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Sunday 2 February 2014 2 Rabial II 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5963 Price: QR2

QBA ready Valencia stun to support Barcelona 3-2 Cypriot firms at Camp Nou

Business | 17 Sport | 28

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Falcon festival ends Trucks fined for New body to monitor parking in Doha DOHA: The Traffic Department has started impos- ing fines on trucks violating the parking ban which came into real estate dealings effect on Thursday. The Ministry of Interior said in a statement yesterday that Authority will fix limits for rent hikes, regulate market the Department had started implementing the decision ban- DOHA: Qatar may soon have a Another major task for the It aims at updating new types ning parking of trucks and other special body armed with pow- authority will be to keep an eye on of dealings to safeguard rights, heavy vehicles in Doha city ers to regulate the booming real demand-supply fluctuations in the preserve properties and speed up and its suburbs effective from estate sector in the country and market and lay down mechanisms settlement of development-related January 30. Fines have been monitor prices. to bring stability to this key sector. disputes. imposed on trucks violating the Preparations are on to set up A draft law has been drawn The total number of real estate rule, it added. an authority with powers to effec- up to establish the authority, and deals inked during the third week Doha, Lusail, Wajbah, tively interfere in the real estate it specifies its role, powers and of last month increased by over 78 Muaither, Rayyan, Airport, market and protect the interests jurisdiction. Once created, it is percent compared to the previous Hilal and Mesaimeer have been of buyers, investors and property expected to give a major boost to week, indicating the rapid growth included in the ban. Parking for owners, according to Al Sharq. the economy, especially private the sector is witnessing, accord- loading and unloading is allowed. The authority will also inter- sector investments. ing to data released by a leading Picture on page 4 vene in rent-related disputes and It will be tasked with con- industry player. monitor implementation of the stantly monitoring the market The combined value of real Obama to visit rent law. More importantly, it will and putting in place a mechanism estate transactions during the have powers to regulate prices by to curb unusual price hikes and week crossed the QR1bn mark, Saudi Arabia fixing the minimum and maximum protect the interests of buyers and compared to QR982.2m in the limits for rent hikes, in line with property owners. previous week, witnessing an WASHINGTON: President the law. In October last year, the State increase of 3.3 percent, according Barack Obama plans to travel The proposed authority will also Cabinet had announced measures to the latest weekly bulletin issued to Saudi Arabia in March on monitor the activities of inves- to issue a draft law regulating real by the Real Estate Registration a mission to smooth tensions tors, developers and middlemen estate development, following rec- Department at the Ministry of The Father Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, and the with Washington’s main Arab in the real estate market and issue ommendations by the Advisory Justice. Personal Representative of the Emir, H H Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al ally over US policy on Iran’s licences for their work. Council. THE PENINSULA Thani, at the closing ceremony of the Fifth Qatar International Falcon nuclear programme and the and Hunting Festival 2014 at Katara last evening. civil war in Syria. Obama is preparing to meet the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz for a summit, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, Qaradawi’s views don’t reflect Qatar’s policy: FM citing unnamed Arab officials briefed on the meetings. DOHA: Qatar has distanced Minister H E Dr Khalid bin “The relation between Qatar said, “in the previous period we prosperity of Qatar,” he added. “This is about a deteriorating itself from recent remarks made Mohamed Al Attiyah said that and the UAE is strategic on both have noticed that Qatar came He said that Qatar had initiated relationship” and declining trust, by noted Doha-based Islamic Qatar’s foreign policy was repre- government and popular levels,” under unjustified attacks with appropriate measures, including said a senior Arab official in dis- scholar Dr Yousuf Al Qaradawi sented by official state channels, he added. regard to the issue of labourers.” the appointment of a global con- cussing the need for the sum- against the United Arab not by the mass media or on any Al Qaradawi reportedly criti- “What I can say is that Qatar is sultancy bureau to explore and mit, which was pulled together Emirates, saying what has been random platform. cised the UAE in a Friday sermon progressing day after day and we review all procedures, laws and in recent days, the newspaper attributed to the scholar does “We love and respect our broth- for supporting the military-led are serious about improving the steps taken in Qatar to protect reported. not represent the official views ers in the UAE and the security of government in Egypt. standard of living, both for our workers. See also page 7 of the country. the UAE is part of our security,” On recent media reports attack- citizens and for expatriate work- Continued on page 2 THE PENINSULA & Speaking to Qatar TV, Foreign he said. ing Qatar, the Foreign Minister ers, who helped in the building and THE PENINSULA REUTERS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME

