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25 May 2013 15 Rajab 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5710 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY

Qatar third in sending Arab tourists to Egypt DOHA: The tourist inflow into Egypt has been growing with Qataris ranking third among Arab tourist arrivals in the country, after visitors from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Some 2.5 million Arab tourists arrived in Egypt last year, and the country’s tour- ism ministry expects the number to soar to three million by this year-end. Arab tourist arrivals totalled only 1.8 million in 2011. In the first quarter of this year (January to March), Arab tourist arrivals in Egypt totalled a little over 520,000, up 7.5 percent over the corresponding period of 2012, when the figure was 484,000. Arab tourists have larger stays in Egypt as compared to their counterparts from the rest of the world, the average being 11 nights in 2011, Al Sharq reported yesterday, citing tourism ministry figures. Arab tourists spent 7.4 million nights in Egypt in 2012, up 14.4 percent over the pre- vious year, and their average spending per night was $83.7. Egypt’s tourism minister, Hisham Zazou, said that his country banked more on tour- ists from the GCC countries and gave them much importance because the region con- tributed hugely to the tourism industry. ROOFTOP He said he expected tourist arrivals from the oil-rich GCC region to breach the one million-mark by year-end. Syria regime to attend peace talks: Russia MOSCOW: Syria’s ally Russia yesterday said the Damascus regime had agreed to attend an international peace conference on the crisis that world powers hope will DANGERS take place in Geneva in June. Diplomatic efforts to hold a conference first proposed by Moscow and Washington on May 7 gained further steam when US THE ISSUE Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov agreed by tel- ephone to meet in Paris on Monday to dis- cuss progress in getting the sides to talk. Aerial photographs of some some suburbs, for a threadbare discussion haul its owners or tenants over the coals. Syria’s main opposition group, the and called for corrective action. The legislation says that buildings that Western-backed National Coalition, said expatriate-dominated working- The CMC said that more than being a spoil the landscape and beauty of an area it wanted to see “goodwill gestures” from class localities in Doha and some matter of how pathetic old neighbourhoods also attract its provisions. Assad. “We want to make sure that when of its suburbs have alarmed looked from high-rise towers, helicopters and The panel is also responsible for taking we enter those negotiations the bloodshed planes, the issue needed to be treated as one appropriate action if buildings are old, dilapi- in Syria will stop,” a spokesman for the members of the Central Municipal that involved the safety of the environment dated and abandoned, or left incomplete. group said. Council (CMC), the public and people. Buildings that are neglected and used by See also page 8 representative body, as they There seems to be some confusion about children as play areas, or house criminals and who is responsible for keeping rooftops clean runaway workers, or used for immoral activi- WHO to help Saudi show the rooftops of old buildings and hazard-free. ties, or infested by rodents and stray animals littered with all kinds of junk — Some people believe that while the munici- also fall within the jurisdiction of the commit- probe coronavirus pality is responsible for keeping public areas tee although the criminal aspects related to from used furniture and tyres to clean and can take action against building activities carried out in such premises, includ- GENEVA: The World Health car batteries and paint canisters owners and tenants if there is litter outside ing storage of weapons and explosives, are to Organisation (WHO) said yesterday it — considered a danger to the the premises, there is no law to fix responsi- be probed by law-enforcement agencies. would help Saudi Arabia dig deeper into bility for using rooftops as dumping spaces. The law assumes immense significance, deadly outbreaks of a new virus to draw environment and residents. Legal circles told The Peninsula that a law especially as some rooftops, particularly in up advice ahead of the annual Haj pilgrim- (No. 29) was passed in 2006 to regulate the expatriate-dominated working-class locali- age, which attracts millions of Muslims. he areas that are a cause of increas- upkeep of buildings and executive regulations ties, are used as makeshift accommodation The UN agency, which is not currently ing concern are mainly in Doha and to help enforce it were put in place through for labourers. recommending any restrictions on travel to include Umm Ghuwailina, Najma, a civic ministerial decision (No. 33) in 2008. However, it is not known if any municipal- the kingdom or screening of passengers at TAl Mansoura, Al Ghanem and Doha According to the law, it is the responsibility ity has ever been informed of irregularities airports or entry points, will sent a second Jadeed, according to the vice chairman of the of each municipality to monitor the condition in its jurisdiction, although the CMC insists team of experts in the coming weeks. CMC, Jassem Al Malki. and upkeep of buildings in its jurisdiction and that buildings whose rooftops remain littered “Without that proper risk assessment, People (read tenants) usually dump things report the matter to a specialist committee with all kinds of waste — some of them haz- we cannot have clarity on the incubation on the rooftops of buildings mostly for resale at the Ministry of Municipality and Urban ardous — are galore, particularly in Doha. period, on the signs and symptoms of the later, but tend to forget them over time, Al Planning in case of irregularities, including According to observers, one thing is sure disease, on the proper clinical manage- PAGEMalki told a local Arabic6 daily recently. littering on rooftops. that since the CMC has raised the issue, the ment and then, last but not least, on travel On his proposal, the CMC last month took The panel has the legal authority to take authorities are expected to act and take cor- advice,” WHO director-general Margaret up the issue of rooftops, particularly of old action against a building found flouting rective measures. Chan said in Geneva. buildings in these and other areas, including safety and upkeep rules as it deems fit and Continued on page 4 Full report on page 8 THE PENINSULA & AGENCIES

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PICS: QASSIM RAHMATULLAH When rooftops become junkyards Tenants dump old furniture, batteries and tyres on rooftops, which are also havens for illegal activities

BY FAZEENA SALEEM time frame, the ministry will do it on its own and force the owner any residential and to bear the expense, which will be commercial areas 25 percent more than the actual across the coun- cost. Mtry are likely to The most common violations get a better look soon, with the of the law include keeping open- Ministry of Municipality and ings for air conditioners uncov- Urban Planning preparing to ered, exposing water tanks on crack down against dumping of rooftops to public view and failure goods on rooftops. to stick to the permitted colours Based on a recommenda- for buildings. tion by the Central Municipal Many residents want the CMC Council (CMC), the ministry proposal to clean up rooftops to has instructed all municipalities be implemented at the earliest. to take action against owners of “It’s good a decision has been buildings with goods and junk on taken to keep rooftops clean. their rooftops. People keep all types of things on A senior official of Doha rooftops, from building materials Municipality recently called on and cardboard boxes to wires. If the city’s residents to report to a fire breaks out in such places, the municipal authorities if they especially where many people noticed any building with unclean live, it will be very difficult to premises, including rooftops. control the situation,” said Imara Ali Nasser Al Hajari, director of Brantha, a working mother liv- the public monitoring department ing in a partitioned villa in the at the municipality, told an Arabic Madinat Khalifa area. daily that the department had of “In case of an electrical short late received some 500 complaints recommended that the Ministry faster-than-usual response from circuit or fire it is difficult even to related to poor hygienic condi- of Municipality and Urban the civic authorities. Several citi- find the main switch of our build- tions in buildings. The complaints Planning include a condition in zens and residents have expressed ing. So it’s better to take preven- were mainly related to dumping licensing rules making it manda- the view that the issue in question tive measures,” she added. of waste in the premises, water tory for building owners to keep needs immediate attention for a Many residents said they leakage and poor maintenance. rooftops clean and tidy. number of reasons. hardly used the rooftops because “We will soon start inspections The CMC felt that occupants The problem affects almost they were in a bad condition. and find a solution to the prob- of residential buildings should be all parts of Doha, especially the A professional living in an lem” said Al Hajari. encouraged to grow decorative densely populated residential apartment in the Old Airport Rooftops of many buildings plants on rooftops, which would areas. It has worsened due to the area said, “People living here have become places for dumping help make the city clean and practice of partitioning of villas hardly get a chance to use their waste, turning them into breeding green. The terraces of buildings into small units that are then let rooftops. Either the place is filled grounds for insects. In not only could also be used for physical out to many families. with unused things or TV cables old buildings but many high-rise activities instead of being turned Greedy real estate agents are and dishes. Wires are everywhere. structures also rooftops are not into junkyards. thriving on this practice, cash- It is dangerous.” maintained properly, which is a The CMC proposal was ing in on a shortage of affordable “Here there are few places for violation of the law, he said. widely welcomed by the Qatari housing units in the country. children to play at home. Safe The official said owners of these community, resulting in a A Indian expatriate living in rooftops can be an ideal place if buildings will be held responsible the Al Murra area, which has a they are kept clean and safe. But for such violations since it is their large number of old villas, said he now those are the most dangerous duty to keep the premises clean. had been a victim of poorly main- places,” said a banker and father The messy rooftops came into tained premises. of two living in the Najma area. focus after a recent proposal by “ I am staying in a partitioned safety risks. Every available prepare a list of buildings in the “Rainwater doesn’t get drained the Central Municipal Council to villa along with a number of space in the premises is used to country to be demolished or in properly because the rooftops are the civic authorities to urgently other families. The building is so build extensions. Such construc- need of immediate repairs. filled with many things. Although look into the issue and take cor- Following the old that cracks have appeared on tions are illegal but the municipal The CMC also proposed issu- we don’t get mosquitoes here, rective measures. construction of the roof. The agents who rented authorities mostly turn a blind ing guidelines for maintenance still it can be dangerous and The CMC’s recommendation several flyovers and out the villa have dumped furni- eye. of buildings that would be help- create health problems,” said a was based on two concerns — ture, wooden doors, paint, cables “Rooftops of many buildings ful to property owners as well as housewife living in a villa in the safety of the buildings and the skyscrapers in the city, and wires on the rooftop. These, are being used to accommodate municipal inspectors monitoring Muntaza area. general appearance of the city. The the littered rooftops along with the water tanks and labourers. There are laws to pre- buildings. Since doors to rooftops remain services committee of the CMC dish antennas belonging to each vent this but they are not prop- According to the law, if the open all the time, especially in pointed out that following the con- of old villas and low- family, occupy the entire roof. If erly implemented,” said a citizen committee concerned at the min- areas dominated by labourers, struction of several flyovers and rise structures are there is rain or overflow from in remarks to a local Arabic daily istry takes a decision regarding they could be used for illegal activ- skyscrapers in the city, rooftops of now exposed to public the tanks, the rooftop gets inun- that recently carried a special maintenance or demolition of a ities such as gambling and making old villas and low-rise structures dated and the water leaks into report on this issue. building and the owner fails to hooch, said some residents. had been exposed to public view, view, presenting an our rooms,” he said. He said many old buildings implement it within the given THE PENINSULA and the littered rooftops were pre- ugly image of the city. Such partitioning also poses were accommodating families senting an ugly image of the city, and single workers in numbers especially to tourists. far beyond their capacity. The other aspect, related to “This is putting additional safety, is more important since a pressure on the water, electricity Officials decline comment time tomb is said to be ticking in and sewage network. Power sup- many crowded residential areas ply in most partitioned villas is DOHA: The Doha through “proper channels”, of the country. handled in a very unsafe manner Municipality, National meaning through their pub- The CMC pointed out that and using substandard material. Human Rights Committee lic relations departments. rooftops of many buildings were There is no mechanism to moni- (NHRC) and the General Official request letters, used for dumping waste and to tor this and ensure safety. A fire Directorate of Civil Defence printed on the letterhead of store old furniture, toys, wires, or a crash can occur any time in refused to comment on the newspaper, needed to be batteries, tyres, wood, paint and such overpopulated buildings,” he the issue of buildings hav- sent to the agencies, giving other flammable material, which added. ing untidy rooftops and, in details about the issue and could easily cause a fire, especially CMC member Hamad bin some cases, labourers living the questions to be asked. in summer. Khaled Al Ghanim said, “These there. Contacted for their However, since this write- Moreover, such untidy places poorly maintained buildings not remarks, senior officials of up was done on a short notice, are a haven for rodents and only give a bad image to the city Doha Municipality, NHRC going through “proper chan- insects and can lead to health but they are also dangerous to the and Civil Defence said they nels” was not an option as problems. occupants. Most of the buildings were not authorised to it would have taken a lot of The civic body called on the are old. They should be renovated interact with the media. time. So the write-up does not authorities to immediately launch or demolished.” They insisted that media include the views of officials. an inspection campaign to iden- The CMC had earlier proposed persons approach them THE PENINSULA tify such buildings and take meas- to the Ministry of Municipality ures to spruce them up. It also and Urban Planning that it MAY 25, 2013 Home www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 ON SATURDAY Sports film fest opens Documentary on football champion Nahia wins top prize

BY RAYNALD C RIVERA

DOHA: A documentary on two-time Red Bull Street Style Qatar champion Abdullah Mahmoud Abu Nahia won the top prize at the inaugural Qatar Sports Film Festival which opened yesterday at the Al Riwaq exhibition space. “It’s quite emotional for me to win the festival considering the many international entries,” said Ibrahim Arar, director and pro- ducer of the film who walked away with a cash prize of QR10,000. A civil engineer by profession, Ibrahim said he has always been fascinated with filmmaking so he FICTS President, Prof Franco Ascani (centre), Director of Qatar Olympic and is not new in film festivals but this Sports Museum, Dr Christian Wacker (right), and Founder and Chairman was the first time for him to win of Youth Company, Mohammad Farid, at the opening of Qatar Sports Film first prize. Festival at MIA yesterday. ABDUL BASIT “This is the initial step for me on perhaps a long road to film- he now trains an hour a day but Science and Technology) School making and this award gives me promises to improve more on the in Saudi Arabia. “I hope that ulti- more encouragement to go for- sport. mate frisbee would be in Olympics ward in this field,” he said, adding “I love freestyle. I see myself as someday,” said Dylan, who looks he plans to show the film to more getting more professional in this up to frisbee trick shot star people. field to compete in more competi- Brodie Smith as his idol in sports. Ibrahim chose his friend tions and prove my self interna- Dr Christian Wacker, Director Abdullah, an avid football free- tionally,” he added. To the crowd’s of Qatar Olympic and Sports styler, as the subject of the film he amazement, Abdullah presented Museum (QOSM), was impressed created especially for the festival. a minute demonstration of the by the quality of submissions for “Football freestyle is not yet sport he does best. QSFF. “The submissions were that popular in Qatar but it has a Equally mesmerising were a huge variety. They have very huge following around the world,” teenage duo Colin Herrington diverse quality and content said Abdullah, who has just fin- and Dylan Finol with their film are excellent and emotionally ished a degree in translation. Frisbee Trick Shots which won charged,” he said, adding the fes- The film Sport Dancer tells of them third prize. In the three tival was intended to be part of Abdullah’s passion for the sport and a half minute film, the the Olympics Past and Present which started since Grade 9 and schoolmates show amazing tricks exhibition. continues to-date leading him to shooting frisbees in the trash bin, For the two-day festival, it was various competitions both locally basketball ring or even across a essential for the QOSM and The and internationally. canal, all done from great dis- Youth Company to forge a part- He was crowned Red Bull tances and heights. nership with FICTS (Fédération Street Style Qatar champion in “I think now that we’ve placed Internationale Cinéma Télévision 2009 and 2012 which gave him the in a contest and got some recog- Sportifs), “because FICTS is the rare opportunity to carry Qatar’s nition, we’d like to keep making umbrella institution which part- flag twice in the international more videos in YouTube, hopefully ners with sports film festivals arena. getting more subscribers and to around the world and they can He used to train four to six play ultimate frisbee to get more help a lot to grant licences for the hours a day when he was starting recognised,” said Colin, a Canadian films, making sure they are of top and into more competitions, but Eighth Grader at the The KAUST calibre,” Dr Wacker said. because of other commitments, (King Abdullah University of THE PENINSULA MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home QF football event ends today Over 300 kids show off skills at ‘Passport to Passion’ programme

DOHA: Over 300 children pitch. During the event, profes- have taken part on each day sional trainers will be on hand in the activities organised by to provide support to individual Qatar Foundation under the teams. banner ‘Passport to Passion’. Participants will have to work The fifth and last two-day as part of a team and demon- event kicked off yesterday at strate a spirit of sportsman- the Awsaj Academy pitch at ship during a testing sequence Qatar Foundation’s main cam- of relay races that will challenge pus and will conclude today, their resilience and determina- providing another opportu- tion. Players will be required to nity for children to demon- dribble the ball, stop it with the strate their footballing ability. sole of their foot, run and tag The ‘Passport to Passion’ another team member, and race series is part of the ‘Passion back to retrieve the ball before Drives Us All’ initiative that finally dribbling it back. www.swiss-belhotel.com is designed around Qatar Ultimately, the ‘Passport to Foundation’s partnership with Passion’ finale aims to unite Tel FC Barcelona. Over the past few young football enthusiasts. The Fax weeks, hundreds of players have series has been created to pro- participated in the weekend mote values of perseverance, challenges that have touched dedication, teamwork, and a down in five locations: The positive ‘can-do’ attitude in Tel Museum of Islamic Art, Aspire youth. Fax Park, Katara Beach, Al Wakra Partakers from previous Park and Qatar Foundation’s ‘Passport to Passion’ events main campus. are encouraged to attend this “Footballers aged between 5 weekend’s activities at which and 15 are called to take part giveaways will be distributed at Tel in the activities today. They will a fun-filled family event. Fax have the opportunity to improve Children that have played a essential footballing skills, such part in all the events, collect- as ball control, obstacles courses, ing a passport for each of them, passing accuracy, coordination, will receive a branded foot ball, Tollfree and heading ability,” explained while others will take home a Simon Jones, recreation super- goody bag. Fax visor at Qatar Foundation. Jones highlighted that the They will also have the Qatar Foundation holds yearly chance to take part in a five- events on the occasion of Tel a-side competition, designed National Sports Day, which A child participates in the fifth and final ‘Passport To Passion’ event to test endurance, agility and gathered over 12,000 people this Fax at Education City yesterday. SHAIVAL DALAL overall technical skills on the year. THE PENINSULA

Tel Fax Aspetar-Algerian football partnership continues Tel Fax DOHA: Aspetar and the vision to ensure the safety and Algerian Football Federation well-being of all athletes here in www.doha.hilton.com (FAF) will continue their Qatar and in the region.” partnership for another year. Members of the Algerian Tel +974 44233333 The agreement will provide national football team that have medical support on and off the been treated at Aspetar since Fax +974 44233000 field to the Algerian national the signing of the agreement in team in Qatar. 2010 include Majid Bougherra, Following a signing cer- Nadir Belhaj, Adlene Guedioura, emony, the President of FAF, Hameur Bouazza, Mourad the governing body of football Meghni, Essaid Belkalem and in Algeria, and a key mem- Hassan Yebda, who recently ber of the FIFA Executive attended a two week long reha- Committee, Mohammed bilitation programme at Aspetar Raouraoua, received a private in March. tour of Aspetar’s facilities and The Algerian national foot- Tel expressed his admiration for the ball team is placed 35 on the latest training equipment avail- official FIFA league table and Fax able to athletes. is the highest ranked team in The agreement was first the Mena region. established in 2010 and stipu- Aspetar is the first specialised lated that Aspetar would pro- orthopaedic and sports medicine Tel vide medical services to the hospital in the Middle East. Fax Algerian national team, includ- Based in Doha since 2007, the ing comprehensive medical hospital provides top-level com- examinations of all the players. Aspetar CEO, Dr Khalifa Al Kuwari, with FAF President and member of prehensive medical treatment The Aspetar medical team the FIFA Executive Committee, Mohammed Raouraoua, during signing to all athletes in a state-of-the Tel accompanied the Algerian squad ceremony at Aspetar. art facility. Fax to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in In 2009 Aspetar was offi- South Africa, the sole repre- cially accredited as a FIFA sentatives of the Arab world, Commenting on the col- honoured to renew our agree- Medical Centre of Excellence as well as to training camps laboration, Aspetar CEO Dr ment with the Algerian Football (F-MARC). around the globe. Khalifa Al Kuwari said: “We are Federation. It is our long-term THE PENINSULA Tel Fax Civic bodies urged to act

Tel Littered rooftops common sight on abandoned vehicles Fax DOHA: An online weekly survey by Al Sharq Continued from page 1 due to the economic boom. Rents are shows the majority of people feel local munic- A prominent CMC member, high so many of them are forced to share ipalities need to boost efforts to deal with Mohammed Mehmood Al Shafi, who accommodation. abandoned vehicles in their areas. Tel represents New Al Rayyan, said the “Now, if 10 families live in a villa that Asked about effectiveness of efforts of munici- Fax issue of littered rooftops should not be is actually meant for one, there is bound palities to keep their areas clean, 60 percent of treated in isolation. to be all kinds of problems — pressure respondents said they were satisfied by level of It is a problem whose root cause is a on the utilities, including electricity and cleanliness, 33 percent said were not good, while mix of factors, among them rising popu- water and on the building — for it is seven percent did not comment. lation of the country, a severe lack of meant to support a particular load,” the Some 56 percent of respondents said they accommodation for low-income workers CMC member said, who insisted that his were also satisfied with the work of cleaners, after they were legally banned from resi- constituency didn’t have the problem of while 38 percent said they were not very active dential localities, escalating house rents littered rooftops. or regular in their visits. On the issue of aban- and limited-income expatriate families He said the issue of shared accom- doned vehicles and waste in open areas, 68 per- Tel sharing accommodations in illegally par- modations was serious and needed to be cent said municipalities were not doing enough, Fax titioned villas and old apartments. looked into by the authorities concerned while 26 percent said they were satisfied. The “If we want that the issue of littered after the CMC had conducted a study. “I majority of officials interviewed, meanwhile, said rooftops be taken up seriously for reme- call on the CMC to launch the study and efforts to keep the country clean were good. dial measures, the CMC must first con- urge the civic ministry to take remedial Ahmed Al Kuwari, Central Municipal Council Tel duct an extensive and in-depth study of measures.” (CMC) member, said workers were doing their Fax what is causing the problem,” Al Shafi The municipal minister can in turn best as they collect garbage more than once in said. take up the issue with the State Cabinet. a day. “They work day and night. But views on More workers are expected to arrive “So before we call for clean rooftops, its this issue can vary from one person to another. www.renaissancedoha.com to engage in mega development projects causes need to be looked into and cor- Generally, we feel our streets are very clean.” amid a shortage of labour camps after rective steps need to be taken.” Ahmed Al Sheeb, also a member of CMC, said Tel +974 44195000 they have been banned in residential Another CMC member, Ahmed cleaning is not the responsibility of municipali- Fax +974 44195100 areas. Al Sheeb, from Umm Salal, said that ties alone. “Nationals and expatriates should be “So where do the workers go?” won- building owners should think beyond aware that this is for their benefit. Abandoning dered Al Shafi. just collecting rents from tenants and cars is uncivilised behaviour,” he said, calling for Employers are, therefore, forced to pay attention to the premises, their use, a better mechanism to stop such violations. accommodate them on building rooftops safety and upkeep. Doha Municipality last week announced a as a temporary arrangement. “What can the municipalities do? The crackdown on car owners who put ‘on sale’ Then, there are limited-income expa- onus lies with the owners.” stickers on their vehicles. THE PENINSULA triate families that are also proliferating THE PENINSULA MAY 25, 2013 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 ON SATURDAY

Abdul Basit

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With its abundant greenery and play areas, the Dahl Al Hamam Park is a place where children and the rest of the family can enjoy time together during weekends.

Located in Khalifa Al Shamalia, close to Landmark Mall, the park comprises pathways, green lawns and shaded playgrounds. It boasts a skating area said to be the largest in the country. The landscaped park also has free round-the- clock wireless Internet service and cafeterias.

