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Saturday 28 December 2019 | 2 Jumada I 1441 www.thepeninsula.qa Volume 24 | Number 8119 | 2 Riyals Pack up to 100 GB when you travel with the new Qatarna 5G plans Qatar adopts regulations for anti-money laundering law The new executive regulations reflect the State of Qatar’s firm and continuous commitment to combating money laundering and terrorist financing as well as fighting illicit financing in all its forms.

QNA efforts made by Qatar Central DOHA Bank along with other ministries and government bodies members Qatar Central Bank (QCB) has of the National Anti-Money announced the adoption of the Laundering and Combating the new executive regulations for Financing of Terrorism Com- Law No. (20) of 2019 issuing the mittee, which is responsible for Anti-Money Laundering and protecting the financial system Combating the Financing of of the State of Qatar from the Terrorism Law, which is based risks of illicit financing. on the innovative and strict regu- QCB Governor H E Sheikh latory and legislative initiatives Abdullah bin Saoud Al Thani said: stipulated by this law regarding “The new executive regulations combating money laundering come within the framework of A troupe performing on one of the streets in Souq Waqif as part of the Spring Festival, yesterday. PIC: BAHER AMIN/THE PENINSULA and terrorist financing issued on upholding the provisions of Law September 11, 2019. No. 20 of 2019 issuing the Anti- According to a statement by Money Laundering and Com- Souq Waqif exhibition focuses on folk games Qatar Central Bank issued on bating the Financing of Terrorism Thursday, the new executive Law, and the State of Qatar, thus RAYNALD C RIVERA Al Mouz Al Ogaimi, Wafaa Al Bader and Al Sebaie painted attraction in the country, Souq regulations reflect the State of stresses that combating money THE PENINSULA Sebaie, Muna Al Bader, Fatima images of children in a quiet and Waqif Art Center enjoys a good Qatar’s firm and continuous laundering and terrorist Al Naimi, Kristina Al Adwan, quaint neighbourhood feeling position as a major art hub which commitment to combating financing requires a strict and In this age of exponential tech- Suzanne Ghadanfer, Mansour Al amused as they play with toys witnesses a large number of vis- money laundering and terrorist effective regulatory and legis- nological advances, traditional Shibani, Khalid Al Fahad, and made from recycled materials itors year round. financing as well as fighting lative framework, whereby it games in more developed coun- Hessa Khalla that depict the including old wheels attached to a The art centre is home to illicit financing in all its forms, determines the powers and tries have been put on the side- various local traditional chil- rod. dozens of Qatari and expatriate in light of updating the interna- responsibilities of each of the lines while video gaming in dren’s games. While some of these games artists who create their art pieces tional standards adopted by the government agencies and rel- various platforms have now Using oil and acrylic as are occasionally played during in various mediums in front of main international organiza- evant ministries, in relation to become a major preoccupation medium, the artists depicted festivals and in some areas in city visitors. The centre also hosts tions, including the Financial combating money laundering for many children. children in their traditional cos- outskirts, they are now disap- drawing, pottery, sculpture, Action Task Force (FATF). and terrorist financing”. Souq Waqif Art Center tumes engaged in folk games pearing as many households painting and hand skills work- The executive regulations H E the Deputy Governor of attempts to remind the young such as those that use simple prefer to provide advanced toys shops, among others. also highlight the pioneering and QCB and Chairman of the generation of the importance of props including marbles, and computer and video games With tiled walls accented by influential role of the State of National Anti-Money Laundering reviving the games that children spinning top, small stones, sticks as pastime for children. a multitude of multi-coloured Qatar in the region in terms of and Combating the Financing of in Qatar played in the past and seeds, among others. The exhibition also displays lamps hanging from the high setting standards for its legal and Terrorism Committee, stated that through its latest painting exhi- One of the typical game for a number of paintings showing ceilings crafted with wood poles, regulatory framework for com- the new executive regulations are bition currently on show at boys showcased in the exhibition traditional Qatari dhows in the the centre’s interiors which bating money laundering and “the result of the tireless work and Gallery 2. is called ‘dahoury’ which exhibits sea, a herd of grazing sheep and dominantly reflect Qatari and terrorist financing. untiring efforts made by members Art enthusiasts visiting the children’s ingenuity at the time a typical desert scene in Qatar. Islamic architecture are one of The new executive regula- of the Committee during the past gallery enjoy over a dozen works when technologically advanced Situated in the heart of Souq the most Instagrammable spots tions are the result of the untiring two years”. `P2 by Qatari and Doha-based artists toys were not yet available. Al Waqif, which is a major tourist for tourists visiting the souq. Turkey unveils prototypes of Qatar, Russia first domestic electric car sign MoU on entry visa AP ANKARA of Izmit. He offered to put his name down on a possible list for advance orders. The vehicles exemption Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to hit the market in 2022. yesterday unveiled prototypes of a domes- “We are witnessing a historic day, QNA tically produced electric car, putting him realizing a 60-year dream,” Erdogan said. MOSCOW closer to fulfilling a long-held dream of “I know that our people is impatiently building Turkey’s first “national” automobile. waiting for the day they can own this car.” The governments of the State Erdogan showcased the SUV and The Turkish leader has long pushed indus- of Qatar and the Russian sedan models of the car, known for now trialists to build a domestic automobile as Federation signed, at the head- as TOGG after a consortium of Turkish part of his vision for making Turkey an quarters of the Russian companies that will produce them, at a economic powerhouse. Ministry of Foreign Affairs in ceremony in Gebze, in Turkey’s north- The vehicle is being produced by the Moscow yesterday, a memo- western industrial heartland. Automobile Initiative Group of Turkey, or randum of understanding A view of the prototype of the first Turkish-made electric car by the TOGG company, The president was scheduled to test drive TOGG, in cooperation with the Turkish Union (MoU) on mutual exemption during the launch ceremony in the Gebze district of Kocaeli in Turkey, yesterday. a car across a suspension bridge over the Gulf of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges. from entry visas for citizens of both countries who hold ordinary passports. The memorandum of Qatar’s nine projects in international prize contest understanding was signed on behalf of the State of Qatar by IRFAN BUKHARI recognised at the WSIS Forum taking part in the global contest and ‘Multi Languages Electronic multi-stakeholder community Secretary-General of the Min- THE PENINSULA 2020, to be held from April 6 to include ‘Centralized Connectivity Labor Contract System’. has been invited to participate istry of Foreign Affairs H E Dr 9, 2020 in Geneva, Switzerland, in the Schools Network’, During the period from July and cast their vote for one Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi Nine leading ICT-related projects according to information on the ‘SafeSpace’, ‘National Digiti- 22, 2019 to November 29, 2019, project in each of 18 categories. and for the Russian side by of Qatar have been nominated WSIS Prizes website. sation Program’, ‘Metrash2’, all WSIS stakeholders were The deadline for voting is Deputy Foreign Minister and for prestigious World Summit on The Ministry of Transport ‘Digital Transformation of Small invited to submit WSIS related January 24, 2020, says the WSIS Special Envoy of the Russian the Information Society (WSIS) and Communications has also & Medium Business Enterprises’, projects to the WSIS Prizes 2020 Prizes website. President to the Middle East and Prizes 2020. urged people to vote for Qatar’s ‘Government Media Analysis contest. The list of nominated Qatar’s nine ICT projects North Africa H E Mikhail The 18 winning projects and projects on its social media plat- Service’, ‘Better Connections’, projects was publicly announced have been nominated in various Bogdanov, during a ceremony 72 champion projects will be forms. The projects which are ‘Open Data Policy and Portal’ on December 21, 2019 and WSIS categories. `P3 in Moscow yesterday. 02 HOME SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019

PRAYER TIMINGS Qatar, Russia sign MoU on mutual exemption from entry visas OFFICIAL NEWS FAJR 04. 56 AM SHOROOK 06. 18 AM Amir condoles ZUHR 11. 35 AM MAGHRIB 04. 55 PM with President ASR 02.33 PM ISHA 06. 25 PM of Kazakhstan

WEATHER TODAY DOHA: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Deputy Amir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani sent yesterday cables of condolences to President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, H E Kassym- Jomart Tokayev, on the victims of a plane crash in southern Kazakhstan, wish- ing the injured a speedy recovery. The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani also sent a cable of condolences to Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan H E Askar Mamin, on the victims of a plane crash in southern Kazakhstan, wish- The Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H E Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi, and the Deputy Foreign ing the injured a speedy Minister and Special Envoy of the Russian President to the Middle East and North Africa, H E Mikhail Bogdanov, exchanging recovery. QNA the signed documents in Moscow, yesterday. 18oC 25oC Minimum Maximum Hot Air Balloon Festival ends on a high note Misty at some places at first becomes moderate temperature daytime and rela- tively cold by night. THE PENINSULA DOHA HIGH TIDE 06:04 – 17:02 LOW TIDE 13:59 – 00:00

Courtesy: Qatar Meteorology Department Qatar’s first-ever Hot Air Balloon Festival has concluded on a high note Qatar adopts regulations for as thousands of spectators flocked to Aspire Park to witness more than 30 anti-money laundering law hot air balloons from 13 countries in a stunning show. FROM PAGE 1 For 12 days, visitors enjoyed the He extended thanks to all the members sight of the skies over Aspire Park of the National Committee for their efforts adorned with the colorful hot air bal- in issuing the new executive regulations that loons in the free-to-enter family- come in the framework of enhancing the friendly festival which culminated on effectiveness of the State of Qatar’s system Qatar’s National Day. in combating money laundering and terrorist In addition to watching the majestic financing. The issuance of the new executive sights of this unique international regulations is part of the State of Qatar’s con- event, guests enjoyed various cuisines tinuous efforts to develop an effective legal from the country’s best food brands as and regulatory framework that defines the well as live music, children’s enter- responsibilities and competences of the tainment and more. National Anti-Money Laundering and Com- The festival was organized by Safe bating the Financing of Terrorism Committee Flight Solutions and Asfary.com, and its members of the other government which earlier this year introduced bodies, in taking the necessary measures to Qatar’s first hot air balloon as a effectively combat illicit financing. tourism product. “We are honored to have had the Qatar’s election to opportunity to host Qatar’s first Hot Air Deputy Chair of ALESCO Balloon Festival, where we welcomed thousands to witness this International Executive Council hailed spectacle for free. To mark the In its inaugural edition, Hot Air Balloon Festival witnessed huge success as thousands of people visited Aspire Park to watch the 12-day event. PIC: ABDUL BASIT/THE PENINSULA QNA/DOHA beginning of our great country’s National Day celebrations, we could not have had a more befitting time to Celebrations Palace, and other sponsor National Tourism Council, lauded the Abdulla Aman Al Khater, Director The Secretary-General of Qatar National conclude the Hot Air Balloon Festival partners as well as all governmental event, saying: “Qatar’s first Hot Air of Events and Facilities at Aspire Zone Commission for Education, Culture and than on the 18th of December,” said agencies that facilitated a smooth oper- Balloon Festival was a great success, Foundation, said: “We at AZF had the Science (QNCECS) Dr Hamda Hassan Al Sulaiti Captain Hassan Al-Mousawi, CEO of ation of this festival.,” said Mariam Al- promoting a new tourism product for pleasure to have hosted Qatar Hot Air said that electing the State of Qatar as Deputy Safe Flight Solutions. Mousawi, Event Director of Qatar our visitors and residents alike. We Balloon Festival in its first edition in Chairman of the Executive Council of the Arab “The success of this event would Balloon Festival 2019. were pleased to see festival-goers Aspire Park. We are proud of the huge League Educational, Cultural and Scientific not have been possible without our “With the continued support of our experience the city from the ground as success the event had, and how it Organization (ALESCO) is in appreciation of strategic partner Qatar National partners, we envisage to turn this into well as the sky and see our destination attracted the families during the Qatar’s efforts and significant contributions Tourism Council, our venue partner an annual global event with more from a new perspective. We thank the National Day celebrations. Much at various levels in the fields of science; Aspire Zone Foundation, our official countries participating each year,” said organizers for the innovation and ini- appreciation to the organizing com- culture: education; and heritage preser- airline partner Qatar Airways, our Ali Al-Mousawi, COO of Safe Flight tiative taken in adding to Qatar’s mittee and all who participated in the vation as well as its role as an active and ground transportation partner Hertz, Solutions. growing calendar of world-class events success of this event, and hope to col- efficient member of the Executive Council. our children entertainment partner Jawaher Al-khuzaei, from Qatar and festivals.” laborate in the future.” Bangladesh Quran Sunnah Parishad Qatar holds blood donation drive

THE PENINSULA DOHA

Around 400 people attended in the 2nd Blood Donation Campaign of Bangladesh Quran Sunnah Parishad (BQSP) Qatar, a community organization in Qatar, conducted at Al Arabi Sports Club yesterday. The event was organised on occasion of 49th Victory Day of Bangladesh in cooperation of Hamad Medical Corporation. The event was organized as part of the Parishad’s regular activities in presence of the Dr. K M Bahavuddeen, the Community Coordinator, Community Policing Department of MOI, Dr. K M Bahavuddeen, the Community Coordinator, Community Policing Department of MOI, Qatar, and other officials at the event. Qatar. The central and divisional representatives of Parishad Starting with Quran reci- yet we have to go a long way for prosperity and purity of the accountable leadership. Such guest addressed the gathering across Qatar were present on the tation by Hafez Yousuf Chow- realizing all our dreams. The society lays on the unity and not leadership is only possible from and praised BQSP for organ- event presided over by dhury, a speech with the heading country is still struggling to elim- on the divisive motive. The time amongst the people conscious ising such a noble act of Parishad’s Acting President “Four decades of victory: our inate the corruption that has has now come to unite the of Allah, aware of their humanity and urged them to Jubair Ahmad Chowdhury and expectations and achievements” spread its root deep in various nation on single platform. The accountability in hereafter and keep it up. He also also con- directed by Secretary-General was presented by Kamrul Ahsan. public sectors as well as the overall well-being and progress keeping deep devotion in the veyed the gratitude of MOI for Hafiz Mawlana Anwarul Islam Ahsan in his speech said: “It has private.” of the country lays on self- well being of entire humanity.” the organisers and Bangladesh at Al Arabi Sports Club, Doha. been four decades of our victory, He further said: “The aware corruption-free Dr. K M Bahavudddd as chief community as a whole. SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 HOME 03 Weather, Metro prove crowd pullers for Spring Festival

