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Magnificent Mirza wins stage 2 Sport | 19

Saturday 20 December 2014 • 28 Safar 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6285 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Qatar, Turkey widen ties Only an earthquake can change Qatar Emir, Erdogan sign deal to set up Supreme Strategic Committee DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh World Cup: Blatter Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on an official visit to Turkey, said in Ankara yesterday that rela- MARRAKECH: Only an FIFA had been under pres- tions between both countries “earthquake” can change sure to publish a redacted ver- were strategic and historic and FIFA’s decision to hold the sion to help shed light on what had become stronger in recent 2022 World Cup in Qatar, FIFA happened during the process for years. President Sepp Blatter said the tournaments. The Emir and Turkish yesterday. In the statement, FIFA said President Recep Tayyib Erdogan “It would really need an earth- it had asked the Adjudicatory signed an agreement to set up a quake, extremely important new Chamber of the Independent Supreme Strategic Committee to elements to go back on this World Ethics Committee to publish the bolster cooperation in key fields. Cup in Qatar,” Blatter told a report in “an appropriate form” The panel will enhance coop- press conference after the FIFA once procedures against individu- eration in politics, economy, executive committee agreed to als are concluded. commerce, investment, educa- release a report on alleged cor- “I am pleased they have agreed. tion, culture, science, technol- ruption surrounding the tourna- It has been a long process to ogy, energy, agriculture and ments awarded to Russia in 2018 arrive at this point and I under- communications. and Qatar in 2022. stand the views of those who have The Emir and President Qatar in particular has faced been critical,” Blatter said. Erdogan also witnessed the sign- accusations over its bidding “We have always been deter- ing of a defence cooperation but has strongly denied any mined that the truth should be agreement. wrongdoing. known. That is, after all, why The Emir highlighted economic “At the current time, there is we set up an independent eth- and investment relations and the no reason to go back on our deci- ics committee with an investiga- importance of continuing Turkish sions. The two World Cups are in tory chamber that has means to investments in Qatar, especially the calendar, the only thing miss- undertake investigations on its since Turkish companies are ing is the precise dates for 2022, own.” international ones. “They are but these two World Cups will The decision follows a presen- welcome in Qatar,” he said. take place,” Blatter said, speak- tation by Domenico Scala, head On the agreement, the Emir The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing a joint ing in German. of FIFA’s audit and compliance said the committee will help press conference in Ankara yesterday. The executive committee committee and one of six people enhance relations on all fronts. unanimously agreed to allow the to have seen the report. The Emir said his talks with publication “in an appropriate Garcia, who said the report President Erdogan dealt with practices of the Syrian regime form” of the report on the bidding should be published, spent 18 issues related to ties, noting and that they might lead to process for the 2018 and 2022 months investigating allegations that both countries’ views were negative consequences in future, $15bn Turkish investment in Qatar World Cups, but gave no indica- and interviewed 75 witnesses. identical and close on foreign besides the killing of children and DOHA: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkish tion of when it might happen. In November, FIFA’s eth- issues, particularly those related women, and dangerous groups investment in Qatar stood at about $15bn, which showed the It also decided to settle the ics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert to the region and its current might emerge and become out interest of the Qatari government in Turkish investment. He said long-running saga over the tim- issued a 42-page summary based developments. of control. “Turkey and Qatar at a joint press conference with the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin ing of the 2022 World Cup in on the report which identified The Emir said talks touched and all countries that have been Hamad Al Thani in Ankara that the volume of trade between Qatar in March. cases of “inappropriate conduct” on the Palestinian issue and the active in assisting the Syrian peo- both countries was about $600m, which he desired to raise to Soccer’s governing body had in many bids but said there was importance of restoring the rights ple must continue to support the $1bn, according to the website of Turkish news agency Anadolu. previously said it could not pub- not enough evidence to justify re- of the Palestinian people. troubled Syrians.” THE PENINSULA lish the 430-page report of former opening the bidding process. He described the issue as the The Emir said he would sup- investigator Michael Garcia for In yesterday’s statement, last colonial one and said it was port a political solution if it was warned against the danger of The Emir said talks also legal reasons but will now do Blatter reiterated that the bid- unacceptable for the world not to in line with the demands of the some groups there, which resulted touched on the situation in so once “ongoing procedures ding process for the awarding of support the Palestinian people. Syrian people “but, unfortu- from past practices of government Yemen, which he described as against individuals are con- the two tournaments would not On Syria, the Emir said there nately, there is no solution at the officials, and hoped that a national very serious for the region and cluded”, Blatter said in a state- be re-opened. had been warnings against the moment.” reconciliation would overcome the the world. THE PENINSULA ment yesterday. AGENCIES Speaking on Iraq, the Emir country’s problems. Continued on page 2 Candle-lit vigil for Peshawar victims Indian rupee may Poor visibility likely this morning breach 18-mark DOHA: The weather bureau has forecast a foggy morning today at places and said visibility could be as poor as one kilometre or less against riyal in some areas. The day will be partly cloudy and hazy inshore and offshore. Day temperatures will be moderate with the maximum BY SACHIN KUMAR hovering at around 23 to 24 degrees C. The night will be cold with the mercury dropping to 12 degrees in DOHA: The Indian rupee, Messaieed and Al Wakra and 13 degrees in Abu Samra and Al Khor. which recently fell close to In Doha and Dukhan, the night temperature is expected to be around 17.50 against Qatari riyal, is 16 degrees, while in Al Ruwais, the mercury level will be about 18 soon expected to touch 18-mark degrees. against riyal, experts say, add- ing it is just the matter of time. Ministry distributes 43,500 meals The rupee plunged to 17.44 against riyal on Monday and DOHA: Expatriates taking part in National Day celebrations at closed at 17.33 yesterday. West End Park on Thursday enjoyed sumptuous meals served by The free-fall has widened the the Ministry of Interior. The ministry distributed about 43,500 smiles of Indian expatriates who packets to people during expatriate community celebrations at plan to go on holiday to celebrate West End Park. The packets containing quality food were distrib- Christmas and New Year. The uted for breakfast, lunch and dinner during day-long celebrations, rupee has fallen close to nine per- a local Arabic daily said. The ministry had set up a tent for the cent since April when it appreci- celebrations. ated to 15.96 against the riyal. THE PENINSULA Girls light candles for victims of the attack by Taliban gunmen on the Army Public School in Peshawar during “Going by the persistent fall in the rupee in the recent months, a vigil in Quetta yesterday. At least 145 students and staff were killed on Tuesday. we expect it to breach 18 against the riyal in the near future. “Strengthening of the US dollar will lead to further depreciation of the rupee. With oil and gold National Day parade one of the best in GCC: Visitors prices heading down, the dollar BY YASIN ABU TAQIU KAKANDE has become a favourite of glo- families, stay for a week or so, enjoy festivi- walk with friends at Souq Waqif. Muharam with ordinary waiting at the borders for bal investors,” said Zuber Abdul ties and return by road. arrived in Qatar a day before the celebra- checking in. He said he had visited several Rahman, Operations Manager, Al DOHA: The parade that marks the start A large number of citizens from the UAE tions and was among the first to arrive at countries around the world but as a football Zaman Exchange. of National Day celebrations in Qatar is came to Qatar this year and many said they the Corniche on National Day. fan he was interested in seeing prepara- “It is unexpected gain for many one of the best in the region and draws a enjoyed the ride to take part in the cel- He said he had found the parade very tions by Qatar for the World Cup in 2022. Indian expatriates because of the large number of visitors from the neigh- ebrations and had no problems crossing interesting as he was always interested in “I visited Aspire Zone and saw the com- festive season. The rush of expa- bouring GCC states. the border. military activities. pleted stadiums and other sports facilities. triates, especially Indians, to cur- An average of 25,000 people from other Omair Mohammed Muharam said he He and Al Sharaifi said that with their They are excellent. rency exchanges to remit money GCC countries arrive in Qatar by road via travelled by car with friend Saeed Ahmed Qatari hosts they visited several places like “With these facilities and more under and buy currency is usually high Abu Samra check-point at Qatar-Saudi Sharaifi. “I have friends in Qatar who are Darb Al Saai and Katara Heritage Village. construction, it’s no surprise Qatar pre- during Christmas and New Year. Arabia border daily roughly a week before like family and had invited me to wit- They are expected to leave today. sented a stronger bid for the 2022 World THE PENINSULA National Day which falls on December 18. ness one of the best military parades in Al Sharaifi said their journey through Cup and won it. THE PENINSULA Continued on page 3 GCC visitors, a majority accompanied by the region,” said Muharam, while taking a Saudi Arabia to Qatar had been smooth Continued on page 2 SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Emir hopes for Yemen solution

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The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan signing an agreement to set up a Supreme Strategic Committee to bolster cooperation in key fields, in Ankara yesterday. Tel + 974 44298888 Fax Continued from page 1 the Emir and his delegation, open the way for strengthening gratitude for Qatari business- The Emir hoped that there saying the meeting reviewed ties. He said Turkey took steps men’s interest in investment would be a solution and all the relations. on international issues and in Turkey, which, he said, also Tel factions in Yemen would be com- Both sides also discussed Qatar had always backed them applies to Turkish business- mitted to the results of national agreements that were signed as both countries shared joint men investing in Qatar, reports Fax dialogue and implement them. to reach mutual achievements, objectives and identical visions. QNA. President Erdogan welcomed stressing that the deals would He expressed pleasure and THE PENINSULA

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Tel Citizens driving along the Corniche on their decorated vehicle as part of National Day celebrations. KAMMUTTY VP Fax

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Tel Fax Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Abdullah Al Hosani from the UAE’ Shaai’a from Saudi Arabia.

Continued from page 1 Omair Mohammed Muharam (left) and Saeed Ahmed Sharaifi from activities were similar to those Tel “As Arabs we are happy that the UAE. in the UAE, which marked its Fax Qatar is hosting the world tour- National Day on December 2, nament,” he added. Qataris are preserving Arab Abdullah Al Hosani, from the citing events in Darb Al Saai Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin and Islamic traditions, once UAE, said he had come to Qatar and Dubai Global Village. www.marriottmarquisdoha.com Shaai’a, from Saudi Arabia, said you are here it’s like you are in with his family to take part in Masood Ghasan Al Hawari, he had been moved by similari- Saudi Arabia.” the celebrations with friends from Oman, said he was visit- Tel + 974 44195000 ties between Qatar National He said he had visited Darb and relatives here. ing Qatar for the first time and Fax + 974 44195100 Day celebrations and those in Al Saai and found it simi- “Qatar or the UAE, we are a had been advised to take part in his country. lar to the annual Jenadriyah family. Whenever we are here, National Day celebrations. He said for the past two Festival — a cultural and her- we fell we are at home and “I have visited Darb Al Saai, days he had been in Qatar and itage festival — in Saudi Arabia. whenever my friends and rela- Katara Heritage Village and watching tribal festivities which Jenadriyah activities include a tives from here visit the UAE tribal festivities and they have had almost everything in com- camel race, local music and they know they are coming to enriched my stay in Doha,” he mon with festivities in Saudi Ardah and Mizmar which are their second home,” he said. added. Arabia. “It is very moving that held in Darb Al Saai, he said. He said Qatar National Day THE PENINSULA SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Ashghal stresses need to preserve heritage National Day events draw thousands to Heritage Village

DOHA: The Public Works old Qatari village with its diverse a new initiative — ‘Qatarna, Our Authority (Ashghal) concluded cultural elements and legacies, Past and Present’ to create the its National Day celebrations. including customs, traditions, largest album of images. The The main celebration was held crafts and businesses. authority also organised school in Ashghal’s Heritage Village, The authority also welcomed visits to its headquarters as part with the participation of Nassir visitors — employees, consultants, of the ‘Ashghal in the eyes of our bin Ali Al Mawlawi, President, customers, students and the gen- children’. A large number of stu- other officials and staff. eral public — to its headquarters dents from primary, secondary, Activities included folkloric in West Bay. and high schools were briefed shows such as Al Muradah and Heritage Village included other through presentations and vid- Al Arda Al Qatariyya. activities such as a car show eos on Ashghal’s departments, Celebrations aimed to highlight where employees and consult- specialisations, core projects, and the importance of loyalty to the ants displayed their vehicles and a stages each project goes through country and preserving Qatar’s photography contest on Ashghal’s from inception to implementa- heritage and customs by passing National Day activities. tion. Students also viewed models them on to future generations. Inspired by Qatari heritage of projects and mobile labs. Ashghal staff taking part in the traditional Arda dance. Heritage Village represented an and culture, Ashghal launched THE PENINSULA Katara hosts 42 events on National Day Turkey names key DOHA: Katara organ- the cultural environment and ised 42 events on National the arts by hosting events and Day, in collaboration with give platforms to nationals and street after Qatar about 20 public and private expatriates to express love for institutions. the country and attract more ANKARA: Qatar’s relations, especially political These included marine visitors and tourists to Katara. Ambassador to Turkey Salem coordination. activities, military parades, “We seek to ensure par- bin Mubarak Al Shafi inau- He said the council had decided traditional games, songs and ticipation of all nationals and gurated a street named to rename the street after Qatar dances, children’s games, com- expatriates in national joy and after Qatar, adjacent to the due to strong relations between petitions, exhibitions and tra- reach out to all segments of Presidential Republican Palace both countries and hailed Al Shafi ditional tents. society. That is why our pro- in Chanakaya, one of the most for suggesting the idea. Around 11,000 helium-filled grammes included historical prestigious suburbs in the city, He said 2015 will be a cultural balloons painted with Qatari events, current achievements to mark Qatar’s National Day. year between both countries. flags were released. The events and future growth of the Turkish Finance Minister Al Shafi thanked Gokcek for were organised across Katara country.” Mehmet Simsek, Greater Ankara his contribution to naming of and continued until Friday. Parades were conducted Municipal Council Chairman Ali the street after Qatar in one of Katara launched its FM Radio by Emiri Guards in the open Ihsan Yilmaz, Qatari-Turkish the most prestigious suburban in to highlight the activities. theatre. Friendship Parliamentary Group Ankara and thanked Simsek for The events started at 10am Katara restaurants marked President Yahya Akman, MPs, participation, praising his role in and continued until Friday the day by displaying Qatari officials from the foreign and promoting relations. midnight. flags and all employees wore finance ministries and the council Al Shafi said: “Today (yester- Dr Khalid Ibrahim Al flags while the Public Relations as well as Arab ambassadors and day) we have two festivals — the Sulaiti, General Manager, Department distributed gifts charge d’affaires were present. first is Qatar’s National Day cel- Katara, said, “As a cultural and booklets to visitors. Children taking part in a competition at Katara. Yilmaz congratulated Qatar ebrations and the second is the institution, we seek to enrich THE PENINSULA on National Day and praised opening of the street.” QNA Qatar foundation academies participate in National Day

DOHA: Qatar Foundation Qatar Academies went to school history teachers organised a for Education, Science and dressed in their finest traditional presentation in both English and Community Development’s (QF) Qatari apparel to add to the festive Arabic explaining Qatar’s past and Academies have taken part in mood. Activities included henna how the nation has been shaped National Day celebrations by decoration, face painting, pearl to today’s dynamic environment. hosting traditional and educa- making, and traditional art and Commenting on the National tional activities to commemorate crafts for students and families. Day celebrations, Dr Eric Sands, Qatar’s culture and legacy. The traditional sword celebration, Qatar Academy Doha Director QF members Qatar Academy ‘Arda’, was performed by students said: “Qatar Academy’s National Doha, Qatar Academy Sidra, who also recited patriotic poems to Day celebration is a source of Qatar Academy Al Wakra, Qatar express their love for Qatar. great pride for our community. Academy Al Khor, Qatar Academy The events were aligned with From the student sword presen- Msheireb, Awsaj Academy, Qatar QF’s mission to preserve the tation (Arda) in the High School, Leadership Academy and Qatar nation’s heritage, and instill a to the variety of activities on offer Music Academy organised a sense of pride among the young by throughout the campus, our com- diverse range of activities to mark enhancing their knowledge about munity has embraced the wonder- the nation’s pride celebrating Qatar’s cultural life. ful spirit of friendship, tradition, National Day. In order for students to learn and culture on display.” Students and staff at the five more about Qatar’s heritage, THE PENINSULA Regency Travel and Tours celebrates National Day

Officials and staff of Regency Travel and Tours celebrated National Day with events at all branches. India remittances rush to continue Continued from page 1 dollar. Buoyed by signs of recovery will benefit Indian expatriates and “Schools are closed and families in the US economy, the Federal augurs well for exchange houses. leave for India to celebrate with Reserve has decided to stop the “The depreciation in the rupee their loved ones there,” added bond buying programme, known has created rush among Indian Rahman. as Quantitative Easing. expatriates to send money home. The rupee has fallen over 40 Interest rates in the world’s They want to make the maximum percent in the past four years. It largest economy are expected to out of the riyal now. quoted at 12.05 against the riyal rise in coming months leading to “The rush is likely to continue,” by mid-September 2010, and strengthening of the dollar as glo- said a senior official of a currency plunged to 17.30 late in August of bal investors chase it. exchange. 2013. It touched an all-time low The recent fall in gold and The depreciation of the rupee of 18.80 in September last year. crude oil prices have supported is unlikely to have major impact The rupee is following other the fall of the rupee and other on the Indian economy because of major currencies which are con- currencies against the dollar. the sharp decline in the crude oil tinuously depreciating against the The depreciation in the rupee prices. THE PENINSULA SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Expats celebrate National Day

t was fun time for the expatriate communities who enjoyed National IDay celebrations organised across the country. Students of Pakistan Education Centre, Shantiniketan Indian School, TNG School, Bhavan’s Public School, Bangladesh MHM School, among others, presented cultural programmes in Al Wakra Sports Club. Expatriates also took part in cultural, entertainment and sports programmes in Al Khor, at West End Park and other places. Many came with families and said the programmes gave them opportunity to know more about Qatari culture and heritage.

Pics: Kammutty VP & Abdul Basit SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 IS suspected of cyber attack on opponents Threatens to kill Lebanese soldiers

LONDON/BEIRUT: Not con- tent with making extensive use Training of Syrian of social media in its propa- ganda battle, Islamic State (IS) opposition before may be seeking to expose cyber rivals who oppose the jihadi March: Turkey group. Cyber-security group the Citizen ANKARA: Turkey could Lab has released a report that begin training and equip- finds a possible link between Isis ping moderate Syrian oppo- and a digital attack on a Syrian sition fighters before March, citizen media organisation that has Foreign Minister Mevlut repeatedly criticised the fighters. Cavusoglu said on Friday. Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered The US State Department Silently (RSS) has exposed human said in October that Turkey rights abuses by IS forces who are had agreed to support the occupying the northern Syrian programme, a core part of city and have declared it their President Barack Obama’s capital. RSS has also sought to strategy in Syria to field local counter the suggestion that citi- forces to hold and eventu- zens of Raqqa have welcomed the ally roll back Islamic State presence of IS. insurgents. Last month RSS’s support- REUTERS ers were sent emails from a Gmail address that contained a link to an image of supposed air IS to its opponents. It says the strikes by US forces against Isis digital attacks could also target strongholds. Clicking on the link “ideological or military adversar- introduces malware to the user’s ies abroad”. computer that sends details of the “The entry costs for engaging IP address and system each time in malware attacks in a conflict it restarts. like the Syrian civil war are low, That information has been and made lower by the fact that enough to allow IS to locate RSS the rule of law is non-existent for Rebel fighters fire a machine gun on the frontline during the battle against pro-government forces for control of the Handarat region, north of Aleppo, supporters. “The group has been large parts of the country. In still yesterday. targeted for kidnappings, house other parts (under regime con- raids, and at least one alleged trol), malware attacks appear to more vigilant about digital attacks branch of Al Qaeda, the Al Nusra support for Lebanese Shia move- but you have added to your targeted killing. At the time of be state sanctioned,” it adds. from terrorist groups such as Isis. Front. Four hostages have already ment Hezbollah, whose fight- crimes today by your collabora- writing, Isis is allegedly hold- The head of the City of London However, Craig Guiliano, a been executed. The video, filmed in ers are aiding Syrian President tion with Hezbollah and your ing several citizen journalists in police last month said banks must former Department of Defense a field with hills in the background, Bashar Assad in the civil war transformation of the Lebanese Raqqa,” according to the Citizen do more to protect themselves counter-terrorism official, told shows three men in blue uniforms, against largely Sunni Muslim army into a mere puppet in the Lab report. against attacks on their networks Time.com that Isis “could be a each kneeling in front of a fighter rebels that include IS. hands of Hezbollah, with which it “Though we are unable to con- by Islamic fundamentalists. potential threat in the future, but holding a knife to his throat. “To the allies of France in oppresses Sunnis.” clusively attribute the attack to Commissioner Adrian Leppard we’re not there yet”. The unidentified speaker, was Lebanon — Hariri, Geagea and IS is a radical Sunni organisa- IS or its supporters, a link to Isis told a security conference in New Meanwhile, a French-speaking wearing a hood and his com- Jumblatt — the Islamic State is at tion that considers Shiite Muslims is plausible. The malware used in York that “there could be a very militant threatened yesterday to panions’ faces were uncovered. war with Hezbollah, which is med- to be heretics. It has murdered the attack differs substantially serious impact to the financial execute Lebanese soldiers held From his speech, it was not pos- dling in the affairs of Muslims in many of them in a campaign of from campaigns linked to the institutions of the world through a hostage by the IS, saying three sible to determine if he was from Shams (Syria) and has killed our atrocities in areas under its con- Syrian regime, and the attack cyber-attack and I think it’s a very prominent anti-IS Lebanese poli- Lebanon, where French is widely women and our children,” he says. trol in Syria and neighbouring Iraq. is focused against a group that strong likelihood that it will hap- ticians would be responsible for spoken, or a third country. He was referring to Sunni “You are therefore responsible for is an active target of IS forces,” pen one day in the future, which their deaths. Thousands of fighters from former prime minister Saad the fate of your fellow citizens. the report’s authors, John Scott- is why we’ve got to push back and The threat was made in a video France and countries in North Hariri, right-wing Christian Their future, their life and death, Railton and Seth Hardy, write. take action now before it happens.” obtained from a Salafist cleric, Africa where French is spoken leader Samir Geagea and Walid depends on your next decision,” he Citizen Lab said it had pub- In September US National Wissam Al Masri, who is medi- have flocked to IS ranks. Jumblatt, chief of the Druze com- said without making any specific lished the report to draw atten- Security Agency director, Michael ating the release of 25 police and The speaker attacked the poli- munity in Lebanon. demands of the three men. tion to a new threat posed by Rogers, said the US needed to be soldiers held by IS and the Syrian ticians for what he said is their “You are certainly criminals, GUARDIAN/AFP