Entry is free but restricted to families. MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Views

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Obama pulls back Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

N Thursday, President Barack Obama became, at least partially, the president Americans had voted for. In a widely anticipated speech at the ONational Defense University, the president made Are converts more likely to be a self-evaluation, announced some eagerly awaited course corrections and promised to stay closer to the ground realities. He renewed his vow to close the infamous Guantanamo Bay, extremists than other Muslims? urging Congress to stop making his work more difficult, and on the controversial drone strikes, he signaled that he intends to BY LEON MOOSAVI overwhelmingly describe themselves as sacrifice their liberty, and in some cases, wind down the strikes. As a first step, the president imposed a “bridge builders”. It’s commonplace for their life. Converts to Islam often talk higher standard on authorising such aerial attacks, and shifted OW that we know the two converts to see themselves as having about grappling with trying to distin- responsibility more from the CIA to the military and suggested Woolwich attackers are con- a vital role to play as ambassadors to guish between authentic Islamic teach- the creation of a secret court that would have to approve Nverts to Islam, questions are non-Muslims on behalf of Muslims, but ings and Muslim cultural practices. strikes in the future. being asked about whether converts are just as crucially, to see themselves as Most converts are determined to follow In his 2009 speech at the National Archives, Obama was more likely to adopt extremist ideology. ambassadors to Muslims on behalf of the teachings of Prophet Muhammad The vast majority of Muslim converts non-Muslims. (PBUH), but would rather leave South clearer about what he believed President Bush had done wrong are law-abiding, decent citizens, but It would therefore be plainly wrong to Asian culture for South Asian peo- than about how he would be different. But in the first term there is something about the convert insinuate that most converts are likely ple. The ideology of extremist groups and in the few months of the second term we have seen, the experience that may explain why a small to engage in extremism. This not only is based on a literalist interpretation president shocked everyone by outdoing the wrong which Bush minority of converts find extremist mes- ignores the huge diversity that exists of Islamic sources which they claim is had committed. He made baby steps on closing Guantanamo, sages attractive. At least five years ago, among how converts approach Islam pure and uncontaminated, or in other influential politicians were warning but may also lead to an unhelpful and words, free from cultural bias. This is of but faltered, and never tried again. On drone strikes, which that Muslim converts pose a particular discriminatory profiling of converts. It course highly contestable but for some killed hundreds of women and children in Yemen, Pakistan and threat to British security. When official is more accurate to say that those con- converts, the promise of an Islam that elsewhere, his record was reprehensible. The administration counter-terrorism policy was revised verts who subscribe to extremism may resembles its earliest form can be espe- itself acknowledged for the first time that it had killed four two years ago, converts were given a have done so because of experiences that cially appealing. American citizens in drone strikes specific mention (on page 87 of this are particular to converts. There is no one type of person who The US outside the battlefields of Afghanistan report) as prone to being radicalised. Various research, including a recent converts to Islam. The backgrounds of Notorious Muslim report by Cambridge University, has many converts are rather banal and president has and Iraq. The president behaved like converts have shown that conversion to Islam is a as “normal” as the average person. Bush as his own ardent supporters helped sustain testing journey. Choosing to embrace a However, there are some converts to been forced watched in awe and disbelief. It’s for the impression religion which is routinely considered Islam whose previous lifestyle involved to rethink his this reason that Thursday’s speech Something about that converts are as backward and foreign often results criminality, gang culture and general policies on represents a return to the principles the convert disproportion- in the convert being shunned by non- hostility towards authority. These con- he had expounded during his first experience may ately represented Muslim family and friends. Many con- verts may seek redemption in Islam or Guantanamo in extremist cir- verts expect Muslim communities will a clean break from a troubled past. In campaign. The president had strayed explain why a cles: there is Al compensate by welcoming them and some cases though, that past remains and drones. violently from the policies he had stood Qaeda’s spokes- providing a new support network as is within their psyche, and it is in extrem- for and a correction is in order. small minority, man Adam encouraged by Islamic teachings. ism that they find a familiar framework. What prompted Obama’s change of stance on Guantanamo like the Woolwich Gadahn, the shoe- However, in reality, this welcome is Significantly then, not all extremist con- and the drones? Is it the result of a realisation of truths and bomber Richard not always forthcoming. Rather, converts verts are radicalised by Islam, but by a attackers, Reid. Germaine can be ostracised by lifelong Muslims previous lifestyle that lingers into their an admission of his mistakes? It’s highly unlikely. Obama has find extremist Lindsay was one because they are still perceived by some post-conversion life. just buckled under pressure and criticism at home and abroad. messages of the 7/7 suicide as “outsiders”. If a convert feels rejected Many converts are impressively Human rights experts, intellectuals and some columnists in bombers,Nicky by both non-Muslims and Muslims, lone- knowledgeable about Islamic teachings the US have been vociferously attacking the president’s policies attractive. Reilly attempted liness and disappointment can manifest, and debates. It is often the case that an on Guantanamo and drones. The president deftly ignored a suicide bombing and the promise of membership to a individual spends years reading about such criticism in the beginning but they reached a stage when in 2009, and more recently,Richard Dart closely-knit clique offered by extremist Islam before taking the plunge of con- was convicted on terrorism charges. groups may become attractive. verting. Yet, there are some converts to inaction would have cost him dearly. Also, the recent setbacks It is important to stress that from The other consequence of not being Islam who have not had the resources, which the president suffered, especially the leak of telephone the estimated 5,000 converts to Islam accepted into a Muslim community time or aptitude to appreciate the his- conversation of Associated Press journalists, made some image- every year, almost all of them embrace may be an increased fervour to prove tory of Islamic scholarship and the mul- boosting measures absolutely necessary for the president. The Islam after being inspired by its mono- oneself. Muslim converts are familiar titude of contemporary perspectives. president now has to follow through on the promises he has theistic clarity, its moral guidance and with encountering lifelong Muslims who These naive and ignorant converts may made. His words and actions will be watched. its holistic framework. Conversion to doubt their sincerity and may even be be indoctrinated by extremist preachers Islam is rarely political, but it is usu- asked to recite parts of the Qur’an to with their simplistic binaries and obvious During his speech on Thursday, the president was ally connected to personal self-build- prove their authenticity. Some con- solutions if they do not encounter the interrupted by an anti-war activist several times. It’s a ing and spiritual awareness. My own verts may see no better way to demon- mainstream, traditional and much more measure of the dedication and conviction of American peace extensive research with converts over strate how serious their commitment to tolerant interpretations of Islam that is lovers that they can interrupt their president during a public the last five years has brought me into Islam is than by adopting an aggressive subscribed to by most of the world’s 1.6 speech and make him listen to them• contact with hundreds of converts who extremism which may require them to billion Muslims. THE GUARDIAN The other side Quote of Mideast peace: Why is Kerry bothering? the day EW people are giving US message goes home, Netanyahu has statehood at international organizations, may be a quiet anger that once again Secretary of State John Kerry’s also for good measure approved the following its successful upgrading of its their leadership has been persuaded fourth and latest visit to the construction of 300 further Israeli settler UN General Assembly status to “non- to be patient and open-handed, only All the parties FMiddle East much chance of homes in these illegal enclaves. member state.” to have the Israelis spit in its face and success in rekindling the fading embers This is yet another Israeli betrayal of The Israeli action is calculated not in the face of their Washington friends. involved should stick of a Palestinian settlement. And just their American ally. The moratorium on merely to spike Kerry’s diplomatic guns, The further benefit for Israel of its cal- to make sure, the Israelis have once further illegal settlement building, may but also to inflame Palestinian public culated and cynical policy is that it will to the objective of again produced a diplomatic snub for not have been declared publicly, but it opinion against the concessions that also cause many Palestinians to think denuclearization, Washington, to demonstrate that they was understood by Washington that it Abbas has been prepared to make in that the rejectionist view of Hamas and have no intention of displaying any would stay in place, not least to ensure the cause of a peaceful settlement. It the determination of its extremist sup- safeguard the peace flexibility. that the Palestinian side would remain makes the Palestinian president’s posi- porters to return to an armed struggle, and stability on the The Netanyahu government has prepared to come to the negotiating tion very difficult, as indeed the Israelis is the only way forward. This in its turn announced that it is going to give retro- table. intended. To the international commu- could jeopardize the slow rapproche- Korean peninsula, spective permission to four illegal West For their part, the Palestinian admin- nity, it is essential that the Palestinian ment between Hamas and Al-Fatah, and resolve disputes Bank settlements, which even the Israeli istration of President Mahmoud Abbas side displays flexibility. For the ordinary which of course will also serve Israeli government had refused to authorize. had undertaken to put on hold its Palestinian, crushed, humiliated and interests very well. through dialogue and Xi Jinping And just to make sure that the defiant campaign for wider recognition of its frustrated by years of occupation, there Arab News consultation. Chinese President MAY 25, 2013 Views www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 ON SATURDAY Woolwich: Lessons Syria needs Britain’s for media from riots coverage in Sweden help, not weapons BY ANDREW BROWN has shown that this kind of iso- lation is one of the three main hen I saw that riots predictors of car-burning in any around Stockholm particular areas (others being Government outrage had made the youth unemployment and wel- Wfront page of the fare dependence in the parents’ does not provide a Financial Times, I scurried over generation). to sites of Swedish papers to see But that does not mean that a in detail what was happening. It certain dampening of excitement sound basis for such a turned out that the dismembered about particular riots is not an parts of a Thai woman had been excellent idea. For one thing, they material policy change found in Lapland, various tel- are hardly unprecedented. There evision stars had been variously have been sporadic riots by disaf- unhappy in their love lives, a fected young men in Sweden since as vetoing the EU farmer had caused the evacuation the mid-90s. By no means all were of a police station in the south by ethnic minorities — half of those arms embargo. handing in 12 sticks of dynamite so far arrested in Stockholm were he’d had lying around the place white. No one has been killed in BY MENZIES CAMPBELL — oh, and there had been a hun- these excitements, although people dred or so cars burnt out in the from minority groups have been he most seductive fallacy in for- satellite towns around Stockholm. killed by racist gunmen targeting eign affairs is “something must Only the conservative Svenska them in other incidents. be done”. It appears that the UK Dagbladet had led with the news a Beyond that kind of instru- government is ready to veto any couple of days ago, when I started mental approach, I think there is extension of the EU arms embargo watching the coverage. Do these another, moral point, which may Ton Syria when it comes up for review in things become less newsworthy be deeply unfashionable. Instead Brussels on Monday. That would be “some- after three or four nights, or is it of asking whether these pictures thing”. As set out by William Hague this week deliberate policy not to encourage are likely to be bad for poten- in the House of Commons, the government Syrian rebels prepare a missile for launch near the Abu Baker brigade in Albab. copycat rioting? tial rioters, we might also ask has not decided to send arms to the “good I can assume that it’s the lat- whether they are going to be bad guys” among the rebels, but wants the flex- ter, coupled with a certain prud- for the rest of us. What purpose, ibility to do so and believes that not to renew to help them resist the invaders. Some of zone” like Libya? Such parallels are inept. The ishness about violence. Even the exactly, does it serve to know the embargo would send a powerful signal to these weapons were used against those who Gaddafi government had no air force and little most sensationalist of the papers what a bloodstained murderer President Bashar Al Assad. supplied them when it became necessary to by way of ground-based air defence. A “no-fly did not reproduce anywhere looks like, or even a hooded youth Like many fallacies, it is superficially take on the Taliban after 9/11. zone” was easily established and maintained. prominent on their websites the throwing a Molotov cocktail? attractive, when accompanied by a harrowing The government answer appears to be you But Syria is different. Russian military assist- pictures of the English atroc- It will be objected that this kind account of the brutality of the Assad regime, can never be absolutely certain that weapons ance over years has given Assad a credible ity. I think the Swedish Press is of decision is paternalistic, and its indiscriminate use of violence against its will not fall into the wrong hands and we will air force and formidable air defences on the showing the English one a good that the pictures of riots will get citizens, and the impact on Lebanon, Turkey take every precaution to prevent it from hap- ground. To establish a “no-fly zone”, it would example. out anyway. So perhaps the prob- and Jordan of the never-ending flood of ref- pening. This is a thin justification for that be necessary to suppress these ground-based This is not because the prob- lem is not so much whether these ugees. But outrage and frustration are not risk in a conflict which hardly seems to lack defences which will inevitably be located lem will cease to exist if we things should be shown at all as enough to provide an efficient justification or weapons. If there is a risk of weapons falling near centres of population. The risk to civil- ignore it. In some ways it will whether they should be shown sound basis for such a material policy change. into the wrong hands, why increase that risk ians would be palpable. And if it is a “no-fly get worse. We should admit that over and over again. It seems an It is argued that at this stage the policy by providing more? zone” you must be prepared to shoot down this kind of nannying provokes a inevitable part of the workings of only extends to modifying or discontinuing the One of the, as yet, unanswered questions is intruders. Would not that amount to military backlash. A lot of the appeal of television news that they should embargo “to keep all options on the table”, but what kind of arms would you provide? Modern intervention? the nationalist and reactionary be so. I believe that the appar- this is disingenuous. Why would the govern- weaponry is sophisticated, requiring training The position of the US in all of this is cen- Sweden Democrats comes from ently endless repetition of the ment go to such lengths as to exercise a veto if and expertise. There is no point in sending tral. Little or no information has emerged as the sense that the ordinary people twin towers footage in 2001 (I it did not have a predisposition to follow that arms if the recipients are unable to use them. a result of the prime minister’s conversations of Sweden have been consistently was travelling in the states at the with a supply of arms? One tempting answer to that conundrum with President Barack Obama in Washington lied to about immigration and its time, so I saw a lot of television) Leave aside political consequences for the would be to send military and civilian techni- last week. Such silence suggests that for the consequences. You need only dip did a great deal to madden the UK with fellow EU members now and in the cians to provide assistance. This might not be moment at least the US is content to pursue into the Twitter streams hash- American people and to promote future of the exercise of a veto. Ask your- “boots on the ground” as we understand it, but diplomatic options with Russia. tagged with the rioting suburbs their disastrous invasion of Iraq. self what might be the result of the flexibility those deployed would provide inviting targets What can we do? There are no elegant to see this in action. I have watched the attacker’s sought by the UK. for Assad forces and propaganda for his claim solutions. We can give training and support So a conspiracy of silence around statement once. I will not watch How would you identify the groups among that the conflict is being driven by foreigners to those who can be established as holding the problems of areas with high it again. The Swedish newspapers, Assad’s opponents who would be legitimate intent on bringing down his government. the same values as ourselves. We can badger levels of recent immigration will in their conspiracy of ignorance, recipients of arms on the ground that their And what would be the response of his long- those nations who can afford to provide finan- do nothing to solve their long- are acting with a moral purpose. values of democracy and human rights are time patrons in Moscow? They continue to cial assistance in support of the humanitar- term problems and may make They want to make their country said to be the same as ours? The range of send sophisticated weapons to Syria — last ian refugee effort in the countries bordering them worse. One reason for the a slightly better place. Our own opponents is complex and extensive. Radical week they delivered a batch of shore-to-ship Syria. We can throw our weight behind the particular character of Swedish papers clearly can’t behave that Islamists are becoming more influential and missiles which would be an obstacle to any tentative joint diplomatic effort of Russia and race relations is that there is a way. But as readers and viewers powerful, not least since they are funding naval blockade or amphibious troop land- US to convene a conference on Syria. We can huge amount of housing segrega- we can exercise our own self-dis- their activities by plundering Syrian reserves ing. You can be sure that the umbilical cord caution Israel against getting involved. We tion between suburban settlements cipline and refuse to wallow in the and selling oil on the black market. They between Russia and Syria will not fail for a can persuade, cajole and bully countries in the miles apart and hidden from each gore. When the thing comes up most certainly do not share our values of lack of arms supplies. region that they have a stake in the outcome other by intervening forest or on screen again, just switch it off. democracy and human rights. How would you But the most penetrating question is: Where and that continuing destabilisation could have farmland. Only in Malmö is there There’s nothing new there. Spend prevent arms from falling into their hands? is the evidence that Assad’s approach would be damaging consequences for them. anything corresponding geo- time which you night have spent They have proved themselves to be as brutal affected by a veto or its possible consequences It is said that this change of British govern- graphically to the English “inner in pleasurable outrage in hard as Assad. Remember that when the Russians so long as he continues to enjoy unqualified ment policy is being led by No 10, that the cities”. Everywhere else is almost thought instead about what we invaded Afghanistan, the US supplied prodi- Russian support? Foreign Office is less enthusiastic and the as remote from the main cities as can do to make things a little bet- gious amounts of weapons to the Mujahideen If not arms, some say, what about a “no-fly military deeply sceptical. THE GUARDIAN Luton is from London. Research ter here. THE GUARDIAN The sooner the US exits Afghanistan, the better BY MATTHEW HOH and MATT in Afghanistan today is worse than it Lastly, soon there will be no more SOUTHWORTH was before the surge in 2009. A failure time or money to fight the war. As the to achieve a negotiated political settle- US military attempts to set param- s President Barack Obama is ment with regional stakeholders will eters for long term military engage- set to discuss the future of US almost certainly mean a fourth decade ment, Congress is ever less inclined counterterrorism policy around of war in Afghanistan — fomenting the to support operations. Congressional Athe world, he should also pro- same conditions which led to the rise of support has been in decline since vide a framework for a swift end to the Al Qaeda in that country. 2009, when the House first voted on war in Afghanistan. It is our belief US For 12 years, the US has given military an Afghanistan exit strategy amend- troops should not stay one day longer or solutions every chance to work. It is clear ment, offered by Representatives Jim shed one more drop of blood, and US tax- these efforts have failed. Inclusive politi- McGovern (Massachusetts) and Walter payers should not spend one more penny cal negotiations are extremely difficult in Jones (North Carolina). In November to keep troops in Afghanistan past 2014. the best of conditions. As violence grows, 2012, the Senate voted 62-33 to endorse It is time to truly end the US war in any efforts are very unlikely to bear fruit the president’s plan for withdrawal and Afghanistan. It is pure folly and wholly without first securing a ceasefire between express the sense that no US combat counterproductive for the US to keep international and Afghan forces and the troops should remain in Afghanistan fighting in Afghanistan, paying the high- insurgency. after 2014. Declining congressional sup- est price in life and treasure, for one Second, no regional agreement can be port for an overwhelmingly unpopu- more day, let alone until a specific cal- reached without Pakistan. It is true that lar war is likely to continue. That the endar date is reached. The current US one of the biggest challenges to stability in military focused transition from US to strategy, which lacks critical political and Afghanistan comes from outside its bor- Afghan control, to end next year, is on economic transition elements, will nei- ders. The Federally Administered Tribal a razor’s edge does not help. ther accomplish US political objectives, Area (FATA) along the Afghanistan- The US will not fight a war in nor provide security for the people of Pakistan border, target of most of the Afghanistan forever, so why not cut to Afghanistan. As violence is currently on 368 US drones strikes in Pakistan, has the chase? After over a decade of war in the rise, one can reasonably wonder what become a heavily militarized insurgent Afghanistan, the US does owe as smooth has been gained from years of remarkable haven. The insurgency causes great insta- as possible a transition to Afghans. The expense and sacrifice. bility, but is not the only undercurrent emphasis on the military aspects of The Obama administration should end that matters regarding political violence the transition has greatly reduced the this war and double down on efforts to in the FATA, in other areas of Pakistan chances for true political and economic achieve broad and inclusive political solu- or in Afghanistan. US soldiers relax at a Maxxpro Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle at the Forward progress to take hold. Both of these tions. There are several reasons why this Tension between Pakistan and India, are needed if peace and stability, both Operating Base in Ghazni, Afghanistan. track has a better chance for success. two growing and nuclear armed states, in Afghanistan and the region, are to First, there is no military solu- has largely driven Pakistani involvement become a reality. tion to Afghan political problems, in Afghanistan. A political peace proc- Pakistan are both best served by a sta- diplomatic exchanges could offer a good The Obama administration must now many of which don’t even originate in ess that seeks to end the India-Pakistan ble Afghanistan free of foreign meddling, start. Any agreement will not be achieved accept risk of a different kind in order to Afghanistan. In fact, efforts to pacify cold war — a decade long endeavour at including their own. Gestures of good through military force. However, there is achieve true success, but by using non- the Afghan insurgency by force have least — is as important as fully inclusive faith between India and Pakistan, such as scarcely a whisper of such a process in military means. only backfired. The security situation peace talks in Afghanistan. India and prisoner exchanges or high-level, public Washington. THE GUARDIAN MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 08 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Middle East WHO to help Saudi probe virus before Haj UN agency to send second team for coronavirus risk assessment; Jeddah sends animal samples for tests

JEDDAH/GENEVA: The director-general Margaret Chan management and then, last but of Makkah and Medina for Haj, transmission happening in the officials say there has been some World Health Organisation said. The virus, which can cause not least, on travel advice,” Chan although pilgrims come and go areas where the patients were contagion between people, but (WHO) said yesterday that it coughing, fever and pneumonia, told the WHO’s annual ministe- all year round. The virus has clustered. These included the only where contact has been close would help Saudi Arabia dig emerged in Saudi Arabia last year rial meeting in Geneva. also been found in Jordan, Qatar, ICU (intensive care unit) and and prolonged. deeper into deadly outbreaks of and has been found in 33 people The WHO, which sent a first Tunisia, UAE, while isolated cases the haemo-dialysis unit,” Saudi Saudi authorities have collected a new SARS-like virus to draw there, killing 17. They are among team to Saudi Arabia this month, have been exported to France, Arabia’s Deputy Health Minister a large number of samples from up advice ahead of the annual the 44 cases and 22 deaths world- will provide a fresh risk assess- Britain and Germany by visitors. Ziad Memish told the Geneva bats, camels, sheep and cats for Haj pilgrimage, which attracts wide, according to the WHO, ment ahead of this year’s Haj, Saudi Arabia said yesterday talks. The measures included testing, Memish said. Asked about millions of Muslims. which has called it the Middle which takes place in October. that tighter controls had helped separating patients or increasing the risk factors for contracting The UN agency, which is not East Respiratory Syndrome “We need to get the facts clear to stamped out a MERS-CoV out- the distance between them, and the disease, Memish said: “It currently recommending any Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). and get the appropriate advice break in a hospital in the eastern reduction of direct contact. seems like being a male is a risk restrictions on travel to the king- “Without that proper risk to all your countries where your region of Al Ahsa, which infected Many questions remain about factor, being old is a risk factor; dom or screening of passengers assessment, we cannot have clar- pilgrims want to go to Makkah. It 22 people, killing 10. how the new virus spreads and having underlying diseases includ- at airports or entry points, will ity on the incubation period, on is something quite urgent,” Chan “Certain infection control what the vector may be, ranging ing diabetes, heart disease and send a second team of experts the signs and symptoms of the said. measures were applied because possibly from animals to surface renal failure seem to be putting in the coming weeks, WHO disease, on the proper clinical Millions flock to the holy cities we thought there was some contamination. Saudi and WHO people at risk.” REUTERS

Praying together Sleiman cautions Russia says Assad Hezbollah over role in Syria war

BEIRUT: Lebanon’s ready to talk peace President Michel Sleiman cautioned the Shia group MOSCOW: Syria’s most pow- other cooperation that stretches Hezbollah yesterday over erful ally Russia said yesterday back to Soviet times. Moscow has its militia fighting alongside that the Damascus regime had in recent weeks also been keen regime troops in neighbour- agreed “in principle” to attend to show its diplomatic influence ing Syria. an international peace confer- in the region by ensuring that “The resistance is more ence on the crisis that world Assad’s representatives attended noble and more important powers hope will take place in a conference agreed this month than anything, and should not Geneva in June. by Russian Foreign Minister get bogged down in the sands But Moscow also criticised Sergei Lavrov and his US coun- of dissension, whether in Syria Syria’s various opposition groups terpart John Kerry. or Lebanon,” he said in a state- for presenting tough demands Some European media have ment, referring to Hezbollah’s that in some cases included the reported that the meeting has traditional focus on fighting exclusion of President Bashar Al been already tentatively sched- Israel. Assad’s representatives from the uled for June 10, with the focus “The resistance has fought negotiations. on ending 26 months of blood- and liberated (Israeli-occupied Russian foreign minis- shed that a Syrian observer southern Lebanon) because try spokesman Alexander group says has claimed more than it acts for a national cause Lukashevich said Russia had 90,000 lives. But Lukashevich and not a confessional one,” received the Damascus govern- said reports of a specific date for Sleiman added. ment’s agreement to take part in the conference “cannot be taken The statement came as the the Geneva conference during a seriously” because the ranks of militant group battled Syrian visit to Moscow by Syria’s Deputy Assad’s foes remained so split. rebel fighters in the opposition Foreign Minister Faisal Muqdad. “Demands to immediately stronghold of Qusayr in central “We note with satisfaction that name a specific date for the Homs province, where Syrian we have received an agreement conference without having clar- troops launched an assault on in principle from Damascus to ity about who — and with what Sunday. attend the international confer- authority — will speak in the ence in the interest of the Syrians name of the opposition, cannot themselves finding a political be taken seriously,” Lukashevich Bahraini protesters path to resolve the conflict,” said. Syria’s main opposition Lukashevich told reporters. group entered a second day of clash with police Russia is seen as the nation talks in Istanbul yesterday aimed MANAMA: Hundreds of exercising the strongest influ- at finding a joint approach to Bahraini Shias angered by a Iraqi worshippers during a joint Sunni-Shia Friday prayer at the Martyrs Monument in Baghdad yesterday. ence over the Syrian regime what has already been dubbed as raid last week on a top cleric’s Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki has called to establish unified Friday prayers in Baghdad, after attacks thanks to years of military and the “Geneva 2” conference. AFP home clashed with police yes- on Sunni and Shia mosques in recent weeks. terday, while thousands more gathered in the cleric’s village for a peaceful sit-in against their Sunni-led government. The raid by security forces on the home of Ayatollah Sheikh Kerry: Israelis, Palestinians Issa Qassim on May 17 infuri- ated the opposition and drew condemnation from neighbour- ing Shia power Iran. must make tough decisions The raid on the ayatol- lah’s house prompted main TEL AVIV: Israeli and where it wants to establish its on Israel to halt its settle- opposition group Al Wefaq to Palestinian leaders must future state. ment programme. Netanyahu announce on Wednesday that decide soon on whether to The Israeli government has agreed to a partial freeze, but it would withdraw from recon- revive long-dormant peace said there should be no precon- did not extend it beyond an ciliation talks with the govern- negotiations to end their ditions and drew anger earlier initial 10-month period and ment for two weeks. Protesters decades-old conflict, US this month when it turned to Washington quietly dropped in the village of Diraz, west of Secretary of State John Kerry the courts to try to legalise the demand. the capital Manama, threw said yesterday. four unauthorised West Bank Obama made his first official stones at hundreds of riot Ending two days of meet- settler outposts. Kerry said he visit to Jerusalem this March police who responded with tear ings in the region, Kerry said had raised the issue with Israeli to re-launch US peace efforts, gas and water cannons, a wit- he had had “very productive” Prime Minister Benjamin with Palestinian officials talk- ness said. talks. But there were no obvi- Netanyahu, whose centre-right ing about a June 7 cut-off point ous signs of any breakthrough, government includes many fer- for the US-led diplomacy. with neither side offering the vently pro-settler politicians. The Palestinians say it is Saboteurs blow up sort of compromises needed to “It is also clear that when pointless to hold negotiations end a three-year stalemate. actions are taken, whether by while the Israeli building con- Yemen oil pipeline “We are reaching the time court or otherwise, it is our tinues in the West Bank and SANA’A: Saboteurs blew up where leaders need to make view that those actions can east Jerusalem — home to some a section of Yemen’s main oil hard decisions,” Kerry said at be deemed by some to be pro- 500,000 settlers. pipeline yesterday, partly dis- the end of his fourth visit to the vocative... So it is our hope that In the absence of formal rupting output, the defence region in barely two months as there will be a minimal effort peacemaking, the Palestinians ministry and a local official he struggles to overcome deeply there,” Kerry said. last year gained de-facto state- said. entrenched positions that have On taking office in 2009, US hood recognition at the United The attack struck in the snarled the peace process. President Barack Obama called Nations. REUTERS Sarwaj district of Marib prov- British Foreign Secretary ince, east of the capital, the William Hague, who has held ministry said in a statement. separate talks in Israel and the A local official said that engi- Palestinian territories to voice neers had been sent to the area support for Kerry, told report- to try to restore the flow of oil ers in Jerusalem he had not yet on the 320km pipeline from seen any significant progress. the Safer field to the Red Sea “I don’t think we are in a port of Hodeida. The pipe- position to say that the neces- line has been hit repeatedly by sary compromises have been saboteurs, with two attacks last made,” he said. month alone. “Unless bold leadership is In December, the army there to make the most of this launched an offensive against opportunity, then we face a tribesmen suspected of being bleak situation in the Middle behind the attacks, sparking East,” he added, warning that clashes in which 17 people were time was running out to secure killed. Electricity Minister an independent nation for the Saleh Sumai has blamed loy- Palestinians. alists of former president Ali The Palestinians have repeat- Palestinian protesters throw stones towards an Israeli bulldozer during Abdullah Saleh, who was forced edly said they will only resume clashes following a protest against the expropriation of Palestinian to step down early last year negotiations if Israel halts set- land by Israel in the village of Kafr Qaddum, near the occupied West after holding power in Sana’a tlement building on land seized since 1978. AGENCIES Bank city of Nablus, yesterday. in the 1967 Middle East War, MAY 25, 2013 International www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 ON SATURDAY UK intelligence Fighters escort under pressure over murder PIA flight to of soldier

