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Monday 25 February 2013 15 Rabial II 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5621 Price: QR2

QIB records South Africa QR1.24bn hammer profit in 2012 Pakistan

Business | 17 Sport | 27

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Emir gets message from Eritrean President No new cases Poultry prices of Sars-like virus in Qatar shoot up due DOHA: The Supreme Council of Health (SCH) has allayed fears about possible spread of a deadly Sars-like virus, saying no fresh cases have been detected to shortages in the country until now. One of the two Qataris infected with the virus has recovered com- pletely and has returned to the Local farms unable to meet demand country, the SCH said in a state- ment yesterday. The other patient DOHA: Poultry products are brands have increased their prices is undergoing treatment abroad. becoming dearer in Qatar, due of late, up to more than QR20 per Only two cases of the deadly virus to a severe shortage in supply crate. have been detected in Qatar until and the inability of local farms Several customers complained now, said the statement. to meet the growing demand. that the size of the local egg The SCH issued the statement Prices of frozen chicken have had become smaller while the following an announcement by increased by 20 to 30 percent supplier had raised the prices. the World Health Organisation over the past few weeks, after an “One crate of local egg, which about a new death in a neigh- increase in prices in the inter- was earlier available at QR14.50, bouring country due to the virus. national market. Some popular now costs QR16.50. And the size As a precaution, a travel ban to brands that earlier cost QR12 of the egg has become smaller,” and from the country where the per kg are now available at QR15. said a customer. virus has been detected remains There was a severe shortage of Another variety, which is effective, said the statement. If fresh chicken in the local mar- even smaller, is currently sold at any suspected cases are detected, ket after Saudi Arabia, the major QR12.50 per crate. With prices the affected person will be imme- exporter of poultry products to continuing to soar and poul- diately shifted to Hamad General the country, imposed a ban on try products remaining in short The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani received a written message from Eritrean President Isaias Hospital for tests, and there are exports. The ban is being relaxed supply, several citizens called on Afewerki pertaining to bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern. The message was presented to the strict instructions to isolate the but industry sources believe that the government to decentralise Emir by Eritrean Ambassador to Qatar Ali Ibrahim Ahmed at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. patient if diagnosed with the virus, prices of imported and local vari- the poultry industry to allow and it added. THE PENINSULA eties will go up shortly as deal- encourage more Qatari investors ers are awaiting a nod from the to enter the sector. Qatari team ready authorities. According to official data, local “Now we are getting limited farms are capable to meet only 30 for satellite launch stocks of fresh chicken from per cent of the demand for poul- Saudi Arabia after the country try products, forcing the country Qtel goes for brand overhaul DOHA: Four engineers from relaxed the ban. Local poultry to rely on imports. The Qatar Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite products meet hardly 10 percent Meat and Livestock Company — DOHA: Qtel is expected to Cinema in West Bay today. The focus on challenges and lessons Company, completed a two-year of our demand,” an official of a Mawashi — recently announced announce its brand overhaul ‘New Mobile Horizon’ congress is learned by the group intensive satellite training pro- leading hypermarket told The plans to enter the poultry busi- at the GSMA Mobile World expected to draw some 70,000 vis- Qtel’s principal activities are gramme with Space Systems/ Peninsula yesterday. ness in a big way, with claims to Congress in Barcelona today. itors at its Fira Gran Via venue. mobile telephone services, broad- Loral, the company manufactur- He said that despite a shortage fully meet the local requirements Among a series of new initia- The Qtel delegation will be band solutions, digital futures and ing Es’hail 1. The country’s first in supply, prices of fresh chicken for chicken and other products. tives set to be unveiled by Qtel at led by the chairman, along with fibre technologies, serving con- satellite is scheduled for launch this had not increased considerably “Mawashi has the capability to the world’s largest communica- teams working in markets, sumer and business markets. summer and will share a space- because the authorities had not do that but why are they delaying tions event this year is a possible including Qtel in Qatar, Asiacell Qtel aims to demonstrate its craft platform with European sat- given a permission until now. such plans? Poultry farming is a change in Qtel’s brand name and in Iraq, Indosat in Indonesia, credentials as an innovative, ellite operator Eutelsat. However, this is not likely to relatively simple business. Why logo, it is learnt. Nawras in Oman, Nedjma in community-focused company as Mohammed Al Delaimi, Thani continue for long and dealers are is the government not giving a “Qtel Chairman Sheikh Algeria, Tunisiana in Tunisia and it continues to expand its reach Ali Al Malki, Ibrahim Abdulla expecting an official nod sooner chance to local investors to enter Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Wataniya in Kuwait, the Maldives and services to some 90 million Alhaj and Mohammed Al Sayed rather than later. this sector?” asked Mohammed Saud Al Thani will be making and Palestine. customers in the Middle East, have been based at SSL’s Palo Alto Prices of eggs — local and Salem Al Darwish, a prominent a major announcement at the In his keynote presentation North Africa and Southeast Asia. site in California, going through imported — have gone up by QR2 Qatari businessman. “We need GSMA Mobile World Congress ‘Connecting the Next Billions to The group operates businesses skills development in various to QR3 per crate (of 30 eggs). more companies like Mawashi. 2013 in Barcelona,” the company the Internet’, Dr. Nasser Marafih, under various names, including departments to enable them Saudi Arabia and the UAE are Why only a single company?” said in a statement yesterday. Group CEO of Qtel Group and Qtel, Indosat, Asiacell, Wataniya, to follow the Es’hail 1 satellite the two major exporters of egg wondered another businessman. A live screening of the event Chairman of the GSMA Mobile Nawras, Nedjma and Tunisiana. through design, manufacture, test to Qatar and all their popular THE PENINSULA will be held at the City Centre for Development Foundation, will THE PENINSULA and launch. Full report on page 5

Beckham for Marseille clash Doha jewellery Detainee tortured before and watches expo opens today death: Palestinians JERUSALEM: Palestinian Palestinian Minister of DOHA: The 10th annual Doha officials said yesterday that a Prisoners Issa Qaraqea said Jewellery and Watches Exhibition Palestinian detainee who died Jaradat died as result of torture. opens its doors today at the Doha in an Israeli prison was tortured The Palestinian Authority state Exhibition Center. The seven-day before his death, but Israel said pathologist was present at the international exhibition is organ- autopsy findings were prelimi- autopsy on Jaradat’s body, which ised by Qatar Tourism Authority nary and inconclusive. was carried out in Israel. and will showcase of the finest The death of 30-year-old “There were marks of torture jewelry and watches collections. Arafat Jaradat in an Israeli jail on on the back, marks of torture This year’s edition, which runs Saturday and a hunger strike by on the chest, a deep wound on until March 3, features over 530 four inmates have flared tension the upper side of the shoulder, international and regional brands across the occupied West Bank, wounds alongside the spine and of fine jewellery and luxury watches where stone-throwing protest- marks of torture underneath the including the world’s most glam- ers clashed with Israeli soldiers skin,” Qaraqea said, based on the orous and fashionable marques. yesterday. Palestinian doctor’s basic findings. Many spectacular pieces will be The Palestinian autopsy find- But Israel’s Health Ministry exclusively revealed at the show. ings could further fuel unrest said the injuries found in the The exhibition is hosting for that has surged in the Palestinian autopsy could have been caused the first time Christie’s from Territories weeks before US by the medical emergency team’s London and Matis Jewellery, who President Barack Obama is due to efforts to resuscitate Jaradat. An are aiming to establish a foothold visit the region. Israel demanded Israeli police spokesman said the Paris Saint-Germain’s British midfielder, David Beckham, warms up before the start of their French Ligue 1 in the jewellery industry in Qatar. the Palestinian Authority restore investigation into Jaradat’s death soccer match against Olympique de Marseille yesterday at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. PSG later The exhibition opens every day calm to the area. was still ongoing. REUTERS won 2-0. See also pages 25 & 28 from midday to 10pm except for March 1, when it opens at 4pm and closes at 10pm. Among the Qatari exhibitors in the event, which is sponsored by Surprises for fans as Oscars roll out red carpet QNB, are Al Fardan Jewellery, Ali Bin Ali group, Al Majed Jewellery, LOS ANGELES: The Oscars to call, movie fans could be in Adele and Argo producer George Blue Salon, Al Muftah Jewellery, rolled out the red carpet yesterday for surprises at the 85th annual Clooney, along with performers Amiri Gems, Fifty One East, for the movie industry’s biggest Academy Awards. Nominees Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Al Jaber Watches, Marzooq Al night, with Argo and Lincoln in a including Jennifer Lawrence, Hudson will parade along the 152 Shamlan and Sons, Al Majed Pearls Turn to pages 8 & 9 tight race for Best Picture. Hugh Jackman, Sally Field, metrered carpet before dozens of and Doha Marketing Services Co. With several contests too close Jessica Chastain, British singer camera crews. REUTERS QNA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Third India-Qatar Heir Apparent meets Bahrain FM defence meet soon Samudra Prahari on a goodwill visit to Doha

BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB It is on a four-country visit, includ- spills while in motion. It has been ing the UAE, Bahrain and Oman. designed to recover the lightest to DOHA: The third meeting “This indigenously built ship, the most viscous oil at the rate of India-Qatar Joint Defence commissioned on October 9, 2010 of 300 tonnes an hour. It is also Committee is expected here has, among its charter of duties, equipped with firefighting and soon, the Indian Ambassador tasks like preservation, protec- salvage systems. “The vessel pro- to Qatar, Sanjiv Arora, told tion and prevention of the seas tects the waters around the coun- reporters on board the visit- from marine pollution,” said DIG try from marine pollution from ing Indian Coast Guard Ship Donny Michael, Commanding ships. It has been responding to oil Samudra Prahari (Ocean Officer of the ship. Captain Arjun spills up to Tier II levels,” Michael Guard) yesterday. Dev Nair, Defence Attaché for added. “We are in the process of final- the GCC region, at the Indian Samudra Prahari is designed ising the dates,” he added. Embassy, Oman, was present. to carry one twin-engine ALH/ The Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin The panel was set up dur- This is the first pollution con- Chetak helicopter, five high-speed Ahmed bin Mohammad Al Khalifa and his delegation yesterday. ing Indian Prime Minister Dr trol vessel not only of the Indian boats and four water scooters for Manmohan Singh’s visit to Qatar Coast Guard but also in the South SAR, maritime law enforcement, in 2008. Both countries have held East Asia. India has plans to have EEZ surveillance and high speed two meetings, the first here in a fleet of three such vessels. The interdictions. It has a fuel capac- 2010 and the second in New Delhi second, ‘Samudra Paheredar’ was ity of 230 tonnes, and can gen- ‘MUN reflects Qatar’s education efforts’ in March, 2012. launched on March 13, 2009. erate about 20 tonnes of fresh The media briefing was held by Samudra Prahari is equipped water. The ship has been involved the Indian Embassy to announce with high-tech control systems in four pollution response opera- DOHA: Qatar’s understanding response to global issues. creative ideas put forward at this the arrival of the ship at the Doha for simultaneous tasks by a single tions, one firefighting operation of the value of education and MUN conferences are held in MUN,” said a student from a US Port. The vessel is on a goodwill operator. It has latest pollution and one SAR operation in Indian investment in human capital schools throughout the year. high school. visit for four days until tomorrow control equipment, including two waters. development has been praised. SFS-Q MUN participants had “This is the second time I par- to strengthen ties and cooperation. rigid sweeping arms to contain oil THE PENINSULA Referring to the Eighth annual the added privilege of assuming ticipated and this one was more Model United Nations (MUN), the roles and responsibilities of professional, delegates were more the Charge d’Affaires and head UN delegates in the same venue, knowledgeable, debates more of mission of Singapore, Syed the QNCC, where actual UN intense.” Noureddin, said: “It is refreshing events have taken place. The opening ceremonies also to have youth with such enthusi- At an opening ceremony, Gerd included a keynote address by asm and energy engage in such Nonneman, Dean of SFS-Q, told Dr Charles King, professor of issues.” the students: “There is no better international affairs and gov- The event hosted by way to get to the heart of issues ernment at the Washington DC Georgetown University School of than to immerse yourself in the Georgetown campus. Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) actual debate” — an immersion The MUN panels were headed concluded yesterday. made more real since students by SFS-Q students, who also The three-day forum included would be “in an extraordinary ensured respect for proceed- intensive and transformative building that has been the site of ings, including voting and debate dialogue and debate among hun- latest UN climate change negotia- guidelines. dreds of international high school tions, so you’ll be working in the Participants had the added students, at the Qatar National very same environment that the advantage of an enhanced dip- Convention Centre. UN worked in the highest places.” lomatic experience through Qatar, Bahrain, the UK, China Human rights, pollution, the a SFS-Q open house and a and Switzerland were among over debt crisis, standards for inter- Diplomatic Reception, where they 25 countries represented at the vention and Syria were among the discussed the role and responsibil- academic platform for young peo- topics on the model UN agenda ity of diplomacy with the ambas- Samudra Prahari FROM LEFT: DIG Donny Michael, Commanding Officer of Indian Coast Guard Ship , Sanjiv Arora, ple who took on the roles of UN as they are on the real United sadors of India, South Africa and Indian Ambassador to Qatar, and Captain Arjun Dev Nair, Defence Attache for the GCC region based at the Indian delegates and focused on chal- Nations’ agenda. the UK. Embassy, Oman, during the press conference. Shaival Dalal lenges faced by world leaders in “I was impressed by the THE PENINSULA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Arts and Disability fest to begin on March 15 50 events scheduled for Qatar-UK 2013 celebration

Martin Hope (left) and Abdulrahman Al Hajiri at the press conference. (SYED OMAR)

BY RAYNALD C RIVERA than 50 events scheduled to be held awareness about difficult issues, in Qatar and the UK, features an Hope said, “Not only will it (the DOHA: The upcoming Arts exciting programme of dance, festival) be a great opportunity to and Disability Festival, the music, live performances, exhibi- see some fantastic contemporary first of its kind to be held in the tions, films, talks and workshops. British art, but it will also provide Middle East, would help defy All the works in the festival an important forum for discus- stereotypes and change percep- have been created by leading sion about the issue of disability, tions on disability. British deaf and disabled artists and how it affects individuals “The Arts and Disability to be showcased for the first time and families both within the arts Festival promises to engage people outside the UK. sector, and within society more in Qatar on the issue of disability Highlights include Fusional broadly.” in an entirely new way, through Fragments, a new work of five “The festival has been selected works of outstanding vision and dancers, created by Marc Brew from Unlimited and comes as a originality. This is a first in this in collaboration with composer result of our partnership with part of the world, and I hope it Philip Sheppard featuring world- British Council as I went on will help defy stereotypes and famous percussionist Dame a scoping visit last summer change perceptions on disabil- Evelyn Glennie. to attend Unlimited. We aim ity,” Martin Hope, Director of the The programme has been through this festival to raise British Council, told a press con- selected from Unlimited, the awareness about arts for disabled ference yesterday at the Ministry largest celebration and explora- people as it is important for the of Culture, Arts and Heritage. tion of disability arts which was Youth Department to highlight The council has partnered a major element of the London the development of people with with the ministry for the event 2012 Cultural Olympiad, held in disabilities and integrating them in Katara from March 15 to 30 parallel with the London 2012 in society,” said Abdulrahman as a highlight of the activities Olympic and Paralympic Games Al Hajiri, Director of Youth for Qatar-UK 2013 year-long last summer. Activities Department, Ministry celebration. Stressing the important role of Culture, Arts and Heritage. The festival, which is one of more art plays in society in raising THE PENINSULA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME QICDRC proposes international legal education institute Programmes for trainee, junior, senior judges and lawyers

BY FAZEENA SALEEM legal and judicial education in development of Qatari judges and Qatar. lawyers to ensure they work to DOHA: The creation of an It said the new institute would international standards. international institute has draw upon recognised interna- “We wish to focus on developing been recommended to enhance tional benchmarks for judicial international benchmarks in judg- legal education as part of Qatar education. ing and lawyering. The new insti- National Vision 2030. It will be created by the Centre tute will provide an international The suggestion to set up an for Legal and Judicial Studies and platform for Qatari lawyers,” the International Judicial and Legal work in partnership with leading QICDRC Chief Executive Officer, Education Institute has been national and international insti- Robert Musgrove, told a press Robert Musgrove, CEO of Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) with Professor made by the Qatar International tutions to put in place a profes- conference at their headquarters. Martin Partington and Chloe Smythe, authors of the report on the development of professional legal and judicial Court and Dispute Resolution sional legal and judicial education The institute will offer accred- education in Qatar, at a press conference at QICDRC headquarters yesterday. (SYED OMAR) Centre (QICDRC) in a report on system. ited programmes for trainee, jun- the development of professional It will be tailor-made for the ior and senior judges and lawyers and provide Qatari lawyers and Martin Partington and Chloe are designed to enable Qatar to judges with opportunities to study Smythe includes proposals based create a structure for judicial overseas. on opinions of national and inter- and professional legal education It will aim to enhance Qatar’s national lawyers and judges in which draws upon best practice curriculum for professional legal Qatar and global experts to from around the world and fits education and judicial training. combine local and international the specific context which exists Courses will also be offered to expertise to ensure Qatar’s law- in Qatar and the Gulf region.” international lawyers practising yers and judges are equipped to He said a framework of in the country to enable them serve the needs of an increasingly options had been forwarded to to better understand the local globalised legal market, within a policymakers to decide on their context. local framework. implementation. The report by Professor Partington said: “Our proposals THE PENINSULA Fifth facade design summit begins today DOHA: The Fifth Annual Facade Design & Engineering Middle East Summit kicks off today at the InterContinental Doha. At the two-day event designers and engineers will discuss the emerging face of structures from sta- diums to green buildings and how innovative and ground-breaking facades can turn them into iconic buildings that capture the imagination of users and onlookers. A presentation by Mark Fenwick, partner at RFA Iribarren Architects, will open the summit. He will talk about Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022 stadi- ums serving as futurist sports venues by using the Education City Stadium as a case study. “The summit brings together key industry stakeholders on an inter- active platform to spawn new discourse and fos- ter exchange of emerg- ing ideas at a time when buildings are increasingly being designed to show individual character,” said Tanya Sydorenko, Senior Conference Director, IQPC, the event organisers. Presentations and case studies will cover a broad canvas of key topics; energy-efficient facade designs, acoustic perform- ance of facades, facade lighting designs and media facades, green building practices in facade archi- tecture and eco-facade engineering, among others. New committee for Kahramaa Smart Network

DOHA: Engineer Essa bin Hilal Al Kuwari, the President of Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa), formed a high-level team to look after the ongoing Smart Network project for the electricity and water sectors. The six-member com- mittee headed by Eng Ali Al Ali, Conservation and Energy Efficiency Department Manager, will study the current situation and suggest an action plan to implement transfer to smart networks. The com- mittee will submit a thor- ough report pertaining to the general strategy of Kahramaa for implement- ing the ambitious project. Kahramaa is developing intelligent solutions from network management to distribution, aiming the high reliability on power and water supply in the future. THE PENINSULA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 Qatari team Brunei National Day completes satellite training First satellite to be launched in summer

DOHA: Four engineers from SSL. “I believe our company has a Es’hailSat, the Qatar Satellite huge potential to become a leader Company, have recently com- in the satellite industry in the Gulf pleted a two-year intensive sat- region. Es’hail 1 is an advanced ellite training programme with communications satellite and has Space Systems/Loral (SSL), the the necessary capacity to enable Brunei Darussalam’s Ambassador Nordin Haji Ahmad and Minister of Education and Higher Education H E Saad bin Ibrahim Al Mahmoud cutting a company manufacturing Es’hail its customers to substantially cake to mark the National Day of Brunei at Sheraton Doha yesterday. Ibrahim Y Fakhroo, Director of Protocol, and several diplomats attended the 1. The country’s first satellite is increase their communications function. (KAMMUTTY VP) scheduled for launch this sum- capability, particularly in broad- mer and will share a spacecraft casting in HD and 3D”. platform with the European “Es’hailSat is providing the first satellite operator Eutelsat. satellite training programme in The training was set up to the country, and we are proud Student begins research on Qatar University ship develop knowledgeable and to be part of this investment in sophisticated engineering staff local talent to become a world- to specify, oversee the manufac- class satellite operator and center DOHA: Ahmed Jassim adding that the vessel’s equip- ture, launch and operate com- of excellence in the Middle East Al Muhamadi from Qatar ment made it easier to collect mercial communication satellites. region”, added Alhaj and Al Sayed. University (QU), has become samples in a short time and with Mohammed Al Delaimi, Thani Ali Ali Ahmed Al Kuwari, Chief the first student to conduct the least efforts. Al Malki, Ibrahim Abdulla Alhaj Executive Officer, said: “I am research on the university’s “This is like a dream come true. and Mohammed Al Sayed have delighted that these four engi- marine research vessel Janan I’m from a lucky generation that been based at SSL’s Palo Alto site neers have completed our inten- since its arrival in Doha in gets the best scientific supervision in California, going through skills sive satellite training programme January 2012. as well as the opportunity to use development in various depart- and we are now looking forward to He is working on a research the most sophisticated technology ments to enable them to follow the the launch of Es’hail 1 — an SSL project for his capstone course in our research.” Es’hail 1 satellite through design, 1300 satellite — a decades-proven, at the Department of Biological Ahmed has already made two manufacture, test and launch. modular platform with high power and Environmental Sciences in field trips aboard Janan accompa- At the graduation ceremony capability and flexibility for a the College of Arts and Sciences. nied by a team of marine special- in Palo Alto, Es’hailSat engi- broad range of applications”. The ship is fitted with state-of- ists led by the Assistant Professor neer Al Malki said: “I think this David Bernstein, Senior the-art equipment and technology Dr Ibrahim Mohamed Al Ansari, experience is a once in a lifetime Vice-President, Programme for use by QU’s Environmental who is also in-charge of research opportunity that will affect me Management at SSL, noted: “On Studies Center (ESC) to advance aboard the vessel and Ahmed’s professionally and personally. behalf of SSL I would like to marine environmental studies and project supervisor. Even though my degree covered congratulate the four Es’hailSat research in Qatar and the Gulf “We are proud of Ahmed’s satellite communications, there is interns who have completed a rig- region. accomplishment in doing his still a gap between learning from orous and comprehensive intern- Ahmed’s research aims to research on Janan, which rep- books and the real environment ship programme. All four show evaluate the amount of dissolved resents a rare opportunity for Ahmed Jassim Al Muhamadi in the lab aboard Janan. of satellite design and test. It is a great promise in becoming future oxygen and chlorophyll-A in the marine scientists given its tech- privilege to be part of the Es’hail 1 leaders in the satellite industry. coastal waters in the east and to nological potential. We are looking at the Center. “We’re sure that this important branch of science satellite programme and develop They will serve Qatar well in monitor the seasonal changes at forward to having a new genera- it would open new horizons for to later join the labor market my understanding of all aspects advancing the country’s role as a six marine stations all the way to tion of Qatari scientists in this QU students who are interested as well-trained professionals. I of the technical and commercial provider of important communi- Halul Island. important field,” Dr Al Ansari said. in marine sciences. We partner believe that investing in human satellite industry”. cations services. We wish them the “I chose this project because of ESC Director Dr Mehsin Al with various QU departments resources is the most rewarding Al Delaimi said he was hon- best in their future endeavours.” its importance and uniqueness in Ansi expressed his pride in having to offer training opportunities investment.” oured to represent Es’hailSat at QNA the Qatari waters”, Ahmed said, a developed modern research ship for students willing to major in THE PENINSULA QNRF launches mobile application

DOHA: Qatar National ‘push’ notifications on proposal or newsroom section, an events Research Fund (QNRF) yes- project updates and programme calendar, a multimedia gallery terday launched its mobile deadlines. and selected publications from application, making it one of Haytham Ali QNRF’s Head QNRF-funded projects. For appli- the few research funding agen- of IT, provided a demonstration cants, a correspondence section cies globally to employ such a on the app’s uses and announced will help facilitate research collab- technology. plans to expand its availability. oration and contribution requests. The user-friendly app operates “The application’s availability Once awarded, researchers will on the latest iOS-enabled devices, on Apple devices is only the first be able to review their progress and is available in Arabic and phase of our long term plan,” reports and correspondence from English to iPhone and iPad users he said. “In phase two, we will QNRF on technical aspects of the free of charge. be launching the application for project. A ‘Research Outcome “It is in QNRF’s DNA to pro- Android and Windows 8 users.” Centre’ will list all publications mote an advancement of knowl- He also explained about the associated with each research edge. Launching our own mobile additional features of the inter- project for ease of access. application was the logical next active application, including a THE PENINSULA step for us,” said Dr Abdul Sattar Al Taie, QNRF’s Executive Director, at an exclusive internal launch of the software. “The mobile application is a step to further expand our communication chan- nels with applicants and research offices. It also pro- vides a convenience factor, as our database can now be accessed globally through a mobile device,” he added. QNRF’s mobile applica- tion has a dedicated feature for applicants, awardees and peer reviewers, allow- ing individuals to log on to the organisation’s database and check the status of their research proposal or project. The app also ena- bles QNRF to send users proactive, system-driven

QRC builds 480 residential units in Myanmar

DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) announced the construc- tion of 60 residential com- pounds with 480 units to accommodate 480 fami- lies in Rakhine Province of Myanmar. The project, done by the QRC’s field office in Myanmar. The work started last January. Some 2,500 workers from the nearby camps were involved in the works. QNA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Al Jazeera media training centre plans expansion 17 courses in English launched; major forum on March 16