Rocket fired from Gaza hits Of $5.4bn pledged for Gaza, only a fraction delivered GAZA: Two months after infrastructure in Gaza destroyed said Robert Turner, director of particularly from the EU and of Turkey and the United Arab southern Israel donors pledged $5.4bn to help during seven weeks of fight- operations for the UN’s Relief the United States, the Arab states Emirates. In part, officials said, rebuild Gaza after the war ing, and the rest to support the and Works Agency in Gaza. “That were in most cases making new the problem is that it always takes JERUSALEM: A rocket fired between Israel and Hamas, Palestinian budget. money will be largely finished in commitments of support. Officials time for donors to follow through from Gaza hit southern Israel Palestinian, UN and other offi- But of the total, only $100m or January 2015. We have a shortfall said they had been among the on their commitments. It is also yesterday, the Israeli police cials say barely 2 percent of the so has been received, according (for shelter and homes) of $620m worst at following through. difficult to transfer money to said, adding that it fell on open money has been transferred. to UN and other officials. While and we are going to run out right “The Arab countries haven’t Gaza since Hamas, an Islamist ground without causing casual- The conference in Cairo had the EU and the United States in the hardest part of winter.” paid anything until now,” Mufeed group, remains in control. ties or damage. been hailed as a success, with have accelerated some funding Details of donor commitments Al Hasayna, the Palestinian hous- The money was supposed It was the third rocket attack Qatar promising $1bn, Saudi that was already in the pipeline, are often hard to pin down as ing minister, said this month. to go to the Western-backed since the end in August of the Arabia $500m and the United very few new pledges have come the headline figure frequently “The Europeans just a few mil- Palestinian Authority in the West 50-day Gaza war. The last inci- States and the European Union a to fruition. includes money set aside earlier lions, maybe something from the Bank, which planned to resume dent was on October 31. combined $780m in various forms “We have received funding but not yet paid out. Swedes.” responsibility in Gaza and admin- Hamas and Israel agreed a of assistance. Half was expected and pledges of approximately While that is the case with It was not clear what happened ister the money. That has not yet ceasefire on August 26, brokered to go to rebuilding houses and $100m for shelter and repair,” some of the funds for Gaza, to promises of $200m from each happened. REUTERS by Egypt, ending 50 days of war which resulted in the deaths of 2,140 Palestinians and 73 Israelis, most of them from the army. The Islamist movement Hamas, which de facto rules the Gaza Strip and is committed to the Ex-Ben Ali officials destruction of Israel, had on Sunday held a military parade, during which it displayed rocket and mortar launchers. return to politics Sporadic rocket fire from the Gaza Strip is usually claimed by TUNIS: In the corner of Some former regime officials have smaller militant factions rather his office, Tunisian presi- already secured parliamentary than Hamas. Cairo talks between dential candidate Beji Caid positions after Essebsi’s secu- Israel and Hamas to cement the Essebsi keeps a bust of Habib lar party Nidaa Tounes took the fragile truce, due to be held last Bourguiba, who led the country most seats in an October general month, were called off by Egypt. in 1957 after its independence election. Following that, Essebsi from France. It is a symbol, he secured 39 percent in the first says, of the kind of statesman presidential round in November Qaeda attack kills Tunisia now needs. against 33 percent for Marzouki. The 88-year-old was a minister The presidential candidate, 3 Yemeni slodiers in Bourguiba’s government and is who was once Ben Ali’s par- now standing for President him- liamentary speaker, distances SANA’A: A suspected Al self. To win however, he must con- himself from the corruption and Qaeda bomb attack killed three vince voters to look past his more abuses associated with the past Yemeni soldiers and wounded recent job—speaker for the auto- regime. Instead he offers his expe- five others yesterday, the sec- cratic Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, rience as a statesman that he says ond attack in days on security who rigged elections to rule for Tunisia needs after three years of Supporters of Tunisia’s President Moncef Marzouki wave flags during a presidential re-election campaign rally in forces in Yemen’s southeastern 24 years until the country threw instability. “Do people really think Sidi Bouzid yesterday. Tunisia will hold the run-off of its first democratic presidential election tomorrow. Hadramawt province. him out in 2011. at my age I will take over every- An explosive device planted in That revolt inspired “Arab thing? I will be the president for never made it past initial propos- development. Marzouki only talks for tough austerity measures to the town of Seyun was detonated Spring” uprisings across the all Tunisians,” Essebsi said dur- als. Now Essebsi, who regularly of Essebsi in the context of the Ben ease the budget deficit. remotely as a vehicle carrying Middle East. Where other ing a campaign stop earlier this deflects criticism about his age Ali era. But he says a win for his His party’s slim margin in army personnel passed by, the nations struggle with post-revolt month. “All I want is to return with quips, refers to Bourguiba opponent would undermine the Congress also means it will be source said. Three soldiers were upheaval, Tunisia’s presidential the prestige of the state.” in his appeal to Tunisians now legacy of the “Jasmine Revolution” forced to compromise when law- killed on Wednesday in a similar elections on Sunday highlight its Incorporating Ben Ali officials hoping for more stability. and risk consolidating power in makers choose a prime minister bombing west of Seyun. successful shift to democracy and into politics was part of the politi- The first president of Tunisia, the hands of former regime men, and form a new government. It Security forces are often the a new constitution. cal compromise that salvaged Bourguiba ruled for twenty years known as the “Remnants”. is unclear whether Nidaa Tounes target of deadly attacks, which But the race between Essebsi Tunisia’s transition and set it before being removed by Ben Ali “Essebsi is not a democrat. He would be able to work with the left- are usually blamed on Al-Qaeda and incumbent President Moncef apart from other countries, like and kept under house arrest until doesn’t know what democracy is,” ist Popular Front or the Islamists militants, who are active in the Marzouki, the human rights Libya and Egypt, that still strug- his death. Though he consoli- Marzouki said in a recent speech. Ennahda in a national coalition— violence-wracked country. activist named president after gle after the Arab Spring to deal dated Tunisia’s one-party system, Yet should Essebsi win, victory both strong movements. Ennahda Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula the first free election of 2011, is with past regime influence. many Tunisians still see him as would be tempered by the political remains a powerful political voice is considered by Washington as the also dominated by questions over Ben Ali officials were not the founder of a secular-leaning and economic challenges facing with 69 seats versus Nidaa Tounes’ jihadist network’s most dangerous the return of those close to Ben hunted down and a law to ban state with its emphasis on educa- Tunisia: A low-intensity Islamist 85 seats in the 217-member legisla- affiliate. AFP Ali, who fled to Saudi Arabia. members of his party from politics tion, women’s rights and economic militant insurgency and a need ture. REUTERS SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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US-Cuba détente Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

S-CUBA hostility has been so deep-rooted that the world didn’t care how deep it was. So the world reacted with a pleasant surprise when Unews emerged that the two rivals have at last decided to bury the hatchet and start anew. Considering Peshawar massacre isn’t about that what has come to end is 53 years of diplomatic estrangement, the level of surprise and relief at the détente is understandable. And the credit for brokering this historic religion – it’s about intimidation diplomatic breakthrough goes to the Vatican. Months of secret talks – running to a year and a half -- preceded BY BINA SHAH the patch-up which came with the announcement of a were between 10 and 16 years old, chil- prisoner release and spy swap deal. According to American dren of army officers who were listening officials, a personal appeal from Pope Francis was critical to a speech being given by a senior mili- Pakistan has, in fact, in persuading Cuban President Raul Castro to agree to the AST week I wept with pride tary officer when the gunmen struck. swap. as Malala Yousafzai collected The Pakistani army has been con- been accused of not The decision to normalize relations will benefit Cubans her Nobel Peace prize in Oslo, ducting a “clearance operation” at the next to Kailash Satyarthi. The school, and says that it is determined wanting peace, but more. In a world where hostilities and friendships shift at L world stopped to listen as she gave her to stop the terrorists from killing the nothing is further from the slightest provocation, 53 years is too long a period for acceptance speech, in which she said: rest of their hostages in the siege. The two countries to remain enemies. As a small country, Cuba “It is time to take action so it leader of the Taliban group claiming the truth. You don’t lose has suffered the most due to this hostility. becomes the last time, the last time, responsibility for the attack says it is Raul Castro deserves credit for his pragmatism. A so it becomes the last time that we see in retaliation for the strikes against 40,000 people – plus 126 decision to normalize ties with US will be no easy one for a child deprived of education … Let us militants in North Waziristan. “They more, today – and want become the first generation to decide to are killing our innocent families so we a Cuban leader, where mistrust of the world’s superpower be the last, let us become the first gen- want them to feel the same pain,” he has to continue to bleed out. is deep-rooted. Under Raul’s leadership since 2008, the eration that decides to be the last that reportedly said. country has begun a process of bold economic reforms that sees empty classrooms, lost childhoods, If anyone still thinks this is about After today we know has benefited ordinary Cubans and and wasted potentials.” religion, and not a political struggle with that if we keep bleeding he lifted travel restrictions that the We watched as Malala received the barest patina of religion as justifica- Ordinary government cruelly imposed on its the award and tion for this war, they need only come like this, we will not raised it high, to Peshawar to attend the funerals of Cubans will citizens. The benefits for Cubans will able to smile the children, who will be buried before survive. be many: it will bring more freedom, benefit most with only half the sun goes down, in the Islamic tradi- as Washington will be in a position to To survive as a her face but all tion. They have only to hear what their and policy, about terrorism and coun- from the increase its support for Cuba’s civil of her heart. She parents will say, the customary response ter-terrorism, that people have made society and dissidents in the same country Pakistan announced later to the news of a Muslim’s death: to Him their careers writing and lecturing on that she intended we belong and to Him we will return. the subject. Yet no amount of expertise normalisation way as the Cuban government will needs to map to return to The children who were killed are of the is able to come up with the solution to of relations be under less pressure to suppress out a road to Pakistan in 2015, same religion as the attackers claim to the crisis. Books, I am afraid, are not between dissent as citizens improve their lives yet another follow. This is not about religion: this is tourniquets. with more opportunities coming their peace, with the marker of her about power, intimidation and revenge. There are urgent calls going out for Washington way, and secondly, it will help improve triumph over the Every time there is an attack in people to come to hospitals in Peshawar economy as US will lift sanctions and army, politicians terrorists that Pakistan it prompts soul-searching, and donate blood, especially O-negative and Havana. tried to deprive despair, revulsion and depression in the type. Blood is being airlifted from American companies will make a and the people her not just of people. From politicians we only get the Rawalpindi to Peshawar because sup- beeline to invest in Cuba. rallying under a education, but of word “condemnation.” We have come to plies have already run out. What it will For Barack Obama too, it’s a proud her life. realise how impotent a word that really is take, though, to stem the bleeding is moment. His motivation to normalize relations with Cuba is unifying cause. We then saw over the past few years. It implies disap- a precise roadmap towards peace, one clear. The embargo against Cuba is increasingly unpopular, a photograph of proval, not resolution to truly put an end that combines the power of the army even in parts of the Cuban-American community that Malala as she to the situation. It calls for disavowal, with the political backing of our politi- toured the Nobel museum: when she instead of owning the conflict fully. It is cians and leaders, that rallies the people long supported it, and the president has been eager to find saw her blood-spattered uniform, the a weasel word that, the more it is used, and unites them under this cause. It areas of both foreign and domestic policy where he can act one she was wearing when she was shot angers ordinary Pakistanis who have sounds simple, and yet we still haven’t without cooperation from Congress. by the Taliban, she burst into tears. paid the price for this war with their been able to agree on what that road- One major beneficiary of this diplomatic breakthrough Kailash, who she calls a second father, blood and the blood of their loved ones. map should look like, or even in which will be US companies. Normalizing relations with the island had to comfort her as she buried her The Pakistan army has shown the direction it should go. head in his shoulder. most steel in its attempts to batter the Pakistan has, in fact, been accused nation about 90 miles from Florida would open a market of And now, barely a week later, we are militants in their camps – some would of not wanting peace, but nothing is about 11 million people — about the same size as a state like weeping as we see the images on our tel- say a response long overdue, while oth- further from the truth. You don’t lose Ohio — that have been longing for US products for decades. evisions of schoolchildren being carried ers would grimly point out that its stra- 40,000 people – plus 126 more, today – Cuba is hungry for foreign investment. The government out an army school in Peshawar in their tegic depth policy has now grown into a and want to continue to bleed out. After issued a 168- page report in November targeting the energy, blood-spattered uniforms, victims of a dangerously uncontrollable entity, and today we know that if we keep bleeding agriculture and tourism industries as good areas for foreign Taliban attack which has so far killed the entire nation is suffering as a result. like this, we will not survive. 126 people. Most of the children killed There is so much to say about strategy THE GUARDIAN investment. The other side Quote of Tourists, behave yourselves the day

woman passenger threw hot a written testimony that whatever had they did. Besides, every passenger talked to the captain. water a flight attendant and, been reported about their bad behav- onboard a flight has to abide by rules But no, they believed that behaving along with her three friends, ior was false. and whatever the flight attendants say like barbarians would get them what A created such a ruckus on This reminds one of an ugly inci- for the security of all passengers. they wanted, forgetting that civility We cannot have a board that an AirAsia flight to Nanjing dent in 2012 when a brawl between The ugly incident could have been demands that a fellow human being was forced to return to Bangkok on two Chinese passengers onboard avoided had the four abided by the be treated as an equal. Such uncivi- society in which Thursday night. One of the four even a Swiss flight forced it to return to rules and shown some respect for lized behavior will not be accepted threatened to blow up the plane. base after flying for six hours. The two their fellow passengers. What was the anywhere, let alone onboard a flight. some dictator After the flight landed in Bangkok, were arrested for disrupting order and woman thinking when she scalded The four may be too wealthy to the four were fined and made to pay threatening the safety of the flight. the attendant with hot water? And care about the money they paid someplace can start compensation for the injuries they had Of course, such isolated incidents were they aware that they were risk- as fine and compensation. But no imposing censorship caused to the flight attendant. do not represent the Chinese people. ing the security of the flight itself? amount of money can buy them back After eventually landing in Nanjing But they do tarnish their image. If they were not satisfied with their lost reputation. Nor can money here in the United on Saturday, the four, two men and No matter how angry or hurt the the service of the flight attendant, heal the harm they have caused to States. two women, reportedly refused to four AirAsia passengers were, they they could have lodged a complaint other Chinese tourists. Barack Obama leave until the flight crew gave them had no right to behave the way against her. They could have even China Daily US President SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Xi is everybody’s favourite dictator Research by Japanese firm GMO and analysed by Anthony Saich at the Harvard Kennedy School showed Xi scoring the highest favourable rating among 10 world leaders, based on a survey of citizens from 30 countries across the globe.

BY SIMON DENYER distaste for one-party rule that many in the West feel: but whether that is more e presides over a one-party down to the party’s achievements in pro- state that jails more journalists moting economic growth, maintaining than any other on the planet, stability and restoring national pride, or Hsilences its critics ruthlessly its relentless propaganda and silencing and censors the Internet extensively. But of alternative viewpoints, is something China’s President Xi Jinping is not only of a mute point. wildly popular in his own country, he But it might be more surprising to could be the most popular world leader some that Xi is well received abroad, globally. especially in the West, where China’s Research by Japanese research firm efforts to project its soft power are often GMO — and analysed by Anthony Saich mocked. But as Saich, of the Kennedy at the Harvard Kennedy School — showed School’s Ash Center for Democratic Xi scoring the highest favourable rating Governance and Innovation, con- among 10 world leaders, based on a sur- cludes, “responses are influenced by vey of citizens from 30 countries across geopolitics.” the globe. The survey show’s Xi scoring well Xi topped the tables domestically and in Pakistan and Russia, as well as in Chinese President Xi Jinping (centre) during a visit to a public housing estate in Macau. internationally, scoring an average of Tanzania and Kenya and, to a slightly 9 out of 10 among his own people, and lesser extent, Thailand, Indonesia and critical of their leaders and policies than Among more democratic leaders, Modi she has recently taken a tougher line, 7.3 out of 10 globally, ahead of India’s Malaysia. These range from geopolitical in “those nations where politics is less does well, ranking third most popular at and in Spain, where Germany’s austere new Prime Minister Narendra Modi, allies to beneficiaries of Chinese invest- contested” and the media more influ- home and second most popular abroad, financial policies are blamed for prolong- with a global score of 7.2, and German ment and countries where China’s eco- enced by the government. after his landslide election victory in ing an economic slump. But Merkel is Chancellor Angela Merkel, who scored nomic model is attractive. But Putin does not share Xi’s global May. That Modi’s victory has brought a otherwise well regarded, ranking first in 7.0. He fares less well in rival nations like popularity, scoring bottom of the 10 lead- surge in optimism is also evidenced by the 13 countries, and among the top three It is no real surprise that Xi’s scores Japan and Vietnam, and in Western ers on the international rankings, with fact that India tops the rankings as the leaders in 23 nations. highly among his own people: his far- Europe. a score of 6.0. After his annexation of country whose people are happiest about President Barack Obama ranks 7th in reaching crackdown on official corrup- The survey has several other interest- Crimea and military adventurism in their own development path. That also terms of domestic popularity, with a score tion is very popular here, and his folksy ing findings. Aside from Xi, the next most eastern Ukraine, Putin is unpopular in might come as a surprise to foreigners of 6.2, and 6th abroad, with a score of 6.6. style, exemplified by a 2013 visit to a popular leader domestically is Vladimir Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, who often denigrate the country’s vibrant He can at least take comfort from the fact steamed bun shop, has made him seem Putin. the United States, Canada and above all but unruly democracy. that, in both tables, he outscores Japan’s more down-to-earth than many of his Citizens in democratic nations, where in Russia’s neighbor, Finland. Outside Angela Merkel comes third globally, Shinzo Abe, Britain’s David Cameron and predecessors. politics is contested and the press more Russia, he scores best in Vietnam and but that score is dragged down by unpop- France’s Francois Hollande. Nor do most Chinese people share the open, Saich concludes, tend to be more China. ularity in Russia, with whose government WP-BLOOMBERG

