plagued ico, where drug cartels and related father was among 43 college students by cartel violence. His body was found MEXICO CITY: Boots, sneakers and violence have flourished over the past who went missing in southern Mexico a few days afterward but she had to sandals donated by families seeking decade. in 2014 in a case that shocked the world. wait four years for it to be identified missing loved ones in a region of Latin Mothers and other relatives Virginia Herrera, whose son was by genetic tests. America stricken by drug violence are of people who have disappeared abducted by a drug gang six years ago, “Instead of being handled with dangling in a new exhibit in Mexico. marked Mother’s Day in Mexico by said the exhibition “helps make peo- understanding, we are treated like Each of the 86 pairs of shoes marching in the streets to demand ple aware” of the problem. criminals,” Arias said.She sees the hanging from the ceiling was donated truth and justice. In Tamaulipas, where her son shoes as a symbol of hope.“I continue by a family member to symbolize how The exhibition that opened on went missing, “nobody supported us,” the search, because I do not want that far they have walked in their desper- Monday at the “Museum of Untamed she said. Tamaulipas, which borders to happen to my other son,” she said. ate search. Memory” in Mexico City also Texas, has the most disappearances The organisers of the exhibition The artist behind the exhibit, remembers victims from Argen- in the country, with at least 5,750 peo- want to tour it around the country Alfredo Lopez Casanova, said it tina, Honduras, El Salvador and ple reported missing. and take it eventually to the town of A group of women demand justice and urge authorities to continue raises awareness of the “tragedy” Guatemala. Socorro Arias had her white sports Tijuana on the border with Califor- of disappearances in crime-plagued Among the shoes, each with a shoes hung up to symbolise her search nia and then on to the United States. searching for their missing children, in Mexico City. AMERICAS THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 1917 Venezuela opposition ramps up push to oust Maduro

referendum. Waving flags and blow- elected in 2013, is incapable of solving ing whistles, hundreds marched in the Opec country’s deepening reces- A new election the capital of Caracas as well as the sion and is pushing Venezuela towards would be held if the provinces—where food scarcity and economic catastrophe. power cuts are worse—but authori- One recent poll showed almost 70 opposition succeeds ties blocked them. percent of Venezuelans want Maduro, this year in recalling Dozens of protesters and National 53, gone this year. Guards squared off on a Caracas high- “We have to suffer a queue of nine Maduro, whose term way, where demonstrators chanted to 10 hours for corn flour, we walk ends in 2019. “freedom”, held their hands in the air from pharmacy to pharmacy look- and waved copies of the constitution. ing for medicine,” said Irma Rojas, Some covered their faces and a community leader protesting in tossed stones. northwestern Falcon state. Reuters “They don’t let us vote. They don’t “For that and so much more, we let us march. They don’t let us eat. want this man out.” They don’t let us live peacefully. What In the opposition hotbed of else can we do? We have to fight how- Tachira in western Venezuela, pro- CARACAS/PUNTO FIJO: Soldiers ever we can against this tyranny,” said testers brandished signs readings fired tear gas at stone-throwing Juan, declining to give his surname as “we don’t want to do die of hunger” protesters yesterday as Venezuela’s he donned a mask. while some masked youths blocked opposition marched to pressure elec- A new election would be held if streets with trash and prepared Mol- toral authorities into allowing a recall the opposition succeeds this year in otov cocktails. referendum against unpopular leftist recalling Maduro, whose term ends The Socialist Party blasts protest- President Nicolas Maduro. in 2019. ers as dangerous coup-plotters and The Democratic Unity coalition But if a successful recall referen- held a separate march yesterday. Venezuelan opposition leaders take part in a rally to demand a referendum to remove President Nicolas has ramped up its push to oust Maduro dum is held in 2017, the presidency Officials have said a referen- amid a worsening economic crisis, but would fall to the vice president, a post dum is unlikely this year and have Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday. says the government-leaning electoral currently held by Socialist Party loy- cast doubt over the legitimacy of the body is intentionally delaying the ver- alist Aristobulo Isturiz. signatures. 1.85 million signatures on May 2. If must then request another peti- million signatures to finally trigger ification of signatures in favor of the The opposition says Maduro, The opposition submitted roughly they are validated, the opposition tion drive and gather around 4 a referendum.

PuttingAyyayayayayayayyyy foot down Mossack Fonseca to start legal action over ‘Panama Papers’ leak

AFP 360,000 names of individuals and transfer assets out of sight of the companies behind the anonymous law and tax officials. shell firms, the ICIJ said. Reports already published in The law firm urged the ICIJ to April based on the explosive dos- PANAMA CITY: The law firm at the cease and desist prior to the leak sier linked some of the world’s most centre of the Panama Papers scandal online, but it moved ahead with the powerful leaders, including Russian says it is filing suit against the Inter- release. President Vladimir Putin, Brit- national Consortium of Investigative “The Consortium has forced us ish Prime Minister David Cameron Journalists (ICIJ) for the leak of infor- to start aggressive legal action to and others to unreported offshore mation it says is false. protect ourselves from acts such as companies. The public gained its first access these, which, since they are crimes, The new database can be to the Panama Papers records of over must be taken to the proper bodies searched by individual and com- 200,000 secret offshore companies for due process,” the company said pany name and address, and shows when the ICIJ put a searchable data- in a statement released to the media links between those in the records. base online earlier Monday. early yesterday. But it gives no information— Father Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani witnessed last evening the arrival of Fath Al Kheir The database, built on just a por- The Panama Papers reveal the beyond their name—on the full 2A groupat Katara of policemen Cultural village take part beach. in the The first event act of was a national also attended security operationby H H Sheikh against Jassem money bin laundering, Hamad Al tion of the 11.5 million documents full extent to which the world’s identities of those behind the com- Thani,drugs andRepresentative human trafficking of the Emir. in PanamaPic: Qassim/The City, Panama. Peninsula → See also page 26 leaked from Panama’s Mossack Fon- wealthy, alongside criminals, cre- panies, nor of the underlying assets seca law firm, reveals more than ate nominee companies to stash and linked to the accounts. Wildfire-ravaged Fort McMurray recovers Brazil’s Senate debates

Reuters of prefire homes and quick-build sands projects around Fort McMur- said Bill de Silva, construction man- impeaching Rousseff housing are a solution as the gov- ray, workers from across Canada and ager of Liam Construction. He said ernment and oil executives try to around the world moved into the city the “first wave” is already trying to jump-start rebuilding. with their families when the sector secure space in hotels, condomini- AFP impeachment would be “traumatic” FORT MCMURRAY: Reconstruct- “If I look at what the circumstance was booming years ago. ums and apartments undamaged by for Brazil. But Rousseff’s chances of ing Fort McMurray will be easier gives to us, I think it’s an opportunity to If energy companies can’t house the fire, but the approval process in avoiding it evaporated as the high than first feared since much of the right-size the community,” Blake said. workers and their families quickly, the still-evacuated city isn’t easy. court denied her attorney general’s city’s critical infrastructure remains “I recognise this horror is probably they risk losing them permanently. “We’ve got to get there as quickly BRASÍLIA: Brazil’s Senate began last-ditch attempt to stop the process. intact but the once booming oil town going to get some people reconsider- The industry will support efforts as we can. We can play a big role but a marathon debate yesterday on Rousseff had argued that the will be smaller than before, accord- ing what their futures are, whether it’s to rebuild the hospital, pipelines and they have to let us in. All the govern- suspending and impeaching Pres- architect of the impeachment drive, ing to its mayor. in the region or not.” electrical distribution center, Suncor ment red tape doesn’t help us now,” ident Dilma Rousseff, whose hours lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha The first priority is getting new The fire may have been the final Inc Chief Executive Officer Steve Wil- de Silva said. in office appeared to be numbered manipulated the process to avoid temporary housing so companies can push that some residents needed to liams said. Alberta Premier Rachel Notley as the Supreme Court rejected her facing trial himself for allegedly resume shuttered oil production. leave the city, but major oil produc- A recovery will be easier due to said officials need to finish damage bid to halt the proceedings. taking millions in bribes. Cunha was Fort McMurray Mayor Melissa ers need it back on its feet quickly to the city’s largely intact infrastruc- assessments, set up a welcome centre Even Rousseff’s allies said she suspended by the Supreme Court last Blake said the fire is a chance to “right restart some 1 million barrels per day ture and downtown, but people are and transportation plan and secure had no chance of surviving the Sen- week for abuse of office. But Justice size” the city after the energy slump of shuttered production. already fighting over available hous- food and supplies before anyone can ate vote, which could end 13 years Teori Zavascki ruled the government’s left it with vacant houses and unem- The wildfire, which has spread ing because several major residential start moving back in. of leftist rule. Rousseff is accused of case lacked “legal plausibility.” ployed workers well before wildfires over 566,000 acres, is still burning, neighborhoods were destroyed. “There are hazardous materi- illegal accounting maneuvers, but That cleared the last barrier hit last week. though favourable weather overnight “We’ve got banks, companies, als and broken power lines. Basic says the charges are trumped up and ahead of a vote, a Senate leader said. With 10 percent of the city burned was seen helping firefighters. restoration companies, engineer- services, gas, water, waste disposal, amount to a “coup” by her right-wing He said Rousseff would be for- and more than 90,000 residents While many companies have ing companies all looking for space healthcare and much more needs to opponents. mally notified of her suspension evacuated, the combination of a glut work camps at the site of their oil now. People need to stay somewhere,” be re-established,” she said. A simple majority in the today and he would discuss with her 81-member Senate will trigger the details of how she would hand Rousseff’s six-month suspension over power to her vice president- pending trial. A two-thirds major- turned-enemy, Michel Temer. Cop charged ity would then be needed to remove Due to host Olympic Games in less Mexico eyes anti-pollution her permanently. than three months, Brazil is struggling Senate President Renan Cal- with its worst recession in decades and for shooting heiros, who was overseeing the a corruption scandal reaching deep measures for smoggy capital black motorist proceedings, told reporters that into the political and business elite.

AFP polluting cars to stay on the road. ear—have been reported, but he did WASHINGTON: A former police The other plans include switch- not provide any figures. officer has been indicted on fed- ing public transport to natural gas, The city already had a pro- eral charges for killing a black installing systems to capture fuel gramme that banned older cars on motorist in South Carolina that MEXICO CITY: Authorities vapors at service stations, and allow- certain days of the weeks, but the sparked protests over perceived announced new measures to com- ing large trucks to drive at night only. capital is still inundated with traf- racist abuses by law enforcement. bat a recent increase in air pollution Ozone levels surged in March, fic, partly because some people pay A grand jury charged Michael in Mexico City, as officials reported prompting the authorities to declare bribes to pass emissions tests. Slager with deprivation of rights an increase in related ailments such the first air pollution alert in more Pacchiano said that instead under color of law, use of a weapon as asthma. than a decade and impose extra of calculating emissions from the during commission of a violent Environment Minister Rafael traffic restrictions that will run exhaust pipes, the new rules will crime and obstruction of justice. Pacchiano blamed the rise in ozone until June 30. require verification centres to use Slager was dismissed from the levels on the 5.5 million cars and The authorities banned 40 per- data from the vehicle’s own diag- North Charleston police force and trucks that zoom around the mega- cent of vehicles on April 6 and again nostics system. charged with murder after shoot- city of 21 million people every day. between May 2-4 after ozone levels “We will use high-end technol- ing Walter Scott. Pacchiano said that rules to exceeded established limits. ogy that other countries are using, Scott was shot in the back five verify vehicle emissions will be Julio Sanchez, head of the federal which will avoid corruption problems times as he tried to run away from reinforced on July 1, with new health protection agency Cofepris, and that will guarantee that only the Slager on April 4, 2015 after being systems aimed at preventing cor- said a rise in asthma and otitis— vehicles that pollute less can pass the pulled over, reportedly for a bro- Senators speak at the start of a debate on a vote to suspend President ruption that has allowed the most infection or inflammation of the verification process,” he said. ken brake light. Dilma Rousseff, at the Senate in Brasilia, Brazil, yesterday. PRAYER TIMINGS WEATHER Minimum: 30o C Maximum: 40o C

FAJR 03.27 am ZUHR 11.30 am MAGHRIB 06.12 pm HIGH TIDE 08:30 - 21:45 Hazy with some cloud. SHOROOK 04.51 am ASR 02.58 pm ISHA 07.42 pm LOW TIDE 04:45 - 13:45

20 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 MORNING BREAK

ONLINE CHART BUST 1,284 new planets discovered: Nasa www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

AFP MOST READ

Qatar to get Angry Birds MIAMI: Nasa announced the discovery of 1 theme park 1,284 new planets outside our solar system, more than doubling the number of exoplan- The hottest trend in web design is ets found with the Kepler space telescope. 2 intentionally ugly, unusable sites “This gives us hope that somewhere out there, around a star much like ours, we can Putin lists ‘effectiveness’ of eventually discover another Earth,” said 3 Russian weapons in Syria Ellen Stofan, chief scientist at Nasa head- quarters in Washington. The unmanned Kepler space observ- atory, which launched in 2009, has been TWEET OF THE DAY scanning 150,000 stars for signs of orbit- ing bodies, particularly those that might be able to support life. It works by observing a dimming in the light of a star, known as a transit, each time an orbiting planet passes in front of it. “Of the nearly 5,000 total planet candi- dates found to date, more than 3,200 now have been verified, and 2,325 of these were discovered by Kepler,” Nasa said in a state- ment. Of the new trove of 1,284, nearly 550 could be rocky planets like Earth, based on their size, the US space agency said. An image provided by Nasa shows an artist's concept depicting planetary discoveries made by Nasa's Kepler “Nine of these orbit in their sun’s hab- itable zone, which is the distance from a space telescope. star where orbiting planets can have sur- face temperatures that allow liquid water in the so-called “Goldilocks zone” of “If you ask yourself the question, miles (9.5 trillion kilometers), and no to pool.” their stars -- neither too hot nor too where is the nearest potentially hab- spacecraft or technology exists to The addition of these nine means that cold to sustain life. itable planet likely to be, you find travel that far. 21 exoplanets now are known to be circling That means even the most that it is going to be within about 11 However, Kepler has already their stars in the so-called “habitable zone,” advanced space telescopes now being light-years,” said Natalie Batalha, opened up a great deal about the and may harbor life. built, including the James Webb Space Kepler mission scientist at Nasa’s galaxy that surrounds us. “This However, Kepler is a “statistical mis- Telescope, may not be able to shed Ames Research Center. Although she knowledge informs the future mis- sion,” Nasa scientists said, and is not much more light on the nature of life described that distance as “astro- sions that are needed to take us ever designed to probe further into the envi- -- if it exists -- on another of these nomically speaking... very close,” closer to finding out whether we are ronmental conditions of planets that exist distant exoplanets. one light-year equals about six trillion alone in the universe.” www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

PAGE | 23 QE 9,888.39 +4.08 PTS PAGE | 24 QInvest’s revenue DOW 17,739.54 -188.81 PTS Toyota CEO jumps 36% FTSE100 6,162.49 +5.84 PTS warns of to QR102m in Q1 BRENT $45.96 +$1.30 profit fall

THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 • 5 SHA’BAAN 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar

Turkey to create GOIC and China regional Islamic megabank firm sign MoU for Reuters

ISTANBUL: Turkey will partner Gulf rail network with the Islamic Development Bank to create a regional Islamic finance “megabank”, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet in a non-stop journey from Qatar. Simsek said yesterday, as part of The trains will allow “The main content of the MoU is a government drive to become a to boost development and construc- powerhouse in Islamic finance. passengers to reach tion of rail transit lines in the Gulf Simsek said the new lender Bahrain in around region,” said Zhou Zhiliang, Chair- would provide liquidity and invest- 40 minutes and man, CRSC on the sidelines of MoU ment banking services. He said signing ceremony held at the Sher- Indonesia was looking to create a Kuwait in two hours aton Doha Resort and Convention similar regional megabank with in a non-stop journey Hotel. “We will provide advance a $300m investment. Turkey was technology and also equipment for looking to invest more. from Qatar. the networks in GCC and depend- “It’s important for us that this ing on the situation, may be in the bank is being founded in Istanbul future we will provide some financ- as part of our efforts to make Tur- By Sachin Kumar ing,” he added. key a global centre for interest-free Ali Hamed Al Mulla, Assistant Secretary-General for Industrial Projects Sector, GOIC, receiving a model of The Peninsula CRSE is a Chinese government finance,” Simsek told reporters at owned company with 70 percent the high-speed train from Zhou Zhiliang, Chairman, CRSC, during the signing ceremony yesterday. an Islamic finance conference in Pic: Baher A / The Peninsula share in high-speed railways world- Istanbul. “If we’re aiming for the wide and has around 5,000 people Affairs of Qatar yesterday jointly passengers, it will also be for trans- investment) but it is in millions of dol- bank to become a global player, DOHA: Chinese state-owned com- in research and development. organised exhibition highlighting porting goods,” said Ashraf A R Abu lar,” he said. we cannot invest as little as $300- pany China Railway Signal and He added that completion of achievement of China’s high-speed Issa, Chairman, Abu Issa Holding. Abu Issa Holding is consulting 500m in the bank,” Simsek said. Communication (CRSC) and the this ambitious project will depend railway, satellite system and nuclear He added that the multi-million agency of CRSC in the Middle-East. Turkey’s finance ministry is Gulf Organization for Industrial on how fast the GCC countries want power technology. dollar project may take six to eight “We are trying to start from Qatar, to working on tax regulations to help Consulting (GOIC) yesterday signed to finish it. “Because the cooper- “The train can go up to 350 kil- years to complete. “It depends when be able to go to other countries, we develop the Islamic banking indus- a Memorandum of Understanding ation is between us and the six ometre per hour. So from here to the Gulf countries give go ahead (to need coordination between us and try, Simsek said, adding that the (MoU) to set up a high-speed rail net- countries in the GCC and they have Kuwait nonstop is going to take the project). I would say between six other countries. I think to a certain government would support new work covering six GCC countries. their own plans in terms of how around two hours and for Bahrain to eight years if you want to link all extents the ministers of transporta- players in the sector. Once completed, the high-speed fast they want to do with railway may be 40 minutes over the sea. It GCC countries together with rail net- tion have done their home work in Under President Tayyip trains will run at a speed of 350km project, we would fully cooperate will be easier than airports because work,” said Issa terms of what system they are going Erdogan, Turkey is hoping it can per hour. The trains will allow pas- with that,” he added. in airports you have to check in He said the rail project will entail to use and how it is going to be con- turn disdain for traditional banks sengers to reach Bahrain in around The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and undergo other procedures. multi-million dollar investment. “It is nected and other things, but they are among the pious into a boom in 40 minutes and Kuwait in two hours of China and the Ministry of Foreign The rail network will not be just for hard to give a certain number (about serious about it,” he added. Islamic finance. Qatar needs to invest $9bn in power sector Oil prices jump on drop in US crude inventories By Satish Kanady The Peninsula AFP provided further support to prices,” he added. Brent crude prices had already DOHA: Qatar will need to invest soared by almost two dollars on around $9bn in the power generation LONDON: Oil prices rallied fur- Tuesday, as traders focused on lin- sector to add 5.2GW to meet rising ther yesterday after data revealed an gering oil producer shutdowns in demand in the medium term-- $6bn unexpected drop in US crude inven- Canada and plummeting output in in generation and $3bn in transmis- tories, with analyst blaming the fall Nigeria. sion and distribution (T&D). on Canada’s wildfires causing dis- In a volatile trading week, crude Qatar has not built additional ruption to exports across the border. tumbled on Monday on news that capacity over the past five years At around 1600 GMT, US bench- Canadian wildfires failed to inflict because it already boasts adequate mark West Texas Intermediate for long-term damage on key oilfield capacity of 8.8GW. But with increas- delivery in June was up $1.24 at infrastructure. ing demand and peak load reaching $45.90 a barrel. But market sentiment became a record 7.1GW in 2015, the country Brent North Sea crude for July more bullish again on Tuesday, as sanctioned two new projects that surged $1.50 to $47.02 a barrel com- investors concluded that the produc- will add nearly 4.5GW in the medium pared with Tuesday’s close. tion outages in the Alberta oil sands term, Apicorp Energy Research said The US Department of Energy region could persist a while longer, yesterday (DoE) yesterday said the country’s even if facilities were not seriously MENA governments are prioritis- commercial crude stockpiles slid by damaged and the worst of the fires ing investments in the power sector to 3.4 million barrels last week. Ana- was over. “The sentiment around feed rapidly rising electricity demand. blackouts continue to put pressure capacity and another $51bn for T&D ill need to invest $71bn to increase lysts’ consensus had been for a rise traders in the market is that they do It estimates that in the period 2016- on governments to act; while in the over the next five years. capacity to 114GW . Saudi will meet of 750,000 barrels. think the disruptions are a tempo- 20, the region will need to invest Maghreb region, renewable-energy But declining oil revenues mean rising demand with 28GW of capac- “The drawdown may well have rary obstacle,” CMC Markets senior $334bn in its power sector. Of this, projects are at the forefront of long- that GCC governments can no longer ity already in the pipe line. Major been due to the wildfires in Canada trader Alex Wijaya said. $198bn will be needed to add 147GW term government plans to diversify continue to support the provision projects include the 3.1GW Yanbu 3 (whose)... main export market is the Market attention was also on of generating capacity, while the rest power-generation capacity. But gov- of cheap power. Subsidy reforms plant, expected on line in 2016, and US,” said Fawad Razaqzada, analyst Nigeria owing to fresh unrest in Afri- should be invested in T&D. ernments will need to find solutions announced earlier this year are part the 2.6GW Shuqaiq plant. at traders City Index. ca’s biggest oil producer. Anglo-Dutch In the GCC, governments have for lower budgets, security concerns of a programme that aims to liberal- The UAE needs to invest $34bn “Indeed, US crude oil imports oil giant Shell’s Nigerian subsidiary on coped well with rising electric- and a more challenging environment ise domestic energy prices over the to meet the 17GW capacity addition were down by a good 5,000 barrels Wednesday said it has declared force ity demand. As well as adding to secure finance. medium term. needed over the medium term. The per day from the previous week, majeure on Bonny Light crude exports capacity, some of these countries According to Apicorp, the GCC Saudi Arabia leads the drive to country experiences periodic black- according to the DoE. following a leak in a key pipeline. have recently introduced limited represents 47 percent , or 148GW , make the necessary capacity addi- outs and hopes to alleviate this by “Imports are likely to fall further Tuesday’s incident comes after energy-reform programmes. In the of current MENA power-generating tions by 2020. Estimated capacity integrating the seven emirates nat- this week because of the significant an increase in attacks on oil facili- Mashreq region, inadequate invest- capacity . Despite this large capac- stood at around 80GW in 2015, with ural gas-distribution networks. The reduction of oil output in Canada. ties and infrastructure by militants ments and instability have weighed ity , the GCC will require $85bn for SEC representing around 60GW . UAE is pushing strongly to diversify News that US oil production also fell, wanting a fairer share of revenue for on the power sector and persisting the addition of 69GW of generating Apicorp estimate that the country w its energy sources in the power mix. down 0.3 percent week-over-week, local people in the region. 22 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 BUSINESS S&P revises Doha Bank Assurance’s outlook to negative