FM attends Munich Security Meeting FM hails Tunisia, Silatech ties Yemen peace moves Continued from page 1

“I cannot say anything about this report until it is released by the entrusted body,” said the up with PlaNet Foreign Minister. Commenting on the Tunisian and Yemeni models he said “we, in Qatar, have always been seeking Finance for YEP peaceful and political solutions. I want to salute our brothers in Tunisia for what they have achieved in terms of conduct- Business support services for youth ing serious and genuine dialogue which lead to the ratification of DOHA: Silatech has joined institutions to help design and the constitution and the forma- forces with international NGO develop dedicated youth loan tion of the government.” PlaNet Finance to support products. Silatech is also in dis- “I would also like to congrat- the Youth Entrepreneurship cussion with the partner MFIs ulate our brothers in Yemen Project (YEP), a three-year with regard to the provision of for successfully concluding the initiative to improve access loan capital for on lending by the national dialogue with positive to financial services for young MFIs to young entrepreneurs. results. We hope that this suc- entrepreneurs in Palestine, Silatech CEO Dr Tarik M cess would continues in the next Egypt and Lebanon. The project Yousef commented: “Young entre- phase,” said the Foreign Minister. is expected to benefit over 3,000 preneurs face a difficult set of On Munich Conference, he said economically and socially dis- challenges starting and expanding it is of one of the most important advantaged youth and their businesses in our region. Access to forums where ideas are exchanged, families. finance through formal channels especially in the political and Launched by PlaNet Finance such as banks and financial insti- security issues, in light of current in February 2013, the Youth tutions remains an obstacle, and conditions in the Middle East. Entrepreneurship Project is a entrepreneurship support pro- The Foreign Minister H E Dr Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah with US Secretary of State John Kerry during “Over the last four years Qatar regional programme designed to grams are rare. We are proud to the Munich Security Conference, at the Bayerischer Hof Hotel, yesterday. The Foreign Minister also met his has been taking the opportunity empower youth economically in join with PlaNet Finance for the Macedonian counterpart Nikola Poposki, the Mayor of Munich City Christian Ude, German Foreign Minister to meet with friends and allies in Palestine, Egypt and Lebanon by Youth Entrepreneurship Project, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. an attempt to put forward ideas boosting the capacity of selected which will help extend access to for solutions which help in solving micro-finance institutions from finance and business support for some of the crises facing the Middle each country. The project is microentrepreneurs.” East region,” said Al Attiyah. financed by the European Union, Amr Hegazi, Regional Director THE PENINSULA and partner micro-finance organi- for the Mena region at PlaNet HMC bags three honours sations include the Arab Centre for Finance said: “We at the PlaNet Qatar, Yemen sign Agricultural Development (ACAD) Finance Mena are very pleased (Palestine), the Alexandria to enter into a strategic partner- labour protocol