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Monday 28 January 2013 16 Rabial I 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5593 Price: QR2

Qatari bourse Al Arabi and index loses Al Gharafa 49.15 points share spoils

Business | 19 Sport | 25

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2015 Handball Championship tournament flag Mursi declares 42 Saudi cars in emergency in riot-hit areas more than 5,000 CAIRO: Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi yesterday declared a state of emergency in three provinces hit by riot- traffic violations ing which has left nearly 49 dead. Emergency measures would come into effect in the provinces of Port Said, Suez and Authorities slap QR2.66m in fines Ismailia “for 30 days starting at midnight,” Mursi said in a tele- DOHA: Qatar’s traffic authori- violations, while another one vised address. Curfews would be ties have blown the whistle on has been involved in 408 traffic imposed in the three provinces 42 cars with Saudi Arabian breaches. from 9pm until 6am, he added. number plates that are together A third vehicle has been found Mursi’s comments came after involved in more than 5,000 to have committed 407 violations. rioting rocked Port Said for a sec- traffic violations here and the The least number of violations ond straight day, leaving another fines their owners must pay now committed by a vehicle total 11, six people dead and more than 460 total a staggering QR2.66m. the daily said. injured. “I have said I am against The Traffic Department has A traffic safety expert who any emergency measures but I have urged customs officials at the Abu spoke to The Peninsula on grounds said that if I must stop bloodshed Samra check-post at the Qatari- of anonymity said he found the and protect the people then I will Saudi border to seize these vehi- news item a bit confusing because act,” Mursi said. He also held out cles when they leave the country the GCC states inform one H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of the Organising Committee of the World Cup Men’s an olive branch to the opposition or come in. another if vehicles registered in Handball Championship, yesterday received the flag of the tournament which will be held in Qatar for the and political leaders across Egypt, A circular issued by the their territories are involved in first time in 2015. The tournament flag was handed over by President of International Handball Federation, inviting them for talks today. Traffic Department to the road traffic rule violations in any mem- Full report on page 9 Dr Hassan Mustafa, to Sheikh Joaan at the end of the 23rd Men’s Handball World Championship Spain 2013. customs in Abu Samra says the ber country. 42 vehicles have collectively “The GCC states have a com- committed as many as 5,337 mon system and they inform traffic violations and the fines one another when a vehicle reg- their owners must pay total a istered in their territories have massive QR2.66m. breached traffic rules. Qatar “So these vehicles must be can, for instance, request Saudi 25 public parks to be ready in two weeks seized whenever they are sighted authorities to collect the fines crossing the border either coming from the 42 violators,” said the DOHA: There are some 38 new parks department is to create A new system of security at pub- welcome any ideas from the pub- in or going out,” says the traffic expert. public parks currently under new parks as well as maintain lic parks has also been introduced, lic since these parks are meant department’s notification, a local The records of the traf- construction in different parts the existing ones in the country. the director said. As per the old for them,” Al Khori said. Arabic daily has reported. fic department of Qatar would, of Qatar, 25 of which will be “We work in collaboration with system, guards were given a room Last year, the department The violations were detected by for instance, show a traffic rule ready for the public in another municipalities of different areas, which were used to monitor activ- surveyed some main roads of radars in Qatar and most of these breach committed by a Qatari two weeks. which are also responsible for ity in the parks. With the new sys- Doha, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah breaches are about jumping the motorist in any neighbouring The number of parks in Qatar the management of these public tem the public parks department is and Al Khor for planting more red lights — a breach of law that GCC state, said the expert. has increased by 90 percent over parks,” he said. currently working on, guards will trees. However, due to ongoing carries a huge fine. He, therefore, argued that the last two years. Thirty-nine The new parks have play areas have easy access to manage secu- construction in these areas, the Of the 42 erring cars, 37 are there was no need for the traf- new parks were built in the coun- for children and fitness equip- rity at the parks. department faced problems. commercial vehicles and they fic authorities here to ask the try, Muhammad Ali Al Khori, the ment for adults. Additionally, 63 “Many times people tell us “We specified some roads for include vans as well as pickups, customs officials at the Abu Director of the Public Parks at types of trees were also intro- that there are not enough trees planting more trees but the prob- while one is a taxi and another Samra check-post to seize the the Ministry of Municipality and duced in Qatar for the first time in Qatar. They ask us questions lem we are facing is the construc- a trailer. One of these cars has 42 vehicles. Urban Planning, said. through the newly-built public about planting more trees and tion on these sites,” Al Khori said. alone committed as many as 643 THE PENINSULA The responsibility of public parks. creating more green areas. We THE PENINSULA

Brazil club fire kills 232 Qatari grant for Israel vows Syria strike at displaced Syrian school students sign of chemical transfer JERUSALEM: Any sign that keep them secure and use them DOHA: On the directive of Syria’s grip on its chemical only to fend off foreign attack. the Heir Apparent H H Sheikh weapons is slipping as it bat- Should Lebanon’s Hezbollah Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, tles armed rebels could trigger guerrillas or rebels battling forces Qatar has allocated QR1.8m as Israeli military strikes, Israel’s loyal to Syrian President Bashar tuition fees for displaced Syrian vice premier said yesterday. Al Assad obtain Syria’s chemi- students studying in Syrian and Silvan Shalom confirmed a cal weapons, Shalom told Israel’s Jordanian schools in Qatar. The media report that Prime Minister Army Radio: “It would dramati- directive came in the context of Benjamin Netanyahu had last cally change the capabilities efforts made by Qatar to con- week convened a meeting of secu- of those organisations.” Such a tribute in alleviating the suffer- rity chiefs to discuss the civil war development would be “a crossing ing of the Syrian people and the in Syria and the state of its sus- of all red lines that would require a provision of appropriate educa- pected chemical arsenal. different approach, including even tional opportunities for Syrian Israel and Nato countries say preventive operations,” he said, students in Qatar. QNA Syria has stocks of chemical war- alluding to military intervention fare agents at four sites. Syria is for which Israeli generals have said UAE to try 94 over Firefighters try to extinguish a blaze that broke out at the Kiss nightclub in Santa Maria, 286km from Porto cagey about whether it has such plans have been readied. Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, early yesterday. At least 232 people were killed and over 131 injured. arms but says if it had it would See also page 9 plot, says official Report on page 10 DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has ordered 94 citizens to be tried on charges of seeking to seize power in the country, the attorney general said yesterday. All eyes on premium Qatar motor show State news agency WAM quoted the Attorney General, DOHA: This year’s edition of the are here to introduce our latest two percent over early last year.” is willing to cough up extra and Some carmakers bring their Salem Saeed Kubaish, as say- high-end luxury car show opens models,” an official from a luxury He claimed the makers of the his car passes a series of difficult engineers, designers and techni- ing that the suspects had pub- here tomorrow amidst concerns car dealer told this newspaper, prestigious brand he sells here technical checks, the official hinted. cians directly from their man- licly called for adherence to the about pricy spare parts, difficult- asking not to be named. sold 141,000 cars worldwide in “Our cars need servicing after ufacturing plants so they can Islamic religion when in fact to-access after-sales service and Inflation has been rising world- 2012. “That was 18 percent growth 10 to 15,000 kilometers, but there interact with the people, explain they were secretly plotting to rising inflation. wide and it hasn’t spared the glo- over the previous year.” The are others that must be serviced the nature of their work and get take over the country. As premium car enthusiasts bal luxury car market as well, but official, though, evaded repeated after a 5,000km run.” The official valuable inputs from the visitors, “Their unannounced aims here say they are eagerly looking the demand for high-end premium queries about the number of cars added: “You must remember that another auto industry insider were to seize power and con- forward to the unveiling of what cars went up globally last year. they sold in Qatar. premium car owners are differ- said. fronting the main principles is tipped as the Arab world’s first An auto industry insider said When told that the accessories ent. They are elite and the way The Qatari market, according which the rule is based on,” the elite sports car priced at a mind- he estimated that generally car of premium cars, especially those they use these cars is different”. to him, prefers full-option cars. statement said. “They had plot- boggling $3.4m (QR12.41m), the prices have soared nearly 10 per- from Europe, are very expensive “Events like the Qatar Motor As for premium car enthusi- ted for that discreetly at secret exhibitors maintain their aim cent since a year earlier. But the and hardly available in the local Show provide us a chance to asts from other GCC states, the meetings they held in their of taking part in the 2013 Qatar official, who said more visitors market, the official said not only interact with the people directly. insider said they visit the exhibi- homes, farms and other places Motor Show is not to sell. come to the show just to see the that these cars carry warranties, Last year, many Middle East tion but when it comes to buying, where they tried to conceal and “We know that huge numbers cars, disputed that claim. but most of their spare parts also visitors told us they wanted our they prefer their own countries, hide what they were plotting of people come to the event just “Take the example of our have warranty. cars with internal décor done in especially as the UAE and Saudi from the concerned authorities.” to see the cars on display, but brands. Their prices have gone And the warranty period can the red colour — so we have ful- Arabia are huge auto markets. REUTERS that’s what we want because we up just nominally — about one to be extended provided the owner filled that demand.” THE PENINSULA MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Expatriate’s share claim rejected Top court finds no proof for his claim of 25pc share in late sponsor’s firm

DOHA: Qatar’s highest court after the death of the sponsor and that he was receiving. after investigation that all the has upheld the verdict of a during his presence in the home He claimed that his name was financial documents submitted by lower court that rejected the country. not included in the commercial the expatriate for his claims of claim of an expatriate for 25 The expatriate collected all registration document of the ownership were forged and some percent share in the company receipts, remittances and other company intentionally although were dated before the company of his sponsor following his documents showing transac- he invested in the company and was established. death. tions of money by the sponsor to is also its real partner. Based on the report of the The claim was filed based on prove his 25 percent ownership He also told the court that he expert and testimonies of the bank cheques and vouchers issued in the company, Al Raya reported was getting the benefits from partners mentioned in the regis- by the late sponsor to help the yesterday. the company until 2000 and was tered document of the company, expatriate who arranged for him He also tried to convince the making claims for the remain- the court found that the expatri- to marry his close relative. court that the money given by ing benefits which dated from ate could not produce enough evi- Financial help from the family the sponsor and his family to 2001. dence for his claim, therefore the of the sponsor to the expatriate him was not donation but was The court had referred the case court ruled against him. continued for several years even from the profit of the company to a financial expert who found THE PENINSULA

Azamat Berdibay, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Right), is Hammer thrower Ashref to support Sports Day welcomed by Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, General Manager of Katara.

DOHA: Athletics prodigy Ashref Amged embrace sports, through his National Sport Elseify has joined the National Sport Day Day Ambassador role. “Young kids should Ambassadors, a group of top athletes in not look for fame when they enter the world Katara, Kazakh embassy Qatar who pledged their support to the of sports. The general benefits of a healthy upcoming National Sports Day. lifestyle should be their beacon. Ashref is turning the tables after a bril- “Sports are for everyone, not just for liant 2012 season full of decorations and youngsters. Adults must add practicing to boost cooperation records. to their daily schedule in order to build He will be 18 in less than a month strong defences against illnesses. They DOHA: Katara will be hosting lasting relationship between the (February 20) but he has already registered will surely enjoy a better life”. a series of cultural events and Republic of Kazakhstan and a world youth best in Hammer Throw with For Ashref, Qatar’s initiative to introduce exhibitions to celebrate 20 years Qatar, the meeting addressed 85.26 with a 5kg implement and a world jun- and celebrate sport activities through the of diplomatic relations between the opportunity of a joint col- ior record, 85.57, with 6kg hammer. National Sports Day, on February 12, will Qatar and Kazakhstan. laboration between Katara and His honour list also includes the World guide country’s inhabitants to get to know “We are delighted to work in the Embassy of Kazakhstan to Junior title from the Barcelona World sports, love them and embrace them. partnership with the Republic introduce a number of key cul- Championships and the Asian Junior gold “Many people still do not really know most of Kazakhstan Embassy to host tural events in Katara to promote medal from the Championships held last of the sports and their rules. Having expert various cultural events that will Kazakhstani culture to the people season in Colombo, Sri Lanka. perform demonstration in selected locations, promote Kazakhstani culture of Qatar. Ashref may have never become the person Qatar residents will understand what ath- locally. This initiative allows us “This is another testimony of he is today if he hadn’t chosen the path of letics and other sports truly are and they to celebrate and further build Katara’s commitment to promot sporting life and hard training. And that’s will have the chance to test their skills and upon our strong relationship with global cultures through hosting why he is in Qatar’s National Sport Day knowledge. Kazakhstan. Katara will showcase various cultural events,” said Dr ambassadors’ crew. “I found the idea of educating people a number of events and exhibi- Al Sulaiti. He was motivated by his father, a former on different sports in popular places, like tions to commemorate 20 years The meeting was also attended football player, who wanted to raise his chil- Corniche and Aspire Zone, absolutely of diplomatic relations,” said Dr by Darwish Saleh Al Shibany, dren under healthy lifestyle guidelines. Ashref Amged Elseify fantastic. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, Manager of Marketing and “I am as punctual as it takes now in “On the other side, this massive celebra- General Manager of Katara. International Relations and training, in school, in everything! I enjoy mentality, the way I think has completely tion, National Sport Day will remind people Dr Al Sulaiti recently welcomed Acting Manager of Cultural a healthy life. My nutrition is ideal, I stay changed”. who have already experience sports activities Azamat Berdibay, Ambassador Affairs, Katara; Malika Mohamed away from smoking, I sleep early and I The world record hunt seems a future but for any reason they are not regularly of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Al Shraim, Manager of PR and am serious and accurate in practice. I am prospect for Ashref. At the moment he practicing, the fun, joy and the benefits of discuss cultural ties between both Communications, Katara and always trying to give the maximum, not enjoys the fruits of his junior exploits and sporting life”. countries, hoping to host joint cul- Omar Ali Al Mannai, General only in training, but in studying as well. My he is thrilled by the idea to help people THE PENINSULA tural events in the future. Manager’s Office Manager, Commemorating the long Katara. THE PENINSULA

MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME

Hungarian official Call to address digital gender divide arrives today DOHA: The State Secretary of the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Operators must provide services specifically designed for female customers: Qtel CEO Office responsible for Foreign Affairs and Economy, Peter DAVOS/DOHA: Qtel Group’s women can be powerful driv- markets. And Qtel Group is part of the full potential of mobile Szijjarto, is visiting Doha today Chief Executive Officer Dr ers of economic growth, often of the programme. devices and services; cultural to strengthen relations with Nasser Marafih while speak- responsible for health, educa- This digital gender divide and social challenges as well as Qatar. Szijjarto will be received ing at a panel discussion at the tion, economic stability and is getting worse with a steady cost. Overcoming these barriers by H E Rashed bin Khalifa World Economic Forum (WEF) well-being of their families and increase in the number of women is critical for women to effectively bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, in Davos called for telecom communities. Yet women are likely to live outside the economic harness technology and innova- Assistant Minister at the operators to do more to address increasingly losing out in the system for a broad variety of rea- tion and to accelerate progress Ministry of Foreign Affairs, H E the global digital gender divide, technology revolution.” sons. This is estimated to grow to in areas such as education, food Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz Al a statement issued by the tel- A research by ‘GSMA one billion — or 25 percent of the security, job creation, and public Thani, Minister of Business and ecom giant said yesterday. mWomen’ has shown that there world’s female population — over health. Trade, and H E Dr Mohammed “A collaborative approach by a are 300 million fewer female than the next decade. Last September GSMA under- bin Saleh Al Sada, Minister of diverse group of stakeholders in male mobile subscribers globally Marafih added: “If our indus- took a fact-finding tour to Iraq to Energy and Industry. all countries is required,” said Dr and that women comprise nearly try does not rise to the chal- learn about Qtel Group’s highly Bilateral agreements are Marafih. two-thirds of the estimated lenge then women around the successful mWomen initiatives in expected to be signed, the Comprising ministers, academ- untapped market for mobile world risk being left further the country that has successfully Hungarian embassy said. ics and other business leaders, the growth. behind, making the digital gen- brought about an increase in the Negotiations with top officials group specifically looked at how Additional data shows that der divide an ever greater prob- proportion of female customers of Qatar Investment Authority, information technology can be women are 21 percent less likely lem. Operators must do more from 20 to almost 40 percent in Hassad Food, Qatar Rail and harnessed, in particular engag- to own a mobile phone than a to develop services specifically 18 months. Supreme Committee for Qatar ing women in computer science, man globally. In terms of getting designed for female customers, Qtel Group has also partnered 2022 are also included in the leveraging collaborative platforms online, women in low-to-medium reflecting what they need and with GSMA for the GSMA agenda. The meetings will focus and targeting ICT (information income countries are estimated want.” mWomen Design Challenge which on the cooperation opportunities and communication technologies) to be 40 percent less likely to use Although the ideals of the aims to redesign the smartphone in political and economic fields. skills gaps. the internet to the same extent Internet are often egalitarian, in user experience to better meet the He added: “We know that as men. practice, it can often appear male- needs of resource-poor women. ICT is a major enabler for eco- ‘GSMA mWomen’ is an inter- oriented and elitist, compounded The winners will be announced Indian Embassy Open nomic growth and prosperity at national programme dedicated to by other barriers such as access, at the World Mobile Congress in Qtel Group’s Chief Executive Officer the individual, community and reducing the mobile phone gen- more limited technical literacy Barcelona next month. Dr Nasser Marafih House on Thursday national level. We also know that der gap especially in emerging skills; limited understanding THE PENINSULA DOHA: The Indian Embassy will hold its next Open House for its nationals on Thursday to discuss any urgent issues related to them. Brookings Doha The Open House will be held Red Crescent provides relief to Mali from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Brief paper examines information on issues/cases pro- posed to be discussed with the EU-GCC ties DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent Embassy may be given in writing (QRC) continues to provide from 5:30pm to 6pm. DOHA: A new paper pub- relief services to the population This will be followed by interac- lished jointly by Brookings of northern Mali suffering the tion with officials of the Embassy. Doha Center and Fride effects of the current crisis. (Fundacion para las Relaciones QRC is providing emergency Internacionales y el Dialogo relief, particularly in the areas of Albanian PM reviews Exterior) explores the evolv- health, food security, water and ing ties between the Gulf sanitation. Qatari cooperation Cooperation Council (GCC) The conflict has been raging and European Union (EU) for eight months, with large TIRANA: Albania’s Prime in the backdrop of radical numbers of people being dis- Minister Sali Berisha met in changes in the region. placed to neighbouring countries. Tirana Qatar’s Ambassador The publication titled Toward In December 2012, a QRC to the Republic Yousef bin a Strategic Partnership: The EU team did a field visit to the Hassan Al Saai, accompa- and the GCC in a Revolutionary province of Gao to oversee the nied by Qatari investment Middle East draws on a round- distribution of 1,200 food baskets delegation comprising rep- table discussion held at the to families, containing 75kg of resentatives of Diar, Hassad, Brookings Doha Center with food per family (rice, oil, wheat Kahramaa, Qatar Mining and the support of the European flour, dates and sugar) in several Civil Aviation. Commission. The paper assesses villages in Purim and Gao. Talks dealt with means of the status of the EU-GCC rela- Earlier in the year QRC dis- strengthening economic coopera- tionship and probes avenues tributed 1,000 food baskets in tion and investment opportuni- for more effective cooperation Gao and 100 other baskets con- ties in Albania. Albanian Deputy in addressing the realities of a taining food, cleaning equipment Prime Minister and Minister post-Arab Spring Middle East. and clothes for refugees in the of Economy, Trade and Energy Despite an alignment of inter- Niger Manguiza camp. Edmond Haxhinasto also met the ests on several fronts — from In the field of healthcare ambassador. Syria to Yemen — the looming QRC has a comprehensive pro- question of internal reform within gramme for relief in the north the Gulf itself presents a growing which includes the rehabilita- Costa Rica’s minister challenge for EU-GCC ties. tion of health buildings and This comes alongside a range the provision of medicines and meets Qatari envoy of other dilemmas, from disa- medical disposables, as well as greements within each bloc to providing office furniture, elec- SAN JOSE: The Costa Rican the historic strength of bilat- trical appliances and medical Minister of Communications, eral over multilateral relations. services. Francisco Chacon Gonzalez met The full paper can be accessed QRC has completed recon- the Qatari Ambassador Jaber at www.brookings.edu/research/ structing the Gao hospital A Qatar Red Crescent team working in Gao, Mali. Ali Alathba. papers/2013/01/24-eu-gcc-rela- building. They discussed ways of enhanc- tions. The hospital received 732 chil- total of 38 surgical interventions tests were performed by QRC’s hospital in the same month. ing bilateral relations. QNA dren in December 2012, with a carried out, and 465 medical General Practitioner in the THE PENINSULA QNA

Vodafone launches 3rd edition of ‘World of Difference’ programme

DOHA: Under its ‘Better make a sustained difference World’ Corporate Social to the lives of others. While Responsibility initiative, many people dream of ‘mak- Vodafone continues to bring ing a difference’, constraints the ‘World of Difference’ of time and money often programme to life for third curb the extent to which that year in Qatar. dream can become a real- The unique flagship pro- ity,” said Dana Haidan, Head gramme is a first of its of Corporate Responsibility, kind in Qatar under which Vodafone Qatar. Vodafone gives the opportu- The World of Difference nity to selfless and dedicated programme was first individuals to apply and launched in 2011 in Qatar, receive funding for one year and awarded four passion- and make a positive change ate individuals who helped in Qatar by supporting a local address several social issues cause or addressing a social such as English language issue. learning for migrant workers, The programme is an inno- and poverty in some areas in vative approach that scores Qatar. highly in contrast with tradi- In 2012, the programme tional grant-giving or philan- awarded two winners who thropy, leading the way to a helped physically challenged different way for charity –not people become more engaged Last year’s winners with Vodafone CEO Richard Daly. by simply donating money, but in sports through swimming by sustaining people to fulfill and diving, and also brought Group Foundation and Vodafone of people around the world. their charitable projects for an attention to the issue of ani- operating companies around the Registration for the ‘World of entire year. mal welfare in Qatar. world. Difference 2013’ opened yesterday “The programme is about The programme was origi- To date, more than 100 projects and close at midnight on March 9. connecting passionate people nally launched in New Zealand have been completed in over 50 Applications must be made online to a local need, so they can in 2003 and is now the flagship countries, which have positively at www.vodafone.qa/wod. complete a project that will programme of the Vodafone impacted the lives of thousands THE PENINSULA MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05

Emir, Hamas chief discuss Palestinian Greece eyes strong business ties developments

DOHA: The Emir H H A delegation led by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras arriving in Doha tomorrow Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani rece received a tel- BY ISABEL OVALLE from around the world. chance to be part of this pro- mainly in construction projects ephone call from Chief of the While Qatar is developing so gramme. In two years things will as civil engineers and archi- Political Bureau of the Islamic DOHA: On the eve of the visit fast that it welcomes foreign com- be much different. tects. There is also a significant Resistance Movement Hamas, to Qatar of a large Greek del- panies eager to do business here. Q. Has the situation in Greece Greek presence in the fields of Khaled Meshaal. egation headed by the Prime Greek companies have a long improved thanks to foreign capital? academic activity, health and The conversation dealt with Minister Antonis Samaras tradition in the Gulf countries A. Of course it has. Greece is medicine, as well as in the pub- the latest developments on the tomorrow, the Secretary and we want to expand our busi- an open market economy. Foreign lic sector. Palestinian arena. General for International ness cooperation. There are very investment is most welcome Many Greek nationals were Economic Relations and good prospects for cooperation on because it helps our economy hired during the Asian Games in Development Cooperation of various areas such as education, move forward. In major fields 2006 and stayed. I am pleased to Al Attiyah in Greece, Panagiotis G Mihalos, sports and health. where there has been foreign see the Greek community pros- has shared his expectations Q. Who will you meet besides the investment, we have seen signifi- pering in Qatar. Turkmenistan about the visit and his view on Emir and the Prime Minister? cant improvement. Q. Has it grown in the past few the Greek debt crisis with The A. The top executives from the Q. When was the embassy estab- years due to the situation in Greece? ASHGABAT: Chairman of Peninsula in this excerpts of an largest Greek companies have lished in Doha? Are the relations A. It has grown indeed, mainly the Administrative Control interview. joined us in Doha, so I will meet strong? due to the projects undertaken and Transparency Authority, Panagiotis G Mihalos Q. What is the purpose of the with Qatar Holding and Qatar A. The Greek Embassy in Doha by Greek companies in Qatar. H E Abdullah bin Hamad Al Greek delegation’s visit to Qatar? Diar as well as with other busi- and the Qatar Embassy in Athens Several hundred Greeks here are Attiyah arrived in Ashgabat A. We want to bring our excel- ness representatives. Together The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad were quite recently established, in engineers employed in construc- yesterday on an official visit to lent relations one step forward. with the Qatar Chamber we will bin Khalifa Al Thani has appre- 2008. Our relations have always tion projects. Turkmenistan, leading Qatar’s There are no political problems establish a joint Business Council ciated Greece’s natural beauty by been excellent, so establishing At the same time, we have seen delegation to the first meeting of between us, only business oppor- that will permanently link the acquiring an island in the Ionian an embassy was a natural step, an increase in the number of peo- the High Qatari-Turkmenistani tunities on both sides. best companies from both sides. Sea in Western Greece. which helped a lot. There have ple who are executives at interna- Joint Committee. Greece has accomplished a lot Q. How much has Qatar invested Our privatisation programme been numerous official exchanges tional companies. There‘s also a Al Attiyah was welcomed in the last two years. We need to in Greece? is offering opportunities in cor- since then resulting in very good significant number of Greek peo- on arrival at the airport present that to our international A. Qatar has quite recently porate assets, major real estate business for both sides. ple who travel constantly between by Turkmenistan’s Foreign partners. The country is currently started to invest in Greece. Last projects, as well as in a number Q. What can you tell me about the the Gulf countries doing business Minister Rasit Meredow and implementing a vast privatisa- year Qatar Holding invested of infrastructure projects related Greek community in Qatar? mainly in the energy, telecom and Qatar’s Ambassador Ibrahim tion programme that offers huge $1.53bn in a major gold mining mostly to airports and ports A. There are around 900 Greek logistics sectors. Abdulrahman Al Mighaseib. opportunities to smart investors operation in Northern Greece. around the country. Now is the citizens living in Qatar employed THE PENINSULA QNA