The Peninsula In addition, we believe that DBAC’s and market share, and its significant share in Qatar is only between 1 fair, liquidity as exceptional, and investment portfolio remains rela- dependence on Doha Bank to gener- percent and 2 percent. Against our enterprise risk management as ade- The rating agency tively conservative compared with ate premium income. expectations, DBAC’s gross premium quate. We believe that DBAC has affirmed the ‘BBB+’ some local peers. Although DBAC’s Following a net, post-tax profit of income decreased by 17.5 percent taken some additional steps to fur- DOHA: S&P Global Ratings has long-term issuer asset concentration to the banking QR10.2m($$2.8 ) in 2014, DBAC also in 2015 to QR88.3m from QR107.1m ther enhance its risk management revised its outlook for Doha Bank sector remains high, we note that the generated a net profit of QR11.9m 2014, mainly due to the expiry of a framework, including management Assurance Co. (DBAC) to negative from financial strength and existing concentration risk is some- in 2015, despite competitive market large three-year motor contract and reporting, since our last review, and stable. At the same time, it affirmed counterparty credit what mitigated, as the majority of conditions. Prudent underwriting the nonrenewal/repricing of unprof- anticipate that the insurer’s risk the ‘BBB+’ long-term issuer financial these institutions are considered as measures, coupled with some releases itable business. management will continue to evolve strength and counterparty credit rat- ratings on DBAC. systemically important and would, of redundant reserves, helped DBAC Following a year of transition in as the insurer grows. ings on DBAC. in our view, benefit from govern- record a strong operating perform- 2015, we expect that DBAC will gener- “The negative outlook on DBAC The outlook revision reflects that ment support if required.”, the ratings ance in 2015 measured by a combined ate gross premium growth of at least reflects that of its parent, Doha Bank. on DBAC’s parent, Doha Bank. Under “We have revised upward our agency noted (loss and expense) ratio of 82.1 per- 10 percent per year in 2016 and 2017, We expect that DBAC’s capital ade- its “Group Rating Methodology,” pub- assessment of DBAC’s financial risk As a result of the improved finan- cent, compared with a combined ratio with its parent being an important, quacy will remain extremely strong lished in November 2013, S&P viewed profile to upper adequate from lower cial risk profile, S&P has revised of 93.8 percent in 2014. but not sole, contributor. Overall, we to support its ambitious growth plans the insurer as a strategically impor- adequate as a result of the insur- upward DBAC’s SACP to ‘bbb-’ from Although DBAC’s operating per- continue to assess DBAC’s business over the next two years. We also tant subsidiary of Doha Bank. DBAC’s er’s delivery of stable and focused ‘bb+’. However, the ratings agency formance improved significantly risk profile as fair. expect DBAC to continue to expand overall ratings therefore benefit from underwriting profits in 2014 and continue to apply a downward adjust- in 2015, we continue to assess the Other factors in S&P’sr analysis its cooperation with its parent, Doha two notches of support above its 2015 compared with 2012 and 2013, ment to DBAC’s SACP under our insurer’s competitive position as include the assessment of DBAC’s Bank, to strengthen its market posi- stand-alone credit profile (SACP). when the insurer suffered losses. holistic analysis due to its small size less than adequate, since its market management and governance as tion through profitable growth.” QICDRC hosts construction disputes resolution seminar

The Peninsula philosophy behind dispute resolution construction contracts on time and clauses contained within their con- to settle any disputes arising out of struction contracts. As regards the them through effective dispute res- alternative dispute resolution envi- olution mechanisms. DOHA: The Qatar International ronment contained within the Qatar He observed that construction Court and Dispute Resolution Cen- Financial Centre (QFC), McGrath contracts are complicated and have tre (QICDRC) held a seminar on observed that “owners and con- a special nature owing to the inherent alternative dispute resolution in the tractors in the State of Qatar are still risks involved. Without an effective construction industry as part of its awaiting the revised QFC law to be dispute resolution method, the only legal seminar programme. issued which will enhance the ADR option may be recourse to the domes- The seminar was presented by environment in the State of Qatar tic courts which may take time to an eminent panel of three experts considerably, including in relation resolve the matter with projects being comprising Joseph Huse and Karen to the construction sector”. delayed and consequential losses and McGrath from the Supreme Commit- Sultan Al Abdulla discussed the damage being suffered by the parties tee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and legal framework related to construc- as a result. Thus, dispute resolution Sultan Al Abdulla, founder and man- tion contracts and indicated the clauses need careful consideration. aging partner of Sultan Al Abdulla different risks associated with con- Al Sahouti commended the SC strat- and Partners. Many persons were in tractual drafting. He demonstrated egy which he stated was in line with Representatives of SMEs attending the workshop. attendance including counsel from the legal dilemmas that normally best international standards. He the private sector and governmen- arise when implementing contracts added that the QICDRC has always tal organisations, as well as other and suggested remedies for avoid- supported awareness of ADR, par- SMEs introduced to Ooredoo’s lawyers, academics, construction ing and overcoming these obstacles. ticularly in construction contracts, engineers and other professionals. Faisal Al Sahouti, CEO of the through its seminar programmes and During the seminar, the repre- QICDRC, stressed on the impor- related activities. Business Collaboration Solution sentatives of the SC discussed their tance of executing governmental

The Peninsula superior mobility and flexibility, ena- relationship was recently enhanced bling them to benefit from advanced by a new service provider’s certifica- collaboration features such as video tion, awarded to Ooredoo by Cisco. conferencing, instant messaging, This Cloud and Managed Services DOHA: Ooredoo recently hosted a intelligent voicemail, and even the Certification (CMSP) confirms Oore- networking event in partnership with ability to make and receive business doo’s ability to offer Cisco powered Cisco, for small and medium enter- landline calls via a mobile phone. solutions to the highest standards. prise (SME) businesses in Qatar. Apart from being able to share Ooredoo has been a pioneer of The event, which was held on information and interact with cus- introducing world class connectivity, May 5 at the City Centre Rotana Hotel tomers, partners and colleagues in and next-generation business solu- Doha, was attended by over 50 rep- real time, the service makes it pos- tions in Qatar such as the Qatar Data resentatives of important SMEs in sible to replace a legacy telephony Centres, Cloud and managed services Qatar, and consisted of a series of platform with a next-generation and more. Ooredoo aims to con- presentations and live demonstra- hosted collaboration solution, to tinue working with local businesses tions of Ooredoo’s new Business offer enhanced features and better in Qatar to support the growth of a Collaboration Solution. reliability. knowledge based economy and con- With the Business Collabora- As part of Ooredoo’s grow- solidate its position as an ICT leader Speakers at the QICDRC seminar on alternative dispute resolution in the construction industry. tion Solution, customers can enjoy ing partnership with Cisco, this in the region. UAE banks to assess new rules on impairments

Reuters available to comment. Under current standards, banks build provisions for loans when bor- rowers fail to repay. The new rules DUBAI: Banks in the United Arab mean banks will have to switch to an Emirates have been given until expected credit loss model, meaning June 16 to assess the impact of new they have to start building provisions accounting standards, which are much earlier. likely to raise the impairments Although the rules require banks required against bad loans, accord- to begin disclosing earnings taking ing to a central bank document seen into account the new rules from the by Reuters. start of 2018, they will have to start Lenders across the world are adopting the requirements internally preparing for a change to interna- from next year to ensure they can tional accounting rules governing make annual comparisons, bank- bad loans due to take effect on Jan- ing sources said. uary 1, 2018. “IFRS 9 is going to be a para- The UAE central bank has digm shift for banks,” said Luke instructed banks to assess the Ellyard, financial services part- Students from Mohammad bin Abdulwahhab Independent High School for Boys with QIIB officials. changes they will have to make to ner at KPMG. comply with the International Finan- “This should lead to higher pro- cial Reporting Standards (IFRS) 9 visions, more complexity and deeper rule, which is designed to improve risk management involvement.” QIIB hosts Independent School students the resilience of the banking system Specific provisions for non-per- to shocks, the circular said. forming loans across the banking The regulations were expected sector rose by 3.8 percent in March to have significant impact on banks’ from a year earlier, while general The Peninsula ing Corporate Social Responsibility dedicated to serving VIP customers. history since its establishment in operations and possibly raise provisions accelerated by 8.9 percent programme. Jamal Abdullah Al Jamal, QIIB 1991. The Bank was able to achieve impairment requirements, accord- over the same time period, accord- The students visited various Deputy CEO, and a number of sen- continuous growth and expand ing to the central bank document. ing to central bank data. departments of the bank and listened ior executives met the students and its presence throughout the State, Many UAE banks have felt the The slump in the economies DOHA: QIIB received a group of to detailed presentations about differ- welcomed them to the bank. thereby becoming one of the most pain of a rise in bad loans in the past of other Gulf countries due to a students from Mohammad bin Abdul- ent Islamic banking operations. The The Bank is keen to support important Islamic banks in the State year, partly as a result of financial steep decline in global oil prices wahhab Independent High School for students also got first-hand infor- students in shaping up their future of Qatar and the region. Jamal Abdul- problems besetting some small and has affected Dubai because the city Boys who spent a ‘Professional Day’ at mation about the functioning of the careers, Jamal Abdullah said. He lah also elaborated on the operations medium sized companies. is the financial centre of the Mid- the bank as part of the bank’s ongo- Banking Hall and the department briefed the students about QIIB’s of a Shariah-compliant bank. The central bank was not dle East. BUSINESS THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 23 QInvest’s revenue jumps 36% to QR102m in Q1

related entities and families in the Company delivered region, and continue to build up its capital markets pipeline, despite dif- growth and ficult market conditions. profitability in The Principal Investments division continues to deploy capi- adverse conditions, tal and reinvest in both equity and says CEO high yielding credit. In the real estate sector, it recently closed on transactions in London (serviced apartments), Germany (retail) and The Peninsula the US (value-add hospitality) and is currently assessing multiple real estate opportunities in sectors such DOHA: QInvest, Qatar’s leading pri- as private rented residential, student vate investment group and one of the accommodation (mainly in Germany) world’s prominent Islamic financial and forward purchases of commer- institutions, yesterday announced an cial real estate. Additionally, the team Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani (second right), Paul M Rand (second left), Dr Mandy Terc (right) and Ray increase of 36 percent revenues for RE’s Turkish asset management continues to search for opportunistic Whittington, Dean, Driehaus College of Business, DePaul University, at business development programme. the first quarter (Q1, 2016) to QR102m business, adding onshore execution equity investments and mezzanine ($28m) and net profit up 34 percent to capabilities in a key Islamic finance financing transactions in the US and QR37m ($10m) for the period. market.” Europe (including the UK). Tamim Hamad Al Kawari (pic- In the Investment Banking divi- The Asset Management division US entrepreneur inspires Qatar’s tured), Chief Executive Officer of sion, the structured finance business has experienced a good start to the QInvest, said: “2016 started with sig- completed its first transactions in year despite global market volatility, nificant negative market headwinds. I the renewable energy and aircraft with a strong performance produc- future business leaders am especially pleased with our ability financing sectors - both offering ing healthy growth across a number to deliver growth and profitability in strong risk adjusted returns in line of mandates. The key development these conditions, which I see as fur- with the firm’s investment crite- for the division was the completion of ther testament of the sustainability ria. There is significant growth in the acquisition of Ergo Portfoy, with The Peninsula and taking it to the next level by opportunities. ofQInvest’s strategy thought business these two sectors and QInvest has whom QInvest Asset Management has applying smart marketing tools and Dr Mandy Terc, Director of cycles. The Firm continues to grow teamed up with specialized sector previously collaborated on the launch the latest marketing trends with min- Sheikh Faisal Center for Entre- and we remain vigilant to ensure new players to monetize the opportu- of an onshore Turkish fund series. imum cost. preneurship in the Middle East, business activities, transactions and nity for clients and the Firm’s own Ergo Portfoy is one of the leading DOHA: Sheikh Faisal Center for The Sheikh Faisal Center for DePaul University commented: most importantly people are fully in balance sheet. QInvest continued to asset management groups in Turkey Entrepreneurship in the Middle East, Entrepreneurship focuses on “SMEs are more constrained by line with the Firm’s culture and risk- deploy capital in Islamic Financial with over TRL 1.5bn in assets under a leading business education partner- enhancing Qatar’s entrepreneurial financing than large enterprises. return framework.” Institutions and completed Kuveyt- management, providing pension and ship between Al Faisal Holding and capacity and strengthening con- Through this presentation, we are Al Kawari added:“Continuing the Turk’s Tier Two Sukuk issuance in mutual fund and discretionary port- DePaul University of the US, hosted nections between Qatar and the US giving new ideas, derived from new phase of our strategy to deliver this reporting period. Also, the team folio management services. It has Paul M Rand as part of its entrepre- in this domain, which plays a key firsthand experience from a lead- proprietary transactions not only for successfully exited one of its tele- generated strong revenues in recent neurship and business development role in supporting Qatar’s efforts to ing entrepreneur, on increasing our balance sheet but also for clients com tower financing transactions years, outperforming the peer group, programme. encourage the development of local the value added by applying inno- and shareholders, the first quarter of in January, with mid-teen percent- and its unparalleled client servicing Paul M Rand, a serial entrepre- entrepreneurial talent. vative methods in promoting and 2016 saw the successful syndication age returns. capabilities have helped it to become neur, author and marketing expert, Over the last decade Qatar has marketing their businesses. We are of our first German retail transaction QInvest’s Mergers & Acquisi- the largest Islamic asset management spoke to over 200 professionals reinforced its efforts in strengthening honoured to be collaborating with which generated significant demand tions franchise remains extremely company in Turkey. from a number of institutions with a the role of Small Medium Enterprises leading institutions in Qatar such as in the region and is already yielding busy after having completed the sale Ergo Portfoy has been rebranded presentation focusing on the power (SMEs) in the country and has estab- Qatar Business Incubation Center returns above the original plan. We of Miramax to beIN Media Group, as as QInvest Portfoy and will continue of “Word-of-Mouth” marketing and lished several enterprises to support (QBIC), Qatar Science and Technol- are currently in the market with a well as the acquisition of a strategic to be headquartered in Istanbul. The his approach to building a business local entrepreneurs. The initiative ogy Park (QSTP) and Bedaya and serviced apartment redevelopment stake in a leading regional food and addition of QInvest Portfoy brings the and brand from scratch. recognizes the important contribu- we look forward to further enhanc- project in the City of London and con- beverage group for a key family office total assets under management for The entrepreneurship and busi- tion SMEs make to economic growth ing our partnerships in the future to tinue to build our pipeline for the rest client. The Firm is currently active on QInvest Asset Management to close ness development initiative was and to the overall strength and diver- strengthen Qatar’s entrepreneurial of the year. We also completed the a number of regional sell-side and to $1bn, within three years of launch- devised to educate Qatari entrepre- sification of the country’s business capacity and to connect entrepre- acquisition of Ergo Portfoy, Munich buy-side mandates for government ing the division. neurs about promoting their business infrastructure and employment neurs in Qatar and the US.” Sharp rise in qualified professionals: CISI Qatar Insurance Co’s rights issue concludes The Peninsula These qualifications included National Vision for 2030. certificates in Islamic Finance, Matthew Cowan (pictured), Fundamentals of Financial Serv- Regional Director Middle East at the The Peninsula to May, 1 2016 through QNB (Qatar ices, International Introduction to Chartered Institute for Securities National Bank) and the number of DOHA: More than 205 exams were Securities and Investment, Inter- and Investment, said: “It’s hearten- shares offered for public subscrip- taken by financial industry profes- national Certificate in Wealth and ing to see the increase in the demand tion in the rights issue was 40,616,716 sionals from Qatar over the past three Investment Management, Qatari for qualifications as this shows the DOHA: Qatar Insurance Company ordinary shares, with a number of months, compared to a total of 250 in Financial Rules and Regulations, industry is keen to embrace higher (QIC) yesterday announced that its shares ordered (38.055.079)”, QIC 2015, data released by the Chartered Risk in Financial Services and Glo- standards of professionalism. We’ve rights issue has been concluded, said in a regulatory filing to Qatar Institute for Securities & Investment bal Securities, amongst others. The seen a tremendous growth in the enhancing the company’s capital to Exchange (QE) yesterday. (CISI) revealed. range of topics indicates an overall qualified financial services indus- QR2.4bn. Now the company’s new shares A total of 358 exams were taken increase in qualified professionals try workforce, and we’ve built solid This rights issue was approved are 241,138,659. The company’s by financial industry professionals across various fields in the Qatari partnerships along the way which during the Extraordinary General share capital after the rights issue in the financial year (FY) 2015-2016, financial industry. indicate this growth is only going to Assembly meeting of the com- is QR 2,411,386,590. compared to 209 in the previous This demonstrates an increase continue. In 2016 and beyond, we’ll be pany which was held on February “We are currently working on year, marking a 71 percent increase in the support for professional- launching new qualifications, host- 21, 2016. getting QFMA’s approval to register year-on-year. ism and CISI’s ethical standards ing interesting workshops and overall “It was conducted as per sell- the new shares through Qatar Cen- Qatar is taking big strides towards in the industry, further bolstering providing the necessary framework ing rights issue regulation issued tral Securities Depository for the an increasingly qualified workforce Qatar’s financial services industry required to further up the level of pro- by Qatar Financial Marker Author- subscribed shareholders and trading in the financial services industry, as and closely supporting the “Human fessionalism in the country’s financial ity (QFMA). The rights issue was the same through Qatar exchange at is evident from the CISI) data. Development” pillar of Qatar’s services industry.” open for subscription from April 10 the earliest,” QIC said.

Alstom surges back to profit Russia’s Aeroflot woos Europe-Asia flyers as home market crumbles

AFP rouble, which lost almost 20 percent This year it finally earned its against the dollar last year, mean- fourth star from independent rat- ing it can now offer cheaper tickets ings website Skytrax, placing its than many of its rivals who operate onboard experience in the same cat- MOSCOW: Russia’s largest airline in foreign currencies. “Strategically egory as major European and Middle Aeroflot is using the weaker rou- it is a very good idea,” said BCS ana- Eastern competitors such as British ble to undercut foreign competitors lyst Mitch Mitchell. “Aeroflot can offer Airways, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and boost passenger numbers on its very competitive fares because most and Emirates, and newly ahead of big transfer routes between Europe and of its costs are in roubles.” US carriers such as Delta and United. Asia in a bid to compensate for plung- An Aeroflot ticket in June from A bright and modern new ter- ing domestic traffic. London to Beijing, connecting minal at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Enticing foreign travellers to use Europe’s busiest airport with Asia’s, airport that opened in 2009 has res- Moscow as a springboard for long- now starts from $510 with a few cued passengers from layovers in haul flights is a rare opportunity for hours of layover in Moscow. dark and grimy Brezhnev-era wait- Aeroflot and other Russian carriers Flights on the same route oper- ing rooms. to pick up passenger numbers, after ated by a single carrier via Istanbul or Passenger numbers on Aeroflot being broadsided at home by Russia’s Dubai cost around $600, and German transfers through Moscow jumped 31 economic crisis. flagship airlineLufthansa charges percent year-on-year in 2015 to 3.6 Advertisements have sprung up at more than $1000. Only Poland’s LOT million while Sheremetyevo’s overall airports across Europe touting Aer- national carrier is cheaper at $460, transfer traffic increased 37 percent oflot flights via Moscow to countries but that comes with a 30-hour layo- to 4.6 million. A scale model high speed train with the logo of the Alstom in Saint-Ouen, near Paris, yesterday. The including Thailand, China and Japan, ver in Warsaw. “The main transit direction is French transport giant surged back into profit over the past year, reporting a net profit of $3.42bn and the Russian state-carrier’s trans- Aeroflot has fought hard to shake from Europe to Asia via Shereme- fer traffic has surged. off its reputation as a creaking Soviet tyevo,” an Aeroflot spokesman said. for the fiscal year 2015/16. The selling point is price: Aero- airline and win over service-con- “Passenger numbers on these routes flot’s costs have fallen along with the scious European and Asian travellers. are growing significantly.” 24 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 BUSINESS

Mena region More vehicles may needs to invest $334bn on be improperly power: Report tested: Mitsubishi AFP