Businessmen’s Association (Egypt), ship with Silatech for ongoing and at Arab Health Awards and the Lebanese Association future projects in the Middle East DOHA: The Ministry of Labour for Development (Al Majmoua) and North Africa region. Silatech’s and Social Affairs and the Yemeni (Lebanon). experience and knowledge in the DOHA: The Hamad Medical Care at Hamad General Hospital, contributed to the growth and Ministry of Labour and Social PlaNet Finance will provide fields of market research, business Corporation (HMC) has won Deputy Medical Director for the development of the healthcare Affairs signed an additional pro- training to the staff of the three development and youth entrepre- three awards at the prestig- HMC Ambulance Service and industry in the Middle East. tocol on the agreement regulat- partner micro-finance institu- neurship will be a great added ious Arab Health Awards 2014 Assistant Professor of Medicine Hanan Al Kuwari , HMC’s ing means of employing Yemeni tions (MFIs), while Silatech will value for PlaNet Finance’s cur- in Dubai recently. The awards and Genetic Medicine at Weill Managing Director of HMC workers in Qatar. The protocol provide business support serv- rent projects in Egypt, Lebanon were in the categories of patient Cornell Medical College Qatar, said: “All three winners were well was signed by the Minister of ices such as mentoring to young and Palestine focusing on the eco- centered care, excellence in took home the Cleveland Clinic deserved and we are extremely Labour and Social Affairs H E Dr micro-entrepreneurs to improve nomic empowerment of margin- radiology and Cleveland Clinic Young Clinician of the Year Award. proud of all the staff who con- Abdullah bin Saleh Mubarak Al their chances of business success, alised youth. Our regional team Young Physician of the Year. The Arab Health Innovation and tributed to these successes, as it Khulaifi and Yemen’s Labour and as well as usage of its trademark looks forward to this special coop- The HMC Cancer Achievement Awards is part of really was a team effort. Social Affairs Minister, Amat Al Tamheed psychometric assess- eration that will inevitably lead to Transformation Program won the Arab Health; the largest congress “It is a testament to all the hard Razaq Humad. ment tool to MFIs to screen enhancing the economic and social Patient Centered Care Award and and exhibition in the Middle East work that is happening at HMC the entrepreneurial capabilities livelihoods of marginalised Arab the team from HMC Emergency and the second largest in the world. and demonstrates our commit- Letta arrives today of potential youth beneficiaries. youth segments in desperate need Radiology was awarded in the “The award ceremony, which ment to providing the safest, most DOHA: Italian Prime Minister Both Silatech and PlaNet Finance for technical capacity building and Excellence in Radiology category. took place at the Dubai Exhibition effective and compassionate care to Enrico Letta will arrive today will provide technical assistance financial support.” Dr Ibrahim M Fazwy Hassan, Center last week recognised indi- each and every one of our patients.” in Doha for an official visit to to the participating micro-finance THE PENINSULA Director of Medical Intensive viduals or organisations that have THE PENINSULA Qatar. QNA SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03