LONDON: Britain’s intelli- gence services came under pres- London airport sure yesterday to explain how they let two Islamist extrem- ists suspected of hacking a sol- dier to death in the streets of Two men arrested on board London slip through their net. Both of the men, under armed LONDON: British fighter the pilot had informed passen- guard in London hospitals after jets escorted a Pakistan gers after landing that he had being shot by police at the scene, International Airlines passen- diverted to Stansted because of were previously known to the ger plane to Stansted Airport threats. The passenger, named by intelligence services but were near London yesterday, where the BBC as Munsif, said two men reportedly assessed as not posing police went on board and had been handcuffed on board and a deadly threat. arrested two men on suspicion removed. One of the men, identified of endangering an aircraft. “We landed safely and then he as Michael Adebolajo, 28, had Passengers were leaving the announced that they had some attended meetings of a now- plane and no one was hurt in the kind of threat from someone and banned Islamist group and incident, a spokesman for the air- that’s why he landed the plane,” reportedly sold extremist leaf- port said. the passenger said, speaking by lets in Woolwich, south London, Flight PK709 from Lahore in telephone. where the attack took place on Pakistan had been due to land at “Essex Police have boarded British police and fire brigade appliances surround a Pakistan International Airlines plane at Stansted Airport, in Wednesday. Manchester in northern England a passenger plane diverted to Essex near London, yesterday. Adebolajo had reportedly tried with 297 passengers on board, Stansted Airport and two men to travel to Somalia to fight but was diverted shortly before have been arrested on suspicion Stansted is one of London’s less under the direction of Essex in time no suspicious items have alongside the country’s Shebab arrival. of endangerment of an aircraft. busy airports, preferred as a loca- police,” Superintendent Darrin been recovered.” insurgents but had been turned Britain is on high alert after a They have been removed from the tion for handling airplane security Tomkins told reporters at Essex County Fire and Rescue back and had his passport con- soldier was hacked to death on a plane,” the police said in a state- incidents. A spokesman for the Stansted airport near London to Service said 10 fire engines had fiscated by police. London street on Wednesday in ment. The force is responsible airport said the plane was being where the plane was diverted. been sent to the airport. He was captured on film what the government are treating for the area where Stansted is held in an isolated area and that Asked if it could be terror Britain launches military shortly after the attack near a as a terrorist incident. located. the rest of the airport was operat- related, he added: “This incident planes to intercept unidenti- barracks in Woolwich holding a A security source said early “The two men arrested on ing as normal. is being treated as a criminal fied aircraft when they cannot bloodied knife and meat cleaver indications were that the plane suspicion of endangerment of an British police said later yes- offence.” be identified by other means, and claiming he had killed soldier was not the target of a terrorist aircraft are aged 30 and 41. They terday they are treating an inci- “The plane will remain at its for example when the aircraft Lee Rigby because British soldiers attack. are being taken to a police station dent as criminal rather that a current location and will sub- is not talking to air traffic killed Muslims every day. “It is an A passenger who had just for interview by detectives,” the terror-related. ject to forensic examination by controllers. eye for an eye and a tooth for a got off the plane told the BBC police added. “It’s a criminal investigation specialist officers. At this point AGENCIES tooth,” he says in the footage. Both Adebolajo and the other suspect, named as 22-year-old Michael Adebowale, are the chil- dren of Nigerian immigrants. As police tried to piece together how Adebolajo apparently went Obama seeks end to perpetual US war on terror from an outspoken convert — he became a Muslim in 2003 — to a WASHINGTON: Twelve years around the world for an America milestone in his campaign to the previous policy of launching efforts to dismantle specific net- cold-blooded murderer, the gov- after the “war on terror” began, that flouts the rule of law.” reshape the global image of the strikes against a significant threat. works of violent extremists that ernment was forced to defend the President Barack Obama wants After launching costly wars in United States - particularly in the Under new presidential guid- threaten America,” Obama said. security services against criticism to pull the United States back Iraq and Afghanistan, the US is Islamic world. ance signed by Obama this week, Pakistan said it appreciated they missed signs which might have from some of the most contro- tiring of conflict. While combating But he faces obstacles from the Defense Department will also Obama’s acknowledgement that helped prevent the grisly murder. versial aspects of its global fight terrorism is still a high priority opponents in Congress who take over some lethal drone oper- force alone did not work, adding A parliamentary committee will against Islamist militants. for the White House, polls show will try to block the closure of ations from the CIA. that the root causes of terrorism look into the role of the security In a major policy speech on by large margins that Americans’ Guantanamo prison and reject his That would subject drone had to be addressed. services, but communities minister Thursday, Obama narrowed the main concerns are the economy call to repeal the Authorization attacks to more scrutiny from “On the use of drone strikes, Eric Pickles said even if the men scope of the targeted-killing drone and domestic concerns such as for Use of Military Force passed Congress and might lead to the the government of Pakistan has had been known to intelligence campaign against Al Qaeda and healthcare. right after the September 11, 2001, Pentagon taking over drone consistently maintained that the agencies, it was impossible to keep its allies and took steps toward “We have now been at war for attacks. The law is the legal basis operations in Yemen, but not in drone strikes are counter-produc- tabs on everyone all the time. closing the Guantanamo Bay mili- well over a decade,” Obama said for much of the “war on terror.” Pakistan, where the CIA is likely tive, entail loss of innocent civil- “Peers and MPs will do a thor- tary prison in Cuba. near the start of his address. Faced with criticism about to continue to run the program. ian lives, have human rights and ough investigation in terms of He acknowledged the past use Toward the end, he added: “But civilian casualties in attacks by Obama made clear it was humanitarian implications and what the security forces knew, of “torture” in US interrogations; this war, like all wars, must end.” unmanned aerial vehicles, Obama time for a policy shift. “Beyond violate the principles of national but I’ve seen experts on security expressed remorse over civilian Though aimed first at a domes- said the United States would only Afghanistan, we must define our sovereignty, territorial integrity explaining how difficult it is in a casualties from drone strikes; and tic audience, Obama’s speech at use those drone strikes when a effort not as a boundless ‘glo- and international law,” the Foreign free society to be able to control said that the Guantanamo deten- Washington’s National Defense threat was “continuing and immi- bal war on terror’ — but rather Ministry said in a statement. everyone,” Pickles told BBC TV. tion facility “has become a symbol University was also the latest nent,” a nuanced change from as a series of persistent, targeted REUTERS AFP Cars, schools ablaze in Stockholm riots

STOCKHOLM: More than a dozen cars Firefighters were dispatched to 70 dif- to be heard,” said the rioter, identified only were torched and schools, shops and a ferent locations in greater Stockholm over- by the pseudonym Kim. police station were set ablaze as riots swept night, extinguishing torched cars, dumpsters In Rinkeby, one of the city’s immigrant- through Stockholm’s immigrant-domi- and buildings, including three schools, the dominated areas, six cars parked alongside nated suburbs for the fifth straight night, fire department wrote on Twitter. each other were torched, according to a police and firefighters said yesterday. That was calmer than the previous night, photographer on the scene. Police plan to call in reinforcements to when they handled 90 incidents. A police station and several shops in help quell the riots, but parents and vol- Lindgren said 13 people had been arrested, Aelvsjoe were set on fire, but the flames unteer organisations who have patrolled between the ages of 17 and 26, but no inju- were quickly extinguished. the streets in recent nights have helped ries were reported. Firefighters said a fire set at a school in decrease their intensity, police spokesman One of the rioters in the suburb of Husby another immigrant-heavy suburb, Tensta, Kjell Lindgren said. told Swedish Radio that racism was ram- was quickly extinguished, as was another at a The riots have shattered Sweden’s image pant where he lived, and that violence was nursery school in the Kista suburb. And police abroad as a peaceful and egalitarian nation, his only way of being noticed. in Soedertaelje, a town south of Stockholm, and sparked a domestic debate about the “We burned cars, threw rocks at police, at said rioters threw stones at them as they assimilation of immigrants, who make up police cars. But it’s good, because now people responded to reports of cars set alight. about 15 percent of the population. know what Husby is... This is the only way AFP

British speaker’s wife tweet ruled Far East quake jolts Moscow libellous MOSCOW: A massive undersea earthquake “It shook for a long time and it was quite scary. yesterday in Russia’s Far East prompted a The walls were rocking and the chandelier shak- LONDON: A tweet by the wife of tsunami warning and unleashed tremors ing,” one elderly woman resident told Channel the British parliament’s speaker across Russia including in Moscow around One television. about a senior Conservative 7,000 kilometres away, but caused no casual- “Parked cars moved back and forward a few politician in the wake of reports ties or damage. centimetres,” a young man told the channel. of child sex abuse was libellous, The US Geological Survey (USGS) estimated The huge magnitude and great depth of the the High Court in London ruled the quake at 8.3 magnitude and placed its epi- quake meant that its echoes were felt across yesterday. centre in the Sea of Okhotsk off the shore of the the Eurasian continent including in the Russian Sally Bercow said she was Kamchatka Peninsula at a depth of more than capital itself. “surprised and disappointed” by 600km. “The whole plate — on which the continent the judgement, but a lawyer for Russia issued a tsunami warning for Sakhalin stands — shook,” Anatoly Tsygankov of the state Lord Alistair McAlpine said it island and its region, prompting residents to leave Rosgidromet environmental monitoring service should serve as “a warning to, their homes for higher ground. But the warning told AFP. and guidance for, people who use was lifted minutes later, with no casualties. “And this movement of the continental plate social media.” Bercow, the wife “I was sitting at my work desk and it started was felt all over Russia—not just in Moscow, we of House of Commons Speaker shaking like this,” a young woman from Sakhalin received calls from Nizhny Novgorod and other John Bercow, wrote on Twitter: island said in televised remarks, rocking her cities.” “Why is Lord McAlpine trending? arms. “It was scary to be honest.” Aftershocks were also recorded in the Siberian Innocent face” two days after a “I don’t know what it was, but my sofa shook a regions of Krasnoyarsk, Tomsk and Novosibirsk, BBC TV report last year wrongly bit,” an elderly woman added in remarks broad- the emergency situations ministry said. implicated an unnamed leading cast on Rossiya 24 television. In Moscow, which is eight time zones away Conservative in allegations of The quake was felt most strongly in the city from the region hit by the quake, “the earthquake sex abuse at a children’s home in of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, around 560 kilo- was felt on the top floors of high-rise buildings,” Wales in the 1970s and 1980s. metres away, but there were no casualties or the emergency situations ministry said. AFP damage, the emergency situations ministry said. AFP MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Asia China, US deal to Oldest Everest climber share audit files More probes into Chinese companies listed in US

BEIJING: China has signed an Chinese law did not allow such Chinese accounting firms audit- agreement with the US to share information transfers. ing US-listed companies should be company audit files, it said yes- China’s securities watchdog supervised. The accord was signed terday, paving the way for more announced that Beijing and earlier this month by the CSRC, probes into accounting scandals Washington had inked a memo- China’s Ministry of Finance and the involving Chinese firms listed randum of understanding (MOU) US Public Company Accounting in the US. on the exchange of audit and Oversight Board, it said. The China affiliates of five top accounting records. A number of accounting scan- accounting firms were charged “The signing of the MOU is a dals have cost investors in Chinese by US market regulators in significant step in cross-border firms listed in the US billions of December with violating securi- cooperation,” said a statement by dollars in losses, raising wider ties laws for refusing to provide the China Securities Regulatory concerns over fraud. audit data related to investiga- Commission (CSRC). Investors in Toronto-listed tions into some China-based but It “laid a fine foundation for Sino-Forest Corp also lost hun- US-listed companies. bilateral cross-border coordi- dreds of millions of dollars when But some of the auditors said nation of investigations in the it collapsed following allegations despite being willing to assist the future”, according to the state- it had misstated its revenue and probes, they were caught in legal ment, read by a CSRC official. exaggerated the size of its planta- differences between the world’s But it signalled that the two tions in China. two largest economies, and sides have yet to agree on how AFP Japanese Yuichiro Miura at the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal. The 80-year-old man reached the summit on Thursday, becoming the oldest person to scale the world’s highest mountain.

$20bn project N Korea to take ‘positive steps’ for peace faces probe BEIJING: A North Korean envoy told resolve related issues through multilateral violated a 2005 aid-for-denuclearisation of hurting the dignity of its leadership and SEOUL: A South Korean China’s president yesterday that his dialogue and consultations like the six- deal by conducting a nuclear test in 2006 slammed her as “a confrontation maniac”. government commission reclusive country was willing to take party talks, and maintain peace and sta- and pursuing a uranium enrichment pro- The warning came a day after Park will probe a $20bn effort “positive actions” to ensure peace and bility on the peninsula,” the official Xinhua gramme that would give it a second path denounced Kim for “playing a gamble to to dredge, dam and beau- stability on the Korean peninsula, as news service cited Choe as telling Xi. to a nuclear weapon in addition to its plu- escalate tension” on the Korean peninsula. tify four rivers that has China steps up diplomatic efforts to “To this end, North Korea is willing to tonium-based programme. The North’s Committee for the Peaceful been tainted by charges bring Pyongyang back to talks. take positive actions,” Choe added. The six-party aid-for-disarmament Reunification of Korea said Park had of environmental damage, Choe Ryong-hae, special envoy of leader Xi told Choe that the denuclearisation talks, involving the two Koreas, the US, attempted to “bar the situation from lead- cost-overruns and corrup- Kim Jong-un, met Chinese officials, includ- of the peninsula was an aspiration of all Japan, Russia and China, collapsed in 2008 ing to detente”. tion. The Prime Minister’s ing President Xi Jinping, in the highest- peoples and an inevitable trend, saying when the North walked away from the deal. North Korean authorities opened the Office yesterday said 20 offi- ranking visit by an official from Pyongyang problems should be resolved through talks. China, North Korea’s only ally, has been border town of Sinuiju to Western tour- cials and experts would be in about six months. “China hopes all sides exercise calm and pushing for a return to talks after weeks of ists, Chinese-based travel agencies said. drafted onto the commis- But Choe made no new offer to abandon restraint, push for a lessening of tensions, bellicose words from Pyongyang following The move opens up the possibility of foreign sion which will begin work the North Korea’s nuclear programme. restart the six-party talks process and new UN sanctions after the North’s third tourists being able to make day tours to next month. Revitalising the Chinese state media said he presented make unremitting efforts ... for long-lasting nuclear test in February. the secretive state, a considerably cheaper Han, Nakdong, Geum and a hand-written letter from Kim to Xi at peace and stability,” Xi said. The US insists the North must take option than the more expensive multi-day Yeongsan rivers was the cen- Great Hall of the People, but did not pro- China has repeatedly urged North Korea meaningful steps on denuclearisation trips on offer. The country is largely sealed trepiece of former president vide details. to return to the so-called six party talks before there can be talks. off from outsiders, with Western travellers Lee Myung-Bak’s “Green “North Korea is willing to make joint process, aimed at denuclearisation. North Korea, meanwhile, accused allowed in only on strictly controlled tours. New Deal” to create jobs after efforts with all parties to appropriately The US and its allies believe the North South Korean President Park Geun-Hye AGENCIES the 2008 global downturn. Blast kills five Thai rangers BANGKOK: Five paramili- Tributes to Bangla textile victims Shanghai’s Catholics tary rangers were killed and one was hurt in an ambush SAVAR, BANGLADESH: Relatives said yes- workers, were rescued, including 968 seriously when suspected rebels deto- terday they were still waiting for news of their injured. But the chief government administrator of show zeal in festivity nated a bomb buried in a road missing loved ones, as they gathered to mark the local district said that “some 316 people are still in Thailand’s insurgency- one month since Bangladesh’s worst industrial unaccounted for”. plagued south, police said tragedy. Many of those are thought to be bodies recovered SHANGHAI: Thousands of Chinese Catholics gathered in Shanghai yesterday. The mid-morning A government official said more than 300 people from the rubble, which were too badly damaged to yesterday for a celebration to honour the Virgin Mary, in a show of attack was a grizzly reminder were still formally unaccounted for after the col- identify. They were buried at a graveyard in Dhaka religious fervour permitted by the Communist-ruled state. that rebels in the Muslim- lapse of a garment factory complex on April 24 that after DNA samples were collected for later identi- China exercises strict control over religion, requiring followers to majority deep south have yet killed 1,127. Family of the dead and missing along fication, authorities have said. worship in state-approved churches. to curb violence against Thai with labour activists and students gathered to lay “We have kept DNA profiles of unidentified bod- In an annual tradition dating back more than 100 years, pilgrims security forces and civilians wreaths at the site. ies before burial. We will match those profiles with walked up Sheshan — or She Mountain — the site of two churches and despite ongoing peace talks Nasima Begum, 40, said she had searched tire- their relatives’ to confirm identity and compensation the seminary for Shanghai’s Catholic Diocese in the city’s southwest. with neighbouring Malaysia. lessly since the tragedy for her son who had been beneficiaries,” the official, Kamrul Hasan Molla said. One man carried a wooden cross in front of him while others knelt working on the third floor of the doomed building. Begum said she had given her DNA sample to the on the ground, crossing themselves and chanting prayers, before a Monk tries to “I have checked everywhere, at hospitals, at mor- authorities to match it against those collected from statue of the Virgin Mary. “Today Catholics throughout the world are tuaries, at graveyards, but I did not find my son or the bodies, but had heard nothing. praying for the Church of China,” a nun said. immolate self his dead body,” Begum said at the site on the out- Some of those gathered at the site angrily “We gathered here to honour this important date, and pray for Mary, skirts of Dhaka, clutching his photo. demanded that the government improve safety for God, for our faith, for the Chinese people and eternal love,” she said. COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan Authorities have stopped searching for bodies at standards in the nation’s 4,500 garment plants, as Pope Francis tweeted a prayer for Catholics in China on what is monk set himself on fire yes- the nine-storey Rana Plaza complex in Savar district well as punish those responsible for the collapse. known as the feast day of the Virgin of Sheshan and celebrated mass terday to protest the slaugh- since the tragedy that highlighted appalling safety “This is no way an accident, this is murder of so before a group of Chinese Catholics in the Vatican. ter of cattle, in the country’s conditions in the sector. Most garment factories, many workers, which is unprecedented in our his- Earlier this week ahead of the celebration, Francis called on Chinese first attempt at self-immola- which make clothing for Western retailers, includ- tory,” said Anik Biswash, a university student. “We Catholics to affirm their loyalty to him, and prayed that they be allowed tion by a monk, police said. ing Walmart, H&M, Tesco, Inditex and Carrefour, demand exemplary punishment to the culprits and to live in accordance with their faith. China and the Vatican severed The monk doused himself are based in Savar. the government upgrades factory safety standards diplomatic ties in 1951 after Rome recognised the Nationalist govern- with a flammable liquid and Authorities say 2,438 people, mostly female to prevent such disasters in future.” AFP ment in Taiwan, a rival to the Communist regime. AFP set himself ablaze near a temple in the central town of Kandy during a Buddhist festival, police said, adding he was taken to hospital. Amnesty plea Mayor apologises as ‘comfort to Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: Global women’ cancel key meeting rights group Amnesty International urged Malaysia yesterday to end its “post- OSAKA: A Japanese politician “I hurt them with my words countries under Japan’s rule in election crackdown” which yesterday apologised to women so it’s natural that I want to the 1930s and 1940s as well as has seen four critics arrested forcibly drafted into military apologise.” from the US. He later pledged to in the aftermath of the gov- brothels during the Second Earlier yesterday, supporters of apologise for his comments, while ernment’s worst electoral World War after his comments the women, both in their 80s, said insisting Japan’s soldiers were not result. The arrests made about them being a military they were concerned Hashimoto unique in brutalising women. in the past week under the necessity sparked outrage. would not retract his controver- Hashimoto said his original Sedition Act — which Prime Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto sial comments. remarks were misinterpreted. Minister Najib Razak pledged issued the apology hours after “He has to retract his past “I happen to have used the last year to repeal — amid he was due to meet two former comments if he wants to apologise word ‘necessity’ but it doesn’t opposition claims that fraud “comfort women”, but the elderly and make us believe it is genuine,” mean I personally meant it was marred the May 5 general South Korean women cancelled supporter Pang Chung-Ja told a necessary,” he said. “I mean that election and cost them vic- the meeting over fears of becom- hastily arranged press briefing it is a historical truth that sol- tory. London-based Amnesty ing political pawns in a long-run- in Osaka. She added there were diers were using women. Was it said two politicians, including ning row that has stoked tensions fears the pair could be “politically not necessary for them?” an elected lawmaker, and two between Tokyo and Seoul. exploited”. Since his original comments, activists were arrested under “It is a shame that I couldn’t Earlier this month the mayor Hashimoto, co-leader of the Japan the “repressive law... solely for meet them — I wanted to tell said wartime sex slavery served Restoration Party, has continued peacefully expressing their Supporters hold a banner with pictures of former Korean comfort women, them I am sorry for this misun- a “necessary” role keeping bat- to fan the flames with new pro- political beliefs”. during a rally in front of the city hall in Osaka yesterday. derstanding,” Hashimoto told a tle-stressed soldiers in line, set- nouncements, many of which have AGENCIES press conference. ting off a volley of criticism from been on Twitter. AFP MAY 25, 2013 Philippines www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 ON SATURDAY Maritime arbitration Navy's 115th anniversary bid backed by Japan Initiative aims to clarify zones in South China Sea