DUBAI: Middle Eastern and North a task force to look into concrete African states will need to invest measures to prevent irregularities $334bn over five years to meet ris- Nine more models in vehicle testing. The scandal has ing power demand in the MENA including a sport affected Nissan, which sold two of region, a development bank said the minicar models under a partner- yesterday. utility vehicle may ship agreement. The Arab Petroleum Invest- not have been Nissan wasn’t involved in set- ments Corporation (APICORP) said properly tested as ting the fuel-economy targets for in a report that more than half the the minicars in question, Mitsubi- amount, $198bn, will be needed to the scandal spreads shi Motors President Tetsuro Aikawa add 147 gigawatts (GW) of gener- beyond the initial said at the same briefing. Mitsubishi ating capacity until 2020, to the had raised the fuel economy targets existing 315 GW capacity. batch of minicars. five times for the minicar models to The rest will go for transmis- 29.2km/litre from 26.4 km/l in a bid sion and distribution networks, Toyota Motor Corp President Akio Toyoda speaks during a news conference in Tokyo yesterday. to outperform the competition. said Apicorp, the development For the RVR SUV, Mitsubishi bank of the Organization of Arab Bloomberg Motors had calculated the fuel econ- Petroleum Exporting Countries. omy using data from a base model, Electricity demand in the without conducting any actual test- Toyota warns of profit dive MENA region has been grow- ing, the company said. The actual ing, driven by population growth, TOKYO: Mitsubishi Motors Corp., fuel economy of the nine models industrialisation and low power which admitted to cheating on fuel- being probed didn’t differ from the AFP shutdowns linked to Japan’s deadly Toyota said its new forecast was prices, the report said. economy ratings, said nine more stated figures, it said. earthquakes last month -- under- based on the dollar buying around Despite projections for lower models including a sport utility Mitsubishi Motors has estab- scores the negative impact that a 105 yen, well down from an average economic growth for the region, vehicle may not have been properly lished a third-party group to resurgent yen is having on Japanese rate of 120 yen in the previous year. Apicorp estimates that MENA tested as the scandal spreads beyond investigate the falsified fuel effi- TOKYO: Toyota yesterday warned firms doing a lot of business abroad. “Strong North American sales and demand for electricity will grow the initial batch of minicars. ciency labeling that will take about that its annual net profit will fall by “Our earnings over the past sev- foreign exchanges gains were dual at an average of eight percent per The Japanese automaker is three months, the company said last about a third as a stronger yen, and eral years have been boosted by profit drivers for Japan’s auto indus- year through 2020. investigating additional current month. The committee consists of a slowdown in Chinese growth and (favourable) exchange rates,” said try this past year...but the tide has It estimated that 96 GW of models including the RVR SUV that is three lawyers, including a former other emerging markets dent its bot- Toyota president Akio Toyoda. changed,” said Shigeru Matsumura, the required additional capac- sold in the United States as the Out- member of the Tokyo High Prose- tom line. “But we recognise that this trend an analyst at SMBC Friend Research ity are already in the execution lander Sport, as well as ones that cutors Office. The surprise new forecast -- has changed significantly.” Center. stage. have been discontinued. Chairman The automaker, which had which would mark Toyota’s first profit The yen has weakened sharply Toyota also said yesterday that The energy-rich Gulf Cooper- Osamu Masuko told reporters in a required a bailout from other Mit- decline in five years -- tipped a 1.5 since late 2012 when Prime Minis- it would buy back about 500bn yen ation Council (GCC) currently has briefing at Japan’s transport ministry subishi group companies more than trillion yen ($13.8bn) net profit for the ter Shinzo Abe swept to power on a worth of its shares. Sales for the lat- 47 percent, or 148 GW, of the MENA that vehicles sold abroad are prop- a decade ago because it covered up year to March 2017. pledge to kickstart Japan’s lumber- est period rose in Toyota’s key North power generation capacity. erly tested and the company expects deadly defects, said the supervisor That is down 35 percent from a ing economy. That was good for firms American market, but they were down Still the GCC -- Bahrain, no impact on overseas sales. in charge of the models had felt the record 2.31 trillion yen net profit that such as Toyota and rivals Honda and in Japan, Europe and Asia, it said. Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia The company said it’ll separately need to boost efficiency to meet tar- the world’s biggest automaker also Nissan -- both report results this “China and other emerging and United Arab Emirates -- will issue a report on the additional mod- gets and mishandled the testing. reported Wednesday for its recently week -- because repatriated for- countries are showing a risk of a need investments worth $136bn to els, without providing more details. The company hasn’t sought ended business year. eign profits were worth more when slowdown,” Toyota said. add a further 69 GW until 2020, Orders for its vehicles in Japan support from Mitsubishi group com- Sales this year will also be down the yen was weak. Japanese automakers have ben- the report said. have plunged after the company panies and aims to solve the crisis on nearly seven percent, although the But the unit has rallied in recent efited from healthy growth in the Opec kingpin Saudi Arabia is first revealed it had overstated the its own, Masuko said at a briefing in automaker expects to sell more cars months as volatile equity markets US where low interest rates boosted expected to account for $71bn of fuel economy of its minicars by as Tokyo. The company should be able globally. driven by fears about the global econ- demand, although the possibility of the investments. much as 10 percent. The Japanese to handle compensation with its own The new outlook -- which does omy pushed investors into a currency rate hikes this year could dampen Non-Arab Iran is estimated to government has said it will set up resources, he said. not include the impact of plant seen as a safe bet. sales. need $63bn in investments to boost its power production by 23 GW to 93 GW over the next five years, the report said. Iraq will need to spend $40bn Stop relying on stocks for recession signals: Economist to double its electricity production to 29 GW. Egypt, the most populous nation in the region, is estimated to Bloomberg the future of employment and con- economics from the University of Robert W. Baird in Milwaukee. “Then according to Antonelli. need $43bn investments to raise its sumer spending became an obsession Notre Dame and has authored mul- that nervousness wanes, and people “The Fed has shown a willingness power production to 56 GW from on Wall Street in the first six weeks of tiple working papers on the subject of capitulate, and that’s when you see to assure big investors that the stock 35 GW. 2016, when the S&P 500 plummeted interest rates and their correspond- the market come back.” market hasn’t become shark-filled APICORP however said sev- NEW YORK: Turbulence in stocks 11 percent for its worst start ever. ing term structure. Case in point was the S&P 500 waters -- that there’s still a lifeguard eral challenges and constraints and bonds was part of the Federal But Yung says the quest is unlikely The research she conducts for the selloff in January and February. The on duty,” he said. “And the market has face power investments in MENA Reserve’s calculus for slowing inter- to yield any conclusions because noise Dallas Fed is done independently of benchmark index erased its loss absorbed that theory due to all the states. est rate increases in February. Now is just as likely as news to be driv- Fed policy makers and is intended to within two months thanks to virtu- extraordinary action we’ve seen over Oil-exporting countries, an economist with the central bank’s ing prices. inform discussion among officers. ally unprecedented rebounds in the the last seven or eight years.” especially the GCC, are reducing Dallas branch says relying on the “There’s a definite divide between Short-term fluctuations in equity industries that dragged it down in the To Yung, just because the equity expenditure and shelving capi- equity market for economic signals the state of the economy and any prices come too fast and furious and first place. market in its current form is an tal investments, including in the is a mistake. decline you might see in the equity are caused by such a multitude of From a broader lens, the stock imperfect indicator for the economy power sector, due to the sharp Benchmark gauges such as the market,” Yung in a phone interview. inputs that assuming they’ll directly market isn’t useless in forecasting doesn’t mean the Fed should stop decline in oil revenues, it said. S&P 500 Index are such flawed Service-providing industries translate into changes in real eco- recessions. Among the 20 percent monitoring it. Rather, it should be Financing power projects mirrors of the economy that they have accounted for more than nomic output is an error, Yung drops that have hit American stocks viewed as a piece of the larger puz- is becoming more challeng- probably fail as predictors of gross three-quarters of US GDP over the wrote. Michael Antonelli, a trader 13 times since the Great Depression, zle, she said. ing after rating agencies have domestic product, according to a new past decade, whereas more than half at Robert W Baird & Co., says big 10 preceded US recessions and only “Monetary policy is being driven lowered the credit worthiness paper by Julieta Yung, an economist the S&P 500 consists of manufac- swings often just reflect human four recessions occurred without a by data, and the integration of of many MENA countries, Api- in the research department at the Fed turers, she said. emotions. bear market warning, according to financial markets is stronger than corp said. Bank of Dallas. Yung’s analysis included recal- “The two can disconnect in the data compiled by Bloomberg. ever,” said Yung. “It’s still impor- Price reforms are also Half the components are manu- culating how much sales and profits short-term because of the immedi- That historical signal may not be tant to the Fed to look at financial expected to suppress demand for facturers, for one thing, much more companies in the index derive from ate effect sentiment has on stocks,” as strong anymore due to the Fed’s developments around the world, electricity in many countries of than is reflected in GDP. various types of economic activity. said Antonelli, an institutional equity perceived willingness to backstop the and the stock market is one of those the aforementioned regions, say Searching markets for clues about Yung, 29, holds a doctorate in sales trader and managing director at stock market during times of trouble, measures.” reports.

China auto sales growth slows EU blocks mega sale AFP of O2 to Hutchison

SHANGHAI: Auto sales in China, AFP mobile phone company. the world’s biggest car market The decison deals a major set- and crucial to worldwide man- back for telecom companies in ufacturers, grew more slowly in Europe which have lobbied Brussels April than the previous month as BRUSSELS: The European Commis- to relax anti-trust rules in order to the economy faltered, data from an sion yesterday shot down Telefonica’s help build telecom champions. industry group showed yesterday. blockbuster sale of British tele- It is also especially sensitive as it Sales reached 2.12 million com giant O2 to Hong Kong group could revive accusations in the UK of units in April, up 6.3 percent Hutchison on fears it would inflict meddling in national affairs by the year-on-year, the China Associa- higher prices on British consumers. EU ahead of a June 23 referendum. tion of Automobile Manufacturers “Today the commision has The deal would reduce the national (CAAM) said. But both the growth decided to block Hutchison’s plan market in Britain to three players and total sales fell short of March, to takeover O2 in the UK,” said the from four, in a downsized landscape when vehicle sales rose 8.8 per- EU’s competition commissioner Mar- the EU believes hurts competition. cent to 2.44 million units. grethe Vestager at a news briefing. Hutchison owns operator Three China’s economy grew 6.7 “Our investigations revealed sig- and hoped to merge the company percent year-on-year in the first nificant competition concerns with with O2. “These competition con- quarter, its slowest expansion in this deal,” she added. “It would very cerns are very serious and we could seven years. But economic fig- likely have led to higher prices and not allow this transaction to go on,” ures for April have dashed hopes less choice for UK consumers.” Vestager said. Vestager, the former for a rebound in the economy. Auto Hutchison is controlled by one of Danish economy minister, has sales reached 24.6 million last the richest men in Asia, Li Ka-shing, already grabbed headlines for taking year and in October the govern- and his buyout of O2 from Spain’s on Internet giant Google over anti- ment sought to boost the market EU Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager gives a press conference on the sale of Telefonica’s Telefonica for £10.25bn ($15.2bn) trust violations on its search engine by slashing the purchase tax. O2 to CK Hutchison’s Three at Brussels, Belgium, yesterday. would have created Britain’s biggest and Android mobile phone platform. BUSINESS THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 25

Indonesia to buy Airbus A400M EBRD bank trims economic outlook military planes

Reuters Reconstruction and Development “Over the last quarter of a cen- in a statement. down to 2.9-percent growth in 2016 (EBRD) gave the assessment for tury the EBRD has invested more than The EBRD also highlighted from 4.1 percent in the correspond- Europe’s its 36-nation investment zone -- 105bn euros ($119bn) in over 4,500 “elevated” geopolitical risks, partic- oing previous period. development bank comprising countries in eastern projects, and delivered significant ularly in the Middle East and eastern “Weaker tourism receipts partly JAKARTA: Indonesia plans to pur- Europe, central Asia and the Med- impact.” Ukraine. due to security concerns and the chase some Airbus A400M military cites ultra-low oil iterranean -- on the first day of its The EBRD on Wednesday forecast However, acting chief economist slowdown in global trade are clouding transport aircraft, its defence min- prices, markets annual meeting in London, where it that average economic growth in its Hans Peter Lankes warned that the the outlook in southern and eastern ister said yesterday, in a potential volatility and is headquartered. investment zone would stand at 1.4 2016 forecast downgrade “masked a Mediterranean, as well as Turkey,” the boost to Europe’s largest defence The 25-year-old bank’s govern- percent in 2016. divided picture”. bank said. project. international tensions ing council will meanwhile today is That was modestly below its prior The Eastern Europe and the However, the EBRD’s other “I have a plan to buy A400s for the weak outlook. epected to vote on its president for the November guidance for 1.6-percent Caucasus area -- which includes regions -- central Europe and the from Europe ... but just a small next four years. expansion. countries like Armenia, Belarus and Baltics, and southeastern Europe number. There is no need to buy Sources close to the matter said The performance would still mark Montenegro -- was set to shrink by -- saw their prospects improve on many,” Minister Ryamizard Rya- that Britain’s Suma Chakrabarti a strong acceleration from the 0.5 0.2 percent this year. the back of lower energy costs and cudu said without elaborating. AFP -- who has held the position since percent experienced in 2015, and will That contrasted sharply with accommodative monetary policy in The Airbus A400M has been 2012 -- is set to be re-elected. He is be followed by an estimated 2.5-per- the previous forecast of 1.4-percent the neighbouring eurozone. marred by development delays and standing against Marek Belka, the cent growth in 2017. growth. The bank, which invests in private cost overruns. One of the planes outgoing governor of Poland’s cen- “The slightly softer outlook This region -- along with cen- enterprises together with commer- crashed in Spain a year ago kill- LONDON: Europe’s development tral bank. reflects a further drop in the price tral Asia -- has been hit hard by cial partners, was founded in 1991 to ing four crew members and leading bank said yesterday its outlook for “All of EBRD’s annual meetings of oil since the previous report, “weak commodity prices and the help ex-Soviet bloc countries make some countries to ground the troop the regions it covers had weakened are special in their own way. But increased volatility in global finan- (ongoing) recession in Russia”, the the transition to free-market econo- and cargo carrier. slightly owing to ultra-low oil prices, this year’s is exceptional as it coin- cial markets, lower capital flows to EBRD said. mies and democracy. A spokeswoman from Air- markets volatility and international cides with the 25th anniversary of emerging markets worldwide, weak- The Mediterranean nations -- It has expanded its reach in recent bus Defence and Space, which tensions. our founding,” Chakrabarti told del- ness in global trade and increasing comprising Egypt, Jordan, Morocco years to Turkey, Jordan and north is responsible for the European The European Bank for egates Wednesday. geopolitical tensions,” the bank said and Tunisia -- were revised sharply Africa. aerospace firm’s military prod- ucts, saidvia email that while the company could not comment on specific sales campaigns, it was “confident” of additional A400M Blame game as banks sales in Southeast Asia. Malaysia remains the only export customer for the aircraft remain wary of Iran after South Africa cancelled its order in 2009. The A400M was developed for Spain and six other European Bloomberg told reporters that banks in Europe NATO nations - Belgium, Britain, can open accounts for Iran, fund France, Germany, Luxembourg and projects and lend money. Turkey - at a cost of 20bn euros “If they don’t want to do business ($23bn), making it Europe’s biggest WASHINGTON: Iran’s long isola- or they don’t see a good business single arms contract. tion from the global financial system, deal, they shouldn’t say, ‘Oh, we can’t It is intended to fill a gap continuing sanctions and its own do it because of the United States,’ “ between the smaller Lockheed practices, such as arresting foreign Kerry said, declaring that the Islamic Martin C-130 Hercules, many of businessmen as suspected spies, are republic is “open for business.” which are in service in Indonesia, hampering its ability to benefit more “We sometimes get used as an and the Boeing C-17 cargo jet. from a groundbreaking nuclear deal, excuse in this process,” Kerry added, according to current and former US saying that by clarifying what is now officials and Iran scholars. permitted, the United States is fulfill- Although the number of busi- ing its obligations under the nuclear Iraq sells $1.3bn ness deals has slowly increased since deal. nuclear-related sanctions were lifted The US sanctions for human in local bonds The logo of Takata Corp is seen at a showroom for vehicles in Tokyo, Japan, yesterday. in January, large banks in Europe rights abuses and terrorism are and Asia have balked at financing complicating matters, US officials to plug deficit major projects in Iran. acknowledge. The reasons for Iran’s financial For example, any foreign bank Rueters Takata struggles with recall and investment problems are multi- financing a project in Iran would faceted, but Washington and Tehran have to prove that no Americans blame each other. were involved in any part of the crisis; logs $120m annual loss The Obama administration transaction. But US officials say the BAGHDAD: Iraq’s central bank argues that the real issues are Iran’s banks are being overly cautious. has said it started selling local poor business environment and The United States, Kerry said bonds worth 1.5 trillion Iraqi policies that undermine investor last month, “is not standing in the dinars ($1.3bn), as part of an AFP adding to nearly 29 million Takata March 2017, but did not initially offer confidence - including ballistic mis- way, and will not stand in the way, effort to plug a government def- airbags already recalled in the US. an explanation for the optimistic sile tests, arms shipments to rebels of business that is permitted in icit caused by tumbling oil prices Some 50 million have been expectation. in Yemen and the imprisonment of Iran since the [nuclear deal] took and the costs of fighting an Islamic recalled globally. US investigators have tied businessmen accused of espionage. effect.” State insurgency. TOKYO: Scandal-stricken Takata In the business year to March, accidents in which airbag infla- Iranian officials complain that And US officials said Iran needs It is the first local bonds sale said yesterday it logged an annual net Takata said it reported a net loss of tors ruptured, sending shrapnel the United States has warned bank- to look to its own practices. The to the public since 2003, when loss of $120m, as the company strug- 13.08bn yen ($120.3m) after several into car drivers and passengers, to ers away from deals that could run country routinely scores low on a Saddam Hussein was overthrown. gles with a massive recall crisis over forecast downgrades. the deterioration of the inflators’ afoul of US sanctions that still tar- number of indexes ranking coun- Iraq already issues Treasury bills exploding air bags tied to 13 deaths in The company posted a spe- ammonium nitrate propellant under get the country. tries’ business climates, including to domestic banks and has inter- the United States and Malaysia. cial loss linked to the airbag recall high humidity and fluctuating heat The United States says that those those by the World Bank, the national bonds outstanding. US auto safety regulators last problem, including a penalty lev- conditions. sanctions were imposed because of International Monetary Fund and The two-year bonds are sold week ordered Takata to recall ied in the United States, it said in More than 100 incidents and 10 Iran’s continuing human rights vio- Transparency International. at an 8-percent annual discount between 35 million and 40 million a statement. deaths have been linked to the issue lations and ties to terrorist groups, “The most pressing concern rate, the Central Bank said in a airbags installed in US cars, in a push It had originally expected a net in the United States. and that they do not prohibit non-US about doing business in Iran does statement. “Purchase applica- for the replacement of dangerously profit of 5 billion yen for fiscal 2015, The latest was a 17-year-old Texas companies from moving into Iran. not have to do with sanctions but tions from banks and citizens can explosive inflators. while logging a net loss of 29.56 bil- teenager who died from injuries sus- Secretary of State John F. Kerry with really grave and long-stand- be presented at the central bank The decision came after the lion yen a year earlier. tained on March 31, after her 2002 is expected to meet with members ing concerns about the risks of directly,” it said. National Highway Traffic Safety The company, however, said Honda Civic collided with another of the British Bankers’ Association in doing business there,” said Eliza- The bonds are sold on behalf Administration concluded that the it is forecasting net profit of 13 bil- car, activating a defective Takata London on Thursday to clarify what beth Rosenberg, a fellow with the on the Finance Ministry and come inflators are prone to ruptures, lion yen in the current fiscal year to airbag. is now permissible. On Tuesday, he Center for a New American Security. to maturity on March 14, 2018. Gazprom deal TUI buys Transat unit to become market leader in France propped up QI profits: E.ON AFP deal was expected to be completed by the autumn. AFP “The French market is tradi- tionally not an easy one, but it’s FRANKFURT: German tourism and an important one,” said TUI chief travel giant TUI unveiled yester- executive Fritz Joussen. “We’re con- FRANKFURT: E.ON, Germany’s day plans to become market leader fident that the French activities will biggest power supplier, yester- in France by acquiring the French develop positively and that’s why day booked a rise in profits in the unit of Transat, while it would also we’re investing there,” he said. first three months of this year after sell off a portfolio of specialist tour- Since merging with British arm the group secured better gas prices ist brands. TUI Travel at the end of 2014, TUI from Russian supplier Gazprom. “TUI has agreed to acquire has been reorganising all of its key “Our first-quarter results Transat tourism group’s French markets, hotels and cruise holidays were in line with expectations,” tour operating business ... in order to activities under the same roof to cre- E.ON said in a statement. strengthen its market position,” the ate an integrated tourism group. Net profit rose by 30 percent German group said in a statement. Pointing to a number of recent to $1.5bn and operating profit, “Due to the acquisition, TUI attacks at holiday destinations, Jous- as measured by earnings before France is not only expected to sen admitted that “there is no doubt interest, tax, depreciation and achieve sound profitability but also that the market environment has amortisation (EBITDA), increased to become the market leader in been difficult” in recent months. by eight percent to 3.1 bn euros. France,” ahead of Karavel-Promo- As holidaymakers stay away “The earnings improvement vacances, it said. from destinations such as Tunisia, is attributable to a non-recur- TUI said it would pay $62m for Egypt and more recently Turkey, ring positive effect resulting from Transat France, which owns the TUI has quickly switched its focus the agreement with Gazprom to Look Voyages and Vacances Transat to other destinations such as Spain adjust the terms of long-term brands, employs a workforce of 560 or the Caribbean. gas supply contracts,” the state- and had 375,000 customers last year TUI has also recently sold its ment said. “Without this effect, travelling to key destinations of Hotelbeds unit, which describes itself E.ON’s earnings would have been Spain, Greece, Cuba and the Domin- as the number one bedbank world- A file photo shows shareholders arriving to attend the annual general meeting of the world’s biggest slightly below the figure from the ican Republic. wide, to two investment funds for first quarter of the prior year.” Pending regulatory approval, the 1.2 bn euros. tourism group TUI in Hanover, central Germany, in February this year. 26 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 BUSINESS

QE INDICES SUMMARY QATAR STOCK EXCHANGE QE Index 9,888.39 0.05 % QE Total Return Index 15,998.75 0.05 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 3,904.64 0.44 % QE All Share Index 2,766.38 0.10 % QE All Share Banks & Financial Services 2,671.5 0.11 % QE All Share Industrials 3,075.98 0.53 % QE All Share Transportation 2,499.52 0.56 % QE All Share Real Estate 2,457.27 0.43 % QE All Share Insurance 4,076.17 1.74 % QE All Share Telecoms 1,119.32 0.60 % QE All Share Consumer Goods & Services 6,660.87 1.94 %

QE MARKET SUMMARY COMPARISON 11-05-2016 Today 10-05-2016 Previous day Index 9,888.39 9,883.59 Change 4.80 28.27 % 0.05 0.29 YTD% 5.19 5.23 Volume 8,822,333 8,833,942 Value (QAR) 300,059,101.49 339,887,273.69 Trades 5,315 6,447 Up 23 | Down 15 | Unchanged 03

WORLD STOCK INDICES Index Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low All Ordinaries 5434.79 30.907 0.57 5418.3 4762.1 Cac 40 Index/D 4300.71 -37.5 -0.86 4607.69 3892.46 Dj Indu Average 17928.35 222.44 1.26 18351.4 15370.3 Hang Seng Inde/D 20055.29 -187.39 -0.93 21794.84 18278.8 Iseq Overall/D 6148.72 -18.14 -0.29 6791.68 5611.89 Karachi 100 In/D 36266.23 1.11 0 36339.42 29785 Nikkei 225 Index 16579.01 13.82 0.08 18951.12 14865.77 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 2134.72 1810.1