SIDI MOHAMED Cold weather and the circus shows. Singers and THE PENINSULA the availability of dancers enthral the spectators Doha Metro attracted with a variety of songs and The Spring Festival at Souq a large numbers of dances. The festival opens daily Waqif and Souq Al Wakrah in from 4pm until 10pm and runs the last seven days has people to visit the until January 4. attracted large number of Souqs as favourite The festival also offers a visitors, especially families, to tourist destinations number of diversified enter- enjoy many features, games, specially on Thursday tainment games at reasonable rides and circus shows which prices for children. In addition to impressed visitors. and yesterday. other cultural performances by Cold weather and the avail- popular teams from a number of ability of Doha Metro attracted countries, including Arab a large numbers of people to visit were installed in the market countries. the Souqs as favourite tourist squares, where it attracted many The managements of both destinations specially on visitors who were able to learn the Souqs have deployed many Thursday and yesterday. more about the county’s culture supervisors and security men to Visitors at the Spring Festival at Souq Waqif yesterday. BELOW LEFT: Artistes performing during the This year’s festival combined and the importance of such tents secure events and help the festival. PIC: BAHER AMIN/THE PENINSULA traditional games and modern in old desert life style. public. To protect children in electronic games, which were The festival features around such big festivals that attract not available in some previous 60 games and rides in the two large numbers of visitors, the child’s name and the phone demanding more of such attracted many visitors to Souq festivals, and also traditional souqs. Visitors can see wild managements distributed hand number of parents. Popular res- festivals. Waqif, especially families.” tents made of animal fur or hair animals like lions and tigers at bracelets to children carrying taurants and food vendors at Souq “We enjoyed a lot at this fes- “Before 10pm Souq square Waqif, also had their portion. They tival, which is still going. It came becomes very crowded, thanks attracted a large crowd of visitors at an important time, which is the to the Souq management for especially from tourists of all ages, mid year-vacation, as it provided organising such events.”, he said. who preferred to eat popular a fun time for the children. It also The event is being organised Qatari meals to learn more about came at the end of the month, by the Private Engineering Office tradition cuisine. where we get salaries so eve- in order to draw local and inter- A number of vendors at Souq ryone can enjoy and entertain national tourists and give them Waqif have confirmed that the such shows and games presented an opportunity to enjoy various Spring Festival has contributed by the festival,” said Rana. entertainment and shows. to the revival of the buying and For his part, Salah said, “Souq Khalid Saif Al Suwaidi, selling movement, compared to Waqif has always been our Manager of Souq Al Wakrah said that normal days, due to the market favourite destination but the the aim of the festival is not only to visitors from tourists and fam- opening of the metro has provide quality entertainment to ilies who are keen and buy dis- increased its visitors and I have people but also to make people visit tinctive souvenirs. seen many visitors use the these markets and know more Many visitors affirmed that metro during the past many about Qatari culture. That is the Souq Waqif needs such events, days to reach the activities of reason why we are organising the especially as it included recre- the Souq Waqif Festival. The festival during mid-year vacations ational games for children opening of the metro has in order to attract more people. Qatar’s nine projects in international prize contest FROM PAGE 1 a catalogue of diversified digiti- now can proactively determine ‘Open Data Policy and Portal’ ‘Centralized Connectivity in zation and Record Management the users’ satisfaction about their has been nominated in the Schools Network’, the project services. provisioned services, identify ‘E-science’ category. The Gov- of the Ministry of Education and Qatar’s iconic ‘Metrash2’ any opportunity to enhance their ernment of Qatar announced the Higher Education has been nom- project has been nominated in current services or introduce adoption of open government inated in category ‘Information ‘E-government’ category. new services, based on users’ policy in 2014. Therefore, a and communication Metrash2 is a smart application public discussions. The can also project was initiated to establish infrastructure’. designed and developed to be the respond to users’ complaints, even an open data platform that ‘SafeSpace’ project has been Ministry of Interior’s electronic if the user doesn’t approach the would allow the agencies to nominated in category ‘Building service delivery channel for right complaints channel (such as release and manage their confidence and security in use smart devices. Metrash2 is based email or call center). Qatari datasets as well as the recipients of ICTs’. On the website of WSIS on the Qatari government’s long- embassies are able to track and to discover and make use of the Prizes, brief descriptions of all term strategy to offer electronic, analyze news about Qatar in their datasets at a single place in the projects and their web links have integrated, and sustained presence countries. Qatari univer- most efficient manner. also been given for voters to services for citizens, residents, sities are able to monitor research In ‘Cultural diversity and evaluate the projects. public and private organizations progress in specific areas, and identity, linguistic diversity and SafeSpace is a cyber-safety and to make them accessible to many others can utilize the service local content’ category of the awareness website and the hub all categories of the Qatari com- for different use cases. WSIS Prizes, ‘Multi Languages for several initiatives under the munity. Metrash2 supports six ‘Better Connections’ project Electronic Labor Contract cyber-safety section in the Min- major languages for a com- is contesting for the WSIS Prizes System’ has been nominated. The istry of Transport and Commu- munity that accommodates in ‘E-environment’ category. The project came as part of State of nications. It is built on three fun- nationals and residents from dif- Better Connections Programme Qatar’s initiative to enhance the damental principles: prevention, ferent countries. These languages is a research-based national pro- level of awareness of expatriate protection, and empowerment. are English, Arabic, Spanish, gramme that was launched in workers of their rights according Its goal is to guide the com- French, Urdu, and Hindi. technology to develop a entities in the digital ecosystem 2015 in order to tackle the digital to Qatari Labor Law and other munity of Qatar and the Arab ‘Digital Transformation of regionally competitive smart with business establishments in divide that workers in Qatar face. related legislation. region towards safe use of Infor- Small & Medium Business Enter- economy that improves and pro- Qatar. The Better Connections is An Electronic Labor Contract mation and Communication prises’ project has been nomi- motes ICT innovation with a In ‘Media’ category of the based on establishing ICT facil- Management System supporting Technologies. nated in contest’s ‘E-business’ niche focus on international WSIS Prizes 2020, ‘Government ities inside the workers accom- Multilanguage’s (currently 11 In ‘Enabling environment’ category. The vision of the activity and exports. Media Analysis Service’ has been modations to minimize the travel major languages) available category of the Prizes, Qatar’s program is to enhance Qatar’s Till today, the program has nominated. This is one of the time to 0, these facilities are through different electronic ‘National Digitization Program’ SME ecosystem in key sectors successfully raised awareness on government shared services that equipped with furniture and channels locally and globally, has been nominated. The project through digital enablement by digital adoption among over is offered to ministries and gov- donated refurbished computers provides the expatriate workers seeks to facilitate the digital creating value for all stake- 5600 SMEs through the exe- ernment departments in order connected to the internet, loaded an authentic way to fully under- transformation of the gov- holders in Qatar’s digital cution of over 270 interactive to enable them to listen to and with content tailored to their stand their rights of the con- ernment sector in Qatar by dig- economy, aligning its strategic sessions, connecting further over analyze any public e-Content needs in 5 most common lan- tractual agreement terms with itizing active and legacy physical goals with Qatar ICT Sector 50 technology enablers’ digital over the internet. guages among the workers their potential employees in their documents. The project provides Vision 2022 of leveraging partnerships & government Government departments communities. native language. L’Occitane collaborates with Qatar’s first mother and son artist duo for packaging artwork THE PENINSULA/DOHA National Day twist. It’s enriched with two different sides, one with 20 percent organic Shea being maroon and white repre- For the first time in the Middle Butter and blended with a senting the Qatari flag, and the East natural beauty brand yummy blend of honey, almond other in a black and white L’Occitane en Provence has and coconut oil leaving your pattern showcasing the history collaborated with a local artist hands soft and nourished. of Islamic art. for their packaging artwork, The artwork romanticises the Talking about this collabo- offering a stylistic interpretation beautiful cultural ties between ration Ahmed mentions: ‘After of landmarks of Qatar. the South of France and Doha, so much hard work and dedi- Qatari artistic duo, Ahmed Al depicted by the flying Lavenders cation, I have broken boundaries Jufairi - a graduate from Virginia across Qatar’s sky indicating a once again. We are celebrating Commonwealth University and sense of happiness, whilst the a strong relationship between his mother Hanady Al Othman, iconic yellow bicycle represents Qatar and France in the Year have combined their artistic the ideology of spreading joy. 2020, and I was fortunate to be artists and the world.’ January, 2020 till March, the talent to design the packaging for Al Jufairi also added some of a part of it.’ Hanady also com- The special artwork with same artwork will be carried L’Occitane’s most famed Shea Qatar’s iconic monument’s like ments: ‘After so many years of ‘Qatar National Day’ inscription over to L’Occitane’s top three Butter hand cream. the Al Fanar Mosque, the not being able to accomplish my on L’Occitane’s hand cream products, but rather with just a This “Beauty-Must-Have” Museum of Islamic Arts, and Ahmed Al Jufairi dream of becoming an artist, packaging will be available in all ‘Qatar’ inscription on the pack- Shea Butter hand cream is sold incorporating a touch to Qatar myself and my son have in a five stores across Qatar aging; marking this as a great ini- every three seconds in the world! National Day, Hanady brought international presence of Qatar’s sense made history with this col- throughout the month of tiative to the start of the Year of Which is why they chose this to life her love of the majestic beauty and persona. Given an laboration. This is a very December. Following on, Culture between Qatar and specific product to give a Oryx that represents the artistic twist, the Oryx is painted important tie between Qatari exclusive to Qatar starting France. 04 MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 Netanyahu sweeps Syrian oppn calls on the world to aid rebel-held Idlib AP/BEIRUT party primary in A Syrian opposition leader called yesterday on the inter- national community to help re-election boost millions of civilians in the country’s last rebel-held AFP/OCCUPIED JERUSALEM The convincing margin stronghold amid a crushing of victory — by 72.5 government offensive, calling Embattled Israeli Prime Minister to 27.5 percent — it a “disaster area.” Benjamin Netanyahu told After weeks of intense supporters yesterday he would win strengthens embattled bombardment, Syrian gov- a March general election after Israeli Prime Minister ernment forces launched a scoring a landslide victory in the Benjamin Netanyahu’s ground offensive on the leadership primary of his right- position in the party southern and eastern parts of wing Likud party. Idlib province in the northwest Israel’s longest-serving he has dominated for last week. It has forced tens of premier, who faces a corruption 20 years. thousands of people to flee indictment as well as a third their homes. general election in 12 months, was Last month, Israel’s attorney Idlib, which is dominated expected to beat rival Gideon Saar general indicted the prime minister by Al Qaeda-linked militants, in the leadership primary. for fraud, bribery and breach of is also home to 3 million But the convincing margin of trust over a series of corruption civilians. The United Nations victory — by 72.5 to 27.5 percent — allegations he denies. has warned of the growing risk strengthens his position in the party Blue and White leader Benny of a humanitarian catastrophe he has dominated for 20 years. Gantz also used Friday’s primary along the Turkish border. Netanyahu, 70, called it a “huge result as a rallying call for the Opposition leader Nasr win” and pledged to emerge vic- general election. Hariri told reporters in Istanbul torious in the March 2 general He said Netanyahu’s victory that the international com- election. showed Likud members had munity “should turn on the red “Now is the time to unite and “elected a leader facing three lights because there is a A view of supplies outside tents of displaced Syrians, who fled from government forces’ advance bring a tremendous victory for the indictments, who is seeking to humanitarian catastrophe on Maaret Al Numan in the south of Idlib prvoince, at a camp for the displaced near the town Likud and the right in the election,” unravel the rule of law and secure inside Syria.” of Dana near the border with Turkey. Netanyahu told a press conference. personal immunity”. He added that large “Most of the people support the “These elections demand that numbers of people are fleeing circumstances.” Corps has handed out new The immediate goal of right and support me to lead the we place a mirror in front of ‘the toward the Turkish border in The UN Office for the Coor- arrival kits containing essen- Syrian President Bashar government.” Netanyahu party’ and make the what could trigger a new dination of Humanitarian tials for cooking and hygiene Assad’s forces appeared to be In what appeared to be a choice for unity, dignity and refugee crisis. Affairs said that as a result of to more than 3,000 people reopening the strategic general election campaign speech, internal reconciliation.” “We declare this area a dis- hostilities more than 235,000 and reached an additional highway, which has been Netanyahu did not mention the Ofer Zalzberg, Israel analyst aster area and it should be people have been displaced 2,500 with fresh water, it said. closed by the rebels since defeated Saar once. with the International Crisis Group dealt with accordingly,” said between December 12 and “Thunderous bombs and 2012. He thanked US President think tank, said the result kick- Hariri, who heads the High December 25. It said many of shelling keep getting closer to Meanwhile, the United Donald Trump, a close ally, for his started the election campaign. Negotiations Committee. He those who fled moved out of major civilian areas,” said Nations yesterday dispatched support for Israel and said a Likud “Netanyahu is going for a third said work should be done to the town of Maaret Al Numan, Wolfgang Gressmann, Syria 46 truckloads of humanitarian victory in the next election would shot, hoping the next election will reach a permanent cease-fire toward which Syrian troops country director for the organ- aid to Idlib, a northwestern bring more “historic prove more successful,” he said. in Idlib, not a truce that would have been advancing since ization. “For thousands of Syrian province torn by the achievements.” “This strengthens his position crumble later. Thursday. innocent civilians the only years-long civil war. Likud and the centrist Blue and within the right wing who saw he Hariri said if the interna- Mercy Corps, a global choice is to flee, and now even The trucks passed through White party were deadlocked after is still able to achieve victories but tional community cannot humanitarian aid group, said their escape is a violent and the Cilvegozu border gate in elections in both April and Sep- it doesn’t fundamentally change protect those civilians, they aid workers were rapidly frightening affair.” southern Turkey, with the aid tember, with neither able to the arithmetic for the next should send them humani- scaling up operations to The town sits on a key to be distributed to residents command a parliamentary election.” Early polls indicate that tarian assistance “so that they respond to the massive influx highway linking the capital in urban areas of Idlib, as well majority under Israel’s system of the March 2020 election could will be able to survive in this of newly displaced people. In Damascus with the northern as the surrounding proportional representation. again result in stalemate. cold weather and difficult just the past three days, Mercy city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest. countryside. Iran-backed groups flay Iraq President over premier post

AP/BAGHDAD the streets on October 1 to call for as “suspicious” adding that he the overthrow of Iraq’s entire “violated the constitution by Iran-supported groups in Iraq political class over corruption and refusing to carry out his duties by blasted the country’s president mismanagement. The mass naming the person who was yesterday over his refusal to uprisings prompted the resig- chosen by the parliament’s largest designate a prime minister nation of former Prime Minister bloc.” candidate nominated by the Adel Abdul-Mahdi late last month. Salih said in a statement Tehran-backed bloc in More than 450 people have been issued by his office that he would parliament. killed since October, the vast not name al-Eidani, the governor Groups affiliated with the majority of them protesters killed of southern Basra province, as the Fatah bloc accused President by security forces firing tear gas country’s next prime minister “to Barham Salih of implementing an and live ammunition. avoid more bloodshed and in American will to pull the country The decision by Salih on order to safeguard civil peace.” into chaos. Thursday not to appoint Al Eidani “We know that he is carrying Salih has said he refused to and his offer to resign threaten to out an American will that aims to appoint Asaad al-Eidani because plunge the country into further pull the country toward chaos,” of broad opposition by the anti- political uncertainty amid nearly a statement by Hezbollah Bri- government protest movement. three months of unprecedented gades read. The statement said Protesters poured into the streets mass protests. no one should be allowed to Wednesday demanding an inde- A statement issued by the name a prime minister candidate pendent candidate. Hezbollah Brigades, or Kataeb who is “known to be an agent of Demonstrators carry an Iraqi flag during the ongoing anti-government protests in Baghdad, yesterday. Demonstrators first took to Hezbollah, criticised Saleh’s move the Americans.” Morocco jails Hundreds join final Gaza-Israel border protests for three months YouTuber, AFP weeks and no live fire by the their descendents would mean been wounded by gunfire, truce with Israel, which has detains journalist GAZA CITY Israeli army, a correspondent an end to its status as a Jewish according to the World Health slightly eased its blockade of the said. state and accuses Gaza’s Islamist Organization. enclave in exchange for calm AFP/RABAT Hundreds of Palestinians took The often violent weekly rulers Hamas of orchestrating Demonstrators have hurled along the border, despite inter- part in protests along the Gaza- protests began in March 2018, the protests as a cover for rocks, Molotov cocktails and mittent flare-ups. A Moroccan YouTuber was Israel border yesterday, the last calling for an end to Israel’s attacks. explosives at the Israel soldiers As part of the agreements, sentenced to four years in of the Hamas-backed demon- blockade of the Gaza Strip and At least 348 Palestinians along the border. Organisers Israel has allowed Qatar to bring prison for “insulting the king” strations until March. for Palestinians to be allowed to have been killed in Gaza by announced Thursday the pro- millions of dollars worth of fuel in a video broadcast on social Amid heavy rain and wind, return to their ancestral homes Israeli fire since the marches tests would halt until March and cash into Gaza every month, networks, his lawyer said. the rallies had the lowest inside the Jewish state. began, the majority during the 2020 amid dwindling turnout. easing a humanitarian crisis. In a separate case, a turnout in months, with ten- Israel contends that any demonstrations. Hamas has over the last year Israel and Hamas have fought Moroccan journalist and activist sions far lower than in previous return of Palestinian refugees or A further 7,800 people have shaped a precarious informal three wars since 2008. was charged and detained over a tweet that had criticised a court decision, his defence Ethiopia charges 50 for council said. IS says it beheaded 10 captives in Nigeria The YouTuber Mohamed profiteering from Blue Nile dam Sekkaki, known as “Moul REUTERS/MAIDUGURI The video showed men in authenticity of either video. Kaskita”, was sentenced by a beige uniforms and black Islamic State in West Africa AFP/ADDIS ABABA court in the western city of Islamic State (IS) released a masks lining up behind blind- Province (ISWAP) split from the Settat to four years in prison, video purporting to show its folded captives then beheading militant group Boko Haram in The former head of Ethiopia’s public electric company and 49 others his lawyer Mohamed Ziane said. militants beheading 10 men in 10 of them and shooting an 11th 2016 and has become the were charged with corruption linked to a dam on the Blue Nile river, Sekkaki, whose videos Nigeria, saying it was part of a man. region’s dominant militant the state-owned ENA press agency said yesterday. usually exceed 100,000 views, campaign to avenge the deaths An earlier video seen by group. The insurgents have killed The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), set to be Africa’s was arrested in early December of its leader Abu Bakr Al Reuters said the captives had about 30,000 people in northern largest hydro-electric dam, has already troubled relations with after posting a video in which Baghdadi and its spokesman. been taken from Maiduguri and Nigeria in the past decade. neighbouring Egypt, which depends on the downstream Nile River he insulted Moroccans and crit- The militant group posted Damaturu in Nigeria’s north- Islamic State leader for almost all of its water. icised King Mohammed VI, who the footage on its online Tel- eastern state of Borno, where Baghdadi died during a US mil- Azeb Asnake, former head of Ethiopian Electric Power, and is considered inviolable under egram news channel on militants have been fighting for itary raid in Syria and Muhajir in 49 other people were “charged with corruption in relation to a the constitution. Thursday, the day after years to set up a separate a separate military operation, forest clearing project for the country’s flagship mega hydro Ziani said his client would Christmas, with Arabic captions Islamist state. both over the same weekend in project, a 5,150 Mega Watts hydro dam,” the Ethiopia News Agency appeal the verdict. but no audio. Reuters could not verify the late October. reported. SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 ASIA 05

Norwegian, 71, Internet curbs as protesters keep up pressure told to leave AFP Demonstrators India after LUCKNOW chanted slogans against the joining protest Mobile Internet was cut yesterday in parts of India’s most government, vowing REUTERS populous state and thousands of to keep up the KOCHI riot police were deployed as pressure until the fresh protests erupted in Delhi law was revoked and A Norwegian woman on and Mumbai against a citizenship holiday in India’s southern state law seen as anti-Muslim. plans for the register of Kerala has been told to leave Twenty-seven people have cancelled. the country after she joined a died in two weeks of at times protest against Prime Minister violent demonstrations after Narendra Modi’s new citi- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s the children of mother India” had zenship law, authorities said government made it easier for nothing to fear. yesterday. non-Muslims from three coun- He has also said that the cit- “The Norwegian lady has tries to be naturalised. izenship law is a humanitarian participated in a protest in vio- Coupled with a mooted cit- move, giving refuge to perse- lation of her visa condition,” izens register, it has stoked fears cuted religious minorities from said Anoop Krishna, the For- including in Washington and the Muslim-majority Pakistan, Bang- eigners’ Regional Registration UN rights office about the mar- ladesh and Afghanistan. Officer at Kochi airport. ginalisation of Muslims who But it has unleashed a wave “She has been asked to make up 14 percent of India’s 1.3 of protests across the country, leave the country as early as billion people. and not just by Muslims, with possible. The tourist visa on Armed policemen patrolled several state governments saying which she visited the country Muslim-dominated areas of the they will refuse to implement the does not allow participation in capital as hundreds of demon- legislation. any protests.” strators gathered outside the In Mumbai, where a string of The tourist, Janne-Mette grand mosque in Delhi’s old protests were held yesterday, Guards take a demonstrator into custody during a march against the new citizenship law in New Delhi. Johansson, 71, declined to quarter after Friday prayers. including one in support of the comment. Riot police and paramilitary government, hundreds of police people are Muslims, said they have fuelled anger, with many will be confiscated. There was no immediate troops erected steel barricades were deployed to prevent unrest have suspended mobile Internet accusing authorities of arbitrary More than 100 people have response to a request for on roads leading to the mosque, and man dozens of checkpoints and SMS services in 21 districts force against dissenters. also been booked over social comment from India’s Ministry where violent clashes broke out set up along the city’s roads. out of 75 including the state The protests in Uttar Pradesh, media posts deemed to be objec- of Home Affairs and the Nor- last week following protests. Around 200 people showed capital Lucknow. whose chief minister is a Hindu tionable or misleading, with tens wegian Embassy in New Delhi. Yesterday, demonstrators up at the pro-government dem- Access to data on cellphones monk from Modi’s right-wing of thousands of messages on Johansson posted on her chanted slogans against the gov- onstration, clutching flags and was only restored in many areas Bharatiya Janata Party, are among Twitter, Facebook and other Facebook page about a ernment, vowing to keep up the posters in favour of the new law. on Tuesday following a week- the biggest there in decades. platforms reported. December 23 protest in Kochi. pressure until the law was “We should welcome perse- long cutoff in a country that Police in the state have Authorities are keeping a “No riots, just people deter- revoked and plans for the reg- cuted Hindus back home without activists say is the world leader arrested more than 1,000 people close eye on foreigners with a mined... lifting up their voices, ister cancelled. any restrictions,” said Mahindra in snapping Internet access. and taken more than 5,000 Norwegian tourist saying she saying what has to be said,” she “They want to drive out the Shah, an 82-year-old The state, home to India’s others into preventive custody, was told to leave India after par- wrote alongside pictures of the poor, Muslims and those who protester. best-known tourist site the Taj some of them as young as 16 ticipating in a protest in the march, including one of her don’t agree with them,” protester “Why do Muslims need to Mahal, witnessed large-scale according to media reports. southern state of Kerala. brandishing a sign. Muntazir Bashir said. come here when Pakistan, clashes last Friday between pro- About 200 people have This week a German student Johansson told the Times of Modi, facing his biggest chal- Afghanistan and Bangladesh are testers and police. Nineteen been ordered to pay compen- was also ejected after taking part India said she had first asked lenge since storming to power in Muslim-dominated?” Officials in people were killed, mostly from sation for damage caused to in demonstrations in the police if she could take part. “I was 2014, said on Sunday that the northern state of Uttar gunshot wounds. public property during the pro- southern city of Chennai, given a verbal assurance that I Muslims whose “ancestors are Pradesh, where 20 percent of Heavy-handed police tactics tests, failing which their assets according to media reports. could,” she told the newspaper. Congress to hold all-India flag marches 77 infant deaths in IANS flag hoisting in the respective state Minister and the Home Minister government’s move to announce the NEW DELHI capitals, the Presidents of Pradesh of being contradictory while NPR updation amid protests over Congress Committees will there- giving statements on the National CAA and NRC and to divert public Kota in a month: The Congress will undertake flag after undertake flag marches car- Register of Citizens (NRC), the Cit- attention from unemployment and marches named “Save Constitution rying the message of ‘Save Consti- izenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) economic gloom, have raised suspi- - Save India” across the country on tution-Save India’. They will also and on the National Population cions about their motives. CM orders probe its foundation day on December read the preamble of the Consti- Register (NPR). “Amidst massive public 28, the party announced yesterday. tution in their respective languages “The government has put itself outrage, the government decided IANS investigation. We are trying to The All India Congress Com- at public meetings organised for in a bind on these issues with the to take a step further and JAIPUR figure out the lacunae present mittee (AICC) General Secretary this purpose”, he said. PM (Prime Minister), Home Min- announced the updation of NPR. here and also trying to find solu- KC Venugopal told media- “Former Congress President ister and Raksha Mantri (RM) This has again raised hackles and Days after complaints of tions.” Sources said that of 535 persons that the Indian National Rahul Gandhi will join the making contradictory statements suspicion because of RSS-BJP’s shortage of life-saving life-saving equipment, 320 were Congress will celebrate its foun- program in Guwahati, Assam, on different occasions. The CAA long hidden agenda to implement equipment at Kota’s JK Lon non-functional. Besides, only 27 dation day by hoisting its flag at tomorrow (Saturday), with other proposes to flout the guarantees of NRC following completion of NPR Hospital, which might have out of 71 infant warmers were the AICC headquarters here this senior leaders participating in Article 14, in contravention of the exercise amid historic unem- resulted in deaths of 77 children working. Some ventilators were morning. their respective states,” he added. Constitution of India,” he said. ployment and the pall of economic in the hospital in the last one also not working properly. “In addition to the customary Venugopal accused the Prime Venugopal also said that the gloom,” he said. month, Rajasthan Chief Minister The hospital administration Ashok Gehlot yesterday said that is, however, in denial mode. a team has been sent to Kota to Sources at the CMO con- Violent protests look into the deaths. He said firmed that Gehlot is taking the strict action will be taken against case seriously and is himself against 3-capital those found guilty. monitoring the investigations. Hospital sources said 77 Additional Principal of SMS move rocks children died in December alone college Dr. Amarjeet Mehta, Amaravati while 10 died on Monday and senior paediatrician also visited Tuesday. Kota, along with Galeria. IANS Gehlot has given instructions Hospital sources said that all AMARAVATI to medical education secretary the children were brought in a Vaibhav Galeria to visit Kota and critical condition to the Violent protests rocked Amar- submit a detailed report on an hospital. avati yesterday as a crucial urgent basis. “Our investigation says that meeting of the Andhra Pradesh “The chief minister has 10 deaths were normal and cabinet was underway to take taken this issue very seriously children did not die because of a decision on the three-capital and hence, I am here to find out any negligence”, said Dr HL proposal. the reason for neonatal deaths. Meena, hospital superintendent. A thick security blanket was A special committee will inves- Similarly, head of the thrown around 29 villages as tigate if there were hygienic or department (paediatrics) Amrit farmers intensified the protest clinical issues behind the death Lal Bairwa said, according to over Jagan Mohan Reddy-led of these kids. Besides, all other national Neonatal Intensive Care government’s proposal to issues will also be taken up,” Unit records, 20 percent deaths develop Visakhapatnam and Galeria said after visiting Kota. of infants are acceptable while Kurnool as the capital cities in On being asked if there was 10-15 percent deaths have been addition to Amaravati. Locust invasion destroys crops a staff crisis hitting the hospital, reported in Kota “which is not Police sealed roads leading he said: “A crisis has in fact been at all alarming”. Locusts sit in trees near Miyal village in Banaskantha district, some 250km from Ahmedabad, yesterday. towards the State Secretariat at there, but I cannot comment The children were admitted A massive locust invasion has destroyed thousands of hectares of crops in northwest India. Velagapudi, where the chief upfront without complete in a serious condition, he added. minister was presiding over the cabinet meeting. Three policemen were injured when protestors pelted Sri Lankan police arrest second former Cabinet minister stones in Velagapudi. Hundreds of protestors AP where he was admitted on Cabinet minister Patali presidential election, triggering that abducted critics under came onto the roads despite COLOMBO Thursday. Champika Ranawaka was the fall of that government. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s gov- prohibitory orders imposed A magistrate visited Senar- arrested last week over a 2016 The Attorney General issued ernment. The two who spoke under Section 144. Sri Lankan police arrested a athna at the hospital on Friday traffic accident and was released an order to police on Tuesday to were arrested earlier and are Men and women squatted hospitalised former Cabinet and approved his detention until on bail this week. obtain a warrant for Senar- being held by police. on the roads, demanding that minister yesterday for partici- Monday for investigation. Opposition lawmakers say athna’s arrest over a November Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who Amaravati be retained as the pating in a news conference Wannianayake said Senar- both arrests were political 10, 2019, news conference during was the top defense official in his full-fledged capital. about abductions of critics under athna, who earlier underwent retribution. the campaign for the most recent brother’s government from 2005 Violence also broke out the government of the current heart surgery, will be kept under Both Senarathna and presidential election, which to 2015, has been accused of during the protest at president’s brother. guard at the hospital. Ranawaka were Cabinet Gotabaya Rajapaksa won by a overseeing the abductions. Some Uddhandarayunipalem village Lawyer Gunaratna Wanni- He is the second opposition members in the government of comfortable margin. victims were returned after being where Prime Minister Narendra nayake said Rajitha Senarathna, lawmaker to be arrested since Rajapaksa’s brother, ex-Pres- At the news conference led tortured, while others were Modi laid the foundation stone now an opposition lawmaker, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa ident Mahinda Rajapaksa. They by Senarathna, two people never seen again. He has denied for the capital in 2015. was arrested at a private hospital took office in November. Former defected on the eve of a 2015 described “white van” squads the allegation. 06 ASIA SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 Investigators raid party office of Nawaz Sharif