MANILA: Japan backed yes- nations in the Asia-Pacific, the Supreme Court Senior terday the Philippine initia- two countries share the advocacy Associate Justice Antonio tive for arbitration proceedings of promoting the rule of law, the Carpio believes the Philippine to clarify maritime zones and DFA added. attempt to take the territorial entitlements in the South China Del Rosario told Abe the cru- dispute with China in the West Sea. cial role of international law is Philippine Sea to an arbitral tri- The Department of Foreign attaining a durable resolution to bunal under the UNCLOS may Affairs (DFA) said Japanese international disputes based on a be futile. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe level playing field. Speaking before law graduates made the commitment to Foreign He briefed Abe on the of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod Affairs Secretary Albert del Philippines’ parallel pursuit of ng Maynila lon May 18, Carpio Rosario during a courtesy call diplomatic and political avenues said should the UNCLOS decide at the Kantei (Prime Minister’s to address maritime concerns. in favor of either party, the Office) in Tokyo. Abe and Del Rosario welcomed Philippines is at a disadvantage “Along these lines, Prime this year’s commemoration of the because China has the naval Minister Abe manifested the 40th Anniversary of Asean-Japan might to enforce a favorable Philippine Marines take oath of allegiance during the Navy's 115th anniversary celebrations in Fort San Felipe, Japanese government’s support for Friendship and Cooperation. decision. Cavite city. the Philippines’ initiation of arbi- They also exchanged views on “The Philippines does not have tration proceedings last January, other regional matters, includ- the naval might to compel China pursuant to the United Nations ing the denuclearisation of the to comply with any decision of the Convention on the Law of the Sea Korean peninsula. arbitral tribunal,” he said. (UNCLOS) to clarify maritime Del Rosario was invited to The South China Sea — a stra- Higher penalty for hot meat sale zones and entitlements in the address the annual Nikkei tegic waterway where a bulk of South China Sea,” DFA said. International Conference on the the world’s trade pass — had been MANILA: The sale and distri- heavier. In the past, there is just restructuring in terms of the com- Japan also pledged continued Future of Asia. He concluded his a source of conflict among com- bution of hot meat, commonly administrative fine and the agri- position of the NMIS (National support for the Philippines’ capa- two-day visit to Tokyo yesterday. peting claimants the Philippines, known as botcha, is punish- culture secretary is the one decid- Meat Inspection Service), which is bility-building in maritime secu- The DFA said Del Rosario also Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, China able with a higher fine and even ing on that,” deputy presidential the primary agency responsible for rity, the DFA added. met Foreign Minister Fumio and Taiwan. imprisonment. spokesperson Abigail Valte said. making sure that the meat that The DFA said Abe and Del Kishida, Japan International Claimed by China nearly in its President Aquino signed into Under the new law, any person arrives at your table is certified Rosario discussed the regional Cooperation Agency Vice entirety, the sea is dotted with law Republic Act 10536 last May found selling, transporting, offer- safe for consumption,” Valte said. situation and the particular President Hiroto Arakawa islands, reefs, cays, shoals and 15, amending the Meat Inspection ing or receiving hot meat faces RA 10536 was a consolidation maritime security challenges and Representative Katsuyuki rock formations and is believed Code of the Philippines and imprisonment of six to 12 years of Senate Bill 3388 and House that the Philippines and Japan Kawai, Chairman of the Foreign to be rich in natural gas and oil imposing stiffer penalties on and fine ranging from P100,000 Bill 5490 that was passed last are confronting. Relations Committee of Japan’s deposits. violators. to P1m. February 4. Being two important island House of Representatives. AGENCIES “Now the penalty is much “The law also provides for some THE PHILIPPINE STAR Soldier dies in rebel clash US speeds up visa applications of veterans’ children MANILA: A govern- ment soldier was killed and WASHINGTON: Some 20,000 Immigration Reform (CIB) bill be reunited with them. For some priority in getting visas once siblings or children not in the three others were wounded adult sons and daughters of that will be considered by the full countries such as the Philippines, the CIR bill is passed by the US United States. in an encounter with the Filipino World War II veter- Senate next month. the waiting period is as long as Congress and signed by President “This is extremely disap- leftist rebel group of New ans moved closer to their goal The amendment introduced 23 years due to high demand by Barack Obama. pointing,” said Navarra. “We are People’s Army (NPA) in the of immigrating to the United by Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono Filipinos for immigrant visas to Ed Navarra, chairman of nonetheless appreciative of the Zamboanga del Sur yes- States with a US Senate com- aims to speed up the reunifica- the US, immigration lawyers said. the National Federation of senator’s determined efforts to terday, local police said mittee unanimously vot- tion of veterans who have become Eric Lachica, a spokesman for Filipino American Associations fight for families and speak for yesterday. ing to fast-track their visa naturalised Americans and their the Washington-based American (NaFFAA), thanked Hirono for millions whose voices aren’t often The elements of the applications. adult children living in the Coalition for Filipino Veterans pushing the amendment. heard.” Philippine Army’s 55th Infantry The Senate judiciary committee Philippines. (ACFV), said about 20,000 adult Other amendments submit- The comprehensive reform Division clashed with some 60 by voice vote agreed on Tuesday Naturalised citizens who peti- children of living or deceased ted by Hirono failed, including bill seeks to give some 11 million rebels between the vicinity to include the Filipino Veterans tion for their adult children or Filipino-American war veterans one that would have provided people living in the US illegally a of Tambulig, Zamboanga del Family Reunification amendment siblings generally have to wait who have approved petitions to limited relief for families due to chance at citizenship. Sur Province and Bonifacio in to a landmark Comprehensive for at least a decade in order to immigrate will have immediate prolonged separation from their THE PHILIPPINE STAR Misamis Occidental Province shortly before noon on Wednesday, said Police Chief Fire aftermath Inspector Ariel Huesca, chief of the Public Information Office of Western Mindanao Regional Recruitment firms Police Office. Secretary defends According to Huesca, the urge dialogue firefight lasted for about 30 MANILA: With job pros- minutes, resulting in the pects in Taiwan dimming for death of certain Corporal Filipinos, a group of recruit- hike in tuition fees Depositario and wounding of ment agencies is appealing to three other soldiers, who were Manila and Taipei for sobriety, MANILA: An official of the Department of Education defended rushed to a nearby hospital. saying both sides should stick to the agency’s decision to approve tuition increase for 260 private The police officer did not men- dialogue and avoid taking dras- elementary and high schools in Metro Manila this school year. tion whether the rebel group tic actions like imposing travel Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali said the additional fees would be suffered any casualties in the and employment restrictions. used to raise teachers’ salaries and improve school facilities. fighting. “As per what we read, the In an interview with ANC, Umali said the number of schools granted The authorities have been issue is enforcement of our laws tuition hikes account for only a small percentage of the total number pursuing the suspects, he against foreigners doing illegal of schools that filed petitions for higher fees. added. fishing in our Philippine waters. The department earlier reported 182 private kindergarten and Both sides should sit down and elementary schools and 78 private secondary schools in the National Plea to lift ban adopt measures to prevent similar Capital Region had been given the go-signal to raise their tuition and cases in the future,” Angelo Tong, other fees. It said there are 933 secondary schools and 2,118 kinder- on health law President of Pilipino Manpower garten and elementary schools in Metro Manila. Agencies Accredited to Taiwan Umali said students who still want to enrol in private schools may MANILA: Senator Pia (PILMAT), said. avail themselves of the department’s tuition subsidy program for incom- Cayetano asked the Supreme Relations between Manila and ing Grade 7 students under the education service contracting scheme Court (SC) to allow imple- Taipei soured following the fatal (ESC). mentation of the controver- shooting on May 9 of a suspected The department has increased by 24 percent the number of slots sial Reproductive Health law. Taiwanese poacher off Batanes. for Grade 7 students availing themselves of tuition subsidy in private In a petition for interven- Tong said PILMAT hopes that schools, up from 250,896 slots in school year 2012-2013 to 310,709 slots tion, Cayetano asked the court the incident would not completely for school year 2013-2014. to lift the status quo ante ruin the cordial cultural and eco- The ESC is a scheme under the Government Assistance to Students order it issued in February nomic relations between Taiwan and Teachers in Private Education where the government subsidises that indefinitely suspended and the Philippines. the tuition of students who enrol in private schools because public implementation. “Specially, we hope that freezing secondary schools cannot accommodate them anymore. Cayetano, who sponsored of hiring of our workers should not A Filipino collects reusable cables a day after a fire in a residential district THE PHILIPPINE STAR the measure in the Senate, be resorted to, because both sides of Quezon City. About 200 families, mostly living in apartment-type units, also asked the SC to dismiss need each other,” PILMAT said. were affected and properties worth millions were damaged. the 10 consolidated petitions There are over 80,000 regis- questioning the constitution- tered Filipino workers in Taiwan ality of the law. employed mainly in electronic Through her counsel, law enterprises and in households or professor Harry Roque Jr, hospices as caregivers for the ter- Injured Russian to climb volcano again the senator said the law does ritory’s elderly. not violate the constitutional In 2011 alone, the Philippines LEGAZPI CITY : Undeterred time I saw Mayon volcano that Yuchyugaev taking pictures of the “I fell that’s why my ankle was freedom of choice and right to deployed 32,000 workers to Taiwan, by a broken leg, Russian tour- Sunday. I was not contented to Cagsawa ruins in Barangay Busay, dislocated. The rocks and boul- privacy. making the territory the 7th top ist Mark Yuchyugaev vowed just bring its pictures back home Daraga, Albay, where Mayon’s ders are still loose at the upper She said under the law, destination for Filipino workers. to climb Mt Mayon again, this to the Republic of Yakutia in foot-to-crater view attracts slopes,” he said. adults are free to reject infor- As the government struggles time with a guide to help him Siberia, Russia. I quickly decided visitors. Despite his injuries, Yuchyugaev mation relating to reproduc- to repair damaged relations with through the treacherous slopes to climb it, even by myself,” They learned later that it was said he would not hesitate to tive health provided by the Taiwan, Agriculture Secretary of the volcano. Yuchyugaev tsaid. the Russian who was injured last undertake another climb of government. Proceso Alcala said a technical Yuchyugaev admitted he The 28-year-old was rescued Sunday while climbing. Mayon. She said religious schools working group composed of fish- became fascinated by the per- last Thursday and brought to Yuchyugaev said he fell just a “Yes, I will do it again, maybe would not be compelled to eries officials from both countries fect symmetry of Mayon when the Bicol Regional Training and few hundred meters away from in the future,” he said, but was accept what state schools had been created to discuss a pos- he started taking pictures of the Teaching Hospital for treatment the summit in the attempt to take quick to add that he would hire an would teach their students. sible fisheries agreement. areas around the volcano. of his broken ankle. pictures of Mayon near the crater expert guide on his next attempt. AGENCIES THE PHILIPPINE STAR “I was so fascinated the first Residents recalled seeing rim. THE PHILIPPINE STAR MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Pakistan / Afghanistan

Nato driver Taliban launch gunned down

PESHAWAR: Gunmen yes- terday opened fire on a con- voy of Nato containers in a offensive in northwestern Pakistani town near the Afghan border, kill- ing a driver and wounding a helper, officials said. The attack took place at Shagai central Kabul area, 20km southeast of Landi Kotal, the main town of the troubled Khyber tribal Building near spy agency seized region. “Gunmen opened fire from the nearby moun- KABUL: Explosions and gun- Jawed Kazem, a local shop- tains on the convoy carry- fire rocked central Kabul yes- keeper, said: “I was sitting in my ing Nato military vehicles terday as the Taliban launched shop when the explosion hap- after it entered Pakistan an attack close to an Afghan pened. It was a big explosion from Afghanistan and killed intelligence facility and the which threw me off my chair, a driver and and injured one headquarters of a government minutes later another explosion of the helpers,” local tribal force that protects foreign firms. happened. “Smoke is rising and police official Khan Dad said. A witness described seeing two gunfire is continuing.” wounded policemen, though there Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Power deficit was no official word on casualties. Mujahid said that his group was The attack comes a week after responsible and added that the likely at $7.4bn a suicide car bomb targeting a attack began with a suicide car foreign military convoy killed 15 bombing. Other Mujahideen then ISLAMABAD: The people, including five Americans, took position in a building and Planning Commission esti- in the deadliest attack in the capi- began firing on several targets, mates show that the power tal for nearly a year. including a building in which for- sector deficit will be bal- The Taliban announced their eigners and members of the spy Pakistani volunteers search a badly damaged vehicle after a suicide bomb attack in Peshawar, yesterday. The looned to Rs742bn ($7.4bn) annual “spring offensive” on April agency live. bomber hit the vehicle belonging to Afghan scholar Haji Hayatullah in northwest Pakistan, killing three people, in the current financial year, 27, opening a crucial period as The suicide bombing last including the cleric’s guard and driver. an official said. “Without local security forces take the lead Thursday was the first major pursuing reforms, the linger- in the fight against the insurgents. attack in Kabul since March 9 ing power sector crisis can- At least two blasts hit the cen- when a bomber on a bicycle killed not be overcome,” Shahid tre of Kabul at about 4pm yester- nine people outside the defence Sattar, member energy of day, the second day of the Afghan ministry during a visit by US Three killed by suicide bomber the Planning Commission, weekend, and gunfire erupted Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel. said. “This crisis cannot be as security forces rushed to the The attacks underline the PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber yesterday hit a Hayatullah who had not boarded the vehicle,” he resolved on short-term basis scene. capital’s vulnerability to mili- vehicle belonging to an Afghan Muslim scholar in said. The bomber carried about 6kg of explosives, as it at least requires two Kabul police spokesman tant assaults as 100,000 Nato northwest Pakistan, killing three people, includ- he said adding that the vehicle was badly damaged. years of serious work after Hashmat Stanikzai said the ini- troops gradually withdraw from ing the cleric’s guard and driver, officials said. Hayatullah is nephew of Afghan scholar and which improvements can be tial blast came close to a hospi- Afghanistan. Local forces are The bomber detonated his explosive jacket close jihadist commander Maulana Jamilur Rehman. materialised,” he said, adding tal run by the NDS intelligence increasingly coming under attack to Haji Hayatullah’s car as worshippers were leaving Hayatullah, a Salafi cleric, who lives in Pakistan as that the magic wand would agency and the headquarters of from the Taliban as they take a mosque following Friday prayers in the congested refugee, was in the mosque when the bomber blew not work to fix the problem. the Afghan Public Protection over from foreign forces. Faqirabad neighbourhood, local police chief Liaquat himself up, residents said. Force (APPF) that provides Six members of the APPF were Ali said. As the car moved out of the parking area, the Shopkeeper dies security for clients, including killed on Tuesday in a roadside “The bomber blasted Hayatullah’s car from the bomber detonated thinking that Hayatullah was in international firms, supply con- bombing in the west as they right side, killing the driver and the guard,” he said, the vehicle, they said. in Quetta attack voys and aid groups. He said gun- travelled to a hydroelectric dam adding that a third person succumbed to injuries in Rehman had participated in the 10-year Muslim men had occupied a building and under protection from insurgent hospital and three others were wounded. resistance against the Soviet occupation of ISLAMABAD: A man was were still there. attack. AGENCIES “It was a suicide attack, the target seems to be Afghanistan which ended in 1989. AGENCIES killed in a hand grenade attack in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan in southwest Pakistan yesterday morn- ing. Unknown assailants lobbed the grenade at a shop PPP turns guns on Sariab Road, killing its Sharif faces 100-strong opposition owner, Dawn News reported. on caretakers The shop which dealt in CDs was located near the Awami ISLAMABAD: The numeri- Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and power, it is split for obvious rea- 35 will be elected by the MNAs, petrol pump. The owner was over mini-budget cal strength of the opposition Awami National Party (ANP) will sons. The main reason for disu- who have returned from Punjab; injured and taken to a nearby LAHORE: While President parties in the 342-member contribute two members each. nity is PTI Chairman Imran 14 would be picked up by MPs hospital where he died. Asif Ali Zardari is yet to sign an National Assembly will cross The PTI and one member each Khan’s firm stand, taken before belonging to Sindh; eight will ordinance on a Rs152bn mini- the 100-mark with the inclu- of the Awami Muslim League and the May 11 general election and be chosen by members from the Second polio budget, his Pakistan People’s sion of the reserved women and Aftab Sherpao’s Qaumi Watan during the poll campaign, never to KPK and three from Baluchistan. Party (PPP) has turned its minority seats. Party will make up around 40 break bread with the PPP and its Parliamentary parties will get case reported guns on the caretaker govern- The tally will swell by at least a members of their opposition allies on one hand and the PML-N the share from these seats in pro- ment for taking what it calls an dozen members if Maulana Fazlur group. on the other because they, in his portion to the number of their ISLAMABAD: A second ‘unconstitutional’ step. Rehman’s Jamiat Ulemae Islam The 12 Federally Administered words, are looters and plunderers, MPs. In addition, there will be 10 child has contracted polio in a The caretaker set-up under the (JUI) decides to sit on the opposi- Tribal Areas MPs are divided this who have brought Pakistan to the minority seats. restive Pakistani tribal region constitution cannot introduce a tion benches. For the time being, time, with some having sworn present sorry state. While the PPP will not get near the Afghan border after mini-budget and general sales it is tilted towards PML-N, to get loyalty to PML-N. Others may The high tension caused any woman seat from Punjab, the Taliban banned vaccina- tax can be levied in consultations a suitable share in the federal and like to be counted as opposition between the PTI and MQM by KPK and Baluchistan, it will tions nearly a year ago, a UN with provincial governments and Baluchistan governments. members. recent events dampens prospects secure most seats from Sindh. official said on Thursday. The the Council of Common Interests It is not yet known if the three Other parliamentary groups, of any cooperation in the two The PML-N will clinch most first polio case was detected is the forum for that, PPP’s infor- JUI members will be part of the including the PML-Functional, opposition blocs. But there is pos- seats from Punjab, and a cou- in the North Waziristan mation secretary Qamar Zaman opposition or treasury benches. Pukhtunkhwa Awami Milli Party, sibility that they may collaborate ple each from KPK, Sindh and region, known as the strong Kaira said yesterday. The JUI is an active member National Peoples Party (since on a minimum mutually agreed Baluchistan. bastion of Taliban and Al He said the mandate of the of the next ruling coalition in the merged in the PML-N) and one- agenda as issues will crop up, The PTI will bag a couple Qaeda-linked militants, ear- caretaker government was to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, led by the seat parties like Baluchistan forcing a unified stance, or case of women’s seats from Punjab, lier this month, with officials assist the Election Commission Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). National Party, PML-Zia, to case basis when the National mostly from the KPK and none expecting a “bigger outbreak” in holding fair and free election, If it opts to join hands with PTI National Party, etc., will side with Assembly will hold its sessions as from Sindh and Baluchistan. The “This is the second child, a facilitate the democratic transi- at the federal level, the numbers the PML-N. there are no permanent political MQM will get a good number of 36-month-old boy getting tion and run day-to-day affairs of of the opposition parties will go There is hardly any doubt now friends and foes. seats from Sindh, while PML- paralysed after contract- the state. Asked if Zardari should up. By having some 40 plus MPs, that the next leader of opposition Top PTI leaders have repeat- Functional is expected to get a ing polio,” the World Health sign the ordinance, he said: “The the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will be from the PPP, which sur- edly declared that their parlia- couple of seats from there. The Organization’s senior coordi- president is bound to sign. The will become the single largest bloc passes the PTI and its allies if the mentary group would work and JUI will bag a couple of seats nator for polio eradication in responsibility lies with the care- in the opposition. strength of its partners like the prove to be the real opposition from KPK and Baluchistan. The Pakistan, Elias Durry, said. taker government for introducing The Muttahida Qaumi MQM is added. and not a friendly force, overshad- PML-Q and ANP will get no the controversial mini-budget.” Movement (MQM) will add 20 Although the combined oppo- owing the PPP and its allies. Of woman seat from any province. AGENCIES INTERNEWS plus seats, while the Pakistan sition force makes a formidable the 60 reserved seats for women, INTERNEWS

Indian fishermen freed Drone strikes illegal: Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government yesterday Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan have killed up repeated its view that US drone strikes in its territory to 3,587 people since 2004, up to 884 of them civilians. were illegal, after President Barack Obama laid out new Obama said he would be “haunted” for the rest of his guidelines for their use. life by the deaths of civilians in strikes he had ordered The US president mounted a firm defence of his covert but said his policies had been successful in neutralis- drone war as legal and just in a major speech on coun- ing the threat of action from core Al Qaeda leaders in terterrorism policy on Thursday but warned that undis- Afghanistan and Pakistan. ciplined use of the tactic would invite abuses of power. Islamabad has repeatedly denounced drone strikes, Islamabad said it welcomed some aspects of Obama’s criticising them as a violation of sovereignty that inflame address, particularly his acknowledgement that “force anti-Americanism, though leaked US diplomatic cables alone cannot make us safe”, but it remained firm on its have shown leaders agreed to them in private. long-held public stance on unmanned missile attacks in Washington and Islamabad have endured rocky times its tribal northwest. in the past two years, with relations hit by a series of “The Government of Pakistan has consistently main- crises including the discovery of Osama bin Laden hiding tained that the drone strikes are counter-productive, close to the Pakistani military academy. entail loss of innocent civilian lives, have human rights and Public anger in Pakistan at drones has not helped but humanitarian implications and violate the principles of ties appear to be on the mend and the foreign ministry national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international statement welcomed Obama’s pledge to continue this proc- law,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. ess. Pakistan is currently being run by a caretaker govern- Obama said he had approved new guidelines stating that ment while the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) of drone strikes can only be used to prevent imminent attacks incoming prime minister Nawaz Sharif prepares to take and when the capture of a suspect is not feasible and if power following the May 11 general election. there is a “near certainty” that civilians will not be killed. Shortly after the poll Sharif called the strikes a “chal- A group of Indian fishermen after their release in Karachi, Pakistan, yesterday. According to Britain’s Bureau of Investigative lenge” to sovereignty and said Washington must take Journalism, CIA drone attacks targeting suspected Al Pakistani concerns about them seriously. AFP MAY 25, 2013 India www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 ON SATURDAY Militants kill Searing heat across plains, hills four soldiers North India bakes in record temperatures; mercury soars to 48.6 degrees in Sriganganagar in Kashmir NEW DELHI: Searing sum- Even in hilly Shimla and mer heat continued to scorch Manali in Himachal Pradesh, the SRINAGAR: Militants killed the plains and hills across north maximum temperatures were 30.8 four soldiers yesterday in an India as temperatures remained degrees Celsius and 31.2 degrees, ambush outside Srinagar, the over 45 degree Celsius yester- respectively, on Thursday, a Met main city of Kashmir, sparking day. There will be no respite department official. a gun battle in which one rebel from the intense heat today, the Amritsar in Punjab on also died, local officials said. weather office said. Thursday recorded its highest The soldiers were searching for Delhi reeled under blistering temperature in over three dec- militants during a patrol when temperatures that shot up to five ades with the mercury hitting they were ambushed in the vil- notches above the season’s aver- 48 degrees Celsius as severe heat lage of Hardu Buchoo, 30 kilome- age at 45 degrees Celsius. wave conditions prevailed across tres southeast of Srinagar near While the minimum tempera- the plains of Punjab and Haryana. the forested area of Tral, an army ture settled three notches above The highest temperature previ- spokesman said. average at 25.5 degrees Celsius in ously recorded in the city was 47.7 “The militants fired at the the national capital, the humidity degrees Celsius on May 21, 1978. soldiers from outside the vil- wavered between a high of 45 and There is more to the sizzling lage, when the cordon was laid,” low of 22 percent. heat in Delhi than rising temper- Lieutenant Colonel Ankur Vasisht According to the meteorologi- atures. Scientists have found unu- of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps cal department, today’s maximum sually high levels of toxic ozone said. and minimum temperatures in in the city in the past two weeks. “Four of our soldiers were Delhi are likely to hover around Exposure to high levels of killed,” Vashist said. 45 and 31 degrees Celsius, ozone not only has adverse health The rebels fled into the forest respectively. effects, it also damages vegeta- and the army called in reinforce- Thursday was the hottest day tion and ecosystems, according ments to encircle the area and try in Delhi in the past 10 years to scientists. to capture them. with the maximum temperature “Delhi’s air is known to get Three soldiers were killed in recorded 45.7 degrees Celsius, six polluted mainly due to the rise the ambush and a soldier injured notches above average. in particulate matter, which can in the ensuing gun battle later The temperature recorded be felt when visibility becomes died, a police official said. in Sriganganagar in Rajasthan poor on extreme days,” Gufran “One militant involved in the was 48.6 degrees Celsius and at Beig of Pune’s Indian Institute of Farmers lie on the ground with sticks as they pray for rain during the Manda festival at a temple on the outskirts attack was also killed during the Nagpur in Maharashtra it was Tropical Meteorology said. of Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand state, yesterday. The festival takes place during the hot summer months as encounter. We are ascertaining 46.6 degrees. IANS farmers pray for rain, prosperity and good health. his identity,” Abdul Gani Mir, Kashmir’s police chief, said. The ambush comes a day after government forces killed a top militant from outlawed group Lashkar-e-Taiba in Srinagar dur- Sahara threatens to stop sponsoring Indian team ing an early morning gun battle. Militants killed four police in NEW DELHI: Having pulled Board of Control for Cricket in functioning was disgusting, irri- had to pay Rs1.2bn (around cricket team after December. April in an ambush, while a group out its franchise Pune Warriors India (BCCI). tating and frustrating. $21.6m) this year before the Roy said BCCI didn’t even of militants disguised as cricket- from the Indian Premier “Person like Srinivasan does The BCCI and Sahara have start of the season, but after they have the courtesy to reply to ers gunned down five paramilitary League (IPL), Sahara chief not know how to run cricket. been at loggerheads over the IPL failed to do so, BCCI encashed Sahara’s letter. “The board was police in March in Srinagar. Subrata Roy has fired another Sahara will not sponsor team franchise fee. Sahara’s repeated the bank guarantee. not even interested in talking to Kashmir has been tense since salvo, saying he would imme- India as long as N Srinivasan requests the BCCI to revise its An angry Sahara pulled out us to sort out differences. And the execution in February of diately stop sponsoring the stays as its chief,” Roy was quoted franchise fees — $370m over 10 Pune Warriors from the IPL we didn’t have any choice than Mohammed Afzal Guru, a local Indian team if N Srinivasan as saying by a TV channel. years, the highest in the IPL — and also said it would not renew to pull out of the IPL,” he said. man, over a deadly 2001 attack continues as president of the Roy said BCCI’s style of were never entertained. They its sponsorship of the Indian IANS on the parliament in New Delhi. AFP

Rahul reviews Jharkhand situation NEW DELHI: Amid specula- be announced, the sources said. Munda resigned and his govern- tion that the Congress is explor- Some state leaders are opposed ment was reduced to a minority ing government formation in to the alliance with the JMM, after JMM withdrew its support. Jharkhand — which is under while others think it could be of He also reviewed the par- the president’s rule — party help now and in the 2014 general ty’s prospects in Odisha, where vice president Rahul Gandhi elections, said the sources. Jayadeva Jena was appointed the reviewed the political situation Jharkhand Congress legisla- state unit’s chief recently. with state leaders yesterday. tors recently met party leaders According to party sources, A section of the Congress has in Delhi to discuss the issue. Jena presented a road map of been in favour of exploring ways Gandhi was instrumental in the political activity, including an to form a government in the state recent appointment of Sukhdeo aggressive campaign against with the support of the Jharkhand Bhagat as head of the party unit “misrule and corruption” of the Mukti Morcha (JMM), said party in the predominantly tribal state. BJD government ahead of the sources here. President’s rule in Jharkhand, 2014 general elections and a party However, opinion was divided imposed in January this year, ends membership drive over the next on the formation of a govern- in July. three months. Gandhi gave his ment in Jharkhand and polls to Central rule was imposed nod to the plans, said the sources. the state assembly could well after BJP’s Chief Minister Arjun IANS