BY AZMAT HAROON India, Philippines and Singapore. issues. This year the forum would “We are trying to build our look at emerging issues for media DOHA: Al Jazeera Media relationships (with Asian coun- and journalists. Training and Development tries) but it’s going to take time. Around 50 dignitaries, includ- Centre aims to reach out to a For now, our main audiences are ing ministers and senior media larger audience this year, par- in Doha and Al Jazeera channel,” officials from different coun- ticularly in Asia, where there Daymi said. tries are set to come to Qatar on is high demand for the centre’s The director also announced a March 16 for the ‘Media Training programmes. series of programmes launched by in a Changing World’ forum. “This year, we launched 17 the centre recently. The centre also began training courses in English. Most of our The ‘Al Jazeera Ambassadors’ of some 400 people from Qatar courses are in Arabic but it is a voluntary training pro- Foundation yesterday who will be doesn’t mean that we don’t provide gramme which will see members working in the Career Fair. courses in English,” said Mounir of the Al Jazeera network pro- “Profit is not our priority. We Daymi, Director of the centre. vide media training in different want to make media training Daymi was speaking at a press countries. The first chapter of available to more people at afford- conference during the ninth anni- the programme has already been able rates,” Daymi said. Guy Sauvage, Chief Executive Officer, Al Meera; Dr Saif Saeed Al Suwaidi, Vice-Chairman of Al Meera, and other versary celebrations of the centre launched in Palestine. He said the centre currently officials during the opening of the Geant hypermarket at Hyatt Plaza, yesterday. yesterday. “We had to be very careful offers a 20 percent discount to all “We want to reach out to the about who we are training. We media students as well as young English speaking audience. There cannot choose politically contro- journalists. Al Meera opens first Geant hypermarket is a huge Asian market, and they versial entity or group,’ Daymi “We try our best to give dis- follow Al Jazeera and look at it as explained. counts, although they vary from a school of thought,” he said, add- The centre is training some 40 one case to the other. As it is, DOHA: Al Meera Consumer “The opening of the Geant environment, pertinence of its ing that the centre can provide Yemeni journalists under a dif- all Qataris receive free train- Goods Company opened its first Hypermarket is in line with our non-food offerings (textiles, decor, courses on demand to journalists ferent programme sponsored by ing, which is just another way of Geant hypermarket at Hyatt commitment to all our stakehold- lifestyle, electronics, etc), trans- anywhere in the world. Unesco. encouraging young people to join Plaza yesterday. ers, including our shareholders formation of the surrounding Among other countries, the Every year the centre hosts media.” Dr Saif Al Sowaidi, Vice- and our customers. We believe areas into modern, welcoming, centre has had demands from a forum to discuss geo-political THE PENINSULA Chairman of Al Meera, inaugu- that Geant will provide a host of friendly spaces, Geant hypermar- rated the hypermarket in the benefits to all,” Dr Al Sowaidi said. ket promises a fun-filled and com- presence of board members and “Today marks a major step fort shopping, the company said in other dignitaries. towards making Al Meera one of a statement. The opening of the hypermar- the leading retailers within the The Géant hypermarket will ket is the culmination of an agree- region. In our expansion plan, adhere to strict international ment signed between Al Meera providing high quality and diverse standards to ensure product and French retailer Casino to product offerings to our custom- freshness, by selecting profes- develop a network of hypermar- ers was a key pillar,” he added. sional suppliers who are able to kets and supermarkets under the With the breadth and vis- supply fresh product in quantities Geant banner in selected Middle ibility of its fresh food offerings, with regularity, it added. East countries. creation of an attractive, sales THE PENINSULA

3D virtual refinery simulator at CNA-Q

DOHA: College of the North “Along with our state-of-the- Preparatory Program (TPP), Atlantic-Qatar’s (CNA-Q) new art scale version of a modern designed to educate and train Refinery Simulator Software processing plant, this 3D vir- employees at the Technical may be 3D virtual reality, but tual reality software model gives Vocation Education and Training not a game. It is quite seriously our students methodology in all (TVET) technician level. The simu- changing the face of Oil and Gas aspects of a modern refinery, both lator training for outside operators, training in the Middle East. for control panel and field opera- console operators, and supervisors The advanced technology of tor training. Operations can be are essential to providing real- the Virtual Refinery Simulator carried out in real time, allowing istic training for the full opera- Training is first of its kind in students to quickly and correctly tions team in a refinery. Emphasis the GCC and provides a distinct solve operating problems,” said is placed on developing practical enhancement in job site safety, Jim Bathgate, Associate Dean of skills and competencies, problem productivity and teamwork. This Industrial Trades at CNA-Q. solving skills, technical communi- Mesallam Al Rashidi (second left), Director of Human Resources at Al Jazeera, Mounir Daymi (centre), Director of Al gives CNA-Q’s graduates a dis- CNA-Q has several process cation skills and the ability to work Jazeera Media Training and Development Centre and Ehab Sahawneh (second right), Executive Director of Development tinct advantage when training to control simulators working in as part of a team to deliver training at Al Jazeera, cut a cake during the centre’s 9th anniversary at the centre yesterday. (SHAIVAL DALAL) enter the oil and gas work force. tandem with the Oil and Gas at the highest possible level. Training Centre – The college also uses the also the first of its Student Performance Analysis kind in this region. package – a comprehensive set The facility is of analysis and trading tools to dedicated primarily evaluate student performance. to the Technician THE PENINSULA

Road closure from tomorrow

DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) will close one lane of Wadi Musheireb Street at the end of Wadi Musheireb Interchange near Al Jaidah Bridge, tomorrow. Directions for motorists coming from Wadi Musheireb Interchange roundabout to Electricity Interchange, is given in the map above. The closure is for replacing water and sewage pipes, according to Ashghal. THE PENINSULA Air Force Commander in Kuwait KUWAIT: Commander of the Qatar Emiri Air Force Major General Mubarak Mohammed Al Kumait Al Khayarin arrived in Kuwait yesterday to attend the final exercise of the Peninsula Shield (9). Major General Al Khayarin will attend the event on behalf of the Chief of Staff of the Qatari Armed Forces HE Major General Hamad bin Ali Al Attiyah. He was received by Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Kuwait Lieutenant General Khalid Al Jarrah Al Sabah, Kuwait Air Force Commander Major General Khamis Sultan Al Farhan and number of senior officers of the Kuwaiti armed forces and officers of the Qatari armed forces and officials. QNA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Syrian opposition captures former nuclear site China, Russia know Bashar’s time is up, says German leader Merkel Syrian actor killed in shelling AMMAN: Syrian rebels have captured the site of a sus- BEIRUT: Popular Syrian come- pected nuclear reactor near the dian Yassin Bakush (pictured), Euphrates river which Israeli was killed yesterday after his car warplanes destroyed six years was hit by a shell in an area of war- ago, opposition sources in east- torn southern Damascus, the Syrian ern Syria said yesterday. Observatory for Human Rights said. Al Kubar site, around 60km Anti-regime activists blamed the west of the city of Deir Al Zor, Syrian army for his death, and dis- became a focus of international tributed via the Internet an amateur attention when Israel raided it video of the body of a man believed to in 2007. The United States said be Bakush, along with images of his the complex was a North Korean- passport and identity card. designed nuclear reactor geared to Born in 1938 Bakush was famous making weapons-grade plutonium. across the Arab world for his roles in Omar Abu Laila a spokesman for several television serials, theatre pro- the Eastern Joint Command of the ductions and films, which poked fun at Free Syrian Army said the only politics and society in Syria at a time building rebels found at the site when state censorship was stifling. was a hangar containing at least Meanwhile, a French freelance pho- one Scud missile. tographer Olivier Voisin, who was seriously wounded in Syria on “It appears that the site was Thursday, has died of his wounds after surgery in Turkey, the foreign turned into a Scud launch base. ministry said. Whatever structures it had have “We confirm his death,” a ministry spokeswoman said. Voisin, been buried,” he said, adding that 38, had suffered head and arm injuries from shrapnel when a shell three army helicopters airlifted German Chancellor Angela Merkel (centre), with Nato-German troops at a Turkish military base in Kahramanmaras, exploded near Idlib in northern Syria. the last loyalist troops before close to the Syrian border, yesterday. His death takes the death toll of reporters who have perished in opposition fighters overran the Syria to at least 21. area on Friday. but Syrian authorities has barred Merkel said yesterday that the missile batteries. The incident came just a year after Sunday Times journalist Marie The Syrian military, which them access since. China and Russia were increas- China and Russia, both perma- Colvin and photojournalist Remi Ochlik were killed when a make- razed the site after the Israeli Footage showed fighters ingly realising that President nent members of the UN Security shift media centre in the western city of Homs was struck by a raid, said the complex was a reg- inspecting the site and one large Bashar Al Assad’s time was up. Council, have blocked attempts by Syrian army mortar shell. ular military facility but refused missile inside a hangar. One Merkel, beginning a two-day trip the West to mount pressure on Turkish surgeons operated on Voisin on Friday in the border city to allow the International Atomic fighter pointed to what he said to Turkey, said the missiles, pro- Assad to end the violence in the of Antakya but he remained in critical condition. Energy Agency unrestrained were explosives placed under vided at Nato member Turkey’s nearly two-year-old conflict that In an email to a friend sent on the eve of his accident, he acknowl- access, after the agency said the missile to destroy it before request, were a signal that the has killed some 70,000 people. edged he had become hooked to the adrenaline of war reporting, the complex could have been a attacking forces got to it. alliance would not tolerate Merkel said conflicts such as which he said “arouses incredible feelings, including the desire to nuclear site. The UN investiga- Abu Hamza, a commander in the Damascus dragging its neighbours Syria’s ultimately need a politi- live.” tion appears to have died down Jafaar Al Tayyar brigade, said in into its conflict. cal solution. She repeated her Quoting from the Paratrooper’s Prayer, a poem found on a French since the national revolt against a YouTube video taken at Kubar “In view of the terrible events doubts about arming the Syrian soldier killed in Libya during World War II, Voisin wrote: “Lord, give Preident Bashar Al Assad broke that various rebel groups, includ- the impression is mounting that opposition, noting weapons pro- me what others don’t want, I want torment and battle... I ask you out in 2011, with the armed oppo- ing the Al Qaeda linked Al-Nusra China and Russia realise that vided to Libyan rebels to assist now because I won’t have the strength to ask again.” sition increasingly capturing mili- front, took part the operation and Assad no longer has a future, that their uprising had fallen into the French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Jean- tary sites in rural areas and on that UN inspectors were welcome his time is up and that there must wrong hands, and had ended up Marc Ayrault expressed deep sadness at Voisin’s death. the edges of cities. UN inspectors to come and survey the site. be a democratic government,” she in use in fighting in Mali. AFP examined the site in June 2008 German Chancellor Angela told troops deployed to operate REUTERS

Palestinians UN experts probe warn on Obama Protesters block Cairo administrative hub Iran-linked arms ship CAIRO: Protesters yesterday- “We must break the monopoly In the northern city of Kafr “A small group of young peo- ADEN: UN experts in Yemen visit to Al Aqsa blocked the doors to Cairo’s of the state by Brotherhood,” he Al Sheikh, hundreds of quarry ple closed the main doors of the yesterday investigated an Iran- main administrative building said of the Islamist movement workers stormed the governorate building and they are not letting linked arms shipment which JERUSALEM: Palestinian as part of a growing campaign from which Mursi hails. headquarters to protest against anyone in,” one employee said authorities intercepted in political and religious lead- of civil disobedience around Since a November decree that working conditions and forced from inside the building. January, the official Saba news ers yesterday stressed that the country against Islamist pushed through an Islamist- employees out of the building, The protesters “did not enter agency reported. US President Barack Obama President Mohammed Mursi. drafted constitution, Egypt has chanting against governor Saad the building,” the employee said. The UN team, escorted by should not visit the Al Aqsa A group of protesters closed been deeply divided between Al Husseini, a member of the “They have left a door open army general Nasser Al Taheri, mosque compound in Jerusalem the doors of the Mugamma, a Mursi’s Islamist supporters and Muslim Brotherhood. A crippling and said employees who finish inspected the contents of the ship in a way that might compro- massive labyrinth of bureau- a wide-ranging opposition that economic crisis has also fuelled their shift must leave and that which Saba said includes surface- mise its “Muslim sovereignty.” cratic offices on the edge of accuses the president of betray- the anger. Bakeries across Egypt they won’t let anyone in,” a wit- to-air missiles, Katyusha rockets, Obama will be arriving in Israel Tahrir Square, leaving only a ing the uprising that brought have threatened to go on strike ness said. The Mugamma has explosives, ammunition and sur- and the Palestinian territories in side exit for employees to leave, him to office and consolidating on Thursday due to rising wheat been closed before, most recently veillance systems. the spring, and Palestinian media employees said. “This is a call for power in the hands of his Muslim prices, a potentially devastating during protests marking two The Yemeni coastguard, in is speculating that he will visit the civil disobedience... We want the Brotherhood. move in a country where many years since the ouster of presi- coordination with the US navy, contested site, referred to as the implementation of the goals of the Outside the Mugamma, the rely on subsidised bread as the dent Hosni Mubarak in a popular intercepted the Jihan II in the Temple Mount by Jews and Al revolution such as social justice as protesters threatened to extend main food staple. uprising. A general strike in the Arabia Sea and authorities have Haram Al Sharif by Muslims. well as a delay of parliamentary their protest, adding that the Thousands are employed at the canal city of Port Said, meanwhile, said the ship carried rockets and It houses both the Dome of elections,” which is set for April next step could be to close down Mugamma, which houses pass- entered its second week on Sunday, explosives that came from Iran. the Rock and Al Aqsa mosques, 22, one of the protesters said, the television building which also port offices, tax offices and vari- with most shops and factories Tehran denies any involvement. and is venerated by Jews as the declining to give his name. houses the information ministry. ous other government agencies. closed down. AFP AFP site where their ancient temples stood before the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70AD. The Old City complex is con- trolled by the Islamic author- Israel demands Palestinian ity known as the Waqf, which allows non-Muslims entry to the site only through one portal, the Mughrabi Gate, where Israeli Authority curb protests police monitor visitors. Sheikh Akrameh Sabri, head of the higher Islamic council and JERUSALEM: Israel yester- former Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, day demanded the Palestinian said that Obama must enter Authority stem a surge of through a gate that was not anti-Israeli protests ahead of under Israeli auspices. US President Barack Obama’s “Any visitor is welcome to Al visit to the region next month. Aqsa, but they should follow the A senior aide to Palestinian regulations of the Waqf and enter President Mahmoud Abbas gave through the Lions’ Gate and no indication the Authority, not through Mughrabi Gate, to which exercises limited self- ensure Muslim sovereignty,” he rule in the occupied West said at a press conference in east Bank, would issue any call for Jerusalem. calm, and blamed Israel for the Hatem Abdel Qader, who heads spike in unrest. The death in the Jerusalem portfolio of the an Israeli jail of a Palestinian Fatah movement, said Obama’s detainee on Saturday and an visit should be coordinated with on-going hunger strike by four the Palestinians and Jordanians. inmates have fuelled tensions Israel seized east Jerusalem in the West Bank, where stone- from Jordan in 1967, and the Al throwing protesters clashed Women take part in a protest against the death of a Palestinian detainee Aqsa complex has since remained again with Israeli soldiers on in an Israeli jail, in Gaza City, yesterday. under Jordanian religious control. Sunday. “The visit shouldn’t have a Some 3,000 prisoners held a Israel pledged to proceed with hundreds of Palestinian pro- political theme to it because Al one-day fast yesterday after the this month’s transfer to the testers, in several towns and Aqsa belongs to Muslims only and detainee’s death, which Israel Authority of around $100m in villages in the West Bank, it is their place of worship and said was caused by a heart tax revenues that it collects on hurled stones at Israeli soldiers, we refuse that any Israeli official attack, an explanation chal- its behalf. Israel began with- who responded with tear gas accompanies the visitor,” said lenged by Palestinian officials. holding the funds, money the and stun grenades. There were Sabri. The head of the Islamic “Israel has conveyed to the Palestinian Authority badly no reports of serious injuries in Movement in Israel, Sheikh Raed Palestinian Authority an une- needs to pay public sector sala- the confrontations, after a wave Salah, said the Jewish state had quivocal demand to calm the ries, after Abbas secured UN de of violent protests last week in “no sovereignty over Al Aqsa or territory,” an Israeli govern- facto recognition of Palestinian solidarity with the four hunger- Jerusalem.” ment official said, adding the statehood in November. Under striking prisoners. Some 4,700 The White House has message was delivered by one international pressure, Israel Palestinians are in Israeli jails, announced neither the dates of of Prime Minister Benjamin announced it would release many of them convicted of Obama’s visit, which Israeli media Netanyahu’s top aides. $100m to the Palestinian anti-Israeli attacks and others says will begin on March 20, nor As an apparent incentive to Authority last month. detained without trial. its itinerary. AFP Palestinian leaders to intervene, In the latest clashes, REUTERS 08 MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 Quality healthcare at affordable cost

ster Medical Centre (AMC) lives up to its motto ‘Big on Care’ with the opening of yet another branch, its largest centre in the country with a big team of specialists and equipped with state- of-the-art facilities. The opening of the sixth AMC in Qatar coincides with its 10th anniver- saryA since DM Healthcare, a leading healthcare conglomerate in the Middle East and India, established its presence in the country. DM Healthcare itself has just celebrated 25 years of service having started in Dubai in 1987. “We started in Dubai; from there we expanded operations in the Middle East and in India where we currently have good pres- ence,” Dr Sameer Moopen, Managing Director, DM Healthcare, Qatar Operations, told The Peninsula, adding they are presently the largest healthcare provider in the Gulf. “In Dubai alone we have three hospitals now and almost 80 pharmacies and 28 medical centres,” he said. In 2002, DM Healthcare rolled out operations in India with one of the largest private hospitals called Malabar Institute of Medical Sciences. The following year, the first AMC in Qatar was founded in Musheireb area with five doctors, five nurses and three admin- istrative staff. “At present we have 62 doctors, six medical centres, two diag- nostic centres and six pharmacies in Qatar,” said Dr Moopen.

BIG ON CARE

Occupying three-storeys, the new AMC is DM Healthcare’s largest branch in the country. It is located at C Ring Road, near the Ministry of Labour adjacent to Grid Co 3 building. The new centre is a one-stop shop as a medical centre with a pharmacy and a full-fledged diagnostic centre. On the ground floor is the diagnostic centre equipped with advanced radiology department and laboratories. Also on the ground floor is the pharmacy. An area has been dedicated for families and children on the first floor Wing B. It houses paediatrics and obstetrics and gynaecolgy departments in addition to vaccination and dermatology clinics. Wing A has the orthopaedics and ENT deparments. Second floor houses the administrative department, oph- thalmology, dental and physiotherapy departments. CT scan which would start operation in May would also be located on New Aster Medical Centre the same floor. To officially open today, the new AMC would also be the largest in terms of staff. “There would be at least two doctors in each department and we are planning to open the centre for 24 hours in the near future. We would have five departments in dental care and we would have a good physiotherapy department,” said Dr Moopen. To facilitate easy access to the new AMC, Dr Moopen said they would be introducing shuttle service to take customers from nearby parking areas.

LEADERS IN HEALTHCARE

Aster Medical Centre has been the most sought after health- care provider in the country witnessing a big number of cus- tomers every day. “In terms of footfalls, I can say we are the leading private centre here. On an average we see around 1,500 patients a day, all clinics put together.” On their success despite the rise of more clinics in the country, Dr Moopen said: “It is the trust that people have with us having been in this field for sometime. Quality is also key. Some customers who have switched to other clinics ultimately Dr Sameer Moopen come back because of their confidence on our doctors,” he said.

QUALITY SERVICE “Most people are using the services of Hamad because of the cost, but once the health insurance is made mandatory, it would “Our aim is to stop people from going abroad to seek treat- have a very positive effect on the private sector, provided the ment for their medical illness. We want them to stay here, private sector doesn’t misuse it. That’s where work ethics and give them quality service and show them the best treatment is medical ethics come into play.” available here,” he said. “We should not just look at profit. Profit should not be the Dr Moopen said it is not impossible to achieve that in Qatar main aim; it should just be the byproduct. We want to give based on their experience in Dubai where they have started. service to our customers and of course profit should be there; “We have been successful in the UAE to a large extent. We only then we could give good service to the people.” can give that to our customers here and that is exactly what He said profit should be there but it should be given back to we are doing now,” he said. the customers in terms of quality service and treatment. He To further improve their service, DM Healthcare is set to is very positive it would work well like the case of Abu Dhabi. open more medical centres and in addition introduce access clinics. TOWARDS A HEALTHY POPULATION “Access clinics are for the lower segment of the society which provides good doctors and facilities at lower charge. This is With the exponential growth and success AMC has achieved something we have already launched in Dubai, where there are through the years, AMC continuously gives back to the com- already around three or four access clinics now. The consulta- munity through a number of initiatives such as the Community tion fee and other things will be less,” he explained. Good Health Programme (CGHP). Among the activities they have held in line with the initiative MANDATORY HEALTH INSURANCE are the diabetic expo and lectures on basic life support. The latest camp they have conducted in MES Indian School BOON TO PRIVATE HEALTH SECTOR They have also introduced STRAP (Safety Tips for Road in November last year saw 1,200 people who availed of free BMI Accident Prevention) in which booklets were published and and diabetes tests and medicines. With the announcement that the government would soon distributed to the public for free. Preventive healthcare, Dr Moopen said, is something AMC is implement mandatory health insurance, Dr Moopen is of the In addition they also conduct various campaigns such as on focusing on in addition to health awareness campaigns. view this would positively impact the private health sector. heat stress during summer, regular blood donation drives and “Health awareness is something we want to give more impor- “One of the main reasons for the influx of many private clin- health camps. tance to. We want to educate people about diseases and for ics in Qatar was when this was announced sometime back,” he “We have identified new cases of diabetes and hypertension them to have regular checks to be aware of these diseases to said, adding once the insurance sector opens up people will start in these camps, killer diseases which people are not aware of take preventive steps. We want healthy people.” availing the services of private health sector. until later in life when they suffer from attacks.” THE PENINSULA

MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 10 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Palestinian protest Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

HE death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail, allegedly due to torture, has exacerbated tensions in the Palestinian territories which have been rocked How David Cameron can get Tin past weeks by protests of solidarity with four other prisoners detained by Israel who are on a hunger strike. Thousands of Palestinians held in Israeli jails staged a one- day hunger strike yesterday in protest after the death of a more women into politics fellow inmate Arafat Jaradat, a thirty-year-old father of two from the village of Sair near Hebron in the southern West BY SARAH WOLLASTON Bank. Jaradat died on Saturday from what prison authorities local hustings events made little dif- are claiming to be cardiac arrest. But a Palestinian doctor ference to the proportion of women who was present at the time of autopsy indicated bruises on HO runs Britain? There are selected. I was selected via the first all- Job sharing opens Jaradat’s torso and damage to muscles, as well as ‘broken’ few meaningful opportuni- postal open primary where every voter Wties for women, according to had the opportunity to select the can- parliament to more ribs which point to torture. Palestinian Minister of Prisoner Monday’s report on Sex and Power by didate. Both such primaries returned a Affairs Issa Qaraqaa accused Israel of torturing Jaradat to Counting Women In, a coalition of five woman candidate – Caroline Dinenage people with disabilities death. organisations including the Hansard is also an MP as a result. While that is and does not exclude Jaradat’s death is proof of the cruel treatment meted out Society and Unlock Democracy. too small for any statistical significance to Palestinian prisoners by Israel. Tel Aviv has a policy of David Cameron says he wants more and too expensive to roll out at national men who want to take women around the cabinet table, and level, it is a shame there have been no incarcerating Palestinians at the slightest provocation, and he could of course get on and appoint pilots of lower-cost options to engage on caring roles as well keeping them behind bars indefinitely. Jaradat was a member them. But the greater problem is the more people in selections. In “safe as hold down a career of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the Fatah number in the room. The Commons still seats”, which never change party alle- movement of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, and was has the feel of a boys boarding school – giance, candidate selections are in effect in politics. Legal opinion arrested, according to Israeli intelligence service Shinbet, for just over 22 percent of MPs are women, the election and it is worth continuing is that job sharing is his involvement in a stonethrowing and Britain continues to fall down the to explore ways to widen participation. international league tables. Countering male bias also requires perfectly compatible with incident in November last year in Allegations about the Liberal more women to consider politics in the being an MP. The death of which an Israeli was injured. That Democrats’ first place. All party leaders should be a Palestinian he should be subjected to torture “casting couch” encouraging women from non-political for such a crime speaks volumes are very serious, backgrounds to apply. You don’t need to apply it as a pair. Where disagreements in an Israeli but the problem have “done politics” to be an MP, but it arise over policy issues then the vote of Israeli attitudes towards If he wants more jail is another Palestinians. for those seeking should be a necessity to have seen a bit goes with the manifesto commitment or female MPs, the selection for win- of the real world. majority constituency view. In some cir- example of Israel holds more than 4,600 nable seats goes I often ask women why they don’t cumstances the agreement would have Palestinians in jail on charges prime minister far deeper than think of applying. After all, for all the to be to abstain, but only one MP votes Israeli atrocities that range from stone-throwing must look at any risk of sexual negativity, it is still one of the most at any one time and they would share against a hapless to deadly attacks on Israeli introducing job harassment. interesting and demanding of roles. The a single salary, staff support, office and targets. Of the detainees, 159 The elector- impact on family life deters the most, London accommodation. Job sharing population. sharing to help ate does not dis- and they are right to be concerned. opens parliament to more people with are being held without charge or criminate against But it doesn’t have to be that way. We disabilities and does not exclude men trial. Palestinians are extremely them juggle family women when could learn from other professions that who want to take on caring roles as well sensitive to the condition of their brethren in Israeli jails and career. presented with a have embraced job sharing as a way to as hold down a career in politics. Legal and any news of mistreatment or death can trigger violence. choice, but those encourage and retain staff as they juggle opinion is that job sharing is perfectly Jaradat’s already has set off protests and the government of selecting candi- family and career. compatible with being an MP. Benjamin Netanyahu is worried. It has made “an unequivocal dates at local level still prefer men. I I job-shared for 11 years as a doc- It is time to start looking at how it am often reminded by those who do not tor before coming to parliament. It’s a can be made to work. Ultimately, voters demand” to the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority to see the exclusion of women as a problem wonderful way to work and it makes for would decide. They may well take note quell the wave of protests in the West Bank and as a sop to that “the cream rises to the top” but built-in mentoring. For MPs it would of job sharers in other professions, who Palestinians, also ordered the transfer of January arrears in politics so too does a fair amount of allow for complementary experience between them often deliver far more of tax revenues that Israel collects on the behalf of the froth and hot air. that would broaden their combined than a full-time equivalent. Palestinians but has been withholding. So far, Labour’s all-women shortlists expertise. To those who say it will never work, Palestinians need to launch more protests, both inside the have been the most effective means to Having worked in three different the question has to be: does the current reduce the imbalance – but surely some- types of job share, the secret of success system always work out so well? Having jails and outside, against Israeli atrocities and aggression. That thing is wrong when you have to force a is a close ethical fit with your partner a single MP is no guarantee you won’t is one way of piling pressure on the Jewish state to respect small “selectorate” to choose a woman and a similar approach to work. As an get a dud. international laws and to bring global attention to their plight. candidate? Labour’s 33 percent women MP, I could not job share with an anti- To deliver a more equal government The fight against Israeli occupation must be both still doesn’t feel like a great success, abortionist or a “hanger and flogger”. I takes decisive action at every level, from continuous and peaceful. Unfortunately, Palestinians are especially on those terms. Who wants voted for same sex marriage, but what encouraging applicants right through to to feel that they were the best woman if my job-share partner felt equally Cameron’s cabinet – but time is running hobbled by their own divisions and disunity and if Netanyahu and not the best candidate? strongly the other way? The answer is out if the prime minister wishes to see has been exploiting this disunity to further his agenda, part of The Conservatives experimented with to make sure you have a similar ethi- this fixed in time for 2015. the responsibility lies with Palestinians too. open primaries at the last election but cal framework before you start, and to THE GUARDIAN The other side Quote of Reason for cyber accusation the day N THE face of unfounded accusations the report failed to produce any con- is a transnational problem. Instead, it away from the country’s domestic woes. by the United States that the Chinese vincing evidence that its occupants believes consultation and cooperation The Pentagon’s plans to expand its government and military are behind were behind the attacks. It is unprofes- to enhance law enforcement is the way Cyber Command, as revealed by the US In view of the terrible Icyberattacks on US websites, the sional as well as irresponsible for the to tackle the issue. media recently, might also shed some Ministry of National Defense was quick US firm to base its allegations on such This round of US accusations against light on the myth. The Washington events the impression to respond with a written statement on shaky ground. China is also a victim of China is nothing new as the country has Post reported last month that the Tuesday and a news conference on cyberattacks. About 73,000 overseas been regularly targeted as the home of Pentagon had decided to expand Cyber is mounting that Wednesday. This alone shows China’s IP addresses controlled more than 14 hackers in recent years. But with the so- Command’s current staffing level of 900 China and Russia seriousness and sincerity in addressing million computers in China last year, and called China cybersabotage and espio- to 4,900 in the coming years. Apart from cybersecurity. 32,000 IP addresses remotely controlled nage continuing to make headlines in protecting national computer systems, realise that Mr A report released by the US Internet 38,000 Chinese websites. A consider- the US media this week, one cannot the missions of the command also Assad no longer has a security firm Mandiant on Monday able number of these attacks could help but ask the real purpose of such include executing attacks and other claimed that cyberattacks against US be traced back to IP addresses in the a hullabaloo. With the US economic offensive operations. future, that his time websites were traced to a building in United States. recovery dragging its feet, it is reason- Interestingly, when the Cyber is up and that there Shanghai owned by the Chinese army. But China never blamed others for able to think that some in Washington Command was established two years But given that hackers’ origins are tran- these cyberattacks, as it understands may want to make China a scapegoat ago, the US played the same card. must be a democratic Angela Merkel snational, deceptive and anonymous, finger pointing will not help solve what so that the public’s attention is diverted CHINA DAILY government. German Chancellor MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 In Japan, dying alone is the new normal