INTERNEWS The Pakistan Muslim After releasing the pictures LAHORE League-Nawaz said of the FIA raid later in the evening, PML-N information The Federal Investigation the raid was aimed at secretary Marriyum Auranzeb Agency (FIA) has raided the harassing its leaders announced getting an FIR reg- PML-N’s provincial secretariat and decided to get istered against the FIA chief for to obtain purported videotapes an FIR registered “vandalism”. of accountability Judge Arshad “The PML-N has decided to Malik who had convicted former against FIA chief register an FIR of dacoity and prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Wajid Zia and hold a vandalism against Wajid Zia. the Al Azizia Mills corruption demonstration outside This illegal raid by FIA has case. the agency’s building proved that everything the judge Four members of the FIA’s said in the video was true to the cybercrime wing accompanied on Temple Road on last word. by a heavy contingent of police Friday to lodge its This also proved that the raided the PML-N secretariat at protest. video of judge Malik was abso- 180-H in Model Town to find the lutely authentic and he sen- “tapes”. tenced Nawaz Sharif under The Pakistan Muslim ‘secretly recorded’ video in pressure.” Heavy smog envelops Islamabad League-Nawaz said the raid was which judge Arshad Malik was She claimed that the raid aimed at harassing its leaders allegedly seen saying that he was had been conducted at the Pakistani commuters drive their vehicles amid heavy smog conditions and fog in Islamabad, yesterday. and decided to get an FIR regis- pressurised into convicting her behest of Prime Minister Imran tered against FIA chief Wajid Zia father Nawaz Sharif in the Al Khan. “Just because this and hold a demonstration Azizia reference. imposed regime of the selected outside the agency’s building on Judge Malik was suspended prime minister could not find a Nepra approves hike in power tariff Temple Road on Friday to lodge subsequently and is facing an single evidence of corruption, its protest. inquiry in this respect. he has now stooped down INTERNEWS Nepra chairman Tausif H Mohmand dam, Dasu hydro- According to a source, the Maryam had claimed that further to use FIA to harass and ISLAMABAD Farooq presided over a public power project, Tarbela IV FIA team searched the PML-N the video tapes had been pro- pressurise PMLN.” hearing on a request for increase (extension) and Diamer- Bhasha secretariat’s main hall and IT vided by a ‘PML-N Auranzeb said the party The National Electric Power in power tariff in the wake of dam. room for about 40 minutes and sympathiser’. would hold a rally on Friday in Regulatory Authority (Nepra) of CPPA’s monthly fuel adjustments. The prime minister was took away the hardware of the The FIA has summoned protest against the FIA raid. She Pakistan has approved an Nepra does monthly and quar- informed that these projects will computer believing that the pur- PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that after the failure of NAB- increase of Rs1.56 per unit in terly adjustments in power tariff. generate 9,620MW additional ported video was run on it. and party’s Punjab information Niazi nexus against the PML-N, power tariff on account of fuel During the hearing, the CPPA electricity and increase water A heavy contingent of police secretary MPA Azma Bokhari on the PTI government engaged the adjustment cost of electricity representative stated that 25.48 storage capacity by 11.3 million was deployed ahead of the FIA Dec 30, and Attaullah Tarar on FIA for the purpose. consumed in October. percent of electricity was gen- acres feet. Owing to these projects, raid to stop the PML-N workers Dec 27 (today) at its Lahore office She said the raid had also The Central Power Pur- erated from hydel, 12.17 percent over Rs23bn will be spent on from creating any hindrance. to record their statements. proved a story behind replacing chasing Agency (CPPA) had from local gas and 25.41 percent social welfare projects, which will PML-N deputy secretary general The source believes the FIA FIA chief Bashir Memon with sought an increase of Rs1.73 per from imported LNG in October, create 23,000 jobs for youths. Attaullah Tarar allowed the may also summon Maryam Wajid Zia. “Memon had refused unit. The raise will put an addi- but no electricity was produced The meeting was apprised search after seeing the [search] Nawaz as part of its extended to become a tool of Imran Khan tional burden of Rs14.50 bn on from high speed diesel. that construction of Mohmand warrants. investigation into the matter. Niazi. After which a man electricity consumers. Prime Minister Imran Khan dam started in the middle of this On July 6, PML-N vice-pres- “However, without an order known for his anti-Nawaz sen- The government has again presided over a meeting to year and would be completed by ident Maryam Nawaz had held from the top, the FIA will not timents has been given the task put on operation furnace oil assess and review progress in 2024. The project will store 1.2m a press conference at the Model proceed against Maryam,” he [to go after the PML-N],” she plants owing to lesser availability construction of important acres feet of water and produce Town secretariat and played a said. added. of gas to produce electricity. hydropower projects, including 800MW electricity.

Pakistan seizes five suspected Musharraf appeals against his death sentence INTERNEWS November 3, 2007. “The then government, by direct the law enforcement of a person sentence,” the Qaeda militants LAHORE The petition stated that failing to follow the mandated agencies to strive their level best petition stated. Musharraf was not given a procedure laid down in Section to apprehend the fugitive/convict “The wordings in paragraph REUTERS Former military dictator General chance to present his arguments 5 (1) of the Special Courts Act, and to ensure that the pun- 66 of the impugned judgement, LAHORE (retired) Pervez Musharraf and that the “special court quite 1976, lodged the complaint ishment is inflicted as per law although holding minority view, yesterday filed a petition in the abruptly and hurriedly wrapped against the applicant in an and if found dead, his corpse be are still an exercise of languages Pakistan has arrested five Lahore High Court challenging up a trial that was far from its unlawful manner. Therefore, the dragged to the D-Chowk, which directly violates Article 2 suspected Al Qaeda militants a special court’s verdict conclusion.” complaint against the applicant Islamabad, Pakistan, and be of the code of conduct to be planning an attack on security sentencing him to death in a high “The hastily announced is void ab initio. The law clearly hanged for three days”. observed by the judges,” the personnel, authorities in the treason case. judgment is emanating from a prescribes that the special court “The honourable respective petition read. eastern state of Punjab said The petition was filed by prosecution case which suffers, shall only commence pro- president of the special court has It added that Justice Nazar yesterday. Azhar Siddique on behalf of for all intents and purposes from ceedings once a complaint of crossed all religious moral, civil Akbar in his dissenting note had The raid in Gujranwala city Musharraf in the High Court. The an admitted, noticeable and high treason is completely filed and constitutional limits, while mentioned that the actions taken hit an important media cell and special court on December 17 unexplained delay of over five by the ‘federal government’.” ruthlessly, irreligiously, unlaw- by Musharraf on November 3, financing network for the had sentenced the former mil- years from the date of the alleged The petition also challenged fully, unrealistically awarding a 2007 can be termed illegal and jihadists, Punjab’s counter-ter- itary ruler to death for imposing offence and initiation of pro- paragraph 66 of the special debilitating, humiliating, unprec- unconstitutional, but they cannot rorism department said. a state of emergency on ceeding,” the petition stated. court’s verdict, which read, “We edented and against the dignity be tantamount to treason. Laptops with encrypted data, cell phones, a printing press, explosives, five Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition and cash Lahore faces gas shortage were found. For years militants have held sway in remote north- as mercury drops western regions on the Afghan INTERNEWS over a dozen cylinders every day border but some have also LAHORE as gas supply in most neighbour- established networks in Punjab, hoods gets suspended during Pakistan’s richest and most With a drop in mercury level, gas peak hours due to very low populous province. shortage has gripped various pressure.” “They were planning cities of Punjab especially Another menace is the sale attack on law enforcement congested neighbourhoods of of illegally manufactured LPG officials in Gujranwala,” the the provincial capital. The situ- cylinders. An LPG cylinder man- police statement added, ation further aggravates when ufacturer Muhammad Afzal without giving more details on every second household illegally pointed out that most locally the plot. installs compressors or gas manufactured small LPG cyl- The Gujranwala group pumps on pipelines to boost gas inders are of very poor quality recently relocated from Karachi pressure, it was learnt Friday. and could cause fatal accidents and was running Al Qaeda’s According to a market anytime. media operations for the Indian survey, all city markets, espe- “Instead of improving sheet subcontinent and sending funds cially Hall Road and Liquified gauge and quality, most small to central leadership in Afghan- Petroleum Gas (LPG) dealers are manufacturers install wood istan, it added. flooded with various kinds of blocks in the base of the cylinder The Pakistan government Fire damages shelters in Dhaka local and Chinese gas pumps to to increase its weight. It is says the number of militants in suck natural gas from unethical and illegal at the same Slum dwellers, whose shelters were destroyed after a fire broke out in a slum in Dhaka, collect the country has decreased due pipelines. time because it can cause fatal leftovers from the ashes, in Bangladesh, yesterday. to an army crackdown. LPG gas dealer Shafiq Butt accidents.” Afzal indicated that said that they have very good there is a little difference of a few quality gas pumps with auto hundred rupees in the retail price cut-off function in case of of certified and locally manufac- PTI govt seeks in-camera hearing of review petition leakage. tured substandard LPG cylinder. He pointed out that most of A small domestic use cer- INTERNEWS the apex court, pleading that it It said that social media was media and projection has potential these pumps are being imported tified LPG cylinder costs around ISLAMABAD would be in the interest of justice being used to “mischievously to undermine moral of troops, from China and the cost ranges Rs2,500 to Rs3,500, depending and also in the interest of project hostility” between the national security and defence of between Rs1,500 and Rs4,000, on its fuel carrying capacity, The government has sought national security that the case national security stakeholders. Pakistan,” reads the petition. depending on the size of the while their locally manufactured “in-camera hearing” of its review may be heard in-camera. “Since the issue is intrinsically The petitioner states that the pump and quality of the product. replicas of different sizes and petition against the Supreme Listing the reasons, the peti- linked to command of Army and court proceedings are being fol- Since mercury level dropped shapes are being sold for Court judgement of November 28 tioner prayed that “foreign has direct bearing over moral of lowed by talk shows, articles and and acute shortage of gas in the Rs1,200 to Rs2,500. on the reappointment/extension hostile media is endeavouring to troops, security and defence of analysis over social, electronic city took hold, sale of gas pumps “It was the government and of the chief of army staff (COAS). propel the narrative/misper- Pakistan, therefore, given the sit- and print media at domestic as and LPG cylinders has witnessed the Oil and Gas Regulatory Author- The request was made in a ception of internal institutional uation on LoC (Line of Control) well as at global level thereby, a dramatic increase, he ity’s (OGRA) responsibility to reg- separate “instant application” rift through misreporting on the and development linked to affording space for undermining disclosed. ulate the market and curb the sale filed with the review petition in proceedings of the case”. Western Borders, its debate over the state institutions. “We sell 10-15 pumps and of substandard cylinders. SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 ASIA 07