EU leaders prepare for long Despite billions in aid, US unable to confrontation with Russia get Pakistan to confront militants BY ALASTAIR MACDONALD and JAN STRUPCZEWSKI uropean Union leaders warned Moscow they are ready to BY DAVID ROHDE flex their combined muscle and “stay the course” in a long confrontation with Russia if President Vladimir Putin refuses ince 2001 the United States has tried Eto pull back from Ukraine. virtually every strategy available to “We must go beyond being reactive and defensive. As Europeans persuade Pakistan’s army to take the we must regain our self-confidence and realise our own strengths,” Sthreat of militancy more seriously, said Donald Tusk, the former Polish premier who chaired a brief EU but 12 years and $28bn in aid later, all the summit in Brussels on Thursday. American approaches are widely viewed as In comments that were part warning to Russia, where falling oil having failed. prices and Western trade sanctions have brought financial havoc, and First, the Bush administration heaped part exhortation to an EU bloc divided between hawks and doves, Tusk praise on former Pakistani President Pervez said a united European front was vital. Musharraf, agreed to reimburse the Pakistani “It is obvious we will not find a long-term perspective for Ukraine army for anti-Taliban military operations and without an adequate, consistent and united European strategy towards launched drone strikes that killed al Qaeda Russia,” he added, after the first meeting he has chaired as president of leaders and militants wanted by the Pakistani the leaders’ European Council. “Today we are maybe not too optimistic,” government. said Tusk, who learned his politics as an anti-Soviet student activist Adopting a more confrontational stance, in the 1980s. “But we have to be realistic, not optimistic.” the Obama administration unilaterally car- Meeting on a day when Putin mounted a wordy defence of policies ried out the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, on Ukraine and the economy, the leaders of the 28 EU states conferred vastly increased aid to Pakistan’s weak civilian on how to handle their giant eastern neighbour longer term, after a institutions and, at times, cut off aid to the year of crisis and mutual trade sanctions that have brought warnings Pakistani military. of a return to Cold War. Yet the militants continue to operate, ever Some in the EU have said they should switch their focus away from more brazenly, as illustrated by Tuesday’s backing Ukraine to a detente with Moscow. That might help European harrowing attack on a school in Peshawar, businesses, which have suffered loss of trade with Russia and fear a in which 132 students were killed by a fac- spillover from the rouble crisis. But for all their continuing differences tion of the Pakistan Taliban. And with the in attitudes to Russia, leaders voiced their determination to stick United States increasingly focused on other together as they have over the past year, while brandishing at Putin crises, Washington’s options for bringing about the stick of more sanctions and carrot of renewed cooperation. change in an increasingly unstable Pakistan They agreed to keep up financial aid to help Ukraine carry out are dwindling fast. reforms to its post-Soviet political and economic systems. “There is great ‘Pakistan fatigue’ in “Russia is today our strategic problem, not Ukraine,” said Tusk, who Washington,” said Cameron Munter, who Supporters of Pakistan’s Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) political party hold signs to condemn as Polish prime minister was among the hawks from Moscow’s former served as the American ambassador to the Taliban attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, during national solidarity rally in Karachi communist satellites who pushed for sanctions. Pakistan from 2010 to 2012. “Not only have yesterday. In what one diplomat said was a conscious evocation of a line from the last dozen years been very difficult, but Cold Warrior Ronald Reagan during a 1982 US election campaign, Tusk other challenges - from Syria to Ukraine to Analysts said the army is failing to own up to The senior administration official was more inserted into the official communique on measures to punish Russia Iran, to name a few - demand our attention.” its decades-long history of training, funding optimistic, contending that even before the the phrase “the EU will stay the course”. Although Tuesday’s attack sparked wide- and sheltering some militant groups and using school attack, the Pakistani public was rais- Another said more conciliatory leaders, such as Italy’s Matteo Renzi, spread condemnation, current and former U.S. them as proxies to counter archrival India in ing pressure on the army to act. The ongoing appeared to have hardened their attitude to Moscow in the face of officials expressed cynicism that the bloodshed Afghanistan and Kashmir. military operation in North Waziristan that what they saw as continued aggression by Putin. would cause Pakistan’s military to change its Since 2001 a parade of American officials militants said prompted the school attack was view of militants. - from presidents to CIA directors - have evidence of change. “There has been a growing CARROT AND STICK Munter and other officials said the United repeatedly warned Pakistan’s generals that sense in Pakistan that this is an issue that they Having enacted some previously agreed new sanctions on Thursday, States has been unable to break a powerful, they will lose control of their militant proxies need to deal with,” said the senior official, who they made no move to further escalate measures against Moscow. And army-backed narrative in Pakistan that militant and eventually be attacked by them. Pakistani asked not to be identified by name. they made clear that, like the United States, they would ease them if attacks are the result of America’s war on ter- military officials have denied sheltering But Shamila Chaudhary, who served as Putin honoured a four-month-old peace deal. ror. Foreign powers, not Pakistan, are responsi- militants. senior director for Pakistan and Afghanistan “The door is always open if Russia changes its behaviour,” said British ble for growing militancy in Pakistan, according on the National Security Council from 2010 Prime Minister David Cameron. “If it takes Russian troops out of to the narrative. And Pakistan is not responsible CHINESE PRESSURE? to 2011, warned that as U.S. attention has Ukraine, and it obeys all the strictures of the Minsk agreement, these for the problem and unable to stop it. But some current and former U.S. officials shifted elsewhere, the steady deterioration sanctions can go.” That narrative played out immediately said the sheer brutality of this week’s attack of Pakistan’s institutions, security forces and But German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose foreign minister flew when Pakistan’s army chief, General Raheel would intensify demands from Pakistan’s economy has continued. to Kiev on Friday aiming for new peace talks, stressed: Sharif, flew to Afghanistan within 24 hours public for the army to confront militancy. For years, Chaudhary said, she dismissed “Sanctions can only be lifted if the reasons for them change.” of the attack to meet Afghan leaders. They James Dobbins, who served as the Obama alarmist warnings from other U.S. experts on Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a senior Social Democrat said they had information that the school Administration’s Special Representative to Pakistan that the country’s nuclear arsenal in the conservative Merkel’s coalition, later said he was concerned attack was directed by militants hiding inside Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2013 to 2014, was unsafe. The inability of Pakistan’s security about “turning the screw” of sanctions further and said the conflict Afghanistan. said there was also growing pressure from forces to protect a military-run school, she must not run “out of control”. “We are hoping that we will see strong Pakistan’s longtime ally China. said, has given her doubts regarding Pakistan’s Jean-Claude Juncker, the new head of the executive European action from the Afghan side in the coming “I think they are pressing Pakistan to take atomic arsenal for the first time. Commission, said dialogue was still important, saying: “We have to days,” said Pakistani army spokesman Major this threat more seriously,” he said. “I will have a hard time saying to people that keep channels of communication open.” General Asim Saleem Bajwa. Munter, the former ambassador, argued militants can never steal Pakistan’s nuclear In a mark of Tusk’s determination to play a leading role in EU poli- One senior American official said he hoped that the problem reflects a more fundamental weapons,” she said. “The more these things cymaking, the Pole started the summit on time, before Merkel and the trip was not “communications Kabuki” question of whether militants have become so happen, that rate of risk goes ahead, and I just French President Francois Hollande arrived, several diplomats said. designed to divert blame for the failure to entrenched that the Pakistani army cannot think, well, it could happen one day.” Keen to show business-like vigour, Tusk also wound the summit up stop the attack away from the Pakistani army. defeat them. REUTERS early, cancelling a second day yesterday. REUTERS SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 08 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MIDDLE EAST Court issues arrest warrant for Gulen TV chief arrested on terror charges ISTANBUL: A Turkish court Samanyolu TV chief Hidayet has issued an arrest warrant Karaca was placed under arrest for long-time Erdogan rival on charges of forming a terrorist Fethullah Gulen, a US-based group, after being detained with cleric, state media reports. over two dozen others in weekend The 1st Istanbul Penal Court raids on journalists, scriptwriters of Peace accepted the request and police accused of plotting to of Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s overthrow Erdogan. Office to issue an arrest warrant The court, however, ordered the for Gulen yesterday, official news release of Ekrem Dumanli, the agency Anadolu reported. The editor-in-chief of the Zaman daily prosecutor said Gulen should be which has repeatedly accused charged with setting up or run- Erdogan of running a corrupt ning an armed “terrorist” group. regime and who was arrested in This comes in the wake of the the same raids last Sunday. last week’s media raids, during Both the Zaman newspaper and which over 20 suspected Gulen the STV channel are linked to supporters, including chief edi- Fethullah Gulen Gulen, a one-time ally of Erdogan tors and media executives, were whom the Turkish strongman detained. as evidence Erdogan is stripping has now vowed to crush without The arrest warrant would the judiciary of its independence. mercy. take Erdogan’s campaign to root Asked about a report that a Dumanli defiantly told hun- out Gulen supporters, including warrant had been issued, a gov- dreds of supporters outside purges of the judiciary and police, ernment official, requesting ano- the court afer this release that to the international arena poten- nymity, said: “There is no decision “the press cannot be silenced, tially testing already strained yet. The prosecutor has made a media will never succumb to relations with Washington. request and the judge is evaluat- intimidations.” Zaman editor-in-chief Ekrem Dumanli greets his supporters after being released by the court outside the Justice Gulen has lived in self-imposed ing it.” Seven other suspects in the exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. It was not immediately clear on case were ordered released by Palace in Istanbul yesterday. He was a close ally of Erdogan what specific grounds the war- the court in Istanbul while three in the early years after his rul- rant was being requested. If it is more — all ex-police officers — an arrest warrant had also been organisation”. The three former made this decision will appear ing AK Party took power in 2002 forthcoming, Turkish authori- were also remanded in custody. issued for Gulen “for leading a senior Istanbul police officers before the court one day,” he said. but has been in open conflict ties would be free to apply to the terrorist organisation”. arrested — Tufan Erguder, Ertan His arrest is believed to be with him since a graft investiga- United States for extradition, FORMING TERROR GROUP There was no immediate con- Ercikti and Mustafa Kilcaslan — linked to a popular drama series tion emerged a year ago targeting with no guarantee of success. Erdogan accuses Gulen of run- firmation of this from the court had been charged with “member- on STV, “Tek Turkiye” (One the then-prime minister’s inner Erdogan’s image in the West, once ning a “parallel state” and being and the story later disappeared ship of a terrorist organisation”. Turkey), which tells the story of circle. that of a moderate reformer, has behind sensational corruption from the website of TRT with no Dumanli has been slapped with a doctor who goes to work in the Erdogan portrays the investi- been eroded as his open intoler- allegations against his inner cir- explanation. However, it remained an exit ban from Turkey, indicat- Kurdish-majority southeast amid gation as part of a coup attempt ance of opposition and of criticism cle that broke on December 17 on the website of Sabah. ing he is still set to face trial. It the armed rebellion by Kurdistan and describes Gulen’s followers has grown. last year. Gulen, who is believed The United States has so far was not immediately clear what Workers Party (PKK) rebels. as traitors and terrorists - all Meanwhile, a Turkish court to have millions of followers in paid little attention to repeated charges he might face. The European Union had con- charges that Gulen, who runs a yesterday remanded in custody Turkey and runs private cram- requests from Turkey for According to Zaman’s website, demned the arrests as running vast network of schools and busi- the head of a national TV net- mer schools around the world, has Gulen’s extradition from his Karaca raised his hands after contrary to European values but ness enterprises in Turkey and work and three ex-police officers vehemently denied all the allega- secluded compound in the state the decision was announced and Erdogan has struck back, telling abroad, denies. on terrorism charges, in a case tions against him. of Pennsylvania. said: “No need to be worried, God the bloc to “mind their own busi- Turkish courts have dropped linked with a top foe of President State-run TRT television and Turkish television said that helps.” “Just as this is an arrest ness” in a row that risks badly the corruption cases, critics at Recep Tayyip Erdogan that has the website of the pro-govern- Karaca had been charged with order for a fictional scenario, this damaging relations. home and in the West citing that strained EU ties. ment Sabah newspaper said that “forming and running a terrorist is a fictional ruling. “Those who REUTERS/AFP

Kuwait court Obama tells Sisi of US concern over mass trials jails three IS WASHINGTON: US President expressed concern about mass of Mursi supporters have been Egyptian Mohamed Baher were call, Obama emphasized the Barack Obama spoke to his trials, the status of NGOs, and sentenced to die in swift tri- convicted of supporting the black- importance of cooperation Egyptian counterpart Abdel the continued imprisonment of als the United Nations has listed Muslim Brotherhood. between Washington and Cairo supporters Fattah Al Sisi and expressed journalists and peaceful activists called “unprecedented in recent Since the fall of Hosni Mubarak “to promote shared interests in concern over mass trials and in Egypt,” the statement said. history.” in 2011, the United States has counterterrorism and regional KUWAIT CITY: A Kuwaiti the continued detention of jour- In early December, an Egyptian Egypt has also cracked down faced a dilemma in Egypt. security.” court has jailed three Arab nalists and peaceful activists. court sentenced 188 people to on the press, sentencing several Washington regularly expresses “The president affirmed the supporters of the Islamic State During a telephone call, the death for the murder of 13 police journalists including three from dissatisfaction over the country’s United States’ continuing com- jihadist group, in a first for White House said, Obama encour- officers — the latest in a series international news network Al poor human rights record, but mitment to the strategic partner- the Gulf emirate, newspapers aged Sisi to “invest in the political, of mass trials launched by Jazeera to lengthy prison terms. also relies on its military alliance ship with Egypt and emphasized reported yesterday. economic, and social aspirations authorities amid a crackdown In June, Australian Peter as a centerpiece of American the importance of bilateral coop- The court sentenced a Kuwaiti of the Egyptian people.” on supporters of ousted presi- Greste, Egyptian-Canadian diplomacy in the Arab world. eration,” the US leader said. to 10 years in jail for urging sup- “President Obama also dent Mohamed Mursi. Hundreds Mohamed Fadel Fahmy and During Thursday’s telephone AFP port for the group and also for insulting Kuwait’s ruler in public. An Egyptian and a Jordanian City beauty were handed four-year terms for helping him distribute pro-IS leaflets, local media reports said, quoting Thursday’s ruling. The verdicts can be appealed but the men are in currently in prison. It was the first such Kuwaiti court ruling against supporters of IS, the target of US-led air strikes in Syria and neighbouring Iraq. Kuwaiti courts are examining two similar cases. In September, police arrested several suspected IS members under the Gulf state’s commit- ment to the US-led coalition against the jihadists. Dozens of Kuwaitis have fought alongside rebel groups in Syria battling President Bashar al- Assad’s regime, and a number have been killed in the conflict. Turkish court A view of Kuwait City from the top of Al Hamra Tower, the tallest skyscraper in Kuwait and one of the top 10 tallest towers in the world. acquits dissident over 1998 blast

ANKARA: A Turkish court Libya’s two biggest oil ports yesterday acquitted Turkish dis- sident sociologist Pinar Selek, who has taken refuge in France, not damaged during clashes over a 1998 explosion that killed seven people, the official Anatolia news agency reported. ES SIDER, LIBYA: Libya’s al-Thinni, forced to work out of km to the west of Es Sider. The ruling — delivered by a two biggest oil export ports, the east since losing control of The reporter could see some high criminal court in Istanbul Ras Lanuf and Es Sider, Tripoli in August, has launched damaged vehicles which officers — came at a hearing on Selek’s have not been damaged dur- air strikes throughout the week said belonged to the rival force retrial after a life sentence for ing recent clashes between to stop the advance. near the port. He saw vehicles her alleged involvement in the forces allied to the country’s “The port facilities were not parked on a small airport in deadly explosion was overturned competing governments, port damaged. Everything is fine,” Ras Lanuf used by Thinni’s this year, according to Anatolia. engineers said yesterday. port engineers told a Reuters forces to attack the rival forces. The 43-year-old Selek, known Last Saturday a force allied reporter visiting both termi- The fighting is part of a for her critical studies of the to the rival assembly based in nals. He could see no damage wider struggle over control Kurdish conflict in Turkey and Tripoli, the General National at the berth and tanks and of the North African country work with street children, was Congress (GNC), moved to the there was no sign of fighting which sits on Africa’s larg- accused of bombing a spice market east to try seize both ports. on Friday. est oil reserves. Former rebel popular with tourists in Istanbul. Both terminals have closed, Commanders of a force loyal groups which helped topple Selek was arrested and jailed aged drying exports of an estimated to the recognised government Muammar Gaddafi in a 2011 27 on charges of involvement in the 300,000 barrels a day of oil. said both terminals were under Nato-backed uprising now fight explosion after she refused to give The recognised government their control. They said the each other. police the names of rebels she had of Prime Minister Abdullah rival force was based some 25 REUTERS met during her research. AFP SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Obama vows US slaps sweeping trade ban on Crimea WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama imposed sweeping sanctions on Russia-annexed Crimea yes- US response terday with an executive order prohibiting American exports of goods or services to the con- tested peninsula and barring Crimean imports. to cyberattack “The executive order is intended to provide clarity to US corporations doing busi- ness in the region and reaffirm N Korea behind Sony hacking: FBI that the United States will not accept Russia’s occupation and WASHINGTON: President intrusions, the FBI said. attempted annexation of Crimea,” Barack Obama vowed yester- A North Korean UN diplomat Obama said in a statement. day that the United States will said Pyongyang had nothing to The action also bans new respond to the devastating do with the cyberattack. “DPRK US investments in Crimea and cyberattack on Sony Pictures (North Korea) is not part of this,” authorizes the US Treasury to blamed on the North Korean the diplomat told Reuters on con- impose sanctions on people and government. dition of anonymity. companies operating there. Obama said the cyberattack Obama said he wished that “I again call on Russia to end “caused a lot of damage” to Sony Sony had spoken to him before its occupation and attempted but that he believed the company yanking the movie, suggesting it annexation of Crimea, cease its made a mistake in cancelling the could set a bad precedent. “I think support to separatists in eastern release of The Interview, a com- they made a mistake,” he said. “I Ukraine, and fulfil its commit- edy portraying the assassination wish they’d spoken to me first.” ments under the Minsk agree- of the North Korean leader, Kim He added: “We cannot have a ments,” Obama said. Russians buy goods in the IKEA store in Moscow yesterday. In anticipation of rising prices due to the rouble’s collapse Jong Un. society in which some dictator The president’s move comes “We will respond,” Obama told someplace can start imposing a day after he signed into law a following sanctions against Russia and a fall in oil prices, many shops have seen excessive demand for goods. an end-of-year news conference. censorship here in the United congressional bill allowing him to “We’ll respond proportionally, and States.” impose new sanctions on Russia EU agreed to ban all investment Kiev and Russian-backed mili- West were unable yesterday to we’ll respond in a place and time Despite that, Obama’s options over its alleged support of pro- in Crimea and cruise ships from tias struck a December 9 truce nail down a final date during a and manner that we choose.” for responding to the computer Russian separatists in eastern its ports. designed to reinforce a tenuous lengthy Skype video call. Two hours before he spoke, the attack by the impoverished state Ukraine. Obama said he “will continue September agreement that was “We agreed the general list of FBI announced that investigators appeared limited. The law also authorises the to review and calibrate our sanc- followed by at least 1,300 more issues we need to discuss,” rebel had determined that North Korea North Korea has been subject president to send lethal weapons tions, in close coordination with deaths. negotiator Vladislav Deynego was behind the hacking of Sony, to US sanctions for more than to Ukraine’s military. our international partners, to Last week’s breakthrough was said by telephone. “But we still calling it an unacceptable act of 50 years, but they have had little But Obama stressed he would respond to Russia’s actions.” meant to set the stage for com- have no Minsk date.” state-sponsored “intimidation.” effect on its human rights poli- not change his administration’s Western powers have repeat- prehensive negotiations Ukranian German Chancellor Angela Obama said North Korea cies or its development of nuclear “carefully calibrated” sanctions edly accused Russia of stoking President Petro Poroshenko had Merkel and French President appeared to have acted alone. weapons. It has become expert in policy on Russia. the Ukraine crisis, which has hoped to hold tomorrow with the Francois Hollande are due this It was the first time the United hiding its often criminal money- Obama’s Crimea order follows killed at least 4,700 people and help of European and Russian weekend to impress the impor- States had directly accused raising activities, largely avoiding the European Union’s decision displaced close to one million, by envoys in the Belarussian capi- tance of an immediate meet- another country of a cyberattack traditional banks. on Thursday to also place new supplying weapons and troops to tal Minsk. ing during their third joint call of such magnitude on American The FBI said technical analy- sanctions on Crimea, as a show the rebels. But a top rebel said the insur- to Russia’s Vladimir Putin and soil and sets up a possible new sis of malware used in the Sony of resolve against Moscow dur- Moscow denies the charge. gents would only be ready by Poroshenko in the past few days. confrontation between longtime attack found links to malware ing an EU leaders summit where In eastern Ukraine, govern- Monday — a point underscoring The scale of the fighting has foes Washington and Pyongyang. that “North Korean actors” had the bloc urged Russian President ment forces lost five soldiers the types of small squabbles that subsided with the onset of win- The destructive nature of the developed and found a “significant Vladimir Putin to make a “radi- yesterday in a sudden resurgence have hindered political progress ter and heavy snows that make attack, and threats from the overlap” with “other malicious cal change” in his stance on of clashes ahead of peace talks throughout the eight-month war. progress across the war-scarred hackers that led the Hollywood cyber activity” previously linked Ukraine. aimed at ending the separatist Separatists and the new lead- fields and muddied roads all but studio to pull the movie, set to Pyongyang. In the sanctions -- coordi- conflict. ers in Kiev who are trying to fold impossible. it apart from previous cyber REUTERS nated with Washington -- the The toll was the highest since their ex-Soviet republic into the AGENCIES

Eight children found dead in Australian home Normalisation with US CAIRNS: Eight children rang- called to the scene in the north- “We’re not talking about nam- The Australian Associated ing from babies to teenagers ern city and found the bodies of ing suspects or identifying par- Press cited the injured woman’s were found dead at a home in the children, aged between 18 ticular suspects at this stage,” cousin, Lisa Thaiday, as saying a gets Cuba parliament nod the Australian city of Cairns months and 15 years. Cairns regional crime co-ordi- 20-year-old man arrived home to yesterday, police said, report- A woman in her 30s, who police nator Detective Inspector Bruno find his siblings dead inside the HAVANA: Cuba’s parliament heroes in Havana, which says they edly in a gruesome mass stab- said is believed to be the mother Asnicar said. house. yesterday unanimously ratified were not spying on Washington bing just days after a deadly of seven of the dead children, was “We’re looking at anybody Reports widely said the chil- a deal reached between Havana but on Cuban exile groups deter- siege in Sydney. injured in the incident in the sub- that’s had any involvement. dren had been stabbed while the and Washington normalising mined to attack the island. Prime Minister Tony Abbott urb of Manoora, 10 minutes from Everybody who’s had any involve- Cairns Post reported they were relations after a half-century of The session was scheduled to called the Cairns tragedy the city centre. ment at all in the past two or also suffocated, although police hostility. focus on economic issues, but heartbreaking. The victims have not yet been three days is a person of interest.” did not immediately confirm this. “The Cuban parliament today state media reports in Cuba had “All parents would feel a gut- officially identified but police said Cairns is a tropical city with a Who killed the children gave its unanimous support” to indicated that Havana’s historic wrenching sadness at what has late yesterday that the eighth population of more than 150,000 remains unclear but Asnicar said the bilateral thaw, which was out- rapprochement with the United happened,” he said in a state- child is not from the same family people and is popular with inter- there was no need for the public lined Wednesday in a speech by States would be a dominant ment. “This is an unspeakable group, as they said there were no national tourists as a gateway to to be worried, suggesting no one President Raul Castro, the Cuban theme. crime.” formal suspects for the distress- the Great Barrier Reef, one of was on the loose. news agency Prensa Latina said “This ordinary session has the Cairns police said they were ing deaths. Australia’s biggest tourist sites. AFP following the session. historic singularity of being held Castro chaired the twice-yearly with the five anti-terrorist heroes meeting of parliament yesterday back in the motherland and the in a session largely focused on announcement that Cuba and the the communist island’s historic United States have reestablished renewal of relations with the diplomatic relations,” said state Colombia’s Farc kills five soldiers on eve of truce United States. news agency AIN. Castro was due to give an Cuba’s 612-member parliament, BOGOTA: Colombia’s Farc said a military source speaking on the leftist guerrilla group was in hostilities if they came under evening address to close the ses- the National Assembly of Popular guerrillas killed five soldiers yes- condition of anonymity. due to begin an indefinite, unilat- attack. sion, which was also attended by Power, has no opposition repre- terday in an attack that came on The Colombian government’s eral ceasefire that it declared on On Thursday, Colombian the “Cuban Five,” the group of sentatives and meets twice a year. the eve of a unilateral ceasefire chief negotiator in the peace talks Wednesday, a move the European President Juan Manuel Santos intelligence agents jailed in the Yesterday’s session, which hailed as a key step in peace with the Farc, Humberto de la Union and United Nations had called the gesture a “gift... full of United States whose last three was closed to foreign media, was negotiations, the army said. Calle, condemned the attack. praised as a positive step to accel- thorns” and again rejected the members were released in a pris- scheduled to review progress on Farc fighters ambushed a patrol “We have to reiterate that the erate the talks aimed at ending rebels’ longstanding demand for oner exchange that paved the the annual economic plan, which in the rural area of Santander de purpose of the talks is for this to the 50-year-old conflict. a bilateral ceasefire, which he says way for Wednesday’s landmark fell short of its target of 2.2 per- Quilichao in western Colombia, an stop,” he said. The Farc had said that starting they would use to regroup. rapprochement. cent growth this year. attack that also left five wounded, The incident came a day before Saturday they would only engage AFP The men are hailed as national AFP

No fever Mozambique Greek lawmaker alleges bribe legalises abortion MAPUTO: Mozambique has offer in presidential vote legalised abortion, making it one ATHENS: A lawmaker from one of the small Greek parties whose of the few countries in Africa support the government needs to avert a snap election said yes- to allow women to terminate terday he had been offered a bribe to cast his ballot for the ruling unwanted pregnancies. coalition’s presidential candidate. President Armando Guebuza on The accusation by Pavlos Haikalis, an actor and member of the Thursday signed into law a revised small Independent Greeks party, came two days after Prime Minister penal code bill that eases prohi- Antonis Samaras’ government failed to win enough parliamentary bitions in abortion regulations, a support for its candidate. move hailed by health groups. Two more votes are expected, on December 23 and December 29. The new law specifies that abor- If the candidate, Stavros Dimas, still lacks the necessary votes in the tions will have to be carried out in final round, Greece must hold a parliamentary election which opinion recognised and designated health polls say the radical leftist Syriza party would win. centres by qualified practitioners. Haikalis, 55, a star of popular television comedies, told MEGA TV he Termination must be carried had been offered a package worth 2-3 million euros, including €700,000 out within the first 12 weeks but in ($859,880) in cash, a promise to pay off his mortgage and advertising case of rape, the period is extended contracts, to back Dimas. to 16 weeks. He said the offer had not been made by anyone in the government It will also be allowed when the but by an individual “in the financial sector”. “There was a preliminary pregnancy poses a serious risk to discussion, which started as a joke and then became very serious,” he the health or life of the mother or said. in case of foetal abnormality. Government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi dismissed Haikalis’ com- The earlier law outlawing abor- ments as a “despicable show” and urged him to make public the evi- tion, except in cases where the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has his temperature checked on arrival at Roberts International airport in dence he said had been passed on to prosecutors. mother’s life or health is endan- Liberia’s capital Monrovia yesterday. Ban, starting a visit to Ebola-hit countries in West Africa, urged local com- “It is obvious why this is being staged—so that a new president is gered, dates to Portuguese rule in munities to follow health regulations in the face of signs that traditional funerals are still spreading the disease. not elected and the country is led to early elections,” Voultepsi said in the 19th century. AFP a statement. REUTERS SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES

Sheep horsing around Tycoon, former China arrests official found guilty in HK American corruption case