Gakuin University and the author of the Almost 15 percent of Japanese rarely book Seniors Living Alone in Urban Cities and Social Isolation. Authorities are responding. In Tokyo, or never interact socially with others — officials in Adachi ward are conducting a district-wide audit of people older than 70 making Japan the least social of societies who live alone and any shared households whose residents are all over 75. A bylaw was recently passed enabling the informa- in the developed world. tion to be shared with volunteer social workers, police and residents’ groups to BY KANOKO MATSUYAMA ($212bn) a year by 2026, the health minis- circumvent the isolation that has led to try estimates. That threatens to overload deaths that have gone undiscovered some- toko Uchida, 82, was counting on the the world’s second-most indebted nation. times for months. nephew she raised to support her in From now through 2030, about 470,000 In 2006, Japan’s government introduced old age. He refused, forcing her to pay seniors will die in Japan unless more a law to protect the elderly from abuse Ifor a sponsor to join the 420,000-long investment is made in caring for them, and provide support to caregivers. It is queue of Japanese waiting for a nursing Takahashi said. “Society and the system also paying subsidies to convert hospitals home bed. will blow up around 2025 without a drastic into nursing homes, building residential With no relatives willing to help, the change,” he said. care facilities, hiring more caregivers and Tokyo widow had to spend 710,000 yen “The family is already under increas- urging hospitals to allow medical staff to ($7,600) on a professional service to be ing stress from the forces of moderni- make house calls. her guarantor and assist with an appli- sation,” the Washington-based Centre Businesses, charities and local govern- cation to a nursing home, she said. An for Strategic International Studies said. ments are also innovating to help meet the erosion of traditional Confucian values in “Over the next few decades, massive age needs of the elderly. Food delivery services Japan means fewer elderly are being cared waves are due to engulf the region, slow- for seniors are expected to double in 10 for at home by relatives — a fact neither ing economic growth, driving up old-age years to 106 billion yen, while the market Uchida nor Japan’s government were fully dependency costs, and heaping large new for food that doesn’t require much chew- prepared for. burdens on governments and families ing will climb 61 percent to 158 billion yen, Japan, with the world’s highest propor- alike.” Itoko Uchida, 82, in her home in Fujimi City, Japan. By 2030, the number of Japanese according to Fuji-Keizai Co, a marketing tion of retirees, can’t build nursing homes China has already sought to protect seniors living alone will reach 7.2 million household units, according to official estimates. research firm in Tokyo. fast enough. By 2025, one in three citizens these values, passing a law last year allow- Utilities are also chiming in with prod- will be 65 or older from 12 percent of the ing parents to sue children for failing to 2005 levels, according to health ministry Kizunanokai, which provides a similar ucts to detect signs of life: Tokyo Gas Co population in 1990, the Organisation for visit them. In South Korea, the number statistics. service. offers a service to alert relatives to a sud- Economic Cooperation and Development of suicides among people aged 65 years After Uchida’s husband died, her In 1980, 53 percent of people above 65 den drop in usage; KDDI Corp sells mobile estimates. A lack of long-term care facili- and older more than tripled in a decade 60-year-old nephew stepped in to assist lived with their children, according to phones with pedometers to detect mobil- ties means seniors risk living alone in ill- to 4,406 in 2011, according to the latest with her application and sponsor her long- health ministry data. In 2010, that pro- ity; and Secom Co markets a GPS system equipped homes or suffering abuse from available data from Statistics Korea. The term care. The help stopped when his wife portion was down to 18 percent. to track movement. resentful relatives. increase was spurred by an economic intervened, said Uchida, who is 22nd in Japanese are increasingly eschewing The initiatives are promoting more “The system is designed for the 1970s, slowdown and the erosion of traditional line for a bed in a home. tradition and opting to live independently, independent living. when multiple generations lived together family support, the OECD said. “I stressed his marriage,” she said. “He’s according to a 2008 government study. “Our generation has lived separately and family caregiving was thought to con- Worldwide, the proportion of people also getting old and fearing he may not Thirty-six percent of respondents envis- from our parents, and so wives have tinue forever,” said Hiroshi Takahashi, older than 60 years in populations is get help from his son, who lives far away, aged preferring to live with, or close to, enjoyed freedom from their in-laws,” said a professor of health sciences at the increasing more than three times faster closer to his wife’s parents.” relatives in old age, down from 70 percent Toshie Kurita, 69, whose mother-in-law International University of Health and than the overall growth rate. Within five Uchida paid for support from the Four- in 1983. volunteered to move into a nursing home Welfare in Otawara City. “But that’s not the years, adults 65 years and older will out- leaf Clover Association, a non-profit group That preference though has a downside. eight years ago. reality now.” number children younger than five for the that helps about 200 people in Tokyo and Almost 15 percent of Japanese rarely or Kurita, whose husband died two years By 2030, the number of seniors living first time. Kobe complete applications and attain never interact socially with others — mak- ago, visits her mother-in-law in Chiba, alone, like Uchida, will increase 54 per- The growing demands of the elderly the requisite sponsorship for a place in a ing Japan the least social of societies in the west of Tokyo, every second week and says cent to 7.2 million household units from may be stoking violence toward them. In nursing home. developed world, according to the OECD. she will be happy to hire professional help 2010 levels, according to the National 2011, 21 seniors in Japan were murdered The number of seniors seeking spon- Social networks are breaking down as if necessary. “No one wants to beg their Institute of Population and Social Security or died from neglect, and the number of sorship for nursing homes is increas- family members live further apart and daughter-in-law to care for them when Research in Tokyo. Elderly-care costs elderly people abused by family mem- ing about 10 percent a year, said can’t afford to socialise, said Katsuyoshi they’re nearing the end of their life.” will more than double to 19.8 trillion yen bers jumped 32 percent to 16,599 from Hideyuki Ogasawara, senior director at Kawai, professor of social welfare at Meiji WP-BLOOMBERG The nearly impossible battle against hackers BY JOSEPH MENN McFeely said the FBI plans to more basic approach of limiting part, predicted that a first-of- Experts say they are convinced open a repository of malicious users’ computer privileges, rapidly its kind — but relatively simple ire warnings from software to encourage informa- installing software updates, and — virus that deleted all data on Washington about a that companies are spending tion sharing among companies in allowing only trusted programs tens of thousands of PCs at Saudi “cyber Pearl Harbour” the same industry. Obama also to function. Some security com- Arabia’s national oil company last Denvision a single sur- recently issued an executive order panies are starting over with new year is a harbinger of what will prise strike from a formidable money on the wrong stuff, such as on cybersecurity that encourages designs, such as forcing all of their come. enemy that could destroy power cooperation. customers’ programs to run on Most say the increased main- plants nationwide, disable the antivirus subscriptions that cannot The former head of the National walled-off virtual machines. With stream attention on cybersecu- financial system or cripple the Security Agency, Michael Hayden, such divergent views, so much rity, even if it fixes uncomfortably US government. supports the use of trade and money at stake, and so many on the industry’s failings and But those on the front lines say recognise new or targeted attacks. diplomatic channels to pres- problems, there are perhaps just tenacious adversaries, will help it isn’t all about protecting the sure hacking nations, as called two areas of agreement. drive a desperately needed debate US government and corporate computer users enter financial security engineer feels somewhat for under a new White House Most people in the industry about what to do internationally networks from a single attack. account passwords. under siege,” said Bruce Murphy, strategy that was announced and government believe things and at home. They report fending off many Others getting into the game a Deloitte & Touche LLP prin- on Wednesday. “The Chinese, will get worse. Coviello, for his REUTERS intrusions at once from perhaps include activists in the style of the cipal who studies the security with some legitimacy, will dozens of countries, plus well- loosely associated group known as workforce. “It feels like Sisyphus say ‘You spy on us.’ And funded electronic guerrillas and Anonymous, who favour denial- rolling a rock up the hill, and the as former director of the skilled criminals. Security offic- of-service attacks that temporar- hill keeps getting steeper.” NSA I’ll say, ‘Yeah, and ers and their consultants say they ily block websites from view and In the same month that we’re better at it than you are overwhelmed. The attacks automated searches for common President Barack Obama decried are,” said Hayden, now a are not only from China, which vulnerabilities that give them enemies “seeking the ability to principal at security con- the US has long accused of spying access to corporate information. sabotage our power grids, our sultant Chertoff Group. on its companies, many emanate An increasing number of financial institutions, our air traf- He said what worried from Russia, Eastern Europe, the countries are sponsoring cyber fic control systems,” cyberattacks him the most was Chinese Middle East and Western coun- weapons and electronic spy- on some prominent US companies presence on networks that tries. Perpetrators range from elite ing programmes, law enforce- were reported. have no espionage value, military units to organised crimi- ment officials said. The reported Three leading US newspapers, such as systems that run nal rings to activist teenagers. involvement of the US in the Apple Inc, Facebook Inc, Twitter infrastructure like energy “They outspend us and outman production of electronic worms, and Microsoft Corp all admit- and water plants. “There’s us in almost every way,” said Dell including Stuxnet, which hurt ted in February they had been no intellectual property to Inc’s CEO, John McClurg. Iran’s uranium enrichment pro- hacked. The malicious software be pilfered there, no trade The big fear is that one day gramme, is viewed as among the inserted on employee comput- secrets, no negotiating a major company or govern- most successful. ers at the technology companies positions. So that makes ment agency will face a costly Iran has also been blamed for has been detected at hundreds of you frightened because it disruption to its business when a series of unusually effective other firms that have chosen to seems to be attack prepa- hackers steal or damage critical denial-of-service attacks against keep silent about the incidents, ration,” Hayden said. data, sabotage infrastructure or major US banks in the past six two people familiar with the Amid the rising angst, destroy consumers’ confidence in months that blocked their online case said. many of the top profession- the safety of its information. banking sites. Iran is suspected “I don’t remember a time when als in the field will convene Elite security firm Mandiant of penetrating at least one US oil so many companies have been so in San Francisco today for Corp last Monday published a company, two people familiar with visibly ‘owned’ and were so ill- the best-known US secu- report that accused a unit of the the ongoing investigation said. equipped,” said Adam O’Donnell, rity industry conference, Chinese army of stealing data from “There is a battle looming in an executive at security firm named after host company more than 100 firms. While China any direction you look,” said Jeff Sourcefire Inc, using the hacker and EMC Corp unit RSA. denied the allegations, Mandiant Moss, Chief Information Security slang for unauthorised control. Experts say they are and other security experts say the Officer of ICANN, a group that Far from being hyped, cyber convinced that companies hacker group is one of more than manages some of the Internet’s intrusions remain so under- are spending money on the 20 with origins in China. key infrastructure. “Everybody’s disclosed — for fear leaks about wrong stuff, such as anti- Chinese hackers tend to take personal objectives go by the way- the attacks will spook investors virus subscriptions that aim at the largest corporations side when there is just fire after — that the new head of the FBI’s cannot recognise new or and most innovative technology fire,” said Moss. cybercrime effort, Executive targeted attacks. companies, using trick emails Assistant Director Richard RSA Executive that appear to come from trusted HUNDREDS OF CASES McFeely, said the secrecy has Chairman Art Coviello colleagues but bear attachments UNREPORTED become a major challenge. and Francis deSouza, head tainted with viruses, spyware and Industry veterans say the “Our biggest issue right now of products at Symantec other malicious software, accord- growth in the number of hack- is getting the private sector Corp, said they will give ing to Western cyber investigators. ers, the software tools available to to a comfort level where they keynote speeches call- Eastern European criminal them, and the thriving economic can report anomalies, mal- ing for a focus on more rings use “drive-by downloads” underground serving them have ware, incidences within their sophisticated analytical to corrupt popular websites, such made any computer network con- networks,” McFeely said. “It tools that look for unu- as NBC.com last week, to infect nected to the Internet impossible has been very difficult with sual behaviour on the visitors. They often include soft- to defend flawlessly. a lot of major companies to network — which sounds ware for recording keystrokes as “Your average operational get them to cooperate fully.” expensive. Others urge a MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INTERNATIONAL

Chuck Hagel Drug-tainted horsemeat likely in food chain: France ‘not qualified’ to PARIS: Horsemeat contain- Le Foll said that although some of shelves, with effects felt as far 800 million people are dying of French authorities had initially ing a drug potentially harm- the meat had been recalled, the away as Hong Kong where an hunger in the world,” he told Bild suspended the company’s sanitary be secretary of ful to humans has probably equivalent of three carcasses had imported brand of lasagne has newspaper. licence, but following protests entered the food chain, France “probably” made it to consumers. been withdrawn from stores. “And unfortunately in Germany from 300-odd workers allowed the announced yesterday, as Italy There was however “no health Yesterday, Italy joined the long there are also people for whom company to resume production of defence: McCain became the latest country to be risk” since the traces of phenylb- list of countries that have been it is difficult financially, even for minced meat, sausages and ready- WASHINGTON: Republican drawn into the contaminated utazone found in the meat were hit by the fraud, reporting its first food... I think that we can’t here to-eat meals. The company was Senator John McCain yesterday meat scandal. “extremely weak”, he added. case of horsemeat-contaminated in Germany throw away good banned, however, from stocking said that his former colleague Several horse carcasses con- Le Foll said this incident was lasagne. Horsemeat was found in food,” he added. Labour and Social frozen meat. Chuck Hagel was not qualified taining the drug Phenylbutazone not connected with the wider tests on six tonnes of mincemeat Affairs Minister Ursula von der In Ireland, authorities on to be US defence secretary but have probably ended up being horsemeat scandal since the and 2,400 “lasagne bolognese” Leyen however dismissed the idea Friday suspended production at the Senate would likely vote on eaten by consumers, a French meat had not been disguised as packages produced by a central as “absurd”. a meat processing plant after his nomination rather than hold agriculture ministry spokes- beef. But the announcement nev- Italian company that had used French President Francois investigators found it was selling it up with procedural hurdles. man said. Phenylbutazone is an ertheless added a new dimension meat from suppliers based in the Hollande, speaking during a visit horsemeat labelled as beef. B&F Before going on a weeklong anti-inflammatory treatment for to the scandal. northern part of the country. to an agricultural show in Paris, Meats, a small company licenced recess, Republican lawmakers horses which is potentially harm- The row over mislabelled meat The tests were carried out as said he would push for mandatory to debone beef and horsemeat succeeded in delaying a Senate ful to humans and so is banned for erupted in Europe in January part of checks by police on 121 labelling of meat in ready-made in Carrick-on-Suir in County vote on Hagel’s nomination ear- consumption. after horsemeat was initially brands across the country. meals. French firm Spanghero has Tipperary, was found to be send- lier this month. Hagel is expected Britain alerted Paris that found in so-called beef ready- In Germany, Development been at the heart of the scandal ing horsemeat to a customer in to win confirmation if a vote is six tainted carcasses had been made meals and burgers in Minister Dirk Niebel suggested after it allegedly passed off 750 the Czech Republic, the Irish held because Democrats control exported to France in January, Britain and Ireland. handing out mislabelled food tonnes of horsemeat as beef. The agriculture ministry said. The 55 votes in the 100-seat Senate. but by that time the meat had Since then, supermarkets products taken off the shelves product eventually found its way label in the Czech language refers “I do not believe that Chuck already been processed. across the continent have pulled because they contained horse- into 4.5 million “beef” products to beef, it added. Hagel, who is a friend of mine, Agriculture Minister Stephane prepared meals from their meat to the poor. “More than sold across Europe. AFP is qualified to be secretary of defence,” McCain of Arizona said on CNN’s “State of the Union” show. Hagel’s nomination was likely to go for a vote in the Senate “barring some additional revelation,” he said. Republicans are demanding African leaders more information from the admin- istration related to the attacks on US facilities in Benghazi, Libya, last year. “I don’t want to put a hold on sign deal to end anybody, but the American people deserve answers about Benghazi. There are so many questions that are still out there, including what was the president doing the night Congo conflict Benghazi happened?” McCain said. Anastasiades elected Accord to bring peace, security: Ban Cyprus president

ADDIS ABABA: African lead- Speaking after the signing, NICOSIA: Rightwing leader ers signed a UN-mediated deal Ugandan Vice President Edward Nicos Anastasiades won yes- yesterday aimed at ending two Ssekandi said the deal could terday’s presidential election in decades of conflict in the east speed up the deployment of a Cyprus, tasked with negotiating of the Democratic Republic of new, UN-flagged intervention a crucial bailout for the EU state Congo and paving the way for force to take on the rebels. “We on the brink of bankruptcy, exit the deployment of a new military should be able to fast-track the polls on state television said. brigade to take on rebel groups. ongoing consultation so that the The polls on CYBC television, Congo’s army is fighting the force with a robust mandate and released as polling stations closed M23 rebels, who have hived off a capability is put in place,” he said. in the runoff election, showed fiefdom in North Kivu province African leaders failed to sign A woman casts her vote at a polling station in Rome, yesterday. Anastasiades clinching 57-61 per- in a conflict that has dragged the deal last month after a disa- cent of the vote against an esti- Congo’s eastern region back into greement over who would com- mated 38-42 percent for Stavros war and displaced more than half mand the force. A fresh rebellion Austerity-hit Italians vote in elections Malas, backed by the communist a million people. launched in May 2012 by the M23 party Akel. The announcement UN Secretary-General Ban group has brought more fighting sparked instant celebrations with Ki-moon, who witnessed the sign- and displacement to eastern Congo. ROME: Italians fed up with With Berlusconi”) scrawled on Gottardi, 65. But many Italians a large crowd gathering outside ing in this Ethiopian capital, said In November the rebels seized the austerity voted yesterday in the their backs. disagree, like voter Sara Di the offices in Nicosia of the win- he hoped the accord would bring provincial capital Goma, but left country’s most important elec- Centre-left Democratic Party Gregori, a 30-year-old lawyer in ner’s Disy party and support- “an era of peace and stability” for the city to open the way for peace tion in a generation, as Europe leader Pier Luigi Bersani is the Rome, who warned: “If Berlusconi ers honking car horns across Congo and Africa’s Great Lakes, talks, which are being held in held its breath for signs of fresh most likely winner, but analysts returns, it would be a disaster.” Nicosia. Conceding defeat, Akel and added that he would soon neighbouring Uganda. instability in the eurozone’s say he may fall short of a majority The wild card in third place, MP Pambos Papageorgiou told the name a special envoy for the region. Those separate talks between third economy. and need to weave together a coa- according to the polls, could be state broadcaster: “We consider The Great Lakes area, where Congo’s government and the Millions turned out to vote lition that could prove unsteady. a new protest party led by ex- that he (Anastasiades) has been colonial era borders cut at ran- rebels are aimed at reaching an for the first time since billion- Bersani has promised to stick comedian Beppe Grillo who has elected and we congratulate him.” dom through ethnic groups has agreement on a range of eco- aire tycoon Silvio Berlusconi was to Monti’s budget discipline but channelled growing social discon- in the last 20 years been a cruci- nomic, political and security ousted in 2011 during a wave of says he will do more for growth tent and anger against politicians. Fidel Castro appears ble of conflict that has launched issues, including amnesty for “war financial market panic and was and jobs as Italy endures its An average of the last opinion multiple uprisings and invasions. and insurgency acts”, the release replaced by former Eurocrat longest recession in 20 years and polls made public gave Bersani in parliament session “It is only the beginning of a of political prisoners and repara- Mario Monti. unemployment hits record highs. 34 percent, Berlusconi 30 per- comprehensive approach that will tion of damages due to the war. “This is a chance to change “I am voting for the Democratic cent, Grillo 17 percent and Monti HAVANA: Retired Cuban require sustained engagement,” But the rebels have broadened Italy,” said Ida, a 48-year-old com- Party. I don’t want us to end up around 11 percent. leader Fidel Castro made a Ban said of the accord, which did their goals to include the removal puter company employee, voting like Greece,” said Alessandro, a Polling stations close at 2100 rare public appearance yester- not include any representatives of Kabila and “liberation” of the at a polling station in a school in 63-year-old manager, as he cast GMT and open again for a sec- day as he took his long-empty of rebel groups. The agreement entire Congo. Bertrand Bisimwa, Rome where entire families came his ballot in Milan. ond day of voting at 0600 GMT seat beside brother Raul Castro was signed by leaders and envoys M23’s spokesman said he had not out to vote, forming long queues. The scandal-tainted Berlusconi today, closing at 1400 GMT. Exit at the opening session of the of 11 African countries, including read the full details of the Addis There was a commotion as could come a close second. polls are expected immediately National Assembly. Fidel Castro Rwanda and Uganda, which have Ababa deal, but hoped it would Berlusconi came to vote in Milan “There’s a lot of confusion in these after the close and preliminary has graced the assembly cham- been accused by UN experts of not reignite fighting between when three topless feminists elections. I’m voting Berlusconi. official results will begin trickling bers just once, in 2010. Castro stoking the rebellion. They deny them and government troops. hurled themselves towards him I know he has his defects but through later today. has given up all his official posi- the accusation. REUTERS with “Basta Berlusconi” (“Enough he’s the best,” said Maria Teresa AFP tions except his deputy spot. AGENCIES

Emotional Pope Pistorius brother faces trial celebrates final Kerry embarks on JOHANNESBURG: The reinstated the charges after they older brother of South African were initially dropped. star sprinter Oscar Pistorius Attorney Kenny Oldwage, who Sunday prayers nine-nation visit — himself accused of murder- also represents Oscar Pistorius, VATICAN CITY: Pope ing his girlfriend — has been had “no doubt” Carl was inno- Benedict XVI delivered an emo- WASHINGTON: John Kerry down and cannot be a party to charged over a deadly road cent, the statement added. Oscar tional last Sunday prayer in St views his first trip as US secre- any settlement. crash five years ago, the family Pistorius, the 26-year-old double Peter’s Square, saying God had tary of state as a listening tour, US President Barack Obama confirmed yesterday. amputee athlete known as “Blade told him to devote himself to but the leaders he meets will has limited US support to non- “Carl Pistorius, brother Runner”, was released on 1m rand quiet contemplation but assur- want to hear whether he has any lethal aid for the rebels who are of Paralympic athlete Oscar ($112,770) bail on Friday. He is ing he would not “abandon” the new ideas on Syria, Iran and the poorly armed compared to Assad’s Pistorius, faces charges of cul- due back in court on June 4. Church. Israeli-Palestinian conflict. army and loyalist militias. pable homicide after a 2008 In addition to the bail payment, Tens of thousands of support- Kerry left Washington yester- Kerry makes his first foreign road accident in which a woman which experts say is one of the ers turned out for Benedict’s day for London, the first stop on a trip as senior US diplomats, along motorcyclist sadly lost her life,” highest ever set in South Africa, final Sunday prayers ahead of his nine-nation, 11-day trip that will with counterparts from Britain, the family said. His trial had Pistorius had to surrender his formal resignation on Thursday, also take him to Berlin, Paris, China, France, Germany and been due to start last Thursday, passports and firearms. He also often interrupting him with their Rome, Ankara, Cairo, Riyadh, Russia, will meet Iranian officials a day before his famous brother has to report to police on Mondays clapping, cheering and chanting. Abu Dhabi and Doha before he on Tuesday in Kazakhstan in an was granted bail on a charge of and Fridays and is also barred from Carl Pistorius “The Lord is calling me to returns home on March 6. effort to persuade Iran to curtail premeditated murder for shoot- taking alcohol or drugs. climb the mountain, to dedicate It is an introductory trip for a its nuclear programme. ing dead his girlfriend Reeva Carl Pistorius, whose last simple phone call to us,” her myself even more to prayer and man who needs little introduction Bruce Riedel of the Brookings Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day. known job was at an events man- uncle Michael told the City Press meditation. But this does not abroad after spending 28 years in Institution think-tank said Carl Pistorius’s case has been agement company in 2010, was a newspaper yesterday, although mean abandoning the Church,” the US Senate. The Custodian of the the Two adjourned to the end of March, constant presence in court last the Pistorius family did send a the Pope said from the window After talks with allies in Holy Mosques King Abdullah meaning he will likely go on trial week to support his brother dur- bouquet of flowers and a card. of his residence in the Vatican, London, Berlin and Paris, Kerry bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi before his younger brother, who ing the four-day bail hearing in Steenkamp’s father also had his voice breaking with emotion. travels to Rome to meet members Arabia would regard himself, he closely resembles. Pretoria, along with his sister harsh words for the gold-medal- “If God is asking me to do this of the Syrian opposition as well as rather than Kerry, as the listen- The 28-year-old “deeply Aimee and father Henke. list Paralympian. it is precisely so I can continue to a wider group of nations seeking ing party and want to hear of regrets” the March 2008 incident, When Oscar broke down cry- “He’ll have to live with his con- serve with the same dedication to support them in their nearly any new U.S. approaches on the the family said. “It was a tragic ing in the dock, Carl would often science. But if he’s telling the truth, and love as before but in a way two-year quest to oust Syrian Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Iran road accident after the deceased lean forward and put his hand on I may forgive him one day,” said that is more appropriate for my President Bashar Al Assad. and other issues. “The secretary collided with Carl’s car.” his brother’s shoulder. Relatives of Barry Steenkamp in a newspaper age and for my strength.” While the opposition Syrian has the tough job of selling as Tests showed no alcohol in his Steenkamp have lashed out at the interview on Saturday. But “if it The 85-year-old announced National Coalition is willing to something new an administration blood at the time of the accident Pistorius family since the killing. didn’t happen as he described it, he earlier this month he will be step- negotiate a peace deal to end the (whose) foreign policies are pretty in Vanderbijlpark, 60km south “They have not offered should suffer. And he will suffer.” ping down because he lacks the country’s civil war, members this well established,” Riedel said. of Johannesburg. Prosecutors their condolences, nor made a AFP strength to carry on. AFP week agreed that Assad must step REUTERS MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 ASIA / PHILIPPINES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 Four Bangla protesters die in police firing Islamists demand execution of bloggers