Macedonian President in Doha SCH planning to set up insurance firm Thermal insulators in three months DOHA: The proposed national ‘must for getting insurance company which will supervise implementation of the mandatory health insurance building licences’ scheme is expected to be set up in three months. The Supreme Council of Health DOHA: Thermal insulators for walls as well. (SCH) is currently finlalising pro- walls and electronic timers to Air-tight windows and ventila- cedures for implementation of the control lighting have been made tors are another new requirement insurance scheme that will cover mandatory for all new buildings to save electricity. all the citizens, residents and visi- in the country to make them Through such measures tors to the country. more energy-efficient. Kahramaa expects to reduce con- The national company will Buildings that fail to fulfil these sumption of power by 30 per cent. determine the role of the private requirements in their designs will The corporation is also plan- and public sectors in the insurance not be issued a licence, the Qatar ning to replace the CFL and scheme, the premium and health General Electricity and Water halogen bulbs in buildings with services to be provided under the Corporation (Kahramaa) said a more energy-efficient lighting scheme, Al Sharq reported yes- yesterday. system. terday. Implementation of the The new requirements come as This will be implemented in the scheme has been delayed because part of efforts to rationalise con- next five years, said a statement the SCH is conducting a study on sumption of water and electricity yesterday. Macedonia’s President Dr Gjorgje Ivanov is welcomed at the Doha International Airport by the Minister of 200 health care facilities to evalu- in the country. It will also initiate steps to Culture, Arts and Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and Macedonia’s Ambassador to Qatar ate their potential to implement Electronic timers automati- strictly implement Law No 26 of Fuad Hasanovic, yesterday. the scheme, said the daily. cally turn lights on and off, saving 2008 on rationalisation of water THE PENINSULA money and energy. and electricity consumption. Thermal insulators prevent The corporation recently issued transmission of heat and cold to leaflets in English and Arabic to the interior of the building, reduc- raise awareness on the issue. Training course on community policing strategy ing the use of electricity for heat- Common violations mentioned ers and air conditioners. in the leaflet include leaving out- DOHA: The Policing Training Such insulators have already door lights on from 7am to 4.30pm Institute is holding a training been made mandatory for build- and using tap water for washing course on community policing ing roofs. cars or cleaning building yards by strategy for future leaders. It is All the new buildings are a hose or other flushing tools. being held in collaboration with required to have them on the THE PENINSULA Northern Ireland Cooperation Foundation. The course started yesterday and will continue until February 7. Eight officers from various security depart- ments are participating in the course. It was opened by Brig Dr Mohammed Abdullah Al Mahanna Al Marri, Director of the Police Training Institute. Experts conducting a class at the opening session. He hoped that the course output will reflect in the performance by achiev- ing the strategic goals of the community aimed at strengthening its role in the prevention of crime and limiting its spread. The course aims at providing the partici- pants with information, skills and understanding of contemporary commu- nity policing work style, and help them implement sustainable and profes- sional community policing programme on strategic and operational levels through integration with the community. The session will discuss a number of topics such as comprehending the con- cepts of community polic- ing, police work based on problems and integration with society, identifying basic issues and problems related to the design and implementation of com- munity policing strat- egy and measuring its performance. As well as identifying the key challenges fac- ing community policing in Qatar. THE PENINSULA MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 06 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI

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Syrian conundrum Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

USSIAN Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev’s statement that chances of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad staying in power were growing smaller and Music is vital to political struggle Rsmaller must be taken with a pinch of salt. Coming from the leader of a country which has been giving unflinching support to Bashar, it only serves to cause confusion and create doubts in the minds of Syrians and the international across Africa – not just in Mali community about the direction of Russia’s Syria policy. Medvedev’s remarks were the most vocal Russian BY IAN BIRRELL statement yet that his days may now be numbered. “I think was this truer than Mali, a nation on the towns. The banning of music is hideous that with every day, every week and every month, the chances faultline between the African and Arab anywhere, but in Mali of all places it of his preservation are getting smaller and smaller,” Medvedev t dinner last month after a con- worlds in which music is more threaded seems somehow sacrilegious. This is a said, adding that Assad’s fate has to be decided by the Syrian cert by the Congolese rapper into the fabric of cultural, social and poor country; as one of its most famous ABaloji, I found myself sitting next political life than perhaps any other place artists says, music is its mineral wealth. people, not by any outside forces. If the Russian leader meant to his drummer, Saidou Ilboudo. As we on Earth. And the mujahideen have not just what he said, it should have reflected in its policy. If Moscow chatted over the chicken, he told me the Salif Keita, the honey-voiced albino banned it: they declared war on musi- is sure about Assad’s downfall, it must adjust its policy to remarkable story of how as a teenager singer, first achieved fame in a band cians, destroying their equipment and suit the new realities on the ground which would involve growing up in Burkina Faso he had been set up by the minister of information threatening to slice off their fingers. It supporting international efforts to bring peace to the country. recruited one day by Thomas Sankara, to play a residency in a station hotel. underlines how at heart this is a cul- the country’s president, to play in a state He was then poached by the chief of tural conflict, between those embracing At the same time, Moscow remains adamant in its support band. police to join their rivals, whose guitar- the turbulent values of liberal democ- for Assad. Medvedev repeated the stance that the West and Sankara is an almost-forgotten figure ist was Amadou Bagayoko, now a global racy and those seeking the certainties regional powers must persuade the warring parties to sit down these days in the west, but in the mid- superstar with his gold guitar alongside of theocracy. for negotiations, and not just demand that Assad go and then 80s he was one of the most charismatic his wife, Mariam. It is hard to envisage I first went there almost a decade ago be executed like Gaddafi or be carried to court sessions on a leaders of his age, a revolutionary known coalition ministers, let alone Met police for the fabulous Festival in the Desert, stretcher like Hosni Mubarak. as “Africa’s Che Guevara” who pushed chief Bernard Hogan-Howe, performing held on white sands a couple of hours public health, promoted feminism and a similar role. from the fabled city of Timbuktu. Today, Conflicting Russia has been the biggest faced down the global financial institu- Mali stakes a claim as birthplace of this area is at the heart of the funda- stumbling block in initiating UN tions causing such the blues – the foundation stone of mod- mentalist badlands, but westerners could signals about action against Assad and has damage to the ern music – and many of its best-known not have been made more welcome. At the fate of consistently vetoed UN resolutions continent. artists have taken their songs around daytime, I sat in a tent chatting over tea seeking action against him. This was an the world. They remain respected politi- and biscuits to celebrated guitarist Ali Bashar Al Russian opinion is in stark contrast amazing break for cal voices at home. Oumou Sangaré, the Farka Touré; at night, there was stun- Banning music in a boy just out of country’s biggest female star, made her ning music from an array of amazing Assad are to two recent statements from Mali is outrageous, school. For a few name in her early 20s with a breath- artists such as Amadou and Mariam. adding to the France and Jordan about Assad’s fate. not least because years, he enjoyed taking album tackling issues such as Afterwards, I lay under the Saharan Jordan’s King Abdullah said Assad the privileges and female circumcision and women’s roles stars listening as members of Tuareg confusion on would consolidate his grip for now. it’s crucial to security that went in society. Now one of her former backing rockers Tinariwen strummed away Anybody who is saying the regime of the country’s with being part of singers, Fatoumata Diawara, has pulled beside a campfire until dawn. Syria. the president’s cir- together 40 stars from all over the coun- It was an intoxicating experience. Bashar has got weeks to live really wellbeing. cle, while playing try to sing together in a symbol of unity. Mali and its music seeped into my soul. doesn’t know the reality on the ground, he said in Davos in a band that had The current tragedy of Mali is inten- There in the desert I met Damon Albarn. on Friday, adding they still have capability, and so he give a dual purpose: to sified by its tradition of tolerance. Its Afterwards, we set up Africa Express, them a strong shot at least for the first half of 2013. France entertain young people while proselyt- strand of gentle Sufism could not be bringing together musicians from Africa said on Thursday there was no sign Assad was about to be ising political messages. Then, in 1987, further removed from the hate-fuelled and the west to embrace that unified overthrown, reversing previous statements that he could not Sankara was murdered in a French- Islamists of Al Qaeda. So when an out- spirit of music, joy and generosity found backed coup and life became trickier. spoken reggae singer called Tiken Jah in the desert. Many of these Malian art- hold out long. The idea of publicly funded pop groups Fakoly upset the rulers of his native ists have been linchpins of the project. The conflicting statements about Assad’s fate are an might sound strange, but many leading Ivory Coast and was then declared “per- Music is a powerful force, as true in indication of the current state of confusion over Syria. There figures of African music served time in sona non grata” by Senegal’s president, the west as anywhere else. But some- is no doubt that the rebels have lost some of the momentum such institutions. Given the continent’s he made his home in Bamako, where he how in Africa it has even more potency. they gained towards the middle of the uprising and are oral tradition, there is a proud history can fill football stadiums. Perhaps this is down to weak political now struggling to continue their fight. Arab leaders, which of praise singers, and musicians were for But not these days. For music is institutions, often lamentable political centuries vital voices, used and abused banned in two-thirds of Mali following its leadership or the lack of strong literary were enthusiastic to expedite the ouster of Assad, have now by politicians and tribal leaders who collapse last year with first a coup, then tradition in some places. Or maybe it is developed cold feet. The Syrian opposition too has been understood their power. Think only of the capture of the vast northern desert just that the music is so damn good. But wobbling in their efforts to present a united front. Franco, whose liquid guitar-playing made regions by Islamist militias, whose mem- from Fela Kuti fighting a corrupt mili- In the current scenario, what is required is a reassessment Congolese rumba the heartbeat of Africa bers come from as far afield as Pakistan. tary dictatorship in Nigeria to Miriam of the situation. Rebels and their backers need to meet to while promoting the messages of Mobutu Even in the south of the country, despite Makeba challenging the evil of apart- Sese Seko, his thieving president. the Franco-African intervention, there heid in South Africa, this genuine protest discuss the situation and plan their strategy. Otherwise, this After the end of colonialism, musicians is such instability that these artists music has been a ray of hope through will become an uprising which neither side will win or lose. were used to fuse countries carved out whose music provides pleasure around troubled times. of often disparate communities. Nowhere the world cannot perform in their home THE GUARDIAN The Other side Quote of Insanity over a ball game the day EING a football match official injury to gain his side a penalty shot at most Saudis, by the unbelievable hor- Leaving aside the gross indiscipline at games virtually anywhere goal, the man gets up and trots away rors that followed this week’s match and callousness of the prison guards in the world is rarely an easy to play out the rest of the game, with between Iraq and the UAE national who did the actual beating — surely a Bjob these days. Whether no obvious signs of harm. teams. The game was refereed by a cause for reprimand and punishment I think that with linesmen or referees, the people who But it is worse than the almost Saudi, Khalil Al-Ghamdi. Iraq lost 1-2 by the prison managements — what every day, every have to oversee fair play in a match, complete loss of sportsmanship that because of decisions taken by the really lay behind this abuse? regularly suffer abuse, not simply from once made so many team games referee. However, this time, it was not Well for a start, one Iraqi commenta- week and every the crowds of fans, but all too often, such a wonderful spectacle. There the luckless match official, who was tor at the game, became so incensed from the players as well. is the violence outside stadia as rival the target of supporters’ anger. It was by what he regarded as the referee’s month the chances What was once a spectator sport is fans confront each other murderously, some 20 Saudis detained in Iraqi jails, partiality toward the UAE team, that coming to resemble, more and more, a as in Egypt a year ago, where support- who were turned on, severely beaten on air he called down curses on the of his (Syrian gladiatorial contest, both on the stands ers of top league team Al-Masry were and tortured by their prison guards and match official’s head. This was itself a President Bashar Al and on the pitch. There is less admi- responsible for the deaths of 75 Al-Ahly some Iraqi prisoners. clear incitement to those hundreds of ration for skill and daring and more followers with at least 250 other people This behavior is barely credible. The thousands of Iraqis who were glued to Assad) preservation applause for a player who can “take injured in running fights. Saudi prisoners were completely at their their television sets. At the very least are getting smaller a dive” in the rival team’s penalty area. The full enormity of this football mad- jailers’ mercy. And they were attacked they might have echoed the curses. Dmitry Medvedev Then, having feigned sufficient terrible ness will have been driven home to because Iraq had lost a football match! ARAB NEWS and smaller. Russian Prime Minister MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Hagel should not be defence secretary Stop allowing parties BY JIM INHOFE to draw election maps UR military and national security interests are at BY ROBERT MCCARTNEY Oa critical juncture. As a The new GOP bill former colleague of Chuck Hagel, OTH Republicans and I know that he is a good man with Democrats regularly on the Senate a record of service and sacrifice Bexhibit such greed and that deserves respect. While his dishonesty in manipulating service is commendable, the lens electoral maps that a Columbia is especially through which his nomination as University expert who studies the defence secretary must be con- practice likened his work to that offensive and sidered needs to be both broader of an anthropologist who observes and more refined. Whether he cannibals. is the right person to lead the “I have to replace normal worrisome. Defence Department should be human reactions of disgust and determined by his judgement, his revulsion with fascination and census cycle nationwide, because fundamental view of America’s curiosity. It’s the only way I can it controls more state govern- role in the world and his assess- cope,” said Nathaniel Persily, a law ments. But both parties are ment of the military required to professor who’s helped draw elec- guilty. support this role. tion lines in Maryland and other In addition, when Democrats After carefully reviewing his states. controlled the Virginia Senate record from this perspective, I am Virginia Republicans are the before the 2011 legislative elec- unable to support his nomination. latest offenders in the sorry saga tions, they designed the districts President Barack Obama is of politicians seeking to contort to help themselves. The cur- unyielding in his determination the voting process to help their rent GOP bid to redraw those to oversee significant reductions party, and they are going for it in lines arises partly from simple to the size and resourcing of our a big way. retaliation. military. Such a course would First, they shoved a bill The new GOP bill on the have an enormous impact on the through the state Senate that Senate is especially offensive and capabilities and readiness of our Chuck Hagel (right) with Maryland Democratic Senator Ben Cardin on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. would significantly gerryman- worrisome because of its tim- servicemen and women to oper- der voting jurisdictions for that ing. The parties are supposed ate in a world that becomes more chamber’s members to benefit to make major changes in the complex and dangerous each day. Chuck Hagel, however, does not Trade Organisation. On multiple that report not fully support the the GOP. They did so without map only once each decade, a Simply retreating from America’s seem to share this view. In stark con- occasions, including in his 2008 president’s commitment to nuclear hearings in a year when the state principle enshrined in the state leadership role in the world and trast, the Financial Times reported book, he has advocated direct modernization but it also advocates constitution suggests that they constitution. shrinking our military will not in December that he said, “There’s negotiations with Iran, a country the assumption of extreme risk to have no business making such The Republicans maintain that make Americans safer. On the a tremendous amount of bloat in using multiple means to foment our national security, including changes. it’s okay because they’re just fix- contrary, doing so will embolden the Pentagon, and that has to be regional instability and threaten possible unilateral nuclear disar- Some Republican legislators ing lines that the Democrats our enemies, endanger our allies scaled back.” I strongly disagree and the security of Israel. mament. Given the premises and in Virginia have also pushed drew inappropriately. But that’s and provide opportunities for believe that averting the outcomes Hagel has also been an out- conclusions of the Global Zero a separate measure to rejig- a transparent dodge. nations that do not share our of defence sequestration must be the spoken supporter of nuclear dis- report, how can we in Congress ger how the state’s presidential The GOP risks setting a prec- interests to fill the global leader- government’s top priority. armament and the Global Zero be confident that he will carry out tally is counted. Under their edent that would lead to constant ship vacuum we leave behind. I And on many of the security Movement, which seeks a world the modernization efforts required bill, President Barack Obama redistricting battles not only fear that Hagel will be a staunch challenges facing US interests free of nuclear weapons. At a time to maintain the effectiveness of our would have received only four of in Virginia but also elsewhere advocate for, or even accelerate, around the world, Hagel’s record when North Korea’s belligerent nuclear deterrent? Virginia’s 13 electoral votes last around the country. the continuation of this adminis- is deeply troubling. Too often, it actions threaten our allies and While I respect Hagel’s contin- year, even though he beat Mitt “It’s very, very rare to have a tration’s misguided policies. seems, he is willing to subscribe to Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear-weap- ued willingness to serve his coun- Romney by nearly 150,000 votes mid-decade partisan gerryman- The most immediate threat a world view that is predicated on ons capability risks the stability try, I feel we are too philosophically in the popular count. der,” Persily said. “The question is facing the Defence Department appeasing our adversaries while of the Middle East, the security of opposed on the most pressing The GOP efforts in Richmond are we entering an age of perpet- is sequestration, which, if allowed shunning our friends. our nation and that of our allies issues confronting the security of should appal anyone who cares ual gerrymandering. This won’t to occur, will result in drastic In 2000, when nearly every sen- require the United States to be our nation. Issues related to our about democracy and fairness. stop in Virginia if it becomes the across-the-board cuts to most ator joined a letter to President vigilant with our nuclear weapons nation’s defence spending, interna- Governor Bob McDonnell, a norm.” major budget accounts. Outgoing Bill Clinton affirming US solidarity and defence systems. tional engagement and support for Republican, has done the right The controversy should prompt Defence Secretary Leon Panetta with Israel in the face of Palestinian The Senate ratified the New allies and nuclear modernisation thing by saying he opposes the the public and responsible poli- has stated that these cuts would aggression, Hagel was one of just START treaty in 2010 only on the are just some examples where we Electoral College chicanery, which ticians on both sides to demand have a “catastrophic” and “dev- four who refused to sign. In 2001, condition that President Obama are far apart. I cannot support his now seems unlikely to pass. The adoption of a nonpartisan proc- astating” effect on the mili- he was one of just two senators who would carry out a nuclear mod- nomination. governor should make clear he’d ess for drawing election maps. tary. General Martin Dempsey, voted against a bill extending harsh ernization program. Yet Hagel The writer, a US senator veto the Senate plan, as well, if it California and some other states Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of sanctions against Iran. was a commissioner on a May 2012 from Oklahoma, is the ranking reaches his desk. have given the job to bipartisan Staff, has stated that we are “on A year later, he urged the Global Zero report on modernizing Republican on the Senate Armed Still, let’s be objective. The commissions, with generally posi- the brink of creating a hollow Bush administration to support US nuclear strategy, force struc- Services Committee. Democrats do it, too. The GOP tive results. force.” I couldn’t agree more. Iran’s membership in the World ture and posture. Not only does WP-BLOOMBERG has done it more in the current WP-BLOOMBERG Obama’s left-wing agenda is actually centrist

BY ZACHARY A GOLDFARB Beyond the capital’s divisions, Obama’s first term and another citizens across the country resist The president’s position in battling climate change that he hinted will be a second- F THERE was one word the “liberal” label — even though term priority — show how notions that was used most often polls show that they tend to hold sounds liberal because it appeases the environmental of what counts as liberal can eas- to describe President liberal positions on individual ily shift. Obama’s second inaugural issues. Political scientists call In 2010, Obama achieved what address this past week, it this “symbolic” Vs “operational” base of the Democratic Party and because Democrats had sought for gen- wasI “liberal.” Obama supposedly ideology. erations: a law expanding health- tossed away the post-partisan According to one poll, 74 percent Republicans have increasingly opposed efforts to care coverage to most Americans. efforts of his first term and of Americans support regulating In opinion polls, the Affordable embraced big government, fully greenhouse gas emissions to com- Care Act was deeply unpopular, committing himself to the cause bat climate change. According to stem global warming. yet Americans supported many of gay rights and showing a Gore- another, 68 percent oppose cutting individual provisions. like dedication to the climate- spending on Medicaid, the public attack on income inequality — a the bleakest poverty knows that “Health reform in general was change fight. health insurance program for the subject of much interest to lib- she has the same chance to suc- unpopular because it seemed to Yet the next day, the White poor. erals — even while his proposed ceed as anybody else.” To increase violate conservative principles,” House expressed surprise at And other polls show that more solutions (modestly higher taxes equality of opportunity, Obama said Chris Ellis, a professor of the notion that the presi- than half of Americans favour on the wealthy to preserve the could call for higher taxes on eve- political science at Bucknell dent’s speech amounted to a path to citizenship for illegal services that the middle and ryone to pay for universal child University. “But the individual an affirmation of liberalism. immigrants, a vast majority oppose lower classes depend on) were care or a free college education for parts of it were popular because Press Secretary Jay Carney cuts in education or transportation decidedly mainstream. any qualified high school senior. they did things that people like: told reporters that he rejected funding, and a slim majority sup- One of the most provocative Such proposals, of course, provide more access to health “the idea that this was an ‘ism’ port same-sex marriage. lines in his inaugural address — might be politically impracti- insurance for the poor, tax wealth- speech.” He added, “It’s on behalf Obama’s inaugural speech equating the fight for gay rights cal and even counterproductive, ier people to pay for things.” of ideas that represent who we sounded liberal because he offered at Stonewall with the fight for undermining support for inter- Yet the central mechanism of are as Americans.” the kind of robust defence of racial equality at Selma and mediate positions that are less Obamacare — the individual man- In a narrow sense, Carney government’s role in the nation’s the fight for gender equality at ambitious but more feasible in date, which Republicans blasted was right. Opinion polls show life that has seldom been heard Seneca Falls — first appeared today’s Washington. as a massive liberal exercise of that on almost all of the major from Democratic politicians after last May, when Obama delivered Many would say they would power — began as a conservative positions Obama espoused in his President Bill Clinton declared in the commencement address at be bad public policy, too. But idea. speech — entitlements, immigra- 1996 that “the era of big govern- Barnard College, though it was even if he agrees with such pro- Obama’s call to battle climate tion, climate change and same- ment is over.” little noticed then. posals in principle, Obama has change in his second term under- sex marriage — a majority of “We do not believe that in this In some ways, one could regard tended to follow a more prag- scores a similar phenomenon. His Americans agree with him. country, freedom is reserved for Republicans as more ideologically matic course, looking for laws position sounds liberal because By that measure, Obama did the lucky or happiness for the few,” daring than Obama. On many eco- pretty centrist or conservative he can actually pass or execu- it appeases the environmental not advance a liberal agenda. A Obama said last Monday. “We rec- nomic and social issues — whether position: ‘I’m opposed to cutting tive actions he can realistically base of the Democratic Party consequential one, certainly, but ognise that no matter how respon- trimming social services such as it,’ “ said James Stimson, a pro- take, rather than waiting for a and because Republicans have one that reflects centrist views sibly we live our lives, any one of us, Medicaid or opposing any type of fessor of political science at the perfect solution. increasingly opposed efforts to or centre-left ones at most. The at any time, may face a job loss, or legal union for gay couples — the University of North Carolina at His announcement of his sup- stem global warming. agenda seems liberal only when a sudden illness, or a home swept GOP backs positions that lack Chapel Hill. “Back in the 1970s, port for same-sex marriage last But there wasn’t always such judged against the liberal-con- away in a terrible storm.” majority support in the country. the two parties jostled about who year — which he carefully said an ideological gap between the servative divide we’re used to in The speech may have been But Republicans have shown a could be more generous in dis- was an expression of his personal parties. In the 2008 presidential Washington. his bluntest declaration of these willingness to press forward on persing Social Security.” view — tracked closely with public race, Obama and his opponent, Over the past four years, ideas, but it was no ideological such ideas, which express moral Obama could yet advance a opinion as a majority of Americans Senator John McCain had almost politics in the nation’s capital breakthrough. Obama has been or ideological convictions and truly liberal agenda, proposing came to share the same view. exactly the same plan to help has been consumed by the fight pushing this approach forcefully appeal to a narrower slice of the policies that match the tenor “This is a nice example of solve the problem of a warming between the president and tea for the past year and a half. electorate. of his inaugural address but go how political leaders simultane- planet. party Republicans. But because It started in the summer of In his speech, by contrast, beyond its substance. ously lead and follow the public Looking at this history and Obama is far closer to the centre 2011, when his post-partisan Obama hewed closely to public “If we are truly created equal, — by selectively pushing against today’s opinion polls, it would than the tea party is, what counts efforts reached their end after opinion. He defended “the com- then surely the love we commit to the elastic boundaries of pub- seem pretty easy to find con- as middle ground in Washington he failed to strike a grand bar- mitments we make to each other one another must be equal,” he said lic acceptance, insofar as their sensus in America on a lot of is more conservative than the gain with Republicans on the through Medicare and Medicaid in his speech. To follow up, he could existing stock of political capi- big issues — not just “liberal” or political centre nationwide. In national debt. He then increas- and Social Security” — but did not call for a federal law enshrining tal allows,” said Larry Bartels, a “conservative” solutions. this setting, even centrist pro- ingly adopted an ideological mes- propose expanding the safety net. same-sex marriage as a right. political scientist at Vanderbilt Then again, in Washington, posals face mighty legislative sage. In Osawatomie, Kansas, “Judged on an absolute scale, He said that “we are true to our University. everything needs a label. hurdles. that winter, he mounted an going back to Roosevelt, that’s a creed when a little girl born into Two other issues — one from WP-BLOOMBERG MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 08 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09