Evaluation QRC to distribute Institute director hails $10m aid for Emir’s initiative

DOHA: The Director of the Evaluation Institute of the Syrian refugees Supreme Education Council (SEC) Dr Hamda Al Sulaiti, who is also the President of the Academic Excellence Award Executive UNHCR praises Qatar’s contribution Committee, has reaffirmed that the patronage of the Emir H H Sheikh DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent “We highly value this gen- Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (QRC) will distribute winter erous initiative of the State of of Academic Excellence Award relief materials worth $10m Qatar and its continued support reflects the wise leadership’s inter- among Syrian refugees. for humanitarian acts which est in good education, science and QRC has signed cooperation comes in response to the urgent human development, which are protocols and agreements with needs of the refugees,” QRC’s among of the main pillars of the the UN High Commissioner for Secretary General Saleh bin Ali Qatar National Vision 2030. Refugees (UNHCR), Turkey’s Al Mohannadi said. In a statement to Qatar News Disaster and Emergency Relief “The Qatari grant comes with Agency (QNA) Dr Al Sulaiti said Agency (AFAD) and Turk Kizilay total amount of $30m for Syrian the Emir’s patronage also reaches (Turkish Red Crescent) to facili- refugees in Lebanon and Turkey,” the core towards the creation of tate the delivery of the aid. he added. an educated generation able to Due to the increasing number Al Mohannadi also stressed the contribute more effectively and of Syrian refugees fleeing to importance of cooperation and QRC and Turk Kizilay officials signing the agreement. positively to the construction and Turkey under critical weather coordination with UNHCR, which development of Qatar, in addi- conditions, it was agreed that is a continuation to the latest suc- increasing number of refugees in representative Rashid Al them with suitable materials tion to its role in the promotion of QRC will provide in-kind con- cessful cooperation with UNHCR the region as well as the on-going Mohannadi signed a memoran- including 24,000 heaters, 120, 000 excellence, innovation and crea- tributions that includes: 7,000 in Lebanon. He also expressed his harsh winter conditions calling dum of understanding with Turk blankets, 12, 000 mattresses, 120, tivity of individuals and institu- highly-durable family tents and deep appreciation for the positive upon the international commu- Kizilay’s Secretary-General. The 000 medical kits, and 48, 000 tar- tions and honouring them. 315,000 high thermal blankets for cooperation from the AFAD. nity to step up their assistance memorandum will involve the paulin sheets in accordance with She noted that the Academic Syrians who fled Syria to seek Reminding that half of the and share the responsibility to exchanging of advice to achieve the UN standards, in addition to Excellence Award is a compre- protection in Turkey. Syrian population in Turkey are address the deepening needs of common goals, in addition to the 12,000,000 litres of heating oil for hensive one covering all the areas This support comes in line children, AFAD President Oktay the Syrian refugees in the region. organisation and implementation 58,000 Syrian families. of education including scientific with directives of the Emir H revealed that women and children “UNHCR is very grateful to the of joint training programmes, par- QRC is also working to provide research and its goal is to honour H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al make up around 75 percent of State of Qatar for this important ticularly those in the field of inter- relief conflict-affected civilians in the outstanding and distinguished Thani to mobilise relief efforts to Syrians who have sought refuge in and timely humanitarian initiative national humanitarian law. Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraqi individuals and institutions by Syrian families facing difficult cir- Turkey. “This is the primary goal which will also reach over 700,000 An earlier collaboration Kurdistan, through programs for highlighting the best practices and cumstances and harsh cold, and of our cooperation with QRC: to Syrian refugees living in Turkey between UNHCR and QRC providing health care; water and creativity in the education field. in solidarity with Turkey’s efforts provide a helping hand to Syrian today” said UNHCR Turkey involved identifying the needs of sanitation; nutrition; shelter and It also encourages competition in providing relief services to the refugees,” Oktay said. Representative Carol Batchelor. Syrian families in Lebanon during winterisation programmes. among the target groups provided Syrians. UNHCR has highlighted the Meanwhile, QRC’s the winter period and providing THE PENINSULA meeting certain requirements and standards of excellence within the framework of a comprehensive system for this creativity, she said. Dr Al Sulaiti said that 94 con- testants in different fields of the ‘Thinking Like A Policy Analyst’ workshop concludes Award have presented their appli- cations for competition includ- ing 14 schools, nine teachers, 14 DOHA: The workshop on Master Programme workshops from November 19, 2013 to the contemporary social and eco- programme, said that the work- students, 20 university students, “Thinking Like a policy are aimed at executive employ- January 14, 2014. nomic challenges from an Islamic- shop program brought together 33 researches and 4 PhD hold- Analyst” held by Qatar Faculty ees working for the public The training programme com- based perspective. a vibrant group of professionals ers. Dr Al Sulaiti added that the of Islamic Studies (QFIS), and private sectors in Qatar. bined theory and practical knowl- The workshop series finished with high-profile careers in Doha preparations are going on well to Hamad Bin Khalifa University University faculty and experi- edge on the intricacies of Public with a closing ceremony, and case and the positive learning environ- celebrate the occasion on March (HBKU) has concluded its nine enced practitioners presented Policy and Islam through case study presentations by the par- ment led to an extremely produc- 3, at Doha Sheraton Hotel under modules this month. nine different modules, every studies. The primary objective ticipating groups. Dr Evren Tok, tive programme. the patronage of the Emir. The Public Policy in Islam Tuesday, for successive weeks, was to introduce and elaborate on the Academic Coordinator of the QNA QNA SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatargas engineer, first Qatari to get IEng status Recognition of competence, skills and experience