Surgery success for 104-year-old

PM to discuss NEW DELHI: In a veritable medical miracle, a 104-year-old man successfully underwent spinal surgery within weeks of Japan civil recovering from a heart operation, doctors said here yesterday. “While the spine procedure in itself was simple, there were mul- tiple risks considering the age of the patient and prior medical his- nuclear ties tory,” said Sandeep Vaishya, additional director, neurology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurgaon. NEW DELHI: Civil nuclear “We had to weigh the patient’s heart strength, including possible cooperation talks will be high risks of a stroke and complications arising from the stent inserted on the agenda, besides economic during a prior angioplasty,” said Vaishya, who led a team of doctors and regional and international in performing the surgery to treat disc prolapse on the 104-year-old. issues, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh goes to Japan GJM calls shutdown in Darjeeling on a three-day visit on Monday to attend a bilateral summit. DARJEELING: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) yesterday The prime minister will hold called an indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling hills from tomorrow talks with Japanese Premier to protest the arrest of an elected member of the hill development Shinzo Abe. The summit was body for alleged involvement in arson and violence. originally slated to be held last The GJM gave the call after a local court rejected the bail appli- November, but was postponed cation of Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA) member and after Japan decided to go in for party leader Chandray Yonzon, who was taken into custody in con- elections. nection with the ransacking and torching of the house of Trinamool “We have been discussing a civil Congress leader K N Subba at Gorubathan, under Kalimpong sub- nuclear cooperation agreement division of Darjeeling district. “Before arresting any legislator, the and hope to make more progress permission of the assembly speaker has to be taken. Why did the by end of this year,” said Foreign administration and police not seek permission from the presiding Secretary Ranjan Mathai at a officer of the GTA Sabha,” asked GJM general secretary Roshan Giri. briefing here. The prime minister will also Russia opens consulate in Goa hold talks on energy coopera- tion, including on “frozen seabed PANAJI: Illegal land deals involving its nationals is one of the gas hydrates”, a breakthrough in reasons Russia has opened a consular office in Goa, which hosted Japan that India is interested in, 150,000 Russian tourists this season, Ambassador Alexander said Mathai. Kadakin said yesterday. Real estate deals involving Russian The two governments will dis- nationals along Goa’s coast have been under the scanner of central cuss the LNG pricing issue as well intelligence and financial intelligence agencies for violations of the as the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Foreign Exchange Management Act as well for the dubious ante- Corridor Project, the Dedicated cedents of those who purchased these properties. Kadakin said Freight Corridor Project, and most Russians visiting Goa were regular tourists, and that only upgrading of the Chennai- “one, two or three badmashes” sometimes caused trouble. Bangalore corridor, he said. IANS IANS ON SATURDAY 14 MAY 25, 2013 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Business Etisalat makes Chinese growth losing momentum top bid for Maroc Tel stake Ooredoo’s offer less risky, simple

PARIS/LONDON: Gulf tel- said earlier. ecom operator Etisalat has Vivendi has not asked Ooredoo offered a higher price for to improve its offer so far, the first Vivendi’s Maroc Telecom source said. Ooredoo is frustrated stake than rival Qatari bidder with the slowness of the process Ooredoo , according to two peo- and what it sees as a lack of com- ple familiar with the matter. munication from Vivendi, said two Etisalat’s bid needs further other sources familiar with the work, however, and has more legal situation. conditions than Ooredoo’s offer, so Vivendi may choose a pre- Vivendi has not yet made a final ferred bidder with whom to con- choice, the people said. tinue exclusive negotiations next “If Etisalat cleans up its offer, week after the Etisalat vote, but then it wins,” said one of the it could also take longer, the first sources, who is close to the proc- source said. ess. “If not, it will go to Qatar, who Spokesmen for Vivendi, Etisalat also made an offer that Vivendi and Ooredoo declined to comment can accept.” yesterday. While the exact prices of the Both bidders are eager to offers were not clear, sources sign a deal with Vivendi before earlier said that they had come the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, Employees work at a factory which makes bearing cages in Liaocheng, Shandong province, yesterday. As evidence mounts that China’s economy in lower than the ¤5bn ($6.5bn) which begins in early July. is losing momentum, economists are fast abandoning their rosy recovery forecasts and bracing for what could be the country’s slowest growth Vivendi had initially hoped for For Vivendi, the sale of Maroc rate in 23 years. and closer to the market value Telecom is crucial to its ambi- of the stake. Vivendi’s 53 percent tion to lessen exposure to capi- shareholding in Maroc Telecom is tal-intensive telecoms and focus now worth ¤4.34bn. on its media activities in video Maroc Telecom offers fixed- games, pay TV and music. Lagarde grilled for second day over payout line, mobile and Internet serv- Investors have been eagerly await- ices in the kingdom and is one of ing progress on the divestments, Africa’s top telecom firms, with especially after Vivendi’s attempted PARIS: IMF chief Christine assisted witness, whose sta- would make a statement when de Marseille. Prosecutors work- units in Burkina Faso, Gabon, sales of its video games and Brazilian Lagarde’s future was at stake tus falls between that of simple she emerged. ing for the Court of Justice of Mali and Mauritania. telecom units fell through. yesterday as French prosecu- witness and being placed under Criminal charges against the Republic (CJR) suspect he The buyer will inherit a firm Vivendi previously said the tors grilled her for a second formal investigation — the clos- Lagarde would mark the second received favourable treatment that has been a reliable cash Maroc Telecom sale would not be day to decide if she should be est equivalent in French law to straight scandal for an IMF chief, in return for supporting Nicolas machine for Vivendi but has seen finalised before the autumn and charged over a state payout to a being charged — and implies there after her predecessor Dominique Sarkozy in the 2007 presidential slower growth in recent years, that it was working closely with disgraced tycoon when she was is some evidence against the per- Strauss-Kahn, also from France, election. analysts say, although there is the Moroccan state, which owns finance minister. son questioned. resigned in disgrace in 2011 over They have suggested Lagarde growth potential in sub-Saharan 30 percent of Maroc Telecom and Lagarde was questioned for 12 But she would not be automati- an alleged assault on a New York — who at the time was finance Africa, where sales and profits will have to approve the buyer. hours Thursday by prosecutors cally forced to resign from the hotel maid. minister — was partly responsi- rose last year. Both Etisalat and Ooredoo working for a court that probes IMF if she is charged. The IMF reiterated its sup- ble for “numerous anomalies and Vivendi has been in talks in see Maroc Telecom as a way to cases of ministerial misconduct The chic Lagarde, considered port on Thursday, with a spokes- irregularities” which could lead recent weeks with Etisalat to expand their footprints in Africa, over her 2007 handling of a row one of the world’s most powerful man saying: “The executive board to charges for complicity in fraud remove some of the legal clauses and both have expanded aggres- that resulted in ¤400m ($515m) women, won respect as France’s has been briefed on that matter, and misappropriation of public in its bid, the sources said. The sively overseas in the past decade. being paid to controversial busi- first female finance minister for including recently, and contin- funds. UAE-backed group has scheduled Etisalat, which is 60 percent ness figure Bernard Tapie. her no-nonsense attitude, intel- ues to express its confidence in The investigation centres on an extraordinary shareholder owned by the UAE, relies more on Lagarde has downplayed the lect and style. the managing director’s ability to her 2007 move to ask a panel meeting on May 28 to approve its home market for revenue and investigation, but the stakes She greeted journalists but did effectively carry out her duties.” of judges to arbitrate in a dis- the financing package for the bid. sales than Ooredoo, however, with are high for both her and the not make any statements upon The investigation concerns pute between Tapie and Credit Ooredoo, meanwhile, crafted its 60 percent of revenue and 71 per- International Monetary Fund, her arrival at the courthouse in Tapie, a former politician, who Lyonnais, the collapsed, partly offer with minimal conditions to cent of core profit earned domesti- which has expressed confidence Paris Friday. But her entourage went to prison for match-fixing state-owned bank, over his 1993 make it simple and less risky for cally, according to HSBC research. in its first woman leader. said she expected a grilling as long during his time as president of sale of sports group Adidas. Vivendi, the group’s strategy chief REUTERS She could be named an as the first day, adding that she French football club Olympique AFP Rising dollar German growth builds up steam

unnerves FRANKFURT: The German quarters running of economic the economy will start picking economy, after starting the contraction. up speed soon. year weakly, looks set to But a breakdown of the fig- Two new key confidence sur- emerging gather momentum later with ures appeared to offer little veys also published on Friday consumer and business con- cheer, since among the different fed such optimism. markets fidence on the rise, data indi- GDP components only private German business confidence cated yesterday. consumer spending was posi- rose unexpectedly in May, with LONDON: As the dust settles Final data published by the tive, growing by 0.8 percent. the Ifo economic institute’s on a volatile week, many strat- federal statistics office Destatis Public-sector spending closely watched business cli- egists now sense a green light showed that Germany’s gross slipped by 0.1 percent, invest- mate index rising to 105.7 points for a long-brewing multi-year domestic product (GDP) ment tumbled 2.4 percent, in May from 104.4 points in rise of the US dollar — with notched up anaemic growth imports were down 2.1 per- April. unnerving portents for emerg- of 0.1 percent from January cent and exports contracted And on the consumer front, ing markets. to March, with only consumer by 1.8 percent, the statisticians too, German households are not The US Federal Reserve’s now spending in positive territory. calculated. allowing forecasts of a euro- open debate about the beginning While weak, the numbers Destatis blamed the unex- zone-wide recession sour their of the end of its massive money- meant the German economy has pectedly weak start to the year optimism and the GfK institute printing programmes caused successfully skirted a recession to the “extreme winter weather said its monthly consumer con- gyrations on stock and bond following a sharp contraction conditions.” fidence index is forecast to rise markets everywhere this week. of 0.7 percent in the previ- Nevertheless, the govern- to 6.5 points in June from 6.2 Even the prospect of the Fed ous quarter, since a recession ment, economic think-tanks points in May. reducing the amount of dollars it’s is technically defined as two and analysts are all convinced AFP been flooding into the domestic and global economies via its bond- buying policy has seen several strategists crank up long-term First Egyptian tablet in the making dollar forecasts significantly. The scenario raises concerns among many economists of what’s become known as “sud- den stops” in western invest- ment flows to emerging markets — the most spectacular being the 1997/98 currency crises across Asia, Russia and Latin America but yet again at the height of the credit crisis in late 2008/2009. And that 1990’s crash coin- cided with a sustained dollar rally over many years and an investor shift back to the US. The bullish case for the dollar has been building for months — US growth rates outstripping western peers; an entrenched housing recov- ery; cheaper domestic energy from shale and its likely shrinkage of US trade deficits; and even the relo- Workers check parts for Egypt’s first tablet computer “Inar” at a factory in Benha yesterday. Egypt has cation of some US industry back produced its very first tablet computer, part of a national project to distribute the device to students home have been oft-cited factors. in schools. REUTERS MAY 25, 2013 Business www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 ON SATURDAY

Orascom close to delisting Spaniards rail at Bankia Holders of 10pc stock agree to be bought out; Vimplecom eyes cost cutting as savings evaporate CAIRO/MOSCOW: Egypt’s offer said that in addition to the day which is Monday. The offerer analysts said. One analyst, who Orascom Telecom (OTH) is 10 percent tendered by holders of is positive that he will reach a suc- asked not to be named, said the MADRID: Spanish savers vented their fury against bailed-out closer to being delisted, sources London-listed global depositary cessful closing,” the source added. OTH shareholders may be reluc- Bankia yesterday after the already-diminished value of their said yesterday, after holders of shares, three funds holding another Together with subsidiaries, tant to tender their shares due to stock investments in the bank plummeted by more than half in around 10 percent of its stock three percent of OTH shares in Vimpelcom owns 51.92 percent of ongoing uncertainty over the fate a single day. agreed to be bought out. the form of GDSs between them OTH which has mobile businesses of Orascom’s most lucrative asset, The stock market regulator, the CNMV, said it would examine Russia’s Altimo, the biggest had expressed interest after the in Canada, Algeria, Pakistan and Algeria’s Djezzy. trading in Bankia shares on Thursday, when the value of the stock owner of OTH’s parent Vimpelcom, offer expired on May 22. other emerging markets such as Algeria wants to nationalise plunged 51.4 percent to just ¤0.68 ($0.88) in brisk trade. made a $1.8bn offer in March They may convert their GDSs Bangladesh. Djezzy and has pushed Vimpelcom By coincidence, the market rout came a day before chiefs of to buy out OTH minorities and into common shares to qualify for Some analysts have warned the into discussing a sale of 51 percent. Spain’s biggest banks came to testify as witnesses at the National sources said Vimpelcom wanted to the offer made to holders of Cairo- delisting could expose low cor- The talks are at a delicate stage, a Court in Madrid about Bankia’s ill-fated listing in July 2011. delist OTH from both the Cairo traded stock who have until May porate governance standards as source has told Reuters. “Thieves”, “b******s”, cried a group of protesters who gathered and London stock exchanges. 27 to accept the offer, the source OTH minority shareholders are A positive resolution may boost outside the court as the bank chiefs arrived. Delisting should allow said, adding there is a possibility it being forced to sell their shares at the stock well above the offer Bankia president Jose Ignacio Goirigolzarri told radio Cope he Vimpelcom to cut the costs of its will be extended by up to five days. a set price or be left holding an price, the analyst said. welcomed the regulator’s inquiry into Thursday’s trading, which Egyptian office, avoid regulatory The source could not provide untraded stock. “So far I just can’t imagine he could not explain. risks and political instability as information on the amount of To approve the delisting, 75 on what assumptions minority “It is difficult to understand, I don’t understand it,” he said. well as improve efficiency by plac- shares tendered in the Egyptian percent of shareholders present shareholders should act,” he said, The Bankia boss said he suspected institutions had engaged in ing OTH assets under direct man- part of the offer. at a meeting should vote for it, with speculation that Algerian short-selling, in which traders bet that a stock price will fall. agement by Vimpelcom. “If 10 percent tendered in said Ivan Kim, an analyst at VTB President Abdelaziz Bouteflika was The Spanish daily El Mundo also reported several banks had OTH management last week London, you would normally Capital. seriously ill clouding prospects for engaged in short selling. advised shareholders to reject the expect more in Cairo where the But as it is rare that 100 percent a resolution to the talks. As the price collapsed, many small investors called their bank offer, saying it was too low. But forex component is more impor- of shareholders show up, Altimo “The offer has not yet closed so branches wanting to sell their Bankia shares, but were told they Altimo on Tuesday confirmed the tant and liquidity is lower,” another and Vimpelcom will likely need to we cannot comment on any num- had to wait until Tuesday, Spanish media said. offer price at $0.70 per share. source familiar with the deal said. own less than 75 percent of shares bers,” Altimo said. In theory individual investors could have sold their shares on A source close to advisers on the “Most people tender on the last between them to have it passed, REUTERS Thursday, said Soledad Pellon, strategist at brokerage house IG Markets. “But they don’t know these practices. Institutional investors are much better informed about all the possibilities,” Pellon said, adding From Angel Valley to Museum Valley that she believed the trade was legal. Another brokerage house, Link Securities, said it believed the Jet Airways short-selling flouted Spanish regulations. “These sharp drop puts small shareholders in a weaker position because they can’t sell and now face heavy losses,” the group said. shareholders On Tuesday, Bankia will boost its share capital by ¤15.54bn, which had been expected to lead to an average loss of 36-38 percent for approve existing shareholders. Thursday’s slump makes those losses much greater, however. The investigation into the share trading comes as the courts Etihad deal investigate the original listing of Bankia nearly two years ago, with 33 bank officials suspected of fraud, embezzlement and providing MUMBAI: Shareholders of false annual accounts. India’s Jet Airways yesterday As part of the probe, Santander president Emilio Botin, BBVA approved a deal in which Abu chief Francisco Gonzalez and CaixaBank boss Isidro Faine were Dhabi-based airline Etihad will called to testify to the court about meetings held in May 2012 with take a 24 percent stake in the Economy Minister Luis de Guindos and then Bankia president private carrier, media reports Rodrigo Rato just ahead of his resignation. said. “Bankia was the bull in the china shop,” said BBVA’s Gonzalez, Jet shareholders approved the according to a legal source who was present during the testimony. proposed issue of shares on a “We did not tackle the problem in time.” preferential basis to Etihad, at Born in 2010 from the merger of seven troubled savings banks, an extraordinary general meeting Bankia soon became a symbol of Spain’s banking crisis and the huge held in the city, the Press Trust loans that turned sour after a 2008 property crash. of India agency said. A general view of the ArcelorMittal Florange-Hayange blast furnace in Hayange near Florange, Eastern France. In May 2012, the BFA-Bankia group said it needed ¤19bn to Shares will be allotted only After the 2009 closure of the nearby Gandrange site, the recent ArcelorMittal’s decision to mothball two blast shore up its books, prompting Spain to seek a ¤100bn rescue loan after completion of all regulatory furnaces at its site in Hayange-Florange, increases the fear of the end of the forging and steelmaking tradition for the entire industry from Brussels. So far, ¤41.3bn of the rescue approvals. in the “Angel Valley” of the Lorraine region, turning it into a “Museum Valley”. have been disbursed. “The commercial agree- AFP ment with Etihad will help us to expand network, reduce costs and QATARI MARKET increase profitability,” Jet’s chair- man Naresh Goyal reportedly told Bond Coupon Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P shareholders. Jet officials were not HSBC chairman calls for Qatar Govt 5.15% 4/9/2014 USD 103.69 0.83 % Aa2 AA immediately available to comment. Qatar Govt 3.125% 1/20/2017 USD 105.44 1.59 % Aa2 AA The Jet-Etihad deal, announced Qatar Govt 6.55% 4/9/2019 USD 124.00 2.18 % Aa2 AA in April, is the first overseas Qatar Govt 5.25% 1/20/2020 USD 116.75 2.50 % Aa2 AA investment in an existing Indian speedier bank reforms carrier since New Delhi eased Qatar Govt 4.5% 1/20/2022 USD 111.63 2.97 % Aa2 AA restrictions in September to allow LONDON: HSBC’s Chairman US operations. The probe made its obligations under the agree- Qatar Govt 9.75% 6/15/2030 USD 172.50 3.89 % Aa2 AA foreign firms a 49 percent stake Douglas Flint called for an scathing criticism of HSBC’s ments with the US and UK gov- Qatar Govt 6.4% 1/20/2040 USD 131.00 4.41 % Aa2 AA in the country’s airlines. acceleration in the speed of anti-money-laundering systems ernments, and on implementing Qatar Govt 5.75% 1/20/2042 USD 121.00 4.45 % Aa2 AA Jet is India’s second largest air- reform within the industry and found its lax controls allowed effective global standards across Qatari Diar 3.5% 7/21/2015 USD 104.25 1.49 % Aa2 AA line, with a 22.6 percent market as the bank was criticised by two drug cartels to move $881m the HSBC network.” share, according to the country’s shareholders for compliance through the bank. HSBC, Europe’s largest Qatari Diar 5% 7/21/2020 USD 113.75 2.86 % Aa2 AA civil aviation regulator. failings and accusations it aided “We were humbled and horri- bank, was slammed by several Comqat 5% 11/18/2014 USD 105.38 1.29 % A1 A- For the three months to tax avoidance. fied to discover findings of such shareholders for its mistakes in Comqat 3.375% 4/11/2017 USD 104.25 2.23 % A1 A- December 2012, Jet reported a Flint told around 400 share- magnitude,” said Flint. Mexico and accused of aiding QIB 3.856% 10/7/2015 USD 104.75 1.80 % NR NR net profit of Rs850m ($16.03m), holders at the bank’s annual The settlement included a tax avoidance by customers in QNB 3.125% 11/16/2015 USD 103.63 1.62 % Aa3 A+ from a net loss of Rs1.01bn a year meeting that the fallout from deferred prosecution agreement countries including Switzerland earlier, aided by rising fares and recent scandals had created a (DPA), meaning the bank’s oper- and Jersey. QNB 3.375% 2/22/2017 USD 104.50 2.12 % Aa3 A+ lowering costs. “once-in-a-generation” opportu- ations will be monitored but it Flint said the bank was review- Doha Bank 3.5% 3/14/2017 USD 104.25 2.33 % A2 A- India is one of the biggest avia- nity to reform banking and the remained exempt from prosecu- ing its operations in so-called tax Qtel 3.375% 10/14/2016 USD 105.25 1.77 % A2 A /*- tion markets in the world as its broader financial industry. tion unless it transgresses again. havens and expects a significant Qtel 7.875% 6/10/2019 USD 128.50 2.73 % A2 A /*- large and growing middle-class “As a first priority we need The Guardian newspaper yes- reduction in the amount of busi- Qtel 4.75% 2/16/2021 USD 110.88 3.15 % A2 A /*- scrambles for air travel, spurred to speed up the reform process. terday reported a row between the ness it does in those jurisdictions, by rising incomes. Otherwise investor confidence US Justice Department and the though he said legitimate business Qtel 5% 10/19/2025 USD 109.00 4.07 % A2 A /*- But the sector, once vaunted in the sector will continue to be judge overseeing the case. It said is done there. Rasgas 5.5% 9/30/2014 USD 105.50 1.32 % Aa3 A as a symbol of India’s economic undermined,” he said. Judge John Gleeson is believed to “We are co-operating with tax Rasgas 5.832% 9/30/2016 USD 107.88 3.33 % Aa3 A vibrancy, has seen its fortunes Flint also apologised to share- be considering rejecting the deal, authorities as they seek out if Rasgas 5.298% 9/30/2020 USD 110.13 3.71 % Aa3 A fade in the face of aggressive fare holders for the bank’s failings which could leave HSBC facing a there is tax unpaid by individu- rivalry, a slowing economy, run- after it was handed fines of $1.9bn criminal prosecution. als,” Flint said. “We will make SOVEREIGNS down infrastructure, high airport in December, the largest ever A spokesman for the bank ourselves as bulletproof as we can Bond PDA* Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P charges and expensive fuel. imposed on a bank, following a US said: “HSBC is focused on tak- in this area.” Abu Dhabi Govt 5.5% 4/8/2014 USD 104.13 0.66 % Aa2 AA AFP investigation into its Mexican and ing all necessary steps to fulfil REUTERS Abu Dhabi Govt 6.75% 4/8/2019 USD 127.25 1.83 % Aa2 AA Dubai Govt 6.7% 10/5/2015 USD 110.00 2.30 % NR NR Dubai Govt 4.9% 5/2/2017 USD 107.00 3.00 % NR NR Dubai Govt 7.75% 10/5/2020 USD 124.50 3.89 % NR NR Dubai Govt 6.45% 5/2/2022 USD 116.88 4.17 % NR NR Raiffeisen CEO quits over Offshore deals Qatar Govt 4% 1/20/2015 USD 104.44 1.26 % Aa2 AA Bahrain Govt 6.273% 11/22/2018 USD 116.25 3.04 % NR BBB VIENNA: Raiffeisen Bank massive harm to my company,” a companies” set up with the help years ago,” said Wilhlem Rasinger, Bahrain Govt 5.5% 3/31/2020 USD 109.75 3.87 % NR BBB International Chief Executive drawn-looking Stepic told a news of Swiss bank UBS in the British president of the Austrian Egypt Govt 5.75% 4/29/2020 USD 89.00 7.84 % Caa1 CCC+ Herbert Stepic resigned yester- conference packed with journal- Virgin Islands and Hong Kong. Shareholders’ Association. Morocco Govt 4.5% 10/5/2020 EUR 106.25 3.53 % NR BBB- day in what he called an effort ists and television cameras. Those deals are now under Shares in Raiffeisen fell as *Periodic Distribution Amount to spare his bank from negative RBI’s supervisory board has investigation by Austria’s cen- much as 3.6 percent on the news IMPORTANT NOTE: publicity over personal property still to accept Stepic’s resignation, tral bank, its Financial Market before paring losses to trade down Published by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, P O Box 57, Doha, Qatar which deals that triggered scrutiny by but his fate seems sealed, and offi- Authority (FMA) watchdog and 1.9 percent at ¤26.49 by 1114 GMT. is licensed and regulated by Qatar Central Bank and Jersey Financial Services the lender and regulators. cials said a formal decision was Raiffeisen itself, which has said Nearly 80 percent of the bank Commission. Information quoted is from publicly available sources or proprietary data Stepic, 66, again denied wrong- due within days. it will check if his action violated is held by Raiffeisen Zentralbank, and subject to change. HSBC accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising out of doing in using front companies in Top members of the board the law or internal guidelines. itself controlled by hundreds of pri- the use of all or part of this material. This information is general and does not take into the Caribbean and Asia to buy flats issued a statement calling Stepic’s Stepic’s abrupt fall from grace vate cooperative banks in Austria. account individual circumstances, objectives or needs. The price of bonds can and does fluctuate. The secondary market for bonds may not provide significant liquidity in Singapore in 2006 and 2008 - action “a sign of great loyalty to removes a larger-than-life figure Guenter Hohberger, central or may trade based on prevailing market conditions. Past performance is not a reliable deals exposed by the Offshore the company. It is great credit to who made Raiffeisen into central and eastern Europe banks ana- indicator of future performance. You should consider these matters and consult your Leaks investigative journalism him that he shows with this dif- and eastern Europe’s second-big- lyst at Erste Group, said Stepic financial advisor prior to making any investment decisions. project — but said he decided to ficult decision willingness to avert gest lender, with 60,000 staff in 17 would be hard to replace. “I don’t quit out of loyalty to Raiffeisen. reputational damage.” countries. believe the bank will abandon its “Given the media reports, I Stepic says he did not need “As I see it, these affairs were strategy - the central and eastern soon became aware that, despite to notify his bank or regula- in his private sphere, but we have Europe business is its fundamen- the facts, a debate was tak- tors about three apartments in different sensibilities about these tal business,” he said. ing place that threatened to do Singapore he bought via “project things from what we had 10 or 15 REUTERS MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Business Views