Bayt.com inks Iran, Argentina in Fertility levels decline in agreement with Four more killed in Egypt violence deal to probe Colombo-based 1994 bombing Clashes erupt during funeral of 33 protesters in Port Said; fury against Mursi on the rise Arab countries: Expert Amazai group BUENOS AIRES: Argentine President Cristina Kirchner CAIRO: Four people were shot opponents accuse Mursi of fail- Clashes also erupted in other yesterday announced an agree- DOHA: Bayt.com, an online dead and hundreds were injured ing to deliver on economic prom- streets near the square. The US ment with Iran to create an Average age of women getting married rises to 30 years recruitment website, yester- in Egypt’s Port Said yesterday ises and say he has not lived up to and British embassies, both close independent commission to day announced that it had during the funeral of 33 pro- pledges to represent all Egyptians. to Tahrir, said they were closed investigate the 1994 bombing of BY FAZEENA SALEEM The four very largest of these postponing marriage or avoiding signed an Authorised Reseller testers killed at the weekend, His backers say the opposition is for public business yesterday, nor- a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires. absolute declines happened in it has also increased,” Eberstadt Agreement with Amazai part of a wave of violence piling seeking to topple Egypt’s first mally a working day. Iran confirmed the deal. DOHA: Fertility levels have Muslim-majority countries, said. Group, an integrated solutions pressure on Islamist President freely elected leader by undemo- The army, Egypt’s interim ruler Argentina has long accused declined in Arab countries and each entailing a decline of over These patterns, called ‘flight provider based in Colombo, Sri Mohammed Mursi. cratic means. until Mursi’s election, was sent Iran of masterminding the deadly reasons behind it are yet to 4.5 births per woman in just 20 from marriage’ include the rise in Lanka. A total of 46 people have been Although yesterday’s violence back onto the streets to restore attack and has since 2006 sought be discovered, political econo- years. the singulate female age at mar- The Amazai Group will killed in demonstrations around was less severe than the previous order in Port Said and Suez, the extradition of eight Iranians, mist and demographer Nicolas Arabs are getting married riage (the average length of sin- start providing Bayt.com’s the country since Thursday and two days, Mursi may have little which both lie on the Suez canal. including current Defence Eberstadt said yesterday. late and fewer than in the past. gle life expressed in years among premium solutions for his opponents have called for respite. The opposition Popular In Suez, at least eight people were Minister Ahmad Vahidi and East Asia and Europe experi- And the situation is in contrast those who get married before employers and jobseekers in more protests today. Current and other groups have killed in clashes with police. former president Akbar Hashemi enced decline in fertility because with that in non-Arab countries. 50), the fall in total first mar- Sri Lanka. “Down, down Mursi, down called for more protests today to Egypt’s defence minister who Rafsanjani. of rapid economic growth and the Unfortunately, this demographic riage rates and the rise in total Suhail Masri, Vice-President down the regime that killed and mark what was one of the bloodi- also heads the army, Abdel Fattah Iran has always denied any practice of modern day family change goes largely unnoticed, he divorce rates. of Sales at Bayt.com, said: “The tortured us!” people in Port Said est days of the 2011 uprising. al-Sissi, called for the nation to involvement in the bombing, in planning methods. These condi- said. In Arab-Muslim societies, relationship will open a new chanted as the coffins of those The Popular Current, led by stand together and said the mili- which 85 people died, and has tions are not applicable for Arab “The situation is similar to the average age of women get- market for us and will allow us killed on Saturday were carried leftist Hamdeen Sabahy, said it tary would not prevent peace- refused to arrest the suspects. countries. post-war Europe, which was ting married has risen to 30. to leverage their local expertise, through the streets. “denounces the state of silence of ful protests. But he called on Kirchner said the two sides had “Arab countries have not recently seen in modern East And 20 percent of women at 40 while we bring our experience of Said’s head of hospitals, Abdel the presidency and the govern- demonstrators to protect public agreed to create a “truth commis- experienced a rapid economic Asian societies. Although never get married, while some 13 years to Sri Lankan employ- Rahman Farag, said an 18-year- ment during the sad events that property. sion” with five independent judges growth as East Asia and family cohabitation before marriage new marriages end in divorce. ers and professionals.” old man and three other persons the country went through the Many ordinary Egyptians are — none of whom can come from planning is not encouraged in or having children outside a In contrast, in some non-Arab The Amazai Group Chairman died from gunshot wounds yes- past 48 hours”. frustrated by the regular escala- either Iran or Argentina. Muslim societies,” said Eberstadt, marriage is not evident in Arab Muslim countries, the average and CEO Omer Fareed said that terday. More than 429 people On a bridge close to Tahrir tions that have hurt the economy She said the agreement may also an adviser at the American societies. age of women getting married the group is proud and privileged suffered teargas inhalation, while Square, youths hurled stones at and their livelihoods. allow Argentine authorities to Enterprise Institute and National “Studies have shown that cer- remains under 24. to exclusively partner with Bayt. 38 were wounded by gunshots, Protesters run from tear gas fired by riot police during clashes near Tahrir police in riot gear who fired tear- “They are not revolutionar- finally question those for whom Bureau of Asian Research. tain patterns in marriages that “Family is the basic bedrock of com as the authorised reseller for he said. Square in Cairo, yesterday. gas to push them back towards ies protesting,” said taxi driver Interpol has issued “red notices”, He will hold a workshop today first began emerging in post- society. But this concept is chang- Sri Lanka. Gunshots had killed many of the square, the cauldron of the Kamal Hassan, 30, referring to which alert the international for a panel of experts on ‘Fertility war Europe and more recently ing, and it is important to under- “This new partnership with the 33 who died on Saturday when In Cairo, police fired teargas at Port Said and Suez, both cities uprising that erupted on January those gathered in Tahrir. “They community of arrest warrants. decline in the Muslim world’ in the 1980s evident in modern stand and know what changes Bayt.com will allow us to contrib- residents went on the rampage dozens of stone-throwing protest- where the army has now been 25, 2011 and toppled Mubarak 18 are thugs destroying the country.” Kirchner called the agreement organised by Doha International East Asian societies are now are happening in society,” said ute back in a meaningful way to after a court sentenced 21 people, ers on a fourth day of clashes over deployed. days later. The National Defence Council, “historic,” saying “it guarantees Institute for Family Studies and beginning to emerge within the Eberstadt. our communities and customers. mostly from the Mediterranean what demonstrators there and in The violence adds to the daunt- “None of the revolution’s headed by Mursi, called on the right to due process of law, a Development (DIIFSD). Arab world,” Eberstadt told The “A sea change has been hid- “We will also round out our port, to death for their role in other cities say is a power grab by ing task facing Mursi as he tries goals have been realised,” said Saturday for national dialogue to fundamental principle of interna- According to data released Peninsula on the sidelines of a lec- den. Not recognised or discussed capabilities and abilities to serve deadly soccer violence at a sta- Islamists two years after Hosni to fix a beleaguered economy and Mohamed Sami, a protester in discuss political differences. tional criminal law.” by UNDP, six of the 10 larg- ture ‘The Flight from Marriage: by policymakers. Any dramatic Nicolas Eberstadt delivering a lecture organised by Doha International clients in the best possible way,” dium there last year. Mubarak was overthrown. cool tempers before a parliamen- Cairo’s Tahrir Square yesterday. That offer has been cautiously The agreement, signed by est absolute declines in fer- Has it Come to the Arab World?’ change in society going unno- he said. A military source said many The protesters accuse Mursi, tary election expected in the next “Prices are going up. The blood welcomed by the opposition Argentina’s foreign minister Institute for Family Studies and Development, yesterday. tility for a two-decade period organised by DIIFSD. ticed by policymakers is a risk,” “Indeed, Bayt.com is the perfect people in Port Said, which lies elected in June with the support few months which is supposed of Egyptians is being spilt in the National Salvation Front. But the and Iranian authorities in Addis yet recorded in the post-war- “There is a dramatic rise he warned. complement to our existing busi- next to the increasingly lawless of his Muslim Brotherhood group, to cement Egypt’s transition to streets because of neglect and cor- coalition has demanded a clear Ababa on the sidelines of an era have occurred in Muslim- in the age women are getting Eberstadt said that the rea- in Arab societies could be due socio-economic aspects of a soci- ness lines.” Sinai Peninsula, possess guns. But of betraying the democratic goals democracy. ruption and because the Muslim agenda and guarantees that any African Union summit, must still majority countries. married and the percentage of sons behind changes happening to several factors based on ety. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA it was not clear who was behind of the revolution. Most of the It has exposed a deep rift in Brotherhood is ruling Egypt for agreements will be implemented. be ratified by lawmakers in both the deaths and injuries. deaths since Thursday were in the nation. Liberals and other their own interests.” REUTERS countries. The Iranian Foreign Ministry published pictures of the sign- ing ceremony, media in Tehran reported. The reports said Iran and Argentina agreed to “close Russia says Assad’s grip weakening that file through mutual coop- eration and with the help of MOSCOW: Russia said the chances in neighbouring Libya. Moscow has since loyal to Assad in southwestern Damascus independent lawyers” in order to of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad accused the West of breaching sovereign yesterday, seizing a railway station and “shed light on this issue.” AFP staying in power were growing “smaller rights and has vetoed UN action against forcing the closure of the main highway and smaller”, as fighting yesterday in Assad. Medvedev warned that removing to Deraa in the south. southwestern Damascus shut a main Assad by force would mean “decades” of Footage posted on the Internet showed Kuwait mulls gift highway from the capital. civil war. what activists said was a rebel attack on Assad has long counted Moscow as Russia has been Assad’s most impor- the station in Qadam district. One clip for those without an ally and Prime Minister Dmitry tant ally throughout the 22-month-old showed gunmen taking cover as gunfire Medvedev’s remarks were the most vocal Syrian conflict, which began with peaceful could be heard. Another showed gunmen personal loans Russian statement yet that his days may street protests and evolved into an armed inspecting buildings by the track after now be numbered, although they come uprising against his rule. what the narrator describes as the “lib- KUWAIT: A parliamentary after predictions from France, an avowed Moscow has blocked three Security eration” of the station. committee in Kuwait proposed enemy, and from neighbouring Jordan Council resolutions aimed at pushing him Another video showed black smoke yesterday that the government that the Syrian president’s downfall is out or pressuring him to end the blood- billowing above concrete buildings, the pay a portion of the interest not imminent. shed which has killed more than 60,000 result of what activists said was an air on citizens’ personal loans and “I think that with every day, every people. But Russia has also distanced strike by Assad’s air force near the rail- give a KD1,000 ($3,500) gift week and every month, the chances of itself from Assad by saying it is not try- way terminal. to each Kuwaiti without such his preservation are getting smaller and ing to prop him up and will not offer him Syrian media did not comment on the debts, state news agency KUNA smaller,” Medvedev said, according to the asylum. fighting around Qadam and restrictions reported. transcript of an interview in Russian with The mainly Sunni Muslim rebels have on independent media make it difficult to The proposal from the financial CNN that was released by his office. seized territory in the north of the coun- verify reports from activists. and economic affairs committee, “But I repeat again, this must be try, including several border crossings, The Syrian Observatory for Human which is made up of members of decided by the Syrian people. Not Russia, and have challenged Assad’s control over Rights, a British-based opposition group parliament, would need approval not the United States, nor any other Syria’s main cities. which monitors the violence in Syria, said of the wider assembly and the country,” said Medvedev, whose admin- But Assad’s air power and army, whose jets and artillery also struck targets in country’s ruler if it is to be passed istration has criticised Western, Turkish senior ranks are dominated by his Alawite rebel strongholds to the east and south into law. and Gulf Arab support for Syria’s rebels. minority, have stemmed rebel advances. of the capital after fierce clashes there. Lawmakers elected in “The task for the United States, the France said on Thursday there was no The fighting came as United Nations December had originally sought Europeans and regional powers ... is to sign Assad was about to be overthrown, humanitarian chief Valerie Amos visited a complete bailout of billions of sit the parties down for negotiations, and reversing previous statements that he Syria ahead of a UN aid conference in dollars of household debt but were not just demand that Assad go and then could not hold out long, and Jordan’s King Kuwait which aims to raise $1.5bn for mil- met with strong resistance from be executed like Gaddafi or be carried to Abdullah said Assad would consolidate his lions of people made homeless, hungry policymakers who said the plans court sessions on a stretcher like Hosni grip for now. and vulnerable by the conflict. were not feasible. Mubarak.” “Anybody who is saying the regime of On Wednesday, Amos said Syrians were If the proposal becomes law it After Egypt’s veteran president Hosni Bashar has got weeks to live really doesn’t “paying a terrible price” for the failure would not be the first time that Mubarak was toppled, Russia withheld know the reality on the ground,” Abdullah of world powers to resolve the conflict, Kuwait, one of the world’s rich- its veto on a UN Security Council reso- said in Davos on Friday. “They still have pointing to 650,000 refugees who have est countries per capita, gives out lution authorising Western and Arab capability, so I give them a strong shot at fled the country and the millions affected such financial aid. powers to provide military help to the least for the first half of 2013.” inside Syria. Kuwait’s oil wealth and gener- rebels who overthrew Muammar Gaddafi Activists said rebels clashed with forces REUTERS ous welfare state have helped to shield the country from severe Arab Spring-style unrest, although there have been fre- Looking back at Holocaust quent demonstrations over politi- cal participation and other local Israel approves issues. plan on Bedouin REUTERS settlements Clashes at boy’s funeral in Bahrain JERUSALEM: Israel yesterday a p p r o v e d a p l a n t o s e t t l e t e n s o f t h o u - MANAMA: Riot police and sands of desert-dwelling Bedouin mourners have clashed in in permanent townships, trigger- Bahrain following the funeral of ing criticism from opponents who an 8-year-old boy whom opposi- say it will displace many from their tion groups claim died from res- traditional lands. piratory problems triggered by The government said it would “as heavy tear gas. much as possible” grant legal status Officials did not immediately to villages in the Negev desert that comment on the cause of the boy’s are currently unrecognised by the death after he was hospitalised on authorities and where some Bedouin January 19. live, if they met unstated minimum Rights groups and others have population criteria. A statement said complained about intense tear that “most” residents of such com- gas use by Bahraini forces during munities — which now receive no nearly two years of unrest. government or municipal services — Hundreds of mourners staged would be able to continue living there a protest march following yester- after the villages are granted legal day’s burial, but were dispersed status. “The goal of this historic deci- by riot police firing tear gas and sion is to put an end to the spread stun grenades. Some protesters of illegal building by Negev Bedouin Tzvia Shkolnik, a friend of late Holocaust survivor Edit Faber, poses for a photograph near hurled firebombs. Bahrain has and lead to the better integration of a doll which had been hidden with him during World War Two, during the opening of a new been wracked by conflict between the Bedouin into Israeli society,” the the Sunni-led government and display at the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem, yesterday. The expo statement quoted Prime Minister majority Shias seeking a greater marked International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Benjamin Netanyahu as saying.AFP political voice. AP MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INTERNATIONAL Obama: Rural Club fire kills 232 in Brazil town voices need Over 131 injured; survivors in shock to be heard SANTA MARIA: At least the stage could not get out.” 232 people died early yesterday Bortolotto Mattheus, a young in gun debate when fire tore through a night- dentist, said metal barriers set club packed with university stu- up at the entrances to organise dents in the southern Brazilian lines had blocked the exits. WASHINGTON: US President city of Santa Maria, police said. “A girl died in my arms. I could Barack Obama urged gun con- Shocked survivors described a feel her heart stop beating. I had trol advocates to listen to views frantic rush to the exits as flames only seen that in movies,” he told of rural Americans who use swept through the crowded club the Band News television channel. guns for hunting and said bridg- in the university town, with The discotheque’s fire permit ing a cultural divide in attitudes scores of young people getting had expired in August 2011, the to gun ownership will be critical trampled and passing out from local press reported, citing Moses to his administration’s push to smoke inhalation. Fuchs da Silva, head of the state curb gun violence. Another 131 people were fire department. “If you grew up and your dad injured, and the death toll from Santa Maria fire chief Guido gave you a hunting rifle when you the inferno had climbed rap- de Melo said the fire caused were 10, and you went out and idly as firefighters pulled bod- widespread panic, and that many spent the day with him and your ies from the charred remains of revelers were trampled or died uncles, and that became part of the “Kiss” club, believed to have from smoke inhalation. Military your family’s traditions, you can see been packed with hundreds of police commander Rois Tavares why you’d be pretty protective of revellers. confirmed the new toll of dead that,” Obama said in an interview The tragedy appeared to be the and injured, after officials had with The New Republic magazine deadliest such blaze in more than earlier put the death toll higher, published yesterday on its website. a decade, since a fire at a shopping at 245 people. Obama made gun control a centre and discotheque in the cen- He said the dead included top priority for his second term tral Chinese city of Luoyang killed 120 men and 112 women, most after 20 children and six adults more than 300 people in 2000. of whom had died of asphyxia- were killed in December by a Reports said the fire broke out tion, and that all bodies had been gunman at a school in Newtown, after 2am (0400 GMT) when the removed from the wreckage. Connecticut. nightclub was hosting a university Young men helped evacuate the Obama spoke with The New party featuring a rock band using wounded as firefighters doused Republic on January 16, the same pyrotechnics, but authorities have the blackened shell of a red brick day he announced he would put yet to offer an official explanation. building with water and used the full weight of his office behind Survivor Michelle Pereira said sledge hammers to punch holes in urging Congress to approve an the blaze broke out when a band the walls to get people out faster. Firefighters try to extinguish the blaze that broke out at a nightclub in Santa Maria, near Brazil, yesterday. assault weapons ban and back- member lifted a firework into the The bodies were taken to a ground checks for all gun buyers. air, setting the ceiling on fire. The sports stadium that was blocked University of Santa Maria. summit, because my priority is provide very efficient care to the “Part of being able to move flames quickly engulfed the entire off by police to keep grieving fam- Brazilian President Dilma the Brazilian people,” the visibly injured.” The tragedy recalled a this forward is understanding the room. ily members from streaming in. Rousseff cut short a visit to Chile, emotional leader told reporters 2003 blaze in a nightclub in the reality of guns in urban areas are “Everyone was pushing and Family members and survi- where she was attending a European travelling with her in Santiago. US state of Rhode Island that very different from the realities of shoving... The fire started out vors, many of them sobbing and and Latin American summit, to She said federal and local killed 100 people and another in guns in rural areas,” Obama said. small, but in a matter of seconds some with soot-blackened faces, head to Santa Maria and oversee authorities are mobilising “all Buenos Aires in 2004 that killed “So it’s trying to bridge those it exploded,” Taynne Vendruscolo, gathered outside in the hope of the response to the tragedy. resources, so that we do not just some 200, both blamed on faulty gaps that I think is going to be part another survivor, told report- getting news of their loved ones. “It’s a tragedy for all of us, and recover the bodies but also sup- safety measures. of the biggest task over the next ers. “Those who were close to The town is home to the Federal I cannot continue here at the port families at this time and AFP several months. And that means that advocates of gun control have to do a little more listening than they do sometimes,” he said. Vice President Joe Biden is leading the White House effort Referendum on to talk to Americans about the French, Malian troops secure Timbuktu gun control proposals and galva- second Bulgaria nize public support to pressure BAMAKO/SEVARE: French The French and Malians con- out house-to-house searches. The provoking international outrage. Congress to act. On Friday, he nuclear plant set and Malian troops were restor- trolled the airport and were third town, Kidal, in Mali’s rugged They had also imposed severe spoke in Virginia about the plan. ing government control over working on securing the town, a and remote northeast, remains in Shariah law including amputa- Gun ownership rights are the fabled Saharan trading Unesco World Heritage site and rebel hands. tions for thieves and stoning of enshrined in the US Constitution, to fail: Exit polls town of Timbuktu yesterday, labyrinth of ancient mosques The United States and Europe adulterers. and past efforts to restrict gun the latest gain in a fast-moving and monuments and mud-brick are backing the UN-mandated As the French and Malian ownership have been blocked by SOFIA: A vote on whether to French-led offensive against Al homes, ready to flush out any Mali operation as a counter- troops push into northern Mali, gun owners, the National Rifle build a second nuclear power Qaeda-allied fighters occupying Islamist fighters still hiding. strike against the threat of radi- African troops from a continen- Association and their supporters plant in Bulgaria, the EU mem- northern Mali. “Timbuktu is delicate, you can’t cal Islamist jihadists using the tal intervention force expected to in Congress. ber’s first referendum since The Islamist militant rebels just go in like that,” the source West African state’s inhospitable number 7,700 are being flown into Rural Americans traditionally communism, looked set to fail have pulled back northwards to said. On Saturday, the French- Sahara desert as a launch pad the country, despite delays due to vote Republican, and Obama was yesterday because of insuffi- avoid relentless French air strikes Malian offensive recaptured for international attacks. logistical problems and the lack of criticised during the 2008 elec- cient turnout. that have destroyed their bases, Gao, which along with Timbuktu One Timbuktu resident now airlift capacity. tion campaign for comments about Exit polls showed that between vehicles and weapons, allowing was one of three major north- outside the town said a friend In the face of the two-week-old how small-town Americans “cling 19.5 and 20.3 percent of vot- French and Malian troops to ern towns occupied last year by inside had sent him SMS mes- French-Malian counter offensive, to guns or religion or antipathy to ers cast ballots, a third of the advance rapidly with air support Tuareg and Islamist rebels who sages saying he had seen govern- the rebels seemed to be pulling people who aren’t like them” — com- roughly 60 percent needed for and armoured vehicles. included fighters from Al Qaeda ment troops on the streets, but back north into the trackless ments for which he later apologised. the result to be valid. Although A Malian military source said in the Islamic Maghreb. gave no more details. desert wastes and mountain fast- Asked whether he had ever the referendum question did not the French and Malian forces The Malian military source, Fighters from the Islamist alli- nesses of the Sahara. fired a gun, Obama said he had mention it explicitly, at stake was reached “the gates of Timbuktu” and at least one resident of Gao ance in north Mali, which groups Military experts fear they could gone skeet shooting with guests at the 2,000-megawatt Belene power late on Saturday without meet- who travelled south out of the city, AQIM with Malian Islamist carry on a gruelling hit-and-run Camp David, a country residence in plant project on the Danube river ing resistance from the Islamist said there were still rebel “pock- group Ansar Dine and AQIM guerrilla war against the govern- rural Maryland where presidents in northern Bulgaria. insurgents who had held the town ets of resistance” there, and that splinter MUJWA, had destroyed ment from there. traditionally host foreign leaders. Severe financial constraints and since last year. government troops were carrying ancient shrines in Timbuktu, REUTERS REUTERS a lack of foreign investors after the 2009 withdrawal of German energy giant RWE prompted Prime Minister Boyko Borisov’s right-wing government to aban- don the project last March. Experts at Davos for action The opposition Socialists ini- tiated the referendum after Atomstroyexport, the state- on global obesity pandemic owned Russian firm set to build Belene, filed a compensation claim DAVOS: Obesity has become basic definitions of a pandemic,” for ¤1bn ($1.3bn). a global pandemic that could she said. The result of the vote, although leave more than half of all The first step to resolving the likely invalid because of low turn- adults worldwide overweight crisis, the experts said, is over- out, was in support of reviving the within two decades, experts coming the instinctive reaction project, with between 60 and 60.3 said, calling for urgent action many have to obesity — blam- percent voting “yes” and between beyond just blaming people for ing the obese themselves instead 39.7 and 40 percent voting “no”, lacking willpower. of the conditions around them. the exit polls showed. Speaking at the World Economic “In 30 years, the percent of the Many voters were either apa- Forum here, health, nutrition and world’s population that is over- thetic or did not feel qualified to fitness experts said the world’s weight or obese has doubled,” make a decision amid confusion increasingly deadly obesity crisis Fried said. “There’s no evidence about the costs and Belene’s eco- needs to be tackled with the same that there has been a collective nomic viability, analysts said. determination policy-makers once global loss of willpower.” People “don’t know what’s took to fighting smoking. The blame rests instead with being asked,” political analyst Ivan With our food more and more the easy availability — and rela- Krastev said before the vote. “You unhealthy and our lives increas- tive cheapness — of higher-calorie cannot ask people to give an expert ingly sedentary, answers are foods and increasing urbanisation opinion on a business project.... needed to address a crisis that is that has led to less active life- This makes the poll absurd.” driving up diabetes, boosting heart styles, the experts said. Both the former communist disease and already killing 2.8 mil- Lisa MacCallum Carter, Nike’s Socialist party and Borisov’s lion adults per year, they said. Vice-President for Access to GERB party however saw the A car drives through flood waters near Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, yesterday. The current figure of 1.4 billion Sport, said obesity was linked to referendum as an important adults already overweight globally an “inactivity crisis” as a result popularity test before July gen- is set to soar, Linda Fried, dean of urbanisation. She said signifi- eral elections. A recent Alpha Raging floodwaters sweep northern Australia of the Mailman School of Public cant amounts of daily exercise Research poll showed waning sup- Health at Columbia University, told from incidental movement had port for GERB at about 21 per- SYDNEY: Two people were tornadoes and floodwaters threat- Queensland residents were a panel on obesity at the annual been lost, with for example peo- cent, still ahead of the Socialists missing and the body of a third ened several major towns. bracing for the river to peak above gathering of the global elite. “In ple now sending emails instead of on 18.5 percent — although the person was recovered from rag- One woman was plucked to nine metres, well in excess of the another 20 years, if things con- walking across the office to talk former communists’ popularity ing floodwaters as severe storms safety in Biloela, 600km northwest 7.92m seen in 2011. Further north tinue to increase the way they are, to a colleague. has been rising. pounded northeastern Australia of Brisbane, after she spent eight at Gladstone, about 900 homes it may well be that 50-60 percent She cited research showing Both sides claimed victory in yesterday, forcing more than hours clinging to a tree. At Gympie, were evacuated and several towns of the world’s adult population will that Americans are now 32 per- the referendum. “The Bulgarians 1,000 to flee their homes. north of Brisbane, three families in the region were already iso- be overweight,” Fried said. cent less active than in 1967, and if once again demonstrated common Army aircraft were deployed in waited on the roofs of their homes lated by the rising waters. Across “If this were an infectious dis- current trends continue they will sense, understanding that this the northern state of Queensland, for seven hours before rescue heli- the state some 58,000 homes were ease we might call it a pandemic. be 50 percent less active by 2030. issue does not even deserve their where storms generated by former copters, hampered by high winds, without power and that number It’s not regional, it’s global, it’s In just half a generation, she said, attention,” Borisov commented. tropical cyclone Oswald unleashed managed to reach them, town was growing by the hour. increasing rapidly, it’s continu- the Chinese had also become 45 AFP punishing rains and localised mayor Ron Dyne said. AFP ing to escalate — those are the percent less active. AFP MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 ASIA / PHILIPPINES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 Suu Kyi hopes Festive mood to be president after reforms Myanmar leader visits Hawaii