Two policemen 12 dead as plane crashes in Kazakhstan held in Indonesia

AP Kazakhstan’s Deputy confusion to the “agitation” at the over acid attack ALMATY Prime Minister Roman site of the crash. AP Sklyar said that In a statement on its JAKARTA A plane with 98 people aboard plane’s tail hit the Facebook page, the airport said crashed shortly after takeoff there was no fire and a rescue Indonesian authorities said yesterday in Kazakhstan, killing runway twice during operation began immediately. yesterday that they have at least 12 people, Kazakh offi- takeoff, indicating that In Almaty, dozens of people arrested two elite police officers cials said. There were 54 people it struggled to take off. lined up at a local blood bank to suspected in an acid attack on hospitalised with injuries, at least donate for the injured. a senior anti-corruption inves- 10 of them in critical condition. The government promised tigator nearly three years ago. The cause of the predawn One survivor said the plane to pay families of the victims Novel Baswedan, a leading crash in the Central Asian nation started shaking less than two around $10,000 each. investigator at the Corruption was unclear, but authorities were minutes after takeoff. The Fokker 100 is a medium- Eradication Commission, known looking at whether pilot error or “At first the left wing jolted sized, twin turbofan jet. The by its Indonesian abbreviation technical failure were factors, really hard, then the right. The company manufacturing the air- KPK, was almost blinded when said Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime plane continued to gain altitude, craft went bankrupt in 1996 and two men attacked him with acid Minister Roman Sklyar, adding shaking quite severely, and then production stopped the following near a mosque as he left dawn that plane’s tail hit the runway went down,” Aslan Nazaraliyev year. prayers in April 2017. twice during takeoff, indicating said by phone. All Bek Air and Fokker 100 The attack drew nationwide that it struggled to take off. Government officials said the flights in Kazakhstan have been condemnation in Indonesia, The Bek Air aircraft, identified plane underwent de-icing before Rescue personnel working at the site of a plane crash outside suspended pending the investi- which suffers from endemic as a 23-year-old Fokker 100, hit the flight, but Nazaraliyev Almaty, yesterday. gation of the crash, the country’s corruption. KPK, one of the few a concrete wall and a two-story recalled that its wings were authorities said. effective institutions in the building after takeoff from covered in ice, and passengers Nur-Sultan, the capital formerly figure downward. Kazakh President Kassym- nation of more than 260 million Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city who used emergency exits over known as Astana. Officials in the Almaty Jomart Tokayev ordered an people, is frequently under leg- and former capital. It lost altitude the wings were slipping and Local authorities earlier had branch of the health ministry inspection of all airlines and avi- islative attack by lawmakers at 7:22am (0122 GMT), the Almaty falling. ut the death toll at 15, but the couldn’t explain why the figure ation infrastructure in the who want to reduce its powers. International Airport said. The plane was flying to interior ministry later revised the was revised, but attributed the country. National Police chief of detectives Listyo Sigit Prabowo said two members of an elite Japan’s NHK delivers erroneous Manila bans 2 US Senators, mulls visa curbs police mobile brigade were arrested late Thursday in Depok North Korean ‘Christmas gift’ AFP/MANILA imprisoned since 2017 over a drug “We will not sit idly if they city on the outskirts of Jakarta. charge — but has claimed inno- continue to interfere with our Police were still interro- REUTERS website, read: “North Korean The Philippines banned two US cence, and accused him of perse- processes as a sovereign nation,” gating the suspects. TOKYO missile seen as having fallen into senators and threatened to cuting political opponents. Panelo said. “This is just a preliminary seas about 2,000km east of introduce visa restrictions for “If they will enforce this pro- De Lima, in a written interrogation and we cannot Japanese public broadcaster NHK Hokkaido’s Cape Erimo”, sug- Americans entering the country, vision in the US budget, then we statement from jail, thanked the provide more details before our yesterday sent a news bulletin gesting a flight path over Jap- the president’s spokesman said, will be compelled to require all senators for the provision, saying questioning process is com- that incorrectly reported North anese territory. if Washington pushes ahead with Americans entering into this “impunity cannot last”. pleted,” National Police Korea had launched a missile At 2:28am, NHK issued an sanctions against Filipino offi- country to secure a visa before A former human rights com- spokesman Argo Yuwono said. that fell into waters east of the apology on its website, cials involved in jailing a leading they can be allowed entry,” missioner, she has said her He said the arrests followed Japanese archipelago, issuing an explaining that the text was opposition leader. Panelo said yesterday. imprisonment was an act of a long investigation that included apology hours later explaining it meant for training purposes and Senators Richard Durbin and American tourists — who can revenge for her decade-long medical, forensic and technical was a media training alert. was “not true”. Patrick Leahy were banned from enter visa-free for up to 30 days effort to expose the president’s teams and involved the ques- The news alert came as the “We apologise to our viewers entering the country after intro- — account for more than a tenth alleged death squads during his tioning of 73 witnesses. United States and its East Asian and the public,” NHK said. ducing a provision in the 2020 of arrivals, according to the Phil- time as mayor of the southern Baswedan was leading the allies have been on tenterhooks Warning citizens about dis- US budget that would prevent ippines tourism department. city of Davao. investigation of a case in which after Pyongyang’s warning this asters and security threats is one officials involved in the incarcer- The senators’ provision The US is a long-time Phil- 80 people, mostly officials and month of a possible “Christmas of the mandates for the publicly ation of Senator Leila de Lima allows the US to deny entry to ippine ally as well as its largest legislators, and several com- gift” for Washington in what funded broadcaster, whose from entering the US, presidential Philippine officials if the state defence partner and — following panies allegedly used the intro- experts took to mean a possible news casters regularly and fre- spokesman Salvador Panelo said. department finds “credible nearly half a century of rule — duction of a $440m electronic long-range missile test. quently hold drills for earth- De Lima, one of the highest- information” on those involved many Filipinos have relatives identity card system in 2011 and The NHK bulletin, sent out quakes and other disaster profile critics of Duterte’s contro- in the “wrongful imprisonment” who migrated to the US who are 2012 to steal more than a third 22 minutes after midnight on its coverage. versial war on drugs, has been of De Lima. American citizens. of the funds. 08 VIEWS SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 As poverty deepens, Lebanon ESTABLISHED IN 1996 protesters step in to help CHAIRMAN MAHMOUD ZAYYAT & SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI JANA DHAYBY TRIPOLI AFP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DR. KHALID BIN MUBARAK AL-SHAFI ith volunteer kitchens, [email protected] makeshift clinics and donation centres, Leba- non’s protesters are ACTING MANAGING EDITOR W helping their compatriots survive the MOHAMMED SALIM MOHAMED worst economic crisis since the civil [email protected] war by offering services many can no longer afford. “Our goal is to create a state of DEPUTY MANAGING EDITOR social solidary among all segments of MOHAMMED OSMAN ALI society,” said Wael Kasab, a volunteer [email protected] at an open-air kitchen in the southern city of Sidon. Across the country, protest encampments are bustling with volun- teers trying to fill in for an absent state and cash-strapped charities that have Protesters push carts loaded with food aid in Lebanon’s southern city of Sidon. closed their doors or reduced their EDITORIAL activities in recent months due to deteriorating economic conditions. A few metres (feet) away from To help small businesses survive Their Sidon’s protest camp, charity groups the crisis, a group of volunteers col- efforts come have set up a kitchen that serves free lected 7m Lebanese pounds (around Pivotal contribution amid meals to around 100 people per day. $4,500 based on the official exchange eing a responsible member of the world community, warnings by Sitting at a plastic table in the res- rate) in donations. Qatar has taken a number of crucial steps to fight the World taurant, Abu Ahmad eyes a tin tray They used the money to buy 130 Bagainst the scourge of terrorism and combat money Bank of an filled with stuffed courgettes, salad food baskets consisting of rice, sugar, laundering and terrorism financing. Across the impending and rice. “I cannot afford to buy my lentils, flour and oil, said Sara al- Qatar has so far taken a number of strict measures to country, protest recession that own food,” said the 83-year-old. “I Sharif, who started the project. defeat terrorism and has adopted national legislation encampments may see the will be full today... but I’m scared of The food was purchased from reflecting country’s sincere compliance to the international are bustling with proportion of the coming days.” around 30 stores in Tripoli’s poorest instruments to which it has acceded. people living Lebanon, rocked by two months of district to help boost business, she Qatar is also working in close coordination with coun- volunteers trying in poverty anti-government protests and a said. Had it not been for that initiative, tries in the region and world to confront terrorism and achieve to fill in for an climb from a political deadlock, faces its worst eco- grocery store owner Damal Saqr, 50, common goals towards peace and global stability. Along leg- absent state and third to half nomic crisis since the 1975-1990 civil said he would have closed shop. islations and active role played by the country in coordi- cash-strapped the war. A liquidity crunch has pushed “I was on the verge of closing nation with its allies to defeat terrorism globally, Qatar population. Lebanese banks to impose capital con- down... because of inflation and the through Education Above All, Silatech and a number of other charities that In Sidon’s trols on US dollar accounts, capping (de facto) devaluation of the Lebanese charity works is working to defeat the reasons behind ter- have closed their main protest withdrawals at around $1,000 a month. pound.” rorism like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment among others doors or reduced camp, volun- As a result, the value of the Leb- He said that his daily earnings do hence Qatar’s contribution to global fight against terrorism teers scoop anese pound against the dollar has not exceed $12, barely enough to cover stands pivotal. their activities in rice and stew dropped by around 30 percent on the the $500 he needs every month to Qatar established the National Counter Terrorism Com- recent months due onto plastic unofficial market, leading prices to cover rent for his home and store. mittee at Ministry of Interior on March 26, 2007. The Com- to deteriorating plates. rise. The faltering economy has also “I can’t afford to buy goods for the mittee assumes its responsibilities in one of the most economic They reg- pushed many companies into bank- store anymore,” he said. important security areas in order to ensure the achievement ister names of ruptcy, while others have laid off staff In Beirut’s main protest camp, vol- of the strategy of countries in the conditions. people in need and slashed salaries. unteers dressed in neon-yellow vests fight against terrorism through of medical In the northern city of Tripoli, pack the back of a truck with piles of the security related efforts and care to refer them to a clinic for free where more than 50 percent of the donated food. Near the main central cooperation with the relevant treatment. population lives in poverty, the effects bank building in the capital, cardboard bodies as well as the implemen- Under a plastic tent, Zeinab Najem of the crisis are stark. boxes and rubbish bags filled with tation of the articles of conven- arranges clothes on a metal rack as a The volunteer kitchen in the main donations line the sidewalk. Qatar has so far tions and laws to combat group of women peruse a collection of protest camp there serves around Protesters there chant against the taken a number of terrorism. thick winter jackets. 2,500 meals a day to long queues of ruling class as they distribute clothes, strict measures to Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Najem said she first started the hungry people flocking from all blankets and mattresses to the needy. defeat terrorism Hamad Al Thani issued on donation centre with only 10 items of corners of the country’s second city. “It is our national duty to mobilise Thursday Amiri Law No. 27 of clothing, but now her tent “looks like a Stores near the encampment are and help each other,” said Sarah Assi, and has adopted 2019 on counter-terrorism. H H store”. “There are many people in empty of clients, while shop owners sit a volunteer. national legislation the Amir also ratified a Cabinet need,” she said. idly outside. “We have no other solution.” reflecting country’s decision No. 41 of 2019 issuing the executive regulations for law No. sincere compliance 20 of 2019 on combating money to the international laundering and terrorism Putin’s grand gas project makes sense now instruments to financing. which it has Meanwhile, Qatar Central still be able to maintain its across the bottom of the having much influence Bank (QCB) has announced the energy market share and Black Sea to the Turkish over its operation. At the acceded. adoption of the new executive use it as a basis for useful port of Samsun and opened same time, Putin wanted regulations for Law No. (20) of trade partnerships. That in 2003, was the opening leverage over the 2019 issuing the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the makes it a positive part of move of the Putin gas game. Ukrainian government to Financing of Terrorism Law, which is based on the inno- Putin’s legacy, if not But Blue Stream’s keep it in Moscow’s orbit. vative and strict regulatory and legislative initiatives stipu- LEONID BERSHIDSKY entirely thanks to Putin. capacity of 16 billion cubic Twice in the 2000s, Russia lated by this law regarding combating money laundering BLOOMBERG Russia inherited con- meters of natural gas per cut off gas supplies to and terrorist financing issued on September 11, 2019. tracts from the Soviet year was dwarfed by Ukraine to try to bring it to The new executive regulations reflect the State of Qatar’s n the space of just a Union to supply natural gas the roughly 180 billion heel, but without alter- firm and continuous commitment to combating money laun- few momentous to Europe, one of the cubic meters the Soviet- native export routes, such dering and terrorist financing as well as fighting illicit weeks, one of Russian biggest sources of hard built pipelines could export tactics were unsustainable. financing in all its forms. President Vladimir currency for Russia’s to Europe via Ukraine and In 2012, Russia made I Belarus. It helped Russia another major move with the QCB Governor H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Saoud Al Thani Putin’s most ambitious reeling post-Communist said: “The new executive regulations come within the projects - a Russian natural economy. But the Soviet compete in Turkey, but opening of Nord Stream, framework of upholding the provisions of Law No. 20 of 2019 gas export system to match pipelines were laid across didn’t solve the bigger stretching across the bottom issuing the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the the new geopolitical reality Ukraine and Belarus, which problem of Russia’s of the Baltic Sea to northern Financing of Terrorism Law, and the State of Qatar, thus rather than the Cold were part of the empire. dependence on Ukraine Germany. With a capacity of stresses that combating money laundering and terrorist War-era one - has taken its But they became inde- and Belarus. The share of 55 billion cubic meters a year, financing requires a strict and effective regulatory and leg- final shape. It will probably pendent nations that European natural gas it boosted Russia’s share of islative framework, whereby it determines the powers and last, without major change, demanded transit fees and imports that came from European imports. At the responsibilities of each of the government agencies and rel- until the end of Russia’s run low-priced energy supplies Russia kept falling. same time, Russia was evant ministries, in relation to combating money laundering as a top energy exporter. in exchange for main- In 2011, Russia obtained planning a major pipeline to and terrorist financing.” The finishing touches to taining Russia’s energy full control over the Bela- southern Europe, South the project, begun in 2001 supplies to Europe, or russian gas transit system Stream, across the Black Sea with the construction of the rather, to its ex-Communist in exchange for discounted to Bulgaria. From there it Blue Stream pipeline to part, where Russia and gas supplies. But Ukraine would branch out to carry Turkey, include the launch everything that came from remained firmly in control gas to Greece, Italy, Serbia QUOTE OF THE DAY of the Power of Siberia it were newly unpopular. of its pipelines, which and on to central Europe. pipeline to China on Dec. 2, At the same time, gas accounted for the The 2014 Crimea last week’s US sanctions on suppliers in Central Asia and lion’s share of Russia’s annexation made it imper- We will not sit idly if the Nord Stream 2 pipeline Azerbaijan presented a com- export capacity. ative for Putin to redraw the they (US) continue to Germany, a new gas petitive threat: It was rela- Putin wanted more gas export map. Now, to interfere with transit deal with Ukraine tively easy for them to pipe direct access to southern Ukraine wasn’t just an our processes as a and the commissioning of gas to Turkey, which could and western Europe. inconvenient partner, it was the TurkStream pipeline, deliver it further to Europe. He wanted to be able to an adversary, and bypassing sovereign state. planned for January. In the 2000s, when bypass Ukraine, for both it became a geopolitical External pressure and Putin and his advisers nur- economic and political necessity for Putin. Europe, Salvador Panelo market circumstances have tured the notion of Russia as reasons. The Ukrainian too, was more worried than Philippine Presidential helped shape the new an “energy superpower,” it pipeline system, run by ever about increasing gas Spokesman Russian gas export system became clear to Kremlin National JSC Naftogaz exports from Russia, which so that it can’t really be strategists that they needed Ukraine, was falling into could use it to expand its used as a sinister tool of more flexibility to increase disrepair, and Gazprom, political influence. The Putin’s rogue foreign supplies and get more eco- the Russian export European Union scuppered policy. Meanwhile, it’s nomic leverage over monopoly for pipeline gas, South Stream in late 2014 structured in a such a way neighbors in Europe and feared it might have to by putting pressure on that post-Putin Russia will Asia. Blue Stream, laid invest in fixing it without Bulgaria. SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 EUROPE 09 Russia’s first hypersonic missiles enter service AFP This is the first intercontinental ballistic missile Senior officials later said the gift to the country for the New last remaining major arms MOSCOW intercontinental with the hypersonic glide vehicle intercontinental projectile was Year,” he gushed. control treaty between Russia ballistic missile with in the world,” Vasily Kashin, a considerably faster. Russia boasts of developing and the United States. Russia’s defence minister told the hypersonic glide senior research fellow at Mos- Officials said the missile a number of “invincible” The Russian president has President Vladimir Putin cow’s Higher School of Eco- during tests reached the speed weapons that surpass existing called for the speedy renewal of yesterday that the first Avangard vehicle in the world. nomics, said. “It’s a major scien- of Mach 27, or roughly 33,000 systems and include Sarmat the treaty and complained that hypersonic missiles had been put It’s a major scientific tific achievement.” km per hour. intercontinental missiles and Washington showed no genuine into service, in a move hailed as achievement: Vasily Moscow said that it showed Mach 1 is a unit of meas- Burevestnik cruise missiles. interest in conducting talks on a major coup for Moscow. Kashin the Avangard missiles to US arms urement equivalent to the speed This week, Putin said that extending it. Analysts said Russia is the inspectors in late November in of sound. Russia was no longer trying to He has warned of “global first country to put into combat accordance with the New START In December last year, catch up with the West on arms catastrophe” if Washington service intercontinental ballistic He congratulated the military treaty, which is due to expire in Deputy Prime Minister Yury development. keeps dismantling an interna- missiles armed with hypersonic on what he said was a “landmark 2021. Borisov claimed it was impos- “This is a unique situation in tional arms control regime. weapons that Putin said can event for the country and the The missile does not violate sible to predict the missile’s our modern history: they are The United States earlier this travel 20 times faster than the armed forces.” the treaty. movements, which meant playing catch-up with us,” he year withdrew from the Cold speed of sound. Shoigu reported to Putin Putin unveiled the new “missile defence is practically said. War-era Intermediate-Range “The first missile regiment when the missiles entered weapon during his state of the rendered obsolete.” Shoigu has said that new Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, equipped with latest strategic service, a defence ministry nation address in 2018, saying it “At this speed, not a single Russian weapons allow Moscow which limited missiles that could missiles with the Avangard official said. would defeat all existing missile interceptor missile can shoot it to ensure the country’s security hit European cities, after saying hypersonic glide vehicle entered Defence officials have earlier defence systems. down,” Borisov said at the time. without starting a costly new that Moscow was in violation. service at 10am Moscow time on said that the first Avangard reg- He said at the time the Speaking in December last arms race with the West. Together with the INF treaty, December 27”, Defence Minister iment was placed in the missile was highly manoeuvrable year, Putin praised the successful The New START, which caps New START was considered a Sergei Shoigu told a meeting in Orenburg region in the Urals. and flew at 20 times the speed tests of the missiles. the number of nuclear warheads centrepiece of superpower arms televised remarks. “This is the first of sound. “This is a great, wonderful well below Cold War limits, is the control.

Bosnia court jails Union boss defiant former IS fighter on France’s longest for four years REUTERS strike in decades SARAJEVO AFP still supported by public A man who pleaded guilty to PARIS opinion,” said Philippe Martinez, terrorism charges was secretary general of the CGT sentenced to four years in prison The boss of a hardline French union as he visited picketing yesterday for organising a trade union yesterday vowed to workers at a bus depot. terrorist group and fighting for press on with a strike that has He lashed out at Prime Min- IS in Syria, a Bosnian court said. crippled transport in Paris for the ister Edouard Philippe, who has Ibro Cufurovic, from the past three weeks and is now the said he wants no confrontation northwestern town of Velika longest-lasting such action since with the strikers, accusing him Kladusa, has been in custody the 1980s. of not being true to his word. since his extradition from Syria The strike against pension “The government shows how in April. He had previously been reforms championed by Pres- agitated it is with this kind of detained for about two years by ident Emmanuel Macron began conception of social dialogue,” a Kurdish militia in Syria. on December 5 and has cast a said Martinez. The court cited mitigating long shadow over celebrations The strike was still para- circumstances while explaining in France for Christmas and the lysing transport in Paris yes- its ruling on Cufurovic, who had New Year. terday, day the French capital Passengers sit in a waiting room at Gare Montparnasse train station during a strike by all unions of used the name Abu Kasim Now on day 23, the union should be crammed with French SNCF and the Paris transport network (RATP), in Paris, yesterday. Albosni during his five years in stoppage is longer than the noto- shoppers seeking post-Christmas Syria, where he took part in rious 22-day strike of the winter bargains or preparing for the completely shut down. National peacefully by Paris police, the early retirement benefits. militant activities alongside of 1995 under late president New Year. rail operator SNCF said six out local authorities said. The government says the other Bosnians. Jacques Chirac against welfare There appears to be no end of every 10 high-speed TGV The unions are demanding pension overhaul is needed to “The defendant admitted he cutbacks which forced the then in sight to the current movement trains were running. that the government drops a plan create a fairer system. was guilty,” said Hasija Masovic, government into a U-turn. with talks between the gov- Union activists also blocked to merge 42 existing pension But workers object to the the court council’s chairwoman. The longest transport strike ernment and unions only set to four depots of Paris buses — schemes into a single, points- inclusion of a so-called pivot age “At the time when he made the in France lasted for 28 days, also resume on January 7. which have largely kept running based system. of 64 until which people would decision to leave for Syria, the over Christmas, in 1986 and early Just two driverless metro in the strikes with a much The overhaul would see have to work to earn a full defendant was only 19”. 1987. lines were working normally reduced service — early yes- workers in certain sectors — pension — two years beyond the Masovic said Cufurovic had “It’s a strong movement and Friday and five lines were terday before being dispersed including the railways — lose official retirement age. repeatedly expressed regret for his actions and had attempted to return to Bosnia, according Two asylum to the defence and witnesses. Russia says Germany sought its help in murder case Hundreds of Bosnian cit- seekers commit izens are believed to have left ANATOLIA Caucasian terrorist group, the ministry spokeswoman with the European Union, to fight for IS in Syria and Iraq. suicide in Greece MOSCOW (Zelimkhan) Khangoshvili. This added. Zakharova said Moscow is “dis- Many foreign nationals are now AFP was done after the German gov- On December 4, Berlin appointed” about the EU’s in detention camps waiting to ATHENS Germany requested Russia’s help ernment’s groundless decision expelled two Russian diplomats decision to expand the term of be handed over to their coun- in investigating the murder in to declare two employees of the over Moscow’s alleged refusal to sanctions against Russia. tries of origin. Two asylum seekers in their 30s August of a Georgian man in Russian Embassy in Berlin assist in the murder investi- “Unfortunately, the Last week, a group of 25 who were living in a hotel Berlin, but only after expelling persona non grata,” said Foreign gation. Russia has rejected the European Union has once again former IS fighters, women and packed with refugees in two Russian diplomats in Ministry spokeswoman Maria allegation, calling it “baseless.” missed an opportunity to take children, some of them northern Greece hanged them- connection with the case, Zakharova. Khangoshvili fought against the path of improving relations orphaned, returned to Bosnia. selves over Christmas, a charity Moscow said. “I can also say that the con- the Russian army during the with its largest neighbour on the Cufurovic had told the court said. “Official requests from Berlin tacts between Russian and Second Chechen War from 1999 continent. Today, it is more than that he fought in Syria in 2014 The two men, an Afghan were sent to Moscow on German law enforcement to 2009 and worked in both obvious that the tools of uni- and 2015, but that he was father of two aged 32 or 33 and December 6 and 10, 2019. It was agencies and special services Georgia and Ukraine against lateral sanctions do not work,” detained in 2016 while trying an Iraqi aged about 30, were about providing legal assistance about the Khangoshvili case Russian interests, according to she said, adding the EU has lost to escape to Turkey with his found in the village of Mouries in the investigation of the murder have been maintained since late local media. “hundreds of billions of euros” family, and imprisoned. near the border with North of a former member of a North August. Berlin itself admits this,” Commenting on relations because of sanctions. Macedonia. “We have terrible news from Mouries... two young men committed suicide yesterday Austria’s Kurz, Greens chief see and today,” the Greek Forum of Refugees said in a statement. coalition deal by mid-January It said they had been living in a hotel housing between 350 REUTERS Heinz-Christian Strache at a dinner party and 400 refugees in Mouries. VIENNA in Ibiza offering to fix government con- The Afghan national was tracts while in discussion with a woman found on Wednesday hanging Negotiations between Sebastian Kurz’s posing as a Russian oligarch’s niece. near a bridge not far from the conservatives and the Greens in Austria A coalition of the Greens and his Peo- hotel, while the Iraqi man was are in their final stages and expected to ple’s Party would be a ticket back to power discovered by his roommate in result in a coalition government by mid- as chancellor for the 33-year-old Kurz one of the hotel corridors. January at the latest, both party chiefs said and a chance to polish his credentials with According to Greek author- yesterday. the global climate movement that is ities, more than 40,000 migrants “It is our goal to have a government having a big impact on policy-making in and refugees are being held often by early to mid-January,” Kurz told a news Europe. in desperate conditions in camps conference in Vienna in reference to his Austria’s new coalition-building is on several Greek islands. talks with the Greens, who would enter being followed closely in Europe and Greece was overwhelmed national government in Austria for the especially in Germany where Chancellor by the migrant crisis which first time. Angela Merkel’s coalition with the Social erupted in 2015 with tens of The two parties’ positions differ con- Democrats is in jeopardy. Early elections thousands of people arriving siderably on many issues ranging from could transpire, with Merkel’s Christian Austrian Conservative leader Sebastian Kurz and Greens party chief Werner Kogler after making perilous crossings environment to migration and taxes, Democrats facing similar choices to Kurz meet for coalition talks in Vienna. in barely seaworthy vessels via leaving many Austrians deeply septical in Austria. neighbouring Turkey. about the prospects for a deal — but both “First, I hope this venture does not fail parliamentary elections in September in Austrian media have said one area of Doctors Without Borders sides had little option but to find ways to and second, I do not expect it to fail which the Greens made big gains, pro- apparent agreement is that “environmen- (MSF) has drawn attention to compromise. either,” Austrian Greens party chief pelled by climate change campaigners led tally damaging emissions” will become the particular plight of children Kurz’s previous governing coalition Werner Kogler told reporters when asked by Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg. more expensive but commuters unable in the Greek camps, and voiced with the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) whether the negotiations could still fall They secured 13.9% of the vote, their best to use public transport instead of their car fears that some are suicide collapsed when a video surfaced showing through. result ever, after failing even to win a seat will receive some kind of risks. then Vice-Chancellor and FPO leader The FPO scandal led to early parliament in 2017. compensation. 10 HOME SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 EUROPE / AMERICAS 11 Religion bill: Montenegro oppn leaders arrested