EXCHANGE RATE Currency Buying Selling US$ QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 UK QR 5.2276 QR 5.3017 INTERNATIONAL MARKETS - A LIST OF SHARES FROM THE WORLD Euro QR 4.1257 QR 4.1842 COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME CA$ QR 2.7998 QR 2.8549 NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED Swiss Fr QR 3.7155 QR 3.7684 Yen QR 0.0332 QR 0.0338 A C C-A/D 1468.75 8.75 56369 Escorts Fin-B/D 4.01 -0.13 4221 Kalpat Power-B/D 214 0.45 2071 Timexgroup-T/D 35.3 1.2 58831 Aus$ QR 2.6573 QR 2.7096 Aarti Drugs-B/D 458.3 0.55 1323 Escorts-A/D 178.55 5.6 376865 Kalyani Stel-T/D 159 0.1 22061 Tinplate-B/D 66.15 0.4 27862 Ind Re QR 0.0542 QR 0.0552 Aban Offs-A/D 204.95 -2.7 259263 Eveready Indu-/D 240.8 -2.55 19794 Kanoria Chem-B/D 62.1 -0.95 4470 Ucal Fuel-B/D 107.5 3.9 13321 Pak Re QR 0.0345 QR 0.0352 Ador Welding-B/D 290 -15.1 2224 F D C-B/D 178.8 -2.2 4157 Kg Denim-B/D 87.1 0.2 9733 Ucal Fuel-B/D 107.5 3.9 13321 Aegis Logis-B/D 114.75 -2.25 54193 Federal Bank-A/D 48.5 -0.5 329099 Kilburnengg-Xd/D 56 0 5200 Ultramarine-B/D 123.8 0.4 6277 Peso QR 0.0776 QR 0.0791 Alembic-B/D 36.65 -0.4 27470 Ferro Alloys-B/D 4.6 0.05 8071 Kinetic Eng-B/D 79.6 -4.45 4258 Unitech P -A/D 4.12 -0.34 12174933 SL Re QR 0.0246 QR 0.0253 Alok Indus-A/D 4.06 0.16 1869803 Finolex-A/D 376.65 4.8 7148 Kopran-B/D 53.4 -0.55 54199 Uppergsugar-T/D 185.7 3.4 103938 Taka QR 0.0460 QR 0.0470 Apollo Tyre-A/D 153.4 1.05 288013 Gail-A/D 387.7 -2.9 56228 Lgb Broth-B/D 465 -3.9 2772 Nep Re QR 0.0339 QR 0.0346 Asahi I Glass-/D 156.8 1.7 6451 Gammon India-T/D 11.39 -0.35 30257 Lloyd Metal-B/D 26.5 0.35 9415 LONDON SA Rand QR 0.2378 QR 0.2426 Ashok Leyland-/D 103.95 -1 934607 Garden P -B/D 27.4 0 90357 Lok.Hous&Con-B/D 5.11 -0.26 43108 Ballarpur In-B/D 16.4 -0.2 318086 Godfrey Phil-B/D 842.15 -8.35 20133 Lumax Ind-B/D 486.7 28.9 7328 Bata India-A/D 572 -5.95 29646 Goodricke-B/D 178 0.2 14011 Lupin-A/D 1593.3 -21.4 32142 3I Group/D 473.2 1.6 549183 GOLD AND SILVER Bayer Crop-A/D 3978.6 96.85 2428 Goodyear I -B/D 499.75 -2.75 2284 Lyka Labs-T/D 75 -1.6 9284 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3112 -1 215334 GOLD QR149.8589 per gramme Beml Ltd-A/D 911.8 -4.1 27584 Hcl Infosys-B/D 40 -0.35 536540 Mafatlal Ind-B/D 349.9 -1.4 4434 Barclays/D 162 -1.3 12249818 Bh Electronic-/D 1157.15 -12 12330 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 17 -1.6 3377246 Mah.Seamless-B/D 197.8 -3.6 285256 Bp/D 357.15 -0.4 8506211 SILVER QR2.0571 per gramme Bhansali Eng-T/D 19.95 0.75 110084 Himat Seide-B/D 227.05 -6.75 38671 Mangalam Cem-B/D 265.1 -0.7 9270 Brit Am Tobacc/D 4250 8.5 548203 Bharat Bijle-B/D 1057.25 2.75 5189 Hind Motors-T/D 5.16 0 7440 Maral Overs-B/D 27.8 -1.05 2075 Bt Group/D 437.35 -3.9 5037491 Bharatgears-B/D 81.9 0.8 1455 Hind Org Chem-/D 16.4 0.15 4372 Mastek-B/D 145.3 -1 24386 Centrica/D 213.1439 0 6228454 Bhartiya Int-B/D 545 9 5132 Hind Unilever-/D 862.7 0.25 55928 Max Financial-/D 361 0.8 2398 Gkn/D 279 0.2 1314704 Bhel-A/D 126.25 -2.4 552552 Hind.Petrol-A/D 835.45 4.95 76050 Mrpl-A/D 72.05 3.2 732450 Hsbc Holdings/D 428.5 -4.5 5509335 Major Gulf markets Bom.Burmah-B/D 396.65 1.35 4840 Hindalco-A/D 91.6 1.75 1699846 Nahar Spg.-B/D 107.2 0.5 10611 Kingfisher/D 361.5 -2 1543822 Bombay Dyeing-/D 47.5 -0.65 93894 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1203.65 -14.85 52069 Nation Alum -A/D 42.4 -0.65 85749 Land Secs Grou/D 1155 -24 650739 Canfin Homes-B/D 1163 -16.15 3694 I F C I-A/D 24.5 -0.35 458476 Navneet Edu-B/D 89.25 0.7 19132 Legal & Genera/D215.8531 -2.4 3303260 edge up; weak Caprihans-Xc/D 91.9 0.5 2709 Idbi-A/D 67.7 -1.5 384114 Nepc India-T/D 1.38 -0.05 7985 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 65.07 -0.35 29734629 Castrol India-/D 423.55 -1.25 62446 India Cement-A/D 89.3 -0.95 197855 Neuland Lab-B/D 690.75 5 1946 Marks & Sp./D 418.7 0.2 720520 earnings hit Egypt Century Enka-B/D 206.2 -0.2 25928 India Glycol-B/D 87.95 -1.45 10579 Nrb Bearings-B/D 115 -4.5 2483 Next/D 5344.4 20 195249 Century Text-A/D 618.3 1.8 102864 Indian Card-B/D 227.6 13.7 6603 O N G C-A/D 205.65 -2.45 450454 Pearson/D 805 -3.5 621274 Chambal Fert-B/D 63.65 1.1 398813 Indian Hotel-A/D 105.45 0.3 13897 Oil Country-B/D 32.45 5.4 167922 Prudential/D 1298 -12 837061 Chola Invest-A/D 900 -1.85 2800 Indo-Tcount-T/D 956.7 -9.15 13578 Orchid Pharm-B/D 40 -0.65 77418 Rank Group/D 238.7 -0.3 266699 Reuters Chowgule St-T/D 17.5 0.5 1182 Indusind-A/D 1051 -3.35 37189 Orient Hotel-T/D 21.7 -0.8 29550 Rentokil Initi/D 178.5 0.9 341787 Cipla-A/D 535.85 -1.05 48938 J.B.Chemical-B/D 247.5 -2.2 9039 Orient.Carb.-T/D 481.8 15 2205 Rolls Royce Pl/D 655.5 7 1504077 City Union Bk-/D 96.05 -0.35 6236 Jagson Phar-B/D 34.2 0.15 3551 Orient.Carb.-T/D 481.8 15 2205 Rsa Insrance G/D 479.6 -0.2 514632 DUBAI: Most major Gulf stock markets edged up yes- Colgate-A/D 837 -8.55 9398 Jamnaauto-B/D 142.7 0.3 19489 Oudh Sugar-B/D 93.05 2.55 128760 Sainsbury(J)/D 263.2 -1.4 1622666 terday, buoyed by an overnight rise in oil prices and US Container Cor-/D 1299.5 -3.3 6440 Jbf Indu-B/D 215 -2.5 13914 Patspin India-/D 8.24 -0.4 3523 Schroders/D 2477 13 125066 bourses, while Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 409 9.4 1738 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.3 -0.01 31278 Radico Khait-B/D 91.75 -0.25 94479 Severn Trent/D 2234 -15 91355 Egypt’s mar- Dcm Shram Ind-/D 144.2 3.9 10262 Jct Ltd-B/D 3.65 -0.04 486010 Rallis India-A/D 203.3 6 67659 Smith&Nephew/D 1158 3 631192 ket was hit by Dhampur Sugar-/D 92.5 0.5 405224 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 7.81 0.01 2779 Rallis India-A/D 203.3 6 67659 Smiths Group/D 1093 0 243471 weak corpo- Qatar edged up Dr. Reddy-A/D 2869.2 -59.15 41386 Jik Indust-B/D 0.8 0.03 615114 Reliance Indus/D 419.5 -2.2 79859 Standrd Chart /D 488.8 -7.15 2120945 rate earnings. 0.1 percent as E I H-B/D 104.9 2.15 4012 Jindal Drill-B/D 149.5 -3.8 4674 Ruchi Soya-B/D 23.9 0.95 117676 Tate & Lyle/D 611.5 1 79964 Saudi Ara- E.I.D Parry-A/D 234.4 -0.2 349926 Jktyre&Ind-A/D 82.9 -0.85 153311 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 490 2.6 2966 Tesco/D 159.9 0 8601171 bia’s index Dlala Brokerage Eicher Motor-A/D 19981.45 -274.45 1987 Jmc Projects-T/D 262.5 29.3 43665 Saur.Cem-B/D 61 1.1 53596 United Util Gr/D 947.5 -7.5 305343 closed 0.1 per- continued its Eimco Elecon-T/D 349.5 4.5 7415 Kajaria Cer-A/D 1068.8 19.4 5870 Thirumalai-B/D 246.9 -2.5 27213 Vodafone Group/D 221.7 -0.25 12931156 cent higher Electrosteel-B/D 18.85 0 79267 Kakatiya Cem-B/D 419.6 -1.7 71337 Til Ltd.-T/D 290.1 -7.8 2694 Whitbread/D 3928 -4 160629 after rising as uptrend of the past much as 0.5 month, rising 4.6 percent at one stage. Much percent. activity focused on second- European shares end lower; Asian shares lose after early rally or third-tier stocks favoured by local speculators. Saudi Printing and Packaging rose 1.3 percent in the heaviest trade since it listed in July 2007. Among the worst performers falling revenues. But the FTSEu- share in the recently listed post to 108.67 yen from 109.27 yen late Publisher Saudi Research and Marketing surged 4.4 was outdoor advertising group rofirst 300 index is down nearly office. A trader at an Italian bank in New York, but analysts said the percent to 47.10 riyals, breaking out of the 36-45 riyal Weak earnings JC Decaux. The stock slumped 10 10 percent so far in 2016. said current market conditions losses were to be expected after range it had traded in since mid-February. reports pushed the percent after a weak second-quar- “I’m still in the bearish camp, mean the sale might happen in rallying over the past week and Dubai’s stock index rose 0.5 percent as Islamic mort- ter outlook led several investment and I think that any rallies on September. Asian markets tapered the dollar could hit 110 yen soon. gage provider Amlak added 3.5 percent. It reported market lower after banks to cut their ratings and price the market are for selling. Some yesterday after an early rally as The greenback hit a recent trough first-quarter profit jumped to 123 million dirhams two days of gains. targets on the shares. Austria’s company results have beaten nerves returned to trading floors, of 105.50 yen last on Tuesday. ($33.5m) from 6 million dirhams and managing direc- Raiffeisen Bank also dropped by expectations, but you have to with a pick-up in the yen skimming In other markets Shanghai tor Arif Alharmi predicted modest growth for the rest 10 percent on concerns over its remember by just how much some Japan’s Nikkei. The day started on ended 0.2 percent higher and Syd- of the year. plans to merge with its unlisted of these expectations had already a positive note as gains on Wall ney rose 0.6 percent but Seoul slid Gulf Navigation fell 2.8 percent after posting a 28 Reuters parent company Raiffeisen been lowered,” said Terry Torrison, Street and in Europe -- fuelled 0.1 percent. Manila soared more percent jump in profit to 6.3 million dirhams, which had Zentralbank. managing director at Monaco- by upbeat Chinese inflation data than three percent as the contro- been expected. Abu Dhabi’s index slipped 0.9 percent. However, shares in Norwegian based McLaren Securities. and progress on Greece’s debt relief versial Rodrigo Duterte tried to Abu Dhabi National Energy Co dropped 1.8 percent publishing company Schibsted Shares in Banco Popolare fell -- provided a healthy buying cata- soothe investor worries after his after reporting a first-quarter net loss of 608 million LONDON/MILAN: European surged 12.2 percent after the com- 9 percent to a record low. The Ital- lyst after last week’s sell-offs. The landslide victory in presidential dirhams ($165.5m) versus a year-earlier profit of 256 shares slipped yesterday as some pany reported first-quarter core ian bank reported an unexpected gains initially extended into Asia, elections on Monday. million dirhams. weak earnings reports pushed earnings above expectations. first-quarter loss on Tuesday night with Tokyo’s Nikkei surging with Hong Kong was one percent Qatar edged up 0.1 percent as Dlala Brokerage con- the market lower after two days Thomson Reuters StarMine because of loan writedowns, the exporters thanks to the weakening down as mainland shares listed tinued its uptrend of the past month, rising 4.6 percent. of gains. data show 60 percent of compa- main concern over Italian banks. yen but the rally petered towards in the city were hit by fears China Egypt’s index dropped 1.6 percent. Palm Hills The pan-European FTSEu- nies on the STOXX 600 index have Poste Italiane fell 2 percent the end of the day as the Japanese may not introduce any fresh stim- Development fell a further 2.4 percent, having tum- rofirst 300 index and the met or beaten forecasts with their after Italian Economy Minister Pier unit recovered. ulus for some time after a warning bled 3.5 percent on Tuesday after reporting a 40 percent European STOXX 600 index quarterly earnings so far, in many Carlo Padoan said the government By the close of trade Tokyo was over debt levels by the government drop in first-quarter net profit. ended both down by 0.45 percent. cases by cutting costs to offset may sell some of its 65 percent up 0.1 percent. The dollar slipped mouthpiece People’s Daily. BUSINESS VIEWS THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 27

With world watching, Big Oil abandons $2.5bn in China steel mills take their chances US Arctic drilling rights

By John Ruwitch In Shanxi alone, at least 23 mills Reuters closed or slashed production in the past year or so, figures from online information portal steelcn. cn show. Several are now return- hen falling com- ing to production. modity prices and Even with all the closures, listless demand Shanxi produced 38.5 million forced China’s Shanxi tonnes of steel last year, more than WZhongsheng Steel Co Ltd to close three times Britain’s output — and in October, it was sitting on it was China’s fifth-biggest steel roughly enough unsold steel to lay producing region. China’s total high-speed train tracks from San production of 804 million tonnes Francisco to the Mexican border. dwarfed that of any other country. A sudden turnaround in Chi- Indeed, Macquarie Research nese steel prices off the back of said in an April report that senti- government economic stimulus ment among Chinese steel mills efforts changed everything. Bely- is more bullish than it’s been in ing a global steel slump, the firm years - a view reflected by Chen. came back to life, sold its 100,000 “The market might fluctuate, tonnes of inventory and now but overall I’m optimistic,” Chen churns out about 4,000 tonnes of said. “Cutting capacity is mainly, product each day, including rebar for instance, for companies with and wire rod. backward production, whether Chinese mills like Shanxi state-run or private. We’re not Zhongsheng — dubbed “zombies” part of that.” On a recent after- because they had idled produc- noon at Shanxi Zhongsheng, tion when prices slumped in privately owned by Henan Yaxin recent years — are coming alive Steel Industry Co Ltd, local bank- just when other countries are ers were touring the factory to seeking restraint in the Chinese discuss financing. Chen declined output many blame for a global to give details. A three-hour drive By Jennifer A Dlouhy rights in the Chukchi Sea — nearly 80 per- in the data the company gathered during glut of the metal. north of the Shanxi Zhongsheng Bloomberg cent of the leases they bought from the US its 2015 exploratory drilling. Companies China supplies half the world’s plant, near the city of Luliang, the government in a 2008 auction. Oil compa- generally have to give the US government steel and despite global oversup- sprawling Wenshui Haiwei Steel nies spent more than $2.6bn snapping up the geological information they glean from ply, produced a record amount factory is silent, save for two 2.8 million acres in the Chukchi Sea dur- oil and gas development in federal waters, of the metal in March. Although men in a yard using a blowtorch fter plunking down more than ing that sale, on top of previous purchases but they can get an extra two to 10 years China has clearly stated its inten- to slowly cut apart a giant metal $2.5bn for drilling rights in US in the Beaufort Sea. to turn over that data as long as they still tion to cut production capacity, funnel. There aren’t even guards Arctic waters, Royal Dutch Shell Shell relinquished 274 Chukchi leases hold the territory. the equation in steel towns of at the gates. Plc, ConocoPhillips and other and others in the neighboring Beaufort Sea. The relinquishments mean “we are an Shanxi and elsewhere is not so Haiwei opened in 1985 and at companies have quietly relin- In doing so, the company forfeits what it paid important step closer to a sustainable future straight forward, showing how its peak provided 8,000 jobs. It Aquished claims they once hoped would net the U.S government for the rights to drill in for the Arctic Ocean,” said Michael LeVine, difficult it can be for Beijing to was forced to shut down for the the next big oil discovery. those tracts — and the millions of dollars it Pacific senior counsel for Oceana, which tame an industry that has played first time about six months ago The pullout comes as crude oil prices have spent on annual rent since then. opposed government decisions to authorize an integral part in the country’s after its margins collapsed. Now plummeted to less than half their June 2014 “These actions are consistent with our oil development in the area and wants sci- economic rise. though, the Luliang government levels, forcing oil companies to cut spending. earlier decision not to explore offshore ence to guide industrial development there. Many mills like Shanxi Zhong- wants the major tax payer and For Shell and ConocoPhillips, the decision to Alaska for the foreseeable future,” Shell “Hopefully, today marks the end of the risk, sheng re-open as soon as the price employer to open again. The abandon Arctic acreage was formalized just spokesman Curtis Smith said. The decision litigation and expense caused by the push is right, under pressure from local mayor and vice mayor visited before a May 1 due date to pay the US gov- also reflects the high costs of operating off to drill in the Arctic Ocean.” authorities conscious that these in March, urging mill managers ernment millions of dollars in rent to keep Alaska’s northern coast and evolving regu- Now, only 535,586 acres remain firms are often the main employer to bring the plant back online as holdings in the Chukchi Sea north of Alaska. latory standards, Smith said. locked up in the Chukchi Sea. Besides and tax payer in the community. quickly as possible, state media The US Arctic is estimated to hold 27bn Other energy companies have followed Shell’s one lease there, the tracts are in Many other mills cling to life even reported. The company says it’s barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of Shell out of the Arctic, according to Interior the hands of just one oil producer: Spain’s in a downturn thanks to the sup- been making preparations for natural gas, but energy companies have Department records obtained by the con- Repsol SA. Spokesmen for the company port of local governments terrified more than a month. struggled to tap resources buried below icy servation group Oceana under a Freedom did not return requests for comment. at the prospect of mass layoffs and Han Hui, who works in the waters at the top of the globe. of Information Act request and reviewed by The news was a blow to political lead- being landed with steel firms’ debts. company’s management office in Shell last year ended Bloomberg News. ers in Alaska, which derives much of its Restarting steel mills can also Wenshui, told Reuters that senior a nearly $8bn, mishap- ConocoPhillips formally relinquished revenue from oil development. The state’s have other knock-on effects for managers were in Luliang meet- marred quest for Arctic its 61 Chukchi Sea leases on April 26, and governor, Bill Walker, an independent, said local business, adding to demand ing officials to discuss issues like crude after disappoint- spokeswoman Christina Kuhl said the com- in a statement that it is “absolutely critical for coke and in turn demand for financing and electricity prices, ing results from a test pany will end Interior Board of Land Appeals that we find safe and responsible oppor- coal. “Everyone’s kids will grow essential to re-starting. Haiwei is well in the Chukchi Sea. proceedings that aimed to extend their life. tunities to drill for more oil both onshore up, and in China we like to say looking for partners, too, he said. Shell decided the risk is Statoil dumped 16 Chukchi Sea leases and its and offshore in Alaska.” they’re going to all need to buy “Steel prices aren’t stable. We not worth it for now, and working interest stakes in 50 others in the US It could be years — if ever — before a home and a car,” said Chen could re-start now if conditions other companies have Arctic last November, conceding the portfo- oil companies get another chance to buy Xuewu, who oversess production were right,” said Han, reflecting likely come to the same lio was “no longer considered competitive.” drilling rights in the region. The US could at Shanxi Zhongsheng. “That’s a a view among some mill oper- The US Arctic is conclusion, said Peter Iona Energy Inc, a Canadian oil and gas turn around and resell the forfeited leases guarantee of their basic needs, ators that the outlook remains estimated to hold Kiernan, the lead energy company that began insolvency proceed- if any companies actually wanted to buy and it’s also a guarantee that there uncertain given China’s broader analyst at The Economist ings last November, ceded its one lease in them, but the Interior Department can- will be steel demand.” economic slowdown. 27bn barrels of oil Intelligence Unit. “Arc- the Chukchi Sea on March 31. Italy’s Eni celed upcoming lease sales amid low The revival of many idled The Luliang government and 132 trillion cubic tic exploration has been SpA also gave up four leases in the Chukchi industry interest last year. China steel mills is depressing office that oversees industrial put back several years, Sea on April 28. Shell indefinitely halted oil The Interior Department is considering news for rivals from Britain to the policy declined to comment. The feet of natural gas, given the low oil price exploration in the US Arctic, but is seeking selling leases in the Beaufort Sea in 2020 United States, which are trying to Shanxi provincial government but energy companies environment, the sig- an extension of leases that begin to expire and the Chukchi Sea two years later, but cope with a surplus of global steel. this week announced a ban on all nificant cost involved in 2017. That legal battle, playing out in the those auctions are far from certain, and They already blame cheap and new projects that would increase have struggled to in exploration and the Interior Board of Land Appeals, will continue. environmentalists are pushing the Obama plentiful Chinese exports for kill- steel capacity as part of plans to tap resources buried environmental risks that Shell is holding on to one parcel in the administration to rule them out entirely. ing home-grown steel producers improve the environment. Reviv- it entails,” he said. Chukchi Sea: the tract it drilled last year. Oceana’s LeVine said oil companies’ deci- and have threatened trade action. ing zombies with existing capacity, below icy waters at All told, companies Smith said Shell is maintaining that lone sion to forfeit Arctic drilling rights shows India’s Tata Steel said in however, did not seem to be a the top of the globe. have relinquished 2.2 lease — at a potential cost of $132,456 over “there is no compelling reason to schedule March it was pulling out of Britain. problem. million acres of drilling the next four years — because there is value new lease sales.” Rajan’s bank headache seen lingering as ICICI sparks debt angst

By Anto Antony Concern has mounted over what state cement, and revealed a “monitoring and Alpana Killawala said in an e-mail. Bloomberg banks, who provide most of the nation’s credit action plan” that will focus on reducing these “We considered March 31 as a line in the and have higher levels of bad debt, will dis- exposures, according to an exchange filing. sand, after which banks profitability and close with their earnings reports this month. “It may take some time for solutions to asset quality will improve,” said Nitin Kumar, ICICI and Axis Bank’s disclosures dragged a be worked out given the weak operating a Mumbai-based analyst at Prabhudas Lillad- nvestors who anticipated that India central gauge of state-run Indian banks down by 8 and recovery environment,” Chief Execu- her. “Now with ICICI and Axis coming up with bank Governor Raghuram Rajan would percent to a seven-week low on May 4, though tive Officer Chanda Kochhar said. a watch list of assets that could sour, I think Ibring order to a bad debt-plagued bank- the index has since recovered half of that loss. Three days earlier, Axis Bank reported its that line is pushed to the end of September.” ing system by now are being forced to ratchet Shares of ICICI, the country’s second- first quarterly drop in profit since 2007 and Fitch Ratings, which in a Nov. 3 note pre- back those expectations. largest lender by assets, slid as much as 11 posted a presentation on its website show- dicted stressed-assets ratios to peak by the Results from ICICI Bank Ltd and Axis percent after its earnings report on April 29, ing that it had put 226 billion rupees of loans end of the first quarter, now sees a possible Bank Ltd two weeks ago and comments from during which it disclosed about 42 billion on a watch list. “inflection point” in the ratio in March of next their top managers fueled concerns that dud rupees ($630 million) of extra debt that had The lender also indicated more pain to year, said Saswata Guha, the agency’s Mum- loans will continue to pile up, even after pres- soured in the March quarter as a result of the come when it said about 60 percent of that bai-based director for financial institutions. sure from a Reserve Bank of India audit had RBI’s scrutiny. total could sour in the next two years. Investors are now awaiting earnings from made them accelerate recognition of non- Rajan, who has continually warned about “The stress levels remain elevated and the nation’s biggest government-controlled Concern has mounted performing debt. hidden bad debt on Indian banks’ books, the operating environment is challenging,” lenders including Bank of Baroda, which is over what state banks, Some analysts who predicted soured started the national audit on Oct. 1, in a bid Jairam Sridharan, the bank’s chief financial due to report May 13, and State Bank of India. loans would peak in the March quarter are to improve disclosures of soured credit and officer, said on an April 26 call with analysts. In the past week, smaller peers Andhra Bank who provide most of the now saying it may take as much as another force banks to set aside more cash to cover The latest data published by the RBI and Punjab & Sind Bank both reported surges nation’s credit and have year before the cycle turns. write-offs. showed that India’s banks had $131 billion in their nonperforming loan ratios for the “Our expectations that the March quarter While investors had anticipated a sharp of impaired assets, or about 14 percent of their March quarter. India’s 11 government banks higher levels of bad debt, will be the inflection point for asset qual- rise in ICICI’s sour debt, they were spooked by total lending, as of Sept. 30. account for more than 70 percent of loans in will disclose with their ity have been proved wrong,” said Hatim its executives’ inability to provide clear guid- The central bank, which also regulates the the banking system. earnings reports this Broachwala, an analyst at Nirmal Bang Insti- ance on the outlook for bad loans. banking industry, hasn’t provided any figures Asset quality and capital requirements tutional Equities in Mumbai. “Stress in the The bank set aside an extra 36 billion on soured debt in the system since its audit are “key challenges” for lenders, Fitch’s Guha month. banking system is turning out to be higher rupees of provisions to cover future defaults was completed at the end of March. The RBI said. “It will take about two years before the than expected earlier.” in five sectors including power, mining, and has no comment on the review, spokeswoman banking system comes back to normalcy.” 28 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 BUSINESS