DOHA: Hessa Mohammed Al of Qatarisation and National review interview in December Nesf, who works as a Corporate Development. 2013. Planning Analyst at Qatargas, Following the award ceremony, Commenting on Hessa’s has become the first Qatari Hessa said: “I would like to thank achievement, Sheikh Khalid national to be awarded the the Qatargas management for Bin Abdulla Al Thani, said; “We Incorporated Engineer (IEng) their continuous support and are proud that the first Qatari status. encouragement. Our country to achieve the Incorporated Incorporated Engineer (IEng) places a great amount of trust Engineer status with IChemE is an internationally recognised and confidence in its youth and I is a Qatargas employee. I hope qualification established by the truly believe that we have a great Hessa’s achievement will encour- Engineering Council in the United role to play in positioning Qatar age more nationals to take up Kingdom. It is an important mile- among the world’s leading coun- such challenges.” stone in the career of any engi- tries in all sectors.” Late last year, Qatargas became neer and recognises competence, Hessa graduated from Texas the first company in Qatar to be commitment, skills and experi- A&M University at Qatar with recognised as a Gold Partner of ence of an engineer. a Bachelor of Science degree in the IChemE. This is the highest Hessa received her certificate Chemical Engineering in 2008. level of Corporate Partnership from Neil Atkinson, Director of She joined Qatargas Engineering awarded by IChemE to compa- Qualifications and International Department as a Process nies that demonstrate a sustained Development at the Institution of Engineer in 2009 under Qatargas’ commitment to the process indus- Chemical Engineers (IChemE), National Graduate Development tries and to career development Hessa Mohammed Al Nesf (left) receiving the certificate from Neil Atkinson as other officials look on. during a brief ceremony held at Programme. She moved to the as an employer. Qatargas’ head office in Doha. Corporate Planning Department Neil Atkinson, Director of milestone in any early engineer- membership organisation for peo- committed to ensuring that all The ceremony was attended in 2013 as a Corporate Planning Qualifications and International ing career. I am sure she will ple who have an interest in and opportunities are available for by Sheikh Khalid bin Abdulla Analyst. Hessa applied to regis- Development at IChemE, said; inspire more female engineers relevant experience in chemical our people, for them to con- Al Thani, Qatargas Chief ter as an Incorporated Engineer “This is a significant achieve- to pursue a career in engineer- engineering. Currently, IChemE tinue to find purpose and ful- Operating Officer, Engineering in April 2011 and submitted her ment and another example of ing - in Qatar, the Middle East has around 38,000 members filment in pursuing their career and Ventures; Adnan Hassan competence and commitment how Qatargas are supporting and worldwide.” across 120 countries. aspirations and contribute in Al Shaibi, Learning and report in November 2013. and developing their workforce. Founded in 1992, the Institution Adnan Hassan Al Shaibi, achieving Qatargas’ shared Development Manager, and IChemE visited Qatargas and The Incorporated Engineer of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Learning and Development vision.” Ali Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, Head conducted their professional qualification is an important is the global professional Manager added; “Qatargas is THE PENINSULA

Truck parking ban takes effect Aspetar to organise first national physical activity and health meet