HONG KONG: Hong Kong property tycoon Thomas Kwok and the government’s former aid worker deputy leader Rafael Hui were found guilty of corruption yes- terday in a trial that shocked a Christian activists face crackdown city known for clean governance. Kwok’s billionaire brother BEIJING: China yesterday investigation among Hahn’s staff Raymond was cleared after a arrested a Korean American included two US nationals and seven-month trial over payments Christian aid worker who was three South Koreans. Both Zhang of HK$34m ($4.38m) the pros- being held near the country’s and Eunice Hahn said Hahn had ecution said were made to Hui border with North Korea, sig- aided North Korean defectors to be their “eyes and ears” in nalling a toughening crackdown more than a decade ago, but he government. on Christian activists in the was no longer doing so. But in a complex case, the other sensitive region. China’s Foreign Ministry con- pair were convicted over a pay- Peter Hahn, 74, is being charged firmed the charges against Hahn ment of HK$8.5m made to Hui, with embezzlement and counter- in a statement, but said he was dating from the months leading feiting receipts, his lawyer, Zhang criminally detained. Zhang said up to his 2005 appointment to the Peihong, said. law enforcement authorities in government’s second-highest post. Zhang said he believed authori- Yanbian prefecture, where Hahn Hui, the most senior official ever ties were targeting Hahn because is being held, told him yesterday High-rise window cleaners in horse (left) and sheep costumes hang outside Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo to wipe arrested for graft, was found guilty of his Christian faith and because Hahn had been formally arrested the windows, in downtown Tokyo yesterday. The year 2015 will be the year of sheep in the Chinese zodiac, on five of eight charges against he ran a non-governmental — a more serious status than which is also followed in Japan, while 2014, the year of the horse, is drawing to a close. him. Thomas Kwok was convicted organisation. criminal detention. of one count of conspiracy to com- “The charges levelled against Zhang said police had been mit misconduct in public office and him are just excuses,” Zhang said. allowing Hahn to see a doctor cleared on another two charges. Hahn, who ran a vocational regularly. Eunice Hahn said her Hui, who prosecutors said school in the border town of husband had diabetes and had two enjoyed an extravagant stand- Tumen, had been under inves- strokes this year. US Marine asks Philippine ard of living that far outstripped tigation for months, along with “I just want to bring this to his official salary, was also found several colleagues. In an interview some sort of conclusion,” she said. guilty on charges relating to rent- last month, Hahn’s wife, Eunice Eunice Hahn said she had asked free use of luxury apartments and Hahn, said the building that a US diplomat to deliver a letter court to suspend murder trial acceptance of unsecured loans. houses the school was a “mission to her husband with Christian Thomas Kwok, 63 and his base camp for our missionaries”. messages but Hahn had not been OLONGAPO: A US Marine the northern port of Olongapo in from the court hearing which brother Raymond, 61, jointly chair Eunice Hahn said those under allowed to read it. REUTERS asked a judge in the Philippines October. Pemberton, under heavy guard, development giant Sun Hung Kai yesterday to suspend his murder Pemberton, 19 at the time, attended as a procedural matter Properties and were arrested trial as he appeared in court for had just finished taking part in before the start of his trial. along with Hui in a swoop by graft the first time since his detention US-Philippine military exercises However, lawyers who attended investigators two years ago. over the killing of a transgender near Olongapo and had checked the hearing and took photos Prosecutors said fat bribes were Beijing protests US sale woman. into the hotel with Laude, accord- described Pemberton as sitting made to Hui, who served as chief Before the trial proceeds, Private ing to police. quietly while wearing handcuffs in secretary from June 2005 to June of frigates to Taiwan First Class Joseph Pemberton The high-profile case has one corner of the tiny courtroom, 2007, through a series of com- wants the justice department to inflamed anti-US feelings in the surrounded by burly American plicated transactions involving BEIJING: China yesterday said it had lodged a formal complaint resolve an application to have the Philippines and strained diplo- security personnel. middlemen. with the United States over its approval of frigate sales to Taiwan charge against him downgraded matic relations between the long- The victim’s sister, Marilou Two of the middlemen, Sun and called for an end to arms sales to the island Beijing claims as from murder to the lesser charge time allies, which both sought Laude, told reporters she trembled Hung Kai director Thomas Chan a renegade territory. of homicide, court officials said. custody of the suspect. with rage as she saw Pemberton and Francis Kwan — the former The US Congress passed a bill authorising President Barack Obama Homicide carries a maximum The US government has refused for the first time. non-executive director of invest- to transfer up to four Perry-class guided missile frigates to Taipei. prison term of 20 years, compared to hand custody of him over to the “I wanted to grab his head and ment firm New Environmental China’s Central News Agency reported from Washington that to 40 years for murder. Philippine authorities. bang it against the wall,” Laude Energy Holdings — were both Obama signed the legislation on Thursday. “It is a legal remedy available to The American was first told reporters afterwards. found guilty on two counts in the Washington, which recognises Beijing as the sole government of them, but it is essentially a dila- detained by his superiors aboard “We locked eyes briefly but trial. China, is also legally obliged to provide defensive arms to Taiwan, tory (delaying) tactic,” Virginia a US military vessel, then later he averted his gaze. I think he The case has stunned Hong which has its own government and which Beijing views as a rouge Suarez, a lawyer for the family of transferred to a Philippine mili- recognised that I’m the sister of Kong, where Sun Hung Kai is province to be retaken by force if necessary. the alleged victim, said. tary base in Manila, although Jennifer,” the Laude sister said. the biggest property developer by Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang slammed the deal The judge agreed to set a hear- under US military guard. “(Pemberton) has such an inno- market capitalisation and owns yesterday, saying that “China is strongly dissatisfied” with the bill. ing on Monday on the American’s Pemberton was driven before cent face. I wanted to ask him why some of the city’s most recog- “We are firmly opposed to arms sales to Taiwan by the US,” he petition to suspend the murder dawn from Manila to the Olongapo he wanted my sister dead.” nisable real estate including the added, reiterating Beijing’s longstanding position. trial, a court clerk told reporters. court, where he was booked and Laude family lawyer Harry 118-floor International Commerce “We have launched solemn representations with the US side,” Pemberton was charged with his mug shot taken before the Roque likened Pemberton’s deten- Centre. he said, using formal language for a diplomatic protest, adding that murder over the death of Jennifer judge ordered him remanded tion arrangement as special treat- The two brothers are ranked Taiwan “remains the most sensitive issue in China-US relations”. Laude, 26, also known as Jeffrey, to the same detention facility, ment, and said he has asked the 62 on the Forbes rich list and are AFP whose body was found in a cheap according to court officials. court to order the American’s worth an estimated $14.45bn dol- hotel in the red light district of Journalists were barred transfer to a Philippine jail. AFP lars. AFP

Philippine health minister quits South Korean far-left MANILA: Philippine President Benigno Aquino has accepted the resignation of his health minister over the purchase of pneu- monia vaccines in 2012 which government investigators later questioned, a spokesman said yesterday. party dissolved for Health Secretary Enrique Ona, who has been on leave since October, submitted his letter of resignation on Thursday even before the completion of a government inquiry into four deals at backing North his ministry. In 2012, Ona had authorised the purchase of 833 million pesos SEOUL: South Korea’s far- Rights groups denounced ($18.63m) worth of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV)-10, left political party was dis- the decision saying that it used for immunisation of children against pneumonia, government banded yesterday in a rare flew in the face of freedom of investigators said. They said the health department should have decision by the constitu- expression. bought PCV-13, a more cost-effective vaccine which could also be tional court which labelled it “The ban on the UPP raises used for adults to prevent pneumonia. a pro-North Korean group. serious questions as to the In an 8-1 decision, judges authorities’ commitment to Chinese pilot jailed over crash endorsed the government’s freedom of expression and petition to disband the Unified association,” Roseann Rife, BEIJING: A Chinese court yesterday jailed a pilot for three Progressive Party (UPP) and Amnesty International’s East years for causing one of the worst plane crashes in Chinese his- ordered the forfeiture of all of Asia research director, said in tory which killed 44 people in 2010, state-media reported. its five seats in parliament. a statement. Qi Quanjun, the main pilot aboard the Henan Airlines flight which The court ruled the party’s Human Rights Watch called crashed in heavy fog in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, platform ran counter to the the decision “draconian”. was sentenced by a local court, the Legal Daily newspaper reported. basic democratic order of The leftist party has been at The crash at Yichun airport was the worst in the country since the constitution by support- the centre of political debate 2004, highlighting safety concerns amid a rapid expansion in China’s ing North Korea’s ideological since UPP lawmaker Lee domestic airline market. doctrine. Seok-Ki was arrested last Qi was found guilty of “causing a major airline accident”, on the South Korea’s election year on charges of plotting grounds that he had decided to land without being able to properly authorities took quick action an armed revolt in support of see the runway, the report said. to freeze the party’s assets. North Korea. AFP Reports at the time said that nearly half of the 91 passengers on board were government officials, and several perished in the crash. Qi survived but was unable to speak due to severe facial injuries, the China Daily reported at the time. Japanese scientist resigns Vietnam rescues trapped workers HANOI: Vietnamese rescuers including hundreds of troops and over stem cell scandal miners yesterday freed 12 workers trapped for nearly four days after a tunnel collapsed during construction of a hydropower TOKYO: A researcher embroiled in a fabrication scandal that plant. has rocked Japan’s scientific establishment said yesterday she Bad weather and the complicated geology of the site in the Central would resign after failing to reproduce results of what was Highlands province of Lam Dong had hampered the rescue effort once billed as a ground-breaking study on stem cells. since Tuesday’s accident, with fears the workers might not survive Haruko Obokata said she was dismayed that new laboratory after battles to supply them with oxygen and drain water rising tests have not been able to repeat her experiments, which she around them. had claimed showed the successful conversion of an adult cell Television footage showed rescue teams and workers emerging into a stem cell-like state. from the collapsed tunnel and being greeted by applause, smiles and Her resignation came as Japan’s Riken Institute formally cries of relief after a nearly 82-hour mission that gripped the country. announced that so-called “STAP” cells cannot be recreated, Most of the workers were hospitalised and in stable condition. The apparently drawing a line under the controversial study. sole female among those trapped was given emergency treatment at “We have conducted verification experiments but can’t repeat the site, said the head of local health department, Pham Thi Bach Yen. the STAP phenomenon,” team leader Shinichi Aizawa told a AGENCIES nationally broadcast news conference. AFP SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTANS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 Fight against Security forces Taliban unIslamic, kill 50 militant says cleric ISLAMABAD: The head of a hardline Islamabad mosque suspects yesterday called an army offen- sive against the Taliban “un- Islamic” and said the militants’ massacre of 133 children was Army chief vows ‘final elimination’ in retaliation for air strikes against them. PESHAWAR: Pakistani secu- “The terrorists threw hand gre- The Tehreek-e-Taliban rity forces killed more than 50 nades and opened fire on Rangers Pakistan (TTP), claimed the suspected militants yesterday as they cordoned off their hideout assault as revenge for an ongo- as operations against insur- in Musharraf colony during a pre- ing military offensive against gents intensify in the wake of dawn raid,” Rizvi said. its strongholds in the tribal a Taliban school massacre that Army chief Sharif signed death northwest. killed 149 people. warrants for six insurgents con- Maulana Abdul Aziz told wor- The bloody rampage in the victed in military courts late on shippers at the Red Mosque he northwestern city of Peshawar Thursday. “shared the grief” of the vic- on Tuesday brought international It is not clear when the execu- tims’ families but said the TTP’s condemnation and promises of tions will be carried out but a response was understandable. swift, decisive action against mili- senior security official said the six “O rulers, O people in power, if tants from Pakistan’s political and would be hanged “within days”. you will commit such acts, there military leaders. The prime minister’s announce- will be a reaction,” he said. The first hangings of mili- ment that hangings would resume The army has killed more tant prisoners on death row are for terror convicts, ending a six- than 1,700 suspected militants expected in the coming days after year moratorium, triggered warn- since June in operations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ings of a possible jailbreak attempt S oldiers enter the army-run school which was attacked by Taliban militants in Peshawar yesterday. bases of TTP and other militants lifted a moratorium on executions in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the in North Waziristan and Khyber in terror cases. troubled northwestern province tribal areas. An ambush by security forces that has Peshawar as its capital. In the wake of the Peshawar in the northwest yesterday left at Security officials said there were Peshawar school attack attack the army has pledged to least 32 militants dead, to add to fears that militant groups could redouble its efforts to wipe out 27 killed in air strikes and ground try to spring high-ranking com- the scourge of militancy, but Aziz operations on Thursday. rades from jails to avoid the noose. condemned their struggle. “Reportedly a group of ter- Rights groups estimate Pakistan’s 9/11: Official “This operation in the North rorists was moving from Tirah Pakistan has at least 8,000 pris- Waziristan is un-Islamic,” he said. towards Pak-Afghan border. oners on death row, and courts ISLAMABAD: A Taliban mas- But Aziz said that way of think- difficult by a heavy reliance on “You may debate it, you may Security forces ambushed the continue to pass the sentence, but sacre at a school is “Pakistan’s ing was at an end after Tuesday, witness testimony and very lit- call scholars from abroad, from moving group at Wurmagai and the country has had a de facto 9/11”, the country’s top foreign when heavily-armed fighters went tle protection for judges and India and Bangladesh, I will go Spurkot, killing 32 terrorists in moratorium on civilian executions policy official said yestrerday, from room to room at the school, prosecutors. before them and prove it that this exchange of fire,” a military state- since 2008. saying the assault that left 149 gunning down children. “The dis- Aziz said that as well as operation is un-Islamic.” ment said. The only prisoner to be exe- dead would change the country’s tinction between some groups you restarting hangings in terror The Red Mosque, which stands In a separate operation yes- cuted since then was a soldier approach to fighting terror. want to target and some groups cases, the government would look a stone’s throw from the parlia- terday, 18 militants were killed convicted of murder by a military The attack on an army-run you don’t want to target has vir- at reforms to address blockages in ment buildings in the centre in Khyber, the military said in a court, hanged in 2012. school in the northwestern city tually disappeared,” he said. the justice system. of the capital, was the scene in statement. The death toll from Tuesday’s of Peshawar horrified the world “It was realised that in the The government will investi- 2007 of a week-long military siege The army has been waging a attack rose to 149 on Friday as a and drew promises of swift retri- end they support each other and gate “legal changes to facilitate against radicals which left more major offensive against longstand- critically wounded student suc- bution for the Tehreek-e-Taliban that if you do this you’re cre- trials and convictions because than 100 people dead. ing Taliban and other militant cumbed to his injuries overnight Pakistan (TTP) which claimed it. ating space which can become right now it’s very difficult to The scale of the Peshawar strongholds in the restive tribal in hospital, security officials said. Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs and dangerous in the future. So it’s convict many people”, Aziz said. attack and the fact the victims areas on the Afghan border for The atrocity was already national security advisor to Prime a game changer.” The TTP have Meanwhile, the brutal carnage were almost all children has hor- the last six months. the deadliest terror attack in Minister Nawaz Sharif, said the killed thousands in their seven- seems to have isolated Mullah rified Pakistan and prompted But a series of fresh strikes Pakistan’s troubled history, sur- assault, the deadliest terror year insurgency, but Aziz said the Fazlullah not only within the many to demand action against after the Peshawar attack, which passing the 139 killed in bomb attack in Pakistan’s history, was nature of the Peshawar attack Pakistani Taliban but also among Taliban sympathisers, including wrought devastation at an army- blasts targeting former prime a “game changer”. was radically different from what the ranks of the Afghan Taliban radical preachers. run school, suggest the military is minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. “This has shaken the entire had gone before. who have also condemned the But a civil society protest stepping up its campaign. Pakistan has endured countless Pakistani society to the core, and “It was targeted at the chil- incident. outside the Red Mosque yes- As the Peshawar tragedy bomb and gun attacks since the in many ways it’s a threshold in dren, and those children who In a clear indication of the terday afternoon was broken unfolded, army chief General homegrown Islamist insurgency our strategy for countering ter- were injured, they fired back upon growing isolation Mullah Fazlullah up by police, while members of Raheel Sharif said the attack had rose up in 2007, but the scale of rorism,” he said in an interview. them to kill them,” he said. faces within the Pakistani Taliban a hardline group were allowed renewed the forces’ determina- the carnage and the fact the vic- “Just like 9/11 changed the US The first hangings of militants after the deadly assault, the TTP’s to stage their own demonstra- tion to push for the militants’ tims were children caused deep and the world forever, this 16/12 on death row are expected in the Jamaatul Ahraar, which is consid- tion nearby. “final elimination”. shock and revulsion. is kind of our mini 9/11.” coming days after Sharif lifted ered to be the most influential and Earlier this month female In the southern city of Karachi But doubts remain about Pakistan has long been accused a moratorium on executions in equally ferocious splinter group of students affiliated with the Red yesterday, a suspected local Pakistan’s willingness to abandon of playing a double game with terror cases in the wake of the the Taliban, has distanced itself Mosque issued a video statement Taliban commander and three its long-held ambivalence over militants groups, supporting Peshawar bloodshed. from the Peshawar massacre, say- praising the Islamic State group cadres were also killed during a militant groups — tolerating those those it thinks it can use for its Pakistan’s courts system is ing that the act of killing children and calling on it to avenge the raid by government paramilitary it sees as potential proxy forces. own strategic ends, particularly in notoriously slow and terrorism was condemnable. death of Osama bin Laden. Rangers personnel. AFP Afghanistan and disputed Kashmir. prosecutions are made more AGENCIES AFP Mumbai attack suspect’s bail to be challenged

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani anti-terror court granted and then I will file an appeal shock to all those who believe government prosecutor said Lakhvi bail on Thursday, in Islamabad high court,” in humanity world over,” India yesterday he will challenge prompting anger in neigh- Chaudhry said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi a court order granting bail bouring India which urged the The court’s ruling on Thursday told parliament in Delhi. to the alleged mastermind Pakistani government to appeal. came a day after Pakistani Prime The horror of the Mumbai car- of the 2008 terror attacks “I am completing all the legal Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to nage played out on live television in Mumbai, which sparked formalities and then I will chal- crack down on terror groups in around the world, as commandos strong condemnation from lenge this order in Islamabad Pakistan, after Taliban gunmen battled the heavily-armed gun- India. on Monday,” government pros- massacred 148 people, mostly men, who arrived by sea on the Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi ecutor Mohammad Azhar teenagers, at a school. evening of November 26, 2008. It is accused of planning the Chaudhry said. Sharif on Wednesday took the authorities three days to 60-hour siege on India’s com- Lakhvi remained in the high announced that a six-year mor- regain full control of the city and mercial capital that left 166 security Adyala prison in gar- atorium on the death penalty New Delhi has long said there is people dead and was blamed on rison city of Rawalpindi even would be lifted for those con- evidence that “official agencies” the banned Pakistani militant after Thursday’s court ruling. victed of terror offences. “Bail in Pakistan were involved in plot- group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). “Today I am trying to get a to LeT commander Zaki-ur ting the attack. A judge in an Islamabad copy of the written (bail) order Rehman Lakhvi has come as a AFP Keeping fit Mobile phone imports rise to $225m ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s imports of mobile phones increased by 3.23 percent to $224.594m dur- ing the first four months (July- October) of this fiscal year from the year-ago period, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics said yester- day. The imports were $217.568m during the same period last year. In October, the figure stood at $58.596m, a fall of 3.37pc when compared with the same month of last year, but a rise of 15.26pc over September 2014. The imports cost $60.641m in October 2013 and $50.839m in September 2014. Similarly, the overall tel- ecom imports also increased by 25.37pc to $524.81 million during the period. The telecom imports during October 2014 increased by 9.16pc and decreased by 7.53pc US soldiers from Grim Company of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment drop to push-up position as they return compared to October 2013 and from a mission near Forward Operating Base Fenty in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan yesterday. September 2014, respectively. INTERNEWS SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA Sonia Gandhi Major tax recovering well: Hospital

NEW DELHI: Congress presi- dent Sonia Gandhi, admitted to reform bill a hospital here for an infection in the lower respiratory tract, was “stable and recovering well”, a hospital statement said yesterday. “Sonia Gandhi was admitted introduced to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital yes- terday (Thursday) evening with lower respiratory tract infection GST to be implemented in 2016 and some breathing difficulty for further treatment and observa- NEW DELHI: The govern- But creating a uniform tax tion,” Ajay Swaroop, chairman ment yesterday introduced leg- structure is one of the most com- (officiating) of the hospital’s islation billed as the biggest tax plicated reforms to achieve. board of management said in a reform since independence, with Enacting the GST requires statement. analysts hailing it as a “game a constitutional amendment “Her condition is stable and she changer” that would cut the cost involving consent of a majority of is recovering well,” he added. of doing business and boost eco- India’s states — some of which had Gandhi was admitted under nomic growth. objected to ceding their right to the care of Arup Kumar Basu, The long-awaited goods-and- levy taxes — as well as approval Activists hold placards and light candles in Amritsar yesterday as they pay tributes to Pakistani children and staff senior consultant and chairman services tax (GST) would replace by a two-thirds majority in both killed in a Taliban attack on a school in Peshawar. of respiratory medicine and he is a slew of levies currently in place houses. leading a team of doctors closely to create a single internal market. While the BJP holds a com- monitoring her. One of various reforms manding lead in the lower house, According to doctors, the prob- undertaken by Prime Minister it is still in a minority in the upper lem was quite common in the Narendra Modi’s government, the house. Jaitley said he did not winter season. GST would swell public coffers by expect legislators to hold back the Outrage over bail for Mumbai broadening the tax base, econo- GST now that he had the states Test of glide bomb mists say. on board. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley The previous United Progressive successful called the GST the “single biggest Alliance government had in terror attacks mastermind tax reform since independence” 2011 introduced a Constitution BHUBANESWAR: India yes- of the country from Britain more Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha NEW DELHI: India was out- He said India was deeply “positive step” by detaining Lakhvi. terday tested an indigenously than six decades ago. towards the introduction of the raged yesterday over a Pakistani saddened by the slaughter in “India has responded firmly on developed 1,000-kg glide bomb, “We will formally take it (the GST. States sought a five-year court’s decision to give bail to Peshawar and “was cognizant of issue of Lakhvi and Pakistan has with a top official saying the GST) up in the next session” compensation package and asked Mumbai terror attack master- the pain Pakistan might be reel- also responded. It is a positive step country can now launch heavy which begins in February, Jaitley for its inclusion in the bill. mind Zakiur Rahman Lakhvi, ing under”. as far both nations are concerned. bombs for delivery up to 100km told parliament’s upper house as Jaitley told the house that with Prime Minister Narendra But the release on bail of the Pakistan is appealing in the high away with high precision. the bill was introduced in the states will receive Rs110bn this Modi expressing shock in former Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) court,” Doval said. The bomb, designed and lower house. fiscal towards partial compensa- parliament. commander, one of those who The Pakistan government had developed by Defence Research “It is like creating internal trade tion of the losses suffered by them But even as the Pakistani gov- allegedly planned the Mumbai decided to appeal in superior and Development Organisation liberalisation,” Jaitley said. for reduction in central sales tax ernment, after facing flak, said attack that killed 166 people, had courts against Lakhvi’s bail, the (DRDO), was dropped by an The Bharatiya Janata Party (CST). While the CST is levied Lakhvi had been detained anew come as a “shock” to “all those Dawn reported yesterday. Indian Air force aircraft in the (BJP), which won a big election by the central government on in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, Indian who believe in humanity”, Modi Lakhvi is among seven people Bay of Bengal off Odisha, an offi- mandate in May under Modi, aims inter-state movement of goods MPs expressed their disgust. said. charged with planning and help- cial statement said. to have the reform take effect and collected by states, the issue The Lok Sabha passed a reso- External Affairs Minister ing to carry out the 2008 Mumbai Guided by an on board naviga- from April 1, 2016. of compensation arose because the lution denouncing an Islamabad Sushma Swaraj did not mince bloodbath. He and the others are tion system, the bomb glided for Jaitley said his party had suc- central government cut the CST court’s ruling on Thursday to words. She accused Pakistan of lodged in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. nearly 100km before hitting the ceeded in getting India’s 29 states from four percent to two percent free Lakhvi on bail, just two days making a mockery of its pledge to In parliament, both opposition target with great precision, a to agree to the GST where the in phases, after state-level VAT after terrorists massacred more fight terrorism by giving bail to and ruling party MPs attacked statement from the defence min- previous left-leaning Congress was introduced on April 1, 2005. than 140 children and teachers Lakhvi. Pakistan. istry said. government failed. Full implementation of GST at a Peshawar school — a carnage “Pakistan had given an assur- Said Congress leader The flight of the glide bomb He described the indirect tax could lift India’s gross domestic that drew condemnation across ance to fight terror in all forms. Mallikarjun Kharge: “After 132 was monitored by radars and as a “win-win situation” for both product growth by 0.9-1.7 percent- the world. But by this, it has made a mockery children were killed in Pakistan, electro-optic systems stationed levels of government. age points, according to a study by “We express grave concern of of it,” she told the Lok Sabha. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the Integrated Test Range at Jaitley reassured India’s states the National Council of Applied the Indian people that just after “We reject the argument that said all steps would be taken now Chandipur in Odisha’s Balasore the government would give “a con- Economic Research. the tragic killing(s) in Peshawar, the evidence against Lakhvi, the to contain terror.”But just two district, about 230km from stitutional assurance” in terms of Commenting on the develop- an accused terrorist could be mastermind of 26/11, was not days later, we saw another face of Bhubaneswar. compensating them for any loss of ment, Sachin Menon, chief oper- released on bail by the same coun- sufficient. Pakistan. A court has granted bail Added G Satheesh Reddy, a revenue from the tax change. ating officer of KPMG India, said: try,” the resolution said. “Pakistan had six years time to Lakhvi.” distinguish scientist and director The GST would end a patch- “This is a moment in history, a “It seems the lesson that there to collect evidence. It was their BJP’s Kirit Somaiya said Lakhvi of the Research Centre Imarat work of taxes under which each turning point in India’s history of should be no compromise with duty. We demand from Pakistan should be immediately handed (RCI): “The country has now state has used its powers under fiscal reforms and all the archi- terrorists has not been learnt,” it that this decision should be over to India and meet the fate become self-reliant in the area of the constitution to tax different tects who worked for bringing in added. overturned.” as Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani guided precision bombs.” commodities at different rates, GST since 2006 would remem- A sombre Modi told the Lok National Security Advisor terrorist hanged for the Mumbai The avionics package and the levelling the competitive playing bered for their contribution to Sabha that India had strongly con- Ajit Doval, however, said massacre. navigation system were designed field. the nation.” AGENCIES veyed its sentiments to Pakistan. Pakistan had taken a IANS and developed by RCI. IANS