WASHINGTON: Myanmar president. “It’s just not acceptable, opposition icon Aung San Suu it’s not democratic, and it’s not Kyi has voiced confidence that what a constitution is all about,” the country’s powerful military she said. will support changes to the con- Suu Kyi enjoys respect among stitution that would allow her to some officers, as her father become president. Aung San created the army and The Nobel Peace Prize winner, led the struggle against British who spent most of two decades colonial rule. Suu Kyi also hoped under house arrest until recent to amend the constitution to reforms, said she was hopeful that recognise the “aspirations” of parliament will approve consti- minorities. Fighting has per- tutional revisions even though sisted between the Burman- the army controls a vital number dominated army and ethnic of seats. rebels despite calls by Thein Sein “I am not unduly worried by for reconciliation. it. I think that the members of “Unless we can meet those our military, like the rest of our aspirations, we can never hope nation, would like to see Burma a to build a true and lasting union happier, stronger, more harmoni- based on peace and harmony,” ous country,” she said, referring she said. Suu Kyi was visiting to Myanmar by its former name. Hawaii as part of an initiative by “Because of that, I do not rule the US state to share its values. out the possibility of amendment In a scene that would have been through negotiated compromise,” unthinkable just a few years ago, Suu Kyi said on Friday at the Suu Kyi spoke fondly about dining A street dancer performs at the annual Grand Santo Nino Procession in Manila, yesterday. The procession features almost 300 floats with different East-West Center on a visit to the with friends on Honolulu’s sun- images of child Jesus Christ flown in from various parts of the country. The Philippines is Asia’s bastion of Catholicism and the Sto Nino feast is one US Pacific state of Hawaii. kissed Waikiki beach. among dozens of festivals honouring various saints and religious icons, a legacy of three centuries of Spanish rule. President Thein Sein, a former Suu Kyi has toured Europe and general, surprised even critics by North America since her release launching a slew of reforms after from house arrest. US President taking office in 2011 — including Barack Obama paid a landmark freeing political prisoners, easing visit to Myanmar in November, China keeps Bo’s trial plans under wraps censorship and permitting Suu hoping to encouraging reforms. Kyi to enter parliament. Myanmar’s foreign ministry Thein Sein has said he would on Saturday criticised the United BEIJING: China’s govern- Guiyang. It was not immediately Heywood with poison. following legal procedures in pur- accept Suu Kyi as president if her States for raising concerns over ment is giving no details on the possible to reconcile the conflict- Gu and Wang have both since suing the case against Bo. National League for Democracy unabated fighting in north- trial of shamed senior leader ing reports. Reuters reporters been convicted and jailed. “If they are doing this by the wins the next elections in 2015, ern Kachin state, where tens of Bo Xilai, the final chapter in its in Guiyang said they could see No criminal charges against book and the trial is on Monday but some activists question thousands of people have been worst political scandal in dec- no signs of heightened security Bo have yet been revealed, only then there should have been a whether hardliners would be will- displaced since June 2011. The ades, as speculation mounted so far, either around the main accusations from the party of cor- formal announcement by now,” ing to let the army leave power. statement also said Myanmar the case could be heard as early courthouse or in any other part ruption and of bending the law to said Zhang Lifan, a Beijing-based Under the 2008 constitution, “strongly objects” to the use of as today. of the city. hush up Heywood’s killing. political commentator. the presidency cannot be held by the name Burma by the United A Beijing-backed Hong Kong Once a contender for China’s Bo was last seen in public in “If they don’t follow proce- anyone whose spouse or children States, urging the two nations to newspaper, the Ta Kung Pao, top leadership, Bo was ousted March and is being held in cus- dure, and hold the trial in great hold foreign nationality. Suu Kyi avoid actions that could go against reported on Friday that Bo’s trial from his post as Communist Party tody, though there has been no secrecy in a very low-key man- was married to the late British “mutual respect.” would begin today in the southern chief in the southwestern city of word where he is being held ner, it would be going against the academic Michael Aris, with But Suu Kyi vigorously Chinese city of Guiyang. Chongqing last year following his and he has not been allowed to convention (of the previous trials) whom she has two children. defended calling her country But the government has not wife’s murder of a British busi- defend himself in public. China’s and make people suspicious of the “I do not think it is right for Burma in English, saying that the confirmed or denied this, belying nessman, Neil Heywood. new Communist Party chief Xi whole process and of government any constitution to be written name Myanmar was imposed by recent efforts to promote trans- Bo, 63, was widely tipped to be Jinping, who takes over from Hu promises,” he added. with anybody in mind — whether the military leadership. parency and openness, and at promoted to the party’s elite inner Jintao as president in March, has The trial, when it does comes, it is written to keep anybody in “The assertion that we have least two well-informed sources core before his career unravelled. made government accountability is almost certain to be conducted office for life, or whether it is to get rid of the name because it said yesterday the reports were The downfall came after his and fighting corruption two of his behind closed doors, with access written with the intention of was a colonial legacy I find nar- not true. former police chief Wang Lijun key themes since assuming his limited to close family members, keeping anybody out of office for row, and I think it reflects lack of However, a third source, who fled briefly to a US consulate last party role in November. a handful of state media and a life,” said Suu Kyi, who has pre- self-confidence rather than any- has ties to the leadership, said the February and alleged that Bo’s The party has also tried to show carefully selected group of other viously voiced willingness to be thing else,” she said. AFP trial would in fact begin today in wife, Gu Kailai, had murdered it is at least paying lip service to observers. REUTERS US ship will be penalised, says Aquino

MANILA: Philippine “We’d like to thank them for arrival of two bigger crane ships The government last week President Benigno Aquino respecting our sovereignty and to pluck the Guardian from said it was seeking heavy fines has welcomed the US Navy’s are very careful about our sen- the reef. for the coral damage, but Aquino apology for a minesweeper sitivities,” Aquino said of the The incident has caused anger said penalties would have to that went aground on a World apology last week by the US in the Philippines, a former be assessed after the vessel is Heritage-listed coral reef, but embassy and the US Navy. American colony and ally in the salvaged. said they would not be exempt “But that doesn’t exempt Asia-Pacific. About 1,000 square metres from penalties. them from having to comply While both the embassy of coral has been impacted, or The priority was to remove with our laws,” he said. and the head of the US Navy’s about less than one percent of the damaged USS Guardian The 68-metre vessel has been Pacific fleet have apologised for the entire marine park. from Tubbataha Reef even as stuck since January 17. Its hull the incident, they have not yet Tubbataha is a Unesco World an investigation was under way has been punctured and is now explained the exact cause. Heritage site in a remote part to determine why it strayed into flooded. The head of the marine park of the Sulu Sea famous for the area, Aquino told reporters The US Navy last week raced supervising Tubbataha has said its rich marine life and coral in Davos, Switzerland, accord- to remove some 57,000 litres the ship ignored warnings that that rival Australia’s Great ing to transcripts released (15,000 US gallons) of fuel from it was entering a protected Barrier Reef. yesterday. the ship, while awaiting the marine sanctuary. AFP

Travel rush Nine killed, six hurt in ambush

MANILA: Suspected com- munist insurgents ambushed a truck carrying police and village guards in an attack which left nine people dead and wounded at least six in the cen- tral Philippines yesterday, an official said. The police and vil- lage guards were returning from securing a town festival in the central island of Negros before dawn when about 30 heavily- armed gunmen opened fire on them, said Chief Inspector Rico Santotome. Among the dead were one policeman, six village guards, the wife of a guard and the driver of the truck, said the police spokes- man. “They wanted to finish them off, especially the policeman. They Travellers cross a road before Beijing Railway Station yesterday. The world’s largest annual migration shot him in the head to make sure began in China with tens of thousands in the capital boarding trains to travel home for next month’s he was dead,” said Santotome. Lunar New Year celebrations. AFP MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN Five ex-judges Islamabad to to decide on caretaker PM announce poll ISLAMABAD: Five former superior court judges, who form the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), are going to decide the caretaker prime date in 10 days minister and four interim chief ministers if political parties fail to do so with a consensus. Govt holds talks with agitating cleric Twenty nominations, four each for the offices of the prime minis- LAHORE: Pakistan’s govern- The deal said parliament would ter and four chief ministers, from ment yesterday said it would be dissolved at any time before both sides, will ultimately land at aim to announce a date for a March 16 so that elections can take the ECP. general election within ten days, place within 90 days. The govern- Intense wrangling will ensue following talks with a cleric who ment had previously said parlia- and the matter may land in the led a mass four-day protest in ment would dissolve on March 17. Supreme Court for decision the capital. Kaira said the government also about the appointment of care- The meeting in the eastern agreed to appoint a caretaker taker chief ministers in Sindh city of Lahore was part of a deal prime minister and caretaker and Balochistan for various legal reached with Tahirul Qadri to chief ministers in consultation and lacunae, experts apprehend. persuade him to call off his sit- consensus with Qadri, adding that What has made the scenario in outside parliament that para- there were differences of opinion dicey is the promulgation of the lysed the centre of Islamabad over the dissolution of the election governor’s rule in Balochistan and two weeks ago. Polls are due by commission. lack of nomination of the leader mid-May but Canadian-Pakistani Meanwhile, civil society mem- Afghan security forces investigate the scene of a bomb blast in Ghazni province. of the opposition in the Sindh cleric Qadri led tens of thousands bers have rejected the proposed Assembly. of his supporters to demand par- increase in fee for filing nomi- “We tried hard to get our liament be dissolved immediately nation papers for contesting Bombs kill 23 cops in Afghanistan chief Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and a caretaker government be national and provincial assem- appointed as opposition leader set up in consultation with the bly elections. The draft elec- in the Sindh Assembly, but the military and judiciary. toral reform bill prepared by KANDAHAR: Insurgents They detained several suspected bombing on the “armed opposi- speaker did not act,” said Arbab “We will try our best to the Election Commission of killed a total of 23 policemen insurgents,” Faisal said. tion”, a reference to the Taliban Zulfikar Ali, nephew of the former announce a date for dissolution of Pakistan proposes an increase in across Afghanistan within 24 “On the way back to the city who have waged an insurgency chief minister, who is member of national and provincial assemblies the nomination fee from Rs4,000 hours, officials said yesterday, (centre), their vehicle struck against the Western-backed gov- the provincial assembly. and holding of elections within to Rs50,000 for the National reflecting the increasing police an IED (improvised explosive ernment since being ousted from The result is that Sindh has no 7-10 days,” Information Minister Assembly and from Rs2,000 role in the war before the with- device). Eight policemen were power by a US-led invasion in late opposition leader since Arbab Qamar Zaman Kaira told a joint to Rs25,000 for the Provincial drawal of Nato troops. Thirteen killed and three suspects that 2001. Ghulam Rahim was unseated by press conference with Qadri. Assembly. This so-called reform died in roadside bomb blasts, they had detained during the Three other policemen were the assembly for long absence Qadri’s protest, plus his fiery will further marginalise the while 10 were killed in a suicide operation were killed,” Faisal killed in another roadside bomb- that was later stayed by the Sindh denunciation of politicians and party workers, who lack finan- attack. said. Six other officers and one ing in neighbouring Helmand High Court. praise for the military and judi- cial resources, as political parties A powerful bomb killed eight suspect on board a second vehi- yesterday and two died in a simi- Pir Pagara’s Pakistan Muslim ciary sparked panicked rumours don’t support the ticket holders police officers along with three cle were wounded in the blast, he lar attack in Farah in western League-Functional, which parted of a possible “soft coup” involving financially,” Pattan Development suspected bombers they had said. Police spokesman Ghorzang Afghanistan overnight, police company with the ruling coalition, the courts and armed forces. Organisation, Women’s Concern detained on the outskirts of Afridi described the bomb as spokesmen said. proposed Nusrat Sehar Abbasi But after four days, on January Network, Sanj Swair, Tehreek the troubled southern city of “very, very powerful”, saying it The incidents followed a suicide as the opposition leader, and for- 17, he backed down after striking Bahalie-sailabzadgan and Civil Kandahar, provincial spokesman was an artillery shell attached bombing in the northern city of mally approached the Speaker for an agreement with the authorities Society Movement observed in a Jawed Faisal said. to a detonator and possibly set Kunduz on Saturday that killed her appointment. that had few signs of any signifi- joint statement. “Our police had an operation off remotely. 10 policemen including two senior However, the speaker has cant government concessions. AFP/INTERNEWS in Pero Qalacha area last night. The officials blamed the officers. AFP turned down the plea saying that Abbasi has not proved the support of majority of opposition lawmak- ers as 10 out of the total signed the application in her favour, which is yet to be confirmed. The matter has now been Unicef to spend $65m for flood-affected Pakistanis raised in the court against this decision. ISLAMABAD: The United some 831,000 children under five levels, unsafe drinking water and Tribal Areas, funding require- community level and provide Nations International who are at risk of acute malnutri- poor sanitation services. ments within the Humanitarian immunisation against prevent- Children’s Emergency Fund tion, 178,500 having no access to Noting that Pakistan was prone Operational Plan and Early able diseases to reduce the risk (Unicef) launched a $14bn life-saving curative interventions to recurrent natural calamities, Recovery Action Framework. of permanent disability among Wullar Barrage appeal for children in humani- from diarrhoea, and 1.5m without Unicef said the country’s national The UN agency in coordina- children. tarian crisis, of which it plans to access to safe water. capacity development and pre- tion with the government and It fears that elections in talks postponed spend $64.9m on children and Unicef said yesterday that paredness were of a paramount its various bodies and non-gov- Pakistan and Bangladesh may not women affected by insecurity children were at a significant importance. ernmental organisations will resolve political tension rather it ISLAMABAD: Two-day and floods in Pakistan. risk because of poor access to Unicef has formulated, espe- deliver an integrated package of may aggravate the situation of the Pakistan-India talks on Wullar The Humanitarian Action for healthcare, malnutrition above cially for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa maternal, newborn, child health most vulnerable populations. Barrage have been postponed Children 2013 will reach out to the internationally agreed-upon and Federally Administered and nutritional services at the INTERNEWS amid renewed tensions between the two countries over cease- fire violations along the Line of Control (LoC). Vigil for peace The water secretaries of the two countries were to meet today and tomorrow to discuss the dis- pute over Wullar Barrage/Tulbul Navigation Project. “The talks have been post- poned. New dates would be con- veyed later,” a Foreign Office official said. Talks over Wullar Barrage would have been the first of a series of resumed bilateral dialogue this year. Many see the postponement as an unannounced suspension of the dialogue in its third round. An official said Indian delega- tion had confirmed their par- ticipation but have now sought postponement. Tensions between the two countries flared when Indian troops launched a cross- LoC raid on a Pakistani post in Haji Pir Sector on January 6. Two more Pakistani soldiers died in subsequent ceasefire vio- lations. There was also an attack on an Indian military patrol near LoC, which Delhi blamed on Pakistani military. The attack was denied by Pakistan Army. Pakistan Foreign Office repeat- edly expressed desire for de-esca- Joint Action Committee for Peoples Rights activists hold placards during a vigil for peace between lation and proposed a meeting of Pakistan and India in Karachi, yesterday. The spike in cross-border firing in Kashmir has seen five foreign ministers. soldiers killed earlier this month and threatened to unravel a fragile peace process that had begun to INTERNEWS make progress. Fighting rages between militant groups

PESHAWAR: Fighting building belonging to the pro- ongoing. The area is cut off to have carved out strongholds in between two militant groups government group Ansar-ul- journalists and aid workers so it Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal has left dozens of rebels dead Islam. “The Ansar-ul-Islam was not possible to confirm the belt to plot attacks on Pakistani, in part of Pakistan’s restive group re-took their centre after death toll independently. Afghan and Western targets. tribal belt along the Afghan intense fighting, which accord- The administration offi- Pakistan came under huge US border, officials said yesterday. ing to our information has so far cial said Ansar-ul-Islam are pressure to do more to destroy The violence began in Tirah killed 30-40 militants on both led by local commander Munsif militant sanctuaries after US valley in the Khyber tribal sides,” a senior local administra- Khan and oppose the homeg- Navy SEALs found and killed region three days ago after tion official said. rown Islamist militia Lashkar- Al Qaeda leader Osama bin members of the Tariq faction A senior security official e-Islam, who frequently clash Laden in the military town of of the Pakistani Taliban, who confirmed the approximate with Pakistani troops. Taliban Abbottabad on May 2, 2011. operate in Khyber, captured a death toll and said fighting was and Al Qaeda-linked militants AFP MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 Telangana Buddha fair protests rock Hyderabad Separate state deadline today

HYDERABAD: A day before demand that the central govern- the central government’s own ment make an announcement on deadline to announce a deci- Telangana by today. With police sion on Telangana issue ends, finally giving them permission, hundreds of people demanding the JAC, TRS and BJP leaders a separate state gathered yes- who had launched the protest at terday after police granted per- various places in the city reached mission to the Telangana Joint Indira Park. Action Committee (JAC) to However, BJP state president hold a demonstration in the city. Kishan Reddy and other leaders Amid drum beats and slogans were arrested by police when they of ‘Jai Telangana’, people in large took out a rally from the party numbers gathered at Indira Park office to Indira Park. Earlier, in the heart of the city for a dozens of JAC leaders were two-day protest called ‘Samara arrested at JAC office and near deeksha’. the state assembly for defying the JAC convener M Kodandaram police ban. described the permission for the TRS legislators launched a rally as a victory of Telangana protest at the statue of Mahatma people. He demanded that the Gandhi in the assembly premises central government announce when the police stopped them a decision for formation of from marching to the protest Telangana state. venue. Party leader E Rajender Protesters belonging to the alleged that police arrested thou- Telangana Rashtra Samithi sands of Telangana activists across Buddhist monks gather to offer prayers in front of a statue of Buddha at a monastery during the 3rd International Buddha Fair in Bhopal, yesterday. (TRS), Communist Party of India the region to foil the protest. The Monks from all over India, Taiwan, Thailand and Sri Lanka took part in the fair to spread the preachings and knowledge imparted by Buddha to his (CPI), Bharatiya Janata Party sub-regional party termed the followers. (BJP) and other political and police action “undemocratic and non-political organisations and repressive”. Meanwhile, dozens of students were reaching Indira students were also arrested when Park to stage their demonstation. they tried to march towards Raj After arrests of Telangana Bhavan to lay siege to it. leaders and activists, police Police stopped the students at Constable shoots dead officer over leave granted permission for the gath- Khairatabad crossroads as they ering with certain conditions. were heading towards the official BANGALORE: An enraged the Arms Act. Though a bleed- “When Vijay Kumar declined Ramanagara district. Frequent JAC can stage protests at Indira residence of the governor. constable yesterday shot dead ing Vijay Kumar was rushed to leave due to staff shortage and arguments, friction and one- Park till Monday evening and the Activists of Telangana a sub-inspector in their police a nearby hospital, he succumbed other constables being away, upmanship led to a showdown on organisers have been directed to Malamahandu were also arrested station near Bangalore when he on the way and was pronounced Anand asked to change his Sunday over leave,” said Sridhar. ensure peace. when they tried to stage a protest was denied leave after working dead by doctors. duty from sentry to beat round. Deputy Chief Minister The permission came after at the chief minister’s camp office for over 30 hours since late on The police station where the When that too was denied, he R Ashoka, who also holds the legislative council member and at Begumpet. Friday, a police official said. shooting took place earlier in the returned to Vijay Kumar’s cabin home portfolio, ordered Additional eminent academician Chukkah Osmania University was rocked “We have arrested con- day comes under Bangalore dis- and shot at him twice in the Director General of Police (Law Ramaiah, revolutionary balladeer by violent protest as students stable Anand Kumar, 45, trict, about 30km from the city chest and once in the head,” said & Order) Bipin Gopalakrishna Gadar and others held talks with tried to take out a rally and lay for fatally shooting PSI centre and near Doddaballapur Deputy Superintendent of Police to inquire into the incident and state Home Minister Sabita Indra siege to Raj Bhavan to demand (police sub inspector) Vijay town. “We are investigating V Sridhar. review the situation arising out of Reddy and Police Commissioner Governor E S L Narasimhan’s Kumar, 38, in the Rajanukunte to find out what provoked the In his preliminary interroga- staff shortage and denial of leave. Anurag Sharma. resignation. police station earlier in the day accused to take the life of a senior tion, Anand said he fired at the “This is the first time such an Ramaiah said Telangana sup- Police sealed the main gate at after a heated argument on colleague,” Pandey said. sub-inspector because the lat- unfortunate incident has taken porters in large numbers would the university campus and used being denied leave and change of According to another consta- ter had threatened to shoot him place in the state police. We will participate in the protest. He teargas to prevent students from duty,” Inspector General of Police ble present at the police station, with his service revolver during find out through the inquiry what also demanded release of all coming out. Tension prevailed on (central) Amar Kumar Pandey Anand applied for a week’s leave the argument and also for insult- transpired between the two and leaders and activists arrested in the campus as police and paramil- said here. after being on duty since Friday ing him (Anand) in his wife’s what provoked the accused to Hyderabad and other parts of itary forces swung into action to The accused was first taken till early yesterday for Republic presence. shoot at his senior colleague,” Telangana. disperse students pelting stones. into custody by his colleagues Day security, as he wanted to rush “Trouble had been brewing Ashoka told reporters. Police had earlier refused Student leaders alleged that a in the police station and later to his home town for the open- between the two policemen since The accused will be presented permission for 36-hour protest few students were injured in the arrested under sections 302 of the ing ceremony of his newly-built Vijay Kumar came on transfer in the court for remand to inter- called by the JAC to press the baton charge by the police. IANS Indian Penal Code and 3 & 25 of house. six months ago from the adjacent rogate him further. IANS

Pakistanis allege harassment in Jaipur

JAIPUR: Alleged bureau- Punjab) on a train from Lahore they could not leave the city on Lahore’s first literature festi- cratic hurdles at the foreign- on January 24 and reached Saturday since it was a national val in February and had invited ers registration office delayed Jaipur from New Delhi by holiday and the inter-state bor- Jaipur festival organisers by three days the arrival of taxi,” Yakoob Khan Bangash, ders were sealed. Namita Gokhale and William a group of Pakistani teach- an assistant professor of history, “We arrived in Jaipur this Dalrymple. ers and students at the Jaipur told IANS. (Sunday) evening,” he said. “The students volunteered Literature Festival. “But the registration office He said Delhi Police told them to work for the festival and I Two teachers and three here made us wait for six hours that the registration office in brought them to Jaipur to ori- students of Forman Christian and then told us to go back to Jaipur had harassed them. ent them,” he said. College in Lahore yesterday New Delhi for registration. The “They could have registered “Bureaucracy is the big- went vocal about the “humili- same day, we went back to New us on January 24 if they wanted gest hurdle in harmonious ties ation” they were subjected to Delhi,” the delegation leader to,” he said. between India and Pakistan,” by the Foreigners Regional said after attending a session, The registration office could Ejaz Hussain, the other pro- Registration Office in Jaipur. ‘Neighbours, Walls and Bridges’, not be contacted for comments. fessor in the contingent, told They said they were told to go at the festival. Bangash said he brought the IANS. back to New Delhi for registra- He said it took them the three undergraduates to Jaipur Bangash said he could “solve tion, delaying their participation entire day on Friday to regis- to help them understand how the problem because he knew in the festival. ter at the Foreigners Regional to organise a literature festival. people in the capital”. “We arrived in Attari (in Registration Office in Delhi. But He said he was hosting IANS