BACK TO BUSINESS sight Investing in old age pays off Oil rally loses for Tokyo stock picker momentum By John Kemp in the United States, reports Reuters indicative margins for its refin- By Tom Redmond and Nao Sano eries along the Gulf Coast have Bloomberg dropped from $20 to less than $17. HE rally that carried oil After firming progres- prices up by more than sively since February, indicative t’s an early weekday morning in $20 per barrel between margins for refineries in the mid- Tokyo and the Japanese pub is the middle of Janu- continent area slipped last week already filled with a boisterous Tary and the end of April seems from almost $13 to less than $11. clientele, mostly pensioners. to have run out of steam for the In the last couple of weeks, US Sitting among them is Kengo time being. Spot crude prices, refinery throughput has slipped IKuzuhara (pictured), taking notes. time spreads and refining margins below the record rates reported at The 41-year-old wants to know have all showed signs of weaken- the same time a year ago. Hedge how his elders spend their cash, as ing since the start of this month. funds seem to sense the rally he runs a stock fund that invests Crude prices are struggling to rise may be running out of momen- in things they buy. The strategy is further despite signs of continued tum, and have closed some bullish paying off as Japan’s baby-boomer bets on health-care shares with a kind growth in consumption. long positions, taking profits. generation reaches retirement age: of cautious growth investing. It picks Prices for both WTI and Hedge funds and other money Sumitomo Mitsui Asset Management companies likely to benefit from spend- of chicken and Japanese noodle res- splash out on younger family mem- Brent futures with delivery dates managers reduced their record Co.’s Active Senior Life Open Fund is ing by the nation’s healthy elderly, taurants whose stock rose 47 percent bers, Kuzuhara says. People in their in July peaked at the end of April net long position in WTI and Brent gaining even as the market falls, and firms with stable long-term earnings, from a September low. The noodles 50s, 60s and 70s spend about 3.8 tril- and have been gradually falling. futures and options from 663 mil- has beaten more than 90 percent of rather than flashy Internet stocks. are cheap, so three generations of lion yen annually on grandchildren, Prices for both futures con- lion barrels on April 26 to 620 peers over the past five years. Seniors appreciate this strategy and a family can eat there for less than according to estimates by Mitsubishi tracts yesterday closed below million barrels on May 3. Japan has about 34 million pen- are big investors in the fund, he says. 1,000 yen, and udon noodles are the Research Institute Inc. their 14-day and 20-day moving Long positions were cut by sioners — more than the combined Kuzuhara has also been lucky. His 77 perfect baby food, Kuzuhara says. That’s more than the entire out- averages for the first time since almost 38 million barrels while populations of Australia, New Zea- holdings have a domestic focus, mean- He notes that while Japan’s elderly lay by the record 19.7 million visitors early April. Timespreads, which short positions were increased land and Ireland — and people in their ing they escaped much of the impact of are willing to spend big on certain to Japan last year. Kuzuhara says tend to track the supply-demand by more than 5 million barrels. 60s or older control about two-thirds the slump in oil and strengthening yen. things, they’re reluctant to waste companies such as Studio Alice Co., balance, have eased since the end Profit taking was especially of household wealth. Kuzuhara is bet- In seeking to profit from Japan’s money on routine ways to pass time. which runs photography studios for of April after tightening progres- pronounced in Brent, where ting they’ll spend it on everything from growing ranks of pensioners, Kuzu- “Seniors go out a lot and eat out children, capture this trend. The stock sively since the start of the year. hedge funds and other money healthy chocolates to developers that hara is taking a different slant on when they do,” Kuzuhara said. “In has climbed 32 percent this year. Short-term interruptions managers cut their long posi- can minimise inheritance tax. what’s viewed as one of the nation’s the restaurant industry, lunchtime The fund’s other investments to crude output, ranging from tions by 28 million barrels, or “It’s starting to show in the results biggest challenges. People aged 65 and holidays were a cash cow, and include a gym popular with older the wildfires in Alberta to prob- around 6 percent. of companies we invest in,” Kuzu- or older make up slightly more than weekdays were dead. Now seniors customers and a provider of support lems with Libya’s exports, have Across the three major WTI hara said in an interview in Tokyo. a quarter of the country’s popula- are showing up and filling this gap, for computers and smartphones, he failed to provide a sustained and Brent contracts, hedge funds “And the rate of old people in Japan tion—already the highest level in the so many companies are seeing their says. Kuzuhara worked as a small- boost to either spot prices or cut their net long position by 43 is only going to grow.” Kuzuhara’s world. That’s projected to increase to results improve.” cap analyst at Citigroup Inc and timespreads.Refining mar- million barrels, the largest one- 11.5bn yen ($106m) fund has returned 40 percent in coming decades, curb- Fuji Oil Holdings Inc, the third- Ichiyoshi Securities Co before join- gins have also started to soften week decline since November 12 percent over the past year, against ing growth prospects and adding to largest holding, is an unusual bet on ing Sumitomo Mitsui Asset in 2008. which could be a bad sign for oil 2015. The concentration of a 16 percent drop for the Topix pressure on the pension system. chocolate. It became the most popular The fund was established in 2000 and demand if they encourage refin- hedge fund positions on the long index, according to data compiled Kuzuhara’s largest investment, sweet in the country in 2014, surpass- he’s been running it since 2013. He ers to cut crude processing. side of the market has increased by Bloomberg. It’s posted an average Daito Trust Construction Co., targets ing more traditional confectionery, says his timing was good. In the United States, the the risk of a price reversal as a annual return of 24 percent over the the elderly’s aversion to inheritance and that’s down to a boom in nutri- “Many of the baby boomers are generic 3-2-1 crack spread , which result of long liquidation. The past five years, beating 92 percent of taxes, which were raised last year. tious high-cocoa chocolates among now reaching retirement,” he said. measures the gross revenue from oil market is heading into the peers, the data show. That’s helped it The top rate is now 55 percent. Daito health-conscious pensioners, accord- “These active seniors have time on turning three barrels of crude into strongest period of demand in win best Japanese equity fund in both Trust, which builds rental proper- ing to Kuzuhara. their hands and are able to spend two barrels of gasoline and one the year as the US driving sea- the Lipper Fund Awards Japan and ties used to mitigate the levy, has Fuji Oil, which makes cocoa-but- money on leisure and buying things. barrel of diesel, has fallen from son begins at the end of the the R&I Fund Awards this year after seen record profits in each of the ter equivalents, was cheaper than That’s a fairly recent development. We $19 to around $15.50. Valero, month which should provide taking top spot in a ranking by Morn- past five years, and its shares are buying shares in a sweet company, may have started focusing on this too the largest independent refiner some support to prices. ingstar Inc. in 2015. up 18 percent in 2016. The second- he said. The stock’s up 4.9 percent early, but it’s really showing in related Kuzuhara’s fund mixes defensive biggest is Toridoll.corp, an operator this year. Japan’s elderly will always companies’ results just lately.”

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THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 • 5 SHA’BAAN 1437 thepeninsulaqatar @peninsulaqatar @peninsula_qatar FIFA unveil 2026 World Cup bidding process

The decisions were among the January 2019 to February 2020 with Infantino’s plans for a first passed by the new-look FIFA a final decision three months later. Council, which was holding its maiden FIFA was forced to reform its 40-team tournament meeting since it replaced the old exec- bidding process after the vote in to be decided by utive committee under reforms passed December 2010 awarded the 2018 in February. The Council, which has and 2022 tournaments to Russia and October and a final a strategic role, ruled that bidding Qatar respectively. Under revised stat- decision on the 2026 nations would have to meet require- utes, the hosts will be chosen by the ments on human rights, sustainable 209 members of FIFA at its annual hosts to be made event management and environ- Congress. The Council, however, will in May 2020 mental protection. Bidders who did still draw up a shortlist of three can- not meet “technical requirements” didates. Previously, hosting rights would be excluded, it said. were decided by the old executive Infantino was elected as FIFA committee. president in February when one of his FIFA said that Gibraltar and Kos- Reuters main promises was to increase the ovo’s applications for membership number of teams in the finals from would be submitted to the Con- 32 to 40, a proposal which is strongly gress on Friday and that both would opposed by Europe’s biggest clubs. be allowed to take part in the 2018 MEXICO CITY: FIFA unveiled the FIFA said that decisions were World Cup qualifying competition timetable of its delayed bidding expected by October on the number if accepted. Benin was suspended process for the 2026 World Cup on of teams, the format for the tourna- with immediate effect due to legal Tuesday, with president Gianni Infan- ment, the “eligibility of (continental) interference in the country’s football tino’s plans for a 40-team tournament confederations to bid” and whether federation. to be decided upon by October and a to allow joint bids. A decision not to suspend Greece final decision on the hosts to be made Joint bids were banned in 2011 was ratified by the Council. FIFA Coun- in May 2020. but Infantino has said he wants to cil member Fernando Sarney praised Soccer’s world governing body encourage them, possibly spreading Infantino’s leadership on Tuesday. said it would consider giving the the tournament around several coun- “Things are getting calmer in green light to joint bids and review tries in a region. FIFA,” the Brazilian representative a rule which currently allows a con- FIFA said that a “consultation told reporters. tinent to stage the tournament every FIFA President, Gianni Infantino (centre), participating in a meeting of the FIFA Council ahead of the 66th process”, outlining new standards for “Gianni is talking about football, eight years. FIFA Congress in Mexico City, Mexico, on Tuesday. bidders, would run until May 2017, fol- he is travelling around, talking to peo- A FIFA source said they had con- lowed by a preparation phase running ple and trying to put football back into sidered increasing this wait period to until December 2018 when countries our conversations because before we 12 years or more and that there had a continent to host successive World Russia hosting the 2018 World Cup, least 2030 before staging the tour- would have to submit their bids. talked about everything apart from been no discussions about allowing Cups. This could mean that with Europe would have to wait until at nament again. The bids would be evaluated from football.” Rio-bound Al Khulaifi set to be youngest ever Qatari Olympian

The Peninsula balance his school commitments with his training; with as little as two hours of free time a day, he must ded- icate time for his studies before and DOHA: In less than three months, after training as well as during school 17-year-old Qatari swimmer Noah Al hours. West Ham fans congregate outside West Ham’s Boleyn ground before Khulaifi will head to his first Olympic As the youngest member of Team the English Premier League match against Manchester United in East Games in Rio de Janeiro, making him Qatar heading to Rio 2016, Al Khulaifi London on Tuesday. the youngest ever Qatari Olympian. will focus on gaining incomparable While a great achievement itself, experience that can only be attained qualifying to the Olympics at such a at the world’s greatest sporting event, young age is not the only thing excep- as well as attempt to set personal best West Ham vow life bans tional about the teenage swimmer times thereby building towards the star. Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – where South America’s first-ever Olym- he hopes to be on the podium: for bus attack fans pic Games will see over 10,000 “If I talk about what am I looking athletes from 206 countries compete forward the most to in the Olympics, in Rio de Janeiro. A global TV audi- it would be just the entire experience. ence of 4.8 billion will unite through Competing against the greatest ath- Qatar’s Noah Al Khulaifi during a training ahead of the Rio Olympics AFP Manchester United team bus was a shared celebration of Olympism as letes in the greatest competition for damaged. they witness the very best of athleti- which will take place in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro in the swimming. It’s going to be an amaz- “That was not acceptable and we cism, drama and endeavour. month of August. ing experience and the experience as will work with the police to iden- Amongst them will be the big- a whole is what I’m really looking for- LONDON: West Ham United yes- tify those responsible and ban them gest team Qatar has ever sent to an channels http://bit.ly/1scLLKY. The it works. And it helps a lot because ward to.” terday vowed to ban for life any fans for life.” Olympic Games since their debut in eldest of a trio of brothers – all of you can’t get lazy or back off training Noah is passionate about swim- found to have taken part in an attack London police said four officers Los Angeles 1984. Thirty four athletes whom are talented swimmers – Al because you know you have someone ming and says it benefitted his overall on the Manchester United team bus were injured during the trouble, but will compete across six sports – ath- Khulaifi joined the national team at right behind you - so it really helps me health, as well as mental focus and before their key Premier League no arrests have yet been made. letics, swimming, shooting, handball, the age of eight after finding his love push myself,” Al Khulaifi said. concentration. His main motivation game. Three men were arrested during equestrian and table tennis. of the water: The young swimmer credits however, is to win: “My main motiva- The attacked marred West Ham’s the game, including a 20-year-old As they finalise their preparations “I really like the feeling of the his massive success to his family’s tion in swimming is the feeling when 3-2 win over the English giants in on suspicion of affray and two men to compete in the most important water. I like the way you can con- unquestionable support and care – I win, or when I do a really good time the final match at the London club’s aged 47 and 18 for rushing onto the competition of their young lives, trol it and you can control your body both of his parents make an effort or when I achieve something – it’s a Boleyn Ground on Tuesday. pitch. the QOC has launched a #YallaQa- through water. It’s an amazing feeling to attend even his daily training really amazing feeling and that’s The match was delayed for 45 Police are scouring closed circuit tar campaign across its social media and that’s why I chose to do swim- sessions: “the support really helps really what motivates me and keeps minutes as police in riot gear cleared television images of the incidents channels to encourage the whole ming,” he said, adding, “They used because you know that there is some- me driven.” troublemakers who hurled bottles and have appealed for witnesses. nation to get behind Team Qatar’s to call me Fish.” one there who really cares,” he said. A firm believer in the power of and cans at the bus while United’s West Ham co-chairman David athletes and celebrate their incred- A little fish no longer, Al Khu- While only one year away from sport to transform lives, AlKhulaifi players cowered on the floor. Sullivan initially blamed United ible feats. laifi has dominated GCC swimming graduating from the Qatar Academy, wishes more young people would “It was an extraordinary night for the delay to kick-off, saying The Olympic Dreams film series competitions, setting 14 GCC records Al Khulaifi trains tirelessly, more so take up sport, but not necessarily full of extraordinary moments in they should have arrived earlier at will profile each team and ath- in the process, with the full support now with Rio 2016 around the corner: swimming: front of extraordinary fans, 99 per- the ground, but on Wednesday he lete, and explore the highs, lows, of his family and friends. Some of “In terms of training we have 10 “If I was trying to encourage cent of whom behaved impeccably backtracked. motivations and dreams of Qatar’s his records were broken only by his swimming sessions as well as four young people – it wouldn’t be to take and were a credit to the club,” West “When I was asked about the Olympians on their journeys to Rio. younger brothers Yacoub, 15, and gym sessions. So for the swimming up swimming it would be to take up Ham said in a statement. incident prior to yesterday’s game, I Al Khulaifi shares his outstanding Yousef, 11, which only spurs Noah to sessions, we do four in the morning any sport. Because I don’t think you “However, we are aware that was unaware of the damage that had story ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympics excel: and six in the afternoon. All of the should push someone to take up a there were some supporters out- occurred to the Manchester United in a new ‘Olympic Dreams’ film series “In any athletic endeavour when training is geared towards building sport they don’t want to. They should side the Boleyn Ground who didn’t team bus,” he said in a statement on found exclusively on the Qatar Olym- you have a brother or sister compet- a complete athlete.” try everything and see what they’re act in an appropriate way when the the West Ham website. pic Committee’s (QOC) social media ing with you it really changes the way Al Khulaifi walks a fine line to good at and persevere.” 30 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 SPORT

Aussie ex-skipper Clarke ‘ Disenchanted’ to star in Hong Kong T20 Manohar says Ganguly questions conscience AFP made him quit

AFP Dhoni’s future role HONG KONG: Former Australia captain Michael Clarke (pictured) will headline Hong Kong’s Twenty20 Blitz this month as he pursues a comeback in cricket’s shortest form. NEW DELHI: Shashank Mano- Clarke, one of the top batsmen of his generation, will star at the four- har said his conscience forced him team tournament from May 28-29 in a rare to resign as India’s cricket board The retired batting Rising Pune appearance since his retirement last year. chief after he walked away from Supergiants “While I have never been to Hong Kong the embattled organisation in a star says India needs batsman MS before, I have heard so much about what a dispute over introducing wide- to decide now if MS Dhoni plays great place it is for sport,” he said in a state- ranging reforms. Dhoni is the right a shot during ment from organisers on Wednesday. Manohar wrote to the pow- the 2016 “I can’t wait to meet my team-mates erful Indian board on Tuesday to man for the top job at Indian Premier and experience the city, while also hope- announce his immediate resigna- the 2019 World Cup League (IPL) fully contributing to the game of cricket in tion, a move expected to trigger his Twenty20 Hong Kong which I know has been coming bid for re-election as chairman of cricket match on leaps and bounds in recent years.” the International Cricket Coun- Injury-plagued Clarke, 35, retired last cil (ICC). against August after playing 115 Tests for Australia, Manohar, who had only been Sunrisers 47 as captain, and 245 one-day internation- in the post since last October, had AFP Hyderabad als, but only 34 T20 internationals. promised to clean up the Board Clarke returned to action in a Sydney of Control for Cricket in India club game in February, and he has also held talks with the Sydney Sixers (BCCI), whose reputation has NEW DELHI: Batting great Sourav about playing in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash League. been tarnished by several scan- Ganguly has called for Mahendra T20 cricket can be a big money-spinner for players, with Australian vet- dals involving the Indian Premier Singh Dhoni to be ditched as India’s eran Shane Watson netting a $1.4m contract at this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL). limited overs captain unless selectors League auction. In the wake of the IPL scan- are convinced he can lead the team Organisers said they were delighted to welcome Clarke to the T20 Blitz, dals involving corruption and into the 2019 World Cup. which follows Hong Kong’s appearance at this year’s World Twenty20 fixing, the Supreme Court ordered After India’s semi-final exit at tournament. a retired judge to draw up a report the recent World Twenty20, Dhoni “To summarise Michael’s credentials is impossible, he is simply one of on the BCCI’s governance in a bid tried to brush off suggestions that he the best cricketers of this generation, if not ever,” said Hong Kong Cricket to avoid future conflicts of interest. might struggle to make the next 50 Association chief Tim Cutler. Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha’s over World Cup being held in England report recommended the BCCI in July 2019 when he will turn 38. introduce age limits for its office- But Ganguly, who was Dhoni’s bearers and a ban on television predecessor as captain of both the England captain Edwards decides adverts between overs during live Test and one-day side, cast doubt on broadcasts. whether the man known as ‘Captain to call it a day after long career But Manohar said some of the Cool’ had the staying power to remain reforms were not in the BCCI’s best at the helm for another four years. LONDON: Long-serving England women’s captain Charlotte Edwards interests and he felt he could no “The selectors need to find an announced her retirement yesterday after a sparkling and pioneering longer carry on in his role. answer to whether they see Dhoni 20-year career. “My conscience no longer per- leading India in 2019. If the answer The 36-year-old led her country to glory in the Ashes, World Cup and mits me to continue,” Manohar told is no, then find a new captain,” Gan- ICC World Twenty20, winning a world-record 309 caps and scoring over the Times of India in an interview guly told the India Today television 10,000 runs across the formats. published yesterday. network yesterday. “Everyone who knows me -- and how much I love playing for England “I feel certain portions of the “If the answer is yes, which I will -- will appreciate what a difficult decision it has been for me to retire from Lodha panel’s recommendations find very, very surprising, Dhoni international cricket,” she said in a statement. are not in the interests of the continues.” “It’s a decision I’ve reached after much thought and detailed discussion board. Dhoni, a wicketkeeper-batsman, questioner: “Do you think I am unfit, Premier League (IPL), with his Rising with (England coach) Mark Robinson and (director of England women’s “There is very little I can do in stepped down as India’s Test captain looking at my running? Do you think Pune Supergiants team languishing cricket) Clare Connor about what is best for the team going forward. the current scenario. in December 2014 after leading his I can survive until the 2019 World near the bottom of the table. “I have given 20 years to playing for England and I leave very proud of “I am not disenchanted with country to a record 27 victories and Cup?” Ganguly, however, said that even the standing in which the women’s game is held and of my contribution as the BCCI but with the overall sce- was succeed by Virat Kohli. Although his acumen as a Test if Dhoni was replaced as skipper, he a player and captain.” nario,” he said. However, he stayed on as ODI captain was often questioned, Dohni still merited a place in the team, and Edwards led England on 220 occasions, with the highlights of her cap- Manohar had returned for a and T20 skipper, leading the team is seen as one of the greatest skippers insisted that he had great respect for taincy including three Ashes triumphs against Australia -- in 2008, 2013 second stint as BCCI president in in last year’s World Cup as well as in short-form cricket after lead- his successor’s achievements. and 2014 -- and a World Cup/World Twenty20 double in 2009. October, after the death of Jagmo- the recent World T20, which India ing India to victory in the inaugural “There’s no disregard to him In 2008, Edwards was named the International Cricket Council’s Wom- han Dalmiya. hosted in March. World T20 in 2007 and the 2011 ODI (Dhoni), he has been one of the great- en’s Player of the Year and six years later in 2014 was selected as a Wisden Manohar had pledged to clean When quizzed on his future after World Cup. est captains of the country,” said Cricketer of the Year. up the board after being unani- India’s defeat to the West Indies in Since the World T20, Dhoni has Ganguly who retired from the sport She will continue to play domestic cricket as captain of Kent and the mously elected as head of what is the World T20, Dhoni asked his struggled in the ongoing Indian in 2008. Southern Vipers, in this year’s inaugural Super League. the most powerful body in world cricket. The 58-year-old lawyer was widely regarded as a safe pair of hands who could bring some much needed stability to the troubled India ‘excited’ at prospect of pink-ball Test board. After becoming president, Manohar swiftly moved to reverse Reuters anything new and ensured the world’s second Tests, however, have not been lost on the world’s New Zealand have yet to be confirmed but Kolk- some of the recent rule changes most populous nation was the last of the major richest cricket board and it announced last ata’s Eden Gardens has been put forward as a that had been designed to give cricketing powers to embrace the Twenty20 for- month it would host a floodlit Test against New possible venue by Cricket Association of Ben- greater power to India, England NEW DELHI: India, a country notoriously slow mat of the game. Zealand when the Black Caps tour later this year. gal president and former India captain Sourav and Australia. to adopt new ideas, has now embraced the con- That embrace has quickly turned into a pas- BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said the con- Ganguly. Although some yesterday cept of day-night Test matches and it will surely sionate love affair courtesy of the Indian Premier troversial pink ball used in such contests would Turnout for Test matches in India gener- accused Manohar of abandoning not be long before twilight five-day games are a League (IPL) but the BCCI is still resisting the be trialled in the domestic Duleep Trophy to ally lags far behind the full houses that can be the BCCI, others welcomed the regular feature on the sub-continent. Decision Review System (DRS) with all its con- help captain Virat Kohli and his team prepare expected for one-day internationals and some move and his expected stand for India and Pakistan are set to play floodlit siderable might. for the day-nighter. IPL fixtures. re-election as ICC head. Tests this year while Sri Lanka and Bangla- It insists it will not accept the technology, “There are lots of factors that need to be Even those in the BCCI suspicious of change, Under reforms that Manohar desh are considering following suit pending which is aimed at reducing umpiring howlers, taken into account. Things like dew factor, how therefore, were enthused by what they saw at had himself supported, it will soon the results of domestic trials. until it is foolproof. As a result DRS is not used the spinners bowl with the pink Kookaburra Adelaide Oval last November when hosts Aus- no longer be possible to be ICC India’s all powerful board of control, the in any bilateral series involving India. (ball) on Indian pitches,” Thakur said. tralia and New Zealand played out the first chairman and head the national BCCI, has traditionally been suspicious of The commercial prospects of day-night The dates and venues of the series against floodlit Test. board of a member country. Australia to push for ‘concussion substitutes’