DHAKA: Islamists demanding Khalilur Rahman, Residential the execution of bloggers they Medical Officer of Singair accuse of blasphemy clashed Hospital, said three young peo- with police in Bangladesh for ple died of bullet wounds there. a third straight day yesterday, A fourth person who was shot and at least four protesters dead after he was transferred to were killed when police opened a Dhaka clinic, police said. fire. Among the injured, 18 suffered Up to 3,000 protesters, includ- bullet wounds, the medical officer ing students from religious said. schools known as madrassas and Fifteen people were injured, supporters of the main opposi- three by bullets, in another clash tion party, barricaded a highway between police, ruling party at Singair in the central district supporters and Islamists in the of Manikganj, police said. southeastern resort district of “They attacked us with Cox’s Bazaar, said private televi- machetes, sticks, bricks and sion Maasranga. firearms from three sides when The violence broke out as 12 we tried to clear the barricade. small Islamic parties, backed by Supporters of Islamic political parties burn an effigy of a blogger inside a madrassa during a nationwide strike in Dhaka, yesterday. We fired back in self-defence,” the largest Islamic group Jamaat- Mizanur Rahman, Deputy Police e-Islami and main opposition and the Prophet Muhammed the execution of its leaders for The government has warned Police have yet to comment on Chief of Manikganj, said, adding Bangladesh Nationalist Party, (Peace Be Upon Him). alleged war crimes in the 1971 of tough steps against those a motive for Haider’s killing. But at least 40 people were injured called a nationwide strike in Tensions have risen over alleg- independence struggle against who incite social tension, and his brother said Haider was tar- including policemen. protest at Friday’s police action edly anti-Islamic blog posts by Pakistan. urged newspapers and blogs not geted by Jamaat’s student wing “The imam of the local mosque against Islamists. Ahmed Rajib Haider, who was Since Haider’s death, to publish defamatory writings for his online activities. used a loudspeaker to rally the Four people were killed, three hacked to death last week near Bangladeshi social media has been against the Prophet Muhammed The killing of Haider was the protesters. They were shouting in police shooting, and about 200 his home in Dhaka. flooded with his alleged blog posts (PBUH). second attack in Dhaka in less slogans for the execution of the injured during Friday’s protests In recent weeks Haider and and with those by other blog- It has cracked down on anti- than a month against a blogger bloggers, accusing them of being by tens of thousands of Islamists fellow bloggers had launched gers mocking Islam, triggering Islam blogs and also given police critical of Islam and Islamist non-believers and atheists,” demanding the hanging of bloggers massive protests demanding a protests by a number of Islamic protection to some bloggers in the groups. Rahman said. whom they say blasphemed Islam ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami, and groups and clerics. wake of Haider’s murder. AFP

China military Maldives denies deal as ex-president back in action drive to avoid MALE: The Maldivian gov- Nasheed, 45, sought refuge political space for Nasheed to Ocean holiday destination but were assaulted while covering an ernment yesterday denied any at the embassy on February 13, contest... but still there is a risk was ousted last year following a MDP protest and were admit- extravagance deal to allow former president straining ties between regional (of arrest). We don’t trust this mutiny by police and troops. ted to hospital locally, but were Mohamed Nasheed to end his power India and its small neigh- rogue regime.” His court hearing slated for reported to be out of danger, refuge at the Indian embassy bour Maldives, after an arrest The Maldivian government last Wednesday was postponed police said. in spending in the capital and resume elec- warrant was issued following his insists that it will not interfere because he could not be arrested The US embassy in Male con- tion campaigning without fear failure to attend court. with a judicial process. while he was inside the Indian demned both attacks in a message BEIJING: China’s military has of arrest. He says his trial is a “politi- India sent its special envoy, embassy. posted on its website. introduced new rules to com- Presidential spokesman Abbas cally motivated” attempt to dis- senior diplomat Harsh Vardhan During heightened anti-gov- “We urge all Maldivians to bat “extravagance and waste” Riaz said Nasheed walked out qualify him from an election due Shringla, to mediate an end to the ernment protests just before he refrain from violence, and urge in spending, state media said of the embassy on Saturday on September 7, a charge denied crisis after Nasheed took refuge walked out of the embassy, three protesters and police to respect Sunday, as the country’s new afternoon of his own will and by the government. in its high commission. journalists were attacked and the right of all media outlets to leaders stress austerity to fight there was no agreement with an The opposition Maldivian New Delhi said in a statement injured in two separate incidents cover demonstrations,” it said. official corruption. Indian mediator who rushed to Democratic Party (MDP) said shortly after Nasheed left the early Saturday, police said. President Mohamed Waheed New Communist Party chief Xi the Maldives last week to resolve Nasheed was meeting with visit- embassy that it had been work- A journalist from private, pro- also condemned the attacks. Jinping, who is also chairman of a tense standoff. ing Western diplomats yesterday ing with all sides to “strengthen opposition Raajje TV suffered “The president has assured the Central Military Commission, “There is no deal, absolutely no and would start house-to-house democracy” in the nation of serious head injuries after being that the government would not approved the rules which aim to deal with the Indians or anyone campaigning from today. 330,00 Sunni Muslims and urged beaten with an iron rod, police step back in bringing to justice, promote austerity and control else,” Riaz said, in the govern- “He is back on the cam- all to maintain “peace and calm”. said, adding that he was flown to those responsible for this act of expenditure, the official Xinhua ment’s first reaction to Nasheed paign trail,” MDP spokesman Nasheed, a pro-democracy neighbouring Sri Lanka for spe- brutality,” Waheed’s office said in news agency said. leaving the embassy to resume his Hamid Abdul Ghafoor said. campaigner, won the first free cialised treatment. a statement. Xi, who is set to become presi- political work. “India arranged a deal to give elections in 2008 in the Indian Two female state TV reporters AFP dent next month, has repeatedly pledged to fight graft amid rising social discontent at government corruption and political scandals People Power anniversary that have tarnished the ruling party. Philippines sends mercy The new rules require strict control of spending on non-essen- tial infrastructure, procurement and official receptions, Xinhua ship to Malaysia said. The military must “reso- lutely prevent redundant con- MANILA: The Philippines was drop anchor offshore as talks to struction, the craving for things preparing last night to send a convince the group to withdraw big and foreign, extravagance and mercy ship to pick up scores peacefully continued, the state- waste”, it said. of followers of a Filipino sul- ment said. Spending should be directed tan who entered the Malaysian The Philippines informed towards the military’s core mis- state of Sabah to press his ter- Malaysia through its embassy in sion, including being able to fight ritorial claims, the foreign office Manila of the move on Saturday, and win a battle, Xinhua said, said. it added. repeating a slogan which has been The “humanitarian ship” was Malaysian Foreign Minister described by state media as a key to depart the southern-most Anifah Aman said he had “yet goal for this year. Philippine island province of Tawi- to be informed on this matter”. China is due to announce Tawi before midnight and head Ministry officials could not imme- its annual military budget in to Lahad Datu on Borneo island, diately be reached for comment. early March at a meeting of the where dozens of followers of Sultan Del Rosario’s statement said National People’s Congress, the Jamalul Kiram have been locked in the group numbered some 180, country’s legislature. a tense stand-off with Malaysian with 30 armed escorts, although Last year it projected the mili- authorities for two weeks. the sultan’s spokesman, Abraham tary budget would rise 11.2 per- The Filipinos have been holed Idjirani, last week put the figure cent year-on-year to $106bn, an Filipinos demonstrate on the eve of the 27th anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution, in Quezon City, up in a small coastal area of at 400, including 20 bearing arms. increase that has caused unease east of Manila, yesterday. Lahad Datu town, where they Idjirani said the sultan had among Asian neighbours includ- have remained surrounded by given the Filipinos his blessing ing Japan, which is locked in a security forces since February 12 to reside in Sabah and they were territorial dispute with China. as they pursue their claim to set- determined to resist efforts to In December the military tle in the state, which used to be expel them. The Islamic Sultanate banned high-ranking officers from North Korea honours nuclear scientists a part of the Sultanate of Sulu. of Sulu once controlled parts of being treated to receptions featur- “As we have stated on count- Borneo, including the site of the ing expensive liquor and luxury SEOUL: North Korea has unanimous condemnation at the The top officials praised the sci- less occasions previously, we call stand-off, as well as southern banquets, in line with similar rules awarded state medals and other UN Security Council. entists and workers as “genuine on the entire group to go back to Philippine islands. for party officials. Those rules also honours to thousands of sci- The nuclear scientists and other patriots” and urged them to fur- their homes and families, even at The sultanate leased northern called on military officers to pre- entists and workers behind its officials who worked on the test ther develop nuclear technology the same time, we are addressing Borneo to Europeans in the 1870s. vent family members and associ- recent nuclear test, state media however received a hero’s welcome to make the North “a matchless the core issues they have raised,” While the sultanate’s authority ates from accepting bribes. said. in Pyongyang last week when they nuclear weapons state”, it added. Philippines Foreign Secretary gradually faded as Western colo- A corruption watchdog, State decorations, medals and won a trip to the capital. The impoverished but heavily- Albert del Rosario said in a state- nial powers exerted their influence Transparency International, said other benefits were given to 11,592 Residents turned out in throngs militarised North’s nuclear test ment. “Please do so for your own over the region, it continued to last month that China’s military is scientists, technicians, work- along the route with bouquets, was its most powerful to date, safety,” he added. receive lease payments for Sabah. battling a major corruption prob- ers and other officials for their banners and posters to give a with Pyongyang claiming a break- Aboard the mercy ship were Heirs to the sultanate still lem, with little political oversight contribution to the February 12 “hearty welcome” and top officials through with a “miniaturised” Filipino Muslim leaders, social receive nominal annual com- and no whistleblower mechanism atomic test, the Korean Central including ceremonial head of state device. While the outside world workers and medical person- pensation from Malaysia under to counter graft. One of the major News Agency (KCNA) reported. Kim Yong-Nam visited them at was united in condemnation, the nel, del Rosario’s statement said, a long-standing agreement. One problems was the absence of pri- North Korea’s third nuclear a hotel to offer congratulations. test triggered days of orchestrated stressing that the government of the demands from the sultan’s vate military defence contractors, test, which followed a widely-crit- “They are now spending pleasant celebrations and mass rallies in “was deeply concerned” about followers is an increase in the meaning less scope for competi- icised long-range rocket launch days in Pyongyang, given greatest the isolated communist state. the presence of women among amount of compensation paid. tion, the Berlin-based group said. staged last December, sparked favour and privilege,” KCNA said. AFP the group. The ship was due to AFP AFP MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN Karzai orders US forces out of two provinces Suicide bombers hit Afghan cities; attack in capital’s diplomatic enclave foiled

KABUL: Afghan President in a position to comment further. police chief Mohammad Ayoub Hamid Karzai demanded yes- This is an important issue that we Salangi said only one attacker was terday the withdrawal of US intend to fully discuss with our involved, dismissing local reports special forces from Wardak and Afghan counterparts.” that a second bomber had man- Logar within two weeks, accus- More than 3,200 Nato troops, aged to escape. ing them of fuelling “insecurity mostly Americans, have died in “We have intelligence about and instability” in the volatile support of Karzai’s government this. The bomber was shot dead provinces neighbouring the in the war since the Taliban were and his car bomb is defused. It’s capital Kabul. ousted by a US invasion in 2001, over now,” Salangi said. A photog- “In today’s national security but relations between the presi- rapher at the scene saw a young council meeting... President dent and the US are often prickly. man laying dead in a pool of blood Karzai ordered the ministry of Two Taliban suicide bombers next to his bullet-ridden car on defence to kick out the US special killed three members of Afghan the side of the road near a con- forces from Wardak and Logar security forces yesterday, but a struction site. The man was shot provinces within two weeks,” said third attack in Kabul’s diplomatic in the head. presidential spokesman Aimal enclave was foiled when police The same construction site was Faizi. shot dead the would-be assailant, overrun by insurgents as part of a “The US special forces and ille- officials said. coordinated attack in Kabul and gal armed groups created by them The attacker in Kabul was several other provinces in April are causing insecurity, instabil- armed with a suicide vest and 2012. ity, and harass local people in his SUV was full of explosives, but Fifty one people, 36 of them these provinces,” he told a press police opened fire when he tired insurgents, were killed in those conference. to penetrate deeper into the capi- attacks, which besides Kabul hit The announcement would be tal’s diplomatic enclave of Wazir several other cities. another blow to the prestige of Akbar Khan, the officials said. The Taliban are the main US-led forces as they prepare to In the day’s first attack, a sui- group behind suicide bombings withdraw combat troops from cide bomber rammwed an explo- in Afghanistan in a long-running the war against Taliban Islamist sives-laden car into a spy agency insurgency aimed at toppling the insurgents by the end of next year. facility in the town of Jalalabad, Western-backed government in The bulk of Nato’s 100,000 150km east of Kabul. Kabul. troops are due to leave It was followed by a similar In Jalalabad, police spokesman Afghanistan by the end of 2014. attack on a police base in Puli Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal said A US Forces Afghanistan Alam, 70km south of the capital, the bomber rammed his sedan car A US soldier from International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) keeps watch in Kabul, yesterday. Afghan (USFOR-A) spokesman said he officials said. into the gates of the walled com- intelligence officers shot dead at least one would-be suicide bomber in the capital’s most well-protected area, was aware of the reported com- Taliban spokesman Zabihullah pound of a National Directorate home to some of the country’s most high-profile targets. ments by Faizi. Mujahed claimed responsibility of Security branch and detonated “We take all allegations of mis- for the attacks in Puli Alam and his bombs. “There was a suicide car of Logar province, said the attack massive explosion” that broke invasion in 2001. The United conduct seriously and go to great Jalalabad, but denied that the bombing in the intelligence facil- there hit the gates of a police base glass and caused damage to States and NATO have around lengths to determine the facts militant group was involved in ity in city district two. Two intel- along the highway leading to nearby homes. 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, surrounding them,” he said. the foiled attack in Kabul. ligence workers were martyred and Kabul and killed one police officer. The Taliban have waged an but the vast majority of them “Until we have had a chance to Authorities had earlier said three others were wounded,” the Logar police chief Abdul Saboor 11-year insurgency against the will leave next year, with Afghan speak with senior (Afghan) offi- that two would-be suicide bomb- police spokesman said. Nasrati said the bombing was car- Kabul government since being forces progressively taking over. cials about this issue we are not ers were killed in Kabul. But city Police in Puli Alam, the capital ried out in a van and caused “a ousted from power in a US-led AGENCIES Karachi killings widen sectarian divide 19 Pakistani diplomats KARACHI: When Aurangzeb of murders in Karachi, a much turf war, but detectives suspect an of Sunni that inspires both Farooqi Farooqi survived an attempt on bigger conurbation, suggests the emerging Shia group known as the and the foot-soldiers of LeJ. to lose jobs next month his life that left six of his body- violence is taking on a volatile Mehdi Force is behind some of the “We say Shias are infidels. We guards dead and a six-inch bullet new dimension as a small number attacks on Farooqi’s men. say this on the basis of reason wound in his thigh, the Pakistani of Shias fight back. While beleaguered secularists and arguments,” Farooqi, a wiry, ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s 19 forces. They all are supposed to cleric lost little time in turning Pakistan’s Western allies have and their Western friends hope intense man with a wispy beard ambassadors will be losing their give up their assignment, the the narrow escape to his advan- traditionally been fixated on the Pakistan will mature into a more and cascade of shoulder-length jobs next month with the exit sources said. tage. Recovering in hospital after challenge posed to the brittle, confident democracy at general curls, said. “I want to be called to of the incumbent government The sources reminded that the the ambush on his convoy in nuclear-armed state by Taliban elections due in May, the spiral of the Supreme Court so that I can since they are non-career and Foreign Office will put up a sum- Karachi, Pakistan’s commercial militants battling the army in the killings in Karachi, a microcosm prove using their own books that contractual employees of the mary to the new prime minister capital, the radical Sunni Muslim bleakly spectacular highlands on of the country’s diversity, suggests they are not Muslims.” government. pertaining to details about the ideologue was composed enough the Afghan frontier. the polarising forces of intoler- Farooqi, who cradled bejewel- Ambassador to the United non-career/contractual ambassa- to exhort his followers to close But a cycle of tit-for-tat killings ance are gaining ground. led prayer beads as he spoke, is States Sherry Rehman, high com- dors/high commissioners so that ranks against the city’s Shias. on the streets of Karachi points to “The divide is getting much the Karachi head of a Deobandi missioners to the United Kingdom he could take action on the fate of “Enemies should listen to this: a new type of threat: a campaign bigger between Shia and Sunni. organisation called Ahle Sunnat and India Shamsul Hasan and their service. my task now is Sunni awaken- by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and You have to pick sides now,” said wal Jama’at. That is the new name Salman Bashir, Permanent repre- The major opposition party, ing,” Farooqi said in remarks allied Pakistani anti-Shia groups Sundus Rasheed, who works at for Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, a sentative for the United Nations Pakistan Muslim League-N of captured on video shortly after to rip open sectarian fault-lines in a radio station in Karachi. “I’ve forerunner banned in 2002 in a Masood Khan, Ambassadors to Nawaz Sharif, has made a demand a dozen gunmen opened fire on the city of 18 million people. never experienced this much wider crackdown on militancy the UAE and Oman Jamil Ahmad for the immediate removal of his double-cabin pick-up truck on Police suspect LeJ, which hatred in Pakistan.” Once the by then army ruler, General Khan and Aminullah Raisani, non-career ambassadors picked December 25. claimed responsibility for the proud wearer of a silver Shia Pervez Musharraf. Farooqi says and four retired generals and one by the present government for “I will make Sunnis so powerful Quetta blasts, and its sympathis- amulet her mother gave her to he opposes violence and denies retired air marshal are among their loyalty with the presi- against Shias that no Sunni will ers may also be the driving force hang around her neck, Rasheed any link to LeJ, but security offi- the envoys who will deemed to be dency before the assumption even want to shake hands with behind the murder of more than now tucks away the charm, fear- cials believe his supporters are resigned on March 16 when the of the office by the new prime a Shia,” he said, propped up in 80 Shias in Karachi in the past six ing it might serve not as protec- broadly aligned with the heavily present government and National minister. bed on emergency-room pillows. months, including doctors, bank- tion, but mark her as a target. armed group, whose leaders deem Assembly will cease to exist. The PML-N has referred to “They will die their own deaths, ers and teachers. Fully recovered from the assas- murdering Shias an act of piety. Diplomatic sources here say that high commissioner in the United we won’t have to kill them.” In turn, a number of hardline sination attempt, Farooqi can be In the past year, LeJ has pros- the ambassadors and high commis- Kingdom and ambassadors to the Such is the kind of speech that Sunni clerics who share Farooqi’s found in the cramped upstairs ecuted its campaign with renewed sioners who are engaged on politi- UAE and the United States. chills members of Pakistan’s Shia suspicion of the Shia sect have office of an Islamic seminary gusto, emboldened by the release cal basis are under obligation of It is understood that the envoys minority, braced for a new chapter been killed in drive-by shootings or tucked in a side-street in Karachi’s of Malik Ishaq, one of its found- condition that they accepted for so hit by the controversy would of persecution following a series of barely survived apparent revenge gritty Landhi neighbourhood, an ers, who was freed after spending the appointment that they will be shown the doors while the bombings that have killed almost attacks. Dozens of Farooqi’s fol- industrial zone in the east of the 14 years in jail in July, 2011. Often quit their posts with the change of ambassadors/high commissioners 200 people in the city of Quetta lowers have also been shot dead. city. On a rooftop shielded by a pictured wearing a celebratory government. having the background of their since the beginning of the year. Discerning the motives for any one corrugated iron canopy, dozens of garland of pink flowers, Ishaq has Pakistan has 90 ambassadors service, including the Foreign While the Quetta carnage killing is murky work in Karachi, boys wearing skull caps sit cross- since appeared at gatherings of across the world and 20 per cent Service, would be considered for grabbed world attention, an where multiple armed factions are legged on prayer mats, imbibing a supporters in Karachi and other is fixed quota for the appointees, retention, the sources said. inquiry into a lesser known spate locked in a perpetual all-against-all strict version of the Deobandi school cities. REUTERS including five from the armed INTERNEWS

Fire victims funeral Sunday bazaars Pakistan to identify lose charm

ISLAMABAD: Sunday bazaars in 100 top smugglers Pakistan are losing their charm, as encroachments continue to spring on ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue Chairman footpaths outside the sale points. Ali Arshad Hakeem has said that 100 top smugglers of goods would At the weekly bazaars in Aabpara be identified to make an end to the menace which is causing harm and at Peshawar Mor in federal capital to local industries and revenue collection. Islamabad, encroachers could be seen “Those involved in tax fraud will be arrested,” FBR chairman said selling products on the footpaths, creating at the concluding session of a two-day conference here on Sunday on inconveniences for pedestrians and shop- evolving new parameters for the second phase of tax reforms. pers. Shoppers, especially motorists, at the The World Bank has given $2m loan to FBR for preparation of the Aabpara Sunday Bazaar complained about project for seeking further loans for the second phase of tax reforms. the lack of a proper car park, saying they This loan would be used for doing studies, conducting seminars to have to shuffle from place-to-place before identify areas for strategy proposals. they can get space to park. The FBR had launched tax reforms project in 2002 and ended it Rabia Aslam, a regular shopper at the on December 31, 2011. The second phase of tax reforms would look at Aabpara Sunday Bazaar, said that the areas, which were not done in the first phase of the reforms. tide of encroachments has reached an Hakeem said a CREST-sales tax software-will be rolled out in a alarming level, but the CDA authorities month to stop payment of illegal refunds to people. He said that the were either unaware of the problem or focus of tax reforms project should be on effective enforcement of turned a blind eye to it. tax laws.Broader areas identified for the second-phase of reforms are “An equal number of weekly bazaars changes in management, human resource management and perform- have sprung up on footpaths outside the ance indicators, benchmarking Inland Revenue Service (IRS), bench- Mourners react during the funeral of a garment factory fire victim, in Karachi, yesterday. The bodies were specified weekly bazaars in Islamabad,” marking customs and border management, tax policy and information released by authorities after months of forensic investigations about the tragedy in September last year said Rashid Jameel. He demanded that technology. The FBR, Arshad Hakeem said, had embarked upon an that claimed 289 lives. Police have moved to drop murder charges against the owners of the factory, a the illegal bazaars should be eliminated ambitious acceleration of tax reforms for enhancing revenue mobilisa- report said. to facilitate regular shoppers at the tion. INTERNEWS Sunday bazaars. INTERNEWS MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 PM appeals for calm after Hyderabad blasts Singh visits injured in hospitals; sleuths find vital clues