54 soldiers Madan Mitra denied bail again believed to be KOLKATA: West Bengal Magistrate Haradhan Mukherjee was vulnerable to a heart attack. Transport and Sports Minister sent him to 14 days’ judicial Pleading before the court, Mitra imprisoned in Madan Mitra — arrested in the custody. said that he was being pressured multi-million rupee Saradha Pressing for his bail, Mitra’s by CBI sleuths to give a voice Pakistan scam — was again denied bail counsel argued that there was record. yesterday and sent to judicial no evidence against Mitra in the The CBI had urged the court NEW DELHI: At least custody until January 2 by a charge sheet submitted by the on December 16 to allow them to 54 defence person- court here. Central Bureau of Investigation record Mitra’s voice for corrobo- nel missing after the Arrested on December 12 by on November 17. rating some digital documents 1965 and 1971 wars are the CBI for criminal conspiracy, The defence also pleaded for that they had come across. But the believed to be in custody cheating and deriving undue bail on health grounds, assert- court had rejected the plea. in Pakistan, Defence financial benefits, Mitra’s bail ing that besides high blood pres- The court directed the authori- Minister Manohar plea was rejected for the third sure and cholesterol, Mitra was ties to provide medical assistance Parrikar told parliament time, as Additional Chief Judicial suffering from sleep apnea and to Mitra if required. IANS yesterday. However, Pakistan does not acknowledge the pres- ence of any such personnel. Morning rounds “Fifty four (54) missing defence personnel of 1965 and 1971 wars, including one from Border Security Force, are believed to be in custody in Pakistan,” Parrikar said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. Parrikar said a delega- tion of 14 relatives of miss- ing defence personnel had visited 10 jails in Pakistan in 2007 but could “not con- clusively confirm the physi- cal presence of any missing defence personnel”. The minister added that Gujarat High Court had passed an order regard- ing payment of service and retirement benefits to the next of kin of the missing defence personnel believed to be in custody in Pakistan, as if they had retired on superannuation. “The order of the Hon’ble Court has been accepted by the government and neces- sary action has been taken towards compliance of the Porters carry a holy woman belonging to the Jain community to collect food from local residents, early in the judgment,” he added. morning in the western city of Ahmedabad, yesterday. IANS SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13

European nations in talks Hanoi’s iconic firm with Airbus on air tankers Boeing effectively ruled out as a supplier

BRUSSELS: The Netherlands, Boeing has effectively been ruled States to step up calls for Europe Poland and Norway are to nego- out of the contest to supply the to halt years of defence spending tiate with Airbus to buy four planes since the European consor- cuts and strengthen their armed military in-flight refuelling tium had asked for information on forces. Sharing capabilities is seen planes, European defence offi- products and pricing from both as a cost-effective way of doing cials said yesterday. Airbus and Boeing earlier this this. The three countries are inter- year. Ten European countries agreed ested in buying a variant of the “The three nations have iden- in 2012 to work together to boost Airbus A330 that can be used for tified that only one military off- their military airborne refuelling aerial refuelling, as well as for the-shelf solution met their key capacity. passenger transport, strategic requirements in terms of capa- Five of those countries, which airlift and medical evacuation bilities and timeframe,” an EDA were then interested in buying operations, the European Defence statement said. eight to 10 military refuelling Agency (EDA), the European Round said a contract was planes, approached Airbus and Union’s defence arm, said. expected to be placed early in Boeing for more information ear- The Dutch government, lead- 2016 with the planes starting to lier this year. ing the initiative to plug a gap in be delivered late in 2018 or early Round said countries operated Europe’s aerial refuelling capac- 2019. The aircraft will be operated on different defence procurement ity, said the consortium wanted to jointly by the three countries and cycles and EDA did not want to acquire four aircraft. may be based at Eindhoven in the hold up the programme waiting Other European countries have Netherlands. for each country to make up its previously expressed an interest EU leaders have identified mind. in the initiative and the number increasing Europe’s aerial refu- So three countries were ini- of nations and aircraft involved elling capacity as a priority. tially moving forward. could increase later, Peter Round, European states were forced to “But that doesn’t mean the oth- EDA’s director of capability, rely heavily on the United States ers have gone. It just means they Workers at the production facility at Rang Dong light source and vacuum flask company in Hanoi, Vietnam, armament and technology, said. for refuelling during the 2011 are not ready to throw their hat yesterday. One of 13 factories established by the late president Ho Chi Minh in 1961 to lay the foundation for Four aircraft was “a base line”, Libyan war. straight into the ring right now,” industry during the socialist construction period, Rang Dong produces lighting equipment of more than 5 mil- he said. Russia’s annexation of Crimea he said. lion and vacuum flask output of 11.5 million annually. The announcement means has led NATO and the United REUTERS

T-Mobile to pay $90m to settle Google aiming to go into car with next Android

‘cramming’ case SANFRANCISCO/ authorised to discuss the plans models. Analysts said Google’s plug-in functionality are expected your fuel level, where you stop for DETROIT: Google Inc is lay- publicly. plan could face various technical to be on display at the upcoming gas,” one of the sources said. WASHINGTON: T-Mobile ing the groundwork for a ver- “It provides a much stronger and business challenges, including Consumer Electronics Show in But the source noted that USA agreed to pay $90m to sion of Android that would be foothold for Google to really be convincing automakers to inte- Las Vegas next month and to go Android would need major resolve federal and state claims built directly into cars, sources part of the vehicle rather than grate its services so tightly into on sale in 2015. improvements in performance that it charged consumers for said, allowing drivers to enjoy being an add-on,” said Thilo their vehicles. By building Android into a car, and stability for carmakers to extra services without authori- all the benefits of the Internet Koslowski, vice president and Google declined to comment. Google’s services would not be adopt it. sation, a practice known as without even plugging in their Automotive Practice Leader of Technology companies are at risk of switching off when a In particular, Android Auto “cramming” that has become a smartphones. industry research firm Gartner, racing to design appliances, smartphone battery runs out of would need to power-up instantly target of regulators. The move is a major step up who noted that he was unaware of wristwatches and other gadg- power, for example. when the driver turns the car on, The fourth-largest US wireless from Google’s current Android Google’s latest plans in this area. ets that connect to the Internet. “With embedded it’s always instead of having to wait more carrier, a Deutsche Telekom AG Auto software, which comes with If successful, Android would Automobiles are a particularly on, always there,” said one of the than 30 seconds, as happens with unit, was accused by the federal the latest version of its smart- become the standard system pow- attractive prospect because sources, referring to the built-in many smartphones. government and all 50 states of phone operating system and ering a car’s entertainment and Americans spend nearly 50 min- version of Android Auto. “You Automakers might also be wary tacking on third-party charges requires a phone to be plugged navigation features, solidifying utes per day on average on their don’t have to depend on your of giving Google access to in-car not requested by customers, such into a compatible car with a Google’s position in a new mar- commute, according to U.S. phone being there and on.” components that could raise as $9.99-a-month premium text built-in screen to access stream- ket where it is competing with Census data. Google’s software could poten- safety and liability concerns, and message subscriptions for horo- ing music, maps and other apps. arch-rival Apple Inc. Google could Apple unveiled its CarPlay tially connect to other car com- be reluctant to give Google such a scopes, celebrity gossip and sports Google, however, has never also potentially access the valu- software in March and Google ponents, allowing, for example, prime spot in their vehicles. scores. AT&T Inc. agreed in provided details or a timeframe able trove of data collected by a has signed on dozens of com- a built-in navigation system like “Automakers want to keep October to pay $105m to resolve for its long-term plan to put vehicle. panies, including Hyundai, Google Maps to detect when fuel their brand appeal and keep similar allegations. US officials Android Auto directly into cars. Direct integration into cars General Motors Co and is low and provide directions to their differentiation,” said said this week that regulators The company now plans to do so ensures that drivers will use Nissan Motor Co, for its Open the nearest gas stations. Mark Boyadjis, an analyst with were planning to seek the same when it rolls out the next version Google’s services every time they Automotive Alliance and its By tapping into the car’s com- industry research firm IHS penalty from Sprint Corp. of its operating system, dubbed turn on the ignition, without hav- Android Auto product. ponents, Google could also gain Automotive. “When consumers are harmed Android M, expected in a year or ing to plug in the phone. It could Android Auto and CarPlay valuable information to feed its “Automakers don’t want to by carriers’ unscrupulous busi- so, two people with knowledge of allow Google to make more use both currently “project” their data-hungry advertising business have a state of the industry where ness practices, we will marshal the matter said. of a car’s camera, sensors, fuel smartphone apps onto the car’s model. “You can get access to GPS you get in any vehicle and it’s just our collective resources to seek The sources declined to be gauge, and Internet connections screen. Many of the first compat- location, where you stop, where the same experience wherever accountability and obtain positive identified because they were not that come with some newer car ible cars with this smartphone you travel everyday, your speed, you go.” REUTERS reforms,” Tom Wheeler, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said today in a statement. Foreign currency fee The settlement, which also resolves claims by the Federal Trade Commission and the Nigerian oil strike suspended District of Columbia, will bring “meaningful relief to millions of LAGOS: Nigeria’s oil unions Africa’s biggest crude producer Dolapo Oni, the Lagos-based head consumers,” Wheeler said. suspended their four-day to fix refineries and cut gasoline of energy research at Ecobank Timothy O’Regan, a T-Mobile national strike after reaching prices in line with the slump Transnational Inc., said by spokesman, didn’t immediately an agreement with the govern- in crude. The two unions also phone today. “They didn’t touch respond to an e-mail seeking ment, which included a push to wanted the authorities to expe- oil exports. While some workers comment on the settlement. pass an industry bill held up for dite the passage of the petro- from Total and Chevron joined As part of the deal revealed years in parliament. leum industry bill, curtail crude the strike, the field staff on the today, Bellevue, Washington- “The strike is suspended and theft and pipeline sabotage, and various production platforms based T-Mobile must pay $67.5 there are promises to resolve address what they say are unfair continued to work so the strike million in refunds to consumers, the issues we tabled before labor practices by some energy didn’t affect oil operations.” $18mn to states and $4.5m to the them,” Emmanuel Ojugbana, a producers. The impact of the strike was US Treasury, according to offi- spokesman for the Petroleum “We have requested the minis- restricted to domestic fuel sup- cials. “Today’s settlement makes and Natural Gas Senior Staff ter to assist us to press home our ply, Pengassan President Francis it clear that nobody is above the Association of Nigeria, or demand for immediate passage of Johnson said on December 16. law, including large multinational Pengassan, said by phone from that bill between now and end of The NNPC said Dec. 15 that corporations,” New York Attorney the capital, Abuja. “We have given the first quarter of 2015,” said domestic fuel supplies wouldn’t General Eric Schneiderman said them timelines at which time if Ojugbana. “We are hopeful that be disrupted by the strike and in a statement. “When custom- it is not done we will go back to actions will be taken.” the West African nation has ers are billed for services they did our action.” At least 80 percent of Nigeria’s more than 32 days of oil-product not request, it picks the pockets of Pengassan, comprised of crude is pumped by Royal Dutch stockpiles. Ohi Alegbe, Abuja- hard-working New Yorkers.” management-level employ- Shell Plc, Exxon Mobil Corp., based spokesman for the NNPC The FTC sued T-Mobile in ees, and the affiliate blue-collar Chevron Corp., Total SA and Eni and the oil minister Diezani July and alleged that it billed Nigerian Union of Petroleum SpA in joint ventures with the Alison- Madueke, didn’t answer consumers for the unrequested and Natural Gas Workers rep- state-owned Nigerian National two calls to his mobile phones services until at least December resenting at least 30,000 work- Petroleum Corp. Oil prices have seeking comment. 2013, making hundreds of mil- ers, reached an accord with the fallen 45 percent this year, with “Even before the strike, there lions of dollars from its cut of government’s negotiation team Brent crude, which compares were already issues with fuel the extra fees. Rather than being led by Labour Minister Kabiru with Nigeria’s benchmark Bonny scarcity due to NNPC’s inability clearly broken out, the third- party Turaki, Babatunde Oke, another Light, trading at $60.82 a bar- to evacuate enough fuel cargoes charges were lumped under the A woman queues to withdraw money at an automated teller machine of Pengassan spokesman in Lagos, rel as of 3:44 p.m. in London, out of the Apapa port,” Ecobank’s generic term “usage charges” on a bank in central Minsk yesterday. A temporary thirty percent fee on the the commercial capital, said by according to data compiled by Oni, said referring to the port in customers’ bills, according to the purchase of foreign currency by legal entities and natural persons has phone. Bloomberg. Lagos. “The strike in itself didn’t agency’s complaint filed in federal been introduced in Belarus, according to state agency BelTA. Workers were protesting the “The strike didn’t have much create much scarcity.” court in Seattle. BLOOMBERG failure of the government of of an impact on the economy,” BLOOMBERG SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Brent oil spirals below $60 in volatile week Wall St little changed after best two-day run in 3 years

LONDON: Brent oil prices already breached the psychologi- 30 million barrels per day, where plummeted this week to five- cal $60 barrier earlier Tuesday as it has stood for three years. year lows underneath $60 per weak Chinese manufacturing data “At Opec’s meeting in barrel as markets were rocked by stoked global demand concerns. November, we took two decisions,” shrinking Chinese manufactur- The market however rebounded added Kuwaiti oil minister Ali Al ing output, economic turmoil in on Friday, in line with gains on Omair on Tuesday. Russia and ample crude supplies. global stock markets, as investors “The first was to keep the pro- Oil has now halved in value snapped up bargain crude. duction ceiling unchanged and the since June, due also to the “Until the issue of low glo- second to hold the next meeting in stronger dollar and weak demand bal demand and oversupply is June. So far, nothing has changed as the global economy struggles. resolved, we will continue to see and there are no calls for holding Investors closely watched this type of market volatility as an emergency meeting.” the situation in crude producer investors test the waters,” Phillip By yesterday on London’s Russia, as the ruble crashed to Futures analyst Daniel Ang said. Intercontinental Exchange, Brent a series of record lows, despite a “There are two camps in the North Sea crude for delivery in drastic interest rate hike. market at the moment. Some who February sank to $60.69 per “The combined effects of believe prices can fall further, and barrel compared with $62.11 for slumping oil, the Russian Central others who are betting that it the January contract one week Bank’s interest rate hike and fall- should be above $60.” earlier. ing output from China have all The Organization of the On the New York Mercantile come together to deliver a triple Petroleum Exporting Countries Exchange, West Texas blow to the markets,” said ETX (Opec), the oil producers group Intermediate or light sweet crude Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City yesterday. Capital analyst Daniel Sugarman. that supplies about a third of glo- for January dived to $56.23 per “Lower output from China bal oil, has so far declined to cut barrel from $58.15 a week earlier. The benchmark stock index has by the Fed statement confirm- activity worsened in December means less of a need for oil, while output to curb the price plunge. US stocks were little changed risen more than 3 percent this ing small steps towards rising with HSBC’s purchasing manag- as a primary oil producer Russia Top Opec producer Saudi yesterday after the market’s week, putting the S&P on track rates which has kept the dollar ers’ index (PMI) hitting a seven- really feels the pain of lower oil Arabia said Thursday that com- best two-day run in more than for its best weekly performance in strong and made the metal more month low at 49.5 percent, below prices, compounded by the sanc- petitive pressures prevent it from three years, with shares of Nike two months. It has erased nearly expensive to buy,” said Accendo the break-even point dividing tions imposed earlier this year.” reducing output, and the kingdom weighing on the Dow while energy all the losses from the prior week, Markets analysts. expansion and contraction. Many commodities fell in line can weather falling prices. shares led a modest advance on which were spurred by a sharp By late yesterday on the London That signalled fresh weakness with oil, but sentiment was sub- “It is difficult, or even impos- the benchmark S&P 500. drop in oil prices. Bullion Market, the price of gold in the world’s second-largest dued yesterday with many traders sible, for Saudi Arabia or Opec The S&P 500 index had climbed Shares of Nike shed 2.8 per- fell to $1,195.50 an ounce from economy and major consumer of away for an extended Christmas to undertake any measure that 4.5 percent over the previous cent, a day after the company $1,217 a week earlier. Silver slid oil and base metals, according to and New Year holiday. would lead to a reduction in two sessions, spurred by the US flagged slowing growth in west- to $15.86 an ounce from $17.07. analysts. OIL: Brent prices plunged late (their) share of the market and Federal Reserve’s commitment to ern Europe. On the London Platinum and “Since the beginning of the Tuesday to $58.50 — a low last an increase in that of others” who take a “patient” approach toward Gold and other precious met- Palladium Market, platinum stood week, the majority of prices on the seen on May 26, 2009 — and New do not belong to the cartel, said raising interest rates, while sig- als fell on the back of the strong at $1,197 an ounce, from $1,231 the London Metal Exchange (LME) York crude hit a similar low at Oil Minister Ali Al Naimi. naling it was on track to boost dollar after the US Federal previous week. have found themselves under $53.60 after Opec signalled it has The latest selloffs came after rates in 2015. That provided clar- Reserve signalled an interest Palladium decreased to $795 an pressure,” said Commerzbank no plans to intervene to shore Opec opted last month to main- ity and relief to investors over the rate increase was not imminent. ounce from $818. analysts. up plunging prices. Brent had tain its collective output ceiling at policy outlook, analysts said. The gold price was “hindered China’s manufacturing AGENCIES

Amazon staff First arrest in foreign exchange market rigging probe extend strike to LONDON: A City banker has spokesman said. “ Officers from the – where they called themselves JP Morgan and UBS. the day of the fines the chancellor Christmas Eve been arrested by the Serious City of London Police assisted with the “A-Team” , “The Three At the time of the fines last George Osborne said: “Today we Fraud Office in connection with the operation.” Musketeers” and “The Players” month Martin Wheatley, chief take tough action to clean up cor- FRANKFURT: Amazon its investigation into the rigging The arrest follows a record- – colluded to fix rates to make executive of the FCA, said the reg- ruption by a few so that we have a staff at three German ware- of the £3.5 trillion-a-day foreign breaking £2bn fine imposed on millions for their employers and ulator would “not tolerate conduct financial system that works for eve- houses will extend their exchange markets. five global banks for their role in collect big bonuses for themselves, which imperils market integrity or ryone. It’s part of a long term plan strike until Christmas Eve The banker is the first person the scandal. About 30 bankers according to transcripts released the wider UK financial system”. that is fixing what went wrong in to increase pressure on the to be detained in connection with have been sacked or suspended by the regulator. “Firms must make sure their Britain’s banks and our economy.” online retailer in a long- the global foreign exchange rate- but until now no arrests have The FCA said it had found a traders do not game the system Osborne said the UK govern- running dispute over pay rigging scandal and was held fol- been made. “free for all culture” on trading to boost profits or leave the ethics ment’s share of the money from and conditions, labour union lowing a dawn raid on his Essex Bankers were found by the floors that allowed the market to of their conduct to compliance to the fines will be pumped into the Verdi said yesterday. home. UK’s City regulator, the Financial be rigged for such a long time. worry about,” he said. NHS. The fines swelled Treasury Verdi also filed a lawsuit “In connection with a Serious Conduct Authority (FCA), to have The fines, which were far bigger “At the end of the day compa- coffers by £1.1bn helping reduce against a decision by regional Fraud Office investigation, we can colluded to fix rates between 2008 than those handed out for Libor nies might have lax controls that the government’s borrowing fig- authorities to allow Amazon confirm one man was arrested in and October 2013. rigging, were imposed on Royal allow bad things to happen but ures in November. staff in two German cities to Billericay on 19 December,” an SFO Bankers using online chatrooms Bank of Scotland, HSBC, Citibank, it’s people that do bad things.” On GUARDIAN NEWS work this Sunday as the mail- order group steps up efforts to deliver orders to customers before the Christmas holiday. Bailout plan Industrial action this week had already been extended until Saturday in four of Amazon’s nine distribution centres in Germany and until December 24 at one warehouse. More than 2,400 workers took part in walkouts yesterday, Verdi said. The union has organised frequent strikes at Amazon in Germany since May 2013 as it seeks to force the retailer to raise pay for warehouse work- ers in accordance with collec- tive bargaining agreements across Germany’s mail order and retail industry. Verdi said that the lawsuit filed against Amazon meant that the authorities’ approval of the group putting its employees to work this Sunday was effec- tively void. “As the Federal Administrative Court only A SpiceJet passenger aircraft on the runway at the airport next to a slum area in Mumbai yesterday. A recently stated, work on former part-owner of India’s SpiceJet Ltd is leading $190.5m bailout plan to rescue the budget carrier from Sunday has to be reserved collapsing, newspapers reported. for strictly exceptional cases, which we do not see in the case of Amazon,” Verdi board member Stefanie Nutzenberger China’s Fosun ups offer for Club Med said. Amazon has repeatedly rejected the union’s demands, saying it regards warehouse staff PARIS: Chinese conglomer- more than 18 months, the long- percent of the 25,000 new cli- as logistics workers and that ate Fosun raised its offer to est takeover battle ever on the ents Club Med attracted in 2013 they receive above-average pay buy French holiday group Club Paris stock market. Fosun had were Chinese, and the rest were by the standards of that indus- Med yesterday, as it strives to made its latest offer just ahead Brazilians. try. The US company employs win the longest bidding war in of a deadline at Friday’s mar- Fosun’s new offer aims at almost 10,000 regular staff at its Paris market history against ket close. Bonomi now has until expanding in China and Brazil warehouses in Germany, its sec- an Italian tycoon. January 7 to respond. but also stressed that “the group ond-biggest market behind the Fosun bid ¤24.60 ($30.20) per Club Med first became a top would continue to invest in US, as well as more than 10,000 share for Club Med, which val- name in the European tourism France, Club Med’s leading mar- seasonal workers. It can also ues the iconic holiday brand at industry for its all-inclusive ket, to continue to win new parts draw on 19 other warehouses ¤939m and trumps a previous budget family villages. It has since of the market and outperform its across Europe. Amazon said its bid from Italian businessman moved up-market, weathering competitors.” deliveries had not been delayed Andrea Bonomi’s Global Resorts. financial storms in the process, The group is struggling, by industrial action so far and Bonomi’s offer valued the group and is now looking for further reporting a net loss of 12 million that it had even extended to at ¤915m. expansion, including in China euros this year, with a turnover midday on December 22 the The Italian will now have an where it has been a partner with of ¤1.38bn. It owns 70 holiday vil- order deadline for gifts to opportunity to raise his offer, Fosun. lages in 26 countries and employs reach customers in time for further dragging out the proc- According to company figures some 13,000 staff. AFP December 24 by normal deliv- ess which has already lasted released earlier this month, 80 ery. REUTERS SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 BUSINESS VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15