Daughter vows Jaws hang as Rs18m sports car to bring Netaji’s goes up in flames in Mumbai ashes back MUMBAI: A Rs18m Audi model of Audi, which also fea- some modifications may have KOLKATA: Legendary free- R8 race car was gutted in a tures in the latest Bollywood been carried out in the vehi- dom fighter Netaji Subhas fire near the Rajiv Gandhi movie Race 2, costs around cle, but only a detailed probe Chandra Bose’s daughter Anita Bandra-Worli Sea Link Rs18m and is among the pre- would reveal more details. Pfaff yesterday hoped to bring here yesterday afternoon, mium products of the German Among the participating her father’s “ashes” kept in Japan officials said. car manufacturer available cars in the event were the back to India, saying it would be Around that time, the Fifth in India. country’s only Lamborghini the “perfect homecoming for Mumbai Parx Supercar Show- According to police and fire Aventador Roadster, costing him”. “If it is possible, I would 2013 rally of nearly 100 cars, brigade, it was not immedi- nearly Rs50m, and Ferrari like to,” replied Pfaff to queries which was passing by the area, ately clear what caused the 458GT. Also present was liq- if she would like to bring Netaji’s screeched to a grinding halt to fire which was extinguished uor tycoon Vijay Mallya’s cus- “ashes” back to the country of assist the hapless driver, said soon after it started. tomised golden Lamborghini his birth. “It would be the per- to be D Thakker, 22. Though there were no casu- Aventador, several other fect homecoming for him,” she The rally organiser and alties, the northern land side Lamborghini Aventadors, said on the sidelines of a book founder of the Super Car of the sea link was jammed Ferraris, BMWs, Audis, and launch on Netaji here. The book Club, industrialist Gautam for nearly two hours before Mercedes-Benzes. Netaji in Europe written by Jan Singhania, also stopped his traffic was allowed to cross The destroyed Audi R8 was Kuhlmann was launched at the vehicle and stepped out to help the bridge. Audi India head not part of the two-day super- Oxford bookstore. Pfaff also the driver of the Audi R8, who Michael Perschke told media- car event which culminated in stated that she “firmly believes” was unharmed. persons that preliminary a sleek rally in south Mumbai. that Netaji died in a plane crash The recently introduced investigations revealed that IANS in Taiwan. IANS MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA Make or break Maha Kumbh Mela week for BJP in Karnataka Lawmakers hold key to govt

BANGALORE: Karnataka’s with their resignation letters, ruling BJP faces a crucial week several BJP lawmakers, including from today, hoping that the par- ministers, would leave the ruling ty’s lawmakers will not desert it party soon. to pull down the government The resignations are intended ahead of the budget session on to prevent Shettar from present- February 4. ing the budget for 2013-14 as that The BJP, as of now, is set to could help the BJP in the assem- lose 13 of its 118 lawmakers in the bly elections due in May. 225-member assembly and specu- Shettar remained unfaed. lation is rife that around 10 more “There is no change. I don’t may quit during the week. know about that (nine more quit- The 13 include C M Udasi ting). The position remains the and Shobha Karandlaje, who on same. We have majority,” the chief Wednesday quit Chief Minister minister said on Saturday. Jagadish Shettar’s cabinet. Udasi He asserted: “I am confident was the public works minis- of presenting the budget. We will ter while Karandlaje handled face the budget session.” energy. Asked whether he has any The 13 are loyalists of former contingency or alternative plan chief minister B S Yeddyurappa, if his government lost majority, who quit the BJP and the assem- the chief minister said: “We have bly on November 30 to float his numbers. There are no resigna- Karnataka Janata Party (KJP). tions yet. We will see. Let the Devotees gather at Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, yesterday. Nehru Olekar, one of the 13 leg- speaker return to Bangalore.” islators who has emerged as the The effective strength of the spokesperson of the rebel faction, assembly now is 223 as two seats claimed Saturday that at least 10 are vacant. more BJP assembly members, The BJP government has the including some ministers, would support of one of the seven inde- Kerala aims at making houseboats safer quit the ruling party ahead of the pendent members, who is a cabi- budget session. net minister. ALAPPUZHA: Kerala will with a list of new boat jetties (to capsized due to being overloaded. Tomy Pulikattil. “In the interest The 13 lawmakers have been The Congress has 71 members step up security checks on check overcrowding at boarding Alappuzha, often referred to as of safety, one way is to have a few waiting since last Wednesday for and the Janata Dal-Secular has houseboats and jetties, a min- points),” he said. Venice of the East, has the largest more boarding points at a few assembly speaker K G Bopaiah to 26. One is a nominated member. ister said yesterday, a day after “The checking will begin number of houseboats in the state, other locations here,” Pulikattil, return to Bangalore from a for- Meanwhile, Gujarat Chief four people were drowned in the tomorrow (Monday) and it has with many having up to five bed- who owns more than a dozen of eign trip to submit their resigna- Minister Narendra Modi, a top Vembanad Lake here after an also been decided to conduct a rooms. Over 650 of them operate them, said. tion letters. contender in the BJP for the overloaded boat capsized. training camp for both houseboat in the Vembanad lake alone. “The chief minister (Oomen Bopaiah is expected to resume post of prime minister, met the A complete check on the safety owners and those who work on “See, the biggest deficiency Chandy) has called for a meeting work tomorrow. He returned party’s new president, Rajnath of each and every houseboat will these boats,” Babu said. that we face here is that we have on this issue on February 1 and from what he described as “a pri- Singh, here yesterday and held be done, state Minister for Ports Four tourists — two women and just 20 jetties and hence there that day we will come out with vate trip” to Nepal late on Friday. “detailed discussions” on the 2014 K Babu said after a meeting with two childern — from Tamil Nadu is always crowding. One has to specific guidelines and our only Yeddyurappa himself has said Lok Sabha polls. top officials. were drowned in the Vembanad get on to one boat to enter the concern is safety of the tourists,” that in addition to the 13 ready IANS “My department will come out lake on Saturday after their boat other boat,” said houseboat owner Babu said. IANS Why will investors come to Bengal, asks former CM KOLKATA: In an appar- addressing investors, stressed government has completed ent dig at West Bengal Chief more on the “wrongs committed “almost 90 percent of the prom- Minister Mamata Banerjee’s by the previous regime”, rather ised work” and said that all the attempts to attract invest- than projecting her state as an announcements including setting ment, CPI-M leader Buddhadeb attractive investment destination. up super-specialty hospitals and Bhattacharjee yesterday won- Addressing a party rally at cold storages in every district dered whether investors would Baruipur in South 24 Parganas will never materialise for want come to the state to witness district, some 30km from here, of money. “lunacy”. the former chief minister ridi- “The government keeps whin- “Under her regime not a sin- culed Banerjee over a number of ing about lack of funds but can gle industrial project has come issues with major emphasis on afford to celebrate festivals every to the state. Why will the inves- lack of industrialisation. alternate day. Huge public money tors come here? Will they come to “They do not want big indus- is being spent on her life-size cut- witness lunacy? No matter what trial projects. They say manufac- outs and pictures. We can never or how much this government ture pickle, papads etc at home imagine misuse of public money says, nothing will happen,” said and sell. But unless there are cap- like this,” he said. Bhattacharjee. ital industries, small and medium The 70-year-old also attacked The veteran Communist or even cottage industries cannot the Banerjee government for the Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) flourish. They only want you to rising crime chart in the state and leader’s obvious reference was sell papads,” said Bhattacharjee. asserted that women were appre- to a recently concluded inves- He also rubbished Banerjee’s hensive of going out of homes. tors’ summit where Banerjee, repeated claims that her IANS

Victorious look Govt issues notice to news channel over campaign coverage

NEW DELHI: The govern- ment has issued notice to PTC News channel for violation of rules by telecasting campaign- ing of candidates for the Delhi gurdwara polls even after cam- paigning officially ended, an official source said yesterday. The notice was issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) polls were held yester- day and the campaigning ended on Friday. The channel telecast campaigning by candidates on Saturday. “The channel violated the model code by telecasting the campaigning the whole day. This was in violation of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 and Rules,” an official source told IANS. Bollywood actress Gauri Shinde with her trophy at the Stardust Awards “PTC News has been asked to in Mumbai, yesterday. reply to the notice in three days,” the official added. IANS

Monday 28 January 2013 16 Rabial I 1434 Volume 17 Number 5593 Price: QR2

Iraq, Kuwait ink exploration deal

Business | 19

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 ENOC replaces Iran Commercialbank records with Qatari supplies net profit of QR2.012bn DOHA: Commercialbank of Qatar has recorded a four percent to QR2.98bn for the year 2012, up from Dubai firm to finalise deals with other producers net profit of QR2.012bn, up seven percent for the full QR2.86bn in 2011. year 2012, compared with the same period in 2011. Net interest income was QR1.87bn for the year 2012, DUBAI: Emirates National Oil Co (ENOC) we are evaluating various sources for conden- The profit for the fourth quarter (Q4) 2012 surged 19 fourt percent lower than in 2011, reflecting growth in has started importing condensate from sate for our refinery.” percent to QR447m compared with the correspond- lending to customers offset by a reduction in the net Qatar to replace sanctioned Iranian oil and ENOC said it was currently finalising con- ing period in 2011. interest margin to 2.95 percent in 2012 from 3.46 per- is close to finalising deals with other produc- tracts with other leading condensate producers The bank’s results for the year ended on December cent in 2011. ers, the Dubai government-owned company in the region to meet its fuel needs over the 31, 2012 have been announced following approval at a The net provisions for loans and advances were said yesterday. next few years. meeting of the bank’s board of directors. The board rec- QR140m for the year, down 42 percent from QR239m ENOC was the biggest buyer of Iranian con- US ally Saudi Arabia, a significant conden- ommended for approval at the annual general assembly, provided in the same period for 2011. Asset quality densate in 2012 when its imports rose to an sate seller, has complained that ENOC’s trade a cash dividend of 74 percent of net profit ie QR6 per remains strong with the non-performing loan ratio average of 127,000bpd, up from 106,000bpd in undermines sanctions against its Opec rival share. The financial results and profit distribution are reducing to 1.09 percent at December 31, 2012 compared 2011, despite US pressure to stop the trade. Iran. subject to the approval of Qatar Central Bank (QCB). with 1.20 percent at the end of December 2011. US officials have for months been leaning on US and European sanctions have slashed Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Attiyah, Chairman of the Total assets increased by 12 percent to QR80.0bn in ENOC to find alternative sources for a refinery Iran’s crude export revenues in a bid to force bank said: “Credit demand has been dominated by the 2012. The increase was due to growth of QR6.9bn in which provides the city’s two million mainly Tehran to drop a nuclear programme that public sector with continuing low levels of demand lending to customers and QR0.9bn in balances held with expatriate residents with cheap fuel. Washington and Brussels fear is designed to from the private sector; however Commercialbank has the QCB, partially offset by a reduction of QR0.6bn in ENOC, which needs to import oil because develop weapons, charges Iran denies. successfully grown its lending and diversified revenue investments. Dubai’s crude production is too meagre to sat- Last summer, Washington tightened con- streams to deliver a record profit for the full year. Qatar’s Loans and advances to customers were up by 17 isfy thousands of gas-guzzling vehicles’ fuel trols on financial transactions for importing economy is expected to be driven by the government’s percent to QR48.6bn. The growth in lending in 2012 thirst, has now begun importing the light oil Iranian condensate, a light oil. spending programme in 2013 and Commercialbank is has been generated in both the corporate and retail from nearby U.S. ally Qatar and is scouring But ENOC, which loses millions of dollars a well positioned to support the future economic growth of businesses. the globe for more. year selling subsidised fuel at Dh1.72 ($0.47) Qatar and to deliver ongoing value to its shareholders.” Andrew Stevens, Group Chief Executive Officer, said “ENOC has already started importing a litre, increased its Iranian oil imports last Hussain Al Fardan, Managing Director, added: “Commercialbank has maintained the progress seen condensates from Qatar to meet the cur- year because cheaper Iranian supplies helped “Commercialbank has successfully achieved strong earn- in the first half of the year to deliver a record full year rent local market demand,” ENOC said in a lessen the burden of selling gasoline at below ings in a challenging operating environment. The bank profit. The Qatar market has been extremely competi- statement. cost. has protected its core business in 2012 whilst delivering tive in 2012.” “With oil price volatility continuing to have ENOC did not give any details of the price alternative sources of income. Our asset quality remains Commercialbank’s associates increased their contribu- a bearing on financial bottom lines, along with it has agreed to pay Qatar, one of the world’s strong and we remain both well capitalised and funded to tion to the bank’s net profit by 27 percent to QR259m increased demand for petroleum products and largest condensate producers, or identify other target growth sectors of the economy in the year ahead.” in 2012 compared with QR203m for 2011. the shortage of imported condensates from producers it is in talks with. The bank’s net operating income increased by THE PENINSULA Iran because of the applied economic sanctions, REUTERS MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Masraf Al Rayan Italty bank recapitalisation posts QR1.52bn net profit Total assets reach QR61.62bn

DOHA: Masraf Al Rayan has in 2012, compared with 33.06bn, posted a net profit of QR1.52bn an increase of 36 percent. Total for the full year 2012, an shareholders’ equity reached increase of 7.9 percent com- QR9.73bn, up by 13.4 percent. pared to 2011. Also, the book value per share The Board of Directors of reached QR12.86 and the earning the bank yesterday approved per share reached QR2.01. the financial statements for the The board members also dis- year ended December 2012. The cussed a number of issues related detailed financial statements to the acquisition of equity in will be disclosed in compliance different companies, where the with the instructions of Qatar board was briefed on the steps Financial Markets Authority. under way to complete the acqui- They discussed matters related sition of a significant equity of the to the shareholders, including the Islamic Bank of Britain and also dividends for them and recom- was briefed on the steps under mended cash distribution of QR1 way with respect to the acquisi- per share which is equivalent to tion of shares of a commercial 10 percent of the total paid-up bank in Libya through a capital share capital. increase, this is in light of prelim- A view of the Salone Strozzi inside Italy’s Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MPS) bank building. Shareholders of the world’s oldest bank approved yester- Dr Hussain Ali Al Abdulla, inary approval of Qatar Central day recapitalisation plans that will pave the way for state bailout loans worth $5.25bn. MPS was rocked this week by press reports that its previous Chairman and Managing Director Bank. management used secret financial trades to hide losses on 2008 and 2009 accounts. of Masraf Al Rayan, expressed They decided to announce that satisfaction with the results no final agreement was reached despite challenging and volatile with the owners of two Qatari global economic conditions. companies working in the field of Adel Mustafawi, Group CEO, maintenance of oil fields and gas SPAR International to open shops in Qatar said the growth reflected on all fields, and decided to forgo this portfolios were the result of the matter. prudent policies developed by The board decided to hold DOHA: Dutch food retailer to open by the end of 2012, a post- he added. “Our focus will be on a “Wherever we go, they say the the board, and the great efforts the ordinary general assem- SPAR International is set to ing on SPAR website said. range of fresh foods and the con- market is saturated. The reality is made by the team at Masraf Al bly meeting on February 18 at open two stores in Qatar. With The company will have eight venience of food to go and food to the food market is evolving always Rayan. Doha Sheraton Hotel. It also over 12,000 stores worldwide, stores in Abu Dhabi, two in Qatar stay, with a seating area in the with new ideas and concepts,” he The bank’s total assets reached decided to call the shareholders the retailer is aiming to have 30 and one in Lebanon by the end compact stores,” he said. said. SPAR’s unique selling point QR61.62bn, compared with QR for an extra ordinary general stores in the region by the end of this year, SPAR International The UAE, where expatriates far will be its convenience stores and 55.27bn in December 31, 2011, a assembly meeting on the same of 2015. Managing Director Gordon outnumber local citizens, already large supermarkets of around growth of 11.5 percent. Financing day to seek approval on the The stores in Qatar are Campbell told Reuters in Abu has international retailers such 1,800 square meters; other retail- activities increased to a total of acquisition of a strategic share expected to open this year. SPAR Dhabi yesterday. as Carrefour and Geant as well as ers in the region have focused QR42.76bn Vs QR 34.76bn, up 23 of a commercial bank in Libya is also expected to open its doors SPAR plans to expand further locally developed brands such as on hypermarkets with sizes of percent. through capital increase of the in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Lebanon in the UAE and is also looking LuLu, so competition is intense. around 10,000 square meters, Masraf Al Rayan’s customer targeted bank. by the end of this year. The Qatari at entering Oman and Saudi But Campbell said there was still Campbell said. deposits increased to QR45.bn THE PENINSULA stores were originally scheduled Arabia over the next three years, room for growth. THE PENISULA

GCC power output to reach 170,000MW by 2019 Yemen can cut interest

DOHA: The installed power Confronted with such a massive the projects being developed Completed projects between generating capacity in the GCC demand, governments across the adhere to the highest standards January 2011 and December 2012 rates gradually: IMF is forecast to reach 170,000MW GCC are now pouring money into of excellence, especially because are eligible to compete in the by 2019, according to the lat- power and water projects with they play a role in the progress of awards programme. Submissions DUBAI: Yemen has room to payment of a $93.7mloan. est data from Meed Insight. The investments reaching $25bn last the GCC as a whole. The awards for the 2013 awards programme gradually reduce interest rates Last week, Yemen’s planning cost of the new build-require- year. programme was established to are now being sought in the fol- to support economic recovery minister said that Gulf Arab ment alone will be an estimated In 2012, Saudi Arabia led the recognise completed projects, and lowing categories: Mashreq Oil & and needs to focus on consoli- states had promised aid on top $66bn, with at least the same GCC with a total of 148 projects since its establishment has been Gas Project of the Year, Industrial dating its public finances, an of the $7.9bn pledged by foreign amount needed to be invested in the power and water sector, a benchmark for project excel- Project of the Year, Power and International Monetary Fund donors last autumn. in transmission and distribu- investing more than $8bn; Kuwait lence,” said Becky Crayman, Head Water Desalination Project of the official said. Yemeni officials have said that tion (T&D) infrastructure in followed with 68, valued at close of Awards, MEED Events. Year, Water Reuse Project of the “In view of the continued Riyadh provided over $2.2bn of the next six years. $3bn. The United Arab Emirates Now in its third year, the Year, Leisure and Tourism Project decline in inflation, there is scope oil and fuel products in 2012, plus Rising oil and gas prices com- is next with 62 projects, worth MEED Quality Awards for of the Year, Transport Project of for a further gradual reduction a $1bn central bank loan that bined with increasing domestic a little more than $3bn, while Projects, in association with the Year, Social Project of the in the interest rate to stimu- helped anchor the rial. power requirements are prompt- Oman has 49 projects worth Ernst & Young, has become the Year, Building Project of the Year, late bank lending to the private Sakr also said Yemen’s 2013 ing governments across the GCC, $1.2bn. Although Bahrain has industry benchmark for projects Sustainable Project of the Year sector,” Khaled Sakr, the IMF government budget deficit including Qatar, to increase only 15 projects, the total value of excellence. It is judged by an inde- and Small Project of the Year. Mission Chief for Yemen, said. should be slightly larger than the investments in power and water investment is estimated at $7.3bn. pendent judging panel consisting The deadline for submission The central bank cut its key 2012 estimate of around 5.5 per- sector, as well as secure alterna- “As increased investments in of respected key representatives is January 31. Winners will be deposit rate by two percentage cent of gross domestic product. tive sources of energy. Qatar alone the power and water sector cre- from the projects industry who announced in ceremonies to be points to 18 percent in October That is still a more optimistic boasts to have 35 projects (worth ate new opportunities for con- will determine the winners at the held on May 14 at the Jumeirah as inflation came down to single forecast than the government’s $1.8bn) in power and water sector, tractors and project developers, national and regional level of the Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi. digits and the Yemeni rial cur- recent forecast of a nine percent a press statement said yesterday. the more we need to ensure that competition. THE PENINSULA rency stabilised. gap. The official inflation rate in In order to cut the shortfall, Yemen, the poorest Arab coun- Yemen should mainly focus on try which is torn by unrest and slashing energy subsidies of China economy on growth trajectory clashes with militants, spiralled around eight percent of GDP as high as 25 percent year-on- and the public sector wage bill Southern Iraq or year in October 2011. It subsided now at more than 10 percent, to 5.5 percent in November 2012, he said. Kurdistan: Iraq the latest central bank data The subsidy, which keeps fuel show. prices well below international tells ExxonMobil The rial fell to about 243 to levels, benefits the rich and the dollar in 2011 during a year results in “smuggling, waste and to choose of political turmoil, which toppled environmental deterioration”, President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sakr said. BAGHDAD: Iraq has told February 2012 and led to a rise “This subsidy needs to be ExxonMobil it must choose of al Qaeda militants. Although reduced, while protecting the between working in its south- some violence continues, the rial poor through more effective and ern oil fields or in Kurdistan, is now at 215. less distortionary measures,” he and Baghdad expects the US oil Yemen’s economy should said. major to make a final decision in expand by around 4 percent this “Containing the (wage) bill a few days, its oil minister said year after having stabilised in is crucial for achieving fiscal yesterday. 2012, Sakr said. It shrank 10.5 sustainability and for freeing “We made it clear to Exxon in percent in 2011, its first drop since resources for efficient social pro- the last meeting that the answer the 1990 unification of north and tection and investment in infra- we expected from them is either south. structure,” he added. to work in the Kurdistan region “The prospects, however, Yemen depends on crude oil or to work in southern Iraq,” Oil remain clouded by the political exports for about 60 percent of Minister Abdul Kareem Luaibi transition challenges and secu- its budget income, and its finances said. “Exxon Mobil cannot work rity concerns; in particular the have been shaken by frequent in both fields at the same time.” frequent attacks on key oil and bombings of oil and gas pipelines Exxon was the first major oil electricity facilities,” Sakr said in by insurgents or tribesmen. company to sign agreements with an e-mailed response. As a result, strengthening tax the government of the autonomous International support is criti- and customs revenues is also a Kurdistan region in the north, a cal to enable Yemen to consoli- priority for Yemen, according to move that increased tensions date its stabilization and advance the IMF. between Baghdad and the Kurds reforms to boost employment and “Political support is essential in a long-running dispute over oil, reduce poverty, Sakr said, adding for ensuring improved compli- territory and political autonomy. that donor aid improved in 2012 ance by large taxpayers and to Baghdad says any deals signed thanks to Saudi Arabia. stop granting of any tax exemp- with Kurdistan are illegal, but the A woman with shopping bags poses for a picture in front of “Sanlitun Village”, a fashionable shopping area in The IMF is ready to consider tions as they would introduce government of Kurdistan says the Beijing, yesterday. China’s economy could grow at more than eight percent in 2013, giving some underpinning further financial aid in 2013 if it more distortions and reverse constitution allows it to sign oil deals to global economic activity set for a mild, tortuous recovery this year, the country’s sovereign wealth fund said . is approached, he added. the gains of past reforms,” Sakr without permission from Baghdad. The Fund resumed lending to said. REUTERS Yemen last April, approving the REUTERS MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19