AFP Church authorities in churches on tracts of valuable PODGORICA Montenegro blamed land throughout the tiny country, the government has accused the government of Montenegro’s opposition leaders for the incidents using the law to appropriate were arrested yesterday after a church heritage and purloin its dramatic night in parliament which it said caused assets. when their deputies violently “unimaginable The ruling party denies this, protested the passing of a contro- divisions and hatred”. saying it only wants to sort out versial law on religious freedom. ownership rights. The law has become a flash- Church authorities in Mon- point for tensions between the off a firecracker in the par- tenegro yesterday blamed the government and the pro-Serb liament hall, destroy micro- government for the incidents opposition which is close to the phones and physically attack which it said caused “unimagi- Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC), other politicians, according to a nable divisions and hatred”. Montenegro’s main religious reporter at the scene. “Orthodox believers are now body. After the melee, however, the expecting one of the hardest The Church is particularly law was passed. Christmases in Montenegro’s incensed over a clause requiring A total of 22 people including recent history,” the church said religious communities to prove 17 MPs were initially detained of a holiday that most followers ownership of properties from and escorted out of the assembly, celebrate on January 7. before 1918, when Montenegro police said in a statement early It added that the police beat Police officers carry away opposition deputy Slaven Radunovic from the Democratic Front, after they lost its independence and joined yesterday. a priest and two supporters in tried to prevent the vote on a bill on religious freedoms and legal rights of religious organisations in a Serb-led kingdom, in order to All but three were released northern Montenegro when Montenegro Parliament, in Podgorica, yesterday. keep them. yesterday morning, with oppo- they joined a protest over the During the tense parlia- sition leaders Milan Knezevic, law, which police denied as block roads in other parts of the Church declared its separation Montenegro was part of the mentary debate that started on Andrija Mandic and another MP “untrue”. country by the opposition’s sup- from the Serbian one in the mid- former Yugoslavia as was Serbia Thursday and stretched into the held on accusations of On Thursday, Orthodox porters, local media reported. 1990s, but it is still not recog- for nearly 90 years until its inde- night, opposition MPs from the “assaulting an official in the per- priests took part in a demon- In its statement, the Church nised by most major churches. pendence in 2006, and relations Democratic Front threatened to formance of his duties and pre- stration against the legislation in accused Montenegro’s President President Djukanovic has, between the neighbours remain stoke unrest if the law was venting a policeman from car- the capital Podgorica, where a Milo Djukanovic of wielding the however, openly called for the complicated. passed. rying out his duties”, police said. heavy police presence was law as part of his effort to revive “renewal” of the Montenegrin Nearly 72 percent of Mon- When amendments they The Serbian Orthodox deployed as the parliamentary the country’s independent church, setting off tensions with tenegro’s population of 620,000 proposed were rejected, oppo- Church, which runs hundreds of debate began. Orthodox Church. Belgrade and with pro-Serb follow the Orthodox faith, mostly sition members attempted to set medieval monasteries and There were also attempts to The Montenegrin Orthodox opposition groups. the Serbian branch. Virginia school system to allow students day off to protest Ireland issues record number AP “civic engagement activities” be responsive to it.” said Thai Jones, a lecturer at this was something that could be FALLS CHURCH such as attending marches or But, some experts told the Columbia University who studies formalized and wanted to put it of passports as meeting with lawmakers, Post that skipping school to radical social movements. in writing,” Caldwell said. “There Brexit date nears One of the largest school districts according to district spokes- attend protests tends to favour Students must give at least were many students who were in the United States has woman Lucy Caldwell. liberal causes. two days notice before the engaged and have been engaged BLOOMBERG announced that it will allow The new policy was intro- “Kids on the right who are absence, school officials said. A and it was decided that it was LONDON students one excused absence duced by Fairfax School Board active, they tend to be doing it parent or guardian has to give time to go ahead and put into per school year to participate member Ryan McElveen, by preparing to run for school permission and students must fill place.” Ireland issued a record number civic activities such as protests. according to The Washington board, or being aides in legis- out a form to explain the reason Oakton High School senior of passports in 2019 as appli- Fairfax County Public Post. He says the rule may be the lature,” said Meira Levinson, a they’re missing school, McElveen Wendy Gao, 18, leads several cations from its citizens in the Schools in Virginia plans to start first of its kind in the US. Harvard University professor said. groups that fight climate change UK surged amid Brexit uncer- allowing the absences on January “I think we’re setting the who studies education. To address worries about and has missed five days of tainty. 27, 2020, news outlets reported. stage for the rest of the nation “People who call themselves accreditation, the student must school in recent months to par- More than 900,000 Irish The district is the largest school with this,” McElveen said. “It’s a conservatives probably do still stop by their school campus at ticipate in activism. She told the passports were handed out this system in the state. dawning of a new day in student count respecting authority - least once on the day of their Post she hopes the new policy year, the foreign ministry said Students in seventh through activism, and school systems staying in school — as a crucial and excused absence, McElveen said. will increase the number of stu- in an emailed statement. That 12th grades can use the day for everywhere are going to have to central tenet of the social order,” “The school board felt that dents who attend climate strikes. was an increase of 7 percent on a year earlier. Foreign Minister Simon Mexico President urges Bolivia Coveney said that “2019 was another bumper year for the passport service.” to respect right of asylum Ireland has seen a jump in passport applications from REUTERS/MEXICO CITY long-serving leftist president Evo people in the UK since the Morales resigned and fled to Brexit vote. Mexico yesterday urged Bolivia’s Mexico. People with an Irish grand- new conservative government Morales quit under pressure parent or those born in to respect its right to grant from Bolivia’s armed forces after Northern Ireland are also asylum to nine people at its a presidential election that the entitled to an Irish passport, embassy in La Paz, days after Organization of American States making it the choice for many complaining that Bolivian (OAS) said was rigged in his favour. UK citizens seeking to retain an government surveillance there He quickly accepted an offer EU passport. has grown excessive. of political asylum from Mexico, There were about 94,000 “The right of asylum must be putting a strain on ties between first-time applicants from guaranteed,” Mexico’s leftist Mexico the government headed people born in the UK. president Andres Manuel Lopez by Añez, an opponent of Morales. The busiest months for UK Obrador said when asked about According to the Bolivian applications were February and the disagreement in a regular government, a former senior March, ahead of the original news briefing. aide to Morales, Juan Ramon March 31 deadline for the UK On Thursday, Mexico said it Quintana, is among the nine to leave the EU. was asking the International people who have taken asylum There was another increase Court of Justice to mediate in the in the Mexican embassy. in UK applications in October, dispute, which has chilled rela- The Bolivian government has the foreign ministry said, before tions between the two Latin not named all of the nine people Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador addressing a press conference at the National the revised Brexit date of American countries. inside the embassy. Those who Palace, in Mexico City, yesterday. October 31, which has since Bolivia’s government, have been identified, including been extended until the end of headed by interim President Quintana, are allies of Morales armed revolt. According to Mexico’s gov- of the people inside the Mexican January 2020. Jeanine Añez, a former senator, wanted by the government for Morales left Mexico this ernment, Bolivia has issued embassy and says they must face took power last month when crimes including sedition and month and is now in Argentina. arrest warrants for at least four justice. George Michael’s sister dies on anniversary of pop icon’s death Three dead in California fire AP AFP central England on Christmas HEMET LONDON Day in 2016. Michael, whose real name Two girls and their father were killed early yesterday when fire The sister of the late British pop was Georgios Kyriacos erupted in a Southern California apartment building and a boy icon George Michael was found Panayiotou, sold more than 100 rescued from the inferno was in grave condition, according to dead on Christmas Day, three million albums throughout his police. years to the day after the singer- career, producing hits including Seven people were in the second-floor unit in an apartment songwriter passed away, the “Last Christmas” and “Wake Me complex in the city of Hemet, 120km southeast of Los Angeles, when family and police said yesterday. Up Before You Go-Go”. the fire broke out. Melanie Panayiotou, 55, was With the third anniversary Hemet police spokesman Nate Miller said the dead were 4- and found dead by her sister Yioda of his death approaching, the 12-year-old girls and their father. Panayiotou on Wednesday at her family shared a statement on “One of the victims — a 41-year-old male was the father — and home in north London, according Michael’s official website her- he went back inside to rescue other family members that were not to reports. alding the love still shown for able to get out,” Miller said. “We can confirm that very him by fans. An 8-year-old boy was hospitalised in grave condition, Miller tragically Melanie has passed Tributes are seen outside the late singer George Michael after his Melanie Panayiotou was a said. away suddenly,” the family’s sister, Melanie Panayiotou, 55, was found dead, in London, yesterday. hairdresser and makeup artist, The names of the victims were not immediately made public. lawyer John Reid said in a who reportedly used to travel The cause of the fire was under investigation. statement. “We would simply respected at this very sad time,” George Michael died from with her brother on tour to cut Miller said there was nothing to indicate any criminal aspect to ask that the family’s privacy be he added. natural causes at his home in his hair. the fire. 12 AMERICAS / CLASSIFIEDS SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 Woman dies after entering US border custody AP The CBP said the her taken to a local hospital. country under policies enacted office and the embassy for the any wrongdoing in the deaths of HOUSTON woman had arrived According to a statement CBP by President Donald Trump’s Democratic Republic of the two children last December, at an official port gave members of Congress, the administration, limiting crossings Congo in Washington, DC, did 7-year-old Jakelin Amei Rosmery “A 41-year-old Congolese asylum of entry in Laredo, woman was diagnosed with at many ports to just a few not return messages. Caal Maquin and 8-year-old seeker died on Wednesday in US acute kidney failure. people daily and forcing others At least 11 people died this Felipe Gomez Alonzo. Both cases government custody shortly after Texas, early Tuesday A congressional aide who to wait in Mexico. year after entering CBP’s raised questions about whether she entered a border station in afternoon. She came spoke on condition of anonymity CBP told Congress that its custody, according to statements the children received medical South Texas,” US Customs and with paperwork provided details from the officers admitted the woman and posted on the agency’s website. care quickly enough. Border Protection (CBP) said that documented a statement. CBP did not identify her family as part of the daily Those people include a 16-year- Jakelin was not transported yesterday. her illness in its public statement. number of people allowed to old teenager from Guatemala from a remote border outpost The CBP said the woman, “previous medical “The subject’s health enter at the Gateway to the who died of the flu inside a to a larger Border Patrol station who the agency did not identify, condition”. declined rapidly and she passed Americas bridge. Border Patrol cell in Weslaco, for seven hours. Felipe was had arrived at an official port of away at the hospital,” the CBP The agency says the Webb Texas, in May. Surveillance video taken to a hospital in New entry in Laredo, Texas, early statement said. County medical examiner “has later showed Hernandez had Mexico with a fever, released, Tuesday afternoon. The woman The agency’s statement said She was traveling with her determined that the death is not been lying unresponsive for than taken with his father to a came with paperwork that doc- the woman told CBP officers husband and two children, who suspicious, as the individual had several hours despite the holding facility at a highway umented a “previous medical early Wednesday that “she was were subsequently released. a preexisting medical agency’s claims that it did regular checkpoint. condition,” CBP said. suffering from abdominal pain Agents at official crossings condition.” checks on him. Several hours later, after The agency’s medical per- and had vomited.” The agency between the US and Mexico have CBP declined to answer The Department of agents had helped clean up his sonnel cleared her to be detained says it contacted emergency per- stopped tens of thousands of follow-up questions about the Homeland Security’s inspector vomit, he was taken back to a overnight. sonnel “immediately” and had asylum seekers from entering the case. The medical examiner’s general last week cleared CBP of hospital where he soon died. Search intensifies Trump supporters enraged by for lost helicopter cut scene in ‘Home Alone 2’ off Hawaii island ANATOLIA television, Home Alone 2 was REUTERS TRENTON edited for time,” said CBC HONOLULU spokesperson Chuck Thompson. Donald Trump fans reacted “The scene with Donald Trump Rescuers in Hawaii intensified angrily as news spread that the was one of several that were cut their search for a missing tour Canadian Broadcasting Corpo- from the movie, as none of them helicopter with seven people ration (CBC) edited out the US were integral to the plot. aboard as daybreak hit the president’s cameo appearance “These edits were done in island of Kauai, the U.S Coast in the film ‘Home Alone 2’. 2014, when we first acquired the Guard said. While Trump’s supporters film and before Mr. Trump was The owner of the helicopter were angry, Fox News hosts elected president.” reported on Thursday evening went apoplectic. But backers of the president, that the aircraft, whose six pas- “Fox and Friends” co-host Ed who is in the process of being sengers included two children, Henry said the removal of the impeached, tweeted their dis- was overdue returning from a seven-second scene featuring pleasure with the CBC. tour of the Na Pali Coast, the Trump was a prime example of Frank DiBiase@DiBiase- Coast Guard said in a statement. “Trump Derangement Syndrome” Frank tweeted: “@CBC, how At first light, the Coast and co-host Katie Pavlich said it pathetic that Trump was edited Guard said it was deploying an was “also censorship.” out of Home Alone 2 while being HC-130 Hercules airplane an But the CBC — Canada’s aired on CBC.” MH-65 Dolphin helicopter from national public broadcaster — And Ryan Fournier@RyanA- the air, and the Cutter William said the furor over the cut is Fournier tweeted: “CBC TV in Hart and a response boat from Newseum set to close its door much ado about nothing Canada has cut Donald Trump’s the sea. because the edit took place in Home Alone 2 cameo out of their Patrons viewing an exhibit on the September 11th attacks, including the television transmission Joining the search will be a 2014, a couple of years before broadcast. They’re so triggered antenna from the World Trade Center’s North Tower, as they visit the Newseum during its last week USNavy Seahawk helicopter, Trump became president. He by him that they had to edit him the Kauai National Guard and of operation before closing the museum, dedicated to news gathering and the First Amendment, in was removed from the 1992 tel- out of the film. Absolutely the Kauai Fire Department, Washington, DC, yesterday. According to the Newseum website, they will close at the end of 2019 evised film to make more room pathetic.” which will use its helicopter to and place many of their artifacts in storage because “remaining in the current location has proved for commercials. The president’s son, Donald search the shoreline and inland to be financially unsustainable”. “As is often the case with Trump Jr, took to Twitter, also canyons, it said. feature films adapted for calling the cut “pathetic.” Spotify to suspend political ads in 2020

REUTERS WASHINGTON

Spotify Technology SA said yesterday that it would pause selling political advertisements on its music streaming platform in early 2020. The world’s most popular paid music streaming service, with nearly 141 million users tuning into its ad-supported platform in October, said the pause would extend to Spotify original and exclusive pod- casts as well. The move, which was first reported by Ad Age, comes as campaigns for the US presidential election in November 2020 heat up. Online platforms including Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google are under growing pressure to police misinformation on their platforms and stop car- rying political ads that contain false or misleading claims. Twitter Inc banned political ads in October and, last month, Google said it would stop giving adver- tisers the ability to target election ads using data such as public voter records and general political affiliations. FOR SALE CHANGE OF NAME “At this point in time, we do not yet have the nec- essary level of robustness in our processes, systems and tools to responsibly validate and review this I, Tariq Shah Hakim, content,” a Spotify spokeswoman said in a statement USED ELEGANT holder of Pakistan Passport said. No. RW5143752 “We will reassess this decision as we continue to evolve our capabilities.” SHOP FURNITURE (Qatar ID No. 29858600507) Spotify, which was only accepting political adver- hereby change my name to tising in the United States, did not answer a question on how much revenue the company generates from FOR SALE TARIQ SHAH HAKIM political ads. “Spotify wasn’t a widely used online advertising BAD SHAH. platform for campaigns before,” said Eric Wilson, a CONTACT 55374437 Republican digital strategist. Any objection, please contact the “But as other online platforms restricted their political ad inventory, advertisers were on the hunt SITUATION VACANT Immigration and Passport Office within 15 for new options.” days from the publication of this notice. The new policy will cover political groups such as REQUIRED A SALES ENGINEER candidates for office, elected and appointed officials, with minimum 2 to 3 years experience in selling political parties, political action committees (PACs) /Mechanical / Marine Products in Qatar Market, and SuperPACS, as well as content that advocates for preferably to Q-Companies, QEWC, Sewage Treatment Plants, Chillers, etc. or against those entities. Pen.Mag The Spotify added that it will also not sell adver- Preferably in Repair & Maintenance products, Coating products, R&M welding products, etc. tisements that advocate for legislative and judicial Every Sunday To Thursday outcomes. Should have excellent communication skills. The move only applies to Spotify’s ad sales, not For Advertisements advertisements embedded in third-party content, Interested candidates may send their Please call: 44557857 though those will still be subject to Spotify’s broader resume/CV to [email protected] content policies. BUSINESS SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 13 PAGE | 14 PAGE | 15 SALE OilOi steadies near Opec+ cuts SALE 3-month3 highs can’t last ono US, Chinese forever, says From 20%20% to 50%50% economice data Novak =[?=a_

VALID FROM 25Tth DEC. 2019 TO 15th JAN. 2020*

Your Global Remittance Partner Currency TT Rate Currency TT Rate Currency TT Rate Currency TT Rate QAR/INR : 19.44 QAR/PHP : 13.81 QAR/LKR : 49.60 QAR/BDT : 23.38 EUR/QAR : 4.19 GBP/QAR : 4.86 CAD/QAR : 2.89 AUD/QAR : 2.67 CHF/QAR : 3.86 SGD/QAR : 2.80 KWD/QAR : 12.18 OMR/QAR : 9.55 MAIN BRANCH LULU HYPER MARKET SANAYYA (STREET 17) AL KHOR PH: 44441448 PH: 44650768 PH: 44510088 PH: 44213444 MATAR QADEEM MANSOURA - AL MEERA ABU HAMOUR BIN OMRAN - ALMEERA PH: 44655559 PH: 44357552 PH: 44621271 PH: 44162002 alzamanexchange www.alzamanexchange.com 44441448 Steady growth in tourism UK eyes March budget and spending boost in North of England to support real estate, BLOOMBERG north and south of England, LONDON which academics at Cambridge University last year described as hospitality sectors: Ezdan Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s “extreme” compared with other (pictured) freshly re-elected wealthy nations. They found the THE PENINSULA Britain, France, Italy, Turkey, multi-use buildings, multi-use government is seeking to hold current cost-benefit analysis DOHA Russia, India, China and space, and residential buildings. its first Budget in March, model favors investments in Southeast Asia. In addition, Doha Municipality domi- rewriting spending rules as it areas where the economy is Qatar’s tourism sector is World Tourism Organization neered by the highest deal in does so, according to a person already stronger. witnessing a remarkable growth (WTO) has declared Qatar in the terms of value by selling a familiar with the matter. A spokeswoman for the and development across all eighth rank in openness index mixed-use land lot in the Leg- Chancellor of the Exchequer Treasury said: “We work across levels, both in terms of legisla- and the first in the Middle East. taifiya area on 14,180 square Sajid Javid was forced to scrap government to ensure tions and infrastructure, The incessant growth seen meters with a price per square his planned Autumn Budget investment is focused on where bolstered by development plans in tourism and its positive out- foot that accounted for QR400, because of this month’s snap it is needed across the U.K. and adopted by Qatar National comes on the real estate sector totaling QR 61.1m. Doha Munic- election. A rescheduled event delivers value for money for the Tourism Council (QNTC). These are affirmed by the government ipality ranked the second in wasn’t expected until after the top adviser Dominic Cummings taxpayer.” The changes to the factors contribute significantly measures applied to facilitate terms of deal value emanating UK left the European Union on has also criticized Treasury investment rules were earlier to the hiking demand for resi- visa procedures, which allow from the sale of a residential January 31, with some specu- spending rules for favoring reported by the Times dential and hotel units, which natives of more than 80 coun- building in Al Sadd area lation it would happen as early London and the South East. newspaper. will have positive impacts on the tries to enter Qatar without prior spreading over 2249 square as February. Ahead of the Spring Budget, Javid has set three fiscal rules real estate sector, Ezdan weekly visa arrangements, in addition meters, at QR 1239 square foot, Since winning the election, the Treasury will change the for this government: To have the report noted. to increasing the overall occu- totaling QR30m. Johnson promised to heal divi- formula used in its so-called current budget in balance no According to figures on pancy levels in all hotels in sions in a country that’s been “Green Book”, which guides later than the third year of the number of visitors to Qatar, it variant rates. split by Brexit, in particular by investment decisions on every- forecast period, to allow some has been reported that visitors With regard to real estate showing support for people in thing from infrastructure to borrowing for capital from abroad received during the activity by value and the volume districts in the North of England business development. investment, and to reassess plans first ten months of the year (from during the period from 15-19 who voted for his Conservative The aim is to narrow the in the event of a pronounced rise January to last October) December 2019, the Real Estate Party for the first time. Johnson’s productivity gap between the in interest rates. increased to 1.66m, nearing an Registration Department regis- annual growth of 13 percent tered 51 real estate sales trans- compared to the same period in actions, with a total value of a year earlier, Planning and Sta- approximately QR 256.6m, and tistics Authority revealed in a transactions were distributed report. over seven municipalities: Umm This coincides with the Salal, Al Khor, Al Dhakhira, opening of QNTC representative Doha, Al Rayyan, Al Shamal, Al offices in the major exporting Daayen and Al Wakra. The sales markets including United States, included land lots, residences, IMF says Turkish monetary easing went “too far”, calls for neutral fiscal policy in 2020