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister condolences to all the bereaved Manmohan Singh flew back to the Manmohan Singh yesterday families,” Singh added. Begumpet airport. appealed for calm as he flew to About 100 injured are under- Before returning to Delhi Hyderabad and visited some of going treatment at six hospitals after his two-and-half hour the 117 people wounded in twin and the condition of six of them visit, he held a meeting with bombings last week which killed is critical. Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L 16 people. The prime minister avoided Narasimhan, the chief minister Singh also visited the blast site road travel during his visit appar- and some top police officials, who in Dilsukh Nagar, where two bicy- ently due to security reasons. briefed him about the progress cle bombs exploded within a few After landing at Begumpet air- made in the investigations so far. minutes of each other outside a port at 11 am, he flew in a helicop- The main opposition BJP party cinema and near a bus stand on ter to Victoria Memorial School mocked the premier’s one-day Thursday evening. near Dilsukhnagar. He then drove trip to Hyderabad, saying the The prime minister met with about 2.5km to reach the first blasts were a result of the Indian some of the blast survivors and blast site. government’s failure to tackle medical staff in two city hospitals The prime minister first terrorism. and expressed his condolences. stopped at the Anand Tiffin “The prime minister’s visit to “It is most important that Centre in front of Konark Theatre Hyderabad is a non-event,” BJP Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits a victim injured in bombings, at a hospital in Hyderabad. in this hour of grief the people in Dilsukhnagar, where the first leader Balbir Punj told reporters should maintain calm,” he said. bomb exploded. in New Delhi. “I am happy that the people Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar “In fact, if he and his govern- “vital clues” but gave no details. other attacks by the outfit, local according to Indian intelligence of Hyderabad have refused to be Reddy and Director General of ment had been sensitive to the Newspapers have pointed the media reports quoted investiga- officials. provoked by this nefarious inci- Police V Dinesh Reddy briefed issue of terrorism in this coun- finger at the Indian Mujahideen, a tors as saying. New Delhi has long accused its dent,” the prime minister told him about the terror attack. He try... this attack would not have banned militant outfit which has The homegrown group has neighbour of aiding and abetting reporters. walked up to the scene of the sec- taken place,” he said. claimed responsibility for previ- links to Lashkar-e-Taiba, the the militant groups who have car- “I pray for the speedy recovery ond blast, a few meters away. Andhra Pradesh Home ous attacks. Pakistan-based militant outfit ried out attacks on Indian soil — a of those who have been injured, After spending an hour visiting Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy The fitting of the explosive blamed for the 2008 Mumbai charge that Pakistan rejects. to those who have died I send my the two sites and the hospitals, has said investigators have found devices to bicycles was similar to attacks that claimed 166 lives, AFP & IANS Govt seeks investor Army officer held with Rs150m drugs in Manipur IMPHAL: An Indian Army Police claimed that the army to smuggle these to Myanmar,” Choudhury),” Indian Army spokesperson was yesterday officer had earlier smuggled Jhaljit Singh said. spokesperson Colonel Jagdeep arrested in Manipur with con- banned drugs from capital Imphal The police chief said they Dahiya said. confidence with traband drugs worth about to Moreh town on the Myanmar received a tip-off about the move- Pseudoephedrine tablets are Rs150m in the international border five times. ment on Saturday. But when also called party drugs as they market, police here said. The other five accused are a police team tried to stop the induce great energy when taken The drugs were to be smug- Choudhury’s assistant R K Babblu, vehicles in Khongjom, they drove as pills, injected, inhaled or austerity budget gled to neighbouring Myanmar, a private airline’s assistant man- away without stopping. They were smoked. Such drugs are attrac- a Manipur Police official said. ager, Ngairakpam Brojendro, caught after a chase. tive to teenagers the world over. NEW DELHI: Finance dilapidated infrastructure from Colonel Ajay Choudhury of Haopu Haokip, Minthang Bongel The accused, including the army “The drug has been used as a Minister P Chidambaram will roads to ports, analysts say. Red Shield Division was arrested and Milan Haokip, the police officer, have been booked under the precursor to the manufacturing present a belt-tightening budget “A downgrade would take India along with five other people from officer said. Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic of speed pills such as ampheta- this week in a bid to win back to ‘junk” status’ — a severe embar- Pallel town in Thoubal district “They were carrying pseu- Substances Act, 1985. mine and metamphetamine in investor confidence, steering rassment for a country aspiring to after a hot chase, district police doephedrine tablets of different “If found guilty, strict action Myanmar,” a customs official said. clear of populist measures even become a global economic power” chief Jhaljit Singh said. brands in three vehicles to Moreh will be taken against him (Colonel IANS though polls loom, analysts say. and further damage economic Investors have increasingly recovery prospects, said Lalwani. been giving a wide berth to India is targeting raising $1 Asia’s third-largest economy — trillion in investment over the deterred by corruption scandals, next five years to spend on infra- suffocating red tape, high infla- structure whose shabby state is Tension in Assam as four youth killed Scientists tion, sharply slowing growth and seen as a key impediment to eco- unravelling public finances. nomic growth. GUWAHATI: Tension erupted “Our investigation is on to find night and killed,” police said. develop arsenic Chidambaram, who is present- Foreign direct investment in in Assam’s Baksa district — a out the motive behind the killing Baksa, which is a part of BTAD ing his last full budget before vot- India has fallen by 42 percent in part of the Bodoland Territorial and those involved in the crime,” along with Kokrajhar, Chirang ers head to the polls early next the eight months from last April Area Districts (BTAD) — after a police officer said, adding that and Udalguri districts, had wit- detection tool year, must persuade markets that to December from the same bodies of four youths were found local villagers spotted the bodies nessed one of the worst-ever the government is serious about period a year earlier, according yesterday, police said. lying in paddy fields and informed spells of ethnic violence between KOLKATA: Scientists in nursing the economy back to to the latest official data. The four bodies were recov- the police. the Bodos and Bengali-speaking Kolkata have developed a health. But analysts warn that govern- ered from a village called Gerua “Family members of the Muslim settlers last year that left new high-precision technique The budget for the financial ment spending cuts carry risks Ashram under Baganpara police deceased said that the four over 100 people dead and close to to detect arsenic in water, a year to March to be unveiled on of further weakening consumer station in the district. All the four were called out of their houses 500 people displaced. toxic substance widespread in Thursday will likely be “a triumph demand and consequently eco- bore injury marks, police added. by unidentified people last IANS the groundwater of India and of prudence over populism”, said nomic growth, which is expected Bangladesh that on long-term Credit Suisse economist Robert to be 5.0 percent to 5.5 percent exposure is capable of causing Prior-Wandesforde. this year, the lowest in a decade, skin cancer. Chidambaram has already analysts say. According to the WHO, nat- made some austerity moves, cut- “The government has to walk ural arsenic contamination is ting spending by nine percent a tightrope” between “lack of fis- Jammu-Srinagar highway partially reopened a cause for concern in many this year, and a 10-percent cut cal credibility on one hand and JAMMU: The 300km Jammu- remaining shut for three days. and Banihal. He said stranded countries, including Argentina, is expected for next year in the growth risks on the other,” said Srinagar highway, which con- Deputy Inspector General of trucks carrying essential supplies Bangladesh, Chile, China, India, budget, said Deepak Lalwani, senior HSBC economist Leif nects the Kashmir Valley Police Shakeel Ahmad Beigh said were first allowed to proceed to Mexico, Thailand and the United head of investment consultancy Eskesen. with the rest of India, was the Border Roads Organisation Srinagar followed by about 50 States. Lalcap in London. Chidambaram insists he can partially reopened yester- had cleared landslides on a vehicles with passengers. The new method developed by “India’s budget is probably steer India’s growth back to six day for one-way traffic after 100km stretch between Batote IANS the scientists enables high-preci- going to be the most austere one to seven percent next year despite sion detection of arsenic through in many years — deep cuts across the doubts of many economists, tiny gold clusters that signal departments are on the cards,” but that is still below near double- its presence in water by emit- Lalwani said. digit levels achieved before the Designing change ting light (a phenomenon called Chidambaram assured global onset of the global financial crisis. fluorescence). investors on an overseas roadshow And while much of the world “The ultra-sensitive sensors last month that the left-leaning would envy even six percent synthesised by us were in the Congress party-led government growth, India says it needs at form of gold clusters that signal would present a “responsible least nine to 10 percent expansion the presence of arsenic in water budget”. to significantly reduce poverty. by emitting more light or fluores- He has called the government’s “What sounded like a big bang cence when in contact with the fiscal deficit targets of 5.3 percent (in terms of growth) at one stage toxic arsenic in water. of gross domestic product for this is ending in a whimper,” said T “It even detected arsenic in financial year and 4.8 percent N Ninan, editorial director of presence of other toxic metal next year “red lines” that cannot financial daily Business Standard ions,” Arindam Banerjee of be breached. in a weekend column. “No wonder the Department of Biological India must put its financial Mr Chidambaram’s final budget Chemistry of the Indian house in order to avoid a credit rat- is essentially in the nature of a Association for the Cultivation ings downgrade that would deter salvage operation,” he said. of Science, said. investment needed to upgrade its AFP Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi, said arsenic poisoning in India was a widespread phenom- Karat flags off CPI-M’s southern march enon which needed monitoring techniques as well as methods for KANYAKUMARI: CPI-M at Delhi’s Ramlila grounds with a removal of the toxic substance. general secretary Prakash rally on March 19. “Arsenic poisoning of ground- Karat yesterday launched the Other smaller ‘jathas’ will water is widespread in Uttar southern leg of his party’s begin from from Assam, Odisha, Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. “Sangharsh Sandesh Jatha” Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Even our neighbour Bangladesh (march for struggle) — that will and will join the main marches. faces the same problem,” Bhushan highlight problems faced by the The southern leg of the ‘jatha’, said. common people, including price led by politburo member S The unique feature of the new rise and corruption. Ramachandran Pillai, will enter monitoring technique is that it The Communist Party of Kerala today. It will pass through can roughly indicate the extent India-Marxist (CPI-M) will also eight of the state’s 14 districts of arsenic contamination. send three other ‘jathas’ — from before entering Tamil Nadu again. An artist creates a wall painting during the “Design The Change” wall art event in New Delhi yesterday. Around “The more the light emit- Kolkata on March 1, Amristar on More than 10,000km will be 500 graphic artists and painters expressed their thoughts in the form of graffiti and paintings on a kilometre- ted, the greater the quantity of March 4 and from Mumbai on covered by the four marches. long wall at Delhi University’s north campus. arsenic present,” Banerjee added. March 8. They will all culminate IANS IANS MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME Final Twilight Saga movie Fajr (Dawn) 4:45 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:01 gets mauling Zuhr (Noon) 11:47 from Razzies Asr (Afternoon) 3:06

Maghrib (Sunset) 5:34 LOS ANGELES: Popular vam- Isha (Night) 7:04 pire movie The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 2 was sav- aged at the Razzie Awards on Saturday, earning seven “wins” WEATHER in the annual contest for the worst movies and performances Today Tuesday Wednesday Weather of the year. Conditions: Twilight star Kristen Stewart, Clear Partly cloudy Partly cloudy co-star Taylor Lautner and direc- Slight dust to tor Bill Condon were awarded dusty at places. Golden Raspberry statuettes for High: 26° High: 26° High: 25° their parts in the final installment Low: 17° Low: 16° Low: 17° of the blockbuster film franchise. That film alone has taken an impressive $829m at the global box office. Robert Pattinson narrowly escaped a personal mauling, but the DOHA - SUN & SEA entire Twilight Saga cast earned a Razzie for “worst screen ensemble”. SUN TIDE SEA The Razzies, created in 1980 as SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND an antidote to the backslapping of Hollywood’s glitzy awards season, 06:02 17:31 05:00 16:45 11:45 22:30 12-22/27 KT also singled out R&B star Rihanna for scorn. The singer was deemed THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW worst supporting actress for her HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER debut movie role as a sailor in 2012 sci-fi action movie Battleship. MUSCAT 27/18 Partly cloudy 24/17 Partly cloudy American comic actor Adam MAKKAH 34/22 Partly cloudy 32/23 Clear Sandler, a frequent Razzie tar- KUWAIT 24/15 Clear 25/15 Clear get, was awarded not-so-coveted BAHRAIN 22/18 Clear 22/17 Partly cloudy golden raspberry statuettes for SANAA 24/07 Clear 26/06 Partly cloudy worst actor and worst screen- RIYADH 22/09 Partly cloudy 23/09 Partly cloudy play for his comedy That’s My Boy DUBAI 25/18 Clear 27/18 Clear about a father reuniting with his long-abandoned son. BAGHDAD 22/11 Clear 23/12 Partly cloudy Last year, Sandler swept all 10 Razzie categories for his comedy THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW Jack and Jill. The winners rarely HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER turn up to the Razzie ceremony, which was held on Saturday night ATHENS 19/16 Clear 18/12 Partly cloudy in a Hollywood hotel near the Dolby WASHINGTON 08/03 Partly cloudy 07/07 Rain Theatre, where the 85th annual SYDNEY 29/22 Mostly cloudy 28/21 Chance of storm Academy Awards will be handed LONDON 05/02 Chance of rain 06/02 Cloudy out. The nominees and winners of PARIS 05/01 Chance of rain 07/03 Mostly cloudy the Razzies were chosen by more ISTANBUL 15/10 Partly cloudy 14/09 Partly cloudy than 650 members of the Golden MANILA 33/24 Chance of rain 32/24 Partly cloudy Raspberry Foundations and 70,000 DHAKA 34/19 Clear 33/18 Clear votes cast on movie review website Florists decorate an Oscar statue at the entrance to the Dolby Theater ahead of the 85th Academy Awards in California. DELHI 24/12 Clear 25/15 Clear Rotten Tomatoes. REUTERS ISLAMABAD 22/12 Partly cloudy 21/10 Chance of rain

Michelle Obama’s Mobile apps reshape urban taxi landscape in US dance moves go WASHINGTON: Before the MyTaxi was founded in 2009 in and grow.” Like other services, while competition heats up in the last bastions of inefficiency,” said smartphone, riders summoned Germany, and in October began Uber has no cars of its own but United States. Bregman, who launched the idea viral on YouTube a taxi by waving an arm or call- service in Washington, one of 30 partners with taxi or limousine Washington driver Peter Faris after studying at the London ing a dispatcher — but mobile cities worldwide where it oper- drivers who agree to use the app. said he has been able to build a School of Economics. WASHINGTON: A video clip apps are changing that, helping ates. The apps offer the promise “We are like Open Table for car service with three vehicles Hailo says it has grown to more of First Lady Michelle Obama both drivers and passengers. of increased business, especially restaurants or Expedia for travel,” around the Uber app. than $120m in annualised sales, grooving with a dressed-in-drag A number of new services in areas where vehicle and cab he said. Uber has faced some well- “We’ve grown as Uber has and has raised $50 million in Jimmy Fallon on his late-night have sprung up in recent years traffic is low. publicized regulatory hurdles, and grown in DC,” he said. “There’s an venture capital, including from comedy talk show went viral on that enable smartphone users “We’ve been well-received in in New York temporarily sus- amazing vibe. It’s hard to commu- Twitter-backer Union Square YouTube on Saturday. to locate and request taxis with DC,” Benitez said. “Our numbers pended taxi service, while main- nicate the enthusiasm it has cre- Ventures and British mogul In the video, the pair, each GPS. Drivers confirm they’re on have doubled month over month taining its limo operations, as city ated. It has filled a need.” Hailo, Richard Branson. Bregman said clad in conservative slacks and the way, and payment is made in terms of numbers of people officials consider regulations on launched in London in 2011, claims Hailo only launches in a city after cardigans, and Fallon with a long by mobile phone, with no cash joining and passengers.” the “e-hailing” of cabs. to be the largest taxi app, with it has recruited enough drivers to brown-haired wig, perform a changing hands. San Francisco-based Uber offers In Washington, the city council some 30,000 drivers in Boston, provide an adequate supply. routine dubbed Evolution of Mom “It gives the passenger control a mobile app connecting passen- approved a measure last year to Chicago, Toronto and Dublin. This He said the app helps drivers Dancing, to promote Obama’s and incentivises the driver to gers and taxis in six cities, includ- clear the way for app-based taxi year it plans to launch in New by serving as a kind of social net- “Let’s Move!” youth fitness and provide excellent service,” said ing Washington, and operates in 27 and limo services. York, Tokyo, Madrid, Barcelona work, alerting other cabbies about nutrition campaign. Yonis Benitez, general manager cities worldwide with a “black car” “The DC law is cutting edge, it’s and Washington. traffic or accidents, and of events The dance moves — with names in Washington for MyTaxi, a service, which it says costs more pro-innovation, and a lot of cities “The drivers have 30 to 60 per- or neighborhoods where taxis are like “The ‘Go Shopping, Get German-based firm which has than taxis but less than compara- are starting to follow,” said Rachel cent down time, depending on the needed. Groceries’,” and “The Out of Sync recently expanded to the US mar- ble limousine services. Holt, Uber’s manager in the city. city, and customers find it difficult Hailo has some 5,000 cab driv- Electric Slide” according to titles ket. “It’s no longer anonymous. Uber founder and chief execu- Uber, which has venture fund- to get a cab,” Jay Bregman, the ers in New York ready to roll, splashed on the bottom of the They know the driver’s name tive Travis Kalanick said drivers ing from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos New York-born founder of the assuming city authorities resolve screen — progress from a simple and the driver’s rating,” from cus- like the system because “they and Goldman Sachs, has been Britain-based company, told AFP. regulatory issues and lawsuits side-to-side step and ends with tomer reviews which can be seen make more money, they can fill expanding globally to cities like “This is a pattern you find all challenging app-based services. Fallon stalking off set as Obama on the app. out their downtime and can invest Paris, Melbourne and Stockholm over the world. It’s one of the AFP rocks a smooth “Dougie”. The clip, which has already been viewed nearly a half mil- lion times since being posted The Sky Duck Saturday and “liked” more than 10,000 times, has prompted effu- Samsung unveils eight-inch sive comments about the first lady and her first family. “For the first time... we have a first lady with tablet with phone capability soul,” wrote zestydude87. And Rina Lubit wrote, “it may SEOUL: Samsung yesterday latest device — the first from the be just me but i really love the unveiled an eight-inch tablet company to feature an eight-inch presidential family. they just with phonecall capability to screen — is set to fill a gap in the really seem like sincerely good rival Apple’s recently launched firm’s wide product lineup, which and chill people.” In an interview iPad mini and to cement its ranges from the flagship smart- later on the show, Obama rates market dominance by offering phone Galaxy S to the 5.5-inch her husband’s dance skills a “B,” devices in a variety of sizes. Galaxy Note 2 and the 10.1-inch saying “he’s got, like, three good The Galaxy Note 8.0 features Galaxy Tab tablet PC. moves.” an eight-inch screen and, where The firm has recently shifted Obama also touts her “Let’s it may steal a march on its rival its focus to its Galaxy Note, which Move!” campaign, saying it has which measures 7.9-inches, the turned out to be far more popular seen progress since she launched ability to make phone calls. The than the larger Galaxy Tab, offer- it three years ago, but there is still new device, now being marketed ing the Note in various sizes in a work to do. “Over the past three by Samsung as a “tablet”, is pow- move that blurred the lines between years, we’ve seen a culture shift. ered by Google’s Android software smartphones and tablet PCs. Now people understand that this and will be showcased at the four- Samsung said the launch of is an issue,” she said. day Mobile World Congress in the Galaxy Note 8.0 will “reignite “We’ve got better lunches Barcelona beginning today. the mid-size tablet category” — a in the schools, we’ve got com- Like previous incarnations of the segment increasingly crowded by panies putting grocery stores Galaxy Note, the device comes with rival products including the iPad in under-served communities. a stylus pen allowing the user to mini that launched last November We’ve got our athletes, our write or draw on the screen, which and Google’s seven-inch Nexus 7. Olympians, working to get our can be split in two to run various Samsung and Apple accounted kids more active. It’s really programs at the same time. Global for more than half of all smart- heartening to see.” sales will begin in the second quar- phone sales in the final quarter of Obesity is a major health prob- ter, the firm said. 2012 — 29 percent for Samsung lem in the United States, where An amphibious bus ‘Sky Duck’ goes into the water during its trial run in Tokyo. Japan’s Hinomaru bus service Samsung is the world’s top and 22.1 percent for Apple — one in three adults and almost company will begin a sightseeing service with two amphibious buses from March 17 for the first time in Tokyo. maker of smartphones and according to research firm one in five children is overweight. mobile phones in general. The Strategy Analytics. AFP AFP Monday 25 February 2013 15 Rabial II 1434 Volume 17 Number 5621 Price: QR2

World Mobile Congress opens today

Business | 19

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 QIB records QR1.24bn profit in 2012 Chairman announces five-year global investment plans

DOHA: Qatar Islamic Bank Executive Officer, who took up 2012 reached QR3.10bn which is (QIB) has charted out a five- his duties earlier this month. 16 percent higher than QR2.68bn year global investments strat- On the Bank’s future plans, generated last year, reflecting egy to help anchor the Bank’s Jassim said QIB aims 2013 to be strong growth in the Bank’s core position as an Islamic finan- its year of excellence. “The Bank operating activities. cial institution of international seeks to adopt efficient tools for Financing income has grown by stature. innovation and diversification of 17 percent to reach QR2.08bn at Presenting the Bank’s 2012 its credit portfolio, support for the end of 2012 compared to QR financial results at the ordinary small and medium enterprises, 1.77bn for 2011. Net fee income general assembly here yester- expansion of foreign investments, was QR417.2m compared to QR day the Bank Chairman Sheikh and maximisation of total profits 300m in 2011 showing year-on- Jassim bin Hamad bin Jassim bin to offset the negative impact of year increase of 39 percent. Jabor Al Thani noted the bank’s the decrease in the credit facility Total Shareholders’ Equity of international sector has crafted, profit margin.” the bank reached QR11.5bn as of in collaboration with specialised QIB recorded a net profit of 31st December 2012, helping it to consultants, a five-year strategic QR1.24bn for the year 2012. Total maintain its healthy capital ade- vision for its global investments. Assets of the bank has increased quacy ratios. QIB’s healthy capi- This will strengthen interna- by 25.6 percent compared to QR talisation and strong asset has tional Islamic banking and posi- 73.2bn in 2011. Financing activi- enabled Fitch Ratings to affirmed tion of QIB as an Islamic financial ties continues to be the major QIB’s Long-term Issuer Default Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani (centre), Chairman, Qatar Islamic Bank, addressing the general institution of global stature. The growth driver and have now Rating (IDR) at ‘A’ with a Stable assembly meeting of the shareholders at the Four Seasons Hotel in Doha yesterday. With him are Mohammad bin Bank has registered substantial reached QR43.1bn, representing Outlook. Standard & Poor’s has Abdullatif Al Mana (left), Vice Chairman, and Abdullatif bin Abdulla Al Mahmoud, Managing Director. SALIM MATRAMKOT progress in restructuring of some a 45.7 percent growth in 2011. also assigned counterparty credit of its affiliate and sister compa- The 2012 full year financial ratings of ‘A-’ long-term and ‘A-2’ have been righteously executed. In Bank’s financial statements and the Board’s liability is confined nies such as the Arab Finance results presented at the ordi- short-term, with a stable outlook general, the transactions referred Profit& Loss Account for the to giving relevant jurisdictions House and QIB UK, he noted. nary general assembly noted the on the long-term. to the Board were found to be in financial year 2012, and believes and reviewing the transactions Locally, QIB has achieved signif- Customer Deposits of the bank A statement presented by the conformity with the standards that they are Shariah-compliant”, referred to it, whether they were icant progress in the implemen- have registered a strong growth Shariah Supervisory Board on adopted by it and, all errors that the statement noted. However, the addressed to it directly or through tation of the new organisational of 55 percent compared to 2011 the Bank’s operations during were committed upon implemen- Board confirmed that the respon- the Shariah Audit department as restructuring at all levels. A key to reach QR43.1bn, reflecting a 2012 noted it has directly super- tation are adjusted. sibility for applying the Shariah implied by the authorities vested decision was the appointment well-balanced financial position. vised the Bank’s activities and “The Shariah Supervisory norms and controls lies mainly in the Shariah Audit department. of an eminent banker as Chief QIB’s total income for the year are satisfied that its resolutions Board has also reviewed the on the Bank’s management, as THE PENINSULA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Woqod posts QR1.15bn Bahrain to benefit more from causeway DOHA: Bahrain will immensely benefit from the proposed Qatar-Bahrain ‘Causeway’ (‘Friendship Bridge’) as its GDP net profit; assets up stood at $22.7bn compared with Qatar’s $173.2bn economy at the end of 2011, Qatari Businessmen Profit slightly down compared to previous year Association (QBA) said yesterday. DOHA: Woqod’s (Qatar Fuel) Turki Al-Sobai said that the Wajba, Al Jamelia, Al Kotaifa, “Abundant trade and business total assets for 2012 full year Board of Directors reviewed Um Ghareebah, Lusail, Hamad opportunities in Qatar and in the reached QR8bn, up by 15.7 percent, and approved the audited finan- International Airport, and New Kingdom of Bahrain can not only compared to the year 2011. The cial results achieved during this Mesaimeer. These projects are help strengthen bilateral relations total equity recorded a growth period. The Board also examined expected to be completed during but can also facilitate growth in rate of 14.3 percent to reach current and future projects and the second half of 2013. economies of the two countries,” QR5.5bn for the same period. gave his directives. Two technical inspection centres Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Net profit, after excluding The Board of Directors rec- located at Mesaimer petrol station Thani, Chairman of QBA said minority interest, for the full year ommend the general assembly and Wadi Al Banat petrol sta- during a meeting with a visiting 2012 exceeded QR1.15bn, slightly scheduled to be held on March 13, tions are nearing completion and Bahraini delegation. down by 0.028 percent compared 2013 to distribute cash dividends will be operational during the first Hussein Alfardan, First Deputy to QR 1.18bn in 2011 for the same of QR. 519.750m, according to a half year of 2013. WOQOD signed Chairman of QBA, highlighted period of last year (after the new rate 100 percent of the value of a contract with a specialised French benefits of the causeway which Bahraini delegation with QBA officials. adjustment in calculating the the paid-up nominal capital, i.e company to provide equipment aims to bolster communication Company’s contribution to the QR 10 per share, in addition to 25 and technology for these centres. and cooperation, in addition to Khalaf Habib Hejair in addi- relations between the two peoples. Activities’ Fund). Despite the percent bonus shares i.e. 4 shares Three Sidra service centers were the development of trade and tion to Hamid Youssef Rahma, He said businessmen in both increase in capital base through per 10 outstanding shares. completed and operational during exchange visits between both Assistant Undersecretary countries enjoy incentives and issuing 25 percent bonus shares Al Sobai added that Woqod is 2012 at the Cultural Village (Katara) countries. for Domestic Trade at the possess the potential for consoli- in 2011, earning per share (EPS) currently involved in implementa- , Qatar Foundation and WOQOD According to available figures, Ministry of Industry and Trade, dating and strengthening eco- amounted to QR22.13per share tion of more than 30 new projects, Tower at Al Dafna for providing the trade balance is in favour of Dr Zakaria Ahmed Hejrais, nomic relations, especially since as compared to QR22.78 for the including large number of petrol retail services through Sidra’s chain. Bahrain. The volume amounted Chief Executive Officer of the there are opportunities which same period of 2011. stations, vehicle inspection cen- On behalf of Woqod, Qatar to $825m at the end of 2011, with Universal Bank, Jihad Ibrahim allow them to establish partner- Woqod’s Board of Directors, tres, product supply pipelines Petroleum is currently execut- Qatar’s imports totalling $737m Amin, a representative of trade ships and economic and trade chaired by H E Abdullah bin and Sidra C-stores. During 2012, ing its Product Supply Pipe- and exports $87.5m. and tourism, Saleh Abdullah Al relations which will strengthen Hamad Al Attiyah, Chairman of four petrol stations were commis- Lines: The first phase which The meeting was followed by a Belushi and others. bilateral ties and both economies. the Administrative Control and sioned at Al Sylieh , Muaither, Bu includes 18 inch pipeline to carry luncheon in honour of the delega- Present were Sherida Saad Al Moayyed thanked QBA Transparency Authority and Fassil and Lakhdeera. Another all types of petroleum products tion at the Renaissance Hotel. Jubran Al Kaabi, Nasser Suleiman members for the warm reception. the Chairman of the Board of four are nearing completion in from Mesaieed Refinery to Doha The team included Consul at Haidar, Salah Murad, Nabil Abu He highlighted both countries’ Directors, held its meeting yes- Roda Al Hamam, The Pearl, Abu Depot has been completed. The the Bahraini Embassy, Nasser Issa, Seraj Al Baker and Maqbool efforts to support relations terday to discuss the financial Samra and Mesaieed and would second phase which intends to Fares Al Qutami, Bahrain Habib Khalfan. through laying foundations for results achieved during the period be commissioned in the first quar- supply Hamad International Chamber of Commerce and Sheikh Faisal described Qatar- future ties and signing agree- ended the 31th of December 2012. ter of this year. Other projects Airport with Jet Fuel (Jet-A1) Industry members Farouk Bahrain relations as a model for ments to help both peoples Announcing the financial are currently either under con- will be completed and commis- Al Moayyed, Samir Abdullah the GCC and Arab countries achieve their goals and fulfil results, Vice-Chairman and struction, or in tendering stages sioned before the opening of the Nass, Mohammed Abdul- in terms of durability, strength their needs. Managing Director, Mohamed in Um Karn, Al Thakheera, Al New Airport. THE PENINSULA Jabbar Kohaji, Khalid Ali Amin, and historical ties and fraternal THE PENINSULA UDC approves election of new directors DOHA: United Development adopted all motions proposed more than 43%, helping profits to Company (UDC), leading Qatari by the Board of Directors. They climb and earnings per share to public shareholding company included the Board of Director’s rise,” Hussein Alfardan, Chairman and the master developer of report on the company’s activi- - UDC Board of Directors, said The Pearl-Qatar, yesterday ties and its financial position for during his speech to attending announced that the annual gen- the financial year ending 31st shareholders. “Based on our solid eral meeting of its shareholders December 2012 and the future 2012 results, we look forward to approved the election of new plan of the company, Auditor’s continued progress in 2013. We directors. report on the company’s accounts are confident in our future and The newly-elected direc- for the financial year ending 31 in the new leadership directing tors are: Abdulrahman Abdullah December 2012,Approval of the our progress since April 2012. United Development Company officials at the annual general meeting. Abdulghani Nasser Al Abdul Ghani, Company’s balance sheet and This dynamic, new management Turki Mohamed Khaled Al Khater, the profit and loss accounts for remains committed to operating Sheikh Ahmed bin Nasser Faleh Al the financial year ending 31st United Development Company’s Nasser Al Thani,Ali Hassan Salem December 2012 and deciding on investments and interests in a Abdullah Al Khalaf,Moftah Jassim the recommendation of the Board responsible, transparent and Mohammed Al Moftah,Abdul Aziz of Directors regarding the divi- sustainable manner, laying the Mohammed Hamad Abdullah Al dends, The General Assembly’s cornerstone for the many new Mana, Dr Thani Abdul Rahman release from liability of All mem- plans we’d like to charter for our Shaheen Al Al Sheikh Al Kuwari, bers of the Board of Directors future.” Rashid Hamad Arsheed Al for the financial year ending 31 Ebrahim Al Sulaiti, CEO, UDC Farhood Al Meadadi, Sheikh. Ali December 2012, appointment said the company must attract, Bin Ghanem Al Thani. of the External Auditor for the develop, retain and inspire the The UDC shareholders also financial year 2013 and approval best people at every level across ratified the appointment of of the auditor’s fees, election our company and its subsidiaries. Ernst & Young as the Company’s of members of the Board of This will necessarily mean that independent registered public Directors and the Governance we develop the Qatari workforce accounting firm for the fiscal year Report for the year 2012. at UDC through effective recruit- ending December 31, 2013. “In 2012, we kept costs under ing, education and training.” The annual general meeting control and increased revenue by THE PENINSULA QE launches LP activities QIC seeks to increase capital to enhance weak stocks DOHA: Qatar Insurance Company( QIC) has sought DOHA: Qatar Exchange (QE) its sponsorship, including trade the approval of the Ministry of yesterday announced its deci- execution and settlement under Business & Trade to increase sion to launch “Sponsored the Sponsoring Member’s bank its capital after distribution of Action” and the “Liquidity guarantees. bonus shares. The QIC plans to Provider” facilities at the The market note describes the offer over 21m shares for sub- bourse. While the ‘sponsored application process and ongo- scriptions to current sharehold- action’ would allow sponsor- ing obligations. According to the ers registered at QE for a price ing members to provide eligible notice circulated to the market of QR.45 including the share’s customers or sponsored mar- members, the Sponsored Access par value plus QR.35 as pre- ket participants to get direct will be open for domestic and mium, a Qatar Exchange filing access to the QE’s trading sys- non-domestic clients. noted. THE PENINSULA tem, Liquidity Provider or LP is In particular, the domestic an action to help enhance weak client should prove eligibility Gulf markets stocks. to perform the said activity and In a notice circulated to all should be licensed as a financial close mixed market members, the Qatar services firm, while for non- Exchange stated that direct mar- domestic clients, the license DUBAI: Shares in Dubai’s ket access to the trading systems held in the country of origin Emaar Properties rallied 4.6 by eligible customers or sponsored should be at least equivalent to percent to a fresh 51-month participants will be governed by a locally-issued license, as deter- high as retail demand surged. a number of regulatory controls, mined by QFMA. Emaar closed at 5.26 dirhams. the most important of which As to the LP activity, QE’s mar- Dubai’s index rose 1.2 percent to being compliance with Article (44 ket notice highlighted that the its highest close since Nov. 2009. bis) of QFMA’s Financial Services door is open to members to sub- Neighbouring Abu Dhabi bench- Rulebook and Article (3.2) of mit the LP applications provided mark also climbed, up 0.2 percent QE’s Rulebook, which provides that they comply with QFMA’s to a fresh 39-month high. Qatar’s for the Sponsoring Member’s Liquidity Provider rules as well measure fell 0.5 percent to its low- undertaking of full responsibil- as the provisions of Chapter 4 of est close in February. Doha Bank ity for all business executed by QE’s Rulebook. tumbled 9.1pc after it passed ex- the Sponsored Participant under THE PENINSULA dividend date. REUTERS