Banks in UAE Qatari bourse hope mortgage caps will curb index loses speculation DUBAI: The Emirates Banks Association (EBA) is discuss- ing proposed caps on mortgages with the United Arab Emirates’ central bank, hoping to raise 49.15 points the limits while curbing specu- lation in the real estate market, the industry body’s chairman Bluechips lift Dubai to 33-month high said yesterday. The EBA is awaiting a response DOHA: Qatar Exchange index an improving outlook for equi- from authorities to its proposals lost 49.15 points or 0.57 percent ties in 2013 have buoyed investor to cap mortgage lending on a first to hit 8,640.61 from the previous sentiment. property to 75 percent of value for closing of 8,689.76 points. “UAE markets are making expatriates and 80 percent for UAE The volume of shares traded a real turnaround,” said Musa nationals, Chairman Abdulaziz Al fell to 2,513,669 from 3,726,393 on Haddad, head of investment advi- Ghurair told reporters. Thursday, and the value of shares sory services at National Bank The industry body is also pro- decreased to QR120,467,765.07 of Abu Dhabi. “The economy posing that mortgages for second from QR183,851,575.66 on is growing faster than others, and subsequent home purchases be Thursday. new projects are coming in and capped at 60 percent for expatriates Among the top losers were confidence is back in the debt and 65 percent for local citizens. Qatar National Bank whose share market.” Al Ghurair said the proposals, dropped 1.47 percent to QR134.00, The Dubai index closed above which also include limiting total Commercialbank which lost major chart resistance at 1,778 lending on a single mortgage to 1.56 percent to QR75.80. Qatar points — the 2012 high hit in Dh25m ($6.8m), were part of an Insurance fell 0.29 percent to March last year — and the overall discussion with the central QR69.40 and Rayan was down October 2010 peak of 1,793 points. bank on real estate lending and 1.56 percent to QR25.30. For a break-out, it would need that final rules should be in place The banking and financial sec- to close above these levels for at Officials of Dragon Oil and Kuwait Energy sign documents for an energy exploration deal with Iraq in Baghdad in the second half of 2013. tor dropped 1.09 points while the least two successive sessions, with yesterday. “It’s the intention of the cen- insurance sector fell 0.24 points. a technical target above 2,200 tral bank to ensure the health of The industrial sector was down points looming in coming months. the economy, the health of real 0.39 points and the services sector Abu Dhabi’s benchmark gained Iraq, Kuwait ink oil exploration deal estate developers and the bank- lost 0.09 points. 0.6 percent to its highest level ing system and from this, the Meanwhile, Dubai’s heavy- since February 2011. idea came to put some guidelines weight banking and property In Egypt, the bourse recovered BAGHDAD: Iraqi energy offi- Kuwait Energy and Mark Sawyer Turkey’s TPAO, but officials down for mortgage lending,” said stocks lifted the emirate’s index from a three-week intra-day low cials yesterday signed an oil of Dragon Oil, according to a announced in November that the Al Ghurair, who is also Chief to a 33-month high above a long- to end near-flat as international exploration deal with a Kuwait- journalist present. Turkish firm would be expelled Executive Officer of Mashreq. term resistance level yesterday, investors absorbed selling pres- led group, finalising a deal that Kuwait Energy has a 70 per- due to “non-technical issues”, one A central bank circular sent to while other regional markets were sure from their local and regional was altered to expel a Turkish cent stake in the project, with of several signs of worsening ties banks at the end of December said mixed. counterparts after violence in firm amid worsening ties with Dragon Oil holding the remain- between Baghdad and Ankara. mortgage loans for foreign individ- Dubai’s index rose 1.5 per- Port Said. Ankara. der. The companies have agreed The two countries have been at uals should not exceed 50 percent cent to 1,819 points, its highest Egyptians rampaged in protest A contract was inked with to be paid a service fee of $6.24 odds over the Syrian conflict and of the property value for a first finish since April 2010. Emaar at the sentencing of 21 people Kuwait Energy and Dragon Oil per barrel of oil equivalent even- Iraq has publicly urged Turkey to purchase of a home, and 40 percent Properties climbed 3.6 percent to death over a soccer stadium of the United Arab Emirates to tually extracted. hand over fugitive Vice President for second and subsequent homes. and top lender Emirates NBD disaster last year, violence that explore a 900sqm block thought It is one of several agree- Tareq Al Hashemi, who has been The caps for UAE citizens were set rose 1.5 percent. compounds a political crisis fac- to contain oil in south Iraq, near ments between Baghdad and sentenced to death in Baghdad on at 70 percent and 60 percent. Dubai Financial Market, the ing President Mohammed Mursi. the country’s border with Iran. foreign energy firms to boost charges of running a death squad. The EBA has also told the Gulf’s only listed bourse, added Cairo’s index ended 0.02 per- The contract was signed by oil output and explore for new Iraq has proven reserves of central bank it proposes to limit 2.4 percent, accounting for nearly cent lower, trimming 2013 gains Abdul Mehdi Al Amidi, the Iraqi deposits of energy as Iraq looks 143.1 billion barrels of oil and 3.2 mortgages extended to property a quarter of all shares traded on to 4.1 percent. oil ministry’s head of contracts to cement its role as a key global trillion cubic metres of gas, both speculators to 50 percent, though the index. Most stocks slipped, with 19 and licensing, a representative supplier. of which are among the largest in the details of this are still being Hopes for strong fourth-quar- down and nine up. of the state-owned South Oil The original consortium that the world. considered. ter earnings, dividend payouts and AGENCIES Company, Hussein Al Mosawy of won the contract had included AFP REUTERS Vietnam signs India expected to cut $9bn oil refinery deal with Japan, rates after nine months Kuwait firms NEW DELHI: India’s central Congress party government, which bank is expected to cut inter- is anxious to revive growth before HANOI: Vietnam yesterday est rates this week for the first facing voters in general elections inked a deal with firms from time in nine months in response due in the first half of next year. Japan and Kuwait to build an oil to the government’s recent eco- Indian shares have been nosing refinery complex worth nearly nomic reform spree and slowing higher to trade at around two- $9bn as part of efforts to meet inflation, economists say. year highs in the past week on its growing energy needs. With inflation at a three-year hopes of lower rates. “The market The Nghi Son refinery, which low and a flurry of new meas- is betting on a rate cut of 25 basis is due to start operating by 2017 ures to ease investment rules, points,” said Madan Sabnavis, in Thanh Hoa province, about now is seen as the right time for chief economist at Care Ratings. 200km south of Hanoi, will turn the bank to focus on pulling the Countries such as China, South Kuwaiti oil into petrol and other economy out of its worst growth Korea and Brazil have all cut rates petroleum products. slump in a decade. to try to shield their economies It will be able to process 10 mil- Policymakers are “clearly teed up from the spillover of the eurozone lion tonnes of crude oil a year, the for rate cuts,” banking on a further debt crisis. government said. easing of inflation in coming quar- But India’s central bank — State-owned PetroVietnam ters, lower government borrowing which last cut rates in April will own a 25.1 percent stake in and more pro-market reforms, after an aggressive multi-year the joint venture while Japan’s HSBC economist Leif Eskesen said. rate-hiking spree — has resisted Idemitsu Kosan and Kuwait However, those hoping the the clamour from business leaders Petroleum International will Reserve Bank of India will and politicians for lower borrow- each hold 35.1 percent. announce a big cut following its ing costs to spur the economy. Mitsui Chemicals of Japan policy-setting meeting on Tuesday Growth fell to 5.3 percent in will own the remaining 4.7 are likely to be disappointed. the July-September quarter —far percent. The bank “is likely to tread below the near double-digit pace Speaking at the signing cere- very carefully — given lingering India set before the onset of the mony, Vietnamese Prime Minister inflation risks,” Eskesen added. global financial crisis—while indus- Nguyen Tan Dung hailed the Like other economists, he said trial output shrank by 0.1 percent project as “very important” for he expected the bank to limit any in November from a year ago. the communist country’s eco- rate cut to 25 basis points. The The bank has also long warned nomic and social development, bank’s key repo rate — at which it that the left-leaning government according to a government lends to commercial banks — now needed to curb its spending on def- statement. stands at 8.0 percent. icit-bloating welfare programmes Vietnam has offshore oil Any reduction would be wel- before interest rates could be reserves but still spends several comed by Prime Minister lowered. billion dollars each year to import Manmohan Singh’s scandal-scarred AFP petroleum products to feed its growing economy. A ground-breaking ceremony for the Nghi Son refinery was held in May 2008 but the project has suffered a number of delays. It is still unclear when con- • Bullion - Mumbai struction will start, an official Gold (10 gm) Standard Rs. 30610 from PetroVietnam said, asking Silver (1 kg) Rs. 59340 not to be named. • Indian Rupees QR1 = 14.64 The country’s first refin- • Sensex ery Dung Quat — which cost around $2.5bn and has a BSE 20103.53 capacity of 6.5 million tonnes NSE 6074.65 of crude a year — opened in • LIC (International) launches New Gold Investment Plan ‘GOLD PLUS’ – central Vietnam in 2009 after which provides an opportunity to invest in GOLD ETF & GOLD SPOT, PAN lengthy delays. Card/Demat Account not required. PetroVietnam has said that it • Short-term investment plan from LIC International upto 6.4 percent return hopes the two refineries would p.a. (in dollar) satisfy 65 percent of the nation’s • Housing loan from HDFC LTD oil and gas needs. It is also pre- paring for a third refinery project • Mutual Fund: Buy & Sell: SBI MF, HDFC MF, UTI MF, Birla Sun Life MF, in southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau Tata MF, Reliance MF etc. province. Contact: Investec, Tel: 44325060/44365060 email: [email protected] AFP MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS VIEWS

Dubai economy posts Iran sanctions squeeze fastest growth since 2007

BY DANA EL BALTAJI

ewa Zeinati, a freelance writer in Dubai, has noticed more students in US business cards with photos of scantily clad women offering BY TARA BAHRAMPOUR Rmassages piling up on her car windscreen lately. saved around 300m rials to use as he worked to discuss their financial problems. “Sometimes I’m away for 30 minutes and come back to find a toward an electrical engineering doctorate Machen said the university could help stack of them,” she said. “I’ve definitely seen an increase this year.” N THE past year, increasingly tough at the University of Texas at San Antonio. with emergency funds and would solicit Residents say it’s harder to find taxis, book restaurants or golf sanctions have devastated Iran’s oil His savings were worth around $30,000 additional money elsewhere, but added that courses and get school places for their children, with Dubai’s econ- industry and contributed to rampant when he arrived in 2008, and he had planned such measures will help only in the short omy posting the fastest growth since 2007. Home rents climbed inflation and unemployment there, all to make them last until he graduated. term. Future applicants from Iran may not about 17 percent last year, while air traffic and non-oil trade hit part of a plan to pressure Iran to cur- Instead, this month he had to borrow be admitted if they cannot show they have record highs. Itail its nuclear ambitions. $190 from friends to pay for groceries. adequate funding to support themselves, he The drivers of growth are different this time, with surging But the international sanctions have had Many other Iranian students he knows are said. demand for services, legal and otherwise, as well as exports. That another, unintended, consequence. They in similar straits. “Obviously it has impacted our ability to suggests any new Dubai boom won’t emulate the one that peaked have caused the Iranian currency to nose- “I feel terrible,” said Saedy, who founded take on new students, because we require in 2007, when the economy soared 18 percent and then crashed dive, and for Iranian students abroad who his university’s Iranian Student Association some evidence of sustainability,” Machen to a near-default after the global crisis of 2008. rely on savings or family support from back and has been looking for ways to find loans said, adding that the problem would also “Hotel occupancy is up quite significantly and the airport is home, the collapse has doubled or tripled and other support for fellow Iranian stu- be a loss for US universities, which tend to crazy,” said Abdul Kadir Hussain, Chief Executive Officer at the cost of their foreign education. dents. “I keep energising my friends, saying admit Iranian students seeking advanced Mashreq Capital DIFC, who runs the region’s best-performing It is not that they have less money, but things will be okay, but we don’t know what degrees in the sciences. fixed-income funds as of December 2012. “If you go to Jebel Ali that their money has lost its value over- we’re going to do.” “The United States and institutions like Free Zone, rents are up and it’s fully occupied. That part of the seas. For many years, a dollar was worth According to data from the Institute of ours will miss out on some highly qualified model is working very well and has recovered very well.” around 10,000 Iranian rials. But last year, International Education, 6,982 students students,” he said. “In the long run, I don’t In the first half of 2012, construction shrank 2.5 percent from after additional restrictions were placed from Iran are studying in the US, up from think it’s good for this country to shut off a year earlier while earnings from hotels and restaurants grew on banking and the oil market, and in the 5,626 last year. For many, the path to get good students who want to come to this 16 percent. It was the opposite five years earlier, when building face of reported domestic mismanagement, here is arduous; they must travel to third country.” jumped 23 percent while the hospitality industry added just 4.5 the rial plummeted. By late 2012, Iranians countries that have US embassies and con- Iranian students in European and other percent. The economy expanded 4.3 percent in 2012, according reported paying 40,000 or 50,000 rials for vince consular officers that they deserve countries are experiencing similar financial to preliminary estimates. a dollar; the rate has now levelled off at a visa. troubles. Some have compared the situation Dubai’s stock index gained 12 percent in the past month, four around 33,000. Among other things, they are often to 1979, when Iran was the world’s top sender times the advance of the MSCI Emerging Markets benchmark. In the absence of diplomatic relations required to show that they can afford their of students to the United States and tens of Shares of Emaar Properties, which owns Dubai Mall, the world’s between the US and Iran, granting visas to educations here. Now, some worry about thousands of Iranians were studying here. largest shopping centre, jumped 18 percent. Yields on debt of Iranians who want to study in the US has falling out of legal status if they are unable After the fall of the shah that year, stu- Emirates airline and Jebel Ali Free Zone FZE, which runs one of been seen as a way to build bridges between to afford to stay in school. And many worry dents abroad on scholarships funded by his Dubai’s main commercial hubs, fell to record lows. the two countries. that if they return to Iran they will not government saw their money dry up. But Stocks in Dubai are relatively cheap and “a good investment But for students who had been relying on be able to get another US visa to complete “this is more severe,” said Ali Dadpay, an vehicle this year,” since the economic rebound will “trickle down rials to help finance their education, the rial their studies here. assistant professor of economics at Clayton to corporate earnings,” said Haissam Arabi, Chief Executive crash has been devastating. The problem is not likely to be solved State University in Morrow, who knows Officer of Dubai-based hedge fund Gulfmena Investments Ltd. “I was in good financial standing before soon, said Bernie Machen, President of the many students affected by the currency While Dubai’s benchmark climbed 20 percent in 2012, the most this crisis... I had enough to take care of University of Florida, who recently met with crisis. since 2007, it’s still less than a quarter of its historical peak in myself,” said Mahdy Saedy, 35, who had some of the university’s 63 Iranian students WP-BLOOMBERG November 2005. Dubai sometimes still evokes its headline-grabbing boom, rais- ing concerns that the economy could overheat again. It announced plans in November to build an even bigger shopping centre than Dubai Mall, alongside a complex of five theme parks. Spending on such mega-projects led the emirate to rack up about $113bn of debt. It required a $20bn bailout in 2009 from neighbouring Abu Dhabi, the largest and richest of the seven sheikhdoms in the United Arab Emirates. Dubai has about $40bn of debt due by the end of next year, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The UAE’s central bank, based in Abu Dhabi, has taken steps to ensure economic growth is better balanced. Last month it capped mortgage lending at 70 percent of property value for Emiratis and 50 percent for foreigners, with lower rates for second mortgages. It makes sense for Dubai to steer away from an economy hoisted by property and construction, said Emad Mostaque, a strategist with Noah Capital Markets in London. “Abu Dhabi doesn’t want to bail out Dubai again,” he said. UAE authorities are trying to “keep their economy as stable and bullet- proof as possible when they see instability all around them,” he said. The wave of uprisings in Arab countries over the past two years has hurt some regional economies. Dubai, untouched by unrest, may be among the beneficiaries. “Political stability makes it a very attractive place for travel- lers in the region to come and spend their time and money,” said Khatija Haque, senior economist at Dubai-based lender Emirates NBD PJSC. The recovery in retail, tourism and transport “reflects the strength of consumption in the UAE, but more importantly in the wider region.” Saudi Arabia, the largest Gulf Arab economy, expanded at an average pace of 7.7 percent in the past two years, driven by govern- ment spending to boost employment and avert unrest. Emirates has added a third daily flight to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to cope with demand during Dubai’s shopping festival this month. Growth in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, which includes Saudi Arabia and the UAE, was 5.1 percent in 2012, according to HSBC Holdings Plc. That’s about four times the IMF estimate for advanced economies. Dubai’s foreign trade excluding oil rose to a record Dh1.29 trillion ($351bn) in the first 10 months of 2012, while passenger traffic hit a record five million in July. WP-BLOOMBERG Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Currency wars intensifying in 2013?

INCE the beginning of the eurozone has left the worst Mervin King only crisis man- 44.6 the month before. The number to 103.0. On the other hand, IFO the year, the Japanese of its debt crisis behind, but its noted that a ager. Indeed, he demonstrates that France’s manu- Current Assessment grew to 108.0 yen has been on every countries cannot relax and have lower Pound was was quoted tell- facturing industry is shrinking at in January, versus 107.1 the previ- investor’s mind. Indeed, to continue their fiscal consolida- beneficial for the ing a newspa- the fastest pace since the trough of ous month and above forecasts of as the Japanese govern- tion efforts. UK’s economy per earlier this the global financial crisis, in a new 107.2. Finally, IFO Expectations Weekly Money Market Review Sment continues to show their Overall, the data as of late rebalancing. week that its sign the Euro zone’s second biggest climbed to 100.5 from 97.9 and commitment to a weaker cur- has showed an improving activ- The currency bond buyback economy is in recession. slightly above expectations of 99. rency, European leaders on the ity outlook for the eurozone and reached a low of 1.5746 against program was risky. According Germany’s manufacturing PMI According to the ECB President other hand are starting to show the trend of growing balance of the dollar while it posted its low- to him, “Central banks in recent on the other hand was stronger Mario Draghi, 2012 had effectively concerns about the yen and the payments surpluses and falling est level for over a year against years have been pulled into the than expected at 48.8 versus marked the re-launching of the negative effect it would have on budget deficits are structural and the euro. role of a crisis manager.” expectations of 46.8, and up from Euro and repeated that financial European exports. cyclical positives for the euro. The Initial jobless claims in the US The attention now turns over to 46 the month previously. The serv- stresses had eased, although the In the US, the recovery remains data out of Germany is leading dropped to its lowest level in five Japan where European politicians ices PMI was also much stronger economy continues to lag. under way with jobless claims fall- the way and this could spill off years last week. The data suggest have started criticising publicly at 55.3 versus 52 consensus. The UK GDP shrank by 0.3 percent ing to a five years low this week. into other countries as finan- a stronger labour market and eco- the country, mentioning its engi- divergence between the French and in the fourth quarter of 2102. The Equities also registered highest cial markets normalise and the nomic growth despite persistent neering of a weaker yen and stir- German numbers was 6 points, but contraction, which was worse than levels post the financial crisis, as reduced requirements for banks pessimism in the market. Initial ring a global currency war. The not unforeseen as similar diver- most economists’ estimates, com- the US House of Representatives liquid asset holdings will allow jobless claims fell 5,000 to 330,000 Japanese Vice-Finance Minister gences had occurred in the past pared to a 0.9 percent rise in the passed a measure to postpone the banks greater capital to support in the week ended January 19 rep- Takehiko Nakao replied that as in 2010 and 2012, although they previous three months. The statis- debt ceiling deal by three month trade finance. Market analysts resenting a 1.5 percent drop from Japan has no intention whatso- did not persist for more than 1-2 tics office also mentioned there was until May 19. are talking about a recovery in the previous week’s 335,000. The ever of competitive devaluation of months. The composite eurozone also some evidence of “fall back” President Obama also did his cross border lending as confidence data were significantly lower than the yen and the recent deprecia- manufacturing PMI rose to 47.5 following the Olympic Games in the share in offering hopes during the has started to return. the average estimate of analysts tion of the yen should be regarded versus consensus 46.6. Given the third quarter. Industrial produc- presidential inauguration speech, The euro ended the week out- expecting 355,000. as a correction from the one-sided strength in Germany and weakness tion fell 1.8%, while manufacturing as he noted the US must remake performing across the board, and excessive appreciation that in France were roughly offsetting, dropped 1.5 percent. Construction the government, revamp the tax especially against Asian curren- Beginning of currency war took place up to last year. this suggested that the peripheral output rose 0.3 percent. code and make some hard choices cies. The currency reached a high Looking at a year earlier, Divergence between German PMI numbers were better. On Thursday, Britain’s to reduce the cost of health care of 1.3479 against the dollar while Europe was in a much worse situ- and French PMI Give an Unclear Chancellor told reporters dur- and the size of the deficit. registered an increase of almost ation than where it is today. After Picture of Europe German IFO beat estimates ing the world economic forum in The good news continued dur- four percent against the yen. risks of a break-up have receded, France’s manufacturing PMI German IFO Business Climate Davos that the government would ing the week on the European The Sterling pound on the other Bundesbank chief Jens Weidmann was much weaker than expected rose from 102.4 in December to stick to its austerity plan, despite side, after German Foreign hand continued its underperform- warned against relying on the in January, falling to 42.9 versus 104.2 in January, exceeding econo- criticism from the IMF. Minister Guido Westerwelle said ance after Bank of England’s European Central Bank as the expectations of 44.98, and from mists’ expectations of an increase THE PENINSULA MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 MARKET www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

QE Indices Summary QE Index 8,640.61 0.57 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 2,520.65 0.31 % QE Total Return Index 11,693.86 0.57 % RATE QE All Share Index 2,076.93 0.64 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 2,009.33 1.09 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 4833.766 21.715 0.45 4833.766 4664.6 QE All Share Industrials 2,732.54 0.39 % QR197.0355 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 QE All Share Transportation 1,384 0.10 % Cac 40 Index/D 3726.51 0.34 0.01 3763.42 3680.61 UK ...... QR 5.7261 QR 5.8067 QE All Share Real Estate 1,604.23 0.33 % SILVER Euro ...... QR 4.8578 QR 4.9487 QE All Share Insurance 1,916.48 0.24 % Dj Indu Average 13779.33 67.12 0.49 13794.3 12035.1 QR 3.7404 QE All Share Telecoms 1,122.03 0.15 % CA$ ...... QR 3.5847 QR 3.6537 QE All Share Consumer Goods & Egypt Cma Gn Idx 1026.29 32.57 3.28 999.95 312.38 4,823.07 0.09 % Swiss Fr ...... QR 3.8913 QR 3.9662 Services Hang Seng Inde/D 23598.9 -36.2 -0.15 23710.87 22860.25 Yen ...... QR 0.0396 QR 0.04052 QE Market Summary Comparison Aus$ ...... QR 3.7519 QR 3.8471 Iseq Overall/D 3513.77 34.77 1 3526.74 3396.67 CRUDE OIL Today Previous day Ind Re ...... QR 0.0668 QR 0.0683 27-01-2013 24-01-2013 Karachi 100 In/D 17056.36 147.69 0.87 16949.32 16036.31 Index 8,640.61 8,689.76 BRENT Pak Re ...... QR 0.0369 QR 0.0377 Change 49.15 36.90 Nikkei 225 Index 10620.87 133.88 1.28 10952.31 10398.61 Peso ...... QR 0.0880 QR 0.0907 % 0.57 0.43 $ 113.34 SL Re ...... QR 0.0284 QR 0.0294 YTD% 3.37 3.96 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 1496.13 1266.74 DUBAI Taka ...... QR 0.0452 QR 0.0464 Volume 2,513,669 3,726,393 Straits Times/D 3248.39 17.16 0.53 3237.78 3160.83 Nep Re ...... QR 0.0423 QR 0.0431 Value (QAR) 120,467,765.07 183,851,575.66 $ 111.28 Trades 2,017 2,682 SA Rand ...... QR 0.3990 QR 0.4070 Straits Times/D 2989.31 24.69 0.83 3035.78 2657.77 Up 13 | Down 20 | Unchanged 07

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 27-01-2013

Oil higher, gold slides but all are outclassed by equities

ENTIMENT towards the major commodity sectors with to the refineries on the Mexican both. Meanwhile, gold and silver riskier assets remains at the only spot of weakness being Weekly Commodity Update Golf had not been able to carry ran into trouble again, espe- Selevated levels, having been livestock, a sub component of the expected 400,000 barrels per cially after gold spent five days driven by expectations that the agriculture. The difference in per- day. However the technical issues attempting and failing to break global economy has turned the formance between the two indi- BY OLE HANSEN which have reduced the flow are above resistance at $1695/oz. This corner. This continues to support ces comes down to differences in (Head of Commodity Strategy, expected only to be temporary and led to some disillusioned traders commodities, with the energy exposure to specific commodities once back to normal, Brent pre- holding long positions bailing out Saxo Bank) sector led by crude oil showing a within the different sectors. mium has the potential of coming thereby sending the yellow metal particularly strong return so far Soft commodities best and under some downward pressure lower through important support in January. Improved economic worst performers on news that a group of producing as colder than normal weather once again. The overall strength of at $1662/oz which is the 200-day data from Europe’s powerhouse Soft commodities take the top countries in South America had across the northern parts of the market did help WTI crude on moving average. – Germany; additional quantita- and bottom places in this week’s exported 15 percent more during the US raised demand at a time its way to record the strongest run The fact that gold has failed on tive easing measures in Japan; a performance table. The top per- the fourth quarter of 2012 than where inventory levels on the US of weekly gains since 2009 during several occasions to attain what postponement of the US fiscal debt former is cotton which has seen in the same period the previous East Coast are 47 percent below which time it has rallied by more is supposed to be the real level of ceiling negotiations and a weaker the longest rally in two years on year. Speculative traders still hold average for this time of year. than 12 percent. resistance - currently the 1701.5 US dollar has all played their part. expectations that some cotton net-short positions and with news As already mentioned, the best Brent crude oil remains stuck trend-line connecting the highs Most of the positive action, farmers in the US, the world’s of an outbreak of Roya fungus performing sector at the start in a 105 to $115/barrel range from October and November - however, has been seen across largest exporter, will turn to across Central America produc- of 2013 has been the energy sec- within which it has traded for the tells us a story about fading inves- other assets, especially stock more profitable crops such as tion could be negatively affected tor which just like the previous last six month. Momentum and tor confidence because the global markets, where the MSCI World corn and soybeans this coming which leaves the price exposed to two years has kicked off with investor sentiment remains posi- growth outlook, especially in the equity index of leading companies season thereby reduce the avail- short-covering. solid gains. This time around, the tive which could now carry it for- US, continues to improve. The has reached its highest level since able supply. At the bottom we Economic outlook and advance came primarily on the ward to test the top of this range expected announcement by the July 2008. The positive momen- find coffee and cocoa with the momentum carries energy back of raised growth and demand despite limited fundamental sup- Bank of Japan of further meas- tum witnessed in commodities latter falling to a six-month low prices higher expectations from the world’s two port for such a move. But while ures to kick start the economy especially during the last couple on reports that the Ivory Coast The price of RBOB gasoline biggest consumers – the US and the dollar remains on the defen- failed to provide support and the of weeks has so far only managed and Ghana, two of the world’s was also strong on raised expec- China - as geopolitical worries sive and economic data continues market is now left once again in to pull the energy-heavy S&P biggest producers were adding tations that available stock levels have so far been subdued. Brent to improve such a move seems to trying to build enough confidence GSCI commodity index up to a supply by selling some of next in the US could dwindle over the crude rose to a three-month high be the road of least resistance. to climb higher. The near-term three month-high and a 2.7 per- season’s crop at a time of falling coming weeks as refineries enter while the premium over WTI Gold lower as 1,695 resist- key will be US economic data as a cent return so far this January demand especially from Europe. the season of repair and main- crude rose to $17.5/barrels from ance refuses to give way continued improvement raises the compared with 5.2 percent on the Arabica coffee, meanwhile, has tenance which could last until a recent low of $15/barrel. The The precious metals sector was risk of the US Federal Reserve above mentioned MSCI World seen a reversal of its attempt to May at which time production is widening was driven by news mixed with platinum and palla- stepping away from its stimulus index. As evidenced by the chart create positive momentum, falling ramped up ahead of the summer that the recent expansion of the dium continuing to find buyers as measures earlier than expected. below, gains have been seen across by five percent in just one session driving season. Heating oil rose Seaway pipeline from Cushing the fundamental outlook supports THE PENINSULA MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Fog forces Okafor sparks big Monday finish at Torrey Pines