REUTERS/ANKARA “While the recent fiscal that monetary policy should stimulus has helped the economy focus on durably lowering The International Monetary recover, the underlying deficit has inflation, which would help per- Fund said yesterday that increased significantly. Directors manently lower interest rates. Turkey’s monetary policy easing recommended a broadly neutral In this context, they noted that had “gone too far” and called on fiscal stance in 2020,” the IMF said recent monetary policy easing Ankara to ensure that fiscal in its executive board assessment, has gone too far,” the IMF said. policy remained a main policy adding that a “modest consoli- The independence of Turkey’s anchor. The central govern- dation” is needed to ensure public central bank has been a ment’s budget deficit has debt remains low. longlasting concern of investors, widened this year as Ankara The central bank has cut its with Erdogan supporting the ramped up spending in the wake policy rate by 12 percentage view that high interest rates of a currency crisis that drove points since July, after President stoke inflation. the country into recession. Tayyip Erdogan fired the former The IMF called for clearer In September, Ankara governor for not heeding his monetary and intervention revised its budget deficit forecast calls to lower interest rates. policy to bolster the trans- Robotic painting for 2019 to 125bn lira ($21bn) “Given still-high inflation parency and the credibility of the Robotic arms paint a car at the BYD Automobile Company Limited Xi’an plant, in Shaanxi province, China. from 80.6bn lira previously. expectations, directors stressed central bank. China bucks global research cuts with record analyst count BLOOMBERG issuance have boosted demand European rules known as with almost a fifth saying their around commissions and com- BEIJING for analysis on everything from MiFID II spurred the most recent compensation declined by over pensation, new research depart- the macro economy and indus- wave of job cuts by forcing 20 percent. ments are popping up at smaller China’s brokerages have a tries to fixed-income and com- research costs to be separated Analysts have been forced brokerages such as Kaiyuan record number of analysts on modities. Policy makers are also from trading fees. Chinese firms to focus on professional Securities Co. with China’s Analysts registered the rolls after a fourth straight pushing local brokerages to focus on the vast domestic retail rankings to signal their abilities financial liberalization building with the Securities year of hiring, bucking a global become more competitive in market and are largely shielded and boost earnings. While run- optimism about new lines of trend of investment banks preparation for a build-up by from MiFID II, which only of-the-mill analysts with five business. Association of China scaling back on research. Wall Street giants including applies to banks and brokerages years of experience make the The Nasdaq-style STAR climbed to 3,225 Analysts registered with the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and that interact with European equivalent of about $75,000 a market launched to much as of December 26, Securities Association of China JPMorgan Chase & Co. asset managers. year in China, someone on the fanfare earlier this year and an increase of 8 climbed to 3,225 as of December Research is becoming a core That’s not to say analysts in New Fortune rankings, a hyper- brokers are looking for 26, an increase of 8 percent offering with even smaller firms China has been insulated from competitive version of the Insti- increased demand from new- percent from 2018. from 2018. By comparison, building teams, said Liu Yuanrui, bad news. Compensation struc- tutional Investor poll and comers to the asset man- By comparison, headcount at 12 major global president of Changjiang Secu- tures at local brokerages rely China’s biggest analyst contest, agement space, including banks’ headcount at 12 major banks shrank 8 percent to rities Co., a mid-size brokerage heavily on commission income could easily take home $1 wealth management units and global banks shrank 8 3,500, on pace for the sharpest based in central China, which from funds, something that’s million or more. foreign institutional investors. annual decrease since research had over 90 analysts. “Every been falling away since the The ploy came under regu- Still, Changjiang’s Liu percent to 3,500, on firm Coalition Development company realises it needs one.” market rout of 2015. latory fire last year amid rising doesn’t expect a significant pick pace for the sharpest started collating the numbers in Globally, research has been buf- The dwindling commission questions about how analysts up in income unless brokerages annual decrease since 2012. feted by changes in technology pool has pressured salaries behaved in order to secure votes change their business models. research firm Coalition The divergence underscores and the demands of the market- lower. About 45 percent of for the competition. New “Firms have to rethink the seismic shifts in China’s $21 place with the rise of auto- respondents to a recent New Fortune suspended last year’s function of research teams Development started trillion capital markets. Rising mation and passive funds -- Fortune magazine survey of contest before resuming it in because more profits cannot be collating the numbers foreign fund inflows as well as trends that have been slower to over 1,000 analysts reported a October with much less fanfare. derived from the current in 2012. an uptick in stock and bond catch on in China. salary cut over the past year, Despite the questions model,” he said. 14 BUSINESS SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019

Nigeria LNG to MARKETWATCH Oil prices hover near boost output by 35% 3-month highs on US, QSE FTSE100 DOW CRUDE BLOOMBERG 10,426.37 7,644.90 28,677.72 $61.72 LAGOS -18.15PTS +12.66PTS +56.33 PTS +0.04 Chinese economic data 0.17% 0.17% 0.20% Dow & Brent before going to press Nigeria LNG Ltd decided to proceed with the construction REUTERS of the country’s seventh LONDON liquefied natural gas production train, which will boost the Bitcoin’s purported Oil prices steadied yesterday, China and the United company’s output by 35percent. hovering just under three-month Train 7 will increase the highs as upbeat economic data States cooled their company’s competitiveness in from China and the United States 17-month long trade the global LNG market, state- creator says his and optimism over a trade deal war earlier this owned Nigerian National between the two major econ- Petroleum Corp., said in a omies improved investor month, announcing statement on its Twitter fortune may sentiment. a Phase 1 agreement account. Brent crude was up 1 cent at that would reduce “We are going to put in $67.93 a barrel at 1307 GMT, and some US tariffs in place a project that will ulti- remain locked the West Texas Intermediate was mately deliver at least $20bn up 4 cents at $61.72 a barrel. the trade row, however, showed exchange for more in net revenues to the country, BLOOMBERG Bitcoins to his former partner’s Volume of oil trade remained up in data from Japan, the Chinese purchases create 10,000 direct jobs and PORTLAND estate. thin in the Christmas holidays world’s third-biggest economy, of American farm 40,000 indirect jobs” Mele Wright is a controversial and New Year breaks. on Friday as industrial output products. Kyari, group managing director The man who claims he invented figure, with many in the crypto- Data yesterday showed shrank for a second month in of the NNPC, said in Abuja, the the world’s largest cryptocur- currency community believing profits at China’s industrial firms November. Thursday. The latest poll was nation’s capital. rency and was ordered by a he didn’t invent Bitcoin and rose at the fastest pace in eight In the United States, a survey conducted ahead of the weekly Africa’s largest oil producer judge to surrender about $3bn doesn’t have any extensive months in November. on Thursday showed that online status report from the Energy lost its position as the fourth- of his Bitcoin holdings said he holdings. Still, some investors Among sectors, the chemical, holiday purchases by US con- Information Administration biggest exporter of the fuel glo- may not be able to do so anytime have been concerned that a petroleum processing and steel sumers reached a record, beating (EIA), an agency of the US bally to the US last year. Qatar soon. dump of the coins, supposedly industries reported recovering analysts’ expectations and Department of Energy. and Australia produce three In a statement to Bloomberg locked in a complicated trust profits last month due to sending US stocks to fresh. The price Brent has jumped times as much as the West News, Craig Wright said that he holding about $6 billion, could rebounding market demand and US consumers are “showing more than a quarter in 2019, African nation. Russia also “cannot be certain that infor- affect the market. rising prices amid easing trade few signs of tightening their while WTI is up around 35 threatens to overtake Nigeria mation will in fact arrive” to help “I do not intend to dump my hostilities with Washington. purse strings, which is positive percent, boosted by moves by in global production. identify the coins he has to split family’s BTC as some people China and the United States for oil also,” said Stephen Innes the Organization of the The agreement to go ahead in a legal dispute. The Australian suspect or want, as this would cooled their 17-month long trade (pictured) chief Asia market Petroleum Exporting Countries with the plant is a show of con- scientist added that he hasn’t hurt many people in the war earlier this month, strategist at AxiTrader. and other producers, including fidence in the country, Kyari said the “private keys” to those industry,” Wright said in the announcing a Phase 1 agreement US crude oil stockpiles likely Russia, to curb production. said. Nigeria built its last LNG coins would become available statement, referring to his that would reduce some US declined last week, while inven- Opec+ this month decided to plant in 2007 and the decision or be actually used next month. Bitcoin fortune. tariffs in exchange for more tories of gasoline were set to prolong its oil output restriction to be build a seventh plant had Earlier this year, US Magis- Judge Reinhart found “clear Chinese purchases of American extend their build for the seventh deal until the end of March and been postponed several times trate Judge Bruce Reinhart in and convincing evidence” that farm products. straight week, an extended to deepen the cuts in order to before now. West Palm Beach, Florida, said demonstrates the encrypted The lingering ripple effect of Reuters poll showed on balance out the oil market. The new train, which will Wright submitted false docu- trust file doesn’t exist and that take five years to complete, will ments and lied in the legal Wright’s testimony about it was cost about $10bn and will boost dispute. He ruled that the late “intentionally false,” Vel LNG output to 30 million tons Dave Kleiman owned half of all Freedman of Roche Freedman a year from 22 million tons. Bitcoins that Wright mined LLP, representing the Kleiman The NNPC is the company’s through 2013, and half of all estate, said in an email. The biggest shareholder with a 49 intellectual property he created. plaintiffs’ position has always percent stake, followed by At the time, half of the Bitcoins been that Wright has access to Royal Dutch Shell Plc, which was valued at about $4bn, but the Bitcoin now and “no bonded owns 25.6 percent, Total SA the digital token’s price has courier” needs to arrive for him which has 15 percent and Eni declined since. The ultimate test to get access, he added. with 10.4 percent. may be whether Wright is The lawsuit hasn’t been actually able to deliver the resolved yet. Vietnam makes ‘impressive’ growth despite global slowdown AFP/HANOI But Vietnam has seen a leap the General Statistics. The gains in exports to the US, which has were “impressive” given the Vietnam’s economy notched up prompted businesses to migrate global context of slowing growth an “impressive” 7 percent growth there from China as it is viewed and worsening US-China trade this year to beat its government- as a safer, and cheaper, manufac- tensions, said an online statement set target as the sustained turing hub. Analysts have warned posted by the agency. US-China trade war dented that short-term gains for coun- Trade turnover reached a Cutting carbon footprint economies worldwide. The spat tries like Vietnam may drop off if record $517bn this year. But between Washington and Beijing the ongoing row continues. Yet there remains a gradual decline In this file photo Cargo ships seen berthed at Tanjong Pagar and Pulau Brani container terminals has dragged on for 18 months, as 2019’s GDP surpassed the com- in export growth, according to a in Singapore. Several maritime transport organisations are proposing to create an innovation fund both have inflicted punitive tit- munist government’s set target of World Bank report -- dropping which would be financed by a fuel tax in order to conduct projects to reduce the carbon footprint for-tat tariffs on hundreds of 6.8 percent, hitting 7.02 percent, from 21 percent in 2017 to 8 of the sector, one of the most polluting in the world. billions of dollars of goods. according to figures released by percent in 2019. VW raises forecast for A grumpy 2020 for global growth electric car production AFP intelligence exploits that data. decade ago, central bank pol- PARIS The online arena has icies have led to negative AP such cars from a niche product emerged as another front for interest rates spreading in some FRANKFURT to one with mass acceptance. US political clouds coupled with Trump’s trade wars, after he countries, squeezing bank prof- The ID.3 base model will cost wider climate and digital trans- threatened tariffs on France over itability and inflating private Automaker Volkswagen is under 30,000 euros ($33,500) formations point to a tricky 2020 its digital tax imposed on the debt. raising the bar for its plunge into and travel 330 to 550 kilom- for the world economy, although likes of Amazon, Facebook and With growth faltering, the battery powered cars, saying it eters (205 to 340 miles) on a experts say a lurch back to crisis Google. Europe is threatening a debate about wealth distribution will reach its goal of 1 million single charge. is improbable. collective response. will likely become still more electric cars per year two years European carmakers must The Organisation for Eco- Ludovic Subran (pictured), acute. Anger at inequality runs earlier than planned. The meet tougher limits on fleet nomic Co-operation and Devel- chief economist of German like a thread through protest announcement yesterday comes average emissions of carbon opment said last month that insurance giant Allianz, sees a movements from rich Hong as European automakers are dioxide from 2021 or face heavy activity had been hobbled by global “purgatory of growth” Kong to developing Chile. under pressure to meet lower fines. Analysts and carmakers weaker trade and investment in coming up. Any systemic shock US investor Steve Eisman of emissions limits aimed at say the only way they can do the past two years, as US Pres- next year “will probably not be “The Big Short” fame thinks that fighting global warming. that is to significantly increase ident Donald Trump pursued a born in finance, but will be exog- another global crisis is unlikely, The Wolfsburg-based auto- their sales of electrics. trade war with China. enous, for example a big regu- but the best that can be hoped maker said that its core Carbon dioxide is the The OECD expects global change and the march of latory shock on personal data, for is a slow strangulation of Volkswagen brand would turn primary greenhouse gas blamed growth to dip in the coming year technology. or in relation to the climate”, he growth. out a million battery-only cars by scientists for global warming. to 2.9 percent, its lowest level The International Monetary said. “What will happen next time, by the end of 2023 instead of The new limit of 95 grams of since the world recession of Fund was a little more optimistic If Trump survives the whenever it does happen, will end 2025, and would reach 1.5 CO2 per kilometer was set by the 2009. in its latest World Economic impeachment process and wins be your normal garden variety million by the end of 2025. European Union to help meet Trump appears to have Outlook, forecasting 2020 a second term, he could “double of recession where the economy Those numbers are a stark the goals of the 2015 Paris struck a truce with China for growth of 3.4 percent but the bet against China” at the risk slows and goes negative and contrast to this year’s pro- climate accords aimed at lim- now, under a “phase one” pact warning nevertheless of a “syn- of military confrontation, Subran people lose money. That’ll be duction of more than 70,000 iting the global rise in announced this month, but pre- chronised slowdown and added. painful enough,” Eisman said. e-cars and last year’s total of temperature. existing tariffs remain in place uncertain recovery”. “The big issue is transfor- “A systemic crisis? Once was 50,000. Volkswagen is The company showed off the and it will take time to demo- The rise of technological mation, digitalisation, electric enough for our lifetimes,” he planning to raise its production ID.3 at the Frankfurt auto show bilise their effects. giants sitting on mountains of mobility,” he said, fretting that said, reflecting back on the and sales numbers by intro- in September and will start More broadly, the OECD data is meanwhile challenging the an influx of cheap Chinese car implosion of 2007-2008 that ducing the ID.3, a battery delivering it to customers next contrasted proactive actions distribution of wealth between batteries means “we are made hundreds of millions for model the company says will year. It says it can make 330,000 taken by central banks with the governments and big business, dreading the loss of many his hedge fund when he correctly have the low price and longer per year at its factory in Zwickau policy foot-dragging by govern- and has the potential to reshape jobs”. foretold the US subprime range needed to transform in eastern Germany. ments in the face of climate the world of work as artificial Since the financial crisis a collapse. SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 BUSINESS 15

EU may need to Opec+ cuts can’t last extend deadline for trade talks forever, says Novak with UK BLOOMBERG limitations of a harsh climate to REUTER MOSCOW technical issues resulting from SPARIS/BERLIN the Druzhba oil-contamination Opec+ output cuts have stabi- crisis. The nation’s largest oil The European Union may need to lized the global oil market but producer, Rosneft PJSC, has crit- extend the deadline for talks about can’t last forever, Russia said as icized the Opec+ deal, saying it a new trade relationship with Britain, uncertainty persists over the serves the interests of Saudi European Commission President future of the agreement beyond Arabia -- the de facto leader of Ursula von der Leyen told French March. Opec -- and the US. daily Les Echos in an interview “Oil-production cuts can’t be In a revision to the deal in published yesterday. eternal; we will gradually need early December, Russia and its Von der Leyen said both sides to make a decision on exiting” Opec+ partners agreed to deepen needed to seriously think about the accord, Energy Minister their curbs in the first quarter of whether there is enough time to Alexander Novak (pictured) said 2020 to 1.7 million barrels a day. negotiate a new trade deal and work in an interview with state tele- between the Organization of Russia is set to enlarge its cuts out agreements about a series of vision channel Rossiya24. As one Petroleum Exporting Countries by 70,000 barrels a day to about other issues. of the architects of the Opec+ and its partners back in 2016, has 300,000 a day. “It would be reasonable to deal, Russia’s view is key, though shown this year that it’s getting Nevertheless, the nation evaluate the situation mid-year and the nation’s oil producers have weary of limiting supply. The requested that condensate be then, if necessary, agree on extending long pushed for a relaxation of nation has consistently failed to excluded from its target. Novak the transition period,” she told the output curbs. comply with its quota, over- has denied that the change is a paper. Britain has set a hard deadline Russia needs to defend its shooting its target for eight loophole allowing Russia to of December 2020 for reaching a market share and let its oil com- months so far in 2019, according pump more oil and claim com- new trade deal with the EU, betting panies develop new projects, to Bloomberg calculations based pliance. While Russia’s official that the prospect of another Brexit Novak said. The minister didn’t on official statistics. statistics don’t provide a cliff-edge would force Brussels to specify when the country may That trend has continued in breakdown for crude and con- move quickly to seal an accord. decide to withdraw from the December, with Russia pumping densate, the Energy Ministry In separate comments to German agreement, but said he expects 11.252 million barrels a day so will regularly inform analysts, magazine Der Spiegel, von der Leyen to discuss the matter with his far this month, about 62,000 a the media and OPEC about the said of Britain’s departure deadline, Opec+ counterparts next year. day above target, according to composition of its output, Novak currently set as Dec.ember 31, 2020: Global oil demand may surge as official data seen by Bloomberg. said. “That worries me a lot, because time soon as next summer, he said. The country has come up Opec+ will meet in early is extremely short for the mass of Russia, which helped to with various explanations for its March to discuss options for issues that have to be negotiated.” cement the original deal lack of compliance -- from the future cooperation on supply. She said earlier this month. Gold heads for best week since August

BLOOMBERG which typically reduces investor but this single factor is insufficient New York, after earlier touching SINGAPORE appetite for haven assets like gold. to explain a jump like this.” $1,514.09, the highest since This week’s jump was Gold has gained about 18 November 4. Prices are up 2.2 Gold is heading for its biggest probably driven by bargain- percent so far this year, supported percent this week, heading for the weekly advance in more than four hunting, as investors bet that gold by trade frictions, easier mon- biggest weekly gain since August months, setting the metal up for was poised for a rebound fol- etary policy across the world’s 9. its best year since 2010. lowing three months of price con- leading economies and sustained Still, trading volumes are low, Bullion held near the highest solidation, said Margaret Yang, an buying from exchange-traded “warning that the magnitude of in seven weeks on Friday even as analyst at CMC Markets Singapore funds and central banks. Spot these moves might owe more to stocks climbed worldwide and Pte. “A weakening dollar helped gold was little changed at illiquidity than conviction,” said US-China trade concerns eased, to propel precious metals prices $1,511.27 an ounce by 7:56 a.m. in DailyFX strategist Ilya Spivak.