Russian reserves: Stars align to boost modest $400bn or half that? BY SUJATA RAO French recovery hopes EFENDING the rouble has cost Russia around $80bn this BY INGRID MELANDER and year, and depending on who’s doing the calculations, its For Beulin, the maths are simple: poultry a positive impact of raw material prices on MICHEL ROSE Dusable hard currency reserves are now either starting to farmers make a loss on exports to markets cash levels last month, a COE-Rexecode run low, or at a healthy $400bn-plus. such as the Middle East with a euro at $1.35. survey showed - the first time this has hap- While Russia has only slowed the rouble’s slide, it looks all right HE euro has fallen, oil prices have But at $1.23, where it is now, they make pened since the question was first asked in by any yardstick of whether its reserves are adequate. According tumbled, and borrowing rates are money. the monthly survey two years ago. to official data on Thursday, its foreign currency and gold reserves at record lows: French President Agriculture may only be a small part Separately, low inflation was a contribut- were $414.6bn in the latest week. Francois Hollande has had much of the economy, but the fall in oil prices ing factor in a fall in the number of firms While down from $509.6bn at the end of last year, the latest of his economic wishlist granted, also cuts costs for truck and taxi drivers, going bust in 2014, credit insurer Coface total would still cover more than a year of Russian imports, far Tand it may just help him kickstart a long- whose noisy protests have piled pressure said. While insolvencies remain close to his- above the three month level generally considered to be the safe awaited recovery in 2015. on Hollande’s government. torical highs, a slight fall is also expected minimum. Granted, the short-term lethargy and Economists at France’s INSEE statistics this year. The other leading measure requires reserves at least to equal structural problems in the eurozone’s office estimates that a sustained fall of 20 “In the short term, lowflation can bring a country’s external debt payments for the coming year; Russia second-largest economy mean that it will euros in oil prices could add as much as 0.5 advantages to the French economy,” Coface has four times that. remain a major worry for others in the sin- percentage points to growth in the subse- said. “It boosts households’ spending power Russia’s currency has lost about 45 percent against the dollar gle currency bloc. quent year if it leads consumers to spend and therefore their consumption, which this year due to diving prices for oil, Russia’s main export, and But the global context together with new and businesses to invest. above all is the essential motor for growth,” Western sanctions imposed over the Ukraine crisis. reforms due to kick in next year are leading If oil prices remain at early December the report added. But, since floating the rouble last month, the central bank some to bet that France can achieve its 1 levels throughout 2015 French industry Yet many key signals for France are still has intervened on the currency market in only relatively small percent growth target for next year - mod- could expect a 3.4 billion euro windfall red - not least unemployment, stubbornly amounts. Instead it has tried to slow the slide by raising inter- est by many standards but more than twice compared with 2013, said Denis Ferrand, above 10 percent and which analysts polled est rates by 7.5 percentage points in two takes, even though the the 2014 growth estimate of 0.4 percent. managing director of economic institute by Reuters say may stay above that level economy has already been crushed by the sanctions and oil collapse. Crude oil prices have nearly halved since COE-Rexecode. next year. And worryingly, the construction Doomsayers attribute this shift to a desire to conserve what, on June and the euro, a drop in which has long Competition in the refining sector means industry’s federation has forecast business closer examination, may be pretty sparse reserves. been sought by French politicians to help the chunk of the drop in crude prices being in their sector will contract again next year. Anders Aslund, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institutein exports, has lost 11 percent since May. At passed on to industry and consumers has But if the OECD’s Jarrett is more upbeat Washington DC, is one of those who say the official headline the same time, Paris is borrowing at its risen to 80 percent in France in the last on France than before, it is because the gov- reserves figure is deceptive. That’s because it includes two “rainy- cheapest rates ever. year compared with 60-70 percent in previ- ernment is promising reforms, including day” funds built up over the years, which strictly speaking should “The chances of the government getting ous years. deregulation of key sectors of the economy not form part of reserves, he says. the one percent growth it based its budget While energy imports are limited by and a simplification of labour rules. Aslund wrote this week in the Financial Times that stripping on have risen quite substantially,” said Peter France’s nuclear production, firms remain The key will be in how successful Hollande out the two funds with combined assets of $172bn, plus gold worth Jarrett, head of division responsible for sensitive to oil prices as they use a lot of is in pushing through reforms unpopu- $45bn and $12bn in IMF drawing rights, would leave Russia with France at the Organisation for Economic power: in 2012, France needed 142.9 kilos of lar even in his own camp. The European usable, or liquid reserves of around $200bn. Cooperation and Development. oil equivalent to produce 1,000 euros of GDP, Commission will decide in March whether After accounting for Russia’s current account surplus, which “Now it’s not an unreasonable number, compared with 129.2 kg for Germany and to fine France or not for missing its fis- makes hard currency funds available for repaying foreign debts, while a month or six weeks ago I would have 105.1 kg for Britain, Eurostat says. cal targets. It is sceptical over whether the the country would still have to delve rapidly into the reserves to said it was optimistic,” he said. Excluding energy prices, French core reforms go far enough. meet its obligations. “In each of 2015 and 2016, Russia has net Some at the sharp end of the economy inflation contracted for the first time on The problem for Societe Generale econo- external debt payments equal to $100 billion after subtracting its agree. “Three stars are aligned: the weaker record in November and while in the long mist Michel Martinez is that in the ¤2 tril- current account surplus. In other words Russia’s liquid reserves euro, cheap oil and low interest rates. This run this raises deflation fears, some of the lion economy the impact of oil price drops, would be finished after two years,” Aslund said. “The central bank should help kickstart economic activity,” country’s cash-strapped businesses have and even more so of reforms, takes time appears helpless because it is.” Xavier Beulin, head of France’s FNSEA started feeling short-term benefits. to be felt. President Vladimir Putin told a news conference on Thursday farm lobby, told Reuters. A majority of company treasurers cited REUTERS that the $415bn worth of reserves was enough to cope with any crisis but would not be spent “thoughtlessly”. Officials are wary of spending the reserves too fast as the coun- try is forecast to go into recession next year. Without doubt, the situation is far bleaker than 2008-2009 when reserves were $600bn — well in excess of total external debt, private and public. Since then, a borrowing binge by companies has worsened the reserves-to-debt ratio. Banks in particular — faced with weak earnings, shrinking deposits and hard currency debts - may need more central bank help, analysts at BNP Paribas said, estimating that the equivalent of $72bn had already been disbursed this year. A draft law aims to allocate an extra trillion roubles ($17bn) to support the banking sector. Many would argue there is nothing wrong with that, because the rainy day money is meant for hard times such as now, when oil prices are low and companies can- not raise global capital. More importantly, disbursing cash to the private sector from one of the two wealth funds will not entail a drop in reserves, said Citi strategist Ivan Tchakarov. The central bank holds the rainy day funds, usually in dollar assets, on behalf of the government. If the finance ministry wants to raid them to help a bank, the fund sells the dollars to the central bank in exchange for roubles. “The overall reserves remain unchanged as what the (fund) is losing is gained by the central bank (CBR). The roubles that the CBR prints to buy the dollars are then used by the finance min- istry to lend roubles to bank X,” Tchakarov explained. Printing currency is inflationary for the economy, Tchakarov admitted, but from a reserves point of view “there will be no change and Russian foreign reserves will remain as they were”. The question is how long the drain on reserves continues, espe- cially if Western sanctions are extended and oil prices stay at cur- rent levels. Energy provides 70 percent of Russian export earnings and half its federal budget revenues, so at current prices central bank buffers are unlikely to be replenished. Most companies are reckoned to have enough cash to fund their 2015 debt payments. Alfa Bank analyst Nataliya Orlova said that even excluding the two reserve funds’ assets, the remaining money would probably tide Russia over the worst of the crisis. There is a caveat. Major changes are needed to bring more investment, diversify exports and allow Russia to reduce its dependence on energy. That seems unlikely for now. REUTERS Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Rent law expiry spells doom for Spanish shopkeepers BY SHARON SMYTH retailers for decades, and comes expiry of a moratorium of the month for the 250-square-metre outstrip European growth this Don Pullen and Bob Sands since as Spain is poised to post its fast- extended rental law that allowed shop, where shirts and other gar- year after a recovery in domes- it opened 32 years ago. NGEL Garcia, whose est growth since 2007. tenants who signed commercial ments rest in mahogany show- tic demand added to the export “We’ve been served official family has sold hand- “This is a market economy, and rental contracts before May 5 cases and black marble counters, boom that enabled the country to notice to leave the place com- tailored shirts since you cannot have a tenant rent- 1985 to remain in the properties the original fittings from the last emerge from recession. pletely empty by midnight on New 1857, will be shutting ing space in a prime area paying for up to 20 years paying rents refurbishment in 1957. He says Louis Vuitton and Hennes & Year’s eve,” Geraldo Perez, 62, one his shop on Madrid’s peanuts with the tenant next to that could be only raised annually there is no way he can afford to pay Mauritz AB are among retail of the club’s four co-founders said AGran Via in the New Year after them paying market rates,” said in line with inflation. the nearly ¤30,000 that Allianz, the giants snapping up floor space in in an interview at the club last his landlord decided to raise the Angeles Perez, director of high “The 1964 law was conceived at building’s owner, is demanding. Madrid and have contributed to week. “We can barely pay the cur- rent almost tenfold. street properties for Jones Lang a moment when Spain needed to “Allianz owns an adjacent prop- the ¤330m that’s been spent so far rent quota.” At the stroke of midnight on LaSalle in Madrid. “It’s like we all make its economy more dynamic erty and they want to knock them this year on high-street proper- The art deco style jazz club is December 31, a rent-control rule want to own a Prada handbag, but and create businesses that would into one to rent out to a bigger ties in Spain, according to data a three-minute walk from Calle introduced under Spanish dicta- some of us pay ¤100 and others without doubt stand the test of business, so they won’t even nego- from Jones Lang LaSalle. Preciados, Madrid’s most expen- tor General Francisco Franco have to pay a thousand.” time,” said Javier Roldan, a senior tiate with us,” Garcia said. Total investment this year in sive high street with retail rents comes to an end, spelling finan- About 65,000 businesses in partner at Garrigues law firm in A spokeswoman for Allianz the asset class is set to reach 450 of 230 euros per square meter. cial turmoil for thousands of small Spain may be affected, with as Madrid. “Long-term rents were declined to comment. million euros, the highest since Perez says he will appeal the store owners. many as 190,000 people losing positive for the situation and the While painful for shop own- 2007, Perez said. notice in court, saying the Spanish “This business has been in jobs, said UPTA, a Spanish union. socio- economic environment at ers, the measure is likely to have The end of rent control is also family that owns it refuses to my family for four generations,” The 1964 rental law was intro- the time.” a positive effect on real estate making 2015 grim for Madrid’s negotiate the new rent. Garcia, 89, said during an inter- duced under Franco to provide Businesses have had enough investment in prime areas in Café Central, a renowned jazz “Perhaps they already have a view in front of his shop window, social housing and affordable busi- time to adapt and negotiate, large cities, freeing up retail out- club. new tenant lined up and this place where “closing down sale” post- ness premises in large cities for although new rents are at market lets that are in demand since It may be forced to close next will become a fried chicken fast- ers are now displayed instead of the steady stream of rural immi- prices and these are too high for Spain’s recovery, said Perez. year after the owner of the 300 food joint,” he said. “It’s a huge shirts. “It’s a sign of the times.” grants heading to urban centres to some, he said. “Many businesses “Larger stores create employ- square meter premises hikes the shame not just for us but for the The move, which will force escape hunger and unemployment have been adapting over the years ment and attract tourists who monthly rent to ¤12,000 a month city. We are one of those authen- businesses that can’t afford to pay since the end of the Spanish civil in expectation of this and have spend money in those shops and from ¤5,000. tic venues that give character to new market-indexed rents to close war in 1939. The law was subse- been able to successfully renego- surrounding bars and restaurants, Ranked by Wire Magazine as the place, and tourists don’t visit shop or move to cheaper premises, quently modified and extended in tiate their rents,” said Jones Lang which is good for the economy in one of the world’s top jazz ven- Madrid to eat fried chicken and will also free up prime property 1985 and again in 1994. LaSalle’s Perez. general,” said Perez in an interview. ues, it has staged performances by shop at H&M.” that has been inaccessible to The year-end will mark the Garcia pays ¤3,000 ($3,748) per Spain’s economy is set to musicians such as George Adams, WP-BLOOMBERG SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com CLASSIFIEDS

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44966107/30122300 SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Carella, Torrente toppled as Qatar Team falls short CTIC China Team’s Chiappe claims maiden Sharjah GP title

SHARJAH: Alex Carella and to make a move on Chiappe after the Shaun Torrente overcame two yel- run out to the first turn buoy and pre- low flag situations, but fell short of vent the Frenchman benefiting from claiming a fourth successive UIM F1 clear water ahead. Torrente lined up H2O World Championship title for in fifth behind the leading duo, Jonas the Qatar Team in yesterday’s pun- Andersson and Sami Selio for the ishing 15th Grand Prix of Sharjah 37-lap race. on Khaled Lagoon. Chiappe made a clean start and The duo reached the chequered edged clear of Carella through the first flag in second and third positions, but lap, as Torrente passed Selio to take Frenchman Philippe Chiappe led from fourth behind Andersson. Chiappe’s the start to the finish of the 37-lap lead was 3.88sec after five laps, but race to confirm a first ever World Carella and Torrente were not able Championship title for the CTIC to improve on their second and fourth China Team. Qatar’s consolation was places through lap seven. the Team, Fast Lap Trophy and Pole Torrente began to apply the pres- Position Championship titles. sure on third-placed Andersson as “It was a disappointing day but the race progressed, but a yellow flag we cannot win this title every year,” was raised soon afterwards when Filip reflected Khalid bin Arhama Al Roms pulled up on the racecourse with Kuwari, head of formula racing at technical issues. Racing restarted on the Qatar Marine Sports Federation lap 14 and Torrente managed to pass (QMSF). Andersson and slot in behind Chiappe “It was a tough race. Philippe was and Carella. very fast and we were not able to close But Kuwait’s Yousef Al Rubayan him down. Shaun did well to get back flipped his boat on lap 15 and forced Qatar Team in action in yesterday’s 15th Grand Prix of Qatar at Khaled Lagoon. The from fifth to third, but it was not to a second yellow flag situation while team which won the championship three consecutive times, failed to retain the title. be. Now we will go away for the win- his stricken hull was removed from ter break, assess everything and come the course. back stronger and more determined to Chiappe, Carella and Torrente were GP start in his 12th year of Grand and claimed pole position for the final win back the title in 2015.” bunched up and the restart was criti- Prix racing. race of the season with a best lap of Qatar’s Khalid Abdullah Al Kuwari cal, but the Frenchman maintained Torrente and Carella had used 56.66sec in the time trials. That was and Mohammed All-Obaidly qualified his lead into lap 21 and began to pull Friday morning’s second free prac- sufficient to beat Briney Rigby by in pole position and seventh for the away from the Qatar Team duo. His tice session to get the best set-up for 0.11sec and claim the start advantage final F-4S Trophy race of the sea- lead was 6.44sec after 25 laps and the the race and practice their starts. for the 20-minute race. Al-Obaidly son, but the Qatar Team duo were Frenchman extended that to 8.22sec Torrente did run a few hot laps qualified in seventh after Thursday’s not able to finish the season with a into lap 32. and posted the third quickest lap of accident. second win and Al Kuwari shadowed Neither Carella nor Torrente had 46.51sec behind the Team Abu Dhabi Al Kuwari was not able to repeat Briney Rigby, Bingchen Wu and Mike an answer over the closing laps and duo of Al Hameli and Al Qamzi. the success of the previous day and Szymura to the chequered flag to take Chiappe passed the chequered flag Khalid Abdullah Al Kuwari was in the Qatari reached the chequered fourth position. to seal his second win of the sea- superb form for the second day run- flag in fourth position behind Rigby, The start to the main race was son and confirm a maiden World ning and the winner of Thursday’s Bincheng Wu and new champion Mike critical and Carella knew that he had Championship title on his 92nd career race was fastest in second practice Szymura. THE PENINSULA

Golden State Warriors NHL: Ward stars in big guard Stephen Curry (centre) celebrates victory for Hurricanes after making a three-point NEW YORK: Cam Ward since October. Matt Beleskey basket in front made 25 saves and the Carolina scored the game-winning goal to of Oklahoma Hurricanes rode a strong start lead the Anaheim Ducks to vic- City Thunder and solid finish to a 4-1 vic- tory over the Montreal Canadiens. guard Anthony tory against the Toronto Maple Hampus Lindholm also scored for Morrow (left) Leafs that ended a six-game los- Anaheim (22-7-5). during the ing streak. Ducks goaltender Frederik second Chris Terry, Justin Faulk, Andersen stopped 23 shots in a quarter at Andrej Sekera and Elias Lindholm fine show. Oracle Arena. scored for a goal-shy Carolina Carey Price made 21 saves for The Warriors team that struck three times for Montreal (20-11-2), which saw defeated the first time in nine games in the its three-game winning streak the Thunder contest. snapped. REUTERS 114-109. Toronto offered little resistance in losing for the first time in six games with a second-period goal NHL Results from defenseman Dion Phaneuf Florida 2 Philadelphia 1 their only positive contribution to Pittsburgh 1 Colorado 0 Bucks edge out Kings the scoring. Carolina 4 Toronto 1 Toronto (19-10-3), the NHL’s Washington 5 Columbus 4 highest-scoring team with 3.45 Anaheim 2 Montreal 1 NEW YORK: Zaza Pachulia knocked goals per game entering the con- Los Angeles 6 St Louis 4 down one of two free throws with 6.5 sec- NBA Results test, was held to less than two San Jose 4 Edmonton 3 onds left, lifting the Milwaukee Bucks to Chicago 103 NY Knicks 97 goals for only the second time a victory over Sacramento and spoiling New Orleans 99 Houston 90 the return of center DeMarcus Cousins Milwaukee 108 Sacramento 107 to the Kings’ lineup. Pachulia grabbed the offensive rebound Golden State 114 Oklahoma City 109 Carolina on guard Jerryd Bayless’ missed three- Hurricanes pointer, and he was fouled by Cousins. He Anthony Davis delivered an exceptional goalie Cam hit the first of his free throws. two-way performance as the New Orleans Ward (right) Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler scored a Pelicans fought off the Houston Rockets. celebrates career-high 35 points and added seven Davis paired 30 points with 14 rebounds the victory assists to lead the Chicago Bulls to a win while adding five blocks and two steals in with forward against the New York Knicks. carrying the Pelicans (13-12). Eric Staal (12) Chicago (16-9) played without guard Stephen Curry scored six of his game- against the Derrick Rose, who was sick, while the high 34 points after Oklahoma City took Toronto Maple Knicks (5-23) were without forward a one-point lead with 2:59 to play, lifting Carmelo Anthony because of a sore left the Golden State Warriors to victory in a Leafs at PNC knee. Pau Gasol added 20 points for the game in which Thunder star Kevin Durant Arena. Bulls while Tim Hardaway Jr. led the missed the second half with an ankle injury. Knicks with 23 points. AGENCIES Todman stars as Jaguars hunt down Titans

NEW YORK: Jordan Todman pro- the day so I was excited,” Todman told and sparked his team’s comeback with He connected with Leon Washington duced a 62-yard touchdown run to reporters. a four-yard pass to Mercedes Lewis in on an eight-yard TD in the first quar- help the Jacksonville Jaguars beat “I saw there was an opportunity to the second quarter. ter while Ryan Succop booted two field the Tennessee Titans 21-13 yester- cut it back and make a guy miss and Bortles only tossed for 115 yards but goals to account for the rest of the day in a clash between struggling then it was off to the races. It was a also ran for 50. Titans’ scoring. teams already looking ahead to next great feeling.” Jacksonville running back Toby Whitehurst completed 24-of-35 season. Jacksonville accumulated 177 yards Gerhart gave the Jaguars a 14-10 lead passes in place of Jake Locker and The Jaguars trailed 10-0 but rallied on the ground and did not turn the with a one-yard plunge in the third Zach Mettenberger, who are both out with 21 unanswered points, with their ball over to earn the victory, their before Todman did the rest. with shoulder injuries. final TD coming on Todman’s long run second in four games after they had Third-string quarterback Charlie Tennessee wide receiver Kendall in the fourth quarter. started the season 1-10. Whitehurst started for Tennessee and Wright caught four passes for 73 yards “I heard the call (for me to carry Rookie quarterback Blake Bortles was solid in throwing for 287 yards, in his return from a two-game absence the ball), and it was my first carry of played through a sprained right foot one touchdown and no interceptions. with a hand injury. REUTERS SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 Magnificent Mirza wins stage 2 2014 Tour of Zubarah: Algeria’s Azzedine Lagab retains overnight lead with neat finish