Reuters I think it needs to be fully discussed and Sutherland said he saw concussion substi- socialised. tutes in test matches as a “natural extension” A photo taken on “It is one of the fundamentals of the game following a possible adoption in domes- December 11, 2011, MELBOURNE: Australia’s cricket board is of cricket that it’s a game of 11 players and a tic matches and suggested other classes of shows Australian seeking permission to trial the use of substi- substitute has not been allowed in the past and injury should also be considered in how they batsman Phillip Hughes tute players in domestic matches that would we need to work through all of the machina- are activated. ducking a New Zealand allow them to bat and bowl in place of team tions of that possibility.” “There are also instances in the game bouncer on the third mates requiring medical attention for possi- Substitutes have been permitted to replace where other injuries occur that could give day of the second ble concussion. injured or ill players in matches for over 100 rise to a substitution,” he said. cricket Test match Cricket Australia CEO James Suther- years but are not allowed to bat, bowl or act “I think that again is part of why this needs played at the Bellerive land said it had sought approval from the as wicketkeepers, according to the laws of to be a broader discussion.” Oval in Hobart. International Cricket Council (ICC) to allow the game. Sutherland also confirmed that the use ‘concussion substitutes’ in local games and “The fundamental issue here is the desire of the highest British standard helmets (BS expected a response from the world govern- for medical staff to have the ultimate say in 7928:2013) would now be mandatory in ing body by the end of the month. an incident of concussion to be able to make domestic matches, adopting the recommen- Sutherland’s comments followed the a judgement and to allow that to be facilitated dation in the Curtain report. release of a review into the death of Australia as easy as possible,” added Sutherland. He said CA was also encouraging players batsman Phillip Hughes, who was struck in The report into Hughes’s death, led by bar- to adopt the use of stem guards, which are the head by a ball when batting in a domestic rister David Curtain, made a number of safety attached across the back of the helmet, but match in November. 2014. recommendations including the mandatory conceded more research was required to prove “We’re also seeking approval from the use of helmets by batsmen facing fast and that they afforded extra protection. Cricket Australia playing conditions advisory medium paced bowling in first class matches Hughes, who played 26 Tests, died from committee to allow concussion substitutes in and also for wicketkeepers and fieldsmen bleeding on the brain in November 2014 after all domestic male and female competitions close to the wicket. being hit on the base of the skull by a rising under our auspices,” he told reporters at the It made no recommendation on the use ball while batting in a domestic match in Syd- Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday. of ‘concussion substitutes’ but described ney. His death -- a freak accident -- stunned “One of my observations is that while we it as a “relevant issue” that might require Australia and the world cricket community, support this recommendation being explored, consideration. sparking an outpouring of grief. SPORT THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 31

Golf in good shape Kyrgios hits back at Australian for Rio despite no-shows: Olympic chief’s threats Finchem

Reuters

Clay court king PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLOR- Rafael Nadal says IDA: PGA Tour commissioner Tim he is confident of Finchem (pictured) says that golf doing well ahead of will be in good shape heading into this year’s Rio Games where the French Open to he predicts “a superb Olympics”, be played later this despite the recent withdrawals of several elite players. month Former world number ones Adam Scott and Vijay Singh, and fellow major winners Louis Oost- huizen and Charl Schwartzel, are AFP among those who have already announced that they will skip this summer’s global sports showpiece ROME: Nick Kyrgios has hit back in Rio de Janeiro. amid threats his behaviour and on- Those no-shows, for reasons court demeanour could cost him a ranging from schedule issues place in the Australian squad for the to concern over the Zika virus, Rio Olympics. sparked fears that more play- The 21-year-old, who has been put ers could follow suit but Finchem on probation by national officials, has Italian football star felt there was generally “a real called Australia’s Olympic team chief’s Francesco Totti (left) and enthusiasm” for the Olympics in bluff over threats not to pick him and Australian tennis player professional golf. fellow tennis bad boy Bernard Tomic Nick Kyrgios react as they “It’s a combination of things, for the Rio Games. play a charity tennis match really,” Finchem told an Olym- But Kyrgios warned: “If you don’t during the ATP Tennis Open pics news conference yesterday want two of the best players in Aus- tournament at the Foro at the TPC Sawgrass ahead of this tralia to represent your country, so Italico, in this May 9, 2016, week’s Players Championship in be it. file photo taken in Rome. Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida when “If you don’t want to pick me or asked about player withdrawals Bernard (for the Olympics) there are from the Rio Games. plenty of others you can pick to rep- “Starts with a compacted sea- resent your country, as well.” Bernard’s least preferred surface. I’m that now.” Nadal won titles last month court to get the job done, to try to win. an up-and-coming player and she son, affects the players in different His remarks at the Rome Masters sure he competed nearly every other in Monte Carlo and Barcelona to start “It would be disrespectful to the plays well,” 21-time major champion ways, the way that the (PGA Tour came in the wake of a stern warning point in the match. his pre-French Open clay campaign in tournament and to all the people that Williams said. schedule) changes were for the from Australian Olympic Committee “I don’t really know what he the best possible way. come to watch you that, if you are “I was really happy with my level. I season this year. boss Kitty Chiller that he and Tomic was doing, but that one point he gets “My game is good, three tourna- thinking of some other tournament think I was really mentally consistent. “Part of it is prioritization, I are being watched for any disciplinary scorched for when he probably tried ments, two victories (Monte Carlo, that’s ahead of you. So that’s not in “I started out fast. Those are some would admit, although I think in problems on the ATP circuit which his heart out the rest of the match.” Barcelona), one semi-final. Tough my mind.” of the things I wanted to work on.” general there’s a real enthusiasm, might exclude them. Kyrgios, who is working on tournaments, good victories, good In the first of the second-round Madrid women’s champion Simona certainly for the concept of golf in The pair have bad boy reputations improving his behaviour with the Rio matches. If I’m not happy now, I don’t matches on Tuesday, Japanese sixth Halep hopes to build on her Spanish the Olympics.” on the ATP, with Kyrgios seeming to be Games approaching, added: “Your know when I gonna be happy,” he said, seed Kei Nishikori had to fight back success this week in the WTA Ital- With the Olympic men’s golf making the most efforts to improve his behaviour has to be monitored going after a training session on the Italian from a set down to see off Serb Viktor ian Open, after the Romanian beat competition to be played from behaviour. into the Olympics, representing your clay that plays similar to that of Roland Troicki 5-7, 6-2, 6-3. Dominika Cibulkova at the weekend August 11-14, the year’s final major, The national number one is fac- country.” Garros. Roland Garros holder Stan to win her first title in over a year. the PGA Championship, has been ing Milos Raonic in the second round Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal said yes- Kohlschreiber has just a single win Wawrinka, the fourth seed in Italy, “I didn’t play the same at the brought forward to late July from in Rome, while Tomic is already out. terday that he is in confident mood over Nadal - on the grass in Halle - raced through the final two sets in beginning of the year, it was a tough its traditional date in the second Tomic’s stock is dropping fast as his ahead of his first match of the Rome against 13 losses to the Spaniard, with beating Frenchman Benoit Paire 5-7, period for me as I started the year a week of August. reputation for failing to give his best Masters, despite his semi-final defeat six of them coming on clay. 6-2, 6-1. bit sick. I couldn’t train like I do now,” As a result, the PGA Tour’s busy effort on court continues. to Andy Murray in Madrid last week. The 26th-ranked German beat Eighth seed Tomas Berdych she said. June-July schedule has been com- His latest episodes saw him quit The seven-time champion Spain’s Inigo Cervantes in the Rome cruised into round three with a 6-3, “But I came back very strong, in pressed more than usual and now after just eight minutes of his first insisted that he is focusing solely on first round 6-4, 6-2. 6-4 victory over Albert Ramos of my opinion, and played good tennis includes three major champion- round clash with Frenchman Benoit his second-round clash with Philipp Madrid winner Djokovic hopes he Spain. in Madrid. ships in just seven weeks. Paire in Rome on Sunday claiming he Kohlschreiber, and not looking for- can maintain his excellent form this Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut, “I have more confidence - I believe “In golf, and in most of the had been “feeling ill all night”, hav- ward to a possible quarter-final against week as the French Open, the only Stephane Robert and Jeremy Chardy in my game.” In the women’s first individual sports, you just got to ing turned his raquet the wrong way Novak Djokovic. Grand Slam title that has eluded him all won their first-round ties. round, ninth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova accept the fact that not every- around on match point in his defeat “I’m not playing Novak tomor- so far in his career, draws closer. Belgian 12th seed David Goffin beat Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-4, while body’s going to play every week,” to Italian Fabio Fognini a week ear- row. I’m going to play against (Philipp) “I’m just hoping I can carry on the defeated Jack Sock 6-4, 6-4 and Juan Timea Bacsinszky crushed Belgian said Finchem. lier in Madrid. Kohlschreiber. high quality of performances I have Monaco put out South African 16th Yanina Wickmayer 6-2, 6-2. “Not everybody’s even going to That saw Tomic lambasted in the “He’s playing great. He won in had throughout the week in Madrid seed Kevin Anderson 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Unseeded former Wimbledon play in top events. Most of the top Australian press with one newspaper Munich couple of weeks okay and and also this week in Rome, find that Serena Williams played her first finalist Eugenie Bouchard battled past events have lost players for strange branding him “the king of the excuse” played semi-finals in Barcelona too,” freshness and get as far as I can,” the match since late March in Miami, two-time Rome winner Jelena Janko- reasons at one time or another, and with “a heart the size of a peanut”. fifth seed Nadal said. world number one said. advancing to the third round after vic 6-4, 2-6, 6-3, and Briton Johanna these aren’t strange reasons, really. “It’s not easy playing Fabio on clay,” “He’s playing well and he’s a very “Once I step on the court, I don’t beating Anna-Lena Friedsam 6-4, 6-3. Konta thrashed Johanna Larsson 6-1, These are more like concerns. Kyrgios said in defence of Tomic. “It’s good player on clay. I am worried about know how to pace myself. I’m on the “It wasn’t an easy match, and she’s 6-2. “We have had a combination of things that have created some issues this year, but we seem to be doing OK and I think we’re going to have a superb Olympics once we get down there.” Tennis Australia slams Tomic and Kyrgios Asked if he had any concern that additional withdrawals from Rio could be damaging to golf’s future inclusion on the Games schedule, Finchem replied: “I Reuters and to the opponent when you don’t think right now we’re looking try all the way through the match. pretty good. “He’s making progress in terms of Fit-again Federer beats “Every four years it happens, SYDNEY: Tennis Australia chief Steve his ranking, his performances and so and you want to take advantage Healy has labelled Bernard Tomic on, and then he just does something of that. We don’t go around saying disrespectful and said Nick Kyrgios that basically unwinds all the good gloom and doom. We say, ‘Look, was picking unnecessary fights with he does, and so you shake your head let’s take advantage of the upside Olympic officials as the debate over in disbelief.” German player Zverev here if we possibly can.’ who should represent the country at Kyrgios’ response to Chiller’s “At the same time, we respect a the Rio Games continued on Wednes- warning came via a cheeky tweet player’s decision. It’s a short-term day. and then at the Italian Open, where thing, and we’ll move on regard- Kyrgios and Tomic are the coun- he said if Australia did not want their AP game, Federer surprised Zverev by Also, 11th-seeded Timea Bac- less of what the result is.” try’s top ranked men’s players but best players at the Rio Games “then following his second serve to the sinszky defeated Lesia Tsurenko of Golf was brought in for the Rio were both warned last weekend by so be it”. net and Zverev lost his footing as he Ukraine 6-2, 6-4. Games, along with rugby, with the Australia’s chef de mission for the Healy said the world number 20, attempted to chase down Federer’s Back to No. 2 in the rankings International Olympic Commit- Games, Kitty Chiller, that they were who combines a rare tennis talent ROME: Roger Federer put his full volley. this week, Federer is attempting to tee eager to tap into new markets among a group of athletes whose with a reputation for firing insults array of shots on display in a 6-3, The German fell to the clay, dirt- take the title at the Foro Italico for and win new viewers with the two behaviour was being monitored. at fellow players, umpires and fans, 7-5 win over Alexander Zverev in the ying his shorts and shirt, and had to the first time. It’s his 16th apppear- sports. Golf will also feature at the Tomic had been lambasted for had been “pretty good” this year but second round of the Italian Open yes- go over to his chair to dust himself off. ance in Rome and he’s a four-time 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. holding his racket by the strings and thought the 21-year-old should not terday. In women’s action, Australian runner-up. Federer will next meet not offering a shot when facing match have responded to Chiller. After withdrawing from last Open champion Angelique Kerber 13th-seeded Dominic Thiem, who point at last week’s Madrid Open, “It’s unnecessary,” he said. “I don’t week’s Madrid Open with lower back and fourth-seeded Victoria Aza- beat Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-3, 6-2. responding to criticism by saying: know why he wouldn’t just let it go. I pain, Federer looked sharp from the renka each lost. Federer needs one more win to “Would you care if you were 23 and wish he wouldn’t do that. I think he start against the 44th-ranked Zverev, Eugenie Bouchard, the 2014 pull level with Ivan Lendl for second worth over $10 million?” creates a rod for his own back. using his backhand slice drop shot Wimbledon runner-up, beat the on the Open Era career match wins Chiller described the incident “I just don’t think he needs to get especially well. second-seeded Kerber 6-1, 5-7, 7-5. list with 1,071. Jimmy Connors is No. involving the world number 22 as into that sort of war. Why didn’t he The 19-year-old Zverev, consid- Irina-Camelia Begu, ranked 35th, 1 with 1,257 wins. “appalling” and TA President Healy just say ‘yeah, I acknowledge that’s ered a potential future Grand Slam defeated Azarenka 6-3, 6-2. Federer is in a tough half of the said he was also concerned. part of the responsibility of represent- champion, often found himself run- Azarenka said she was still draw that also features top-ranked “I think it’s a disrespect for the ing Australia’? Or say nothing.” ning down shots wide in the alleys. affected by a back injury that Novak Djokovic and seven-time game and his opponent, and that’s The deadline for nominations At one point, the 6-foot-6 (1.98- prompted her to withdraw in Madrid. Rome champion Rafael Nadal — the thing that I think troubles us,” he for the team, which then have to meter) German was pulled so far off “I thought I was OK and was each of whom were playing later on told The Age newspaper. approved by the Australian Olym- the court he ended up in the lap of a ready to play and came back, so I’m an overcast day in the Eternal City. “Bernard does some good things pic Committee, is June 30 and Healy line judge — then hugged the official just disappointed,” Azarenka said. Rome is the last major warmup and then he disrespects the game. I said they would be discussed by the after Federer put away an easy volley. “It’s just unfortunate that I can’t play for the French Open, which starts think it’s a bit of an insult to the fans TA board next week. On the first point of the final my best tennis.” May 22. 32 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 SPORT

Go or stay Bayern luring of Hummels set long-term, Dortmund tell to weaken rivals Dortmund Gundogan AFP

The double signings show Bayern’s BERLIN: Borussia Dortmund have intent to win the Champions League told injury-hit Manchester City tar- Mats Hummels Captain wants to sign for the sixth time. get Ilkay Gundogan to either leave off his long stint by The Bavarians are smarting from of German at the end of the season or sign a last week’s defeat to Atletico Madrid, Bundesliga long-term contract extension. seeing Dortmund win their third straight exit to Spanish soccer club After Bayern Munich the German Cup this opposition at the semi-final stage in Borussia announced on Tuesday they have month Europe. Dortmund in signed Borussia’s captain Mats Hummels hastily left the Dort- action during a Hummels on a five-year deal, mund training ground 20 minutes training session Dortmund are looking to keep hold after his transfer was announced. in Dortmund, of their other stars as they plan for AFP “After eight-and-a-half years Germany next season when Borussia will be here, it was not an easy decision to yesterday. back in the Champions League. make,” he said in a statement on the Midfielders Gundogan and club’s website. Henrikh Mkhitaryan have been BERLIN: Bayern Munich’s dual sign- “I was always proud to wear the linked to Premier League clubs ings of Renato Sanches and Mats Borussia Dortmund shirt and be part with City and Chelsea respectively Hummels on Tuesday managed to of this exceptional team. reported to be interested. simultaneously strengthen their “Before I return to my hometown, Gundogan’s agent met with Champions League challenge while we all have the big goal of bringing City’s director of sport Txiki potentially weakening Borussia Dort- the German Cup trophy to Dortmund. Begiristain in Amsterdam in March mund for next season’s Bundesliga “For that I will give my all.” and reports in the German media campaign. Having grown up in Munich and say the deal is set to be finalised at Eleven days before Bayern face come up through Bayern’s youth the end of the season. Dortmund in the German Cup final in academy, Hummels is simply return- But the situation has been Berlin, the Bavarian giants announced ing to the club he left Dortmund for, complicated after Gundogan, who they have signed Germany centre- on loan, in 2008. has a year left on his current Dort- back Hummels from the only club The €4.2m ($4.7m) Dortmund mund contract, dislocated his knee to challenge them domestically this later paid for him in 2009 is dwarfed in training last week. season. by the 38 million Bayern will report- The injury has ruled him out of The 27-year-old is the third edly pay to sign him back. next month’s European champion- big-name Bayern have lured from It’s a similar fee to the 37 million ships in France with Germany and Dortmund in three years after Mario Goetze cost three years ago before no date has been given as to when Goetze in 2013 and Robert Lewand- Lewandowski left on a free transfer. at Borussia’s Signal Iduna Park in his re-join Bayern is partly motivated During Lewandowski’s final sea- he can play again. owski in 2014. Hummels returns as a World Cup last home game against Cologne this by wanting to go home. son with Borussia, Hummels told Die “I have spoken to him, he’s very Dortmund were already battling winner. Saturday. The unspoken other part is his Welt in 2014: “I have never measured down after another serious injury. to keep defensive midfielder Ilkay He won the 2011 Bundesliga title, CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has improved chances of winning more myself in titles. It’s about playing foot- He knows we’ll stand by him,” Gundogan, linked to Manchester City, then the 2012 German league and cup asked Dortmund fans to show respect. titles. ball for me, I don’t have to say, if I’ve Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim and Chelsea-target Henrikh Mkhitar- double with Dortmund before losing “We wish, both for him and Hummels’ departure is a bitter pill never win the Champions League I Watzke told local newspaper the yan, while striker Pierre-Emerick 2-1 in the 2013 Champions League Borussia Dortmund, that during his for Dortmund fans to swallow after he won’t be happy. Ruhr Nachrichten. Aubameyang is being courted by final -- to Bayern. final weeks in the black and yellow critisised both Goetze and Lewand- “I don’t have to be in the best team “There are two options, which Europe’s top clubs. Had they waited 12 months, Bay- shirt, he will get the recognition he owski when they left for Bayern. in the world to have a shot at a title. we have discussed with Ilkay for Now they have lost their captain. ern would have signed Hummels on deserves and leaves with the Ger- “This has surprised everyone. “I would take one title at Borussia a while. The Dortmund defence will cope a free transfer. man Cup in Dortmund’s hands,” said From a sporting perspective, there Dortmund over six with another club.” “Either he leaves or he stays without Hummels, but he is just one He will partner Jerome Boateng at Watzke optimistically. are few to no reasons to leave us,” Despite 290 appearances in the and extends his contract, but it more name who has walked out in centre-back in front of Manuel Neuer Hummels wants to sign off his Hummels told Sport Bild in 2013 after Dortmund shirt, Hummels would be must be long-term.” the direction of Munich. in the core of the Germany defence eight-and-a-half years by seeing Mario Goetze left for Bayern. naive to expect a fond farewell on Sat- Gundogan is injury prone and Less than 40 minutes after Bayern which won the 2014 World Cup. Dortmund win the German Cup at Having been on the losing side urday on his final home appearance. missed most of the 2013-14 sea- announced they had signed teenage But after being jeered ten days the expense of his future employers. with Dortmund in the 2013 final, There promises to be a din from son, including Germany’s World talent Sanches from Benfica for 35 ago by home fans in Dortmund’s His immediate family live in Lewandowski was open in his want- Borussia’s die-hard fans in the south Cup triumph, with a persistent million, the Hummels deal was con- 5-1 routing of Wolfsburg, Hummels Munich, his wife also grew up there, ing to join Bayern in the hope of lifting stand when the inevitable whistling back injury. firmed after weeks of speculation. can expect to run another gauntlet and Hummels says his desire to the Champions League. starts. In recent seasons, he has only signed year-long extensions, but Borussia now want a longer commitment while Watzke says discussions with Mkhitaryan are Benzema’s still ongoing. return to Goal-machine Suarez on boost Real course for another feat Hodgson delays Madrid England squad Reuters announcement Reuters VALENCIA: Striker Luis Suarez could become Barcelona’s highest scoring Uruguayan AFP player in Saturday’s La Liga match at Granada, having equalled in only two seasons what compatriot Ramon Alberto Villaverde Vazquez aggregated in his decade-long VALENCIA: Karim Benzema is stint with the club. LONDON: England manager Roy returning to full fitness at just the The 29-year-old’s brace against Espanyol in Barcelona FC’s 5-0 triumph last Sun- Hodgson has announced he will right time for Real Madrid, who day saw him reach a total of 81 goals for the Catalans to equal the record of Villaverde delay naming his England squad will play Atletico Madrid in the Vazquez who had joined the club back in 1954 and played 10 seasons, scoring 81 goals for the European Championship Champions League final on May in 224 games. until Monday. 28. In only his second season at Barcelona, Suarez has struck 50 goals in all competi- Hodgson was due to reveal his Coach Zinedine Zidane was tions this season to help the team remain in contention for a domestic double, overtaking 23-man list for Euro 2016 at Wem- relieved to see the Frenchman his previous record of 49 for Ajax in the 2009-2010 campaign. bley Stadium today, but he has come back from a hamstring “He is very intelligent,” Barca coach Luis Enrique said on the club website. decided to switch the announce- problem and score in Sunday’s 3-2 “Sometimes relying too much on one player can hurt you, but if the team plays its ment until May 16 following a triumph over Valencia, a result that game, Luis - who is lethal in the area - will have plenty of chances to score goals. It’s meeting with the English FA and kept Real just a point behind Bar- not just the goals, it’s the way the team plays that lets him score.” his coaching staff. celona with one game to go in the More goals are expected from Suarez, who has found the back of the net in four suc- Hodgson will use the extra race for the Spanish league title to cessive league games, netting 11 goals while setting up four more in that spell. days to better assess the fitness of be decided next week. Barcelona’s Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez celebrates With 37 goals scored so far, four more than Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, and his players after the final round “He’s not been at 100 per- after scoring a goal during the La Liga match against RCD with one La Liga game remaining, Suarez is on the verge of clinching the Pichichi award of Premier League matches this cent for a while. We’ve seen that Espanyol at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on Sunday. as the top scorer in La Liga. weekend, with questions still lin- it wasn’t easy for him physically,” gering over the availability of Zidane told Real Madrd’s website several players. in an interview. England are still sweating over “(Against Valencia) he coped the severity of Arsenal forward with it well and without any SQUAD Danny Welbeck’s knee injury, problems. We’ve got two games No Cahill in Aussie team for friendly while Jack Wilshere has played just left. He’s getting better every day Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, 72 minutes this season following a and he’s not feeling any discom- Adam Federici, Craig Good- lengthy absence. fort from his last injury,” said the win, Chris Ikonomidis, Jackson Liverpool midfielder Jor- former France captain. Reuters the day. “More importantly for me, it Irvine, Brad Inman, Mile Jedi- dan Henderson has only just Benzema has missed 15 games AUSSIES TO MEET ENGLAND gives me a chance to see some further nak, Tomi Juric, Robbie Kruse, returned to training after sus- this season through injury but has ON MAY 27 growth in some players playing against Mitchell Langerak, Massimo taining knee ligament damage still scored 28 goals in 34 games the best possible opposition,” said the Luongo, Jamie Maclaren, Ste- in last month’s Europa League tie in all competitions -- close to his SYDNEY: Tim Cahill and a handful Aussie coach. fan Mauk, Matthew McKay, Mark with Borussia Dortmund, but Alex record of 31 goals in the 2011-12 of other experienced Socceroos will from the group that secured a place Defender Milos Degenek, mid- Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Josh Ris- Oxlade-Chamberlain will miss the campaign, the year Real last won miss Australia’s friendly against Eng- in the final round of Asian World Cup fielders Brad Inman and Stefan Mauk don, Tommy Rogic, Brad Smith, tournament after suffering a new La Liga. land later this month because it falls qualifying in March and included four as well as striker Jamie Maclaren will Bailey Wright, Alex Wilkinson. knee injury. The 28-year-old striker has outside the international window. uncapped players. all have a chance to win their first cap England play Turkey in Man- found the back of the net in 20 The former Everton forward was “Whilst it is an exciting fixture for against Roy Hodgson’s side. chester on May 22, then face of his 34 appearances for Real in left out of the squad for the May 27 us, it falls outside the FIFA window Several England-based players Australia five days later at Sun- the 2015-16 campaign, scoring six match at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light which means some boys, unfortunately, were included in the 23-man squad, against England, beating Sven- derland’s Stadium of Light before more goals than last season. along with Matthew Spiranovic, Trent won’t be available for it,” Postecoglou including Crystal Palace captain Mile Goran Eriksson’s side 3-1 at Upton taking on Portugal at Wembley on Cristiano Ronaldo is Real’s Sainsbury, Ryan McGowan and Apos- said in a news release. Jedinak, Queens Park Rangers mid- Park in February 2003. June 2 in their final pre-Euro 2016 leading scorer in the league with tolos Giannou because it clashes with “We have had to cast the net far fielder Massimo Luongo, Liverpool Postecoglou said he would friendly. 33 goals. Benzema is expected to commitments to their Chinese clubs. and wide again and at the same time fullback Brad Smith and Preston cen- name another squad for two Hodgson’s side have been start Saturday’s league season Socceroos coach Ange Postec- I think we have come up with a squad tral defender Bailey Wright. friendlies against Greece in early drawn alongside Russia, Wales finale at Deportivo La Coruna. oglou’s squad featured nine changes that will be really competitive on Australia won their last friendly June. and Slovakia in Group B in France. SPORT THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 33 Euro 2016: Injury shadow clouds on Loew’s campaign