Qatar Shell ties up with QDB to support SMEs

DOHA: Qatar Shell has part- ment released by Shell yesterday in order to fulfil global require- nered with Qatar Development said that the new partnership will ments. Shell’s investment in Bank (QDB) to open the doors for provide local companies and man- Qatar reached $21bn in the last local Small to Medium Enterprises ufacturers access to new business 6 years. It invested in two large (SMEs) to supply contracts for opportunities as well as help them projects in Ras Laffan Industrial Shell businesses in Qatar. A state- raise their operating standards City. THE PENINSULA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 European, US telecoms divide widens World Mobile Congress opens today in Barcelona

BARCELONA: When the “If European operators don’t infrastructure. However, the bosses of global mobile opera- get their financing capacity back heavy losses faced by Mexican tors meet in Barcelona this and regain higher stock market tycoon Carlos Slim since he week, there will be an ele- valuations, investment in net- bought stakes in Dutch group phant in the room: the widen- works may be lower than many KPN and Telekom Austria sug- ing gap between fast-growing would wish.” gest foreigners must tread care- and richly-valued US telecoms To keep up with the smart- fully before bargain shopping in companies and their ailing phone and tablet computer boom, Europe. European counterparts. global carriers must invest $800 In the United States, Verizon A overcrowded market, tough billion in their networks through Wireless and AT&T control 70 regulations and recession are 2016, according to trade group percent of the mobile market and hampering European telcos’ abil- GSMA, notably on fourth genera- their virtual duopoly has allowed ity to invest in faster networks, tion (4G) mobile technology and them to grow sales and profits, increasing the risk that the fibre broadband that offer up to avoiding the fate of European region’s flagging economy falls ten times faster internet speeds. peers to become investor darlings. further behind the United States While US, Japanese, and South As they have upped investment and parts of Asia. Korean telcos invest heavily in to build faster 4G networks, they As a result, a transatlantic gap networks, Europe’s players have have secured higher prices from in company valuations has opened been struggling to pay off debts consumers increasingly addicted to its widest since 2008, with as their ability to generate cash to smartphones from the likes of European telco stocks now trad- is hit by fierce competition. As Apple and Samsung. ing at roughly 9.9 times earnings a result, they are building 4G Their financial performance against 17.6 times for US peers. and fibre broadband only slowly, last year is the stuff of dreams The gap reflects differences leaving swathes of Europe poorly for Europe’s operators. Verizon in the competitive landscape. covered. The situation has led grew mobile revenues by 7.7 per- Europe has about 100 mobile many European telco executives cent last year on a margin of 46.6 firms to the United States’ six, to lobby the European Union for a percent, while AT&T mobile sales People walk in front of an entrance to the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, yesterday. The GSMA Mobile as well as harsher rules that have more benign approach to mergers grew 5.7 percent on a margin of World Congress, representing the interests of the worldwide mobile communications industry, will take place from sapped profitability and contrib- and acquisitions and regulations 39.6 percent. uted to four straight years of on, for example, call charges. In contrast, Europe’s biggest today until Thursday in the Spanish city. revenue decline. And it has real Europe’s top technology regu- mobile operator Vodafone saw world consequences. As inves- lator Neelie Kroes supports con- its revenue dip 0.4 percent in the T-Mobile USA is also in the proc- region’s worst-performer. improvement in what you’re being tors’ confidence in them wanes, solidation to create a handful first half of its current fiscal year, ess of buying smaller rival Metro For Bernstein analyst Robin offered on mobile speeds, whereas European telcos find it harder of strong cross-border telecom and its operating margin was 30.5 PCS. Bienenstock the problem is for Europeans, there has been a to raise or borrow money and leaders. But European antitrust percent. Average revenue per US mobile European telcos have no confi- deterioration in quality.” become increasingly wary of fund- watchdogs led by competition The two smaller US players — user (ARPU) has grown 25 per- dence that investing in networks If the valuation gap persists, ing network upgrades that take commissioner Joaquin Almunia Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile, a cent to $49 (¤39.24) since 2007, to offer superior service than it could open the door to outside years to pay off, but are vital to have been cold on such deals unit of Deutsche Telekom - have according to Sanford Bernstein. rivals will pay off. companies looking for bargain economic growth. over fears they will raise prices some 30 percent of the market, In Europe, ARPU has fallen 15 “So they don’t invest, they just acquisitions in Europe. “If it were just a valuation for consumers. but are far from matching the percent to ¤24. cut costs and tweak pricing, lock- AT&T, for example, has sig- gap of 5 percent it wouldn’t The valuation gap could even two leaders’ network quality or To cope with lower sales, ing themselves in a vicious cycle nalled it would look for oppor- really matter, but when it is so make European telcos acquisition profitability. Europe’s telcos have cut costs, of selling an increasingly com- tunities to expand in Europe, large, it does have serious con- targets for U.S. and Asian rivals, That could change if the mar- But that has not improved profits moditised service,” she said. although people familiar with its sequences,” said France Telecom a tough pill to swallow for proud, ket gets more competitive after because prices keep falling. The “If you are an American thinking said no decisions had Chief Financial Officer Gervais former state-backed monopo- Japan’s Softbank bought about sector index dropped more than consumer, especially in a big been made on such moves. Pellissier in an interview. lies that build key national 70 percent of Sprint last year. 8 percent in 2012, making it the city, there has been a tangible REUTERS Huawei claims world’s Apple, Samsung face onslaught at mobile fair BARCELONA: Chinese handset makers will lead an onslaught on smartphone titans Samsung and Apple when the world’s biggest mobile fastest smartphone fair opens today in Barcelona, Spain. Offering big-screen, slick, slim smartphones at lower prices, Chinese manu- BARCELONA: China’s Huawei, iPhone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy facturers Huawei, ZTE and Lenovo will leverage the Mobile World Congress the number three smartphone SIII. to chip away at the mighty duopoly, analysts say. maker behind giants Samsung The Ascend P2 will launch in The handset battle is part of a broader revolt against a handful of companies and Apple, unveiled yesterday France through Orange in June with a stranglehold on the booming industry’s handsets, operating systems a new mobile, the Ascend P2, and is also expected to be avail- and microchips, they say. which it claims is the fastest in able worldwide during the second Apple, as usual, is steering clear of the February 25-28 congress that the world. quarter of 2013, it said. draws 1,500 exhibitors to this Mediterranean city in northeastern Spain, and Sharp-cornered and thinner “Ascend P2 downloads HD Samsung is not expected to launch its next big offer, the Galaxy S4, until than a pencil at 8.4 mm, the com- movies in minutes, and loads some time after the show. That may leave the field clear for rivals to tout pany said it can achieve speeds of online videos, web pages, songs or their ambitions for a slice of the smartphone market, which is set to grow 150 Mbps, fast enough to down- e-Books in seconds,” Huawei said to a record one billion handset shipments in 2013 according to a forecast by load a two-hour high-definition in a company statement issued at global consultancy Deloitte. AFP movie in less than five minutes. the launch. The mobile, which has a 4.7- The phone, which includes a 13 inch, high definition screen, has megapixel camera, is the latest a powerful 1.5 GHz quad-core shot in Huawei’s battle against processor and is able to use the the fast-growing market’s titans fourth-generation high speed Samsung and Apple. mobile networks being rolled out Samsung and Apple accounted worldwide. for more than half of all smart- Unveiling the device on the phone sales in the final quar- eve of the opening today of the ter of 2012 — 29.0 percent for four-day Mobile World Congress Samsung and 22.1 percent for in Barcelona, Spain, the company Apple — according to research said it was “the world’s fastest firm Strategy Analytics. smartphone,” smashing all pre- Behind Samsung and Apple, vious records. however, Chinese firms held the Huawei said its phone sur- third, fourth and fifth spots — passed top speeds of 100 Mbps with 5.3 percent for Huawei, 4.7 for the fourth-generation network percent for ZTE and 4.4 percent A man holds Huawei’s new smartphone ‘Ascend P2’ at a press ready versions of Apple’s flagship for Lenovo. AFP conference in Barcelona, yesterday. Qatar Holding to seek credit ratings this year

LONDON: Qatar Holding, apply for a rating from both has ratings of Aa2 from Moody’s a new $12bn investment firm the investment arm of Qatar’s Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s. and AA from S&P, and was most backed by blue-chip assets sovereign wealth fund, is to “I can confirm that Qatar recently in the bond market last from the sovereign wealth seek credit ratings this year. Holding will be seeking a credit summer with a mammoth $4 fund, and list it on the local The fund, which has stakes in rating this year,” a spokesper- billion sukuk issue. stock exchange. The new firm Credit Suisse, Porsche, Harrods son for the fund told IFR late on Last week, Qatar Holding would invest in assets around and Xstrata among others, will Thursday. The Qatar sovereign said the country would establish the world. REUTERS

GCC Regulators’ Summit today

DOHA: The two-day 7th GCC Regulators’ Summit will • Bullion - Mumbai begin here today at the St Regis Hotel. The summit will Gold (10 gm) Standard Rs. 29220 be attended by over 400 pre-qualified senior delegates from the banking sector and financial institutions, in addition to Silver (1 kg) Rs. 54735 regional GCC regulators. The Regulators’ Summit is region’s • Indian Rupees QR1 = 14.79 landmark forum for the financial compliance community. • Sensex Al Khalij Commercial Bank (al khaliji) is the platinum spon- BSE 19317.07 sor of the event which is being organised by Thomson Reuters in NSE 5850.30 association with the Qatar Central Bank, Qatar Financial Centre • LIC (International) launches New Gold Investment Plan ‘GOLD PLUS’ – Regulatory Authority and Qatar Financial Markets Authority. which provides an opportunity to invest in GOLD ETF & GOLD SPOT, PAN “We are pleased to be Platinum Sponsor of the GCC Regulators’ Card/Demat Account not required. Summit,” said Robin McCall, Group Chief Executive Officer at al khaliji. “Our support to the GCC Regulators’ Summit is • Short-term investment plan from LIC International upto 6.4 percent return a sign of our unwavering commitment in promoting the role p.a. (in dollar) of compliance and governance across the financial sector. Our • Housing loan from HDFC LTD participation in the summit is in line with the Bank’s Corporate • Mutual Fund: Buy & Sell: SBI MF, HDFC MF, UTI MF, Birla Sun Life MF, Governance strategy and our strong belief in achieving long- Tata MF, Reliance MF etc. term sustainability, both for Qatari society and for the bank.” Contact: Investec, Tel: 44325060/44365060 email: [email protected] QNA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET

QE Indices Summary QE Index 8,693.21 0.47 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Total Return Index 11,923.19 0.47 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 2,570.38 0.19 % RATE QE All Share Index 2,120.29 0.27 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 2,034.01 0.52 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 5114.396 13.432 0.26 5114.396 4664.6 QE All Share Consumer Goods & 4,941.45 0.33 % QR186.6464 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 Services Cac 40 Index/D 3729 -6.82 -0.18 3793.26 3601.05 UK ...... QR 5.5343 QR 5.6114 QE All Share Industrials 2,797.27 0.35 % SILVER QE All Share Insurance 1,976.86 0.99 % Dj Indu Average 14035.67 53.91 0.39 14044.8 12035.1 QR 3.4094 Euro ...... QR 4.7605 QR 4.8568 QE All Share Real Estate 1,622.13 0.51 % CA$ ...... QR 3.5324 QR 3.6075 Egypt Cma Gn Idx 1026.29 32.57 3.28 999.95 312.38 QE All Share Telecoms 1,183.03 1.16 % Swiss Fr ...... QR 3.8786 QR 3.9670 QE All Share Transportation 1,426.37 0.14 % Hang Seng Inde/D 23307.41 163.5 0.71 23944.74 22860.25 Yen ...... QR 0.0385 QR 0.0394 QE Market Summary Comparison Aus$ ...... QR 3.7148 QR 3.8091 Iseq Overall/D 3682.54 -6.55 -0.18 3701.2 3396.67 CRUDE OIL Today Previous day Ind Re ...... QR 0.0663 QR 0.0678 24-02-2013 21-02-2013 Karachi 100 In/D 17947.07 129.36 0.73 17941.73 16036.31 Index 8,693.21 8,734.56 BRENT Pak Re ...... QR 0.0368 QR 0.0376 Change 41.35 66.75 Nikkei 225 Index 11468.28 95.94 0.84 11498.42 10398.61 Peso ...... QR 0.0878 QR 0.0905 % 0.47 0.76 $114.12 SL Re ...... QR 0.0283 QR 0.0289 YTD% 4.00 4.49 S&P 500 Index/D 1530.94 11.15 0.73 1530.94 1266.74 DUBAI Taka ...... QR 0.0457 QR 0.0466 Volume 6,608,301 7,247,734 Straits Times/D 3308.89 13.12 0.4 3319.19 3160.83 Nep Re ...... QR 0.0420 QR 0.0428 Value (QAR) 356,478,940.19 268,765,035.89 $113.08 Trades 3,449 3,493 SA Rand ...... QR 0.4069 QR 0.4149 Straits Times/D 2989.31 24.69 0.83 3035.78 2657.77 Up 12 | Down 22 | Unchanged 03

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 24-02-2013

Crude oil corrects and gold meets the death cross HE weakness seen during was seen coming from China. If focus on the spread to Brent pick-up in demand later this year. the last month in most the focus remains on inflation- Weekly Commodity Update crude oil which better reflects the Brent crudes correction was Tagriculture commodities fighting measures more than price which consumers are pay- halted when support was found which then carried over to pre- growth, demand for these metals ing across the wold. The US has at $113.15/barrel at which level cious metals, spread this week to could suffer. The upshot this week BY OLE HANSEN increased supply with limited pos- two different support features the growth-dependent commodi- was that both metals ended down (Head of Commodity Strategy, sibilities for exports while rising converged. One is trend line sup- ties such as energy and industrial almost four percent. Saxo Bank) demand from especially emerging port from the June 2012 low, as metals. This resulted in wide- The minutes of the latest US economies like China is therefore seen below, while the other is the spread losses. Former stalwarts Federal Reserve Meeting were its high allocation to energy. The lasted until Thursday when talk being reflected in a higher price 38.2 percent Fibonacci retrace- such as Brent crude, platinum published on Wednesday and DJ-UBS, meanwhile, moved into about rising US inventory levels for Brent crude. ment of the rally just seen from and copper all felt the pressure repeated the concerns expressed negative territory for the year not and signs of a slowing demand During this week’s correction, the November low. A failure to from investors scaling back long by some members at the previous least because of its more diversi- ahead of the annual refinery the spread remained elevated as hold onto this support level would exposure which in some com- meeting in December. In it some, fied approach which resulted in maintenance season, triggered the selling pressure on WTI crude open up for a deeper correction modities had reach overextended but not the majority, expressed a bigger exposure to the metals some weakness. This eventually was stronger for the reasons out- potentially back down to $110/ levels. worries about the effect on finan- which were particularly hard hit. pushed both crude oils through lined above. barrel. This latest round of weakness cial systems of excessive quantita- Looking at performance among established support levels. The Looking ahead, it is too soon Gold hit by death cross and was triggered by China which tive easing because low interest individual commodities we see sell-off was further assisted by to call the end of this 2013 rally, FOMC wobble drained a record amount of rates carried the risk of pushing how the losses were concen- unconfirmed market talk that a but with the annual maintenance The selling of precious metals cash from its banking system in investors into ever riskier invest- trated around energy and metals commodity fund was liquidating season coming up, demand for which for both gold and silver has response to an explosion in credit ment. The issue of when QE3 while the agriculture sector, apart assets. Through 30 minutes of crude oil from refineries across lasted since October accelerated growth. This was the first time in would be reduced or stopped rat- from natural gas, provided all the carnage some 70 million barrels of the northern hemisphere looks this past week with gold tum- eight months that China failed to tled the markets, especially gold positive returns. Here soybeans WTI crude changed owners and set to be reduced which could help bling to a seven-month low. Once provide liquidity and it indicates and silver as it once again raised in particular stood out because after failing to move back above put a cap on prices, at least dur- the January low was breached a growing concern about infla- the question of what can support limited rain in Argentina led to previous support, now resist- ing the next three months. For it fell all the way to $1,555/oz. tion. Worries that the economy precious metals once the liquidity expectations of lower production ance, at $95/barrel, the weakness now though, it most of all looks before buyers emerged ahead of is heating up have been supported injections cease. at a time of robust demand from continued. like a healthy correction after the weekend. Longer term and by data which showed that prop- The two major indices, the China. Weekly data from the US the speculative net-long posi- non-leveraged investors through erty prices in most of the major DJ-UBS and the S&P GSCI, The energy sector in a Department of Energy confirmed tions in both crudes had become Exchange Traded Products also cities continue to rise at a wor- both suffered losses as all sec- healthy correction that WTI crude oil inventories close to being overextended. The felt the chill and during the four rying pace. Industrial metals did tors apart from agriculture were Following the sell-off in indus- continues to rise as production correction has also brought the day week up until Thursday they not like this news as much of the sold during the week. The 2013 trial metals, the energy sector has reached the highest level price closer in line with current reduced holdings by 40 tons, the expected demand for metals like performance of the two indices (particularly the two crude oils since 1992 and imports remains fundamentals after having been fourth biggest reduction over the copper (housing and infrastruc- varies, with the S&P GSCI show- and gasoline) was the only sector at the lowest level in over ten running ahead of itself on an last five years. ture) and platinum (automobiles) ing a positive return helped by left unscathed. This, however, only years. This once again put some expected, though not yet realised, THE PENINSULA

MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23

NHL: Canadiens bounce back to Clippers rebound lead in East

NEW YORK: The Montreal Canadiens have claimed their second victory of the week against the New York Rangers, with big victory prevailing 3-0 yesterday to reclaim sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. Alex Galchenyuk, Erik Cole NBA: James helps Heat scorch Sixers and Lars Eller each scored a goal and added an assist while Carey Price made 17 saves for his second NEW YORK: The Los Angeles NBA results shooting, saw him reach 16,000 shutout of the season. Clippers registered a compre- career points. James helped him All three goals came in the sec- Washington 105 Houston 103 hensive 107-94 win over the get there as he got his teammate ond period. Utah Jazz at the Staples Center Denver 113 Charlotte 99 the ball often in the early going. Cole was first to get on the yesterday to rebound from their Cleveland 118 Orlando 94 James scored just five points in score sheet with a clever wrist thrashing at the hands of San Miami 114 Philadelphia 90 the first two periods, but finished flick early in the period before Antonio Spurs on Thursday. with 16 points, 11 assists and 10 Galchenyuk doubled the advan- Humbled 116-90 at home to the Indiana 90 Detroit 72 rebounds for his third triple-dou- tage with a slick move near the Spurs last time out, the Clippers Atlanta 103 Milwaukee 102 ble of the season. net. redeemed themselves in front of LA Clippers 107 Utah 94 The Heat’s current winning Eller closed the scoring with their fans with the clinical win streak includes four straight road a powerplay slapshot with less over Utah, pulling away with a big The win moved the Clippers to victories. than 30 seconds remaining in the third quarter. 40-18 on the year, keeping them They now have their second period. Los Angeles led by two at the in control on top of the Pacific double-digit winning streak since The loss was not the only con- half but outscored their oppo- Division. Bosh, James and Wade joined cern for the Rangers who lost key nents 36-20 in the third to destroy It also ensured a four-game forces, the other a 12-game streak defensemen Ryan McDonagh and the game as a contest with Blake season sweep of the Jazz for the in the 2010-2011 season. Dan Girardi to injury. Griffin, Caron Butler and Lamar first time since 1978-79. “Right now, we just want to The Canadiens improved to Odom leading the way. The Jazz dropped to 31-25 but continue to pile up the wins as 12-4-2 with the win to be two “Third quarter, we got into it remain in the playoff zone as the much as possible,” Wade said. points clear of the Pittsburgh defensively a little bit, got some seventh best team in the Western Added Bosh: “We really have a Penguins, Ottawa and the New stops so we were more aggressive Conference. very good chance to kind of sepa- Jersey Devils in the East. and did a much better job with Meanwhile, Dwyane Wade rate ourselves from the rest of the The Rangers dropped to 8-7-2 points in the paint and just our had a game-high 33 points and pack, and continue to get better. and are struggling in fourth spot overall effort,” Clippers coach LeBron James notched a triple- Meanwhile, Golden State in the Atlantic Division. Vinny Del Negro told reporters. double as the NBA champions Warriors center Andrew Bogut Colin Greening batted a puck Griffin and Odom scored 18 Miami Heat downed Philadelphia didn’t travel with the team for the out of midair for a goal with points each while Butler put away 114-90 yesterday to stretch their beginning of a five-game road trip 24 seconds remaining to give a team high 21 points of his own winning streak to 10. at Minnesota because of a nagging the Ottawa Senators a 3-2 win along with five rebounds. Mario Chalmers scored 14 back injury. over the Toronto Maple Leafs “I’m just staying with it, look- points and Chris Bosh added 13 An MRI revealed that a pro- yesterday. ing for my offense. Just trying to for the Heat, who improved to truding disk in Bogut’s back is The goal is a career-highlight play through whatever I’m going 39-14 and have a comfortable 5 causing spasms, the Warriors said for Greening, who just a week ago through and just letting the game 1/2-game lead over Indiana in the yesterday. They are hoping Bogut Enes Kanter #0 of the Utah Jazz shoots over Lamar Odom #7 of the Los was a healthy scratch against the come to me,” Odom said of his Eastern Conference. can join the team later in the trip. Angeles Clippers at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, yesterday. Leafs, but scoring on a good friend performance from the bench. Wade’s points tally, on 14-of-18 AGENCIES The Clippers won 107-94. is tough.Greening and Leafs goalie Ben Scrivens were teammates and roommates at Cornell University. “Being able to score on Ben is one of those weird situations,” Greening said. “You always want Erakovic clinches I can become number him to do well, but not too well, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. “He played well over there and deserves a lot of accolades for his Memphis title one again, says Federer play of late.” Scrivens was clearly aggra- DUBAI: Roger Federer bristled ATP Tour rules. These reduce a vated by the result and struggled MEMPHIS: Marina Erakovic In men’s action in this combined a little when it was suggested player’s mandatory commitments to offer Greening any accolades. became the first New Zealander ATP and WTA event, fifth-seeded to him that his days as world to Masters events by one tour- “It’s frustrating, he’s a good since 1989 to win a WTA title Kei Nishikori of Japan advanced number one might be at an end nament for each of the following player, but you want to play a yesterday, lifting her first career to today’s final after a short day’s because of his reduced sched- milestones - 600 career matches, few of those better,” Scrivens trophy with a truncated tri- work. He had won the first set ule, and only a few seconds were 12 years’ service, and 31 years said. Despite the loss Scrivens was umph over third-seeded German against Marinko Matosevic 6-4 needed for him to knock that of age. But because Federer will looking to catch up with Greening Sabine Lisicki in Memphis. when the Australian retired with idea back. have achieved all three, he will be before he left Scotiabank Place. Erakovic confidently raced to a a bone bruise on the bottom of his The 31-year-old top-ranking able to skip as many as he wishes The goal came as a result of 6-1 first-set victory, and the title right foot. record-holder is only planning without penalty. Ottawa winning the faceoff in was hers when the struggling “He was playing well from the to play 14 tournaments this year, Meanwhile, Djokovic’s first Toronto’s end, which left Jay Lisicki retired. beginning,” Nishikori said. even dropping his home town tournament since his successful McClement, who was on the ice The big-hitting German had Nishikori will take on Spain’s tournament in Basel and the Novak Djokovic (left), Roger defence of the Australian Open for the play, shaking his head. been battling an undisclosed ill- Feliciano Lopez for the title. Miami tournament which has Federer title offers him a chance to show AGENCIES ness for several days. Lopez beat Uzbekistan’s Denis sometimes been described as the why he could remain the world Istomin 6-2, 3-6, 6-3. biggest outside the four Grand absolutely great,” he said, before number one for the forseeable NHL results ATP-WTA US Indoor Erakovic, who was runner-up Slams. expressing his doubts. “I can play future. to Sofia Arvidsson in Memphis Federer, who is now world great, but will I be allowed to? The 25-year-old Serbian’s tri- Washington 5 New Jersey 1 Championships last year, fired four aces and con- number two, is already more than Time will tell. My big focus is umph in Melbourne saw him Philadelphia 5 Winnipeg 3 MEMPHIS, Tennessee: Results yesterday from the verted both of her break point 4000 ranking points behind the on making sure that every tour- avenge a defeat in the US Open Edmonton 3 Phoenix 2 $1.58m ATP and WTA US Indoor Championships opportunities in racing through leader Novak Djokovic, whose nament I enter I am perfectly final to his most contemporary Los Angeles 4 Colorado 1 (x denotes seed): the first set in 27 minutes. total is 40 percent more than the prepared. I am hopeful I will get rival, Andy Murray, making him NY Islanders 4 Buffalo 0 Men Semi-finals Her run to the champion- Swiss legend. enough matches but if not my an even stronger favourite to win ship match had included a sec- This means that the chances of schedule can be changed. back the title at the Dubai Open, Montreal 3 NY Rangers 0 Kei Nishikori (JPN x5) bt Marinko Matosevic ond-round revenge victory over the sport’s greatest legend adding “I need to make sure I have which starts today. Ottawa 3 Toronto 2 (AUS) 6-4, retired Arvidsson. to his record total of 302 weeks at enough time off, so that when To do that Djokovic will proba- Tampa Bay 5 Carolina 2 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Denis Istomin (UZB) While she was sorry the match the top would appear to be signifi- 2014 comes I am in a position with bly need to overcome the man who 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 didn’t go the distance she still cantly reduced. options which I almost wasn’t this took it away from him -- Federer, Detroit 4 Nashville 0 Women Final savored her first WTA crown, But Federer immediately con- year to a degree.” who has a home in Dubai, often St Louis 2 Columbus 1 which she said she planned to cel- tested that. This is a reference to the plays outstandingly well here, and Marina Erakovic (NZL) bt Sabine Lisicki Dallas 3 San Jose 1 ebrate by going sky-diving with “It’s definitely realistic if I’m options which will be open to him has won the title five times. (GER x3) 6-1, retired her coach. AGENCIES playing great, but I need to play in 10 months time according to AGENCIES Calgary 3 Minnesota 1