DOHA: Aspetar is to organ- efforts in order to help tackle this Education Centre at Aspetar, will ise the first national confer- growing problem.” present at the event. ence on physical activity and “The summit demonstrates Dr Mohammed Ghaith Al health. The event, taking place Aspetar’s ongoing commitment Kuwari, Director of Healthy from February 3 to 4, will bring to encouraging all members of Lifestyle Programme at Aspetar, together experts from around the community to adopt healthy said: “This is the first time a the world to discuss best prac- lifestyles,” Dr Khalifa Al Kuwari, physical activity and health con- tices for promoting physical added. ference has been held in Qatar. As activity in Qatar. Guest speakers include the summit is designed to discuss Led by internationally-recog- Professor Fiona Bull, Chair of the opportunities and challenges nised health professionals, the Global Advocacy for Physical of promoting physical activity in two-day conference will feature Activity Council (GAPA) and Dr Qatar, we want to encourage all a selection of scientific sessions Thomas Best, Pomerene Endowed professionals in the industry to addressing a number of relevant Chair of Primary Care and attend, including researchers, topics such as physical activity Director of the Division of Sports policy makers, sport and exer- for precaution and treatment and Medicine in the Department of cise professionals, physicians, sedentary behaviour, community Family Medicine at the Ohio nurses, nutritionists, and physi- and school-based intervention for State University; Professor cal educators.” physical activity promotion, and Anne Karen Jenum, Professor The conference, which has been nutrition. at Department of General organised by the Healthy Lifestyle Commenting on the conference, Practice, Institute of Health and Programme at Aspetar, will take Dr Khalifa Al Kuwari, Director Society, University of Oslo; and place in the Torch-Doha Hotel General of Aspetar, said, “Chronic Professor John J Reilly, Professor and is open to the public. More diseases, such as diabetes, hyper- of Physical Activity and Public information can be had from www. tension and obesity are on the rise Health Science Physical Activity aspetar.com/PAconference2014. due to non-healthy diet, and lack for Health Group, School of Aspetar is a world-leading spe- of physical activity. By bringing Psychological Sciences and cialised orthopaedic and sports A Traffic Department official monitoring truck parked in Doha City as part of implementing the law banning together experts from around the Health University of Strathclyde. medicine hospital - the first of its such practices yesterday. world, this conference will serve Additionally, Dr Karim Khan, kind in the Middle East. as a national platform to unify the Director of the Research and THE PENINSULA Korean embassy donates books to national library DOHA: The Qatar National Library (QNL) accepted a number of valuable books donated by the embassy of the Republic of Korea in Qatar. The donations were made by Chung Keejong, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, during a recent visit to QNL’s Heritage Collection Building. The visit was part of the Korean embassy’s efforts to promote cultural relations with Qatar. Dr Claudia Lux, Project Director of QNL, the Korean Ambassador and expressed her apprecia- tion and gratitude to the ambassador for the generous donation; the latest addition to the library’s renowned and growing collection. She also stressed that QNL seeks to bridge cultures with knowledge. The donated books cover a wide range of knowledge fields and include books such as A Concise History of Modern Korea from the Late Nineteenth Century to 2010 and Masterpieces of Korean Art, as well as other books by important Korean writers and men-of-letters of different historical eras. Among the donated books is a replica of Jikji, which was the first in the world to be printed using moveable metal types in July 1377. The donated books also reflect different sources of knowledge and information in a variety of fields such as literature, history, and arts. Alongside QNL’s vast col- lection, this donation will further enhance researchers’ opportunities and provide library members with access to valuable, rare, and historical information materials. Speaking about the donation, Chung Keejong said: “I am very pleased and honoured to make this donation of books. This year is the 40th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Qatar and Korea, and I hope that cultural cooperation between the two countries enhances further.” He added: “All the books donated are important, espe- cially the replica of Jikji” also known as Buljo Jikji simche yojeol, a Korean document, printed during the Goryeo Dynasty in 1377, it is the world’s oldest existing book that was printed with movable metal type. QNA SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05

Buildings use MIA Park Saturday Bazaar bulk of power production Industries use 28.16pc of electricity