Taking a bite out Japan interest rates of commercial may torpedo recovery tax avoidance BY JAMES SAFT use any and all means available to create continues. A rate spike would also gum up inflation,” Nomura economist Richard Koo the credit market in Japan. Not only might BY PREM SIKKA piking interest rates in Japan said in a note to clients. people who planned to borrow and invest threaten to undermine, and possi- “Once inflation concerns start to emerge decide not to as rates rise, banks themselves pple is the latest company under the spotlight for organised bly end, the recovery being engen- the BoJ will be unable to restrain a rise in will be hard hit. tax avoidance. In common with Starbucks, Google, Amazon, dered by Abenomics. yields no matter how many bonds it buys.” After all, banks in Japan are hugely eBay, Microsoft and others it routes transactions through That could reverse gains not That is both the promise and the prob- exposed to fixed income generally and gov- Alow- or no-tax jurisdictions to reduce its tax bill. Indignant onlyS in Tokyo stocks, but in stock markets lem with extraordinary monetary policy: ernment bonds in specific. As prices of those ministers gnash their teeth and the corporate merry-go-round world-wide which have benefited from Market effects can move much more quickly bonds tumble, they may refrain from lend- continues. It is time to completely revamp the global corporate tax Japanese liquidity. While a rebound in activ- than any recovery in the real economy. The ing and might even need new capital. system and I’ve got an alternative: Unitary taxation. ity has allowed the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to yen has fallen rapidly, theoretically giving All of this could easily undo any progress The current corporate taxation system is the outcome of inter- upgrade its assessment of conditions for a its exporters an advantage, at least in prof- in Japan, and indeed if things got bad national treaties crafted nearly a century ago. Three aspects stand fifth straight month, bond yields have risen itability. And Japanese stocks have soared, enough, prompt policy to be rolled back or out. First, at a time when western nations ruled vast tracts of the sharply in extremely volatile conditions. engendering hopes of a wealth effect which even reversed. This should matter to you globe, it was agreed that companies would be taxed at the place of Yields on 10-year Japanese government would boost consumer spending and corpo- even if you haven’t got a single yen of Japan their residence rather than where the economic activity took place. bonds have risen to 0.88 percent, nearly tri- rate investment. exposure. It is no accident that the advent The companies’ headquarters were mostly in the western world. ple their April 5 low of 0.315 percent, just If interest rates spike, Japan will face a of Abenomics has come alongside the most Second, even though companies may be under common own- after the BoJ introduced its latest easing number of very serious sequencing prob- recent, and giddy, period of stock market ership, control and strategic direction, they were to be taxed as campaign, part of Prime Minister Shinzo lems. In the normal order of things inflation gains in the past six months. separate entities. Thus a company with 100 subsidiaries will be Abe’s overall policy of Abenomics, includ- follows a recovery, rather than preceding Japan, and the BoJ, are a significant treated as 100 separate entities for tax purposes. ing stimulative monetary and fiscal policy it, as it threatens to do in Japan. If infla- source of stimulus for the global economy, Third, there was an issue about how intragroup transactions and economic reforms. “I don’t think the tion comes first, it means the government both indirectly, and directly. That is even were to be assessed for tax purposes, as it was envisaged that recent rise in yields is having a big impact is hit with rising debt service costs before before we think about the destabilising corporations would set up operations and subsidiaries in other on the economy,” BoJ Governor Haruhiko the increased tax revenues of a stronger effect that a Japanese bond market or countries and transfer goods and services to each other. The Kuroda said on Wednesday after a two-day economy begin to roll in. banking crisis would have on the rest of solution was to agree on what is known as transfer pricing and policy meeting. With Japan having government debt of the world. intragroup transactions were to be valued at what the OECD calls So why are rates rising even as the Bank well over two times the size of is economy, To be sure, none of this is pre-ordained. “arm’s length” principle, or free-market market prices. of Japan is buying huge amounts of bonds? the costs would mount quickly. That might The BoJ has been clumsy in how it oper- This system is now broken and needs to be redesigned. In the In large part this is because the BoJ has get in the way of planned government stim- ated in the bond market, which is itself a era of monopoly capitalism, arm’s length transfer prices are hard been successful in convincing investors that ulus and, as rates spike, could ultimately be bit of a creaky place after decades of on-off to find. For example, just 10 corporations control 55 percent of it is deadly serious about engendering 2 per- self-reinforcing, with rises in rates causing deflation, and is ill-suited to heavy volumes. the global trade in pharmaceuticals; 67 percent of the trade in cent inflation, a goal it has vowed to reach. yet more rises in rates. This, in essence, is Both of these issues can and probably will seeds and fertilisers and 66 percent of the global biotechnology “The implication is that the JGB market the Japanese bond crisis thesis in a nut- be resolved without great cost. Still, a near industry. So companies are playing creative games to dodge taxes could plunge and send interest rates sharply shell. There is a real possibility of signifi- tripling of interest rates in weeks in a highly and many developing countries are substituting their own norms. higher in a short period of time if people cant amounts of money piling in to a short indebted country is a warning signal inves- Resolving transfer pricing disputes is costly for both companies actually start to believe that Kuroda will Japanese government bonds bet if the spike tors must heed. REUTERS and tax authorities. These faultlines need to be addressed. Apple is Apple, no mat- ter where it trades and all its profits accrue to the same entity. We need to know a company’s global profit. This can only be made when a company transacts with the outside world. This means that all intragroup transactions should be ignored for tax purposes because they add little or no value. Such a principle is already enshrined in the law of most countries. Multinational companies are required to publish what accountants call con- solidated accounts. These treat the entire group of companies as a single economic unit and show its global profits. Company directors and auditors sign the accounts to publicly confirm that intragroup transactions added little or no economic value and have been eliminated from the accounts. The above provides the tax base or taxable profit. The second step is to allocate the global profit to each country of a company’s operations. This can be done using a formula that takes account of key drivers of profit generation. These may be the number of employees and payroll costs in each country, and assets and sales activity. Fortunately, some working models of this allocation formula have already been applied in the internal economy of the US. The US has its own tax havens in places such as Delaware and Nevada, and companies can be resident there but trade in California. On the basis that a company should pay its taxes where it is resident, corporations can deprive other states of much-needed revenues. Unitary taxation is not a magical solution to the deep-seated problems of capitalism, but it has a number of strong points. Corporate taxation is still based on profits. As intergroup trans- fers are eliminated in calculation of profits, all profits shifted to tax havens are ignored. Thus no part of corporate profits escapes taxation. Each state is free to tax the profits accruing in its juris- diction at any rate it wishes. The model does not impair the mobility of capital. For example, if a company thinks it can gain economic advantage by exploiting factors of production in an emerging economy, it can do so. The unitary taxation model should be debated at the next G8 meeting. It can easily be applied to EU member states and beyond. There is plenty of room for negotiations around the apportion- ment formula and related factors, but the ultimate prize of mak- ing a serious dent on organised corporate tax avoidance is worth pursuing. THE GUARDIAN Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate What is the economic responsibility of corporate US?

BY HEIDI MOORE policy. He was not so subtle this actually pay, hire expensive law- Cook’s testimony with adoration. There remains a question of They don’t have a problem of time. Bernanke noted that long- yers to avoid the entirety of their The message of his appearance on whether the offshore tax holiday an unskilled workforce. Instead, he best kind of Federal term health of the economy is tax bills. behalf of corporations everywhere was ever really a plausible cor- they have an innovation prob- Reserve chairman is the “not the Fed’s job”. Congress, we Yet they use the nation’s roads was: allow us to pay lower taxes, porate problem, or one hyped by lem. These companies could, for one who doesn’t believe can leave aside. for trucking, our waterways for and we will stop avoiding them. CEOs as an excuse to inflate their instance, invest in new initiatives The owes anyone any- We know that austerity is pain- shipping, our bridges and city As this ego-fed debate continues, company’s coffers and their stock- or expand their business models. thing. That is when we start to ful and counterproductive, as the streets and airports. In small the nation’s infrastructure needs holders’ wallets rather than invest Very few companies are doing hear the truth about the economy travails of Europe have shown us. towns, one big corporation can repair and that money isn’t coming in new initiatives. that. more directly. If we didn’t know it, Bernanke make the entire economy, as from the government. Once the offshore-profits issue In fact, a recent study from Seven years into his term, and made it clear. His mention of the FedEx is in its Tennessee head- So Washington has to think is out of the way, what excuse Accenture raised the question unlikely to renew his engagement private sector is important. quarters. But how about the carefully: How can it persuade will companies have left for not of whether CEOs even believe in Washington, Ben Bernanke has While Congress and the Fed towns and the states that these corporations to do their duty investing money in the American in innovation as a solution any reached this state. He started out discuss what to do about the companies just pass through on and pick up part of the tab for economy and American workers? more. The survey of 512 compa- as a diplomat and an able politi- slow economy, there are a few their way to making money? the services they use? The issue of offshore profits nies found 51 percent said they cian who avoided offending peo- voices notably absent: those of They don’t get the same eco- The answer is in Congressman and a tax holiday was a red her- were investing more in innovation ple and adopted the appropriate any important CEOs willing to nomic benefit to help with their Delaney’s bill, which proposes that ring: US companies have not been but 46 percent said their compa- Washington plumage to survive. do their part to increase hiring. maintenance.While major corpo- companies be allowed to repatri- hurting for cash. The stock mar- nies were becoming risk-averse He is the truth-teller we need. The corporate and financial side rations are happy to use infra- ate their foreign earnings at a ket is at record highs overall, and anyway. He has spent seven years deal- of America is not doing its part structure, they contribute very lower tax rate if they use some of particularly so for big companies. This is fearful thinking, and ing with a do-nothing Congress to help the economy. Congress, as little to its maintenance as long the money to buy new infrastruc- The stock market riches are it’s the same plague that infects with little more than perhaps utterly useless as it has been in as they don’t pay their full compli- ture bonds. flooding corporations in inflated Congress. Just as fear has para- quiet exasperation. Now that his producing decent legislation, can ment of taxes. The bonds, of which only $50bn stock options and paper wealth. lysed Congress, it has scared term is nearly over, he is a bolder only do that. Yet convincing these corpora- will be sold, will raise about Corporate profits, as a percentage CEOs. Yet fear is no excuse. man. Take a bill introduced by tions to pay their full tax burden $750bn for infrastructure invest- of US GDP, are higher than ever, Taxes are no excuse. Caution is no In his testimony before the Democratic Representative John is a lost cause, as was evident ment. With its bipartisan support according to the St Louis Federal excuse. The excuses have run out. Joint Economic Committee K Delaney of Maryland this week. yesterday when Apple CEO Tim and solid negotiation technique Reserve. The corporate side of America is of Washington, he pulled no The bipartisan bill — with 13 co- Cook smilingly explained openly the Delaney bill is likely to be The truth is, the weak economy not pulling its weight. It is not punches. He declared: Bernanke sponsors from the Republican and to Congress how Apple uses Irish successful, or at least should be. is not out of the hands of corpora- paying the fair price in economic has chided Congress before, sub- Democratic ranks. Many of these subsidiaries to lessen its US tax It is perhaps the first constructive tions. They don’t have a tax prob- boosterism or in taxes for all the tly, on its refusal to take action corporations, in protest of “high bill. answer to both a government and lem. They don’t have an economic advantages it enjoys. with the budget and revise fiscal corporate taxes” that they rarely The lawmakers mostly met a corporate problem. problem. THE GUARDIAN MAY 25, 2013 Classifieds www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 17 ON SATURDAY

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18th Arab Athletics Championships Qatar finish Arab campaign Results DOHA: Results yesterday, the final day of the 18th Arab Athletics Championships, at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium: with two more gold medals Men’s events 400M hurdles 1. Milood Rehmani (Alg) 50.52 2. Mohammed Al Sagir (Tun) Morocco top overall medals table; Qatar end with a tally of 11 medals 50.94 3. Jamal Abdul Nasser (Qat) BY RIZWAN REHMAT 51.12 RIGHT: Musaeb Javelin Throw DOHA: Two Qatari track and Abdulrahman 1. Ahmed Sabir (Egy) 61.36 field stars yesterday bagged gold Balla of Qatar 2. Hussein Al Fazli (Oma) 56.21 medals as the host nation added celebrates with 3. Hashim Nazaar (Ksa) to their bulging overall tally on the national flag 800M the last day of the 18th Arab after winning the 1. Musab Abdurrahman Balla Athletics Championships. gold medal in (Qat) 1:45.90 Musaeb Abdulrahman Balla the men’s 800m 2. Ibrahim Wutashi (Bah) 1:46.52 won the gold in the 800m men’s final at the 18th 3. Abdulaziz Laden (KSA) final with a time of 1:45.90, finish- Arab Athletics 1:46.70 ing the long distance race ahead Championships Long Jump of Ibrahim Wutashi of Bahrain at Suheim 1. Hussein Tahir (KSA) 7.99 and Abdulazziz Laden of Saudi Bin Hamad 2. Mohamed Fateh (Egy) 7.85 Arabia. Stadium in 3. Ahmed Faiz (KSA) 7.82 Minutes later, Rashid Shafi Al Doha yesterday. Dosari and compatriot Ahmed 200M BOTTOM: Dana Mohammed Deeb made it a 1. Aziz Ahadi (Mar) 20.46 Hussein of Iraq Qatari 1-2 in the men’s discus 2. Fahad Al Subahey (Ksa) 20.55 throw final. celebrates after 3. Mohammed Al Sayed (Egy) Overall Qatar finished in fifth winning the 20.81 spot with a tally of 11 medals over gold medal in 5,000M the women’s four days. 1. Albert Roub (Bah) 13:52.54 200m final. Dana Morocco topped the medals 2. Zelalim Bahsha (Bah) 13:57.17 table with an impressive tally bagged the gold 3. Momin Geela (Dji) 14:08.62 of 21. Algeria also impressed at with a time of Discus Throw the championships, finishing a 23.83secs. notch behind Morocco in overall 1. Rashid Shafi Al Dosari (Qat) classification. 61.91 2. Ahmed Mohammed Deeb Bahrain emerged as the third- TOP (RIGHT): Aziz Ahadi of Morocco celebrates after best country while Egypt secured (Qat) 60.46 winning the gold medal in the men’s 200m final yesterday. 3. Musab Al Mumani (Jor) 60.13 the fourth spot. PICTURES: MOHAMED FARAG However, home fans were 4x400 Relay savoured a good day’s workout as 1. Saudi Arabia (Ismail Al Al Dosari reached a distance of Subyani, Mohammed Ali, 61.91m to clinch the gold in the Mohammed Eid, Yusif Masrahi) men’s discus final while Deeb 3:06.23 ended a close second with a mark 2. Qatar (Hassan Amman, Jamal of 60.46. Abdul Nasser, Jamal Heran, The bronze went to Museb Musab Abdurrahman Balla) Almoumani of Jordan (60.13). 3:09.55 In the men’s 400m hurdles 3. Algeria (Sagyan Bohoda, Milad Rahmani of Algeria won Khalid bin Mehadi, Milood the gold with a time of 50.52secs Laraj, Milood Rehmani) 3:11.02 while Mohammed Al Sagheer of Tunisia bagged the silver. Qatar’s Women’s events Gamal Abdul Nasser Abubaker Shot Put grabbed the bronze by finishing 1. Fadia Saad (Egy) 14.05 the race with a time of 51.12. 2. Noora Jassim (Bah) 13.80 The fifth and final medal yes- ABOVE: Morocco’s Hyat 3. Ilham Al-Sayed Wahba (Egy) terday for Qatar came in the Lombarki (left) with team- Overall Medals Tally 13.35 men’s 4x400 relay as the home mate Lamia Lehbez after 200M quartet of Hassan Amman, DOHA: The overall medals the 400M hurdles final. 1. Dana Hussein Abdulrazak Nasser, Jamal Heran and Balla tally at the end of the 18th (Irq) 23.83 finished behind gold medal win- Arab Athletics Championships 2. Soheir Bouali (Alg) 23.91 ners Saudi Arabia. performance today. I am already come back from an injury,” Al time of 23.83secs with a strong which concluded at Suheim 3. Gretta Taslikiyan (Leb) 24.21 Saudi Arabia’s Ismail Al thinking about my next races. I Dosari said. lunge at the end. Algeria’s Soheir Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha Subyani, Mohammed Ali, have plans to take part in many “To win here means that I Bouali (23.91) bagged the silver yesterday. 1,500M Mohammed Eid, Yusif Masrahi Diamond League races but first have improved on my fitness. I while Lebanon’s Gretta Taslikiyan Country G S B Tally 1. Rubab Arafi (Mar) 4:53.92 clocked 3:06.23 for their gold I have to speak with my coach,” did well in the GCC (Athletics) (24.21) walked off with a bronze Morocco 11 5 5 21 2. Memi Baliti (Bah) 4:55.19 medal, whereas, Qatar ended with Balla said. Championships (held in Doha in medal. Algeria 8 6 5 19 3. Ilham Betlam (Uae) 4:55.23 a time of 3:09.55. “My focus will be the Asian April) as well. Dana said: “I am so happy. It Bahrain 5 10 7 22 Long Jump Algerian athletes picked up the Championships and the World “I’m also very happy for (team- was a great win. I had trained Egypt 4 6 10 20 1. Baiya Rahooli (Alg) 14.29 bronze with a time of 3:11.02. Championships. I was feeling mate) Ahmed (Mohammed Deeb), so hard for this. I consider this Qatar 4 5 2 11 2. Shenak Jumma (Mar) 13.63 Qatar’s Balla said he was confident coming into this race. I who won silver as he too has been a revenge win as I could not win 3. Jihad Bakshi (Mar) 13.23 delighted with his gold medal took part in the Diamond League working very hard. Hopefully we the 100m final.” Tunisia 4 3 2 9 4x400 Relay winning performance in the men’s opening round and there were both can put up a good show in She added: “I had won a bronze Saudi Arabia 3 4 4 11 800m final. many big names so my prepara- the Asian Championship in India,” in Thailand but could not run in Kuwait 2 1 1 4 1. Morocco (Haya Al Mubaraki, “This was not my personal best tion was very good,” he said. an overjoyed Al Dosari added. Colombo (earlier this month). I Iraq 1 2 2 5 Rebab Aarafi, Lamiya Lebaz, Hasna Garavi) 3:42.10 but thank God that I still won. Burly Al Dossri, who walked In a memorable run that won hope I can qualify for the Moscow Oman 1 2 2 5 2. Sudan (Tasabi Mohammed, I have been training hard and it off with a gold medal dangling the hearts of the fans at Suheim World Championships (to be held Djibouti 1 0 2 3 feels good to win a gold medal in around his neck in the men’s dis- Bin Hamad Stadium, Iraq’s in August this year). I train in Alviya Makki, Hajir Saeed, UAE 1 0 1 2 Nawal Al Jak) 3:45.30 front of home fans,” Balla, who cuss final, said he was happy for diminutive sprinter Dana Hussein Iraq. I feel overwhelmed to raise Lebanon 1 0 1 2 3. Iraq (Hadeel Rahim, Zina later anchored his team in the his team-mate Deeb who won a Abdulrazak landed the gold medal the Iraqi flag. It feels great to Hamid, Shamam Samad, Dana 4x400m relay, said. silver. in the women’s 200m final. emerge as a winner.” Sudan 0 4 2 6 Hussein) 4:02.62 “Yes, I am satisfied with my “I’m very happy because I have Dana won the gold with a THE PENINSULA Jordan 0 0 2 2

US PGA Crowne Plaza Invitational Molinari flourishes while scores FORT WORTH, Texas: Leading scores yesterday Donald and McIlroy falter after the first round of the Spanish $6.4m US PGA Crowne Plaza golfer Sergio VIRGINIA WATER, a six-under tally of 138. British Donald, bidding for a hat-trick Invitational (USA unless Garcia England: Francesco Molinari pair Marc Warren (70) and Mark of PGA titles, could not retrieve noted, par 70): watches his flourished while several of his Foster (69), Spain’s Alejandro the situation after a woeful first- 62 Ryan Palmer shot from the European Ryder Cup team Canizares (70) and South African round 78 had left him with a 63 John Rollins second tee mates fell flat on their faces as George Coetzee (70) were all one mountain to climb. during the the Italian grabbed the lead in stroke off the pace. “Even for England this is pretty 64 Morgan Hoffmann, David Hearn (CAN), second round the PGA Championship second “This weather is the same for unseasonal and it made the course Graham DeLaet (CAN), John Peterson of the PGA round yesterday. everyone but I think in some play tougher,” said the Briton 65 Daniel Summerhays, Matt Every, Matt Championship Luke Donald, the 2011 and 2012 ways, for me, it’s almost better after returning a 72 yesterday. winner, Rory McIlroy, Ian Poulter because it makes it even tougher,” World number two McIlroy Kuchar, Tommy Gainey, Josh Teater, at Wentworth Jordan Spieth and Graeme McDowell all missed Molinari told reporters. missed the cut here for the second Golf Club the halfway cut after endur- “If I’m playing well I hit quite season running. 66 Brendon de Jonge (ZIM), Carl Pettersson in Surrey, ing cold, dank conditions at the a lot of fairways and greens so I “I’m looking forward to playing (SWE), Marc Leishman (AUS), John Huh, England, European Tour’s flagship event. can take advantage of it,” said the some golf where I’m not playing in Jason Kokrak, Charley Hoffman, Ken yesterday Duke, Derek Ernst, Freddie Jacobson A miserable Wentworth course Italian who is renowned for the four layers of clothing,” said the (SWE), Martin Flores almost turned into ‘Wetworth’ as excellence of his long game. Northern Irishman. “But that’s driving rain, eight-degree temper- “I’m hitting the ball well off the not really an excuse - I just didn’t 67 Chris Stroud, Jeff Overton, DJ Trahan, atures and 15-mph winds brought tee and with the irons, I’m getting play well. For 12 or 13 holes yes- Bud Cauley, Michael Thompson, Jason out the multi-coloured umbrellas, a few chances and the putter is terday I played really well and it’s Dufner, Chris Kirk, Bryce Molder, Jonas waterproofs, mittens and beanies working well so I’m really happy just when the weather started to Blixt (SWE), Bob Estes, Ben Kohles, for the second day in a row. where I am at the moment.” turn a little bit, I didn’t hang in Brian Stuard, Boo Weekley, Greg The bad weather, however, Molinari may have been smiling there. It was a grind and I made Chalmers (AUS), Brian Davis (ENG), Tim played right into Molinari’s hands but Donald, McIlroy, Poulter and too many mistakes and hit too Clark (RSA), Roberto Castro as he fired a four-under 68 for McDowell certainly were not. many bad shots.” REUTERS MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Sport