Poor form is also a concern for head coach who will celebrate 10 years with Germany

AFP This file photo taken on November 13, 2014 shows Germany’s midfielder Thomas Mueller attending a training session of the German national football team at the stadium in Nuremberg, southern BERLIN: Joachim Loew will look to Germany, on the eve of the Euro 2016 qualifying game against add the European crown in France to Gibraltar. Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph, but die Mannschaft’s head coach has team worries. With the clock ticking down to Germany’s ‘100 million Germany’s first Group C game against Ukraine in Lille on June 12, Loew is waiting on captain Bastian Schwein- euro man’ Mueller steiger, defenders Jerome Boateng, Emre Can and Benedikt Hoewedes, plus midfielder Julian Draxler. “That’s five players capable of AFP everything which distinguishes FC playing an important role that are Bayern Munich,” enthused the club’s injured. I admit a certain concern,” director of sport Matthias Sammer. This file photo taken on November 12, 2015 shows Germany’s head coach Joachim Loew (centre) speaking Loew said recently. “He is an absolute role model, an “You always get such problems to his players during a training session at the Stade de France Stadium in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on BERLIN: Famously mistaken as a absolute gem and he’s irreplaceable.” ahead of every tournament. In 2014, the eve of a friendly football match against France. ball-boy by Diego Maradona after Perhaps the greatest testament to Sami Khedira and Bastian Schwein- his Germany debut in 2010, Thomas Mueller’s talent is that in a squad of steiger were injured but we managed lead in Berlin, with a 4-1 thumping of The Germans finished top of their Mueller will need no introduction at superstars at Bayern, head coach Pep it. But of course now I hope they’ll Italy in Munich in March. Euro 2016 qualifying group, but their SCHWEINSTEIGER INJURY Euro 2016. Guardiola, much like Germany boss all stay fit and their injuries won’t With Mats Hummels as his only defensive frailties were exposed by BIGGEST CONCERN Despite having earned 70 caps Joachim Loew, is a fellow convert to return.” World Cup winner in the back four, defeats away to both Poland, who and scored 31 goals for Germany, Louis van Gaal’s famous dictum that, Manchester United’s Schwein- Germany’s defence crumbled against they will again meet in Group C, and Mueller is still only 26 and is a shoe- when fit, “Mueller always plays”. steiger is the biggest concern having England when the Borussia Dort- the Republic of Ireland. in for club or country whether as a Off the field, he is not your typi- injured knee ligaments before the mund captain went off and Loew’s “There are a few areas which are reputation as a tournament team -- winger, attacking midfielder or cal footballer. His wife is not a model, March friendlies against England side found themselves out-muscled important and we have to improve on, capable of raising their performances striker. but a dressage rider. The couple own and Italy. and out-thought in midfield. such as our behaviour in defence, our for the big occasions. He replaced Jur- He insists he is just an average several horses. “We’re in regular contact about Things improved against Italy, but build-up play and our patterns of run- gen Klinsmann as head coach in 2006 guy and his name is so typically Ger- He has neither a fancy haircut how his progress is coming along and Loew will expect his team to improve ning,” said Loew. as Germany went onto finish as run- man that 700,000 countrymen are or a flash tattoo and the lanky Jack- I’m hopeful,” said Loew. their finishing and urgency in their He will celebrate 10 years as Ger- ners-up at Euro 2008, then third at also called Thomas Mueller, except the-lad is the joker in the Germany To add to his worries, Loew’s final friendlies against Hungary and many’s head coach after Euro 2016 the 2010 World Cup. this one has well over nine million and Bayern squad. team is suffering from erratic form. Slovakia and Hungary before their having never played for his country They reached the last four of Euro followers on Facebook. He was asked, in English, straight They backed up a 3-2 defeat to departure for their Euro base in at senior level. Under his steward- 2012, beaten 2-1 by Italy in Warsaw, Bayern fans dubbed him the ‘100 after winning the 2014 World Cup England, having thrown away a 2-0 Evian, south-west France. ship, Germany have cemented their before qualifying unbeaten for the million euro man’ after Manchester final if he was disappointed to have 2014 World Cup finals. United reportedly tabled a massive missed out to James Rodriguez on Loew’s crowning glory came in bid for the Bavarian-born product winning the Golden Boot as the tour- THINGS ABOUT GERMANY AHEAD OF EURO 2016 Brazil where they beat the hosts 7-1 in who joined Bayern from regional nament’s top scorer. Beware the Azzurri one of the most incredible World Cup team TSV Paehl as a 10-year-old. His Using a thick Bavarian dialect, Germany are still waiting for a first win over Italy at a major tournament in nine meetings -- they have won none of their three games ever before lifting their fourth brother Simon still plays for the club. Mueller jokingly told the baffled matches at European championship finals, or five at a World Cup, against the Azzurri. world title. His contract will take him “It’s basically crazy the numbers female reporter to stick the trophy through to the 2018 World Cup. which are currently kicking around where the sun doesn’t shine, because At France 2016, the two European powerhouses could potentially meet in the quarter-finals. His record of 86 wins in 129 in football -- that’s just business,” “we’ve just won the World Cup!” He Early European exits matches, with 22 draws and 21 Mueller replied when asked about left giggling team-mate Bastian Germany have advanced to the knockout stages in every one of their World Cup appearances, but in European Championship they defeats, gives him a win-ratio of 66 his bling nickname. Schweinsteiger to translate. Sch- have suffered group stage exits three times: finishing third in their section in 1984 and 2004, and bottom in 2000. percent. “No one is worth 100 million weinsteiger declined. Record holders Ever the innovator, he added euros, it’s just a trade figure.” He grew up a Bayern fan, slept Germany holds the joint record with Spain of three European championships. Die Mannschaft has won 23 of their 43 finals matches, Munich-based yoga instructor Patrick Last December, Mueller signed a under a duvet in the club’s colours more than any other team. Broome to his backroom staff for contract extension with Bayern until and went to games at the Olympic Despite their excellent record, Germany failed to win a finals match between winning the Euro ‘96 final in London and beating Brazil 2014, to encourage players to June 2021, reportedly making him Stadium with his cousins. Poland in Klagenfurt in 2008 with three draws and a defeat. stretch and lessen the risk of injury. 15 million euros ($17m) per season. Should Schweinsteiger fail to If yoga kept Ryan Giggs playing But the sky’s the limit in terms of recover in time from a medial knee Loew’s strong record past his 40th birthday, it can work what a Premier League club would ligament injury, Mueller could find Joachim Loew will have been head coach of Germany for a decade after Euro 2016 and has won 66 percent of his 129 matches for the Germans. Loew can still rely potentially pay for the forward Bay- himself going from Jack-the-lad to with 86 victories, 23 draws and 20 defeats. Only Spain’s coach Vicente Del Bosque has a better win-ratio of 78 percent, with 75 on the core of his World Cup-win- ern regard as ‘irreplaceable’. captaining his country in the Euro victories in his 96 matches, of the top coaches at Euro 2016. ning squad. “Thomas Mueller embodies 2016 in France. Van Gaal refuses to blame bus attack for top-four setback

AFP United goalkeeper David de Gea also appeared to have objects thrown at him during the game. West Ham co-chairman David LONDON: Manchester United man- Sullivan blamed the visitors for not ager Louis van Gaal (pictured) put on arriving earlier, but United captain a brave face and refused to blame an Wayne Rooney said that “West Ham attack on his team’s bus for the seri- as a club will be disappointed with ous setback to his side’s Champions what the fans have done”. League hopes at West Ham United. A video posted on United mid- Tuesday’s gripping 3-2 loss, which fielder Jesse Lingard’s Snapchat was preceded by the United team account showed several United play- bus being pelted with cans and bot- ers sheltering on the floor inside the tles outside the east London ground, bus while Lingard mockingly shouted: leaves Van Gaal’s men needing to beat “Mummy!” Bournemouth in their final match on Needing to win to keep their Sunday and hope Manchester City lose final date with Crystal Palace to come top-four destiny in their own hands, at Swansea City if they are to creep on May 21, missing out on a top-four United fell behind in the 10th minute into the Premier League’s top four. place would represent a massive dis- when Manuel Lanzini teed up Diafra “No, it is still not gone,” Van Gaal appointment, but Van Gaal believed Sakho to score. said of a top-four finish following the Swansea could give City a hard battle. Anthony Martial scored twice to final match of West Ham’s 112-year “I don’t think it is not likely. In this put United ahead, but Michail Antonio tenure at the Boleyn Ground. league it happens a lot and Swansea equalised with a bullet header before “In the last match of the season we City has a very good run. Dimitri Payet teed up Winston Reid to can pass over Manchester City. They “It is a mental blow for the players, head home an 80th-minute winner. can lose and we can win. Then we are but against Bournemouth we have to The goal was a fitting conclusion fourth. You can count, I think?” give everything so that we don’t give to West Ham’s 2,398th and final match A general view as people run from smoke bombs after attack on Manchester United bus ahead of Premier Van Gaal said to blame the bus Manchester City a free trip into the at the Boleyn Ground -- also known League match against West Ham United on Tuesday. attack for the result would have been Champions League.” as Upton Park -- which the club will an “excuse”, but he conceded that The Football Association leave next season for London’s Olym- it could have affected his younger announced an investigation after pic Stadium. The match was followed manager Slaven Bilic told Sky Sports a couple of competitions and battling wanted to win and this was a win of players. United’s bus was pelted with mis- by an on-pitch ceremony featuring “It was big, big pressure for us, for the Europa League and a good run character.” “I have a long experience in siles outside the ground, causing a pyrotechnics and London taxi cabs, although I told the guys, ‘However we in the FA Cup, so it was good, very West Ham returned to sixth place, football and there are players who 45-minute delay to the kick-off. while club greats Trevor Brooking, finish the last couple of games, this good or excellent, but we were under reclaiming a Europa League berth don’t have the experience,” said the The Metropolitan police said one Martin Peters and Paolo Di Canio season has been great for West Ham pressure. from Southampton in the process, 64-year-old Dutchman. officer and one member of the public were presented to the crowd. in terms of breaking a few records and “We didn’t want to lose our last ahead of their final game of the sea- While United still have an FA Cup had sustained minor injuries. “It was a special game,” West Ham everything.’ “We were till the end in game at this fantastic stadium. We just son at Stoke City on Sunday. 34 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 SPORT

FORMULA ONE STATISTICS FOR THE Rosberg aiming for five in a row SPANISH GRAND PRIX Statistics for Sunday’s Spanish Formula One Grand Prix at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya, testing and, when I’ve had clean air the fifth race of the 21-round German driver can and a damage-free car this season, season: I’ve shown it on track.” join compatriot Barcelona marks the real start Lap distance: 4.655km. Total Schumacher and of the European season, the sport’s distance: 307.104km historic heartland, even if Russia Race lap record: Kimi Raikkonen Britain’s Mansell preceded Spain this year for the first (Finland) One minute 21.670 as the only drivers time. A circuit where teams test pre- seconds (Ferrari, 2008) to start a season season, it is both predictable and 2015 pole: Nico Rosberg (Germany) surprising -- there have been nine Mercedes 1:24.681 with five successive different winners in the last nine victories years yet all but two of the last 15 2015 winner: Rosberg pole-setters have won. Start time: 1200GMT (1400 local) The paddock ‘motorhomes’, the Wins palatial hospitality units used only Reuters at European races, will gleam in the Champions Mercedes have won sunshine with teams bringing major the last 10 races and are poised to BARCELONA: Nico Rosberg will have upgrades to the track and hoping for equal the record of 11 successive Formula One history in his sights in a change of fortunes. victories by McLaren in 1988. Spain this weekend, even if Dutch A good result in Spain bodes well Rosberg is chasing his eighth win teenager Max Verstappen seizes his for the rest of the year. in a row after victories in Australia, share of the limelight. “Barcelona is a very good indica- Bahrain, China, Russia and the last The championship leader has won tion of where you are with the car,” three races of 2015. His father Keke, seven races in a row, including the last said Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, whose champion in 1982, won only five three of 2015, and can join fellow- team are hoping for a clean week- races in his entire F1 career. German Michael Schumacher (2004) end to show their real potential after Only one other driver in the modern and Britain’s Nigel Mansell (1992) as a nightmarish string of mishaps and era has won eight consecutive the only drivers to start a season with failures. races -- Germany’s Sebastian five successive victories. Renault, who took their first Vettel, with nine in a row in 2013 The chances of that happening points of the campaign in Sochi, have for Red Bull. looked remote this time last year, said already that Barcelona and the German Formula One driver Nico Rosberg of Mercedes AMG GP celebrates after winning the 2016 Grand when Mercedes team mate Lewis first in-season test that follows will Italy’s Alberto Ascari won nine in a Hamilton had won three of the first Prix of Russia at the Sochi Autodrom Circuit in Sochi, Rusia, in this May 2, 2016 file picture. mark the start of their real develop- row in 1952/1953, seven of them before the 1953 Indianapolis 500 four and was heading for a third title, ment programme. which counted as a round of the but Rosberg is now 43 points clear of and the form I’m in, doing my best to have won 36 of the last 42 races. him down the grid, will be even more “We look at this race as a marker championship but which he did the Briton. keep it going and hoping I can carry it Rosberg will pick up plenty of determined to turn the tide while in the sand: the exit point of our not enter. Ferrari also won 14 in a As 18-year-old Verstappen would through to the end of the season,” said good vibes at a circuit where he won McLaren’s Fernando Alonso can count recovery from the takeover (of Lotus) row in 1952/53, if Indianapolis is agree, after his rapid promotion from Rosberg, 11/10 at bookmakers’ Wil- from pole last year, his first victory of on strong home support. and the first race as ‘our’ team,” said excluded. Toro Rosso in a swap with demoted liam Hill with Hamilton at 5/4. that season, but he has plenty of rivals “I’m confident they’ll get to the Renault F1 managing director Cyril Russian Daniil Kvyat, Formula One Another triumph for Mercedes for attention. bottom of the problems we’ve been Abiteboul. Rosberg is the first driver to start a moves fast off the track as well as would equal McLaren’s run of 11 in a Hamilton, who went from 10th having. I know I’m still quick,” said “It will start small but I’m confi- season with four successive wins since on it. row from 1988, and that looks more to second at Sochi after his second Hamilton. dent we will gain momentum as we Michael Schumacher in 2004. Only “I’m just enjoying the moment than likely given that the champions successive power unit failure pushed “I’ve known that since day one in go forward.” two drivers have won the first five: Schumacher and Britain’s Nigel Nansell in 1992. Mercedes won 16 of 19 races last season, with a record 12 one-two Grace grouped with Day finishes. Ferrari won the other three. Mercedes have won 36 of the last and Spieth at The Players 42 races. Triple world champion Hamilton has 43 career victories, putting him third in the all-time lists and one Reuters just trying to stay in your own bub- win ahead of Ferrari’s four-times ble and play your own golf. world champion Vettel. “Obviously it’s going to be hectic, it’s going to be rough out there and Schumacher holds the record MIAMI: South African Branden the crowds are going to be big. But of 91, with Alain Prost on 51. Grace is gearing up for a “hectic” I am playing with two great players McLaren’s Fernando Alonso has 32 start to this week’s Players Cham- so it’s exciting times. wins, Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen 20, pionship after being grouped with “You learn from these experi- Rosberg 18 and McLaren’s Jenson world number one Jason Day and ences so hopefully I can take the Button 15. second-ranked Jordan Spieth for most out of it and take that into Rosberg has more wins than any the first two rounds at the TPC future things.” other non-champion in the history Sawgrass. Grace, a seven-times winner of the sport. Grace, who landed his first PGA on the European Tour, has already Ferrari have won 224 races in total, Tour victory at the RBC Heritage learned well from his limited tour- McLaren 182, Williams 114, Red Bull last month, is scheduled to tee off nament appearances over the past 50 and Mercedes 49. McLaren have with Australian Day and American two seasons on the PGA Tour. not won for 61 races, a run that Spieth from the 10th tee at 8:43 am. Last year, he signalled that he dates back to Brazil 2012. ET (1243 GMT) in today’s opening was a force to be reckoned with round. when he placed third at the PGA Pole Position “We all know each other’s games Championship after tying for fourth Mercedes have been on pole in 40 US Masters Champion Danny Willett of England signs autographs during a practice round for The Players so it should be fun,” Grace, 27, told at the US Open just two months of the last 42 races. Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on Tuesday. Golf Channel on Tuesday while pre- earlier. Rosberg’s pole position in Russia paring for the PGA Tour’s flagship Then last month, he finally was the 24th of his career. event which is permanently held clinched a long expected first at its headquarters in Ponte Vedra victory on the US circuit with a Hamilton has 51 career poles, the Beach, Florida. final-round master class at the third most of all time. Schumacher had a record 68 and the late “I haven’t played with Jordan RBC Heritage to triumph by two Woods’ pep talks aiding Brazilian Ayrton Senna notched up since the US Open last year and I shots. 65. Vettel has 46. played with Jason in a practice round “It’s been great,” said Grace, who at Augusta (for last month’s Masters). closed with a superb five-under-par Points Great guys, but we all play a totally 66 at the Harbour Town course on Mercedes and Williams are the only Jason Day ahead of TPC different game out there.” Hilton Head Island. “I’ve been play- teams to have scored points with Asked how he would cope with ing well and Hilton Head was just the both cars in both races this season. the huge galleries expected to fol- cherry on top of the cake. Spain low the marquee grouping at the “I know that I can win and now AFP years, won so many golf tourna- challenge from a field that includes TPC Sawgrass, Grace replied: “By it’s just trying to push on from here.” Rosberg won for the first time ments. He knows what it’s like to win all of the world’s top 20 players, in Spain last year. Nine different in the modern era.” including his nearest rival in the drivers have won in Spain over the Day said he often turns to Woods rankings Jordan Spieth, playing his past nine years. MIAMI: World number one Jason for motivational advice, revealing first tournament since his spectac- Alonso (2006, 2013) and Raikkonen Day hopes that advice from Tiger that he is hoping to emulate the sort ular Masters meltdown last month. (2005, 2008) are the only current Woods will come in handy at The of mental toughness which became Among the other challengers is drivers to have won twice in Spain. Players Championship this week as synonymous with Woods during the newly minted Masters champion All but two of the last 15 Spanish he attempts to break his duck in the 14-time major winner’s peak. Danny Willett, who plans to use his Grands Prix have been won from tournament regarded as golf’s unof- “If I’m looking for a bit of a pep victorious campaign at Augusta as pole position. ficial fifth major. talk or something like that, I always the blueprint for his assault on TPC The 28-year-old Australian has text him. He always ends with like, Sawgrass. The only drivers to win in Barcelona forged a close relationship with ‘Go get it done.’ You got to earn the “I’ll approach it the same as I without starting on the front row Woods in recent months with the wins, they’re not given to you,” Day approached Augusta,” said Willett. are Michael Schumacher, from former world number one regularly revealed. “Do the bits I can do and take third place on the grid in 1996, and offering advice via text messages in “It’s a lot about just trying to get care of my little jobs every day, and Alonso from fifth in 2013. the buildup to events. better mentally and that mental then hopefully if you do all that Alonso is the only Spaniard to have Woods, a two-time winner at TPC toughness that he had for so long.” you can hopefully shoot some good won a grand prix. Sawgrass, will not be not competing Day, the 2015 PGA Championship numbers.” Ferrari are the most successful in Ponte Vedra Beach as he battles winner, says a victory at The Players Defending champion Rickie team at the Circuit de Catalunya his way back from an extended lay- Championship could ultimately end Fowler meanwhile warned that accu- with eight wins in 25 years. Since off after back surgery. up shaping his legacy. racy will be the key to victory on a the first Spanish Grand Prix in 1951, But Woods’s influence could “It’s a golf tournament that you demanding layout he regards as one the Italian team have won it 12 well be significant if Day mounts a really do want to win and have it on of the toughest courses in golf. times. successful challenge for the $1.89m your resume at the end of your career “You have to be pretty spot on,” winner’s check. because it’s such a huge event,” he Fowler said. Milestones “Some of the shots I hit, some of said. “It’s a very fine line at this golf Rosberg took his first career ‘Grand the decisions I make are because of “This is one of those tournaments course. The targets and the driving Slam’ in Russia -- a win, from pole what me and Tiger have talked about where, if you’re on the border of get- areas are very small, you don’t have position, with the fastest lap. He is in the past,” Day said Tuesday. ting into the Hall of Fame, this could much room. the 24th driver to perform the feat. The swing sequence of Jordan Spieth of the US during a practice “If there’s a guy that you want to kick it over and get you into the Hall “You’re playing against the best round for The Players Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Raikkonen’s third place in Sochi was pick someone’s brain, it’s him. Did of Fame.” players in the world, so someone’s the 700th podium finish for Ferrari. it for so long, did it for many, many But Day faces a daunting got to break it at some point.” Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, on Tuesday. SPORT THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016 35