DOHA: Overnight leader in third place, 30 seconds adrift Azzedine Lagab yesterday of Lagab. retained his position at the Per (32 seconds adrift) is in Tour of Zubarah where defend- fourth spot while Schoibl (34 sec- ing champion Yusif Mirza of the onds) is in sixth spot. UAE produced a late burst to Sybrandy (43 seconds), Roman win stage two. Van Uden (1:47), Radoslav Rogina Lagab finished stage two in (2:00), Abdennour Yahmi (2:01) fourth spot to keep his title hopes and Mirza (2:03) complete the alive on a day when the riders top-10 riders in the general completed a gruelling 116.8kms classification. stage in Madinat Al Shamal. Qatar’s Abdelrahman Jarboua Mirza who rides for Team was 21st fastest yesterday finish- Giant ended the stage with a time ing 1:17 slower than Mirza. of 2 hours 45 minutes 22 seconds Jarboua’s team-mate Abdullah to jump to 11th in the overall gen- Afifi was placed 45th, 3:31 adrift eral classification. of the time set by Mirza. The 26-year-old UAE rider now Abdullah is 34th fastest in the owns the white jersey. overall general classification (6:52 Austria’s Martin Weiss, who slower than the time of Lagab featured at last year’s Tour of (5:35.51). Zubarah, finished in second spot Today the riders will kick off while David Per of Adria Mobil the proceedings from Lekhwiya was placed in third spot. Sports Club and end at Zubarah Lagab ended day three of the Fort in the north of the country. four-day event a notch above fifth- The Zubarah Fort, also known placed Mario Schoibl of Austria. as Fort Zubara, is a historic Qatari Kristjan Fajt of Adria Mobil was military fortress built under the sixth while TKT Racing Cycles oversight of Sheikh Abdullah bin rider Gabor Kasa stunned with a Qassim Al Thani in 1938. seventh-place finish. The Zubarah Fort was origi- Nabojsa Jovanovic (TKT), nally built by Sheikh Abdullah to Wauter Sybrandy (SIG) and serve as a coast guard station. Primoz Roglic (Adria Mobil) It was later renovated into Riders close in on the finish line Top-10 Results in rounded off the top-10 riders in a museum to display diverse of stage two at Tour of Zubarah UAE rider stage two. exhibits and artworks for topical yesterday. The event concludes Stage Two Yusif Mirza today with stage three which Lagab (5:35.51) now enjoys a archaeological findings. 1 Yousif Mirza, TGG, 2:45:22 celebrates 19-second lead over second-placed The event is sponsored by begins at Lekhwiya Stadium and 2 Martin Weiss, Tirol Cycling winning Fajt. Weiss, who finished second Aspire Zone and Qatar Museums. ends at Al Zubarah Fort. Team (all riders same time) stage two at last year’s Tour of Zubarah, is THE PENINSULA of the Tour 3 David Per, Adria Mobil of Zubarah 4 Azzedine Lagab, Groupement in Madinat Sportif des Petrolier Algerie Al Shamal 5 Mario Schoibl, Team yesterday. Gourmetfein Simplon Wels 6 Kristjan Fajt, Adria Mobil UAE rider 7 Gabor Kazsa, Racing Cycles Yusif Kastro Team, Mirza, who 8 Nebojsa Jovanovic, Racing represents Cycles - Kastro Team Team 9 Wouter Sybrandy, AUT Today’s Giant, 10 Primoz Roglic, Team Adria stage is seen Mobil receiving Stage 3 starts his white Top-5 in Overall at Lekhwiya jersey after Stadium at he won Classification 10:30am and stage two ends at Al (Previous positions in brackets) of Tour of Zubarah Fort Zubarah. 1 (1) Azzedine Lagab, 5:35:51 at 1:25pm 2(2) Kristjan Fajt, 0:19 seconds behind 3(6) Martin Weiss, 0:30 seconds 4(5) David Per, 0:32 seconds 5(4) Mario Schoibl, 0:34 seconds Shipton wins Losail MX races

DOHA: Jake Shipton of Britain yesterday won both races in round three of the Losail MX Championship which took place Barak Al at Losail MX Track. Jasmi In race one of the MX 1 cat- (left) and egory, Shipton, who was featuring in his maiden MX competition in Ryan Blair Qatar, clocked a time of 22:34.68 in action over 11 laps around the 1.6km during circuit. one of the “I am really happy with my races held performances and I am happy to at Losail have taken part in this champion- International ship,” Shipton said. Circuit The second position was yesterday. secured by compatriot Jake PICTURES: Preston (23:57.605) in both races. AHMED For Preston also, it was his FEISAL maiden appearance at a MX event in Qatar. Kuwaiti rider Mohammed Jaffar finished third in both races (1 and 2) and has accumulated 140 points to lead the MX 1 category. In the MX 2 category, Ryan Blair finished first in race 1 and 2 whereas Moaath Al Ansari ended second in both races. Barak Al Jasmi finished third position in race 1. In Race 2 fans witnessed a tough challenge between Barak Al Jasmi and Saeed Al Shenqiti for the battle of third position. However, it was Saeed Al Shenqiti who finished third in race 2. The day’s best lap time was also recorded by Shipton who clocked 1:52.558 around the 1.6km dirt track that was built in a record time two years ago. The trophies were presented by Sultan Al Moraikhi, QMMF Board Member. The MX races are staged peri- odically by QMMF. THE PENINSULA SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Lekhwiya, Al Sadd register hard-fought wins

DOHA: Title contenders Al Sadd and Lekhwiya, yesterday registered hard-fought victories over their respective counter- parts to keep close battle for the top position at the the Qatar Stars League (QSL) alive. Al Sadd who suffered a shock defeat against Al Shahaniya in round 15 showed little improve- ment as they needed a last-gasp goal from Jung Song Lee to edge out lower-ranked Al Kharaitiyat 3-2 at the Al Gharafa Stadium. Rodrigo Barbosa Tabata who scored a brace in the match gave Al Sadd lead in the 34 minute which they maintained till the half-time. After the breather, Al Kharaitiyat leveled the lead with Abdulaziz Rashid Ansari netting the ball in 56th minute. Lekhwiya players (in red) launch an attack during their Qatar Stars League match against Al Khor at the Al The Hussain Amute’s side Gharafa Stadium, yesterday. regained the lead with Tabata

scoring his second goal in the 81st 17th minute through William continue to sit on top spot over QSL Results minute but Hasan Abdel-fattah Junior Souza and against went second-placed Al Sadd due to Al Sadd bt Al Kharaitiyat 3-2 Mahmoud drew level, seven min- ahead when Ibrahim scored a better goal difference as both Lekhwiya bt Al Khor 4-2 utes later before Lee struck the in 66th minute after Ismail teams have earned 36 points each El Jaish bt Umm Salal 3-1 winner in the 90th minute. Mohamad scored first goal for from 15 matches. Al Sailiya bt Al Shahaniyia 1-0 Defending champions Lekhwiya the of the Michael Laudrup’s side. Meanwhile, El Jaish recorded Today’s fixtures also rallied to beat Al Khor 4-2 - Spurred with the own goal, a comparatively comfortable vic- after an own at the crucial stage. Lekhwiya took the lead for the tory when they prevailed over Al Shamal vs Al Wakrah at Al Shamal Lekhwiya were trailing 1-2 before first time in 80th minute of the Umm Salal 3-1 at the Lekhwiya Stadium Al Khor player Helal Mohamed match with Vadimir Weiss being Stadium, to regain third position. Al Arabi vs Al Gharafa at Grand Hamad Ibrahim’s error gifted point table the scorer. Khalid Muftah sealed Elsewhere, Al Sailiya earned Stadium Al Sadd’s Rodrigo Barbosa Tabata (right) celebrates his goal against Al leaders, the leveler. the 4-2 triumph by scoring in full points with a 1-0 win over Al Kharaitiyat during their QSL game, yesterday. Al Ahli vs Qatar Grand Hamad Stadium Al Khor took the lead first in stoppage time. Lekhwiya will Shahaniyia. THE PENINSULA Juventus, Napoli arrive in Doha Serie A leaders face manager Benitez side in the Italian Super Cup on Monday

BY ARMSTRONG VAS Juventus coach Allegri, Tevez DOHA: Juventus coach Massimiliano Massimiliano Allegri is wary of Allegri address- give high-five a wounded Napoli SC ahead of ing a press the Italian Super Cup match at conference for Qatar 2022 Al Sadd Stadium on Monday. in Doha yes- “Napoli may not be in the race terday ahead to win the Serie A championship of their Italian DOHA: Juventus coach anymore, but they will aim to fin- Super Cup Massimiliano Allegri and ish at least in the third position. match against striker Carlos Tevez, are both They have a dangerous striking Napoli SC at Al confident that Qatar has all the force which makes them a dif- Sadd Stadium ‘conditions’ to deliver a success- ficult team,” said the Juve coach ful World Cup in 2022. on December during his first press conference “I think the conditions are 22. RIGHT: in Doha. right for success. The only thing The Turin based club reached Juventus striker they (FIFA) have to decide is to Qatar on Thursday and had their Carlos Tevez whether to host it in winter or first practice session at the state- speaking to the summer. I am confident it will be of-the art sports facility of Aspire press in Doha. an excellent tournament,” said Academy yesterday. PICTURES BY: Allegri, during a press conference “Winning the Super Cup is of ABDUL BASIT here yesterday. utmost importance for us. The The Serie A leaders are in first goal this season was to win Doha for the Italian Super Cup the qualification to the knockout and will take on Napoli at Al Sadd stage of the Champions League, Stadium on Monday at 8.30pm. and it has been achieved. The Tevez, the former Argentine second is to win the Super Cup,” striker, who played in the 2006 added the former midfielder. and 2010 World Cups, but did Allegri said former Manchester not find a place in the last edi- United and Manchester City tion in Brazil in which Argentina striker Carlos Tevez is one of the finished runners-up to Germany, important players in his scheme was impressed with what he saw of things but did not wish to rate in Doha. him on a scale to one to 10. “This is my first time in Doha “I cannot rate him, I cannot do Juventus keeper and for a South American in par- the rating. He is one of the best Gianluigi Buffon, ticular it’s remarkable to see the goal scorers at the moment,” said during a tran- sheer size of the buildings and the 47-year-old trainer. ing session at the facilities” said the former Allegri, who is in his first year Aspire Academy Manchester United marksman. as coach at Juventus, admit- yesterday. Tevez who also played for ted that his team has struggled Manchester City before moving against top European teams in to Italy in 2013 said: “Doha is a the Champions League but can wonderful city, beautiful country. still make it to the next stage of The world deserves to find more the championship. about it and to look at it in a dif- “Do not forget that we have ferent way altogether.” reached the knockout stage of Meanwhile, Tevez warned his the Champions League and we team-mates not to take compa- have all the abilities to go forward. triot and Napoli striker Gonzalo But European games are difficult Higuain lightly in the Super Cup especially against Barcelona and match here on Monday when the Chelsea, who are far ahead of us. Scudetto winners take on the We can make it.” one-match ban imposed on him ban given to coach Massimiliano Coppa Italia holders. Juventus beat Cagliari 3-1 away was lifted by Italian Football Allegri and instead handing the The Napoli hitman has strug- on Thursday to end a three-match Federation (FIGC). manager a 10,000 euros fine.” gled to find the net recently but winless streak and move four “There is no point gained in Meanwhile, Rafael Benitez’s Tevez warned he will bounce back. points clear at the top of Serie A, arguing and discussing the deci- Napoli SC also arrived in Doha on “After the World Cup it was while Napoli won 2-0 at home to sion. It will be better if we get Thursday evening. The Azzurri only natural that Higuain would Parma to go third. good results and score goals,” said have come her with a 25 mem- feel a little tired, but El Pipita is After drawing with Fiorentina Allegri in response to a question. ber squad including three play- always dangerous,” Tevez said. and Sampdoria in Serie A either Juve were successful in their ers from the youth team: Luperto, The 30-year-old said scoring side of a 0-0 stalemate with appeal to have the one-match Romano and Bifulco. goals is pure luck. Atletico Madrid in the Champions touchline ban for coach Allegri Napoli SC Squad Rafael, “You need to be lucky to score, League, Juventus took an early lifted. Andujar, Colombo, Rosati, as against Cagliari I found the net lead through Carlos Tevez after Allegri was punished by the Maggio, Mesto, Albiol, Britos, as I was in the right position.” three minutes. Serie A after insulting officials Koulibaly, Henrique, Ghoulam, Juventus beat Cagliari 3-1 away Arturo Vidal doubled the during Juve’s 1-1 draw against Luperto, Romano, Radosevic, on Thursday with Tevez scoring advantage 12 minutes later and Sampdoria last weekend. Jorginho, Inler, Gargano, David the opening goal. Fernando Llorente added another Juve’s emergency appeal was Lopez, De Guzman, Romano, “I have already scored 10 in five minutes after the break, partially accepted by the FIGC Callejon, Mertens, Hamsik, Serie A this season, but I can before Luca Rossettini grabbed a and Allegri took his place in Higuain, Duvan. always do better and never rest on consolation for Cagliari. Thursday’s league match at The referee for the match my laurels. The Capocannoniere Juve are top with 39 points Cagliari. will be Valeri from Rome , while title is an objective for me.” from 16 games, four ahead of A statement from the FIGC assistants will be Tonolini and Tevez reiterated that winning second place AS Roma, who play read: “The Sporting Court of Manganelli and fouurth man the Cup on Monday ranks high. at AC Milan today, with Napoli Appeal has partially accepted the Giallatini and sideline assistant Napoli SC players on their arrival at Hamad International Airport in “The Super Cup is an impor- third on 27. petition presented by Juventus, Banti-Calvarese. Doha on Thursday evening. tant trophy,” assured Tevez. The Juve coach was happy the lifting the one-match touchline THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA Leading newspaper from Nepal

SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014

      SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

Published every thursday by DAR AL SHARQ    ! Tel: 4465 0600 Email: [email protected]

Scoreboard

South Africa (I innings): ...... 552/5 decl Bowling: Steyn 14-3-53-0; Philander 15-6- West Indies (I innings): 29-4 (1w); Abbott 14-3-50-1 (1w); Morkel Kiwis crush Pakistan K Brathwaite c Amla b Philander ...... 34 15.2-4-55-3 (1w); Elgar 2-0-8-1. D Smith c De Villiers b Philander ...... 35 West Indies (II innings): L Johnson c (sub-Peterson) b Abbott ...... 31 K Brathwaite c Petersen b Morkel ...... 20 M Samuels b Morkel ...... 33 D Smith c (sub-Bavuma) b Philander ...... 5 S Chanderpaul c Petersen b Philander ...... 21 L Johnson (batting) ...... 33 J Blackwood c Petersen b Philander ...... 12 M Samuels (batting) ...... 13 to win one-day series D Ramdin c Van Zyl b Elgar ...... 14 Extras (LB-2, W-2) ...... 4 J Taylor c and b Morkel ...... 4 Total (for 2 wkts) ...... 76 S Benn (not out) ...... 6 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-52. S Cottrell b Morkel ...... 2 Bowling: Steyn 0.5-0-3-0; Morkel 7.1-1-26- Henry, Williamson star in 68-run win in Abu Dhabi final K Roach (absent injured) 1; Philander 3-3-0-1; Abbott 3-0-11-0; Van Zyl Extras (LB-6, W-3) ...... 9 10-2-22-0 (2w); Elgar 3-0-12-0. Total (all out) ...... 201 Match situation: ABU DHABI: West Indies trail by 275 runs A superb to Taylor for 13 at deep mid- Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-73, 3-117, 4-162, with eight wickets remaining in the second in- bowling by Matt Henry and wicket to make it 205 for nine, 5-169, 6-184, 7-193, 8-193, 9-201. nings. another good batting show by the match was all but over, or at Kane Williamson helped New least the crowd thought so, as Zealand secured the one-day they stormed the exits. international series against Any chance at early Pakistani New Zealand Philander rocks WI as Pakistan 3-2, with a 68-run vic- momentum was stymied when bowler tory in the fifth and final match Nasir Jamshed was adjudged lbw Matt Henry in Abu Dhabi, yesterday. in the first over. It’s the third time celebrates The Test series was drawn 1-1 Henry had completed such a feat after taking SA sense huge victory as was the T20 contest. in the series. He backed up with the wicket New Zealand won the toss and the dismissal of Younis Khan who of Pakistan CENTURION: Vernon Philander’s next over, edging a posted 275 for four, including just gloved a loose delivery down the batsman Nasir Philander was the main low catch to Hashim Amla at 100 runs in boundaries. legside for 12. Jamshed destroyer as the West Indian first slip. The Kiwis then bowled Pakistan A useful spell of left-arm ortho- during the fifth batting crumbled on the third Philander took two for two in out for 207 with Henry taking five dox bowling from Anton Devcich day of the first Test against four overs in his second spell. and final ODI for 30 from nine overs. saw him trap Asad Shafiq lbw four South Africa at SuperSport Kyle Abbott had Leon Johnson at the Zayed Only Ahmed Shehzad with 54 overs later to reduce Pakistan to Park yesterday. caught at cover for 33 after and Haris Sohail with 65 offered 38 for three. International Philander took four for 29 as lunch and Morne Morkel took significant resistance. New Zealand have a strong Cricket Stadium the West Indies were bowled out the important wicket of Marlon Henry’s five-wicket bag was his one-day international batting in Abu Dhabi, for 201 and forced to follow on, Samuels, who chopped the ball on first in ODIs and his third haul of line-up but their performance yesterday. 351 runs behind South Africa’s to his stumps after making 33 -- four wickets or better in six out- revolves around anchors Kane first innings total of 552 for five the fourth successive batsman to ings as he heaped further pres- Williamson and Ross Taylor. The declared. be dismissed in the thirties. sure on the selectors to pick him pair again proved what a tour de Philander struck again early That left Shivnarine for the World Cup. force they can be, leading the visi- in the second innings when he Chanderpaul holding West Indian Once Shahid Afridi holed out tors through the middle overs. dismissed Devon Smith for the hopes but Philander returned to second time in the day. the attack and had the veteran The latest effort saw them fulfil for eight in the third over but West Indies were 76 for two at left-hander caught at second slip Scoreboard what New Zealand must hope is a Dean Brownlie offered another the close, still needing 275 runs to for 21, with Jermaine Blackwood NEW ZEALAND Asad Shafiq lbw Devcich ...... 7 default scenario when the World solid start. He has had a frus- avoid an innings defeat. following in similar fashion in the M Guptill c Shafiq b Irfan ...... 8 Haris Sohail b McClenaghan ...... 65 Cup starts in 56 days. trating tour with his inability There was a setback for South last over before tea. D Brownlie lbw Babar ...... 34 Umar Akmal c Guptill b McCullum ...... 6 They combined in the 20th over to anchor the innings, an issue Africa, however, as strike bowler The rest of the batting crum- K Williamson c Ahmed b Afridi ...... 97 Sarfraz Ahmed c Ronchi b Henry ...... 26 and made a fourth century part- which extends to the one-dayers Dale Steyn limped off the field bled after tea with captain Denesh R Taylor (not out) ...... 88 Shahid Afridi c Taylor b Henry...... 13 nership (116) in their last eight against South Africa when he after bowling only five balls in the Ramdin setting a poor example L Ronchi c Afridi b Irfan ...... 16 Anwar Ali st Ronchi b McCullum ...... 18 ODI innings together. A lack of batted at No 3. follow on innings. when South African captain Amla T Latham (not out) ...... 22 Zulfiqar Babar b Milne 2 boundaries (7) was compensated His scores of 20, 24, 14, 47, 42 Steyn returned after the sec- brought on occasional left-arm Extras (LB-5, W-5) ...... 10 Mohammad Irfan (not out) ...... 0 by 83 singles to sustain a run rate and 34 since returning to the ond afternoon drinks break, how- spinner Dean Elgar to bowl some Total (for 4 wkts in 50 overs) ...... 275 Extras (B-1, LB-2, W-1) ...... 4 of 5.04. ODI frame in October suggest ever, and was on the field long tempting flighted deliveries out- Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-86, 3-202, 4-241. Total (all out in 43.3 overs) ...... 207 Williamson was caught behind he’s competent at international enough to be eligible to bowl at side off stump. Ramdin obliged by Bowling: Irfan 10-0-62-2 (2w); Babar 10-0- Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-22, 3-38, 4-107, on 97, deflecting a sweep onto his level. However, with Guptill and the start of Saturday’s play. hitting Elgar’s sixth ball straight 61-1; Afridi 10-0-33-1 (2w); Ali 10-0-62-0 5-117, 6-172, 7-174, 8-194, 9-205, 10-207. helmet off Afridi, Pakistan’s talis- Brendon McCullum likely to open Philander, who had taken only to cover. (1w); Sohail 8-0-38-0; Shehzad 2-0-14-0. Bowling: M J Henry 9-1-30-5 (1w); A F Milne man during the series. He finished at the World Cup, Brownlie might four wickets at high cost in his Morkel wrapped up the innings PAKISTAN 6.3-0-30-1; M J McClenaghan 8-0-45-1; A P with one for 33 from 10 overs. stay on the periphery for now. previous four Test matches, did by catching Jerome Taylor off his Nasir Jamshed lbw Henry ...... 0 Devcich 6-0-22-1; K S Williamson 5-0-18-0; N Taylor negotiated the remainder New Zealand brought Nathan not take a wicket in his opening own bowling and then bowling Ahmed Shehzad c Williamson b Henry ...... 54 L McCullum 9-0-59-2. of the innings to finish on 88 not McCullum and Devcich back into spell on Friday but transformed Sheldon Cottrell. Younis Khan c Ronchi b Henry ...... 12 Player-of-the-Match: Matt Henry (NZ). out. the team for Daniel Vettori and the match when he came back for Kemar Roach did not bat after Martin Guptill was dismissed Corey Anderson. AGENCIES a second spell. suffering an ankle injury while After a good start by open- bowling. Morkel finished with ing batsmen Kraigg Brathwaite three for 55. Cook set to and Smith, the West Indian bat- Smith made only five in the Smith, Johnson give hosts ting disintegrated in dispiriting second innings before he was fashion. caught by a diving substitute be axed as Brathwaite and Smith saw off fielder Temba Bavuma at cover. South Africa’s new ball attack, He was given out by umpire edge in Brisbane Test ODI captain: putting on 72 for the first wicket Aleem Dar and asked for a review, before Philander dismissed both which showed the ball had looped openers in successive overs. off pad and bat. BRISBANE: India were fight- including 144 in the first innings the first innings of their debut Reports The right-handed Brathwaite Brathwaite was out for 20 when ing back after Australia gained in Brisbane, was in two minds Test as skipper with Chappell the looked solid and well organised he edged Morkel high to second a 97-run innings lead on the whether to play only for the last against the West Indies at the from the start but the left-handed slip. Alviro Petersen knocked the back of another century from ball to strike his bat and hit the Gabba in 1975. LONDON: Alastair Cook is set Smith survived a confident appeal ball up in the air and was able to new skipper Steve Smith and stumps. India began the third day to be dismissed as captain of – and an unsuccessful review – grab it with his right hand as he a wagging tail in the second The day’s highlight was well with two wickets inside the England’s one-day team ahead for leg before wicket by Philander fell to ground. Gabba Test yesterday. Johnson’s game-changing innings, opening hour but Johnson’s lusty of the World Cup after the with his score on five in the sec- Bavuma and Robin Peterson The tourists had cut the defi- which finished tantalisingly short hitting quickly swung the game opener’s miserable run of form ond over. fielded throughout the day cit back to 26 runs by the close of his second Test century when Australia’s way. in recent outings, according to Smith went on to make 35 because wicketkeeper Quinton on the third day at 71 for one he was caught behind off Ishant India’s tactics of sledging and reports yesterday. before being caught behind off de Kock sprained his right ankle with Shikhar Dhawan on 26 and Sharma for 88 off 93 balls with 13 bowling short to Johnson back- Cook has scored just one fifty Philander’s fourth ball of his while warming up before play, Cheteshwar Pujara not out at 15. fours and a six. fired as it only served to energise in his last 22 one-day innings for second spell. He was given not while Faf du Plessis returned to The day belonged to the Smith followed five balls later him and attack the bowling. England and he has paid the price out by umpire Billy Bowden but the team hotel because of illness. Australians, trailing by 187 runs when he was finally dismissed in “They tried to be quite aggres- for failing to stop the rot during Philander immediately asked for AB de Villiers kept wicket. at the start but piling on 258 runs the series for 133. sive with Mitch bowling short his country’s recent 5-2 series a review which showed a faint With Steyn off the field and for the last four wickets with He inside-edged Sharma onto and trying to get stuck into him,” defeat in Sri Lanka. bottom edge as Smith played a Philander also going off briefly, at Smith leading the way. his stumps to end a 303-minute Smith said. England’s selectors are cramped pull shot. one stage South Africa had four Smith posted his second ton of vigil. It had taken India 704 min- “Mitch and Rohit (Sharma) reported to have decided to axe Brathwaite fell for 34 in substitutes on the field. AFP the series and Johnson a swash- utes to finally get Smith’s wicket were having a little bit of banter. Cook as skipper at a meeting yes- buckling 88 off 93 balls to give over three innings. Mitch took them .” terday, with the Daily Telegraph Australia the edge to win the Smith scored 162 and 52 in last The dramatic turnaround came saying Eoin Morgan is now set Test over the closing two days week’s Adelaide Test win and after the dismissals of Mitchell to lead the side for the tri-series and take a 2-0 lead in the four- continued to be the bane of the Marsh and Brad Haddin inside in Australia after Christmas and match series. tourists with another consum- the first hour of play. then the World Cup in Australia Smith and Johnson shared in a mate knock. Marsh did not offer a shot and New Zealand in February and ground record 148-run stand for Smith, who took over the and was bowled for 11 by Ishant March. South the seventh wicket to take the captaincy after Michael Clarke Sharma, probably expecting a After England’s series-ending African steam out of the Indians. injured his right hamstring in the higher bounce. defeat in Colombo on Tuesday, bowler “It was six for 240-odd and first Adelaide Test, was the fifth Speedster Varun Aaron pro- Cook, who hasn’t scored a one-day Vernon India were bowling well and Australian skipper to score a cen- duced a vicious throat ball on his century since June 2012, conceded Philander Mitchell Johnson came out and tury in his first Test as captain. first delivery after drinks that he could have no complaints if he (left) fields really took it to the Indian bowl- Monty Noble, Clem Hill, Haddin could only fend away to lost the one-day captaincy. ers,” Smith said. Lindsay Hassett and Greg bat-pad where Pujara took an But the decision to remove him on his own “Our whole tail batted beauti- Chappell all scored hundreds in easy catch for six. AFP from the role with the World Cup bowling fully and to get us above 500 was looming is still a major reversal during the remarkable, we had a good day by Paul Downton, the managing 3rd day of of cricket and hopefully we start Scoreboard director of England cricket, and the first well in the morning and pick up head coach Peter Moores, who Test match India (I innings): ...... 408 Fall of wickets: 1-47, 2-98, 3-121, 4-208, a few wickets.” have given Cook absolute back- against Australia (I innings): 5-232, 6-247, 7-395, 8-398, 9-454. Mitchell Starc chipped in with ing this year. the West C Rogers c Dhoni b Yadav ...... 55 Bowling: I Sharma 23-2-117-3 (6nb; 2w); 52 off 59 balls, Nathan Lyon Cook is expected to be able D Warner c Ashwin b Yadav ...... 29 Aaron 26-1-145-2 (4nb; 1w); Yadav 25-4-101- Indies at hit 23 and Test debutant Josh to continue captaining the Test S Watson c Dhawan b Ashwin ...... 25 3 (2w); Ashwin 33.4-4-128-2; R Sharma 2-0- Supersport Hazlewood cracked an unbeaten side and will focus on England’s S Smith b I Sharma ...... 133 10-0. Park in 32 to frustrate India’s attempts to bid to regain the Ashes against S Marsh c Ashwin b Yadav ...... 32 India (II innings): Centurion, wrap up the innings. Australia next year. M Marsh b I Sharma ...... 11 M Vijay b Starc ...... 27 South Africa, Starc bounced back from his Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance B Haddin c Pujara b Aaron ...... 6 S Dhawan (batting) ...... 26 yesterday. indifferent bowling in the first is believed to be the leading M Johnson c Dhoni b I Sharma ...... 88 C Pujara (batting) ...... 15 innings and struck a major blow contender to replace Cook in M Starc b Ashwin ...... 52 Extras (LB-2, NB-1) ...... 3 with the wicket of Murali Vijay England’s 15-man World Cup N Lyon c R Sharma b Aaron ...... 23 Total (for 1 wkt) ...... 71 for 27 in the 11th over of India’s squad, which will be announced J Hazlewood (not out) ...... 32 Fall of wicket: 1-41. second innings. on Saturday, with Moeen Ali and Extras (LB-4, W-5, NB-10) ...... 19 Bowling: Johnson 8-3-29-0 (1nb); Hazlewood Vijay, who had scored three Alex Hales a potential new open- Total (all out) ...... 505 6-0-24-0; Starc 4-1-10-1; Watson 5-3-6-0. consecutive half-centuries ing partnership. AFP SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BREAK TIME