Past Champions League Winners 2011-12 Chelsea (ENG) Bayern, Dortmund seek 2010-11 Barcelona (ESP) 2009-10 Inter Milan (ITA) 2008-09 Barcelona (ESP) 2007-08 Manchester United (ENG) 2006-07 AC Milan (ITA) 2005-06 Barcelona (ESP) European glory at Wembley 2004-05 Liverpool (ENG) 2003-04 Porto (POR) 2002-03 AC Milan (ITA) The Bundesliga rivals to clash at football’s iconic stadium in London 2001-02 Real Madrid (ESP) 2000-01 Bayern Munich (GER) LONDON: The home of Champions League final today at 9.45pm Doha time 1999-00 Real Madrid (ESP) English football will reverber- 1998-99 Manchester United (ENG) ate to the roar of German voices today when Bayern Munich 1997-98 Real Madrid (ESP) and Borussia Dortmund col- 1996-97 Borussia Dortmund (GER) lide at Wembley Stadium in 1995-96 Juventus (ITA) the first all-Bundesliga final in 1994-95 Ajax (NED) Champions League history. 1993-94 AC Milan (ITA) It is only two years since Barcelona confirmed their status 1992-93 Marseille (FRA) as Europe’s pre-eminent side by outclassing Manchester United in the same arena to win the 2011 Monaco sign tournament, but the way that Bayern and Dortmund have torn through this season’s competition Moutinho, suggests a new continental order is asserting itself. Bayern left Barca in ruins with Rodriguez an incredible 7-0 aggregate win in the semi-finals, while Dortmund’s LISBON: Porto have sold mid- 4-1 defeat of Real Madrid in the fielders Joao Moutinho and same round left the football world James Rodriguez to Monaco for open-mouthed in amazement. €70m ($90m), the Portuguese Irrespective of the result, it champions said yesterday. is certain to be a monumental “We have reached a deal to evening for German football, sell Rodriguez and Moutinho to but the two sides approach the Monaco,” Porto said in a state- game driven by very different Bayern Munich’s French midfielder Franck Ribery controls the ball during a training session at Wembley Stadium in London yesterday, on the eve ment to Portuguese market regu- motivations. of the UEFA Champions League final football match against Borussia Dortmund. RIGHT: A statue of former England player Bobby Moore stands lator CMVM. For Bayern, the game repre- outside Wembley Stadium before the training sessions of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Porto, who beat Monaco in sents an opportunity to make the 2004 Champions League amends for painful final defeats final, will receive €45m for in 2010 and, in particular, 2012, downplay the significance of there is little scope for sleight of aiming for a perfect perform- but it depends on which kind of Colombian Rodriguez and €25m when a heart-breaking penalty Goetze’s injury by pointing to the hand. ance in the final,” said midfielder story the neutral fan wants to for Portuguese international shoot-out loss to Chelsea was 2012 German Cup final, when “Both teams know each other Bastian Schweinsteiger, whose hear,” he told British newspaper Moutinho. Both players have played out before a crowd of hor- Dortmund thrashed Bayern 5-2 very well, both trainers are fully side will tackle Stuttgart in the The Guardian. signed five-year contracts. rified and disbelieving fans at in his absence. informed about the opponent, so German Cup final on June 1. “If “If he respects the story of Monaco, who also confirmed their own Allianz Arena. “It goes without saying that there are no secrets,” he said to we play to our potential, it’s very Bayern, and how much they have the deal on their website, have just Dortmund, the 1997 champions, with him we have a different reporters hard for anyone to win against won since the 1970s, he can sup- been promoted back to French yearn to inflict further misery quality,” he said. “But everything Heynckes can become only the us.” port them. But if he wants the Ligue 1 after being taken over upon Bayern, who have gravely shouldn’t rest on him. In the fourth coach to win the compe- Nine years after almost going new story, the special story, it by Russian billionaire Dmitry undermined their opponents’ DFB-Pokal final in 2012, Mario tition with two different clubs, bust, Dortmund hope to repeat must be Dortmund.” Rybolovlev in 2011. attempts to establish themselves also didn’t play.” having previously led Madrid to their shock 1997 success, when Aside from Goetze’s con- Moutinho and Rodriguez, 26 as creditable long-term rivals by After losing five times in a row their eighth Champions League a young Lars Ricken, now the firmed absence, Dortmund also and 21 respectively, were instru- snatching away star playmaker to Dortmund during the Ruhr title in 1998. club’s youth team co-ordinator, have concerns over the fitness mental in helping Porto clinch a Mario Goetze in a sensational club’s back-to-back Bundesliga It will, however, be the 68-year- came off the bench to seal a 3-1 of former Bayern centre-back third consecutive league title this €37m (£31.7m, $47.8m) transfer. title successes in 2011 and 2012, old’s final match in the dug-out. win over Juventus at Munich’s Mats Hummels, who injured his season. A hamstring injury to Goetze Bayern have redressed the bal- He has announced his retire- Olympiastadion with an auda- ankle in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Moutinho is a consistent has reduced the risk of diplo- ance this season, avoiding defeat ment after former Barcelona cious 25-yard chip. Hoffenheim. hardworking midfielder noted matic embarrassment today, but in all four of their most recent coach Pep Guardiola was Juergen Klopp’s side have Bayern are missing long-term for his tactical awareness while Bayern are also believed to lead contests en route to a nigh-on appointed to succeed him, despite charmed neutrals with their injury victims Holger Badstuber Rodriguez has great dribbling the race for Dortmund’s Polish flawless triumph in the German a phenomenal campaign that breathless counter-attacking and Toni Kroos, but unlike 12 skills and the ability to deliver striker Robert Lewandowski, who title race. could end with Bayern claiming football over the last three sea- months ago, when they were dangerous crosses. put Madrid to the sword with an Today’s game will be the 101st their first ever treble of league, sons and the likeable 45-year-old without Badstuber, David Alaba Monaco are at odds with extraordinary four-goal haul in competitive meeting between the German Cup and Champions Dortmund manager hopes their and Luiz Gustavo due to suspen- French football authorities over the first leg of their semi-final. sides and after seven encounters League honours. rise has not left the impartial sion against Chelsea, they are tax exemptions but they have Goalkeeper Roman over the last two seasons, Bayern “We’ve taken a massive stride observer unmoved. otherwise at full strength. attracted many leading players Weidenfeller has tried to manager Jupp Heynckes believes towards perfection, and we’re “We are a club, not a company, AFP helped by the fact that, under the principality’s laws, foreigners do Benitez close not pay tax on their wages. Hosts Qatar Neymar would help Messi: Alves The French League (LFP) has ruled that the club must move to joining their head office to France by the defeat Latvia MADRID: Barcelona full-back Dani Alves has attention. Neymar would be a relief, he would help start of June next year, meaning Napoli: Reports claimed the signing of his Brazilian international Leo a lot.” players would pay tax in France. 3-1 in friendly colleague Neymar would help ease the burden Barca’s dependence on Messi was most cruelly REUTERS DOHA: Qatar beat Latvia that has been placed on Lionel Messi this season. exposed on the European stage this season as the 3-1 in a friendly at Al Sadd ROME: Chelsea interim man- The four-time World Player of the Year has scored Argentine was forced into action when clearly carry- Stadium yesterday. ager Rafael Benitez is on the 60 times this season despite an injury-hit last cou- ing a hamstring injury against Paris Saint-Germain Phelan leaves Goals from Ibrahim Majid brink of joining Napoli for next ple of months to the campaign, whilst the second- in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and (35), Majed Mohammed (66) season, according to Italian highest scorer in the squad, David Villa, has only missed the semi-final second-leg against Bayern and Jarrallah Al Marri (81) press reports yesterday. registered 14 goals. Munich as the Germans went on to inflict a 7-0 United after helped the hosts to a comfort- Television channel Sky Sport And Alves doesn’t believe pairing Neymar and aggregate defeat on the Catalans. able victory. claimed Napoli president Aurelio Messi together would be a problem should Barca “In some games they have marked Messi a lot and Moyes arrival The friendly match was part De Laurentiis had agreed a two- finally complete their pursuit of the 21-year-old Neymar would help unbalance defences more. We of Qatar’s preparations for the year deal worth €3.5m a season before the start of next season. have lacked a little continuity up front and the objec- LONDON: David Moyes 2014 World Cup Asian Zone with an option for a third year. “Two phenomenons are better than one,” he told tive looking forward to next season is to continue started his Manchester Group A qualifer against Iran But De Laurentiis himself Barcelona sports daily El Mundo Deportivo. competing for everything.” United overhaul yesterday on June 4. Qatar will also play denied he had ever mentioned “They are two good players and play in different However, Alves refused to quash rumours that he as the club’s new manager Uzbekistan on June 11. Benitez, although he let it be positions. They would understand each other. could be one of those on his way out as the club tries parted company with coaches THE PENINSULA known that the press were bark- “It doesn’t bother Neymar to be the protagonist or to raise funds for a splurge in the transfer market Mike Phelan and Eric Steele. ing up the right tree. AFP not, although his way of playing will always attract in the close season. AFP Phelan had been a long- serving assistant to United’s former boss Alex Ferguson, UEFA boss Platini warns of who retired after nearly 27 years in charge at the end of the season, while Steele had ‘dangers’ threatening sport worked as goalkeeping coach at Old Trafford since 2008. LONDON: Michel Platini “It seems that we are in some But both have been told they (pictured), the president of cases dealing with mafia-type will be released by Moyes, who European football’s governing organisations that use some wants to bring several of his body UEFA, yesterday called games, and therefore our sport, own backroom staff with him for action against the three to launder dirty money. from Everton. dangers threatening “One game rigged is “I would like to put on football: match-fixing, one match too many, record the club’s thanks for discrimination and as it strikes at the soul everything Mike and Eric have financial excess. of our sport, the very done,” Moyes said. “The main problem essence of the game. “I will be looking to appoint is match-fixing and “I ask at least that my own members of coach- betting,” said Platini at each country adopts a ing staff at some point in the the UEFA congress in specific national law on future, however, I’d like to take London. match-fixing to finally this opportunity to give them “Our match moni- provide the neces- both our best wishes for their toring systems and sary legal tools to con- future careers.” network of integrity demn uncompromising Former United midfielder officers in each coun- cheats.” Phelan first joined Ferguson’s try are of course useful and even In his speech, Platini also staff as a youth team coach in essential, but they are not enough. tackled “the recurrent problem 1999 and eventually replaced Bayern Munich’s team players attend a training session ahead of their Champions League final match against “We are not dealing with petty of discrimination, whether racial Carlos Queiroz as the Scot’s Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium in London, yesterday. criminals looking to make ends or sexual, which still exists in assistant in 2008. AFP meet. football. AFP MAY 25, 2013 Sport www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21 ON SATURDAY

Past Emir Cup Winners Al Rayyan, Police get set for 1980 Al Arabi 1981 Al Arabi 1982 Al Arabi 1983 Al Arabi 1984 Al Arabi Emir Cup showdown today 1985 Al Arabi 1986 Al Arabi 1987 Al Rayyan Defending champs braced for tough challenge against surprise finalists 1988 Al Arabi 1989 Al Rayyan BY DENZIL PINTO 1990 Al Arabi 1991 Al Arabi DOHA: Al Rayyan coach 1992 Al Arabi Ljubomir Travica said his team 1993 Al Arabi is wary of Police when his side meet the surprise finalists in 1994 Al Rayyan the Volleyball Emir Cup final 1995 Al Arabi today. 1996 Al Arabi Police, who had to go through the qualifying stages to reach the 1997 Qatar SC proper round in this year’s cam- 1998 Al Arabi paign, have surprised many teams 1999 Al Rayyan including former champions Al Arabi in the semi-finals to reach 2000 Al Rayyan their third Emir Cup final. 2001 Qatar SC Travica said in a pre-match 2002 Al Arabi press conference yesterday: “I and my team are very happy to 2003 Al Rayyan play such an important Cup final 2004 Qatar SC tomorrow (today). Police have 2005 Qatar SC played very well in the competi- 2006 Al Rayyan tion and for sure it will be a dif- Yousuf Ahmed Kano, Assistant Secretary General, (centre) of Qatar Volleyball Association (QVA), QVA Technical Director Hussain Imam (fourth left) ficult match for my team.” along with other QVA officials pose for a picture with Police coach Selim Bouhala (sixth left), Al Rayyan coach Ljubomir Travica (fifth right) and Al 2007 Al Rayyan Both teams have already met in Rayyan captain Osman Ajab (back row right) during the Emir Cup pre-match press conference, yesterday. 2008 Al Arabi the group stage with Al Rayyan 2009 Al Arabi winning 3-1 (25-21, 25-16, 18-25, 25-18) in the opening match. Al Rayyan captain Osman Bouhala said: “This is not the 2010 Al Rayyan However, Travica admits that Ajab insists his team are focused first time we have taken part in 2011 Al Arabi match was history and said he on ending the season on a high. a final. We advanced by beating 2012 Al Rayyan was surprised how fast Police Ajab said: “All the games were dif- Al Arabi who are a strong side as have improved as well as their ficult (during the tournament). well as being former champions. depth in the squad. Tomorrow (today) will be differ- We are confident of doing well in “The first match and the last ent because it’s the final. I hope the final.” Prizes match (semi-final) that I saw, and want my team to be at their Moses, of Police, said he is keen Winners: QR500,000 there has been a massive differ- best.” to continue their impressive form. Police Runners-Up: QR250,000 ence to how they (Police) played. He added: “We are not thinking “We are very happy to reach this coach Selim They have depth in their team. about them (Police).” final after playing some good vol- Bouhala Spectator Prizes But my team has also been play- When asked about the threats leyball in our matches. We will (left) and Air Tickets to five countries: Egpyt, ing well. My players will have to his side could face, he said: “We try out best and the people in the Al Rayyan Philippines, Sudan, Nepal and India be at their best to win the tourna- are only thinking about this final. stadium our best volleyball which captain ment,” said Travica, who guided We want to play well to win this would win the Cup for the club,” Mobile phones, dinner meals at Radisson Osman Blu Hotels and Grand Regency the defending champions to their Cup. We are not thinking about he said. Ajab shake 23rd Emir Cup final courtesy of Police.” The winners of today’s final hands after Venue: Al Arabi Sports Hall a 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22) Ajab did admit that his side will will go home richer by QR500,000 the press Time: 7.00pm today victory over Al Ahli. have to be on top in dominating while the runners-up will pick up When asked if he expected the match. “We will think of the a cheque of QR250,000. conference. Police to be in the final, he replied: system that they could play. We There will also be prizes Semi-Final Results “Everyone thought it would be Al are not just thinking about one or for the spectators at Al Arabi Played on Thursday Rayyan and Al Arabi in the final. two players that they have. If we Stadium, with air tickets to Police Club beat Al Arabi 3-1 (25-18, 19- Police have played very well so can control their system we can Egpyt, Phillippines, Sudan, Nepal far in this competition. We have beat them,” he said. and India. Other prizes include 25, 25-23, 26-24) strong players and so do they and Police coach Selim Bouhala said mobile phones and dinner meals Al Rayyan beat Al Ahli 3-1 I think that could be the differ- his team are confident ahead of at Radisson Blu Hotels and Grand (25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 25-22) ence tomorrow (today).” the final. Regency. THE PENINSULA

Rain washes Police refuse to confirm Mumbai reach IPL final out play on NEW DELHI: Riding on Rauf investigation the explosive opening stand between Dwayne Smith (62) first day MUMBAI: Police said yester- Trophy,” the ICC said in the and Aditya Tare (35), Mumbai day they were “investigating statement. Indians beat Rajasthan Royals LEEDS, United Kingdom: all the angles” in the Indian “At this stage, the ICC has no by four wickets to enter the IPL Rain meant there was no play spot-fixing scandal but refused further comment to make.” final at the Eden Gardens. on the first day of the second to confirm if they were target- Rauf, who has stood in 48 Tests Mumbai will face two-time and final Test between England ing top Pakistani umpire Asad and 98 one-day internationals, champions Chennai Super Kings and New Zealand at Headingley Rauf (pictured). was one of the umpires during in the summit clash tomorrow. yesterday. Rauf was withdrawn from next the Indian Premier League (IPL) Chasing 166-run target, Smith Heavy overnight and early month’s Champions Trophy in at the centre of the corruption scored quick-fire 44-ball 62, which morning rain meant the square England amid probe. included two sixes and six fours, was still fully covered when the media reports The with- to lead the Mumbai run chase. captains should have been tossing that he is drawal comes a Pacer Kevon Cooper provided up at 10.30am (0930GMT). under police week after police another breakthrough for Royals And after several showers yes- investiga- arrested the as he dismissed Dinesh Karthik terday, the umpires abandoned tion for spot- three cricketers, (22) in the fifteenth over to play for the day shortly before fixing, the accusing them reduce Mumbai to 125/2 in 14.1 4pm (1500GMT). International of deliberately overs. England lead the series 1-0 Cricket bowling badly Karthik hit three boundaries in after a 170-run first Test win, Council in exchange for his aggressive 17-ball cameo. achieved with more than a day (ICC) said on tens of thou- Mumbai lost Aditya Tare (35) to spare, at Lord’s last week. They Thursday. sands of dollars after the opener added 70 runs dismissed New Zealand for just Police in the during the ongo- with Smith. 68 in the tourists’ second innings Indian city ing IPL. Tare and Smith gave Mumbai a with Stuart Broad taking seven of Mumbai Spot-fixing is flying start as they hit boundaries wickets for 44 runs. would not an illegal activity at will before Cooper got better of Keiron Pollard of Mumbai Indians celebrates with Jasprit Bumrah (centre) New Zealand had already con- confirm where a specific Tare in the tenth over. after taking Kevon Cooper of Rajasthan Royals’ wicket during the second firmed their team for this match, whether the part of a game, Tare smacked two maximums qualifying match of the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens Stadium having to make two enforced umpire was but not the out- and three fours in his quick-fire in Kolkata, yesterday. changes. being investi- come, is fixed. 27-ball 35. Batsman Martin Guptill gated as part of the probe which Sreesanth, who has played 27 Rajasthan Royals rode on a replaced wicket-keeper BJ has led to the arrests of three Tests for India, is alleged to have gritty 43 by Rahul Dravid before Scoreboard Watling (knee) and seamer Doug Indian cricketers, including Test been paid four million rupees Dishant Yagnik upped the ante RAJASTHAN ROYALS MUMBAI INDIANS Bracewell came in for spinner fast bowler Shanthakumaran ($72,000) to give away around with an unbeaten 17-ball 31 to set R Dravid c Sharma b H Singh ...... 43 D Smith c Samson b Binny ...... 62 Bruce Martin (calf) after the pair Sreesanth, and 11 bookmakers. 14 runs in an over while playing a challenging target of 166. A Rahane b H Singh ...... 21 A Tare c Samson b Cooper ...... 35 both suffered injuries during the A police official said “we are against the Kings XI Punjab on Dravid was Royals’ top-scorer S Watson c Sharma b H Singh ...... 6 D Karthik c Rahane b Cooper ...... 22 first Test. investigating all the angles”, May 9. as they seemed to struggle in S Samson c H Singh b Malinga ...... 0 R Sharma b Trivedi ...... 2 New Zealand captain Brendon adding that Rauf “has not been His Rajasthan Royals team- the middle before Yagnik, who S Binny c H Singh b Pollard...... 27 K Pollard c Cooper b Faulkner ...... 11 McCullum, who deputised behind called in for interrogation”. mates, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit hit five fours, and Hodge (19 not B Hodge (not out) ...... 19 A Rayudu b Watson ...... 17 the stumps at Lord’s for Watling, The ICC said the decision to Chandila, are said to have agreed out) added 57 runs in 27 balls to K Cooper c Smith b Pollard ...... 4 Harbhajan Singh (not out) ...... 6 confirmed Thursday he would withdraw Rauf was made after to similar deals in two other IPL prop up their side. They were also D Yagnik (not out) ...... 31 Rishi Dhawan (not out) ...... 4 keep wicket, despite having given media reports on Wednesday matches. helped by some shoddy bowling by Extras (LB-4, W-8, NB-2) ...... 14 Extras (LB-6, W-4) ...... 10 up keeping in Tests full-time in “that the Mumbai police are The scandal widened when Malinga in the last over. Total (for 6 wkts in 20 overs) ...... 165 Total (for 6 wkts in 19.5 overs) ...... 169 2010 because of back and knee conducting an investigation” into police in Mumbai arrested a Harbhajan Singh made full use Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-60, 3-64, 4-87, Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-125, 3-128, 4-132, problems. the umpire’s activities. Bollywood actor, Vindu Dara of the overcast conditions return- 5-104, 6-108. 5-141, 6-160. The tourists hopes of recall- “We feel that it is in Asad’s Singh Randhawa, earlier this ing with figures of 3/23, before Bowling: Mitchell Johnson 3-0-23-0; Rishi Bowling: Vikramjeet Malik 4-0-26-0; James ing spinner Daniel Vettori ended best interests as well as those week as part of the probe, which Kieron Pollard took two in one Dhawan 4-0-30-0; Pragyan Ojha 4-0-36-0; Faulkner 4-0-36-1; Shane Watson 2.5-0-34-1; when the former New Zealand of the sport and the event itself, has caused outrage among fans over to further damage Royals’ Harbhajan Singh 4-0-23-3; Lasith Malinga 4-0- Siddharth Trivedi 4-0-23-1; Kevon Cooper 4-0- captain was declared unfit for the that he is withdrawn from par- in the cricket-mad nation. scoring rate after they opted to 43-1; Kieron Pollard 1-0-6-2. 33-2; Stuart Binny 1-0-11-1. five-day match on Thursday. ticipating in the Champions AFP bat first. AGENCIES AFP MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Sport IOC sets Nadal and Djokovic on deadline for India to hold elections collision course in Paris MUMBAI: The International Olympic Committee has set India a September 1 deadline for Spanish ‘claycourt machine’ chases record 8th title at Roland Garros a new election to facilitate the country’s return to the Olympic fold. PARIS: Defending French The IOC banned the country in Open champion Rafael Nadal December last year after refusing was drawn in the same half Federer takes delayed to recognise the results of Indian as world number one Novak Olympic Association (IOA) elec- Djokovic yesterday as the tions due to government inter- Spanish claycourt machine ference, which led to a tainted chases a record eighth title at flight to Twitter official being named its secretary Roland Garros. general. Third seed Nadal, who beat PARIS: Roger Federer’s per- comfortable and not get pushed During crucial meetings in Djokovic in last year’s final, could fect sense of timing on court into it by someone. It’s got to be Lausanne this month, India face the Serbian in the semis. has brought him a record something I needed to feel com- assured the IOC of the Olympic “But is not in the first round, 17 Grand Slam titles, but he fortable with, and I did get many movement’s autonomy in the no?,” Nadal joked when asked admitted yesterday he’s been comments from many fans and country in a first step towards how he felt about his potential a little slow to appreciate the followers that they would love to mending relations and also dis- meeting with Djokovic in a news advantages of Twitter. see me on Twitter. I said, ‘Okay, cussed a roadmap towards getting conference. Federer, who can boast more I’m happy to give it a try and the ban overturned. Nadal has won five titles on clay than 12 million likes on his have some fun with it.’” “We believe that those meet- this season after missing more Facebook page, finally signed The Swiss launched ings were fruitful and productive than seven months of tennis and up for the social media site late his Twitter account -- @ and, with the cooperation of all sitting out the US and Australian Spanish Rafael Nadal (second left), Swiss Roger Federer (right), Russian Thursday and had over 72,000 RogerFederer -- by posting a components and stakeholders of Opens. Maria Sharapova (left) and Serena Williams of USA pose before perform- followers by yesterday. photo of himself accompanied by the Olympic Movement in India, “If you can ask me if I win one ing for children during an exhibition game in Malakoff, a Paris suburb, He still has a long way to go the message: “A little (blue) bird will pave the way for a prompt grand slam during the whole yesterday, two days ahead of the French Tennis Open. to catch French Open champion told me that the place to be is @ resolution of the issues at hand,” year or win six tournaments like and world number four Rafael twitter, so here I am! pic.twitter. the IOC said in a letter, seen by I already did, I will choose win six two Andy Murray pulled out with Laura Robson. Asked if she felt Nadal, who has more than four com/8AQzBsC6ia.” Reuters. tournaments,” he said. back problems and Argentine as good as in her golden years, million following him on Twitter. Meanwhile, Federer hailed The ban meant an end to fund- Nadal plays Daniel Brands of Juan Martin del Potro, ranked Williams told a news conference: “For me, it’s really connect- Nadal’s barnstorming return ing from the IOC for the coun- Germany in the first round and seventh, is also missing from the “I think so. Just looking back at ing with the fans on a different to duty as “amazing” yesterday try, no Indian officials attending could face home hope Richard draw due to illness. a few of my matches years ago and platform than what I’ve done in before turning his attentions to Olympic meetings and Indian Gasquet in a potential quarter- On the women’s side, defend- looking now, I definitely feel like the past. I also clearly wanted to his own ironman efforts which athletes banned from competing final clash as the French men look ing champion Maria Sharapova I’m getting into that zone that I see for myself how does it really see him playing in a 54th con- at the Olympics under their coun- to end a 30-year grand slam title of Russia, the second seed, is in have always wanted to be in, and work for the other players and secutive Grand Slam. try’s flag. drought. Djokovic, who opens his the same half as Belarussian third I feel a lot better about it.” other athletes and other people Nadal is the overwhelming The IOA will have to hold an Paris campaign against Belgian seed Victoria Azarenka. Sharapova’s main threat could around the world, you know.” favourite, having won six titles extraordinary meeting by mid- David Goffin, is also lined up for World number one Serena come from Australian ninth Federer, 31, admits he was in eight finals since resuming July to make amendments to its a possible third-round match Williams could meet Agnieszka seed Samantha Stosur, the rather reluctant to get involved his career after a seven-month constitution before holding the against talented Bulgarian young- Radwanska of Poland, the fourth 2010 runner-up, in a possible with Twitter at the start. injury lay-off. elections, the letter from IOC ster Grigor Dimitrov. seed, in the semi-finals. quarter-final. “I wasn’t sure in the begin- “His level of play compares to director general Christophe De Swiss Roger Federer, who has Williams will take on Georgia’s Sharapova, who was drawn ning, to be honest,” he said. “For what he’s done always. I think Kepper said. a record 17 Grand Slam titles to Anna Tatishvili in the first round against Taipei’s Hsieh Su-Wei in me to enter that right away the results show how good he’s “The IOA shall hold an Elective his name, has a smooth-looking on her way to a potential quarter- the first round, withdrew from was not the right thing to do. playing. It’s nice to see him so General Assembly (no later than 1 path until a potential quarter- final match-up with former world the Italian Open because of ill- I wanted to first wait and see strong,” said Federer. September 2013) to elect the new final against French sixth seed number one Caroline Wozniacki ness last week, but she is now fine. and only do it when I felt very AGENCIES office-bearers of the IOA,” the let- Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.World number who will start against Britain’s REUTERS ter added. REUTERS Snooker: Afghanistan’s Saleh on a ‘peace mission’ BY ARMSTRONG VAS