SAN DIEGO: Tiger Woods’ bid for a 75th PGA Tour victory win for Wizards was put on hold for 24 hours when thick fog allowed only five minutes of play in the Farmers Insurance Open third round, Batum posts triple-double for Blazers forcing the event into a Monday finish. NEW YORK: Washington’s NBA Results right kneecap. He has missed a Initial tee times were pushed Emeka Okafor dominated Cleveland 99 Toronto 98 total of six games this campaign back three hours before play inside as the improving Wizards with the same injury. eventually started at Torrey Pines Philadelphia 97 NY Knicks 80 stunned the Chicago Bulls 86-73 “Chris is our closer,” Clippers but the action was halted just five to record their fifth straight Washington 86 Chicago 73 head coach Vinny Del Negro said. minutes later as visibility swiftly home win yesterday. Charlotte 102 Minnesota 101 Portland’s French import deteriorated. At 11-31 Washington have the Houston 119 Brooklyn 106 Batum, who posted his first With the sun briefly break- second worst record in the NBA, Milwaukee 109 Golden State 102 career triple-double in a loss ing through, officials prepared ahead of only Charlotte (11-32), San Antonio 108 Phoenix 99 to Washington on Monday, for a re-start at 12:20 pm local but turned the tables on joint Denver 121 Sacramento 93 had 20 points, 12 assists and 10 (2020 GMT) but those plans were Central Division leaders Chicago rebounds. swiftly abandoned as another Utah 114 Indiana 110 (26-17) behind Okafor’s 15 points Damian Lillard scored another blanket of fog rolled across the and 16 rebounds. Portland 101 LA Clippers 100 20 points for the Trail Blazers, coastal venue. It was the seventh win in 10 in third, their lowest output in who have won two straight after “We basically lost the whole games for the Wizards, who any quarter this season, and had a six-game slide. day today, so we’ll be back here started the season 0-12 and lost more turnovers (six) than field The Clippers, who had won 24 in position at 7:00 (1500 GMT) in 28 of their first 32 games. goals (three) in the quarter. of 27 contests before their current the morning,” Mark Russell, the “We have just gotten better Bulls center Joakim Noah nar- slump, appeared to have turned PGA Tour’s vice president of rules at our new recent style of play,” rowly missed a triple-double, col- the tide when a Lamar Odom and competition, told reporters. Okafor told reporters. lecting 17 rebounds and 10 assists dunk gave them a 100-91 lead “We’re going to play golf all “These last few past games and nine points. with 2:38 remaining. day until dark and then when we have been playing extremely “We got beat by a team that But Portland, who have won it gets dark, we’ll suspend play. good basketball both on the offen- played harder than us,” Noah two straight after a six-game los- We’ll come back Monday morn- sive end moving the ball and the said. “They played really well and ing streak, closed out the contest ing and finish the championship defensive end moving around. ... we played tired basketball. Our with 10 unanswered points. if the weather cooperates. That “We are the team that we offense wasn’t as fluid.” “We’ve got to learn from it,” Del is the plan. thought we were supposed to be.” Meanwhile, Portland forward Negro said. “Usually with over 78 players Nene added 16 points and John Nicolas Batum notched the sec- “It’s a tough pill to swallow. We (left after the second round) we Wall 15 for Washington. ond triple-double of his NBA had an opportunity to steal this make a cut after the third round, Only reserve Nate Robinson career yesterday to lead the one, and we couldn’t convert down but we’re not going to make a cut. finished in double figures for Trail Blazers to a 101-100 victory the stretch.” We’re not going to re-pair. We’d Chicago, collecting a game high over the slumping Los Angeles Jamal Crawford had a last lose too much time.” 19 points. Clippers. The Blazers handed the chance to get the win for Los Asked what time he expected The Wizards went on an 11-0 injury-hit Clippers their fourth Angeles, but his jump shot over the tournament to finish on run late in the second quarter straight defeat, matching Los Batum bounced off the rim. Monday if the weather cooperated to establish a six-point halft- Angeles’ worst skid of the season. “I’ll take that shot 10 times out over the next two days, Russell ime lead, before a 10-2 spurt to The Clippers were clearly feel- of 10, and I’ll make it nine times replied: “Ballpark, we’re going to start the third put them firmly ing the continued absence of out of 10,” Crawford said. have anywhere from 12 to nine in command. Chris Paul, who missed a third “That’s just the one I missed.” Brook Lopez (right) of the Brooklyn Nets shoots the ball over Greg Smith holes Monday, something like Chicago scored only 11 points successive contest with a bruised AGENCIES of the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, yesterday. that.” REUTERS Azarenka dreams big after win

MELBOURNE: A glint of when she took a medical timeout Belarusian steel and the sup- after blowing five match points, port of her crazy entourage have and then returned and broke for given Victoria Azarenka hope victory. she can win any Grand Slam But after Li fell twice, twisting title -- and take on her nemesis, her ankle and briefly blacking out, the great Serena Williams. and the match was interrupted Celebrations were long and for fireworks, Azarenka was able noisy for the world number to master the distractions and one after her win over Li Na in retain her only Grand Slam title. Saturday’s eventful final, when Afterwards, as she strode she overcame a hostile crowd and through the stadium corri- a host of distractions to success- dors with the Daphne Akhurst fully defend her title. Memorial Cup, accompanied After a night on the town with by the wild-haired Redfoo, she her boyfriend, colourful LMFAO exuded the satisfaction of a musician Redfoo, the world woman who had faced her crit- number one had just four hours’ ics, and won. sleep before confidently telling “It’s been a rollercoaster, defi- Goaltender Viktor Fasth of the Anaheim Ducks makes a save on the penalty media she believes she can “make nitely,” she admitted. “I had to go shot by David Legwand of the Nashville Predators in shoot-out during the it happen” at any major. through things. I have my team NHL game at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, yesterday. “Every one,” said the tall around me, and they’re like my blonde, 23, when asked which family. They’re taking care of me Grand Slam tournament she and they’re really strong.” would most like to win this year. Now comes the rest of the “I mean, you cannot prefer any season, and high on the list is Marleau’s double because they are so different, so improving her lopsided won one, special. lost 11 record against the mighty “So it’s really, really hard. I Williams, considered easily the don’t rate my chances. I just make best women’s player when fit. it happen. I don’t rate, I don’t “I’m sure we’re going to have ties NHL record look at statistics. I just make it a few matches,” Azarenka said. happen.” “To predict, I never do that. I just NEW YORK: San Jose’s Asked if he had been hoping for Saturday evening started try to work hard. I can always Patrick Marleau became just the a hat trick in one of those two- bleakly for Azarenka when, say Serena, Maria (Sharapova), second player in NHL history to goal games, Marleau replied: “It’d extraordinarily for a Grand Slam Li Na, all these girls, they really score multiple goals in the first be nice, but I’m not going to get final, she was subjected to jeers push to improve. four games of the season, lead- greedy.” and occasional boos at Rod Laver “We elevate each other. That’s ing the unbeaten Sharks to a 4-0 The Sharks center also picked Arena, and near-silence when she what’s great about women’s tennis victory over visiting Colorado up an assist on Joe Thornton’s won important points. right now.” yesterday. second-period power play goal to Victoria Azarenka of Belarus kisses the winner’s trophy during a photo Azarenka had raised suspicions Azarenka won six titles in 2012, Marleau netted two first-period give him 11 points this season. opportunity after her win over Li Na of China in the women’s singles final of gamesmanship in her semi- including the Australian Open, to power play goals to become the “I don’t know if he can keep match, at the Australian Open in Melbourne, Australia, yesterday. final against Sloane Stephens, become world number one. AFP first player to achieve the feat scoring two goals every night, since the Ottawa Senators’ Cy but he can keep his play up the Denneny in the NHL’s inaugural way it’s been,” Sharks coach Todd 1917-18 season, the league said on McLellan told reporters. Li praised in China for pluck and persistence its website . Already the league “He’s been skating extremely leader in goals, Marleau struck well. A ton of confidence. He’s BEIJING: Chinese newspapers estimated she would go so far,” similar to Twitter. Li, known for twice in 80 seconds against the prepared to shoot the puck. He’s and Internet users yesterday the paper said, adding that her her humour and feisty person- Avalanche to take his total to engaged physically. It’s a great heaped praise on tennis star Li opponent was “too powerful, tal- ality, saw her profile massively eight in the first four games. reward for him. He came focused Na (pictured) for her pluck and ented and tenacious”. boosted in China after a historic “I’ll take them as they come, to play.” persistence despite her defeat Other reports joined the cho- victory at the French Open in trying to do the same thing, try- Both of Marleau’s goals came in the women’s final of the rus of praise for Li, who has “a 2011, when she became the first ing to work and going to those after a big hit on Avalanche Australian Open. fighter’s heart,” according to the Asian player to win a Grand same areas,” he told reporters. captain Gabriel Landeskog by Li lost a three-set match popular website Sina Sports. Slam singles title. “My line mates have been play- Sharks defenseman Brad Stuart. against Belarusian world “At this point, Li Na can be Online comments following ing great, too.” Avalanche defenseman Ryan number one Victoria Azarenka prouder than the victor,” it said. Saturday’s final also referred O’Byrne confronted Stuart after on Saturday. She suffered two The Henan Evening News to Li’s rocky relationship with NHL Results the hit and a long fight followed. dramatic falls during the match praised Li, 30, for her perform- China’s sports authorities, which O’Byrne received 19 penalty and later said one of them briefly ance as one of the older players in led to her leaving the state- San Jose 4 Colorado 0 minutes, including a 10-minute knocked her unconscious. top-flight women’s tennis, saying: run Chinese Tennis Association NY Rangers 5 Toronto 2 misconduct. Stuart was penal- But Li’s “calm and comfortable “That (Li) is still full of competi- to choose her own coach and Chicago 3 Columbus 2 ized five minutes for fighting. reaction and bright smile left an tiveness is itself a miracle”. schedule. Philadelphia 7 Florida 1 Landeskog missed the rest of the even deeper impression on us” Internet users voiced sup- “Li Na is an idol with emotion St. Louis 4 Dallas 3 first period before returning for than her two falls, the Wuhan port for Li on social networking and character, not the perfect the second. Rookie defenseman Evening News, published in her websites. kind of idol traditionally thought Los Angeles 4 Phoenix 2 Matt Irwin delivered the Sharks’ home city in central China, said “Great stuff, Li Na, although of in China, so the leaders don’t Calgary 4 Edmonton 3 other goal, also in the second following the match. you lost, you are glorious,” said like her -- but we all love her,” one Anaheim 3 Nashville 2 period. REUTERS “Before the game nobody one user of Sina Weibo, a website Sina Weibo user said. AFP MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Al Arabi, Al Gharafa share spoils Former PSG striker Cisse scores on debut for Al Gharafa; Eljaish defeat Al Sailiya

DOHA: Al Arabi and Al Gharafa happy with the performance of Gharafa then clawed their way shared the spoils in an exciting Nene and Djibril Cisse, That is back into game soon after when 14th-round match of the Qatar encouraging for the future,” he a brilliant flick by Nene released Stars League here yesterday. added. Cisse. At the Grand Hamad Stadium The first half of this game was The QPR loan-star took his here yesterday the two teams a non-event as both sides strug- time before firing a cool shot into played a 1-1 draw. gled to get into their stride. the bottom corner. Djibril Cisse, who moved to January signing Nene sent a The pair combined again after Qatar from PSG, scored his first great delivery looping into the box 73 minutes, this time Cisse pro- goal for Al Gharafa but it wasn’t but fellow new boy Djibril Cisse’s viding but Nene’s shot was saved. enough to secure full points for header was brilliantly touched Cisse thought he had scored his his team. over the post by Al Arabi keeper second of the night on 76 minutes The Frenchman equalised for Masoud Zaraei . Mohamed Salem but after racing into the box his The Cheetahs after Arabi had then gave Arabi the lead after 57 shot rebounded back off the bar. taken a shock lead. minutes with a brilliantly-worked Gharafa could have won the game Cisse and Gharafa could have team goal. in the final minute when Nene scored more in a game that came Gharafa didn’t know where showed great feet in the box to to life in the second half but they were watching the home side evade his marker. Abdulaziz Bennij’s side held firm dance round them with a flurry of Somehow he wriggled free but for a hard-fought point. one-touch passes. The best was the shot was agonisingly wide. The result is a frustrating one a perfectly-weighted through Al Arabi coach Abdulaziz for boss Alain Perrin, whose side ball from Wanderly which Salem Bennij admitted he was delighted could have moved into fourth spot latched on to and dropped a with a draw against a Gharafa with a win. shoulder before slamming into side that had recently signed stars “I am not happy about the the back of the net. such as Nene and Cisse. result. Our performance in the Perrin’s side were stunned to “I am happy with the perform- first half was not good enough. We find themselves a goal down but ance because it came against a big didn’t make the right decisions,” wasted no time trying to find a team. “When we think about the Perrin said. way back into the game. performance then I know Gharafa “I was pleased with the way we Former PSG star Nene found could have won. If you asked me came back and scored the equal- Diego Tardelli with a cute pass to take a point before the game, I iser but unfortunately we couldn’t into the box but the striker’s chip would have taken it. For me this take the chances we scored. I was was easily held by Zeraei. is a positive result. We had some players missing through injury Al Gharafa SC defender Bilal Mohammed Rajab (left) vies for the ball with Al Arabi SC midfielder Abdulaziz Abdulla but I thought the players who Al Sulaiti during their Qatar Stars League match at Al Arabi Stadium yesterday. PICTURES BY: KAMMUTTY VP came in to replace them did very well,” Bennij said. “When I took over we only QSL Standings had four points. Now we have 12. Team P W L D Pts I have to respect my opponent if they are better than us. We have Al Sadd 14 12 1 1 37 ambitions but we have to know Lekhwiya 14 10 3 1 31 our opponent,” he added. Al Rayyan 14 8 4 2 26 In the other 14th-round matches yesterday, Al Kharaitiyat Eljaish 14 8 5 1 25 and Al Wakra were locked in a Al Gharafa 14 6 4 4 22 one-all draw, while Eljaish edged Umm Salal 14 5 7 2 17 past bottom sitters Al Sailiya 2-1. Qatar SC 14 5 7 2 17 With yesterday draw, the sixth of the QSL season, Bernard Al Wakra 14 4 6 4 16 Simondi’s team took their points Al Khor 14 3 5 5 14 tally to 12 points from 14 matches Al Kharaitiyat 14 2 6 6 12 but continued to be in the tenth spot in the 12-team league. Al Arabi 14 2 6 6 12 Al Kharaitiyat’s French coach Al Sailiya 14 1 11 2 5 Simondi had said before the match they have tightened up the Al Gharafa SC goalkeeper Qassim Burhan brings off a save of Al Arabi defense ahead of the 14th round SC forward Wanderley Santos Junior (right) while defender Ibrahim Al match. Ghanim looks on. Qatar Stars League “This week we have focused Week Number 14 on defence, attack and fitness,” moved to 16 points from 14 (26). On Saturday, Al Sadd kept Yesterday’s results Simondi said, on the eve of the matches. their title hopes on course with a Al Sailiya 1 Eljaish 2 match on Saturday. Meanwhile, Eljaish kept pace narrow 1-0 win over Umm Salal. Al Kharaitiyat had conceded with the top three of Al Sadd, Elsewhere, Qatar Sports Club Al Arabi 1 Al Gharafa 1 14 goals till the 13th round and Lekhwiya and Al Rayyan by reg- launched themselves back into Al Kharaitiyat 1 Al Wakra 0 the porous defense was a cause of istering a win in their 14th round the race for an Asian Champions Results concern for the Frenchman, but match. The Army men now have League place with a brilliant 4-2 on Saturday his boys stood up to the challenge 25 points from 14 matches. win over Al Khor. Qatar SC 4 Al Khor 2 Al Sailiya Osman Hassan Elaagib (left) and Eljaish’s Ali Sanad Al Nuaimi to register a fighting draw at Al Al Sadd head the points In the other match on Saturday, Umm Salal 0 Al Sadd 1 vie for the ball during their Qatar Stars League clash at Al Rayyan Stadium Khor Stadium. table with 37 points followed by Lekhwiya trounced Al Rayyan. yesterday. PICTURE BY: ABDUL BASIT Wakra, with yesterday’s draw Lekhwiya (31) and Al Rayyan THE PENINSULA Lekhwiya 3 Al Rayyan 0 QBL: Al Wakra demolish Shamal; Al Ahli win BY DANOTZKI SANTOS

DOHA: Al Wakra got the bet- ter of Shamal, 82-60, in the Qatar Basketball League (QBL) at the Al Gharafa Indoor Arena here yesterday. Al Wakra controlled the game from the start, pegging a 19-13 margin right at the end of the first period behind the outside sniping of the prolific duo of Ayeni Olatukombo and Temi Soyebo. With Mezie Nwigwe and Tyvon William getting to work, Al Shamal crawled back into con- tention and grabbed the upper- hand 21-19 via 8-0 blitz early in the second period. Wakra would however come on stronger in the remainder of the period to establish a 37-31 advantage before the half time break. Abdelrahman Soliman opened the third quarter with a try and as Soyebo and Ayeni were having a field day from the outside, the southerners started pulling away and eventually finished the third period soaring away 60-43. From a 17-point bulge before the final stage, Wakra continued the onslaught and doused every inch of their rivals attempt to come back. The lead went as high as 24 points. Al Shamal’s Nwigwe Mezie (left) and Al Wakra’s Ayeni Olatukombo in action during their Qatar Basketball League Al Wakra took their 5th win match at the Al Gharafa Indoor Arena yesterday. PICTURES BY: SALIM MATRAMKOT in 15 outings while Shamal suf- fered their 12th defeat against column with a 71-64 spanking efforts waned as the game reached at Al Gharafa Indoor Hall, with three wins. of Qatar Sports Club. The black the playoff period. Al Ahli now Shamal and Al Gharafa locking In the second game, Al Ahli shirts sorely missing the services have a 2-13 win loss scorecard. horns at 5:15 pm, while Al Wakra shrugged off their losing skid and of ace gunner Chauncey Leslie, Qatar Club dropped to 3-12. face Qatar Club in the main game Al Ahli Club’s Sarr Ibou (right) and Qatar Sports Club’s Seck Oumar in finally barged into the winners’ put on a strong stand but their Games resume on January 29 at 7:15 pm. THE PENINSULA action during their match yesterday. MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Top riders set for 4-day test in ‘windy’ Qatar QCF confirms additional stage for this year’s event