CROSSWORD MALL ROYAL PLAZA

Frozen II (2D/Animation) 2:15 & 4:40pm; Prati Roju Pandaage (2D/Telugu) 2:00pm; Spies In Disguise (2D/Amination) 2:30pm; Spies In Disguise (2D/Amination) 2:00pm; 4:00pm; Miracle In Cell No. 7 (2D/Tagalog) Hero (2D/Tamil) 2:15pm; Dabangg 3 4:00pm; Trauma Center 4:30pm; IP Man 4: The Final 6:30pm Frozen II (2D/Animation) 2:15pm; Valiya Perunnal (2D/Malayalam) Dabangg 3 8:40 & 11:40pm; My Santa 2:00pm 4:00pm; Miracle In Cell No. 7 (2D/Tagalog) 2:30pm; (2D/Action) 6:30 & 9:00pm; Jumanji: The Next Level (2D/Action) 4:30 & 7:00pm; El Folous A.K.A The Money 6:30 & 11:30pm; 6:15pm; Ruler (2D/Telugu) 8:30pm; Jumanji: The Next Level Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2D/Action) 6:45pm; 6:30pm; Driving License (2D/Malayalam) 11:15pm Kettyolanu Ente Maalakha (2D/Malayalam) Driving License (2D/Malayalam) 7:00 & 11:15pm; LANDMARK El Folous A.K.A The Money 7:00 & 9:15pm; Ruler (2D/Telugu) 11:30pm; Trauma Center 9:15pm; IP Man 4: The Final 9:30pm

Hero (2D/Tamil) 2:00pm; Spies In Disguise (2D/Amination) 2:00pm; Frozen II (2D/Animation) FLIK Mirqab Mall 2:00 & 4:15pm Miracle In Cell No. 7 6:45pm; 3 Pol Trobol Huli Ka Balbon 4:30pm; Driving License (2D/Malayalam) 1:10, 3:55 & 6:40p Jumanji: The Next Level (2D/Action) 4:15 & 8:30pm; El Folous A.K.A The Money 4:50, 9:35 & 11:55pm Driving License (2D/Malayalam) 6:00 & 11:30pm Frozen II (2D/Animation) 10:30, 11:00am & 2:40pm 1:10, 6:40, 9:25pm & 0:10am Dabangg 3 (2D/Hindi) 8:30pm; Good Newwz 3 (2D/Hindi) Ip Man 4: The Finale 5:25 & 11:45pm; Jumanji: The Next Level (3D/ El Folous A.K.A The Money (2D/Arabic) 2:15 & Action) 10;20am, 12:45, 3:10, 5:35, 8:00 & 10:25pm; Miracle in Cell 6:30pm; IP Man 4: The Final 9:00pm; Ruler (2D/ No.7 (2D/Animation) 11:35, 2:00, 4:25, 6:50, 9:10 & 11:35pm 11:00pm; 11:15pm Telugu) Trauma Center Spies in Disguise (2D/Animation) 10:15am, 12:15, 2:15, 4:15, 7:35, 8;15 & 10:15pm; AL KHOR Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2D/Action) 11:50am, 2:40, 5:30, 8:20, 9:25 & 11:10pm; 12:40 & 1:20pm Dabangg 3 (2D/Hindi) 10:30am, 1:45, 5:00, 8:15 & The Courier 11:30pm Trauma Center 11:20am, 3:20 & 9:40pm Hero (2D/Tamil) 11:45am, 5:45 & 11:45pm Jumanji: The Next Level (2D/Action) 11:45am, ASIAN TOWN 11:30pm; Thambi (2D/Tamil) 3:00 & 9:00pm; Star Wars: The Ruler (2D/Telugu) 12:30pm Rise Of Skywalker (2D/Action) 2:30pm; Thambi (2D/Tamil) 3:30pm Mamangam (2D/Malayalam) 5:30pm Dabangg 3 (2D/Hindi) 8:30pm Good Newwz 3 (2D/Hindi) 6:15pm ROXY Hero (2D/Tamil) 9:00pm Driving Licence (2D/Malayalam) 12:30, 3:00, 5:30, 8:00, 10:30, Driving License (2D/Malayalam) 10:30am, 12:30, 1:00, 11;30pm Yesterday’s answer 3:10, 3:40, 6:20, 8:20, 9:00 & 11:40pm; Frozen II (2D/ Kettyolanu Ente Maalakha (2D/Malayalam) 8:45pm Animation) 11:00, 4:00, 3:15 & 6:00pm; Good Newwz My Santa (2D/Malayalam) 12:30, 3;15, 8:45 & 11:30pm 3 (2D/Hindi) 12:30, 3:15, 6:00 & 11:45pm; Ip Man 4: Valiya Perunnal (2D/Malayalam) 3:00, 9:00pm The Finale 6:00, 9:20, 10:45 & 11:30pm; Jumanji: The Next Level (3D/Action) 110:30am,11:00am, 12:30, 3:30, 6:15, 8;15 & 8:45pm Spies in Disguise (2D/Animation) 2:00, 5:00 & 8:45pm; Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (2D/ Action) 1:00, 1:20, 2:45, 3:00, 10;45 & 11:15pm Thambi (2D/Tamil) 11:00pm; El Folous A.K.A The Money (2D/Arabic) 4:20, 5:50, 6:20, 7:45, 8:00, 8;15, 10:15, 10:30 & 11:10pm

IP MAN 4: THE FINALE

Ip Man 4: The Finale is a 2019 Chinese martial arts film directed by Wilson Yip and produced by Raymond Wong. 16 CLASSIFIEDS SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019

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70482655 SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 SPORT 17 I don’t think it is fair on the boys at all. I don’t think it is Manchester United’s fair to be expected to perform Ole Gunnar Solskjaer CRICKET CRICKET becomes the latest EPL manager Australia vs New Zealand South Africa vs England at the best of your level, both to complain about the packed mentally and physically, 48 programme of fixtures over Boxing Day Test, Day 3 in Boxing Day Test, Day 3 in

Christmas and New Year. ACTION Melbourne Centurion

hours after you have played. TODAY’S

ANATOLIA/THE PENINSULA September 21: ANKARA Barcelona’s Messi receives the Best FIFA Men’s Player 2019 Major sports events that took award. place in the year of 2019. Highlights of the year September 29: Serbia bag the gold medal JANUARY in the CEV Men’s Volleyball January 11: European Championship by UEFA, European football’s beating Slovenia 3-1 in the final. governing body, announced the Team of the Year 2018. Fans OCTOBER voted online to select players. October 4: Superstars Lionel Messi (Bar-  American Dalilah celona) and Cristiano Ronaldo Muhammad breaks her own (Juventus) were in this team. world record in the 400-meter January 17: hurdles in 52.16 seconds at 17th Qatari driver Nasser Saleh World Athletics Championships Al Attiyah and co-driver Matthieu in Doha. Baumel of France win the 2019  Mutaz Essa Barshim, Dakar Rally in Peru. It was Al Atti- Qatar’s champion high jumper yah’s third Dakar Rally title. has wins the Gold Medal at the January 21: IAAF Doha 2019 after clearing the Argentine football player 2.37m. Emiliano Sala gets killed in a October 8: plane crash in the English  Female athlete Simone Channel. Sala, 28, was on his way Biles becomes the most decorated to join his new club Cardiff City gymnast in World Championships from Nantes. history with her 21st gold medal. January 26: October 30: Japan’s Naomi Osaka, 22,  A Nepali mountaineer beats Petra Kvitova 2-1 to gain the Nirmal Purja climbs the world’s 2019 Australian Open Women’s tallest 14 peaks in six months to Singles title. break the world record. January 27: October 4: Qatari high jumper Mutaz Essa Barshim becomes the world champion after winning the gold medal at the IAAF Doha  NOVEMBER Serbian tennis player 2019 World Athletics Championships. Novak Djokovic wins the 2019 November 3: Australian Open title in Men’s  Kenyan athlete Daniel Singles after he defeats his Antoine Griezmann from La Liga Kipkore Kibet wins the 41st Spanish rival Rafael Nadal 3-0 in rivals Atletico Madrid, paying Istanbul Marathon men’s title by final. €120m ($134.9m) for the buyout breaking the 42 km Istanbul Mar- clause to acquire Griezmann. athon track record while Ethi- FEBRUARY July 13: opian athlete Hirut Tibebu wins February 1: Romanian tennis player women’s title at the interconti-  Qatar national football Simona Halep beats her US nental Istanbul Marathon. team win their first Asian Cup, opponent Serena Williams 2-0 to beating Japan 3-1 in final. win the 2019 Wimbledon title in  Mercedes team’s driver February 4: women’s singles. Lewis Hamilton secures the 2019 New England Patriots beat July 14: Formula 1 title at the US Grand Los Angeles Rams 13-3 in the  Serbian tennis player Prix with a second-place finish at Super Bowl to win sixth NFL title Novak Djokovic defeats Swiss the Circuit of the Americas. in history. Roger Federer 3-2 to win the 2019 Wimbledon title in men’s singles. DECEMBER MARCH July 19: December 3: March 7:  Algeria earn their first  Messi receives the 2019  Los Angeles Lakers’ Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Ballon d’Or award, his sixth. American superstar LeBron James title in 29 years, defeating Senegal December 9: scored 31 points against Denver 1- 0 in the Egyptian capital Cairo.  The World Anti-Doping Nuggets in NBA game to beat a Agency (WADA) hands a four- Qatar’s captain Hassan Al Haydos (centre) raises the trophy as he celebrates their win during the AFC Chicago Bulls legend, Michael AUGUST year ban to Russia for major Asian Cup final against Japan held at the Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on February 1. Jordan, who had 32,292 points in August 12: sporting events including the his career. James tallied 32,311  A former Inter Milan, 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2022 points in total to surpass Jordan. leagues, English Premier January 17: Qatari driver Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and co-driver Galatasaray and Al Gharafa star, World Cup. The NBA’s all-time top scorer is League, Spanish La Liga and Matthieu Baumel of France win the 2019 Dakar Rally in Peru. Dutch attacking midfielder December 15: a retired player, Kareem Abdul- Italian Serie A. Wesley Sneijder, 35, retires from Tokyo National Stadium Jabbar, who dropped 38,387 April 27: football. Sneijder helped Inter win declared ready for 2020 Summer points in the league. Barcelona win Spanish 2010 UEFA Champions League. Olympics as the Japanese prime March 11: La Liga title with three weeks August 14: minister, Shinzo Abe opens it. French manager Zinedine remaining in the season. Liverpool capture the 2019 December 19: Zidane returns to Spanish La Liga UEFA Super Cup in Istanbul’s  Belgium’s National giants Real Madrid to work as a MAY Vodafone Park Stadium after Football Team tops the FIFA manager for the second time in May 12: beating Chelsea 5-4 on World Ranking in 2019. his career.  Manchester City beat penalties. December 21: Brighton 4-1 to win the English August 18: Liverpool win 2019 FIFA APRIL Premier League title.  English football veteran Club World Cup after beating Bra- April 2: May 15: Ashley Cole retires from football zil’s Flamengo 1-0 in the final in  The German Football Ajax Amsterdam win 34th at the ageggy of 38, ending a 20-year Qatar.Q Association (DFB) President title in Dutch top-tier Eredivisie professionalprofessional career. December 25: Reinhard Grindel resigns. league, beating De Graafschap AugustAugust 2929:: Spain’sSpain’s Real Madrid heads April 20: 4-1. VirgilVirgil van DiDijk,jk, LiverpooLiverpool’sl’s UEFA’sUEFA’s listlist of all-  Italian football power- May 18: League trophy over 4-1 win 2-0 victory against Tottenhamham DutchDutch defender,defender, is namenamedd thethe timetime top 30 house Juventus lift their eight  Bayern Munich hit Ein- against Arsenal. Hotspur in Madrid. UEFAUEFA Men’s PlayerPlayer ofof thethe Year.Year. clclubsubs ooff consecutive Serie A title, beating tracht Frankfurt 5-1 to win their June 5: European Fiorentina 2-1 at home. 28th title in Germany’s top JUNE A Swiss-Italian national,onal, SEPTEMBER CCupup with  Juventus forward football league, Bundesliga. June 1: Gianni Infantino is re-electedcted SeptemberSeptember 8: 6006 00 Ronaldo becomes first player May 29:  Liverpool claim UEFA FIFA President for another ffourour AmericanAmerican SerenaSerena WilliamsWilliams points.points. to win titles in three major Chelsea bag UEFA Europa Champions League title over a years. isis ddefeatedefeated 6-3,6-3, 7-5,7-5, in tthehe June 9: women’swomen’s finalfinal of the UUnitednited States  Spanish tennis playerayer OpenOpen byby Bianca Andreescu who Rafael Nadal wins the Frenchench becomesbecomes tthehe firstfirst CanadianCanadian to win Open title, beating Austria’sria’s thethe title.title. Dominic Thiem 3-1. SeptemberSeptember 9: June 11: SpanishSpanish RafaelRafael Barcelona superstar MessiMessi NadalNadal winwinss tthehe US. becomes the most paid athleteete in OOpenpen to claimclaim hishis the world with $127m, Forbes sasays.ys. 19th GrandGrand SlamSlam June 13: title.title.  Spanish football giantsants SeptemberSeptember Real Madrid sign Belgian mid-mid- 15:15: fielder Eden Hazard from Chelsea.elsea.  SpainSpain “Los Blancos” (The Whites) papayy winwin 20192019 FIBA $112 million transfer feee to BasketballBasketball Chelsea to set new club record.ord. WorldWorld CupCup June 14: ttitle,itle, beatinbeatingg The Toronto Raptors --- thethe AArgentinargentina only NBA team outside the US- 95-7595-75 in finalfinal Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) become 2019 NBA championsions inin Beijing.Beijing. President Stanislav Pozdnyakov holds a after beating Golden State WWar-ar- SSpanishpanish pplay-lay- press conference in Moscow after WADA riors 114-110 in the finals. mmakeraker guardguard RickyRicky handed a four-year ban to Russia for RRubioubio is pickedpicked as JULY the MMostost ValuableValuable major sporting events including the 2020 December 2: Barcelona's Lionel Messi July 12: PlayerPlayer (MVP)(MVP) of the Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Cup. wins his 6th Ballon d'Or award Barcelona sign Frenchh star World Cup. 18 SPORT SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 Wickets tumble on day two at Centurion

AFP SCOREBOARD But Denly survived the initial CENTURION, SOUTH AFRICA South Africa (1 Innings) J Bairstow b Nortje ...... 1 fast bowling storm and gradually asserted himself to make 50 off D Elgar c Buttler b Anderson ...... 0 J Buttler c De Kock b Philander ...... 12 Vernon Philander led a relentless 111 balls with nine fours. South African bowling A Markram c Bairstow b Curran ...... 20 S Curran c Hamza b Rabada ...... 20 England collapsed, however, performance before England Z Hamza c Stokes b Broad ...... 39 J Archer b Philander ...... 3 after Denly was caught behind fought back on the second day F du Plessis c Root b Broad ...... 29 S Broad c Elgar b Rabada ...... 2 off an inside edge to give all- of the first Test at Centurion’s H van der Dussen c Root b Curran ...... 6 J Anderson (not out) ...... 0 rounder Dwaine Pretorius his SuperSport Park yesterday. Q de Kock c Buttler b Curran ...... 95 Extras (B4, LB5, NB2, W5) ...... 16 first Test wicket. Philander took four for 16 in Fast bowler Anrich Nortje D Pretorius c Root b Curran ...... 33 Total (53.2 overs) ...... 181 14.2 overs as South Africa bowled Jonny Bairstow for one appeared to have taken control V Philander c Buttler b Broad ...... 35 Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-15, 3-70, 4-142, in the next over and then claimed by bowling out England for 181, K Maharaj c Stokes b Archer ...... 6 5-143, 6-150, 7-176, 8-176, 9-181 the key wicket of Stokes when a first innings lead of 103. K Rabada b Broad ...... 12 Bowling: Rabada 15-1-68-3 (2nb), Phi- he switched to bowling around But England struck hard at A Nortje (not out) ...... 0 lander 14.2-8-16-4, Pretorius 8-2-23-1, the wicket and induced a loose the start of the second innings. Extras (LB4, NB2, W3) ...... 9 Nortje 12-2-47-2 (1w), Maharaj 4-1-18-0 drive which presented wicket- South Africa were 72 for four at keeper Quinton de Kock with his Total (84.3 overs) ...... 284 South Africa (II Innings) the close, an overall lead of 175 fifth catch of the innings. on a pitch which has proved dif- Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-32, 3-71, 4-97, A Markram lbw b Anderson ...... 2 Nortje bowled at high pace, ficult for batsmen throughout. 5-111, 6-198, 7-245, 8-252, 9-277 D.Elgar c Buttler b Archer ...... 22 with a top speed of 149kmh. Philander, 34, who has Bowling: Anderson 20-4-69-1, Broad Z Hamza c Buttler b Broad ...... 4 From a promising position announced he will retire from 18.3-4-58-4 (1nb, 1w), Curran 20-5-58-4 F du Plessis c Curran b Archer ...... 20 at 142 for three, England lost international cricket at the end (2w), Archer 19-4-65-1(1nb), Root 4-0- H van der Dussen not out ...... 17 their last seven wickets for 39 of the four-Test series, produced runs. But wickets continued to 26-0, Denly 3-0-4-0 A Nortje (batting) ...... 4 a master class of control to com- fall when South Africa batted plement the strike power of fast England (1 Innings) Extras (b1, lb1, nb1) ...... 3 again. James Anderson, who dis- bowlers Kagiso Rabada (three for R Burns c De Kock b Philander ...... 9 Total (4 wkts, 20 overs) ...... 72 missed Dean Elgar with the first 68) and Anrich Nortje (two for D Sibley c De Kock b Rabada ...... 4 Fall of wickets: 1-2 , 2-25 , 3-29, 4-62 ball of the match on Thursday, 47). J Denly c De Kock b Pretorius ...... 50 Bowling: Anderson 4-0-19-1, Broad 5-2- again claimed a wicket in his first Wicketkeeper Quinton de J Root c De Kock b Philander ...... 29 6-1, Archer 6-1-37-2 (1nb), Curran 4-2-8-0, over when Aiden Markram Kock equalled the South African played around his pads and was B Stokes c De Kock b Nortje ...... 35 Stokes 1-1-0-0 Test record by holding six leg before wicket. Zubayr Hamza catches, a feat which had been was caught by wicketkeeper Jos accomplished six times before - He shared in partnerships of 55 Denly was dropped on Buttler down the leg side before England’s Jofra Archer is bowled out by South Africa’s on four occasions by new head for the third wicket with captain nought and took 28 balls to score Elgar was caught behind for 22 Vernon Philander during the first Test at the Supersport coach Mark Boucher. Joe Root (29) and 72 for the his first run as Philander had an off Jofra Archer’s second ball to Park, Centurion, South Africa, yesterday. Joe Denly hit a half-century fourth wicket with Ben Stokes opening spell of one wicket for reduce South Africa to 29 for for England after a shaky start. (35). no runs in five overs. three. Archer in no-ball Australia take charge of second Test AFP SCOREBOARD controversy MELBOURNE Australia (1 Innings) Australia snatched two early AFP wickets to leave New Zealand J Burns b Boult ...... 0 CENTURION, SOUTH AFRICA facing an uphill battle to stay in D Warner c Southee b Wagner ...... 41 the second Test yesterday as they M Labuschagne b de Grandhomme .. 63 England’s Jofra Archer was chase the home team’s 467, built S Smith c Nicholls b Wagner ...... 85 no-balled and warned for a on the back of a gritty 114 from M Wade c Watling b de Grandhomme .. high no-ball but appeared to Travis Head. 38 escape sanction for a second At the close on day two, the high delivery in a controversial Black Caps were 44 for two with T Head c Snatner b Wagner ...... 114 end to the second day of the Tom Latham not out nine and T Paine lbw Wagner ...... 79 first Test yesterday. Ross Taylor on two as a series M Starc c Williamson b Southee ...... 1 South African captain Faf defeat looms. J Pattinson not out ...... 14 du Plessis and coach Mark Captain Kane Williamson P Cummins c Latham b Southee ...... 0 Boucher were understood to lasted only 14 balls, skying a N Lyon c Wagner b Southee ...... 1 have approached match referee James Pattinson delivery to Andy Pycroft after the close of wicketkeeper Tim Paine on nine Australian batsman Travis Extras (lb22, b5, w4) ...... 31 play but there was no imme- while Tom Blundell, called up for Head celebrates scoring Total (all out) ...... 467 diate statement on what the out-of-form Jeet Raval, was his century against New Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-61, 3-144, 4-216, transpired. out to Pat Cummins for 15. Zealand on the second 5-284, 6-434, 7-435, 8-458, 9-463, 10- “The match referee has The visitors need to win to day of the second Test 467 deferred the situation for square the three-match series match at the MCG in Bowling: Boult 31-3-91-1, Southee comment to the International after crashing by 296 runs in the Melbourne, yesterday. Cricket Council communica- opening day-night clash in Perth. 33.1-6-103-1, de Grandhomme 30-5-68- tions department. We have Australia looked in complete 2, Wagner 38-11-83-4, Santner 20-1- been asked to leave it to them,” control at tea on 431 for five, but Head came into the match played an array of shots to notch It was a big turnaround for 82-0, Blundell 3-0-13-0 said a South African team they then collapsed to be all out under pressure after a lean spell, his seventh Test half-century off New Zealand who were buoyed New Zealand (1 Innings) spokesperson. for 467 within nine overs of the but silenced his critics with only just 72 balls. The 35-year-old after snaring the vital wicket of T Latham (batting)...... 9 “There was a little bit of restart. his second Test century, reaching had a golden opportunity to Smith for 85 before lunch, but T Blundell c Paine b Cummins ...... 15 conversation going on after the Skipper Paine departed for three figures off 222 balls. score a maiden ton, but he blew then failed to capitalise. game,” said South African 79 seven balls after tea, with It was a patient innings from it, out lbw to Wagner after a Smith looked set for a 27th K Williamson c Paine b Pattinson ...... 9 opening bowler Vernon Mitchell Starc gone soon after for the 25-year-old, who scored his review. Test century and his fifth in as R Taylor (batting)...... 2 Philander. one. Head, Cummins and Nathan only other century (161) against That brought Starc to the many Tests at the Melbourne Extras (LB3, B4, W1, NB1) ...... 9 “The umpires have to deal Lyon rapidly followed with Neil Sri Lanka in Canberra. After crease, but he lasted just three Cricket Ground before a Wagner Total (two wickets) ...... 44 with it. Hopefully they will Wagner (4-83) and Tim Southee reaching his ton he began hitting balls before spooning a Southee bouncer ended his 242-ball Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-39 make the right call.” Although (3-103) doing the damage. out and finally fell to a Wagner delivery to Williamson at mid- knock. It had been slow going as Bowling: Starc 4-0-18-0, Cummins 7-3- Philander said it was a matter Australia started the day at full toss, slicing it to Mitchell off. Cummins and Lyon managed pace spearheads Trent Boult, for the umpires he offered his 257 for four with Steve Smith on Santner. He was ably supported just one run between them with Southee and Wagner kept the 8-1, Pattinson 5-1-9-1, Lyon 2-0-2-0 own opinion. 77 and Head not out 25. by the impressive Paine, who Pattinson left not out 14. batsmen in check, “For me it’s plain and simple. You are setting an example for the rest of the people looking into this game. Paine blasts DRS technology You have to make the right call. Are you going to tolerate it at another game or are we going to put a stop to it right here?” after controversial dismissal Square leg umpire Chris Gaffaney signalled no-ball AFP he said of the delivery. Some com- Paine’s disappointment was when an attempted slower ball MELBOURNE mentators agreed that it was hard to compounded by New Zealand’s by the England fast bowler went see how Wagner’s ball could have cut Ross Taylor surviving a review late past nightwatchman Anrich Australia captain Tim Paine blasted back into Paine so much, struck him in the day after initially being Nortje in the penultimate over cricket’s Decision Review System in line and gone on to hit middle given out lbw. The ball looked to of a dramatic day during which yesterday, saying it left him “disap- stump. be hitting the stumps but the 15 wickets fell. pointed and angry” after he was tracking technology showed it The next delivery also was dismissed controversially in the going over. high and full, which had Nortje second Test against New Zealand. “And then you get one late falling to the turf to avoid Paine played one of his best tonight which, the guy’s stuck on the being hit, as Archer again tried innings and was on track to score crease, he’s hit really full and it’s to bowl his slower “knuckle” a maiden Test century when he I won’t go into it too far going over, so it’s disappointing and ball. was removed lbw by Neil Wagner because I’ll get in trouble it makes me angry,” said Paine. Umpire Gaffaney appeared for 79 after New Zealand reviewed “I’ve got a few doubts, no doubt to start signalling another the umpire’s original not out but I’m just seeing time and about that,” he added of the tech- no-ball, which could have decision. time again, what I see to nology’s accuracy. resulted in Archer not being He was asked about the DRS by the naked eye, or watching “I won’t go into it too far because allowed to bowl again broadcaster ABC afterwards and it on television in real time, I’ll get in trouble but I’m just seeing according to International Australian batsman Tim Paine pulls a ball away replied: “Don’t start.” time and time again, what I see to Cricket Council regulations. But from the New Zealand bowling on the second day “I thought from the length that it and then what it comes up the naked eye, or watching it on tel- he seemed to check his signal. of the second Test match at the MCG in Melbourne, pitched, and the bloke bowling is sometimes a little bit off evision in real time, and then what The umpires spoke to Archer yesterday. around the wicket, it’s pretty difficult the mark: Tim Paine it comes up is sometimes a little bit and the over was called. to hit you in line, and hit the stumps,” off the mark.” SATURDAY 28 DECEMBER 2019 SPORT 19 Liverpool thrash Leicester to stretch lead