Gardner delivers NBA: Curry named MVP tie-breaking double as for second straight year Yankees down Royals Agencies MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ROUND-UP 631 points. The Oklahoma City Thun- der’s Russell Westbrook (486 points) NEW YORK: Brett Gardner deliv- The Golden State and Kevin Durant (147) rounded out ered the tie-breaking double with BASEBALL RESULTS superstar becomes the top five. one out in the bottom of the eighth Detroit 5 Washington 4 Curry is the 11th person to win inning as the New York Yankees NY Yankees 10 Kansas City 7 the first unanimous back-to-back MVP awards and joins overcame three home runs by winner in the award’s an illustrious club that includes the Kansas City Royals centre fielder Milwaukee 10 Miami 2 61-year history likes of James, Jordan, Kareem Abdul- Lorenzo Cain in their 10-7 victory. Boston 13 Oakland 5 Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Ben Gamel began the win- Philadelphia 3 Atlanta 2 Johnson and Larry Bird. ning rally when he reached on an Texas 13 C White Sox 11 The award caps a remarkable error by shortstop Alcides Escobar, Chicago Cubs 8 San Diego 7 year for the 28-year-old Curry, who who could not handle the hop on AFP played a starring role as Golden State the ground ball. Two pitches later, Baltimore 5 Minnesota 3 compiled a 73-9 record, surpassing Gardner lined a 1-0 pitch from Kel- Cleveland 4 Houston 0 the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls’ 72-win vin Herrera (0-1) to centre field and Arizona 5 Colorado 1 campaign for the most victories in the Escobar cut off the relay throw as St Louis 8 LA Angels 1 NEW YORK: Golden State superstar regular season. Gamel slid in feet first while his hel- LA Dodgers 3 NY Mets 2 Stephen Curry was named the NBA’s Curry’s personal statistics for the met came off. Most Valuable Player for the second season rewrote the record books, and The Yankees (13-18) won for Seattle 6 Tampa Bay 4 straight year on Tuesday, becom- for many have helped redefine a new the fourth time in five games and Toronto 4 San Francisco 0 ing the first unanimous winner in era for basketball. needed Gardner’s hit because Masa- the award’s 61-year history after a He shattered his own record for hiro Tanaka and Andrew Miller record-breaking contribution to the most three-pointers, which had stood (2-0) could not keep Cain in the for the Cubs, who ran their major- Warriors’ historic season. at 286, with 402. He also led the NBA ballpark. league-best record to 25-6. The Curry, who returned from injury scoring charts with an average 30.1 Phillies 3, Braves 2 Padres took their third consecu- on Monday to score 40 points in points per game and extended his Left-hander Adam Morgan tive loss. Golden State’s overtime win over the own record for scoring at least one allowed one run over seven innings Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 1 Portland Trail Blazers, won in a land- three-pointer in consecutive games and won for the first time in his A dominant start by Rubby De slide, sweeping all 131 first place votes to 152. hometown as the Philadelphia Phil- La Rosa enabled Arizona to beat to earn 1,310 points, a statement said. “I never really set out to change lies beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 at Colorado and add to the Rockies’ It is the first time in the National the game,” Curry said on Tuesday. “I Turner Field for their third straight misery at home. Basketball Association’s history that never thought that that would kind of victory. The victory was the fifth a player has been the blanket first happen in my career.” Red Sox 13, A’s 5 straight for the Diamondbacks, who pick for the award, the league said. A determination to prove that last Travis Shaw belted a three-run will try to sweep the three-game No player, not even Michael Jordan year’s NBA finals victory was no fluke home run and had five RBIs to pace series on Wednesday. in his pomp, has been a unanimous had also spurred him to new heights another offensive barrage for the The Rockies lost for the fourth choice for MVP. this season. Boston Red Sox in a 13-5 blowout time in five games and fell to 4-10 “I looked at the list of every- “It was a year of really just aim- of the Oakland Athletics on Tues- at home as they continue to search body who’s won an MVP award, all ing to get better and to achieve what day at Fenway Park. for success at Coors Field. Colorado legends,” Curry said at a news con- people might not have thought we Tigers 5, Nationals 4 struggled there last season, finish- ference on Tuesday. deserved last year,” Curry said. Victor Martinez had four hits ing with a 36-45 home record. “To be the first unanimous MVP “I think for us, me especially, it and drove in a run and Nick Cas- Blue Jays 4, Giants 0 award winner is something I don’t was one of those things where no tellanos had a two-run homer and Left-hander J.A. Happ scattered even know how to put into words.” matter how great people tell you are reached base three times as Detroit six hits over 8 2/3 innings to remain The MVP award is chosen by or how lucky or how inadequate crit- beat Washington to even the three- unbeaten in 2016 as Toronto made a panel of 130 sportswriters and ics say you are, whatever you find that game interleague series. it two straight over San Francisco broadcasters in the United States and will to keep going is about not being The Tigers snapped a seven- in interleague play. Canada with one vote going to fans. complacent.” game losing streak while Rangers 13, White Sox 11 Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors poses with his NBA Most Under a preferential voting sys- Curry produced another elec- Washington lost for the fifth time in Ryan Rua launched a three-run tem, players receive 10 points for a trifying display in the Warriors’ win Valuable Player Award following a press conference at ORACLE Arena six outings. The win overshadowed blast to center field in the bottom of first choice vote, seven points for over Portland on Monday, pouring in a on Tuesday in Oakland, California. a two-homer game for Washington’s the eighth to give Texas an improb- each second place vote, five points record-breaking 17 points in overtime Ryan Zimmerman, whose solo shot able win over Chicago. for third, three points for fourth and to guide his team to victory. “The guy has basically played one raised the bar from last season. with two outs in the seventh cut the The Rangers scored seven runs one point for fifth. His game-changing cameo left game in three weeks. I expected a lot “Winning MVP last year wasn’t margin to 5-4 off reliever Drew in eighth and sent 10 batters to the San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Golden State’s management in a state of rust. I don’t think anyone could enough,” Kerr said. “You came back VerHagen. plate, including Ian Desmond, who Leonard was a distant second with of awed disbelief, with coach Steve have predicted that kind of explo- this year dramatically better. I’ve Brewers 10, Marlins 2 hit a two-run triple prior to Rua’s 634 points while the Cleveland Cav- Kerr revealing he had not expected sion,” Kerr said. Reacting to the MVP seen very few players who possess Leadoff man Jonathan Villar homer. The White Sox led 10-5 after aliers’ LeBron James was third with Curry to have such an impact. award Tuesday, Kerr said Curry had the confidence you have.” produced two hits, two steals, two four innings when they scored nine runs scored and two RBIs to lead runs over two innings following an Milwaukee to a victory over Miami. extended rain delay. Orioles 5, Twins 3 Mariners 6, Rays 4 Adam Jones’ two-run single in Home runs from Franklin Guti- the top of the ninth inning lifted errez and Lee Dae-ho allowed Westbrook shines as Thunder stun Spurs Baltimore to a win over Minnesota Seattle to open up big early leads, at Target Field. and the Mariners hung on for a win Indians 4, Astros 0 over Tampa Bay. Right-hander Trevor Bauer con- Gutierrez gave Seattle a 2-0 Oklahoma City AFP adding a free throw with 6.3 seconds tinued his mastery of Houston with lead before the Mariners recorded Thunder player on the clock to effectively clinch the seven shutout innings as Cleveland an out in the first inning, then Lee Russell Westbrook win. Westbrook only narrowly missed squared the three-game series with opened up a 6-2 advantage with a goes for a basket out on yet another triple-double, finish- a shuout win at Minute Maid Park. three-run shot in the fourth. Tampa against the San LOS ANGELES: Russell Westbrook ing with 11 rebounds and nine assists in Bauer (3-0) improved to 4-0 Bay’s Steve Pearce hit a pair of solo Antonio Spurs scored 35 points as the Oklahoma City addition to his 35-point haul. with a 0.67 ERA in four career homers, then Steven Souza added during their NBA Thunder fought back to stun the San “We got stops and Russ was a outings against the Astros by uti- a seventh-inning homer to cut the Antonio Spurs 95-91 and take a 3-2 maniac tonight,” Durant said afterward. lizing a dazzling array of pitches. gap to 6-4. Western Conference series lead in their Western Conference “We didn’t panic late in the game - it From his fastball through his curve Cardinals 8, Angels 1 semifinal game five semi-final playoff series on Tuesday. was a good win for us.” and changeup, Bauer worked with Matt Carpenter hit two home at the AT&T Center Oklahoma City had trailed by as “We did a good job of making them haste and audacity, allowing three runs, and Matt Holliday and Ran- in San Antonio, much as 13 points at one point as the shoot mid-range shots and keeping hits and three walks with seven dall Grichuk each hit one as St. Texas, USA on Spurs looked to seize the initiative in them out of the paint,” he added. “We strikeouts. Louis pounded already-reeling Los Tuesda y. front of their home crowd at the AT&T just kept fighting.” Cubs 8, Padres 7 Angeles at Angel Stadium. Center. Durant was the next highest scorer Ben Zobrist went 4-for-4 and Dodgers 3, Mets 2 But a scintillating fourth-quarter for Oklahoma City, chipping in with scored three times, and Jon Lester With two outs in the bottom of fightback transformed the contest and 23 points with six rebounds and five picked up his third win in four the ninth and the game tied at 2-2, means the Thunder can clinch a series assists. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich starts as Chicago held on for a vic- Trayce Thompson pinch-hit a walk- victory back in Oklahoma City in Thurs- bemoaned his team’s failure to make tory over San Diego in the belated off home run off Hansel Robles to day’s game six. crucial shots when it mattered. series opener. help Los Angeles to a win against San Antonio appeared to be headed “It’s not like we got beat by 30 -- The victory was eighth straight New York at Dodger Stadium. for victory after Kawhi Leonard pun- the game went down to the wire and ished a sloppy Thunder pass to put the both teams played really well,” he said. Spurs 88-82 ahead with just over four “You gotta make shots down the minutes remaining. stretch, and sometimes things have to However, Leonard’s basket became go your way,” he added. “We lost a cou- the cue for an eight-point run from ple of boards there at the end, just like Oklahoma City, who edged clear of the last game.” their rivals. Leonard was top scorer for San Oklahoma City’s Enes Kanter Antonio with 26 points, followed by played a key role, hitting a layup and LaMarcus Aldridge and Danny Green, then blocking the Spurs’ Tim Duncan who both finished with 20 points each. before running the length of the court But it was a disappointing night to collect from Westbrook to hit another for veterans Parker and Tim Duncan. layup that put the Thunder up 90-88. Parker had nine points while Duncan San Antonio’s Tony Parker tied finished with five after 32 minutes on the game with a jump shot to make it court. 90-90, but two free throws from Kevin Green meanwhile insisted the Durant restored Oklahoma City’s two- Spurs could square the series and force point lead at 92-90. a decisive seventh game back in San Parker could have tied but instead Antonio. missed one of two free throws to make “I hope we respond by being a little it 92-91. The French star then missed angry and with a chip on our shoul- a jumper with just over nine seconds der,” he said. remaining. “We have to go into their building New York Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner (right) hits an RBI double Westbrook gathered and converted and force another game back here. It’s against the Kansas City Royals during the eighth inning at Yankee a layup while being fouled before not over by any means.” Stadium. The Yankees defeated the Royals 10-7. 36 THURSDAY 12 MAY 2016

Pollard, Al Wakrah survive relegation scare Butler seal Mumbai were at the bottom of the table. The 4-1 score included a brace from striker Sasha, the Al Sailiya victory Despite unimpressive man from Argentina who was a key player form, Al Wakrah decide for Wakrah over the course of the season. His 16 goals in 25 QSL games represented a to train in Agencies to continue with current good return and his goals coring form was coach Larriera, aiming for rewarded when he picked up the QSL player the best in the next Qatar of the month for February, after a run of five Germany BANGALORE: Ambati Rayudu goals in six QSL games. hit 44 before Kieron Pollard (35) Stars League season Al Wakrah’s fortunes began to change and Jos Butler (29) added the fin- around the start of December, where they The Peninsula ishing touches as Mumbai Indians put together of a three game unbeaten run cruised to their sixth win the in including narrow 1-0 wins over Al Kharaiti- the 2016 Indian Premier League, The Peninsula yat and Al Arabi. A 2-1 defeat at the hands DOHA: Al Sailiya has con- beating Royal Challengers Ban- of Ahli put way to their winning streak, but firmed their training camp galore by six wickets at the Wakrah put in their performance of the sea- plans ahead of the new Chinnnaswami Stadium in Ban- son in a 3-1 victory over top four chasing 2016/2017 Qatar Stars League galore yesterday. DOHA: Al Wakrah did not enjoy an Al Sadd. side season. Chasing a victory target of excellent Qatar Stars League season, but Mauricio Larriera showed plenty of The Peregrines are set 152, Mumbai were 98 for 3 with managed to finish the 2014/2015 season just tactical nous in the win which saw Wak- to head to Germany for their less than five overs remaining. above the relegation places. rah masterfully taking Al Sadd on the break preseason training camp. Pollard stole 15 runs off Shane After securing their slot at the QSL for with two goals in the second half. The club officials have Watson’s third over to get them next season, they quickly moved to con- Going into the final third of the sea- agreed to hold the train- closer to the victory, before But- firm new head coach Mauricio Larriera in son and Wakrah certainly struggled to ing camp at Germany, and ler joined the party, hitting two preseason. The Uruguayan tactician had pick up points and looked increasingly to the travel plans have been consecutive sixes in the next over, never managed in the Gulf region before be getting involved in the relegation dog- confirmed. bowled by Chris Jordan. With 10 and represented a significant risk taken by fight. Three humbling defeats in a row to So the Al Sailiya squad runs required from the last two the Wakrah management. Al Gharafa (3-2), El Jaish (1-0) and a 5-0 would leave Qatar on the first overs, Butler finished off the chase One of their noteworthy summer sign- thrashing by Al Rayyan made life miser- weekend of July and they will hitting a huge six, with eight deliv- ings is former Portuguese international able for Al Wakrah team and they where train in Germany for a period eries remaining. midfielder Rúben Amorim . bound for the drop. of twenty days. Earlier, Bangalore’s top order The attacking midfielder who signed However, Larriera rallied his side for Head coach Sami Trabelsi misfired, with their star batsmen on a one year loan deal from Benfica, was the final five games of the season register- will now begin preparations Virat Kohli (6), Chris Gayle (4), changed to give Wakrah some steel in the ing seven points from a possible fifteen to in earnest for his side, arrang- Shane Watson (15) and Abraham centre of the park. limp over the line for QSL safety. ing key friendly matches and De Villiers (24) failing to live up The season didn’t start well for Wakrah, The crucial result in the run came in finalizing the training regime to expectations. But Lokesh Rahul and it took them till round four to register the 2-0 win over Lekhiwya, again a tie win of his squad with his back- (68 not out) and Sachin Baby (13) their first points of the season. It was against which Wakrah took their opponents on the room staff. ran a run riot in the final overs to Al Khor (1-0). break, with striker Maher Yusef starring. Al Sailiya finished in put up a decent total. A long season was ahead for Larriera Worryingly for Larriera, his side seventh place in the QSL and his squad. Inconsistent is certainly dropped off significantly once safety was standings with a tally of thirty SCOREBOARD a way to describe Wakrah in the initial confirmed, finishing in eleventh place in six points. months of Larriera’s tenure with the Blue the QSL standings. The Peregrines season ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE Waves. Larriera will now be charged to improve ended last weekend when V Kohli c H Singh b McClenaghan 7 The next five games saw them pick up the position of Wakrah going into the they lost 1-0 to Lekhiwya in Al Wakrah’s Mohsine Moutaouali in action during their QSL match C H Gayle c Sharma b Southee 5 only two wins, but that included a moral 2016/2017 season in his second full term the quarter finals of the Emir A B de Villiers c Rayudu b Pandya 24 boosting 4-1 victory over Meisameer who with the Blue Waves. against Al Sailiya at Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium in this file photo. Cup. K L Rahul (not out) 68 S R Watson (run out) 15 Sachin Baby (not out) 25 Extras (LB-5, W-2) 7 Graduation ceremony for Al Total (for 4 wkts in 20 overs) 151 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-17, 3-60, 4-98. Bowling: T G Southee 4-0-27-1 (1w); M J Shaqab students on May 26 McClenaghan 4-0-35-1 (1w); J J Bumrah 4-0-28-0; K H Pandya 4-0-15-1; Har-

bhajan Singh 3-0-19-0; K A Pollard 1-0- The Peninsula 22-0. MUMBAI INDIANS R G Sharma c de Villiers b Aaron 25 P A Patel c Watson b Aravind 1 DOHA: The curtain of a successful season of Al Shaqab’s Equine Educa- A T Rayudu c de Villiers b Aaron 44 tion Department came down when N Rana c Binny b Chahal 9 several competitions for the junior rid- K A Pollard (not out) 35 ers took place at the Al Shaqab indoor J C Buttler (not out) 29 arena. These competitions challenged Junior riders of Al Extras (W-8, NB-2) 10 the junior riders to raise their stand- Shaqab’s Equine ard while instilling a greater sense of Education Department Total (for 4 wkts in 18.4 overs)153 cultural awareness among them and in action during the Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-60, 3-79, 4-98. those included dressage and jumping competitions at the Al Bowling: S T R Binny 1-0-2-0; S Aravind while over 150 riders (girls and boys) Shaqab indoor arena. 4-0-23-1; C J Jordan 3-0-37-0 (1nb, 2w); S took part. R Watson 3-0-38-0 (3w); Y S Chahal 4-0- Equine Education aims to install 16-1; V R Aaron 3.4-0-37-2 (1nb, 3w). noble values into the students and before the final exams and the gradu- Shaqab, which has had a significant teach them various equestrian skills, ation ceremony, which will take place impact on developing the junior riders such as jumping and dressage. This on May 26. The competitions provided programs and conclusion of a success- will qualify the students to integrate an appropriate environment to the ful season.” into the Qatari equestrian society and junior riders, which enabled them During the graduation ceremony A young gymnast in action. bring it more success at the interna- to exchange experience and develop Al Shaqab will also be announcing Veteran journalist tional and regional level. their relationship with horses” the setting up of a complete Qatari Mohammed Sultan Al Sowidi, He continued: “I would like to equestrian curriculum for aspiring Equine Education Manager, stated: extend our sincere thanks to Exxon professionals in equestrian sports in Tony Cozier dies “The final competitions were part of Mobil Qatar for supporting and adopt- line with the heritage and culture of aged 75 National and Club the new curriculum for our students ing the educational programs of Al Qatar. Agencies Gymnastics Challenge Volleyball: El Jaish to face Al Arabi in Emir Cup final BRIDGETOWN: Veteran West Indian cricket writer, commen- Cup on Saturday tator and journalist, Tony Cozier has passed away in Barbados, at the age of 75 following an illness. Cozier had been admitted to The Peninsula creates a healthy competing among hospital on May 3 for tests related the youngsters,” the official said. to infections in the neck and legs. The QGF official said the refe- He has been a cricket writer rees committee has already finalised since 1958 and, despite never hav- DOHA: The Qatar Gymnastics Fed- the list of officials for the one-day ing played the game, he became eration (QGF) announced that the events. one of its most distinguished National and Club Challenge Cup - The organizing committee has voices. His last column on these for boys and girls will commence on also finalized arrangements for the pages was published on May 1. Saturday. Individual and team com- presentation ceremony to be held Over five decades, Cozier grew petitions will be held in two different after the day’s events. into an accomplished media pro- age brackets. The events will be held at the fessional across mediums all over A technical committee meeting Khawla Gymnastics Hall. the world. He worked in radio and was held ahead of the two events. The championship will be in FIG television, wrote books, and was “The objective of staging two dif- code for the junior national team, published in newspapers, maga- ferent events for boys and girls is an FIG Age program for pre-junior zines and on the internet. attempt to promote the sport of gym- teams and for USAG Program for Action from the Emir Cup volleyball match between Al Rayyan and El Jaish at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiya Cozier was among the most nastics at the grassroot level,” QGF Club Challenge. Arena yesterday. El Jaish won 3-1 (27-25, 25-22, 23-25 and 25-19) to qualify for tomorrow’s final against prolific watchers of Test cricket official Mrs Abeer Al Buaining said. The competition will be held in Al Arabi. El Jaish won the best-of-three semi-final series against Al Rayyan 2-1. Al Rayyan won the first anywhere. Wisden in 2003 “When boys and girls compete three phases with the first beginning match of the series but El Jaish bounced back to win the second one to tie the series at one-all. In reported that he had watched 266 and watch each other, they want at 10:30am and followed by the rest yesterday’s decider, El Jaish defeated Al Rayyan to avenge their Qatar Cup final loss. Tests in his 40-odd years of cover- to perform than one another. That of the groups. ing the game up to that point.