DOHA: The world’s top cyclists are set to manage an extra load of work in the season opener when the fifth edition of the Liverpool’s Under-18 players wait for their ride to the hotel after arriv- Ladies Tour of Qatar kicks-off ing at the Doha International Airport yesterday. Liverpool is one of 12 from the Museum of Islamic Art teams taking part in the Al Kass International Cup which begins today. tomorrow. PICTURES: FADI AL ASSAD Hosted by the Qatar Cycling Federation (QCF), this year’s Ladies Tour of Qatar will be con- tested over four days. The past four editions in Qatar were held over three days. Aspire Qatar “Yes, we have added one more stage to our event this year,” Magid Al Naimi, Secretary General of QCF, said yesterday. “It was unanimously decided play Liverpool to expand the event by adding another stage to the women’s Tour of Qatar,” Al Naimi added. “We felt that three days were at U-18 event not enough,” he said. Two-time champion in Qatar Kirsten Wild will be hoping to DOHA: Home side Aspire mouth-watering prospect of claim a personal hat-trick of titles Riders during last year’s Ladies Tour of Qatar are seen with Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Thani, President of the Qatar will be eyeing a shock win Liverpool taking on Aspire Qatar this year. Wild - who won the Qatar Cycling Federation (QCF). The Ladies Tour of Qatar will kick off the new season tomorrow. against Liverpool today when the first match (kick-off 4:30pm). Qatar title in 2009 and 2010 - will the two sides lock horns in the Following the opening game, ride for Team Argos - Shimano. and Copenhagen, is a prolific stage Last year’s winner Judith Al Naimi said the four-day opening match of the Al Kass two matches will be played The 2010 and 2011 world cham- winner in Qatar and has worn the Arndt will be a major absentee event would help Qatar ‘develop International Cup. simultaneously. The first will see pion Giorgia Bronzini (Wiggle) sprinter’s jersey and the leader’s as the German rider has retired. skills to meet the challenge of The world’s leading U-18 club Spanish giants Real Madrid play will line up for the first time in jersey in previous editions. However, last year’s runner organising a top cycling event at championship has attracted 12 Cairo’s Zamalek while the second the black and orange stripes of She will be chasing her first up Trixi Worrack, (Specialized - a larger scale’. teams. match has last year’s champions, her new team. title win in Qatar where there is Lululemon) is on the provisional Qatar last year in September Last year’s champions Paris- Paris Saint-Germain facing Rio The 29-year-old Italian, who virtually no climbing as the riders start list along with 2011 cham- won the bid to stage the 2016 Saint Germain (PSG) are also Di Janerio-based Fluminese. Both won the world titles in Melbourne usually battle heavy crosswinds. pion Ellen van Dijk. World Championships. one of the sides taking part in the matches kick-off at 7:00pm. Al Naimi said in future more two-week event. Finishing off an extraordinary teams would be added to the The Al Kass International Cup evening of football will be final Qatar roster. He said an increase starts today with a stellar line- match of the night; Argentine in the number of riders would also up of international clubs going side Club Athletico Boca Juniors Netherlands’ be seen in action as Doha pre- head-to-head to see who will lift playing Japanese side Yokhama Kirsten Wild pares for the mega event in 2016. the coveted Golden Cup and walk F Marinos. (left), Team “The President of QCF Sheikh away with the top prize of $75,000. These matches represent the Specialized Khalid bin Ali Al Thani, the The tournament will take place first of the Group Stages which Lululemon’s Board Members and the stake at the Aspire Zone and is hosted will see four groups of three teams Trixi Worrack holders decided to expand the by the Qatar Football Association contest matches with the top two (right) and event,” he said. (QFA), Al Kass Sport Channels teams from each group progress- Germany’s The first stage of the sea- and the Aspire Zone Foundation ing to the knock-out phase, the son-opener will start from the (AZF). first of which will be the quarter- Judith Arndt Museum of Islamic Art and ends As preparations for the tour- finals which are to be played on pose on in Messaieed tomorrow. nament continued, team repre- February 1. the podium The second stage will start sentatives met with tournament Matches will be broadcast on during the from the Camel Race Track and organisers yesterday at the official the Al Kass Sports Channel. Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Thani, third stage ends at Al Khor Corniche on welcome and technical meeting to THE PENINSULA President of QCF. of the Ladies Wednesday. review the full tournament rules Tour of The third stage begins at Al and regulations and to introduce Qatar race Thakira and concludes in Madinat their teams. Competing Teams in Doha in Al Shamal area. The fourth and In addition, team jerseys were Real Madrid (Spain), Liverpool (UK), this February the final stage will start from the decided for the first group games Yokohama Marinos (Japan), Esperance 2012 file Sealine Beach Resort concluding and each team was briefed on (Tunisia), Al Nasser (KSA), Al Zamalek (Egypt), Fluminese (Brazil), Inter Milano photo. Ardnt at Doha Corniche on February 1. upcoming media activity for the (Italy), Paris Saint Germain (France), Boca has retired The four-day event will be con- competition. tested over 392 kilometers. Speaking at that meet- Juniors (Argentina), Aspire Qatar (Qatar) from the and Aspire International (Qatar) Fifteen teams representing ing Ali Muftah, the Assistant sport but Prize Fund Wild and 10 different nationalities will Tournament Director, said: “It The tournament has a total prize fund of Worrack will strive to bag the golden jersey is an honour and a privilege to worn by the leader of the general welcome some of the world’s lead- $240,000.00. be seen in classification. ing club sides to Doha for this the Champions will receive $75,000 and will be action this The men’s Tour of Qatar will 2nd annual Al Kass International presented with the Tournament Gold Cup week. commence from February 3 with Cup. We are looking forward to a and gold medals. riders competing over six days of wonderful two weeks of football. 2nd place $40000 Magid Al Naimi, Secretary General intense cycling across the coun- We are looking at some of the 3rd place $25000 of QCF. try. THE PENINSULA names who may go on to play for 4th place $20000 top clubs in the future. I am sure 5th place $15000 who we see on the pitch over the 6th place $10000 next fortnight will be represent- 7th place $9000 ing their country in the not too 8th place $8000 distant future. He added: “It is also with great 9th place $7000 Al Shaqab bags three awards pleasure that we welcome back 10th place $6000 last year’s champions Paris Saint- 11th place $5000 DOHA: The horses of Al Shaqab, gold medals were the offspring of Germain. They had a great tour- 12th place $4000 Member of Qatar Foundation, former world champion Kaheel nament in 2012 and I am sure Additional Awards grabbed the spotlight at the Al Shaqab. they are looking to replicate that Most Valuable Player of the match $1000 Purebred Arabian Horse Show This was the first participation success this year.” per match at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz of Kaheel Al Shaqab’s offspring in The two-week action gets Most Valuable Player $3000 International Arabian Horse international events. under way today afternoon with Top Scorer $3000 Festival 2013 that concluded in Al Shaqab had won in various a brief opening ceremony. Once Saudi Arabia. categories before reaching the the presentation is over, four Best Goalkeeper $3000 Al Shaqab achieved three titles finals on Friday, which brought matches will be played with the Fair Play Trophy (Team) $3000 and gold medals from the total of together the champions or differ- six titles that were distributed on ent categories in the event. the final day. Al Shaqab Breeding and Show The champions who brought Manager Mohammed Al Sulaiti honours to Al Shaqab were Ghalib expressed his pleasure on the Al Shaqab who was the Champion team’s success. One-Year-Old Colt, Zenat “Our achievement of three gold Al Shaqab who was awarded medals proves the excellence of Champion Yearling Filly, and Al Shaqab’s horses and the pro- Ghasham Al Shaqab Champion duction quality, which is shown Al Shaqab horse Venetzia is seen with a trainer during the Purebred Arabian 2-3 Year Old Colt. in the achievement of multiple Horse Show at Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Arabian Horse The winners were awarded gold medals by the offspring of Festival held in Saudi Arabia. with gold medals amidst festive former world champion Kaheel celebrations of the Al Shaqab Al Shaqab,” Al Suliati said. quality and beauty of production The Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad team. “Also Al Shaqab did not par- in Al Shaqab, and we choose the bin Khalifa Al Thani founded Al The final day of the event wit- ticipate in all categories, and the horses for all international tour- Shaqab in 1992 to preserve and nessed the finals for six catego- achievement of three gold medals naments that we participate in further develop the Arabian horse ries of different age groups for the out of the four in which we par- from this perspective.” in Qatar. best horses based on the results ticipated proves that Al Shaqab Teams from different countries Al Shaqab is led by H E Sheikh throughout the event. is the best currently in the global had participated in the tourna- Mohammed bin Hamad bin Al Shaqab’s dominance in the level. This is testified by all par- ment, including Qatar, KSA, UAE, Khalifa Al Thani and encom- event reflected the advancement ticipants from the various coun- Poland, France, Germany, Italy, passes an endurance team, a of Al Shaqab’s horses and the tries, as they acknowledge that Belgium and Brazil. The remain- breeding and show division, and excellence of breeding inside Al the breeding of Al Shaqab is the ing gold medals in the event were a riding academy. Shaqab, considering that most best in the world. shared by the studs and breeding In 2004, Al Shaqab became a of the horses that participated “Therefore, our aim in each farms from Dubai and Ajman in member of Qatar Foundation. Players of Boca Juniors strike a pose after arriving at the Doha International in the tournament and achieved tournament shall be to display the the UAE and Riyadh, KSA. THE PENINSULA Airport yesterday. MONDAY 28 JANUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27 Pakistan call Oldham earn shock victory up Ahmed and Ali for Proteas Tests over Liverpool; Spurs out KARACHI: Pakistan said yes- terday they would add pacemen Tanveer Ahmed and Rahat Ali FA Cup: Torres spares Chelsea’s blushes in 2-2 draw against Brentford to their squad for the three-Test series in South Africa starting next week. LONDON: Liverpool and The Pakistan Cricket Board Tottenham Hotspur were both St Mirren (PCB) said the team, currently dumped out of the FA Cup by playing a four-day tour opener in lower-league sides yesterday, East London before the first Test on a day of sensational fourth- end Celtic’s in Johannesburg, sent a request round upsets that also saw for the extra bowlers. Chelsea scrape a 2-2 draw at “After considering the condi- lowly Brentford. treble hopes tions and duration of the tour in The magnitude of the shocks South Africa the Pakistan team seemed to increase as the day GLASGOW: St Mirren ended management has requested the progressed, with Chelsea’s near Celtic’s hopes of a domestic national selection committee to miss followed by Spurs’ 2-1 loss at treble as they progressed to send two fast bowlers,” said a Championship side Leeds United the Scottish League Cup final PCB press release, adding that before Liverpool went down 3-2 at with a well-deserved 3-2 win at they would reach South Africa third-tier Oldham Athletic. Hampden yesterday. before the start of the first Test Liverpool’s loss was the most On-loan Portuguese forward on Friday. remarkable, with 80 places in the Esmael Goncalves scored just Ahmed, 34, played the last of English league pyramid having eight minutes into his debut for his four Tests in the West Indies separated the sides prior to kick- St Mirren as he stabbed home in 2011 and has also played two off at a rain-soaked Boundary Conor Newton’s cross before Gary one-day matches, while 24-year- Park. Hooper equalised seconds before old left-armer Ali played one FA Cup semi-finalists in 1994, the break. limited-overs international in Oldham made an ideal start when Charlie Mulgrew then saw his Sri Lanka last year before he was Matt Smith headed them in front 49th minute penalty saved after discarded. in the third minute from Youssouf Jim Goodwin had handled in the Pakistan will also play two M’Changama’s left-wing cross. box before conceding one at the Twenty20s and five one-day inter- Liverpool replied in the 17th other end that Paul McGowan nationals on the tour. minute through stand-in captain buried to restore St Mirren’s lead A squad for the limited overs Luis Suarez, only for Smith to Oldham Athletic’s Matt Smith (right) shoots to score his side’s second goal during their FA Cup fourth round in the 64th minute. matches will be announced next restore the hosts’ lead in first- match against Liverpool at Boundary Park in Oldham, northern England, yesterday. Former Rangers striker Steven month. AFP half injury time when he tapped Thompson then smashed a superb in following a mistake by visiting volley past stand-in keeper Lukasz goalkeeper Brad Jones. Brad Friedel. Ross McCormack they would play with a high tempo Zaluska in the 69th minute. A glorious Reece Wabara made it 2-0 five minutes into the and try to press,” said Chelsea FA Cup Fifth Mulgrew fired a 20-yard drive header further extended Oldham’s second half with a sweet left- interim manager Rafael Benitez. beyond Samson with the last kick advantage early in the second foot shot following a lobbed pass “As a team they showed great Round Fixtures of the game but it was the Buddies period and Liverpool could find from El-Hadji Diouf, before Spurs character. You could see the who were celebrating progress to no way back despite the intro- replied through a Clint Dempsey manager (Uwe Rosler) on the LONDON: English FA Cup fifth-round draw, meet Hearts in March’s final. duction of Steven Gerrard and header in the 58th minute. touchline telling them what they made at Wembley Stadium yesterday (ties to The win finishes Neil Lennon’s a 79th-minute goal by Joe Allen. McCormack had a chance to needed to do, and they did it.” be played on February 16-17): dream of leading the Hoops to Oldham’s reward was a fifth- seal it in the 72nd minute, only The League One side enjoyed their first clean sweep of trophies round tie at home to Liverpool’s for Friedel to save, but the home the better of the first half and Huddersfield Town or Leicester City vs in 12 years. Merseyside rivals Everton. side withstood Spurs’ attempts went ahead three minutes Wigan Athletic Goncalves made an instant “I am left speechless by the to find an equaliser to take their before half-time, with Marcello impact as he fired the Buddies result. We went out there want- place in round five. Trotta arrowing home after Ross Milton Keynes Dons vs Barnsley into a shock lead. ing to battle together,” said Latics “It’s a fabulous performance,” Turnbull parried a 25-yard curler Oldham Athletic vs Everton The Buddies were to be denied hero Smith. Leeds manager Neil Warnock told from Forrester. taking a lead into the break when Gooch steps “We rallied and thoroughly ESPN. Chelsea introduced Juan Mata Luton Town vs Millwall Hooper equalised on the stroke of deserved the win. We proved what “It’s a great day for us. The at half-time and within 10 min- half-time. down as England we can do today and we will be atmosphere was good, two crack- utes the visitors were level, as Arsenal vs Blackburn Rovers Celtic were presented with a looking to do the same against ing goals. There were a lot of Oscar brought down a high ball chance to take the lead just four limited overs Everton.” heroes today. It was a typical FA and skipped past a couple of chal- Manchester City vs Leeds United minutes into the second half when Liverpool join Spurs, Aston Cup tie.” lenges before arcing a lovely shot they were awarded a penalty. Villa, Norwich City and Queens Chelsea needed an 83rd-minute into the top-left corner. Manchester United vs Reading Keeper Craig Samson guessed batting coach Park Rangers in being knocked equaliser from Fernando Torres Chelsea appeared to have taken Middlesbrough vs Brentford or Chelsea the correct way. Mulgrew’s day out of the tournament by lower- to rescue a 2-2 draw at third- control, but in the 72nd minute got worse as he gave away the LONDON: England batting league opposition this weekend. tier Brentford as they narrowly Turnbull sent Tom Adeyemi penalty that restored St Mirren’s coach Graham Gooch (pic- Fallen giants Leeds followed avoided a humiliating exit. sprawling in the visitors’ box and lead when he blocked Teale’s tured) is relinquishing his one- up their shock 2010 elimination A penalty from Brentford Forrester, 22, swept the spot-kick FA Cup Results fiercely struck shot from point day duties to focus on the Test of Manchester United by sending starlet Harry Forrester looked into the bottom-left corner. blank range with his arms. side. Yesterday’s Results Spurs out of the competition at destined to send the European With home fans lighting flares McGowan stepped up and sent Graham Thorpe will take over Elland Road. champions out of the competi- in the Griffin Park stands, an Zaluska the wrong way. as batting coach of the one-day Brentford 2 Chelsea 2 The three-time English cham- tion, only for Torres to curl home unforgettable victory looked to be A sensational strike from team for the forthcoming New pions took a 15th-minute lead a fine goal to deny his side’s west on the cards, until Torres swept Thompson made it 3-1 in the 69th Zealand tour. Leeds 2 Tottenham 1 when Luke Varney scampered London neighbours a memorable home his late equaliser from the minute. It comes after Ashley Giles down the inside-left channel upset. edge of the box to take the tie to Mulgrew scored a consolation took control of the one-day and Oldham 3 Liverpool 2 before calmly beating goalkeeper “Brentford did well. We knew a replay. AFP goal four minutes from time. AFP Twenty20 squads from team director Andy Flower. “Graham Gooch is going to focus now on Test cricket,” said England and Wales Cricket Board Ronaldo hits hat-trick as (ECB) managing director Hugh Morris. Morris added: “We would like to focus on that area of the game. We’ve got back-to-back Ashes Real cruise past Getafe series coming up and a five-Test series against India in 2014. MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo noticeable as the game began rebound for a great double save. “That’s an enormous amount hit a hat-trick and Sergio slowly and without rhythm on From the resulting cor- of very high-profile Test cricket Ramos got the other as Real a cold morning in the Spanish ner Moya’s luck ran out when and Graham will be focusing his Madrid beat Getafe 4-0 in their capital. Ramos stabbed home after the attention on working one on one La Liga clash yesterday. Miguel Angel Moya had to be keeper was challenged by Ricardo with our Test players.” All Real’s goals came in the sharp in the Getafe goal to block Carvalho, Moya protested the The new rotation approach has second-half but it still sees them a Ronaldo free-kick on eleven legality of Carvalho’s jump and been adopted to bring more bal- trail arch-rivals Barcelona by 12 minutes and then again to stop a was booked for his efforts. ance to the coaches’ workloads, points. shot from the same player eleven Gonzalo Higuain then headed especially with a growing inter- Ronaldo took his total for the minutes later. over as the lead appeared to settle national cricket programme. season to 21 and will come face- The team from the industrial Madrid into a style of play with a A similar tactic has been to-face with top-scorer Lionel town on the outskirts of the more attacking edge. adopted with frontline players Messi on Wednesday when capital were keeping the home The second came on 62 min- - James Anderson and Graeme Real and Barcelona meet in the sides chances to a minimum and utes after a sweeping counter- Swann have not been involved in Spanish Cup semi-final first leg. started to cause a few problems attack saw Ozil play Ronaldo into the current ODI series. Afterwards Jose Mourinho’s themselves on the break. space and the Portuguese finished Morris said Thorpe was ready assistant, Aitor Karanka, con- Adan had to block a Pablo crisply to double the lead. to step into the role vacated by firmed that the Portuguese star’s Sarabia shot and then a Diego Three minutes later and from Gooch. substitution straight after his Castro header before the half- the same counter-attacking play He said: “Graham Thorpe, who third goal was not due to injury. hour mark. Ronaldo made it three, finishing has been working with the per- “It was just a precaution he Next it was Madrid’s turn to off a Higuain cross with a simple formances programme and the got his goals and played his part quickly break and Mesut Ozil saw header. Lions, will be going as the one-day like all the team did, the side a shot blocked after clever play Ronaldo grabbed his hat-trick coach to New Zealand. (Thorpe’s is improving in general and we down the left. from the penalty spot on 72 min- role) is for this tour initially and looked solid today once we got the However, despite dominating utes. AFP then we’ll assess the situation at first goal,” he said. possession, the home side could the end of that. Antonio Adan was called up to only muster a further Luka “We’re very fortunate to have replace Iker Casillas in goal after Modric shot before the interval as La Liga Results two (batting coaches) who’ve the club captain fractured a bone a well marshalled Getafe defence played 100 Test matches for Yesterday’s Results in his hand in midweek in the Cup stood firm. England.” game against Valencia, although Jose Mourinho changed things Real Madrid 4 Getafe 0 He added: “Graham Thorpe is new signing Diego Lopez from around at the break introducing Rayo Vallecano 3 Real Betis 0 a very experienced one-day crick- Sevilla will be the likeliest long- Sami Khedira for defender Raul Saturday’s Results eter and Graham will have worked term replacement for the Spanish Albiol. Celta Vigo 1 Real Sociedad 1 with a lot of the players who are Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates after scoring his first captain. His shot was acrobatically Deportivo Coruna 2 Valencia 3 going to New Zealand. He’s made Xabi Alonso was also on the saved by Moya on 53 minutes a really good impression as a bat- goal against Getafe during his side’s Spanish La Liga match at Santiago Levante 2 Real Valladolid 1 Bernabeu Stadium, in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. bench, perhaps with the Barca and the keeper reacted quickly ting coach and he’s really looking tie in mind, and his absence was to deny Fabio Coentrao from the Real Zaragoza 0 Espanyol 0 forward to it.” AGENCIES Monday 28 January 2013 16 Rabial I Safar 1434 Volume 17 Number 5593 Sport Price: QR2 %-%!%&.-"&/0"/,#"%-1&,23!"!,*!04-%35,# *.$")"*6 LATEST NEWS UPDATES IN TAMIL Okafor sparks Aspire Qatar in TAMIL TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Middle East Edition big win for Liverpool test

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www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Qatar to play Historic treble for Djokovic Lebanon in friendly on Australian Open: The Serb fights back to beat Andy Murray in final January 31

MELBOURNE: World number DOHA: Qatar will host one Novak Djokovic wore down Lebanon in an international Andy Murray in an attritional friendly on January 31, the four-set final to clinch a historic Qatar Football Association hat-trick of Australian Open (QFA) announced. titles and reaffirm his tennis The match will be played at supremacy yesterday. Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, The Serbian world number QFA confirmed. one lost the opening set in a tie- The friendly match, which breaker but got progressively starts at 6:30pm, will be the stronger to dominate the battle- first test for new coach Fahad weary Murray and win 6-7 (2/7), Al Thani who replaced Paulo 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-2. Autuori more than 10 days ago. The punishing victory, fought Qatar, also known as ‘Al out over 3hr 40min at Melbourne’s Anabi’, are preparing for the Rod Laver Arena, brought 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers start- Djokovic his fourth Australian ing from February 6. crown and his sixth Grand Slam Al Thani’s side has Yemen title overall, and confirmed him and Bahrain in Group D of the as the game’s best and toughest qualifying campaign. player. Qatar’s last two games Djokovic, unbeaten in against Lebanon resulted in Melbourne since 2010, hammered wins last year when Al Anabi Murray in straight sets in the triumphed in both 2014 FIFA 2011 final and outlasted Rafael World Cup qualifying matches. Nadal over 5hr 53min to claim QNA last year’s trophy in the longest Grand Slam decider ever played. Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts after his victory over Britain’s Andy Murray during the men’s final at the Australian Open in Melbourne, yesterday. RIGHT: The 25-year-old became the Djokovic kisses his trophy. The Serb became the first man in the Open era to win three straight titles (2011, 2012, 2013) in Melbourne. Yesterday’s triumph first man in the Open Era and was the world number one’s sixth Grand Slam title. Djokovic also won the 2008 title in Melbourne and the Wimbledon and US Open titles in 2011. Armstrong won’t only the third ever to win three consecutive Australian Open meet USADA titles, joining Australians Jack and blistered feet as Djokovic 13-match run in the majors since over two service games before it the final, after 2hr 51min, on his Crawford (1931-33) and five-time stepped up, winning the impor- he beat the Serb in September’s was decided by a tiebreaker. third break point and then served probe deadline winner Roy Emerson (1963-67). tant points and most of the lung- US Open decider. The Scot played virtually the out for a two sets to one lead. “What a joy, it’s an incred- busting long rallies. Djokovic, who received the tro- perfect tiebreaker with three Murray was having problems ible feeling winning this trophy “I congratulate Novak. His phy from four-time winner Andre mini-breaks against the waver- with his left hamstring and was WASHINGTON: An attorney once more and it’s definitely my record here is absolutely incred- Agassi, confirmed his standing as ing Djokovic to go one set up after troubled going to his forehand for Lance Armstrong said the favourite Grand Slam, my most ible and there are very few people the number one ranked player 68 hard-fought minutes. side as Djokovic began to take disgraced cyclist will not meet successful Grand Slam. I love this who have managed to do what he’s while Murray will remain in the And the Serb had to fight off the ascendancy early in the fourth the US Anti-Doping Agency’s court,” Djokovic said. done here. He’s a very deserved third position. three break points on his open- set. deadline for him to answer Murray, the British world champion,” Murray said. It continued Djokovic’s domi- ing service in the second set as He got two break points in questions under oath, and sug- number three, began strongly but “When you go two sets to one nance on the Melbourne hard- Murray remained in control. Murray’s second service game gested his client would rather he battled a left hamstring injury down, you know you really need courts and capped an impressive Yet again both players held and the top seed again came out participate in international to get off to a good start to the fortnight where he recovered their serve and the final went into on top after a sapping 26-stroke efforts to “clear the air.” fourth set because most of the from a draining, five-hour win a second tiebreaker, but this time rally, breaking the Scot’s serve a In a letter to the USADA dated Australian Open guys at the top of the game, when over Stanislas Wawrinka to Djokovic was the steadier player second time and consolidated for on Saturday, attorney Timothy they get a lead and momentum emphatically beat Tomas Berdych winning 7/3 to level the match at a 3-1 lead. Herman said that while the ath- Results it’s tough to stop them. and David Ferrer to reach the the 2hr 13min mark. Murray double-faulted on lete is willing to cooperate with Men’s Singles Final “I played a good second set. I final. The turning point came in the break point in his next service the agency, its request to inter- Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Andy Murray (GBR created quite a few chances, didn’t Djokovic outscored Murray 139 eighth game of the third set when game, handing Djokovic a 4-1 with view him in the next two weeks x3) 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, 6-2 quite get them. But that was the points to 126, grabbed the only Djokovic won a psychologically the finish line in sight. “cannot be accommodated.” Mixed Doubles Final difference.” three service breaks of the final important point off an exhausting Djokovic served out for the Herman blamed pre-existing It was Djokovic’s second win the first coming after nearly three 36-stroke rally, leaving the Serb championship and clinched it obligations. Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS)/Matthew Ebden (AUS) over Murray in a Grand Slam final hours and had 47 winners to the smiling and the Scot gasping. on his first match point when The USADA set a February 6 bt Lucie Hradecka (CZE)/Frantisek Cermak (CZE) after the 2011 Australian final, Scot’s 29. In a tight opening set, Djokovic turned up the heat Murray netted a backhand dur- deadline for Armstrong to fully 6-3, 7-5 and ended the Scot’s unbeaten Murray saved five break points and got the first service break of ing the final. AFP cooperate in its investigation in return for a possible lifting of his lifetime ban from cycling, the agency’s chief executive Travis Tygart said in an excerpt from an interview due to air on the CBS “60 Minutes” programme today. Bell guides England to consolation win After years of denials, Armstrong confessed last week DHARAMSALA: Ian Bell’s only silver-lining on an otherwise In reply, England started off in an interview with Oprah unbeaten 113 helped England to lacklustre day for the hosts. shakily. Indian umpire Sudhir Winfrey that he used perform- a seven-wicket win over India His innings of 83 off 98 balls Asnani once again made a case ance-enhancing drugs to cheat in their fifth and final One- took India to a fighting score. for the Decision Review System his way to a record seven Tour Day International played at The left-hander was well sup- (DRS) with another appalling de France wins. the Himachal Pradesh Cricket ported by Ravindra Jadeja (39), decision. The USADA last year stripped Association Stadium here who has also impressed in the Ishant Sharma in his first over Armstrong of his titles and called yesterday. five-match series. had the English captain caught him a “serial cheat.” Having already lost the series, Bhuvneshwar Kumar (31) behind. In his letter, Herman raised the visitors secured the consola- showed his credentials with the But from thereon the visi- questions about the role of the tion win when they chased down bat, playing a cameo late on in the tors didn’t put a foot wrong and USADA in ridding cycling of per- India’s score of 226 all out without innings. coasted to victory. IANS formance-enhancing drugs. He much difficulty and with 16 balls noted that “professional cycling is England’s to spare. Scoreboard and has been largely a European batsman Ian Bell played the anchor role, sport.” Bell hits the taking his team past the finishing INDIA 5-0-34-0; S R Patel 6-0-46-1. Herman applauded the ball during line with help from Joe Root (31) G Gambhir c Bell b Tredwell ...... 24 ENGLAND International Cycling Union’s his side’s and Eoin Morgan (40 not out). R G Sharma c Tredwell b Bresnan ...... 4 A N Cook b I Sharma ...... 22 announcement on Friday that ODI match Alastair Cook won the toss and V Kohli c Tredwell b Bresnan ...... 0 I R Bell (not out) ...... 113 it would work with the World put India in to bat in cold morn- Anti-Doping Agency in a broad against India, Yuvraj Singh c Morgan b Finn ...... 0 K P Pietersen c Jadeja b Shami Ahmed ...... 6 ing conditions. probe into the use of drugs and yesterday. S K Raina c Bell b Woakes ...... 83 J E Root b Jadeja ...... 31 The Indian batsmen were in M S Dhoni lbw Finn ...... 15 E J Morgan (not out) ...... 40 rely on a “truth and reconcilia- trouble from the outset, playing R A Jadeja c Bell b Tredwell ...... 39 Extras (LB-8, W-7) ...... 15 tion” process. one too many expansive shots. R Ashwin c Finn b Patel ...... 19 Total (for 3 wkts in 47.2 overs) ...... 227 “As such, we would like to make The hosts had lost half of the B Kumar c Finn b Bresnan ...... 31 Did not bat: J C Buttler, S R Patel, C R Woakes, sure we coordinate with the truth side by the 22nd over with the Shami Ahmed c&b Bresnan ...... 1 J C Tredwell, S T Finn, T T Bresnan. and reconciliation process to score on 79. I Sharma (not out) ...... 0 Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-64, 3-143. examine the culture of doping in Gautam Gambhir (24) once Extras (LB-4, W-6) ...... 10 Bowling: B Kumar 9-1-45-0 (2w); Shami cycling in the past and to clear again failed with the bat as the Total (all out in 49.4 overs) ...... 226 Ahmed 9-1-46-1 (2w); I Sharma 10-3-37-1; R the air so that cycling can move opening partnership woes contin- Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-13, 3-24, 4-49, 5-79, Ashwin 10-0-50-0 (2w); Yuvraj Singh 2-0-15- forward,” Herman wrote. ued for India. Rohit Sharma (4), 6-157, 7-177, 8-211, 9-225, 10-226. 0; R A Jadeja 7.2-0-26-1 (1w)...... Armstrong, 41, said in his Virat Kohli (0) and Yuvraj Singh Bowling: S T Finn 10-2-27-2 (1w); T T Bre- Series: India won the 5-match series 3-2. interview with Winfrey on her (0) fell with the score on 24. snan 9.4-1-45-4 (3w); C R Woakes 9-1-45-1 Player-of-the-Match: I R Bell (England). cable network OWN that the Suresh Raina, who has been in (1w); J C Tredwell 10-1-25-2 (1w); J E Root Player-of-the-Series: S K Raina (India). lifetime ban against him is like a sparkling form this series, was the “death penalty.” REUTERS