Heir Apparent Shooting Championship Gritty Scotland edge Ireland

EDINBURGH: Greig Laidlaw put the skill sets we have then we can do some dam- boot into Ireland as Scotland made Six Nations Results age. I’m happy but there is still plenty we the most of meagre possession to win a can improve on.” LONDON: Results in the Six Nations scrappy match 12-8 at Murrayfield yes- Scotland were buoyant coming into the after the weekend matches: terday and record their first back-to-back game following their resounding win over Six Nations victories since 2001. Yesterday At Edinburgh Italy but they were soon on the back foot Laidlaw’s four second-half penalties Scotland 12 Ireland 8 against Ireland who mounted wave after proved enough for the Scots, who had trailed wave of attacks. Saturday At Rome 8-0 following debutant Paddy Jackson’s All one of the pre-tournament favourites first-half penalty and winger Craig Gilroy’s Italy 9 Wales 26 had to show for their territorial dominance try three minutes after the interval. At Twickenham at halftime, however, was a three-point lead, Ireland, who dominated possession England 23 France 13 much to the dismay of coach Declan Kidney. throughout the match, camped near the “It’s all about taking your opportunities. Scottish line in the closing stages knowing “We are in it up to our ears and that’s We created several try-scoring opportuni- a try would put them 13-12 up but the home great for the fans and the team. But let’s not ties but we didn’t convert them to take us side stayed strong to keep their frustrated get carried away,” interim Scotland coach in front of Scotland’s penalty count,” said visitors out. Scott Johnson told the BBC. Kidney, upset at several missed penalty Scotland, who last won the competition in What most impressed Johnson was his attempts by Jackson. 1999 when it was still the Five Nations and side’s grit and determination in the face of “Their place-kicking stats were higher whose last successive wins came in the foot an Irish onslaught for the vast majority of than ours and there will be some regret and mouth disease-affected 2001 tourna- an error-strewn game. about that. We created opportunities, but I ment, are third in the table with four points. “I’m happy for the boys because it showed will take a good look at myself this week, as The podium winners at the Heir Apparent Cup Shooting Championship pose They sit behind England on six and level a different side to us - we showed great will the rest of the guys around me.” for a picture with officials of Qatar Shooting and Archery Federation at Losail with holders Wales, their next opponents resolve,” Johnson said. Ireland next face bottom team France Shooting Complex. Vital won the gold medal in the men’s Rifle 50m ahead of on March 9 in what will be a key encoun- “We could have been well behind at half- at home on March 9 before they travel to Vij Sulav who clinched the second position, the bronze medal went to Qatar’s ter given the pace-setters will be heavy time,” said Johnson whose team had 29 per Italy to round off a disappointing campaign Rashid Ali Al Mohannadi. favourites to notch up a fourth successive cent of the possession. that started brightly with a superb win over win when they host Italy. “If you can combine that resolve with the Wales in Cardiff. REUTERS MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Athletics: Kimetto takes Poulter powers into semis Tokyo record as Former champions Hunter Mahan and Poulter set for last-four clash Kenyans sweep podium MARANA, ARIZONA: The Three-time champion Woods, semi-finals of the World Golf the world number two and second TOKYO: Dennis Kimetto Championships Match Play seed, also exited in the first round, claimed his first marathon vic- Championship will feature a while the overall third, fourth tory in only his second race over clash between two stars of the and fifth seeds -- Luke Donald, the distance when the Kenyan fickle format: defending cham- Louis Oosthuizen and Justin Rose Matt Kuchar won the Tokyo Marathon in a pion Hunter Mahan and 2010 -- all lost in the second round on race record time yesterday. hits his third winner Ian Poulter. Friday. The 29-year-old finished in a shot on the 11th England’s Poulter put away Those marquee names might be time of two hours, six minutes Steve Stricker 3 and 2 in the quar- gone, but Poulter boasts impec- hole out of the and 50 seconds to smash Swiss ter-finals, spoiling his American cable match play credentials. bunker during Viktor Rothlin’s 2008 record by opponent’s 46th birthday. His Ryder Cup singles record is the quarter- 33 seconds but still outside his Mahan, trying to join Tiger unblemished, and he has won both final round of target of 2:04. Woods as the only players to win this title and the World Match the World Golf Last year’s winner Michael back-to-back titles in this event, Play Championship in Spain in Championships Kipyego finished eight seconds defeated US Open champion 2011. - Accenture behind Kimetto in the runners-up Webb Simpson 1-up. “I love match play,” said Poulter, Match Play at spot with Bernard Kipyego com- Today morning’s other semi- who got past South African Tim the Golf Club at pleting the Kenyan clean sweep final will pit Australian Jason Day Clark in the third round to book Dove Mountain in of the podium. against American Matt Kuchar. his clash with Stricker. Marana, Arizona, It was the first time the Tokyo Kuchar defeated compatriot Stricker took a quick 1-up lead yesterday. race had featured as a World Robert Garrigus 3 and 2 in the when Poulter bogeyed the first Marathon Major with Kimetto’s quarter-finals and Day downed hole as the American birdied. victory putting him top of the former US Open winner Graeme But Poulter won the next to standings in the six legged contest McDowell of Northern Ireland even the match, and went 1-up that takes place over two years 1-up. with an improbable win at the with events in Boston, London, Earlier yesterday, Day ousted third, where he snaked in a Berlin, Chicago and New York. reigning Masters champion 40-footer and Stricker missed Home runners Kazuhiro Bubba Watson 4 and 3. from seven feet. missed the green to the right and Mahan came out on top in a guy and how he plays,” Mahan Maeda (fourth) and Takayuki McDowell ended Irishman Poulter called it “a typical Stricker was short and chipped to tense duel with Simpson, the first said. Matsumiya (ninth) prevented a Shane Lowry’s dream run with a match play swing ... It looks like about three feet. time this week that Mahan was “To me, his determination and Kenya-Ethiopia domination of the 3 and 2 third-round victory. Steve is going to be going up right Before Poulter had chipped, taken all the way to the 18th hole. his will is his greatest strength. top 10. Lowry had toppled world there, and I hole, he misses. And someone in the crowd called “Pick Neither player led by more He’s never going to think he’s out In the women’s race, Ethiopian number one Rory McIlroy in the from then on I sort of took over it up,” and Stricker picked up his than one hole, with Mahan finally of a hole.” Aberu Kebede followed up her first round on Thursday en route and got myself in front.” ball for a conceded putt. taking the lead for good at the Yesterday’s two rounds put the Berlin marathon success by tak- to becoming the first 64th seed Stricker was 3-down by the “I think it was close enough, 16th when Simpson’s par putt tournament back on schedule ing the title with a time of 2:25:34. to reach the third round of the turn and Poulter remained 3-up anyway, but for a split second, failed to drop and Mahan made after snow stopped first-round Her compatriot Yeshi Esayias event. with three holes to play. it was a little off-putting,” said his seven-footer. play on Wednesday. finished second almost 30 sec- McIlroy led a parade of top There was a bit of confusion Poulter, who nevertheless finished He was looking forward to tak- Today morning’s semi-finals onds back with 40-year-old Irina seeds out of the tournament in at what proved to be the final off the match anyway by holing ing on Poulter. will be followed by the champi- Mikitenko of Germany, the World the first two rounds. hole, the par-three 16th. Poulter his own 10-footer. “I have so much respect for the onship match. REUTERS Marathon Majors champion in 2008 and 2009, taking third. Inbee Park of South Tokyo Marathon Korea Park wins in Thailand holds the Results winner’s PATTAYA, THAILAND: Inbee Park won the she left the final green to be consoled by her older TOKYO: Results from the Honda LPGA Thailand yesterday in a day of high sister and fellow pro golfer Moriya. trophy Tokyo marathon yesterday, drama as local teen star Ariya Jutanugarn suf- “I don’t know what to say... I’m still shocked,” after the one of the six major races in fered heartbreak after fluffing a two-shot lead at said Park, who watched stunned as Ariya’s misery final round the world with Boston, London, the final hole. unfolded at the final hole. of Honda Berlin, Chicago and New York: LPGA The Korean world number four, who made a final- “Nobody expected this, but it’s golf. She (Ariya) Thailand round 67 to finish the tournament 12-under at 276 has played incredible golf over the last few days. I Men golf (67-71-71-67), looked on in shock from the locker feel really bad for her to lose on the final hole... but 1. Dennis Kipruto Kimetto (KEN) 2:06:50 tournament room as 17-year-old Ariya triple-bogeyed the last it will be a big lesson to her.” to lose by a single shot. Three up at the start of play Ariya, who only in Pattaya 2. Michael Kipkorir Kipyego (KEN) 2:06:58 Overnight leader Ariya finished 11-under (69- turned professional last month, looked set for a yesterday. 66-70-72), with world number one Tseng Yani a famous home victory as she clung onto a two shot 3. Bernard Kiprop Kipyego (KEN) 2:07:53 Inbee Park shot further back (75-68-72-63) in joint-third with advantage into the par five last. finished at Korea’s So-Yeon Ryu (68-68-74-68), American Stacy She hit a solid fairway, but found the lip of the 4. Kazuhiro Maeda (JPN) 2:08:00 12 under- Lewis (63-69-76-70) and Beatriz Recari of Spain bunker and then missed the green as the pressure 5. James Kipsang Kwambai (KEN) 2:08:02 par for a (68-68-72-70). cranked up. Needing a miracle putt to rescue the total of It was the cruellest of outcomes for the young Thai title, she scuffed from the rough and was then left Women 276. who captured hearts with courageous golf -- even horrified as her ball curled across the rim of the hole making a hole-in-one on the 12th -- before tears as to leave her title dream in tatters. REUTERS 1. Aberu Kebede (ETH) 2:25:34 2. Yeshi Esayias (ETH) 2:26:01 3. Irina Mikitenko (GER) 2:26:41 4. Albina Mayorova (RUS) 2:26:51 Rich medal haul for Qatari cyclists 5. Yoshimi Ozaki (JPN) 2:28:30

DOHA: Qatar cyclists picked up six medals and signed off from Games star this year’s GCC Track Cycling Championship in style, manag- Bolt stretches ing a number of podium finishes in the event contested by five legs with 1-lap teams from the region. The top cycling competition was held at Sharjah Velodrome race at home and attracted riders from all GCC countries except Saudi Arabia. KINGSTON: Jamaican sprint Qatar finished in second spot hero Usain Bolt continued overall with four silver and two his low-key early-season pro- bronze medals. gramme yesterday, running in Riders from the UAE ended the heats of the 4x400m relay the event at the top place with at the Gibson Relays athletics 12 gold, four silver and four bronze meeting. medals. Bolt clocked a 45.7sec split run- Oman were third with two sil- ning the third leg for the Racers ver and two bronze medals. Lions squad, which won their heat Overall, Kuwait were fifth, also in 3:06.9 ahead of a Dominican finishing with two bronze medals. Republic team that was timed in In the four-kilometre chase 3:08.6. Bolt spectacularly defended on the last day of the champion- Qatari riders are seen on the podiums of various events held during the 2013 GCC Track Cycling Championship staged at Sharjah Velodrome. Qatar his three gold medals -- in the ship, Qatar picked up the silver Cycling Federation (QCF) Secretary General Magid Al Naimi (top left and bottom left) accompanied the squad. 100m, 200m and 4x100m -- in the medal in a time of 4:44.96 to finish London Olympics last summer. behind the UAE, who won gold The runner’s decision to skip (4:39.98). yesterday’s final was the plan all The Bahraini team claimed along, his coach Glen Mills said, third place in a time of 5:48.31. telling journalists he was “only Qatar also picked up a silver down to run the heats”. in the seniors’ time trial on the In the final, double Olympic last day. UAE won the event in sprint silver medallist Yohan 50.414secs and Qatar took the sil- Blake collected the baton for ver in 52.224secs. Bahrain were Racers Lions some 10 metres third (59.428) behind and couldn’t close the gap. Qatar Cycling Federation A Racers Track Club squad (QCF) Secretary General Magid won in 3:03.74 while the Lions Al Naimi accompanied the squad finished in 3:04.00. on the UAE trip. “I would have loved to get the Qatari riders, who underwent baton a little bit earlier,” Blake a gruelling three-month summer said. “But in the end it was good, training camp across Europe especially since I don’t run the last year, will also be aiming for 400m a lot.” medals at the 33rd Asian Cycling Both Bolt and Blake opened Championship to be held in New the 2013 season on February 9 Delhi in March. by competing in the 400m at the Branko Filip is the Qatari Camperdown Classic outdoor coach. THE PENINSULA meeting. AGENCIES MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Barcelona stretch lead at the top Villa and Messi score in 2-1 win over Sevilla; identical victory for Read Madrid

MADRID: Barcelona stretched Barca now face a huge Spanish by former Barca defender Botia. But Barca held on to record as he left Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and their advantage at the top of La Cup semi-final second-leg with The half-time scoreline forced their 22nd win from 25 league Sami Khedira on the bench in a Liga to 15 points as two goals Real Madrid tomorrow with Jordi Roura to introduce Cristian games this season. side that included seven changes in eight minutes just before the the tie finely balanced a 1-1 and Tello for Alexis Sanchez and the Real Madrid also had to come from last weekend’s 2-0 win over hour mark from David Villa and Mascherano believes home advan- Spanish Under-21 international from behind to win 2-1 at relega- Rayo Vallecano. Lionel Messi handed them a 2-1 tage and an away goal gives them was to have quite an impact as tion threatened Deportivo La “We have a big squad and the win over Sevilla on Saturday the upper hand. Barca turned the game around. Coruna thanks to second-half manager plays who he thinks is night. “On Tuesday we have a big It was from the other side of goals from Kaka and Gonzalo best for each game,” Higuain told The Catalans, who slumped to game but we have the advantage. the pitch though that they found Higuain. Gol TV. a shock Champions League loss We are playing a great rival but the equaliser as Dani Alves’ per- Riki had fired in at Diego “The important thing is to win at AC Milan in midweek, had to we need to finish the job.” fect cross was headed home by Lopez’s near post to give the hosts and now think about Tuesday. We come from behind after Alberto Barca faced much the same David Villa seven minutes into a deserved lead on 31 minutes. have great desire and hope for Botia headed the visitors into a challenge as in their 2-0 defeat the second period. However, Deportivo were the games coming up, we know 42nd minute lead. to AC Milan as they struggled And Messi completed the turn- left to rue missing a number of that in a week we will be playing Barca star Javier Mascherano to find a way through a packed around as he scored for the 15th chances to extend their advan- for the Cup and the Champions said it was important to get the Sevilla defence early on. consecutive league game as he tage when Kaka equalised with League.” equaliser quickly after the break. Messi had a low drive well- turned in Tello’s intelligent cut- a fine curling effort 17 minutes Valencia moved into fifth place “I think we were aware that saved by Beto and also saw a free- back eight minutes later. from time and Higuain sealed as they came from 2-0 down to we didn’t pay well in the first- kick drift over but Barca were Sevilla still had their chances the comeback 15 minutes later draw 2-2 at Real Zaragoza thanks half and we needed more,” he told stunned when the visitors took to take something from the game with an easy finish after bril- to two goals from Jonas. Canal Plus. the lead with their first serious though as Ivan Rakitic pulled a liant build-up play from Kaka Mallorca meanwhile remain Barcelona’s Lionel Messi cele- “In the second-half I think we attack on the stroke of half-time. shot just wide before Alvaro and Cristiano Ronaldo. rooted in the bottom three as they brates after scoring against Sevila started with more intensity and A free-kick was played out to Negredo should have scored when Madrid boss Jose Mourinho had conceded three times in the final FC during thier Spanish League luckily managed to find the equal- Coke on the right and his cross he fired over 15 minutes from made his intentions clear ahead of 19 minutes to lose 3-1 at home to match at the Camp Nou Stadium iser quickly.” was headed beyond Victor Valdes time. tomorrow’s clash with Barcelona Getafe. AFP in Barcelona on Saturday night. 1-2 for Qatar at GCC 3x3 Basketball Championship Al Kass Cup Under-18 tourney scores a goal in cyber space DOHA: Al Kass Cup football defeated last edition’s champi- team. In addition to the above tournament was one of the ons Paris Saint-Germain in this the official website of the tour- most followed sporting event year’s final. nament got more than 100,000 reaching millions of people The other teams that took visits. around the world through dig- part in the tournament were “All of this goes to show that ital channels, it has emerged. home teams Aspire International the world’s eyes are on Qatar The Under-18 tournament and Aspire Qatar, Zamalek SC when it comes to sports and foot- was followed closely by a glo- of Egypt, Al Nassr from Saudi ball, and that the sports activi- bal audience of football fans on Arabia, Boca Juniors from ties that take place in Qatar can social media sites like Facebook, Argentina, Liverpool from now be shared with the world in Twitter, YouTube and the tour- England, Yokohama F Marinos a socially interactive manner,” nament website. from Japan, Inter Milan from said Shadi Safadi who was man- The Facebook page for the Italy, Real Madrid from Spain aging the social engagement at tournament was the fastest and Esperance from Tunisia. the event. growing and most engaging All the activities and the The seven-day tourna- Facebook page in the Middle games were covered live play-by- ment was hosted by Al East and North Africa on 9 play on twitter with more than Kass, together with Aspire February 2013 according to 125 tweets on average being sent Zone Foundation and, Qatar SocialWatchlist. out every day during the event. Football Association, initiating With an engagement rate of The account was retweeted a new tradition for the world 200%; the Facebook page also and mentioned more than 7,500 of football and was held from won seven accolades for its times; with #AlkassCup being January 28 to February 7. outstanding performance com- mentioned 4,342 times. The tournament featured Qatar basketball team, winners at the GCC 3x3 Basketball Championship, celebrate their win in Dubai, on pared to the local and regional The YouTube channel featured the Under-18 teams of some Saturday. Qatar team “A” registered a convincing 21-16 victory over Qatar team “B” to make one-two. Saudi Facebook pages. summaries of all the matched, of the best football clubs in the Arabia finished in third place. The event was organised by UAE Basketball Association and five teams from GCC More than 39,000 people from the press conferences, and more; world. nations, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and hosts United Arab Emirates took part. Meanwhile, around the world voted on who all of which were viewed more This was the second successive President of Qatar Basketball Federation (QBF) and General Secretary of Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh they thought would win the tour- than 67,000 times, more than half year the Al Kass football tourna- Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani appreciated the player’s effort and congratulated the team delegation on nament; which ended up being of which came from Brazil who ment was hosted by Qatar. the Brazilian Fluminense who were supporting their winning THE PENINSULA their dazzling achievement.

AISM leads as The Tour fleet Oman’s Al Jabri springs heads to Muscat a surprise in Sail the Gulf DIBBA, Oman: Dutch Student Team Delft Challenge-TU Delft DOHA: Oman’s young already de-rigging my boat pulled off a stunning victory in Laser sailor Hussain Al when I got the news from the today’s leg of the Gulf region’s Jabri left for Qatar’s Sail jury that I had won! Until then only long distance offshore sail- the Gulf regatta last week I hadn’t been able to smile but ing race, finishing over an hour with no expectations except then I just laughed and said: ahead of the nearest rival. to develop and test his skills I love sailing! This is a sport The leg, which takes in some against an international where anything can happen,” of the most scenic backdrops on fleet but returned home said Al Jabri. the Tour, should have been plain yesterday a champion after Qatar’s Sail The Gulf sailing for the leading three winning his class. regatta was the first major teams. The young 24-year-old Al regatta of the 2013 dinghy All the boats competing in EFG Jabri’s victory in the Laser sailing season with 220 sail- Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour Standard class fleet after four ors from 21 countries compet- are Farr 30 one designs, identical cut throat days of 12 races ing in nine dinghy classes. Al boats of identical speed and under contested at the Doha Sailing Jabri who was up against sail- normal circumstances in an off- Club from February 20-23 was Oman’s Hussain Al Jabri, winner in the ors from Bahrain, the Czech shore leg the boats are separated even more incredible as he Laser Standard class of Sail the Gulf Republic, Germany, India, by minutes, if not seconds. was lying third going into the regatta of Qatar Sailing and Rowing Kazakhstan, Myanmar, the However on the sixth leg of final day of racing. Federation, poses with his trophy at Netherlands and Russia con- the event from Zighy Bay to Quietly confident that he Doha Sailing Club on Saturday. sistently posted top results Mussanah Marina, the lead- could still better his position, with typically smart tactics ing boat, TU Delft, arrived one the final day of the event nevertheless proved a and a cool head to keep him in the top three hour and 12 minutes ahead of her seesaw of emotions and results for Al Jabri. places from the outset. rivals. His hopes rocketed when he posted a 2nd place On day one he shared the lead on equal points After taking the risky tactics in the first race and soared higher when he pulled with Germany’s Alexander Maxmilian after scor- of splitting from the rest of the off a magnificent bullet in the second, but crashed ing two seconds and a third in light 5 – 8 knot fleet and heading inshore in the when he finished a disappointing 7th in the final winds. Day two saw him in second place with a early hours of this morning, the race of the event. fifth and two thirds despite heavy 24 knot winds Dutch student team led by Kay “I went ashore trying to convince myself that and tough conditions. On day three he posted a Heemskerk had extended away even despite the 7th place I had done my best to fourth, third and fifth place to position him third at one point by more than 10 hold onto third overall and win bronze for my overall going into the final three races on the miles – impressive on a leg that country,” said Al Jabri who only started sailing fourth and final day of the event. ended up being less than 60 miles 18 months ago. The Qatar championship win comes on the from start to finish, after it was But what Al Jabri didn’t know at that stage back of Al Jabri’s win at the Singapore Laser shortened. was that his closest rivals and leading two Trophy last year. The result leaves TU Delft sol- contestants, Rashid Al Kindi, Chairman of the Oman idly in fourth place overall, while Gajender Singh and Dharmender Singh Sailing Committee and National Team Manager Bertrand Pace’s team on AISM Chauhan from the Indian Army Team, had both was full of praise for Al Jabri: “Hussain is one of continues to lead albeit with only retired from the first race of the day after being the most disciplined sailors in the team, in his a 4.25 point advantage over sec- flagged by the jury with a DNE penalty for pump- training and his fitness abilities. He is passionate ond-placed BAE Systems going ing in the tricky light seven to eight knot wind about what he does and always aims to improve into today’s final sprint leg of EFG conditions. The penalty relegated the Indians, his performance. This event was a great platform Bank Sailing Arabia – The Tour, Singh and Chauhan, to second and third overall for him to test his performance at an interna- from Mussanah Marina back to respectively and left the way open for Al Jabri to tional level. This will help him gain more experi- The Wave, Muscat. leapfrog to the top of the leader board. ence to compete on Asian and international level. THE PENINSULA “I had been ashore for about an hour and was THE PENINSULA MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

China’s Ma Long, winner of the men’s singles title at the Qatar Open 2013 Table Tennis Championships, receiving the trophy from Qatar Table Tennis Association President Khalil Al Mohannadi at Qatar Women’s Sports Committee Hall at Aspire Zone, in Doha, yesterday. Long registered a 4-3 victory over Yan An to clinch 14th title of his career on the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) tour. CENTRE: Ma Long (right) and Yan An pose with their trophies. RIGHT: Long celebrates after winning the men’s singles title. PICTURES BY: IBRAHIM KUTTY/REUTERS China’s Long, Ding win in Doha Qatar Open 2013: Qualifier An goes down fighting to world No. 3 in men’s final