DOHA:Qatar’s residential and commercial buildings together consume over half of the coun- try’s total electricity produc- tion. The buildings consume 58.6 percent of the country’s total electricity production, while the industrial sector uses Dr Al Sada said 28.16 percent. Kahramaa is gearing Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation’s (Kahramaa) up to face the latest annual report noted the challenges in terms consumption rate by the build- ings grew by 17.2 percent in 2012 of meeting the huge on year-on-year. projected water and The industrial sector‘s con- electricity demand. sumption rate grew by 7.8 percent in 2012. The total water produc- tion reached 437 million cubic meters, up by nine percent com- pared to the previous year. works in the infrastructure and Commenting on Qatar’s elec- real estate sector are contributing People visit the Saturday Park Bazaar at Museum of Islamic Arts yesterday. The bazaar, organised every first Saturday of the month, has stalls tricity production and consump- to a significant rise in the popu- selling things such as paintings, handicrafts (from Qatar, Turkey, India, Lebanon etc), women’s accessories, dresses and second hand books at a tion pattern, Minister of Energy lation rate. Qatar is working on very low price. (SHAIVAL DALAL) and Industry H E Dr Mohamed a series of projects to increase bin Saleh Al Sada said that the its production capacity to match surge in the production and con- its huge future demands, the sumption is the reflection of the Minister said. country’s growing economy. Qatar Dr Al Sada said Kahramaa is QF lines up activities for National Sports Day is one of the fastest growing econ- gearing up to face the challenges omies in the world. It doubled its in terms of meeting the huge nominal GDP three times since projected water and electricity DOHA: Qatar Foundation drawing stations for children. National Sports Day. Activities Foundation. “Qatar Foundation the year 2005, he said. demand, especially in view of for Education, Science and The events will take place in six will take place between 9am – is keen on participating in every The government is committed the country’s decision to host the Community Development (QF) major locations across QF, each 3pm, with awards being presented activity that helps educate Qatari to create a dynamic and com- 2022 FIFA World Cup. Kahramaa has planned a series of sports hosting a particular set of activi- to the winners at 4pm. society about the importance of petitive growth by diversifying will develop strategic plans to and recreation events for ties. In the run up to the day-long “Qatar Foundation is keen on sports in leading a healthy life- its economy and by reinvesting improve its distribution efficiency. Qatar’s third National Sports event, a number of sports tourna- participating in every activity style. Sports and health have a its wealth. The minister said Kahramaa is Day on February 11. ments have already begun. Teams that helps educate Qatari society crucial role to play in the human As a country, Qatar is going also looking for generating elec- Qatar Foundation is organis- made up of QF employees from about the importance of sports in development aspect of Qatar through rapid changes . The fast tricity from alternative sources. ing various sports activities such various departments have been leading a healthy lifestyle. Sports National Vision 2030”. rate of urbanisation the country The idea is to generate initially, at as running, football, basketball, competing against each another in and health have a crucial role to QF has opened a special page has been witnessing over the past least two percent of the country’s tennis, swimming and cricket. football, tennis and open squash play in the human development on its website, with details of all few years have led to a substan- total electricity production from There will also be activities for tournaments. aspect of Qatar National Vision the activities it will be hosting and tial increase in the energy con- renewable sources such as solar. disabled members of the commu- The final games for each sports 2030” said Noora Bu-Helaiqa, how to participate. sumption. The huge developments THE PENINSULA nity as well as bouncy castles and tournament will be played on head of public relations, Qatar THE PENINSULA HBKU hosts IGLP workshop

DOHA: Hamad bin Khalifa interdisciplinary debates. Young “Hosting the Harvard IGLP University, a member of Qatar teachers and scholars had the Workshop in Qatar provided an Foundation, in partnership with opportunity to share their ideas opportunity to introduce legal Harvard Law School’s Institute with senior scholars from many and public policy scholars from for Global Law and Policy leading universities, strengthen- around the world to the impor- (IGLP), hosted the annual ing higher education worldwide. tant capacity building work of IGLP Workshop in Doha, for Participants reviewed current Qatar Foundation and Hamad the second consecutive year. scholarly developments, recon- bin Khalifa University. We were The Workshop promoted new sidered canonical texts, and overwhelmed with appreciation as perspectives and innovative networked with colleagues from participants left Qatar after their approaches to issues of global across the world. Intensive writ- intense 9-day experience.” law, economic policy, and social ing workshops offered partici- The 2014 Workshop also justice. pants the opportunity to receive focused on comparative law as a The IGLP at Harvard Law valuable feedback on their own constituent part of global policy School brought over 100 doctoral, research from their peers and and legal practice, on the poten- post-doctoral scholars, and jun- more senior colleagues in small tial to renew the Arab tradition ior faculty together with a core group settings. of law and governance, and on the group of senior IGLP faculty from Dr Dennis Roberts, Associate modern significance of the Islamic around the world for a unique Provost for Evaluation & legal tradition. series of lectures and intensive Assessment of HBKU said: THE PENINSULA