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(Hindi) (2D/Comedy) – 8.30pm Bear Grylls 18:00 NEWSHOUR Foxcatcher (2D/Drama) – 11:15pm 19:20 Deadly Islands 19:00 News The Good Lie (2D/Drama) – 2:30pm 20:10 Manhunt 19:30 People & Power 2 Night At The Museum: Secret of The Tomb (2D/Comedy) – 21:00 Garage Gold 20:00 News MALL 4:30, 6.30 & 8.30pm 09:30 What About 07:00 The Women-PG 21:25 Garage Gold 20:30 Inside Story P.K. (Hindi) (2D/Comedy) –10:30pm Bob?-PG 09:10 The Wonderful 21:50 Garage Gold 21:00 NEWSHOUR Lingaa (2D/Tamil) – 2:00pm 11:30 Jesus Henry World Of The...- 3 Hamathi Bethebini (2D/Arabic) – 5:00pm Christ-PG15 FAM Foxcatcher (2D/Drama) – 7:00pm 13:30 Men At Work- 11:20 Son Of Lassie- Montana (2D/Action) – 9:30pm 17:00 Sweet Home FAM Escobar: Paradise Lost (2D/Romantic) – 11:30pm Alabama-PG15 13:00 Many Rivers To P.K. (Hindi) (2D/Comedy) – 2:30pm 19:00 Proof Of Love- Cross-FAM 1 The Good Lie (2D/Drama) – 5.15pm PG15 14:30 House Of Wax- Escobar: Paradise Lost (2D/Romantic) – 7:15pm 21:00 Deuce Bigalow: PG Home (2D/Horror) – 9:30pm 06:00 Barbie Fairytopia 03:00 Dirt European 16:00 Where Were You Foxcatcher (2D/Drama) – 11:15pm Mermaidia 04:00 Detroit 1-8-7 Gigolo-18 When The...-PG Night At The Museum: Secret of The Tomb (2D/Comedy) – 08:00 Krazzy Planet 05:00 Dirty Sexy Money 22:45 Go-18 17:30 A Star Is Born- 2 3:00, 4.45 & 6.30pm 09:45 Astro Boy 06:00 According To Jim 00:30 Men At Work- FAM LANDMARK The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies (3D/Adventure) – 8:15pm 06:00 Barbie Fairytopia 08:30 MasterChef 02:30 Sweet Home 20:30 Son Of A P.K. (Hindi) (2D/Comedy) – 10.45pm Mermaidia Australia Gunfighter Lingaa (2D/Tamil) – 2:00pm 08:00 Krazzy Planet 11:00 Happy Endings 3 Montana (2D/Action) – 5:00pm 09:45 Astro Boy 11:25 Happy Endings Foxcatcher (2D/Drama) – 7:00pm 11:30 Princess And The 12:00 Melissa & Joey Hamathi Bethebini (2D/Arabic) – 9:30pm Pea 12:25 Melissa & Joey Escobar: Paradise Lost (2D/Romantic) – 11:30pm 13:00 Escape From Planet 13:00 Army Wives P.K. (Hindi) (2D/Comedy) – 2.30 & 10.45pm Earth 15:30 Fit For Fashion 05:30 All Is Lost-PG15 09:00 Jurassic C.S.I. 1 Night At The Museum: Secret of The Tomb 14:30 Happily N’Ever After 16:30 The Listener 07:15 One Direction: 10:00 Predator CSI (2D/Comedy) – 5:15, 7.00 & 9.00pm 2: Snow White 17:30 How I Met Your This Is Us-PG 12:00 Battleground Escobar: Paradise Lost (2D/Romantic) – 2:30pm 16:00 The Apple & The Mother 09:00 The Way Way Brothers 2 The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies Worm 17:55 How I Met Your Back-PG15 14:00 Megacities (3D/Adventure) – 4:45pm 18:00 Astro Boy Mother 11:00 Labor Day-PG15 17:00 Live Free Or Die ROYAL The Good Lie (2D/Drama) – 7:15pm 20:00 Barbie And The 18:30 According To Jim 13:00 Seven Days In 18:00 Ape Man Home (2D/Horror) – 9:15pm Magic Of Pegasus 18:55 According To Jim Utopia-PG15 20:00 Engineering PLAZA Foxcatcher (2D/Drama) – 11:00pm 22:00 Happily N’Ever After 19:30 Grey’s Anatomy 15:00 Peeples-PG15 Connections Lingaa (2D/Tamil) – 2:00pm 2: Snow White 20:15 Grey’s Anatomy 17:00 The Way Way 21:00 Live Free Or Die 3 Montana (2D/Action) – 5:00pm 23:30 The Apple & The 21:00 According To Jim Back-PG15 22:00 Ape Man Hamathi Bethebini (2D/Arabic) – 7:00pm Worm 21:30 According To Jim 18:45 Her-PG15 23:00 Knights Of Foxcatcher (2D/Drama) – 9:00pm 22:00 Fit For Fashion 21:00 Admission-PG15 Mayhem Escobar: Paradise Lost (2D/Romantic) – 11:30pm 23:00 The Listener 23:00 Machete Kills-18

HYPER C RSO S W O RD 1234 5678 910111213 66 Track assignment 29 “Lazy” lady 67 Singer Simon 31 Conan 14 15 16 68 No gentleman nickname 69 A reduced 32 Colleague of 17 18 19 state Kirk 33 Using no help 20 21 22 DOWN 34 Attempts to catch 1 Hat worn by 35 Hive, in effect 23 24 25 26 27 Che 37 Break time, perhaps 28 29 30 31 2 Shade like khaki 40 LinkedIn client 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 3 Scratch-card layer 41 “Spillsaver” brand 4 On the lookout 46 Mental sharpness 39 40 41 5 Luanda’s land 48 Public-road Yesterday’s answer 6 Wheels for a while race 42 43 44 7 Pure and 51 Trash can dweller How to play Hyper Sudoku: simple 53 What takes a A Hyper Sudoku Puzzle is solved by filling the numbers from 1 to 9 into the blank cells. A Hyper 45 46 47 48 8 Best-selling Mitch stand? Sudoku has unlike Sudoku 13 regions (four regions overlap with the nine standard regions). In all 54 Food for regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is solved like 9 Disco line 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 a normal Sudoku. dance tadpoles 10 45th state 55 Some freezing 57 58 59 11 Flotation gear temps How to play Kakuro: 12 Virtuoso 56 Surefooted beasts The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any 60 61 62 63 size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells 13 Finnair rival 58 Demanding test like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, 21 “Oh my 59 Class at a Y 64 65 66 some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some goodness!” 60 “12” preceder cells will contain two numbers. 22 Golf cup 61 Docking info However, in a crossword the numbers reference 67 68 69 clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! sponsor They denote the total of the digits in the row or 26 Hidden motive column referenced by the number. ACROSS 38 Chekhov 27 Hotel visits Within each “Sister” collection of cells 1 Weapon with knots SCHI RRA GR I SSOM - called a run - any 5 Soprano Gluck 39 The theme, of the numbers 1 9 Grass shack dances part 2 ERODING NOREPLY to 9 may be used 14 It means “skyward” 42 Negative points VAMOOSE ACETALS but, like sudoku, 43 “Argo” setting each number may 15 Wassailer’s 44 Tablet smasher only be used once. tune EVEN SASK CAT 16 City near Rome 45 G.M. option NESTS THEDI E Yesterday’s 17 Religious act 47 Mrs. James Joyce answer 18 Distinctive 49 House call, EDER TORR I D dress often MAC NOTOK OKAP I 19 What walls 50 Business might hide honcho ALA SHEPARD CAP Baby Blues By Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman 20 The theme, 52 Bach choral TORSO SHOAL EDS part 1 work 23 It may be felt 57 The theme, SUPERC I NGE 24 Gibson or part 3 EEYORE RETAG Brooks 60 Dish inventor 25 Four-yr. 62 “That’s fine CON OEDS MERL degrees with me!’ ATTEMPT ENTENTE 28 Ends up even 63 It’s a long 30 Not too awful time LOESSER WHEREON 32 French department 64 Bothered a lot MERCURY S L AY TON 36 Overclever 65 Bureau, for short ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

SATURDAY 20 DECEMBER 2014 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME Bungee jumping

Fajr (Dawn) 4:52 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:14 Zuhr (Noon) 11:31 Asr (Afternoon) 2:29 Maghrib (Sunset) 4:49 Isha (Night) 6:19

WEATHER Weather Today Sunday Monday Conditions: Clear Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Misty to foggy at first at places High: 26° High: 24° High: 25° becoming moderate Low: 17° Low: 14 Low: 16° temperature daytime with some clouds and relatively cold by night. DOHA - SUN & SEA

SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 06:14 16:49 04:15 & 14:30 10:45 & 21:15 05-10/15 KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

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MUSCAT 26/21 Partly cloudy 26/22 Clear MAKKAH 35/23 Partly cloudy 32/22 Partly cloudy A man dressed up as Santa Claus bungee jumping at a theme park in Changsha, central China’s Hunan province. The park organised a series of KUWAIT 21/08 Clear 19/07 Clear Santa Claus-themed events ahead of Christmas. BAHRAIN 23/15 Clear 27/18 Clear SANAA 23/08 Partly cloudy 24/06 Clear RIYADH 25/14 Partly cloudy 28/12 Partly cloudy DUBAI 25/17 Clear 24/17 Clear BAGHDAD 16/08 Cloudy 18/06 Clear Clooney slams skittish THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW

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ATHENS 1611 Partly cloudy 17/10 Clear Hollywood after Sony hack WASHINGTON 05/01 Partly cloudy 08/02 Partly cloudy LOS ANGELES: Film star emails, scripts, and personal data causing widespread consternation SYDNEY 23/15 Mostly cloudy 27/17 Clear George Clooney (pictured), at Sony, but said the implications in the movie world and trigger- LONDON 09/04 Clear 11/09 Partly cloudy slammed the Hollywood movie go far beyond the company. ing concerns about freedom of PARIS 09/05 Partly cloudy 09/07 Partly cloudy industry for failing to stand “This is not just an attack on expression. ISTANBUL 11/08 Fog 12/04 Chance of rain up against the cyber threats Sony. It involves every studio, Warnings from the so-called MANILA 29/24 Scattered clouds 29/24 Partly cloudy that prompted Sony Pictures to every network, every business and Guardians of Peace hacking group DHAKA 26/14 Clear 25/14 Partly cloudy cancel release of the movie The every individual in this country,” invoked the September 11, 2001 DELHI 18/07 Partly cloudy 19/07 Partly cloudy Interview. Clooney’s petition read, as pub- attacks, prompting a number of ISLAMABAD 18/07 Partly cloudy 18/08 Partly cloudy Clooney, one of the most influ- lished by Deadline. US cinema chains to cancel plans ential figures in the US movie “We know that to give in to to screen the film. industry, said in an interview that these criminals now will open Clooney criticised the decision fellow celebrities and industry fig- the door for any group that would to yank the movie. ures declined to sign a petition he threaten freedom of expression, “You have someone threaten to circulated in support of the satiri- privacy and personal liberty,” blow up buildings, and all of a sud- Too many skiers, not enough cal comedy, whose Christmas Day it added, urging Hollywood to den everybody has to bow down,” release has been scrapped. “stand together.” he told Deadline. No one, the actor said, was “The Interview,” starring “Sony... pulled the movie snow: Resort turns to quotas brave enough to sign the peti- said in an interview published James Franco and Seth Rogen because all the theaters said they tion, out of fear that doing so yesterday by the entertainment and depicting a fictional plot to were not going to run it. And they GRENOBLE, FRANCE: With no chill in the air and very could make them vulnerable to a news website Deadline. assassinate North Korean dicta- said they were not going to run little snow around, one French ski resort that has been blessed hacking attack like the one that To a person, the reply was “’I tor Kim Jong-Un, had been due to it because they talked to their with snowfall has been forced to impose quotas to prevent a befell Sony. can’t sign this’,” he said. hit US cinemas on December 25. lawyers and those lawyers said run on its slopes. “It was a large number of peo- Clooney’s petition decried the But Sony Pictures cancelled if somebody dies in one of these, “Conditions are exceptional. As we are nearly the only sta- ple. It was sent to basically the “chilling and devastating” cyber its release of the satirical com- then you’re going to be responsi- tion open in the Haute-Savoie region, we are expecting serious heads of every place,” Clooney attack that revealed thousands of edy after threats from hackers, ble.” AFP crowds,” said Stephane Lerendu, director of the tourism office at the Avoriaz ski station in eastern France. The ski station has a maximum capacity of 12,000 skiers per day, but a snow drought in the neighbourhood has the resort fearing many more may descend on their slopes. Opera lovers fly 5,600 miles to hear Royal Opera sing Ski passes will thus be issued as a priority to holidaymakers from the region and then a quota will be applied until nearby stations have sufficient snowfall to open. LONDON: Not everyone leading Isolde, and American This has been a tough year for Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja as Located at an altitude of 1,800 metres (6,000 feet) Avoriaz has would fly 5,600 miles for an tenor Stephen Gould in a spare opera. The Metropolitan Opera Riccardo, Ukrainian soprano been able to open most of its slopes. opera whose set consisted but overwhelming production of House in New York almost had to Liudmyla Monastyrska as Amelia Meteo France, the country’s meteorological service, said there at times of two chairs and Wagner’s paean to doomed love curtail its season due to a labour and authoritative Russian bari- has not been such a dearth of snow since 2006, particularly in a cheap-looking table, but that sold out every night, com- dispute, while some European tone Dmitri Hvorostovsky as the northern Alps. Johannesburg lawyer Emile manding top prices and earning houses have suffered budget Renato. French Mountains, which promotes mountain tourism in Myburgh did it for Wagner’s five-star reviews. cutbacks, forcing them to revise This comes after the ROH France, this week said only 40 of some 200 skiing stations were “Tristan und Isolde” at “I think Covent Garden is productions and cancel some. took the daring step of opening open across France. London’s Royal Opera House— the best,” said Myburgh, 42, But midway through the 2014- its season by selling seats that Austria and Switzerland, which along with France are home and he’ll be back. topping off his two-opera trip 2015 season, Kasper Holten, sometimes go for as much as £200 to some of Europe’s most coveted ski slopes, are also wait- For the $2,000 or so Myburgh on Thursday with Verdi’s “Un Covent Garden’s director of for a tenth that to students and ing anxiously for snow as the key Christmas holiday season said he spent on the trip instead Ballo in Maschera”, in a new opera, said with pride: “I think people under 25 for a revival of arrives. of buying a new iPhone and production by German director we are in a good place.” Mark-Anthony Turnage’s “Anna AFP iPad, he heard Swedish soprano Katharina Thoma making her Holten said the Verdi was also Nicole”, about American dancer Nina Stemme, the world’s Royal Opera House debut. a sellout. It featured powerful Anna Nicole Smith. REUTERS Scientists make strides in tsunami warning

MIAMI: The 2004 tsunami Warning Center headquartered at eight to 15, and its tsunami warn- the waves that spread to faraway six buoys out,” Bernard said. Last year, NOAA — which led to greater global coopera- Hawaii’s Ewa Beach, was focused ing centers in Hawaii and Alaska shores, Angove said. “In 2014 there are 60.” spends about $25 million per year tion and improved techniques on volatile areas prone to earth- continue to be staffed 24 hours a “We have made incredible Bernard said that a total of on tsunami operations — imple- for detecting waves that could quakes along the Pacific Ring of day, seven days a week. progress there, in terms of being nine countries now participate in mented a new tsunami flooding reach faraway shores, even Fire, including Japan and South International efforts are also able to identify those waves as the DART system. Global moni- forecast system, so that the team though scientists still cannot America. ramping up to establish a tsu- they are moving out across the toring has improved, too. can project how the water will act predict when an earthquake “We weren’t on the proper nami warning center in the deep ocean, model them and turn In 2011, following the mag- when it gets there and how much will strike. footing to be able to quickly Mediterranean. “The scientific those into meaningful forecasts nitude 9 earthquake off Japan, flooding is likely. A decade ago, scientists did not respond to an event of the size community of tsunami scientists for those distant shores, and “there were three DART buoys Many are hopeful that technol- have a tsunami warning system in that it was,” Mike Angove, tsu- has exploded since 2004,” Eddie that could be as short as an hour that detected the tsunami first. ogy will continue to improve. place in the Indian Ocean, because nami program branch direc- Bernard, scientist emeritus at away.” Two American buoys and one “If the same Indian Ocean there had been no recent history tor at the National Oceanic and NOAA, told a meeting of the Scientists can measure Russian,” Bernard said. tsunami were to occur today, we of tsunamis there. Atmospheric Administration, American Geophysical Union in these waves with the help of “And the Russians shared their believe we might still lose many, The world’s main monitor- said. After the disaster, US tsu- San Francisco this week. buoys known as Deep-Ocean data with us and we used that for but it would be on the order of ing body, the Pacific Tsunami nami experts began monitoring “There were probably 100 sci- Assessment and Reporting of our forecast.” tens of thousands of people as the Indian Ocean while the inter- entists in the world before 2004, Tsunami (DART). Angove said that scientists in compared to 240,000,” said Vasily national community established a now there are at least 1,000,” he Each unit has a pressure gauge 2011 were able to “very accu- Titov, director of NOAA’s Center new system that was eventually said. “There is a whole generation on the seafloor that detects tsu- rately model” the wave coming for Tsunami Research in Seattle. implemented last year. of scientists now that are dedi- nami activity and send informa- from Japan and provide targeted “We’ve developed three genera- Australia, Indonesia and India cated to this problem.” tion by acoustic modem to the warning to people in certain areas tions of tsunami warning buoys have now taken charge of a moni- While scientists still cannot say buoy. of the US West Coast before it and we’re working on the fourth toring body known as the Indian when the big earthquakes that Then, the buoy sends the data made landfall. generation.” Ocean Tsunami Warning System. cause tsunamis will strike, leav- by satellite to the US tsunami “I think you could make the Placing buoys closer to key The United States nearly ing coastal populations just min- warning centers in Hawaii and argument that there was less loss fault lines could shave precious doubled its staff at the Pacific utes to flee to high ground, what Alaska, where it is sent out over of life and property because we minutes from the time it takes to Tsunami Warning Center from they can do now is better predict the Internet. “In 2004 there were had that capability,” said Angove. deliver a warning, he said. AFP