BY DENZIL PINTO With both players one game away from winning the title, it ITTF chief DOHA: China’s Ma Long tri- was no surprise that the decider umphed at the Qatar Open 2013 was closely-contested. With the impressed by Table Tennis Championships, score at 8-8, another error by An but the Men’s world number gifted Long a match point. three had to overcome the chal- After thrilling the spectators Qatar tourney lenge of surprise finalist and by saving a match point, he could compatriot Yan An. not repeat the heroics on the DOHA: The International Ranked 62 in the world, An, second attempt when his return Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) who had to endure two days of missed the table. The winning President Adham Sharara said qualifying went down fighting in match point was received with a was impressed with the number seven games. huge roar from Long who fisted of participants that competed Long registered a 4-3 victory his left hand in delight. at the Qatar Open 2013 Table (11-9, 11-3, 10-12, 10-12, 9-11, 11-6, Elsewhere, in the Women’s Tennis Championships that 11-9) to clinch the 14th title of his final, after losing the first game, concluded yesterday. career on the International Table Liu did not lose her concentra- Speaking at a press conference Tennis Federation (ITTF) tour. tion and established a 10-7 lead. on the final day of the $212,000 Earlier, in the Women’s Singles However, Liu allowed Ding back event, Sharara said: “The level of category, world number one Ning into the game at 10-all and was entries was very high. I did not Ding eased past second seed China’s Ding Ning holds the winner’s trophy after beating compatriot Liu Shiwen (left) during the women’s singles nearly made to pay for her mis- expect so many Chinese, Japanese Shiwen Liu in five games to regain final. RIGHT: China’s Yan An plays a shot against compatriot Ma Long during the men’s final. takes. Yet, the 21-year-old kept and Korean players to be here. the title she had won in 2011. her composure and sealed the That is because usually they China’s Ding, who had earlier In a game that had a lot of ral- before Long grabbed the second the qualifier clinched the third second game 13-11. train in preperation for the world clinched the Women’s Doubles lies, An was on the defensive but game 11-3. game 12-10. The Chinese duo can- Despite the second game set- championship events. In Kuwait, title with Liu, won 11-9, 11-13, still managed to bring the score at After losing the first point in celled each other out early in the back, Ding continued to be domi- the entry was quite strong, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7. 9-9. With Long leading 10-9, An’s the third game, Long took control fourth game. nant, showing the good form and here in Qatar it was quite In what the most entertaining error gave the third seed the first to win four consecutive points. Leading 6-4, An made good that got her in the final. Despite stronger. It was quite impressive.” final of the day, An took a 3-1 lead game 11-9. The attacking abilities of An was use of his attacking abilities to a brief battle from Liu, the top With the 2014 edition set to early in the first game. An, who was quick to respond being dealt with camly by Long, increase his tally to 8-5. An then seed claimed the game 11-8 to commemorate the 18th edition An, who defeated world number to Hao’s attacking play in the who was playing in his 22nd ITTF clinched the game despite Long establish the lead. of the World Tour competition, four Wang Hao in the earlier semi-final, was unable to react World Tour final. levelling the score at 9-9. From then on, Liu provided he hopes some of the top players semi-final, showed no signs of quickly enough to Long’s shots. An battled back at 5-all in what With An clinching the fifth no real threat, with Ding leading will make an appearance again. nerves in the early parts of the With Long leading 7-2, An proved to be a closely-fought game 11-9, Long put his opponent 8-1 in the fifth game. Despite Liu “I’ve been told that next year’s game. twice gifted his opponent two game. under pressure. The 24-year-old reducing the deficit to 6-8, Ding edition will be very special, so I After a slow start, Long, who points at 9-3. Long began to get Long had a two point cushion at soon had a four point cushion at comfortably beat her compatriot, hope the top players will be here defeated defending champion Xu his rhythm into the game, dictat- 9-7. An rallied and saved a game 8-4. Long took advantage of a in what was her first victory over again,” the 59-year-old Canadian Xin in the semi-finals, took the ing play which pushed An deep point which received a loud cheer time-out call and made sure the the Chinese in five attempts. said. upper hand leading 8-6. behind the table. It was not long by the spectators. Leading 11-10, final would go into the decider. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA

Dortmund draw to leave Bayern Al Sadd trounce Al Wakra 3-1 in QSL 17 points clear DOHA: Qatar Stars League (QSL) giants Al Sadd yester- QSL Standings day crushed Al Wakra 3-1 to P W D L GF GA Pts BERLIN: Defending champi- pick up three key points, giv- Al Sadd 18 14 1 3 40 19 43 ons Borussia Dortmund were ing their fans hopes of another Lekhwiya 18 12 3 3 32 17 39 held to a 1-1 draw at Borussia title win with only four matches Moenchengladbach yesterday remaining. Eljaish 18 11 1 6 21 17 34 as leaders Bayern Munich fin- Al Sadd owed gratitude to Al Rayyan 18 10 3 5 42 28 33 shed the weekend a massive 17 Abdulkareem Hassan (20), Raul Al Khor SC 18 6 6 6 23 21 24 points clear at the top of the (40 +3) and Younis Mahmood (62) Al Gharafa 18 6 6 5 21 22 24 Bundesliga. as the Doha giants dominated Qatar SC 18 6 4 8 25 26 22 Holders Dortmund take on play at Al Wakra Stadium. Umm Salal 18 6 4 8 24 32 22 Bayern on Wednesday in the For the home team, the deficit quarter-finals of the German was reduced by Ali Arahima in Al Wakra 18 5 5 8 23 28 20 Cup, but Munich are running injury time (90 + 3). Al Kharaitiyat 18 3 7 8 18 20 17 away with this season’s league Leaders Al Sadd now have Al Arabi 18 3 7 8 19 29 16 title and are all, but guaranteed a tally of 43 points from 18 Al Sailiyah 18 1 2 15 21 49 5 to end their three-year wait for matches. silverware in May. Defending champions Lekhwiya “Over the 60 minutes we played have 39 points whereas third- QSL Results a really good away game, but as placed Eljaish have 34 points. Yesterday’s Result the match wore on, we played less In fourth place are Diego Al Wakra 3 Al Sadd 1 football and Gladbach came back Aguirre’s Al Rayyan with a tally Sunday’s Results into it,” said Dortmund coach of 33 points. Al Rayyan 2 Al Kharaitiyat 2 Jurgen Klopp, whose team won Coached by Hussein Amute, the corresponding fixture 5-0 Al Sadd beat Al Wakra to snap a Al Khor 2 Al Gharafa 0 in September.“There are worse two-match winless streak. things than drawing away from At no stage of the match did time after an easy deflection from home, but we aren’t happy.” Al Wakra threatened to domi- close range. The Iraqi stalwart With both Borussia strik- nate their experienced rivals as switched camp from Al Wakra ers Julian Schieber and Poland’s Al Sadd raced to a 2-0 lead at the to Al Sadd last month during the Robert Lewandowski suspended end of the first half. transfer window. after recent red cards, Klopp Hassan opened the scoring Yesterday’s clash was to be played Germany midfielder Mario from a close range strike follow- played on Saturday but the death Goetze, 20, up front and he con- ing an indirect free-kick. on Friday of Ahmed Al Khamis verted a 31st-minute penalty. Raul, the former Real Madrid - the Al Wakra football director After being clear through giant, latched on to a lose ball and - caused the postponement by a on goal, Goetze was tripped by fired home from close range in the day. Gladbach keeper Marc-Andre ter dying seconds of the first half. The next round of QSL matches Stegen and referee Guenter Perl In the second half, Mahmood commence on March 3. Al Sadd’s Jung Soo Lee (right) leaps to kick the ball away from Al Wakra’s Pierre Alain Frau during their Qatar pointed straight to the spot. AFP scored for Al Sadd for the first THE PENINSULA Stars League clash at Wakra Stadium yesterday. Al Sadd won 3-1. PICTURE BY: SHAIVAL DALAL MONDAY 25 FEBRUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27 Football: South Africa unstoppable Celtic crush 10-man The Proteas hammer Pakistan to complete series sweep on home soil Dundee, go CENTURION, SOUTH Scoreboard AFRICA: South Africa com- 21 points pleted a series clean sweep when South Africa (I innings): ...... 409 they beat Pakistan by an innings Pakistan (I innings): ...... 156 and 18 runs on the third day of clear Pakistan (II innings): Pakistan’s Azhar the third and final Test against Mohammad Hafeez b Steyn ...... 0 Ali is run out on at SuperSport Park yesterday. Azhar Ali (run out-Steyn) ...... 27 GLASGOW: Joe Ledley Pakistan were bowled out day three of the grabbed a double as Celtic easily Younis Khan c Smith b Steyn ...... 11 third and final for 235 in their second innings, Imran Farhat c De Villiers b Abbott...... 43 saw off ten-men Dundee 5-0 to Test against an improvement on their first Misbah-ul-Haq c De Villiers b Kleinveldt ....5 open a 21 point gap at the top South Africa innings total of 156. Asad Shafiq c Philander b Kleinveldt ...... 6 of the Scottish Premier League But the margin of victory and Sarfraz Ahmed c Elgar b Steyn ...... 40 in Centurion and move ominously closer to the series result was a fair reflec- Saeed Ajmal lbw b Steyn ...... 31 yesterday, retaining their title. tion of the dominance of South Ehsan Adil c Kleinveldt b Abbott ...... 12 South Africa The Welsh midfielder took Africa, the world champions, Rahat Ali lbw b Peterson ...... 22 won the Test by advantage of an error from Rab playing in their home conditions. Mohammad Irfan (not out) ...... 6 an innings and Douglas to give Celtic, who had Dale Steyn took four for 80 Extras (B-9, LB-10, NB-2, W-11) ...... 32 18 runs. South made five changes for the match, and was responsible for the run- Total (all out) ...... 235 Africa won all a 13th minute lead. out of Azhar Ali which sparked Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-39, 3-93, 4-107, the three Tests. However, Dundee would have a collapse of the Pakistan middle 5-107, 6-114, 7-183, 8-202, 9-202 felt unfortunate not to have gone order. Bowling: Steyn 23-5-80-4; Philander 15-4- in level at the break after Gary For the only time in the series, 32-0 (2w); Abbott 17-7-39-2 (2nb); Klein- Harkins had a fifth minute strike the Pakistan lower order showed veldt 13-2-33-2 (1w); Peterson 10-2-32-1. from a free-kick ruled out for a some resistance and Steyn was tight offside decision before the frustrated in a final spell of eight striker hit the bar with a header. overs after tea as the last pair, trapped Rahat leg before wicket Sarfraz Ahmed (40) and Saeed But Azhar did not face another hero Kyle Abbott for 43 and Dundee defender Matt Rahat Ali and Mohammad Irfan, with his sixth ball. Ajmal (31) batted enterprisingly ball before he was run out by a without addition to the score Lockwood came on at the break played and missed or edged the South Africa won the first Test and with a modicum of luck to superb throw from fine leg by Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq but the defender’s appearance was ball out of reach of the fielders. in Johannesburg by 211 runs and put on 69 for the seventh wicket. Dale Steyn after being sent back edged an away-swinger from Rory limited to just over three minutes At the other end Kyle Abbott the second in Cape Town by four Ali and Imran Farhat defied by Farhat, who had initially been Kleinveldt to wicketkeeper AB de after he was sent off for hauling was unable to complete a ten- wickets. the South African bowlers for seeking a second run. Villiers. down Gary Hooper in the box, wicket haul on his Test debut, fin- None of the matches went to most of a morning during which Pakistan’s hopes of avoiding Asad Shafiq made only six with James Forrest converting ishing with two for 39 after taking a fifth day. only the wicket of Younis Khan an innings defeat crumbled as before he drove Kleinveldt to the penalty. seven for 29 in the first innings. An early finish seemed in fell. three more wickets fell in quick mid-off. The visitors then collapsed and Finally, South African captain prospect when Pakistan lost four They saw Pakistan through to succession. But Sarfraz and Ajmal showed Dylan McGeouch headed in a 57th Graeme Smith turned to left- wickets quickly after lunch to lunch at 87 for two, with Azhar on Farhat was caught behind, spirit in batting through until tea. minute header before Ledley got arm spinner Robin Peterson who be floundering at 114 for six, but 27, eked out over 110 balls. slashing at first innings bowling REUTERS his second in the 73rd minute. Gary Hooper finally ended his four game goal drought as he fired Cricketing in a fabulous fifth in the 83rd minute as Celtic moved to within Dhoni’s double century regales world lauds four wins of the SPL title. “That performance was a bit Jekyll and Hyde. The first half we captain Dhoni weren’t great and in the second half we were excellent,” Celtic fans as India take crucial lead after double manager Neil Lennon said. “It was a good all round per- CHENNAI: Skipper Mahendra formance and a clean sheet. Singh Dhoni struck his maiden ton on day 3 Dundee can feel a bit aggrieved as double century to lift India to I’m sure the turning point was the a mammoth 515/8 in their first CHENNAI: Cricketers world penalty and the sending off but innings at the end of the third over showered praise on India it looked pretty clear cut to me.” day’s play in the first cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni Dundee first team coach Ray Test against Australia at the M for smashing a double-ton on Farningham felt his side equipped A Chidambaram Stadium here day three of the first Test against themselves well in the first half. yesterday. Australia here yesterday. “I couldn’t fault the boys and I Dhoni remained unbeaten on Dhoni scored an unbeaten 206 though they had chances in the 206 and had Bhuvneshwar Kumar Mahendra Singh to take India to 515/8, to give the game. Our possession and organi- (16 not out) for company as India Dhoni clobbers one hosts a lead of 135 runs with two sation was good in the first half,” ended the day with an impressive of five sixes during days left in the match. Farningham said. lead of 135 runs. his unbeaten knock During his innings, which “Obviously the sending off kills Australia scored 380 runs in of 206 on day three included 22 boundaries and five the game for us.” their first innings. of the first Test massive sixes, he scored at a As a former Rangers player Dhoni and Kumar added 109 against Australia in strike rate of 84.77. Dundee’s new interim manager runs for the unfinished ninth- Chennai yesterday. Former England captain John Brown was afforded a hot wicket stand that took India to It was Dhoni’s Michael Vaughn tweeted: “The reception by the home support a dominating position after they highest Test score coolest man in world cricket MS before the match. were reduced to 406/8. and the highest by Dhoni delivers when it most mat- But his side soon silenced the It was a quick 243-ball knock a wicketkeeper for ters... Incredible innings against crowd in the fifth minute when by Dhoni and was studded with India in the longer the Aussies...” Harkins looked to have given 22 fours and massive five sixes. format of the game. In the process, Dhoni also Dundee the lead after Forster Though batting great Sachin In the process, crossed the 4000-run mark in bundled in his low free-kick from Tendulkar failed to break his Test cricket. a tight angle on the left-wing at Dhoni also crossed two-year wait for a Test century, He also has the highest indi- his near post. the 4000-run mark falling for 81 in the morning, what vidual score by an Indian wick- However, referee Kevin Clancy followed next was pure carnage by in Test cricket. etkeeper-batsman when he cut short the celebrations as Dhoni and heir to his captaincy BELOW: Dhoni surpassed Budhi Kunderan’s 192. he ruled out his effort after he Virat Kohli, who made a valuable walks off the ground Legendary spinner Shane adjudged a Dundee player had 107. along with team- Warne was also impressed by strayed just offside. But it was Dhoni’s knock that mate Virat Kohli Dhoni’s knock. Celtic’s new look line-up were stood out as he almost single- who was eventually “WOW, M S Dhoni is going off taking their time to gel together handedly blunted the Australian dismissed for 107. here in Chennai, amazing bat- but took the lead after a mistake bowling attack. ting,” tweeted Warne, who is part from Douglas. Dhoni walked in after India had of the commentary team here. The former Hoops keeper scored just 14 runs after an hour’s Warne’s contemporary Glenn flapped at Emilio Izaguirre’s cross play and had lost Tendulkar, who McGrath, who is heading the and could only palm it out as far was bowled by off-spinner Nathan MRF Pace Foundation here, as Ledley who fired it in from Lyon (3/182). posted: “Great innings by MS close range. Dhoni and Kohli then launched Dhoni 206*. India in a strong posi- Dundee were belying their a counter-attack for their 128-run tion against the Aussies.” lowly status and nearly found fifth-wicket stand but the scor- Former West Indies batsman an equaliser in the 36th minute ing slowed down after Kohli was Darren Ganga said: “Magnificent when Baird teed up Harkins with dismissed by Lyon. accomplishment from Dhoni. the forward sending in a looping Kohli in his attempt to get Proven the critics wrong. Clearly effort that Forster had to scram- aggressive was caught by Mitchell one of India’s finest captains and ble to tip over the bar. Starc off the bowling of Lyon. Most sixes in Tests wicket keeper-batsmen. Brilliant There was to be more bad Ravindra Jadeja (16), CHENNAI: Indian captain Mahendra counter attack innings by one of luck for Harkins as his glancing Ravichandran Ashwin (3) and Singh Dhoni yesterday hit five sixes in his India’s finest captains and wicket header from the resulting corner Harbhajan Singh (11) all departed unbeaten knock of 206 on the third day of keeper-batsmen.” bounced off the turf and then hit quickly and Dhoni risked running the first Test against Australia here. Praise also came from Dhoni’s the crossbar before the Hoops out of partners. Here’s a list of players with maximum number team-mates. cleared the danger. Kumar, however, proved an able of sixes in Test match cricket. Read under as “What an innings @msdhoni Substitute Lockwood quickly ally for Dhoni. player, numbers of Tests and number of sixes. truly inspirational stuff. One of saw red after the break for haul- The debutant managed just 16 The records are correct up to day three of the the best innings i have seen,” ing Hooper down in the box runs but made sure that his cap- on-going Chennai Test. tweeted Ajinkya Rahane. with Forrest sending Douglas tain got the maximum amount Another Indian batsman the wrong way as he buried the Adam Gilchrist (Aus) 96 100 of strike. Dhoni was in complete Suresh Raina tweeted, “That resultant spot-kick low into the control of his brilliant innings and Jacques Kallis (SA) 162 97 was a dominating double! bottom right-hand corner. simply toyed with the Australian Virender Sehwag (India) 103 91 Congratulations @msdhoni Take Nearly 50 points separate the bowlers. Brian Lara (WI) 131 88 Scoreboard it to a triple ton mate.” sides at the top and bottom of En route to his 206, Dhoni also Bollywood superstar Amitabh the SPL and with their extra Chris Cairns (NZ) 62 87 crossed a few milestones, crossing Australia (I innings): ...... 380 H Singh b Henriques ...... 11 Bachchan also joined in lauding man advantage Celtic began to Chris Gayle (WI) 95 85 the 4000-run mark in Tests. India (I innings): B Kumar (batting) ...... 16 Dhoni and wondered how the make this gulf in class show as It was also the second high- Viv Richards (WI) 121 84 M Vijay b Pattinson ...... 10 Extras (B-2, LB-14, W-3) ...... 19 critics of the Indian captain would McGeouch made it 3-0 in the 57th est individual score as an Indian Andrew Flintoff (Eng) 79 82 V Sehwag b Pattinson ...... 2 Total (for 8 wkts) ...... 515 react now. minute. Stokes clipped a cross captain and also the highest Test C Pujara b Pattinson ...... 33 Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-12, 3-105, 4-196, “Dhoni 206*..!! Incredible feat from the left to the far post where Mathew Hayden (Aus) 103 82 score by an Indian wicketkeeper. S Tendulkar b Lyon ...... 81 5-324, 6-365, 7-372, 8-406. ! Where are all those ‘prophets McGeouch leapt highest to bullet Dhoni is now just 28 runs short Mahendra Singh Dhoni (India) 74 74 V Kohli c Starc b Lyon ...... 107 Bowling: Mitchell Starc 25-3-75-0; James Pat- of doom’ that were writing him a header past Douglas. of the highest score by a wicket- Kevin Pietersen (Eng) 92 73 M S Dhoni (batting) ...... 206 tinson 26-5-89-4; Peter Siddle 22-5-61-0; Nath- off , just yesterday ! ‘Prophets of Ledley scored the second goal keeper in the history of cricket, Doom’ : ‘bhaisaheb yahan chullu in the 63rd minute while Hooper Ricky Ponting (Aus) 168 73 R Jadeja b Pattinson ...... 16 an Lyon 40-1-182-3; M Henriques 17-4-48-1; 232 by Zimbabwean Andy Flower. R Ashwin b Lyon ...... 3 Michael Clarke 8-2-25-0; David Warner 3-0-19-0. bhar pani kahin milega ?’,” wrote wrapped up the scoring in the IANS Clive Lloyd (WI) 110 70 Bachchan. AGENCIES 83rd. REUTERS Monday 25 February 2013 15 Rabial II Safar 1434 Volume 17 Number 5621 Sport Price: QR2 %-%!%&.-"&/0"/,#"%-1&,23!"!,*!04-%35,# *.$")"*6 LATEST NEWS UPDATES IN TAMIL Ian Poulter South Africa TAMIL TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Middle East Edition powers into crush Pakistan

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Nathan Dyer (bottom) and Wayne City beat Chelsea 2-0 Routledge of Swansea City celebrates scoring against EPL: The defending champions trail United by 12 points Bradford City during the MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: Second- Sergio Aguero should have struck a first-time English League half goals by Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez EPL Results shot rather than try to find a way round the Cup final at earned Manchester City a 2-0 win over keeper and midfielder Jack Rodwell had three Wembley Chelsea yesterday that gave their fad- Manchester City 2 (Y.Toure 63, Tevez 85) Chelsea 0 decent opportunities. Stadium ing hopes of retaining the Premier League Newcastle 4 (Sissoko 33, Cisse 42, Cabaye 67-pen, Hooiveld It said a lot about Chelsea’s approach that in London crown a boost. 79-og) Southampton 2 (Schneiderlin 3, Lambert 50) their best first-half effort was a long-range yesterday. Chelsea had missed the chance to go ahead Played on Saturday free kick that Lampard sent way over the bar. Swansea City early in the second half at the Etihad Stadium Arsenal 2 (Cazorla 6, 85) Aston Villa 1 (Weimann 68) There was a similar story after the break as won 4-0. Two when Frank Lampard had a penalty well saved City continued to press for an opener, Aguero Fulham 1 (Berbatov 45) Stoke 0 goals from by keeper Joe Hart while City had endured holding his head in his hands after one miss Norwich 2 (Kamara 84, Holt 90+4) Everton 1 (Osman 39) Nathan Dyer, long spells of frustration as their many and lying on the ground in disbelief after fluff- one from chances went to waste. QPR 0 Manchester Utd 2 (Rafael 23, Giggs 80) ing another acrobatic effort. Michu and a Toure’s sweetly-struck shot into the bottom Reading 0 Wigan 3 (Kone 44, 45, Figueroa 48) Instead it was Chelsea, who had forced penalty from right broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute West Brom 2 (Lukaku 35-pen, 75) Sunderland 1 (Sessegnon Hart into his first save moments earlier with Jonathan de while substitute Tevez made sure of the three 79) an Eden Hazard effort, who suddenly found Guzman ended points with a right-footed missile five minutes Playing today (2000GMT) themselves with a golden chance to take Bradford’s from time. West Ham vs Tottenham charge when Demba Ba was brought down The result puts second-placed City 12 points by Hart and the referee pointed to the spot. fairytale Cup behind leaders Manchester United, who have previous day with a 2-0 victory over Queens Lampard stepped up, eyeing what would have adventure in 68 points from 27 games, while Chelsea stay Park Rangers, there was no doubt on the blue been his 200th Chelsea goal, but his well struck which they third with 49. side of Manchester what would need to be 52nd-minute penalty was kept out by the out- became the “I think we deserved to win because we done to keep the title race interesting for a stretched Hart who had dived to his right. first fourth-tier played well, maybe we could have scored more little longer. “Frank Lampard is a great penalty taker team to reach goals,” City manager Roberto Mancini told Toure shot at Chelsea keeper Petr Cech in and a bit of a hero of mine. We’ve spoken a lot an English final a news conference. In the day’s only other the opening minute to set the tone for the first about penalties but he’s strong-minded, he’s for more than Premier League game, Newcastle United beat half as the hosts carved out several chances not going to be put off by an idiot like me,” half a century. relegation rivals Southampton 4-2 at home to that came to nothing. Hart told Sky Sports. “It was a case of trying move six points clear of danger. Centre back Matija Nastasic’s header was to go the right way and get a strong hand on After United had surged further ahead the palmed away by Cech early on while forward it.” REUTERS Motocross giants set for night race in Qatar BY RIZWAN REHMAT

DOHA: The world’s top riders will launch the new motocross season at Losail MX Track later this week at a venue that was built in record time of just a few months. Located inside the Losail International Circuit premises, the Qatar venue will host the first leg of the 2013 FIM MX1/ MX2 World Championship on March 1 and 2, QMMF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah said yesterday. “We have managed an amaz- ing amount of work in a very short period of time. The last two months have been nothing short of amazing,” Al Attiyah said. “This will be the first time that a motocross event (sanctioned by FIM) would be staged under lights,” Al Attiyah said. “We staged the first ever Action from one of the ‘trial’ races held at the new Losail Motocross Track MotoGP leg under lights and now almost two weeks ago. The same venue will stage the first round of the we are preparing for another slice new 2013 FIM MX1/MX2 World Championship on March 1 and 2. INSET: of history this week,” Al Attiyah said. QMMF President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah. Musco Lighting, the same com- pany that illuminated the Losail for the MX1 category, Al Attiyah Race 1 will start at 3:00pm, Al International Circuit for the said. Pre-qualifying practice ses- Attiyah informed. On Saturday debut MotoGP race under lights sions will start at 7:15pm and at the Losail MX riders will battle a few years ago, has installed nine 8pm. Qualifying races are sched- for honours in the second race set poles with mountain heights from uled to start at 10pm and 11pm. to start at 3pm. 16 to 36 metres to cover the Losail On Saturday, MX2 World Fans can buy tickets at booths MX track. Championship race 1 will com- inside Villaggio Mall and at ticket- “All poles are placed in deter- mence at 7:10pm and for MX1 ing centre at Losail International mined areas to provide adequate category the race 1 is scheduled Circuit. lighting of all track surfaces for to start at 8:10pm. Children under the age of 11 rider viewing at race speeds and The Doha race will see a new years will get a free entry. telecast of the race,” Al Attiyah race format for this year’s title The tickets are priced at said. race with both categories taking QR100, a QMMF statement said. “It will be an amazing spectacle place together in the MX1/MX2 Fun activities for families are as we are preparing for a moto- World Championship Super Final, also planned for the two-day cross leg. It is a difficult course at 11:10pm, a QMMF statement event. designed only for the special- said. “This is a great moment for ists who can handle this kind of Apart from the FIM MX1/MX2 Qatar and for motorsport fans sport,” Al Attiyah said. World Championship leg this in the Middle East. No moto- Special care was taken in plac- week, QMMF will also stage the cross event of an FIM World ing lighting at start and finish second round of the Losail MX Championship has come to the lines. In total, there will be 19 Championship ‘as a support race region before,” Al Attiyah said. millions design lumens of light. on March 1 and 2’. “For sure this round will be The track activity will start on For the riders taking part at a big success and we hope to Friday (March 1) in the evening the Losail MX championship, the see top-flight action at our own with the Free Practice for MX2 track activity starts on Friday circuit,” the QMMF President category at 5pm and at 5:45pm at 1:30pm (Free Practice) while added. THE PENINSULA