DOHA: Recently crowned Asian snooker champion Mohammad Saleh Mohammad Saleh from war (right) of Afghanistan ravaged Afghanistan is on a and Mohamed Aziz ‘peace mission’. Azami, President The 40-year-old, who was a of the Afghanistan war refugee, wants to deliver a Snooker and Billiards ‘message of peace’ to the rest of Federation pose for the world that the Asian country, a picture at the Qatar hit by years of foreign invasion Billards and Snooker and domestic conflicts, wants an Federation Hall in immediate end to troubled times. Doha yesterday. “Afghanistan is experiencing RIGHT: Mohammad some tense times. My country is Saleh of Afghanistan in the news all the time and all aims for a shot dur- you get to hear is about war and ing his Group A fighting. But let me tell you some- thing - we have talented athletes league match against in Afghanistan. These athletes Firas Kamil Shaba of can deliver a message of peace Iraq at the Second to the world and that we do not Asian Snooker 6-Red want war anymore,” Saleh told Championship. The Peninsula in a candid chat. PICTURES BY: QASSIM “Due to the invasion by Soviet RAHMATULLAH Union (more than three decades ago), my family moved to Pakistan in 1990 so as a refugee I know the hardships and sufferings of people displaced on account of war,” said representing Afghanistan), won and I will be able to pass on the back to Afghanistan in 2008,” said an emotional Saleh. the 29th edition of the Asian experience to young people from Saleh,” who runs one such club The Soviet war in Afghanistan championship held in Pakistan. my country who like to follow me, in Kabul. lasted nine years from December He started as an amateur that is why I want to become a Saleh, who picked up $7,000 for 1979 to February 1989. Part of the snooker player in Pakistan in professional player. I will work his Asian championship win, said Cold War, it was fought between 1992 inspired by his elder brother, hard for it,” he said. lack of sponsorship was a stum- Soviet-led Afghan forces against who was into billiards. He turned The Afghan is eager to develop bling block for the growth of the multi-national insurgent groups professional in 1995, representing the sport in the country of his sport in Afghanistan. called the Mujahideen. Pakistan at various world events origin. “I am on my own and I need The soft spoken player is and competitions. Having pock- “I want to give back some- sponsorship,” Saleh said. in Qatar for the 6-Red Asian eted the Asian title, Saleh has now thing to my country and the “Hopefully, after my success Snooker individual and team set his sights on the world title. only way I can do this is to assist some sponsors will come my way championship which began here “Now that I have won the Asian in the development of sports in and also for some of our other yesterday. Championship, my next dream is Afghanistan,” Saleh said. players too,” said an optimistic On May 3 this year, Saleh, to win the World Championship “I can make things happen Saleh, who won both his Group A who also represented Pakistan and I will work hard for it and in snooker as that is what I am league matches in Doha yesterday. at regional and world level com- InshAllah I will be able to achieve good at. I plan to start a snooker For the Afghan, his most unfor- petitions from 1995 to 2008, beat it,” said Saleh, who also won two academy soon. Afghanistan has gettable moment has been playing Syria’s Omar Al Kojah 7-2 in a bronze medals at the 2002 Asian a lot of talented snooker play- against Ronnie O’Sullivan, who one-sided final to become the first Games in Busan while turning out ers,” said Saleh as President of recently cued his way to a fifth Afghan to win the amateur Asian for Pakistan. the Afghanistan Snooker and World Championship title. snooker title. His other immediate goal is to Billiards Federation Mohamed “Of course I was disappointed Saleh, who lived in Pakistan turn professional. Aziz Azami him nodded in to lose to Ronnie Sullivan, but for many years after becoming a “InshAllah, we will discuss with approval. it was an honour to play such a refugee (in 2008 he switched to the Snooker Association and with Despite the war, Afghanistan great champion,” Saleh said. Olympic Committee, and govern- had done well to re-build itself “I shall never forget the 6-Red Asian Snooker ment for the funding, to send me and important cities like Kabul moment,” said Saleh, recalling to London (for the Q sports quali- had several top-class snooker the clash between the two in Championship fication tournament). InshAllah, facilities to offer, Saleh said. 1996, which the Englishman won Second day schedule we will give it a try. If I qualify “We have some 120 snooker after Saleh missed one shot and 10 to 12 noon, 2.00pm to 6.00pm and compete on the professional clubs in Kabul, which was a Sullivan cleared the table. at Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation circuit I will get more experience surprise to me when I returned THE PENINSULA Qatar’s Ahmed Saif in action during his match. MAY 25, 2013 Break Time www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23 ON SATURDAY

Ishq In Paris SHOWING AT VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER (2D/Hindi) – 2.30pm TEL: 444933989 444517001 TV LISTINGS 1 Ladies And Gentleman (2D/Malayalam – 5.00, 8.00 & 11.00pm The Legend of Sarila (3D/Animation) – 2.15pm 2 08:15 Crocodile Hunter 07:00 James May’s Fast & Furious (2D/Action) – 4.00, 6.30, 9.00 09:10 Baby Planet Man Lab & 11.30pm 10:05 Monkey Life 07:50 You Have Been MALL Fast & Furious 11:00 Bondi Vet Warned (2D/Action) – 2.30m 11:25 The Really Wild 08:45 Mythbusters 11:55 Wildest Islands 12:20 Fifth Gear Street Dance All Star (2D/Comedy) 12:50 Wild France 17:50 Wheeler Dealers: – 5.00 & 7.00pm 18:20 Speed Of Life Trading Up 3 The Great 19:15 Mutant Planet 18:45 Gold Divers: Gatsby (3D/Drama) – 9.00pm 20:10 How Sharks Under The Ice Hunt 19:40 Alaska: The Last Iron Man (3D/Action) – 11.30pm 21:05 Roaring With Frontier Pride 20:35 Sons Of Guns 22:00 My Cat From 21:30 Storage Hunters Fast & Furious (2D/Action) – 2.30pm Hell 23:45 Death Row: The 22:55 Karina: Final 24 Hours 1 Ladies And Gentleman (2D/Malayalam – 5.00, 8.00 & 11.00pm The Legend of Sarila (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm 2 11:00 The Search For 11:00 Ancient Aliens Fast & Furious (2D/Action) Meet the designers, talk with the experts and hear the Santa Paws 12:00 Ancient Aliens – 4.00, 6.30, 9.00 & 11.30pm music driving the fashion industry. Laura brings you all 12:45 Hugo 13:00 The Men Who LANDMARK Star Trek Into Darkness the latest news from the biggest fashion shows around 15:00 Cats Don’t Built America Dance 14:00 Pawn Stars (3D/Action) – 2.30pm the world with practical advice on how to wear the looks 16:30 Lady And 14:30 American Street Dance All Star and keep in style. Every Saturday at 6.00 PM. The Tramp Restoration (2D/Comedy) – 5.00 & 7.00pm II: Scamp’s 15:00 Mud Men 3 The Great Adventure 16:00 Ancient Aliens 18:00 Hoodwinked 17:00 The Men Who Gatsby (3D/Drama) – 9.00pm Too! Hood vs. Built America Evil 18:00 Pawn Stars Iron Man (3D/Action) –11.30pm 20:00 Wheelers 18:30 American 7:30 Talk To Al Jazeera 0930 Omni Sport 21:30 Hugo Restoration The Legend of Sarila 8:00 News 1000 Basketball Nba 23:45 Lady And 19:00 Mud Men 9:00 Witness Indiana @ Miami (3D/Animation) – 2.00 pm The Tramp II: 20:00 Pawn Stars 10:30 Inside Story 1200 Uefa Champions 1 Fast & Furious (2D/Action) Scamp’s 20:30 Storage Wars 11:00 News League Morning – 4.00, 6.30, 9.00 & 11.30pm 11:30 Listening Post 1300 Uefa Champions Fast & Furious 12:00 News League Magazine (2D/Action) – 2.30pm 12:30 Counting the Cost 1330 Football Asia 13:00 NEWSHOUR 1400 Omni Sport Star Trek Into Darkness 2 14:00 News 1630 Magazine Tba 06:00 Barnyard-PG 14:10 That’s So Raven (3D/Action) – 5.00pm 14:30 Inside Story 1700 Rugby Aviva 08:00 Snowmen-PG 14:35 A.N.T Farm ROYAL Street Dance All Star 15:00 The Frost Interview Premiership 10:00 Smooch-PG15 15:25 Prankstars (2D/Comedy) – 7.30, 9.30 & 11.15pm 16:00 NEWSHOUR Final Leicester V 12:00 Back To The 15:35 Dog With A Blog PLAZA 17:00 News Northampton Future-PG15 17:00 Bolt Star Trek Into Darkness 17:30 South2North 1900 Omni Sport 14:00 Police Academy 18:30 A.N.T Farm (3D/Action) – 2.00pm 18:00 NEWSHOUR 1930 Uefa Champions 4: Citizens On 19:20 Jessie The Legend of Sarila 19:00 News League Magazine Patrol-PG15 19:40 Shake It Up (3D/Animation) – 4.30pm 19:30 People & Power 2000 Uefa Champions 16:00 Smooch-PG15 20:05 Austin And Ally 3 20:00 News League Final 18:00 Naked Gun 33 20:25 A.N.T Farm Iron Man (3D/Action) 20:30 Inside Syria Borussia Dortmund 1/3: The Final 20:50 Jessie – 6.30 & 11.30pm 21:00 NEWSHOUR V Bayern Munich Insult-PG15 21:40 Hannah Montana The Great 22:00 News 0030 Magazine Tba 20:00 A Few Best Men- 22:00 Jonas 22:30 Listening Post 0100 Boxing Froch V Gatsby (3D/Drama) – 8.45pm 22:00 Dazed And 22:25 Sonny With A 23:00 Al-Nakba Kessler Confused Chance

HYPER C RSO S W O RD

1234 567891011121314 57 Ones with the Christmas 15 16 17 135 Told stories spirit? 18 19 20 136 Norwegian king called “the 59 Mariner of note 21 22 23 24 25 77-Down” 63 Steel or bronze 26 27 28 139 Clear 65 Card catalog abbr. 29 30 31 32 33 140 Station identification 67 Tracker’s aid 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 143 Tie up 69 Child-sized mitt 42 43 44 45 144 Pixar robot with a female 70 Promise to pay 46 47 48 49 50 voice 71 Large cask 51 52 53 54 145 London daily 73 The Crimson Tide, for short 55 56 57 58 59 60 146 Rot 74 Bass lover? 61 62 63 147 Letter in 145-Across 75 Irish Rose’s beau 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 148 Cheat 77 See 136-Across 72 73 74 75 76 149 Cheers 78 “___ had it!” 77 78 79 80 81 DOWN 81 Nine 82 83 84 85 1 Luggage 84 Skater Midori 86 87 88 89 90 91 2 Asian capital name starter 85 Exsiccates 92 93 94 95 96 97 3 P.R. people 87 Campsite sight 98 99 100 101 102 4 ___ no 90 Slowing, in mus. Yesterday’s answer 103 104 105 106 5 Some N.F.L.’ers 91 French possessive 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 6 Runaway 93 Highlands daggers How to play Hyper Sudoku: 114 115 116 7 Make ready for a winter storm, 95 Water color as a highway A Hyper Sudoku Puzzle is solved by filling the numbers from 1 to 9 into the blank cells. A Hyper 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 96 “Survivor” homes 8 Ed heard in “Up” Sudoku has unlike Sudoku 13 regions (four regions overlap with the nine standard regions). In all 124 125 126 127 128 98 More than pale 9 Bit of free time regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is solved like 129 130 131 132 133 99 Hosiery color 10 Onesie wearer a normal Sudoku. 134 135 136 137 138 100 How some shares are sold 139 140 141 142 143 11 Enter 101 Suited to a person’s 144 145 146 12 Game piece strengths 13 “Go” square in Monopoly, e.g. How to play Kakuro: 147 148 149 104 Edible mushroom 14 Cinderella’s wear, at home 106 Charge The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any 16 Darling 109 Fork size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells ACROSS 76 “Cat ___,” 1965 film 22 Hawaiian pizza topping 111 Said “No fair!” 1 Ornate 77 Red-haired film princess like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, 25 Minstrel songs 112 They have rates and ratings 5 Spreads 79 Olds sedan some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some 27 Month before juin 113 Jay who jests 12 Old pol. entity 80 Shot source cells will contain two numbers. 29 Swift’s “A Tale of ___” 118 Tongue-lash 15 Like some skiing 82 Exchange fig. However, in a crossword the numbers reference 30 Soap opera creator Phillips 120 Engage in a 1920s fad 16 Dark patch on a distant sun 83 Citrusy cocktail mixer clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! 33 “___ Mio” 121 One way to turn 17 Niña accompanier 86 Focus of a class action? 35 Ambulance, slangily 122 Cornhusker St. They denote the total of the digits in the row or 18 Roams 88 Novelist Hoag 37 One in a maze 125 Draws out column referenced by the number. 19 Century in Amer. politics 89 Cancún, e.g. 39 Schemed together 127 Clowns’ toys Within each 20 Pony 92 Flap 40 For ___ (cheaply) 129 Still in the game collection of cells 21 Yenta’s habit 94 Drink with tempura, maybe 41 Alexander, to Aristotle 130 Spent - called a run - any 23 River to the North Sea 97 “Howards End” role 44 Sardegna, e.g. 132 Merry-go-round music of the numbers 1 24 Bally enthusiasts 98 Centipede maker 47 Asia’s ___ Sea 133 Sly type? 26 Off-white pottery 101 Singular to 9 may be used 48 What writer’s block may 134 W. or Bam 28 Sharp-tongued 102 Balancing acts? but, like sudoku, block 137 Actress Skye 29 Land in a stream 103 Kaplan course, briefly each number may 49 5-4 ruling, e.g. 138 Nettles 31 Thin as ___ 105 Waited longer than only be used once. 52 Assembly area 141 Sound at a spa 32 Temper 107 Drillmaster’s call 54 Spanish food brand 142 Neth. neighbor 34 Galumph 108 Called 55 Old PC part Yesterday’s 36 They may get people talking 110 Rhodes of the Rhodes scholarships 56 O.K., in Osaka answer 38 Jazz style 114 M.P.G. watcher POTLUCK RANWI TH KRUPP 42 General Assembly figure, for short 115 “make.believe” sloganeer ETHANOL ONEACRE OATER 43 Mine, to Marie 116 ___ guisada, Tex-Mex stew THEPEL I CANBR I EF THEPO 45 Sun Devils’ sch. 117 Kind of gun EEL GEED CLE STAR I N 46 Underlying 119 Continue RAMPAGE UGLYDUCKL I NG 47 Dutch brews 123 Twin Cities sch. ATTEST G I NO F I E Baby Blues By Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman THESTER I LECUCKOO OWEN 50 Ticket presenter 124 Waikiki wear NASH ADOS DO I NAPOL I 51 Shred 126 Yellow pool items ONT PAWER AT L MER I T 53 Period of the Cenozoic Era 128 That, in Toledo S I XDAYSOF THECONDOR 55 Meditate (on) 129 Sophocles title hero STANLEE EAR GLUESTO 58 Like much of New Orleans’s French 131 Station line TOKILLAMOCKINGBIRD Quarter OU I DA LAD HOOPS EWE 134 ___ del Carmen, Mexico UTTERS NOH ALAN AXON 60 Beaver’s home TSAR THEMALTESEFALCON 61 Shankar piece PRE ME I R ALLUDE 62 ___ acid LONESOMEDOVE GALPALS 63 Hoedown seating AMANAS TUN WAL T PCB 64 Pooh’s pal RAVEL WHEREEAGLESDARE CHARM HOLYDAY BRU I TED 66 What you used to be? HALOS OSSEOUS ESPNEWS 68 Bickering 72 “I like your thinking” ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE MAY 25, 2013 ON SATURDAY 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Morning Break

PRAYER TIME Unwelcome chill

Fajr (Dawn) 3:18 Shorook (Sunrise) 4:45 Zuhr (Noon) 11:31 Asr (Afternoon) 2:56 Maghrib (Sunset) 6:17 Isha (Night) 7:47

WEATHER

Today Sunday Monday Weather Conditions: Clear Clear Clear Hot and slight dust with some High: 38° High: 35° High: 38° clouds. Low: 27° Low: 27° Low: 29°

DOHA - SUN & SEA SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 04:47 18:14 03:45 17:45 10:00 00:00 10-15/20 KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER

MUSCAT 33/28 Clear 36/29 Clear MAKKAH 46/31 Partly cloudy 44/30 Partly cloudy Tables and closed umbrellas of a restaurant are covered with snow in Appenzell, Switzerland, yesterday. Cold temperatures hit Switzerland on this KUWAIT 41/29 Clear 42/27 Clear late spring day. The temperatures dropped bellow zero in the mountains and there were snowfalls even in lower regions. BAHRAIN 36/27 Clear 36/28 Clear SANAA 29/15 Clear 29/16 Clear RIYADH 40/27 Clear 41/26 Clear DUBAI 36/27 Partly cloudy 42/28 Partly cloudy BAGHDAD 42/27 Mostly cloudy 38/23 Clear Trip into space with DiCaprio costs $1.5m

THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW CANNES: Leonardo DiCaprio and that this year helped raise Zinedine Zidane (¤380,000). Entertainment was provided by is going to get closer to stars a record-breaking $25m for Aids DiCaprio, Nicole Kidman, Duran Duran, who played their HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER of a different kind as he heads research. Janet Jackson, Jessica Chastain, classic Girls on Film, Shirley into space aboard the Virgin Other big-ticket items were a Kylie Minogue, Audrey Tautou, Bassey, who sang the signa- ATHENS 33/20 Clear 33/21 Clear Galactic, and a well-heeled bid- role as an extra in four Hollywood Hollywood mogul Harvey ture Bond song Goldfinger, and WASHINGTON 20/07 Clear 21/08 Clear der at the Cannes Film Festival movies, including a feature star- Weinstein, Kristin Scott Thomas American Music Awards winner SYDNEY 21/09 Scattered clouds 21/10 Mostly cloudy has paid ¤1.2m ($1.5m) to be his ring DiCaprio (¤1.5m); two VIP and Paris Hilton were among the Hot Chelle Rae performed their LONDON 17/08 Mostly cloudy 19/10 Partly cloudyn travel buddy. seats for the 2014 Oscars awards 900 people who attended the smash Tonight, Tonight. PARIS 14/08 Chance of rain 17/10 Mostly cloudy The Holywood star’s sub- (¤140,000); a private acoustic charity dinner event at Antibes’ This year’s auction raked in ISTANBUL 23/19 Clear 23/19 Clear orbital trip was among 20 good- concert for 45 people by Simon Eden Roc hotel. more than twice the amount col- MANILA 33/27 Chance of storm 32/27 Chance of storm ies up for grabs at the 20th amfAR Le Bon and John Taylor of Duran A table for 10 cost ¤120,000, lected in 2012. Since 1993, the gala DHAKA 30/25 T-storms 32/25 T-storms bash, a gala auction that is one Duran (¤400,000); and a game of and an individual seat nearly has raised ¤87m. DELHI 43/33 Clear 42/33 Clear of the glitziest festival events six-a-side against a team led by ¤3,000. AFP ISLAMABAD 43/27 Clear 36/22 Chance of storm

Iranian director Television wins new respect from movie elites makes it to CANNES: Actors and direc- Ocean’s Eleven has announced a TV drama called The Knick set court battle after he refused to go has sharply divided critics at Cannes amid tors gathered for the world’s plans to retire from filmmaking in New York’s Knickerbocker to the Vietnam War, is also on show Cannes, said he was a TV junkie. leading movie showcase in but expressed interest in working Hospital. at the 12-day Cannes festival on the “Television has become where Cannes this week said television in television. Behind the Candelabra, with French Riviera that ends on Sunday. people seek creativity in terms secrecy was increasingly luring top tal- Soderbergh, 50, whose biopic Michael Douglas as Liberace and British director Stephen Frears of challenge now,” he said, add- ent and should no longer be seen on pianist Liberace, Behind the Matt Damon as his gay lover, was said HBO’s presence in the Cannes ing that he was working on a TV CANNES: Iranian director as artistically inferior to the big Candelabra, is in the main com- made for TV, funded by Time line-up showed a changed atti- version of the 1960s sci-fi film Mohammad Rasoulof, jailed screen. petition at Cannes, said there had Warner’s HBO cable network tude towards television which he “Barbarella”. in 2010 for anti-regime propa- TV series like The Wire, been a gradual migration of audi- after Hollywood studios rejected welcomed after spending most of Winding Refn also highlighted ganda, told the Cannes Film Homeland, Mad Men, The Sopranos ences towards television. the gay storyline of the $25m film his early career in television with the changes brought by online Festival yesterday he knew his and Game of Thrones, which have “There is a lot of great tel- as too risky. Britain’s state broadcaster, the providers such as Netflix which latest picture would also come won critical and commercial suc- evision being made in the States Directors have lamented the BBC. “I don’t have the usual snob- this year released all 13 epi- under fire in his own country. cess, were cited for breaking down right now and I feel in terms of fact that the high cost of mak- bish attitude towards television,” sodes of the big-budget “House Rasoulof reportedly filmed his the division between movies and cultural real estate that TV is ing and marketing a film is a Frears, who earned high acclaim of Cards” with Kevin Spacey and censorship drama Manuscripts TV, giving audiences innovative really taking control of the con- deterrent to fund any project for his 2006 film The Queen, said. Robin Wright to its subscribers. Don’t Burn secretly in Iran following viewing. versation that used to be the not deemed a safe bet, driving “I just go where the good British actress Kristin Scott a ban, and the circumstances of his At the 66th Cannes film festival, exclusive domain of movies,” Hollywood studios towards action writing is and if it is TV, fine. Thomas, who plays the evil visit to Cannes and where he now moviemakers said a new era of Soderbergh told reporters. and spectacle rather than drama Nowadays the best writing is in mother in Refn’s film, said tel- lives remain strictly confidential. TV was presenting opportunities “I think it is the second golden to win sales at the box office. TV.” evision was a great medium for Rasoulof’s wife in 2011 accepted to take more creative risks. age of television,” said the director A second HBO project, a docu- Danish director Nicolas actors because it gave them a far his best director award in the Director Steven Soderbergh, who was reported to have joined mentary called Muhammad Ali’s Winding Refn, whose ultra-vio- larger audience. new talent section, Un Certain known for Hollywood hits like forces with actor Clive Owen for Greatest Fight, about the boxer’s lent thriller “Only God Forgives” REUTERS Regard, for his film Goodbye about a young Tehran lawyer trying to get a visa to leave Iran. At the time, he was unable to travel as he was on bail in Iran pending an appeal against a six- WikiLeaks documentary dwells year jail sentence. Rasoulof was arrested with fel- low director Jafar Panahi after they tried to make a documen- on complexity of Assange tary on the unrest that followed the disputed 2009 re-election of LOS ANGELES: WikiLeaks but found the elusive Australian the strings on the media. I think President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. founder Julian Assange may difficult to persuade, eventually he took some offense at the idea Rasoulof was jailed in 2010 claim to be a champion of trans- deciding to film without him. that I was independent,” Gibney for six years for acting against parency, but when an Oscar- But the filmmaker spoke to said, adding that Assange had, at national security and propaganda winning filmmaker wanted to Assange several times off cam- one point, asked to be paid for against the regime and banned shine a light on his rise to fame era, and said he came to form a participating. from making films for 20 years. after publishing secret US dip- picture of a complex character. “He mentioned that the mar- The sentence was reduced to one lomatic cables on his website, “If you catch him in unguarded ket rate for an interview with year on appeal. Assange was none too pleased. moments, he can be terribly him was a million dollars. I didn’t This year Rasoulof was able Alex Gibney set out to uncover charming, self-deprecating and inquire what market that was,” to appear in person to introduce the story behind Assange, 41, and a really engaging human being,” Gibney said with a laugh. his new film although he said the the website he founded in 2006 to Gibney said. Gibney said Assange had asked occasion was tinged with sadness leak classified information sub- However, whenever Assange him to report what other inter- because of the friends who could mitted by anonymous sources, but felt the conversation was becom- view subjects in the documentary not be there with him. received little cooperation from ing an official interview, Gibney were saying about him, something “I’m a little sad because there the former computer hacker. said he became unwilling to “give he found to be “highly ironic.” WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange speaking from the balcony of Ecuador’s are a lot of people who cannot be In theatres yeserday, We Steal me the kind of honest reflections “(WikiLeaks) was supposed to embassy in London on August 19, 2012. here. It is because of the Iranian Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks that would have been so impor- be a transparency organisation, situation they couldn’t come,” he explores how WikiLeaks, at its tant (to the film),” likening him and he was asking me to engage Taxi to the Dark Side. The timing of the film’s release told the audience before a screen- height, facilitated the publica- to a “human soap box.” with him as if we’re now some The filmmaker was drawn to couldn’t be more poignant, ing of his film in the same section. tion of thousands of classified US When Gibney decided to kind of espionage outfit,” he said. WikiLeaks initially with the idea with US Army private, Bradley Rasoulof said he fully expected government documents, including film the documentary without Gibney, 59, has become a pro- of it being a “David and Goliath Manning, 25, who is accused of criticism of the film because diplomatic cables and US Army Assange’s participation, he said lific documentarian over the past story, with Julian Assange being leaking classified data to the Iranian journalists at the festival logs from the wars in Iraq and the WikiLeaks founder did not decade, garnering critical praise David,” but over the course of WikiLeaks website, due to stand might feel they had to write arti- Afghanistan. take the news well. for his timely films such as 2005’s filming for two years, Gibney trial on June 3. He could face life cles about it that would not anger To tell the story of WikiLeaks, “He likens himself as the pup- Enron: The Smartest Guys in the found the story of WikiLeaks to imprisonment. the regime. Gibney sought to interview Assange pet master, the one who’s pulling Room and 2007’s Oscar-winning be as complex as its founder. REUTERS AFP