AFP a calm finish into the top corner. English Premier League LONDON The visitors then secured a English Premier League results second straight win to move up on Thursday: Liverpool stretched their Premier to 14th when Nathan Redmond Aston Villa 1 (Hourihane 64) League lead to 13 points by prodded past the onrushing Kepa Norwich 0 outclassing second-placed Arrizabalaga 17 minutes from Bournemouth 1 (Gosling 35) Leicester in a 4-0 win on Boxing time. Arsenal 1 (Aubameyang 63) Day as Manchester United and Spurs were still feeling the Chelsea 0 Southampton 2 Tottenham cut the gap on fourth- after-effects of that Chelsea (Obafemi 31, Redmond 73) placed Chelsea. defeat with Son Heung-min sus- Crystal Palace 2 (Kouyate Mikel Arteta got off to an pended and confidence low 68, Ayew 90) West Ham 1 underwhelming start as Arsenal when Adam Webster headed (Snodgrass 57) manager with a 1-1 draw at Brighton ahead midway through Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 80) Bournemouth, but Carlo Ance- the first half. Burnley 0 lotti had a more positive impact Kane swept home at the Leicester 0 Liverpool 4 on his Everton bow as Dominic second attempt after his first shot (Firmino 31, 74, Milner 71-pen, Calvert-Lewin’s brilliant diving was saved by Mat Ryan before header earned a 1-0 win over Alli then delivered all three Alexander-Arnold 78) Burnley. points with a delightful chipped Manchester United 4 (Martial Chelsea beat Tottenham in a finish from an acute angle. 24, 51, Greenwood 36, big win for Frank Lampard over United were also beaten 2-0 Rashford 41) Newcastle 1 his former mentor Jose Mourinho at bottom-of-the-table Watford (M Longstaff 17) on Sunday, but the gap between on Sunday and another frus- Sheffield United 1 (Norwood the two is back down to three trating evening seemingly 36-pen) Watford 1 (Deulofeu points as the Blues lost 2-0 at beckoned when Matty Longstaff 27) home to lowly Southampton. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates after the English Premier League match against scored his second Premier Tottenham 2 (Kane 53, Alli Spurs came from behind to Leicester City at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on Thursday. League goal - both of which have 72) Brighton 1 (Webster 37) beat Brighton 2-1 thanks to goals come against the Red Devils. from Harry Kane and Dele Alli, However, unlike when the Dubravka for the fourth early in while United moved just a point Liverpool midfielder James quarter ensured the scoreline faced with breaking down Magpies beat Ole Gunnar Solska- the second half. further back in seventh as they Milner. fairly reflected their control. stubborn defensive opponents jer’s men 1-0 in October, the Arteta got an early lesson in too overturned a poor start to “We are not even halfway Milner doubled the visitors’ in Southampton. response from United was the flaws that have blighted thrash Newcastle 4-1 with and so much can change and lead before Firmino’s classy The Blues have now lost to emphatic. Arsenal’s season as they were Anthony Martial scoring twice. happen. The strength of this team finish made it 3-0. West Ham, Bournemouth and the Martial fired in at the near caught out trying to play from the Liverpool’s trip to their is we take it one game at a time.” Trent Alexander-Arnold Saints in their last four home post with the help of Newcastle back to concede the opening goal closest challengers was the top Roberto Firmino’s header was helped set up all of his side’s first league games. ‘keeper Martin Dubravka before when Dan Gosling put Bourne- billing of a busy Boxing Day card, scant reward for a dominant first three goals and rounded off a Southampton boss Ralph a thundering finish from Mason mouth in front. but there was no contest as the half display as Sadio Mane and stunning individual display by Hasenhuttl’s decision to rest Greenwood and Marcus Rash- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang newly crowned world cham- Mohamed Salah wasted big drilling home the fourth from in-form talisman Danny Ings ford’s header made it 3-1 before again rode to the Gunners’ rescue pions showed their class. chances. outside the box. paid off as his replacement the break. to equalise just after the hour “It’s one of many successful However, three goals in After the highs of Sunday, Michael Obafemi scored just his Another defensive error then mark, but a point leaves Arsenal nights so far this season,” said seven minutes in the final Chelsea again struggled when second Premier League goal with teed up Martial to dink over still down in 11th.

Solskajer slams Mourinho festive fixture Defending champions PSG march hopeful pile-up towards another Ligue 1 title Ndombele will AFP return against LONDON, AP Paris Saint-Germain France’s only Champions PARIS forward Kylian MBappe League winner - in 1993 - Norwich Manchester United’s Ole runs with the ball during while PSG has never reached Gunnar Solskjaer has become Paris Saint-Germain has not the French L1 match a European Cup final. AFP the latest Premier League been as ruthlessly dominant as against Amiens at the Parc Rudi Garcia paid the price at LONDON manager to complain about the last season but the defending des Princes Stadium in Marseille and made way for “unfair” packed programme of champion is again enjoying a Paris in this December 21 Villas-Boas, little more than one Tottenham Hotspur manager fixtures over Christmas and comfortable lead at the winter file picture. year after leading the south- Jose Mourinho hopes club- New Year. break thanks to its inconsistent coast club on a remarkable run record signing Tanguy United play their final rivals. to the Europa League final in Ndombele will declare himself league match of 2019 against PSG has played 18 of 38 2018. fit to play at Norwich today. Burnley today, just over 48 matches - meaning it has one Villas-Boas has won the The Spurs boss has hours since competing a 4-1 game in hand on most teams - dressing room over - which is revealed that the French mid- comeback win over but its three defeats so far are often the hardest thing to do at fielder asked not to be Newcastle. three more than at the same Marseille - and stylish attacking included for Thursday’s Those matches form part of point last year and equal to the midfielder Dimitri Payet is Boxing Day win over Brighton a sequence of seven games in entire previous season. recapturing his form in a bid to as he was concerned he might 21 days that is hard to square Why has this made little dif- make France’s European Cham- not be fit. with modern notions of rest and ference? Second-place Marseille pionship squad next year. But he has trained since and recovery. left it late to get going, and Lyon In tandem, Villas-Boas and now Mourinho is looking to But such is the commercial appears incapable of main- Payet can be expected to help help him fill a midfield gap appeal of the traditionally con- taining good form over long secure second place and bring caused by the absence of the gested programme that change spells. Despite taking 19 points Champions League soccer back suspended Harry Winks and does not appear likely anytime from the last seven games, Mar- next season. Moussa Sissoko, while Son soon, even though Jurgen seille sits seven points behind Mbappé has taken the league Heung-min is also serving a ban Klopp, the manager of runaway PSG - effectively 10 if PSG wins by storm, with his pace, ball and Dele Alli looked to be strug- leaders Liverpool said recently its extra game. control at speed, and lethal gling in the latter stages against it was a “crime” for teams to Monaco, the flamboyant finishing. the Seagulls. have to play on both December 2017 champion, still has title- After clinching both the Mourinho, asked if he was 26 and 27. winning coach Leonardo Jardim league’s Player of the Year and upset by the decision of “I don’t think it is fair on the in charge. top scorer awards last season, Ndombele, whose transfer from boys at all,” said United But the Principality club is 17 Anything other than Still, André Villas-Boas has don’t bet against him doing so Lyon could yet cost Spurs some manager Solskjaer. points behind in seventh place another PSG title seems unrea- done well in his first season once more. $79m, to make himself una- “I don’t think it is fair to be and is no threat. sonable to expect given its in charge of Marseille, a tur- Despite only recently turning vailable against Brighton, expected to perform at the best Even less so Lyon, which immense firepower, the regular bulent club where managerial 21, he has already netted 105 answered: “I think Ndombele of your level, both mentally and finished third last season but goals from loan signing Mauro changes happen regularly career goals - including 18 in 19 was honest. Football players physically, 48 hours after you has been cut adrift and lan- Icardi and, especially, the because demands from the games overall this season - and like to play football. have played. guishes embarrassingly in 12th increasingly menacing part- soccer-mad city’s fans are provided 50 assists in a career “For him to say, ‘I don’t feel “But I think we are in the spot as new coach Rudi Garcia nership between Neymar and often so unreasonably high. seemingly destined to take him confident, I don’t feel in the best best position to perform on Sat- struggles. Kylian Mbappé. After all, Marseille remains to great heights. condition due to my previous urday. One -- the game was injuries’, he was just being over after 45 minutes. Two -- honest. we are young,” the former “And we had solutions. We United striker added. Arsenal’s Xhaka wants Hertha had (Eric) Dier, we had (Harry) “We have a great chance Winks, we have (Oliver) Skipp against Burnley to perform who is a great kid fighting to at the best level because our Berlin move in January: Agent improve, for a place. boys, when you are 23, “I hope Friday morning which is the average age of after training he can come back the outfield starting players REUTERS “Look, I will say it frankly made 150 appearances since, to me and say ‘I’m ready to help (against Newcastle), that LONDON and honestly, we are in scoring 11 goals and providing 17 the team’.” will make it easier for us to agreement with Hertha BSC and assists. New boss Arteta had Erik Lamela, however, had recover than Burnley, for Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka would like to go to Berlin,” publicly backed Xhaka to no qualms about throwing back example. I think. (pictured) wants to leave the Xhaka’s agent Jose Noguera told succeed at the north London himself into the fray, even “They played until the end Premier League club in the Swiss publication Blick. club, even mentioning that the though he has been sidelined against Everton. We were done January transfer window and “We told Arsenal’s (head of Swiss international was on his since October with a hamstring after 45 minutes and used the sign with Bundesliga side Hertha football) Raul Sanllehi and sports transfer list when he was injury. second half as recovery. Berlin, the player’s agent said. director Edu as well as the new assistant manager at Manchester After only two sessions “But it is not fair, especially Xhaka has had a fractured coach Mikel Arteta. City. However, the agent said the under Mourinho, he told the when a game at Watford has relationship with the fans since “Arsenal were informed Spanish coach had privately told Portuguese manager he was just gone and there will be a he reacted angrily to being about all the steps, the player Xhaka that he was free to leave ready to play against Brighton game New Years’ Day. booed when he was substituted and Hertha are clear. It is only the club in the close season, if needed. “Two games in three days against Crystal Palace in (a matter of) the transfer fee for which irked the 27-year-old. “Lamela, he was fantastic,” is possible once in a while October.He was subsequently the clubs.” Xhaka was signed Hertha are 12th in the said Mourinho. “I think it was but not when it is as tight as stripped of captaincy by former from Borussia Monchengladbach standings with 19 points -- four 56 or 57 days that he didn’t train this.” manager Unai Emery. in 2016 for around $39m and has points above the relegation zone. with the team. SPORT PAGE | 18 PAGE | 19 Wickets tumble Premier league:gue: on day two of Liverpool thrashrash first Test at Leicester 4-00 to Centurion stretch lead

Saturday 28 December 2019 Qatar to play Boxing Day friendly Test under against Iran threat from Qatari national volleyball team players and officials climate change: during a training session in Doha. Qatar will play a friendly Report suggests match against Iran today as they prepare for the Asian IANS qualifiers for 2020 Tokyo MELBOURNE Olympic Games. The Asian qualifiers are scheduled to be One of the most famous fixtures in held in China from January world cricket, the Boxing Day Test 7 to 12. The team is coached played in Australia at the Melbourne by Ali Abdullah Al Haddad. Cricket Ground, could soon be under threat from climate change, a new report has suggested. In decades to come, extreme heat will eventually make the yearly match which sees Australia take on Russia appeal against WADA ban a visiting nation at the MCG a thing of the past, according to Monash University’s Climate Change Com- AFP Moscow needs to accept the Head of Russian Speaking to AFP on munication Research Hub. MOSCOW sanctions and own up to its Anti-Doping Thursday, Ganus said he had “Despite the extensive heat faults in order to be able to Agency (RUSADA) information that his British management resources available to Russia yesterday formally reform. Yuri Ganus counterpart could also call for professional teams, continuing to contested a four-year ban from He however said he was demonstrates a severe sanctions against Russia. play the Boxing Day Test in its major sporting events over obliged to relay the position of calendar during a The suspension was handed current format at the end of doping violations that President the supervisory board. news conference in to Russia over falsifying data December will expose players and Vladimir Putin has condemned He said he also sent a letter Moscow, Russia. from a doping testing laboratory fans to unprecedented levels of as “unjust,” the head of its to WADA informing the anti- that was handed to WADA earlier extreme heat,” ABCnews quoted the RUSADA anti-doping agency doping agency of his personal this year as part of a compliance report as saying. said. stance. re-instatement process. “If no effective climate miti- “In accordance with estab- “I regret to inform you that The significant extent of gation action is taken, consideration lished procedure, today we have all my attempts, including state-sponsored doping in should be given to moving the Mel- sent a package of documents to attempts to introduce changes Russia, notably between 2011 bourne Test to the shoulder season.” the World Anti-Doping Agency,” to the RUSADA notice, have and 2015, was revealed in an The report further suggested that RUSADA director general Yury failed,” said the letter. independent report by sports the Boxing Day Test must be moved Ganus told reporters in Moscow. Ganus told AFP on Thursday lawyer Richard McLaren, to either November or March. “The package contains a that “it is practically impossible” released in 2016. The study, commissioned by the notice about disagreement with to contest the ban. The issue has dealt a colossal Australian Conservation Foun- WADA sanctions.” WADA this month banned blow to the status of post-Soviet dation (ACF), urges Cricket Aus- Ganus, who has long argued Russia for four years from major Russia as a major sports power tralia to use its prominence to push for a major crackdown by Russia global events, including the 2020 indicating a lengthy legal battle of United States Anti-Doping after hosting events such as the for greater climate action and do against doping cheats, warned Tokyo Olympics and the 2022 loomed. Agency chief Travis Tygart who 2013 World Athletics Champion- more to look after player and spec- that the legal challenge could World Cup in Qatar, over manip- He argued that the majority has called for a blanket ban on ships, the 2014 Winter Olympics tator welfare. backfire, however. ulated doping data. of Russian athletes were clean Russian athletes at the Tokyo in Sochi and the 2018 World Cup. In 2018, England Captain Joe The formal statement of dis- Under the sanctions, Rus- and should not be deprived of Olympics. The Sochi Games later Root had to be rushed to hospital agreement with WADA will sians will still be allowed to the right to compete under the Tygart said that allowing became notorious for the number with severe dehydration during the trigger an appeal process against compete, but only as neutrals Russian flag due to the actions “neutral” Russian athletes to of doping violations by prominent Sydney Test as temperatures the ban at the Lausanne-based and if they can demonstrate of some individuals. compete at the Olympics in 2016 Russian athletes. reached 42 degrees Celsius on the Court of Arbitration for Sport that they were not part of Ganus warned that con- and 2018 had been ineffective. The doping scandal has also pitch. (CAS). what WADA believes was a testing the doping ban could in “WADA must get tougher divided Russian sports stars, with The report further said that Aus- Ganus, whose rigorous state-sponsored system of fact make matters worse because and impose the full restriction three-time world champion high tralian summers would only get stance puts him at odds with his doping. CAS could make sanctions on Russian athlete participation jumper Mariya Lasitskene calling hotter, with more days over 35 own government and super- Putin has called the sanc- against Russia more severe. in the Olympics that the rules for sports officials to be held to degree Celsius in December in the visory board, argues that tions politically motivated, He referred to the position allow,” Tygart said in November. account over the ban. next 40-60 years. Ibrahimovic returns to AC Milan AP Ibrahimovic scored 56 I hugely respect and to the city medical examination and Ibra- MILAN goals in 85 appearances for the of Milan I love,” he said after himovic will be in Milan on club and helped it to win the rejoining. January 2 to take it, before Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahi- league title in 2011 and the “I’ll fight together with my joining his team-mates for his movic is returning to help his Italian Super Cup the same team-mates to change the first training session. struggling former club AC year. course of this season. I will do His arrival will be a boost AC Milan’s Swedish Milan. Although he then moved to everything to make it happen”. for seven-time European forward Zlatan The 38-year-old Swede has Paris Saint-Germain, and sub- Having also played for champion Milan, which is Ibrahimovic celebrates agreed a deal until the end of sequently to Manchester United cross-city rival Inter Milan and mired in 11th place - a humili- in during the UEFA the season with the option to and the LA Galaxy, he always Juventus, Ibrahimovic has been ating 21 points behind leader Champions League round extend the contract for another spoke fondly of his time with named the best player in Serie Inter - and endured its heaviest of 16 first leg match against season, the Italian club the Rossoneri and left the door A three times and best foreign league defeat in 21 years when Arsenal in this February 15, announced in a statement open for a move back. player five times. it lost 5-0 at Atalanta on 2012 file photo. yesterday. “I’m coming back to a club The deal is subject to Sunday. Young riders shine at 1st round of QMA Challenge

QNA competed in the on road track rider Bobby Danvers and Qatar’s Chance race where the first and There was one Final race Alharqan also from Qatar fin- DOHA (Karting Area) in different cate- Shaikha Al Remaihi finished first second position was for the only for the Supermotard 125 ished in second place and the gories: 18 riders in Minimotard and second respectively to Malaysian riders Alya Maisarah with the victory of the Italian French rider Alexian Macary Qatar Motorsports Academy 70, 11 riders in MiniGP 110, 4 advance. and Johaan Ameer Zarfan rider Nicola Muscolino with a completed the podium. (QMA) celebrated the1st round riders in Supermotard 125, and In the Minimotard 70 final respectively. time of 8.46:164 to compete the Trophies were presented by of the QMA Challenge at Losail 6 riders in SSP300. race, the victory was for the In the MiniGP 100 Final race, 12 laps. Sami Salvaggio from LCSC Vice President and General Circuit Sports Club (LCSC). A There was an exhibition with American rider Salman Pathan, the podium was for last years Belgium finished in second place Manager Khalid Al Remaihi, total of 44 children took part in 5 beginner riders in the Rookies who complete the 8 laps with a winner in the Minimotard70, and the Malaysian rider Syafiq LCSC Chief Executive Officer the event. category where they practice total time of 6:25.322. Pathan Nolann Macary from France, Bin Zairin completed the Juan Baquero, Head of QMA Jose The QMA Challenge is a new different technical exercise in was followed by the Spanish who completed the 12 laps with podium. Luis Cardoso and QMA Coaches championship with three races front of the public. rider Miguel Roda and in third total time of 8:12.228. Egyptian In SSP300 there was also Alberto Moncayo, Ruben scheduled during all the 2019 / In the Minimotard 70 cat- place by Agatha Muscolino from rider Mahmoud Elbanna finished one Final race, with the victory Herrera, Andrea Sibaja and 2010 season. egory, there was a qualifying Italy. second and Carlos Baquero fin- of the Qatari rider Hamad Al Mateo Tunez. All the young riders that have round to decide which riders In the category of MiniGP ished in third place Saouti with a time of 8.21:492 to The other rounds will be held been training during the season pass to the final race. British 110, there was also a Last respectively. compete the 14 laps. Saad on April 4 and 18.