Officials and attendees during the workshop.

Renowned researchers to speak at CMU-Q

DOHA: Questions such as, Carnegie Mellon University in and Department Head, Machine “How can a firm measure Pittsburgh will be presenting to Learning Department. The lec- the effectiveness of celebrity faculty, staff, students and mem- tures will be held in the Moot Board endorsements?” and “How does bers of the wider community. Room at Carnegie Mellon Qatar. the human brain use neural The speakers include Professors Srinivasan’s lecture, part of the activity to represent mean- Kannan Srinivasan, the Rohet Richard M. Cyert Distinguished ings of words and pictures?” Tolani Distinguished Professor of Lecture Series in Business are to be discussed tomor- International Business and H J Management, is titled, “Business row and Tuesday as part of Heinz II Professor of Management, Insights from Big-Data.” It will the Distinguished Lecture Marketing and Business address the rapid growth in data Series held by Carnegie Mellon Technologies at the Tepper School that helps answer business ques- University in Qatar (CMU-Q). of Business, and Tom M. Mitchell, tions in new ways. Renowned researchers from the E. Fredkin University Professor THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MIDDLE EAST Mursi trial over protester deaths adjourned 45 Brotherhood supporters sentenced to jail in Suez and Qalyubia province in Cairo

CAIRO: A Cairo court yester- of video footage showing clashes His trial is seen as a test for day adjourned the trial which between pro- and anti-Mursi Egypt’s military-installed author- sees Egypt’s ousted President protesters which may be linked ities, who have come under fire for Mohamed Mursi accused of to the case. a heavy-handed crackdown on his inciting the killing of protest- Mursi also faces other charges Islamist supporters after he was ers, while dozens of support- including violence related to a forced out by the army last July. ers of his Muslim Brotherhood mass jail break in 2011, plotting An Islamist coalition back- were jailed for other crimes. with foreigners to carry out a ter- ing Mursi called for nationwide At yesterday’s hearing Mursi, rorist conspiracy against Egypt protests yesterday to “support dressed in a white prison uniform, and insulting the judiciary. the legitimate elected president,” was held in a glass cage separate Egypt’s interim government is but there were no reports of any from co-defendants, a corre- pursuing a fierce crackdown on the demonstrations. spondent reported from the court. Brotherhood, which it declared a “This court has no jurisdic- Of the 14 co-defendants, seven “terrorist organisation”. tion to look into the case because were present, while the rest are A court in the Suez Canal city Mursi is still the president and no being tried in absentia. of Ismailia sentenced 13 support- official decision was taken for his Some of the co-defendants ers of the Brotherhood yester- ouster,” said lawyer Salim Al Awa, turned their backs on the pro- day to six years in jail for illegal a member of the defence team. ceedings and gave a four-fingered assembly and destruction of pri- The judge declined a request by “Rabaa” salute, after welcoming vate and public property, judicial Mursi to speak at the proceedings. Mursi when he entered his cage. sources said. Prosecutors showed video foot- The gesture refers to a mas- In Qalyubia province north of age at yesterday’s hearing of what sive pro-Mursi protest in Cairo’s Cairo, 32 Brotherhood supporters they said were “supporters of Rabaa Al Adawiya Square that were sentenced to two years in defendants” chanting pro-Mursi was violently dispersed in August, jail, forced labour and a fine for slogans, carrying sticks and dis- setting off clashes in which hun- breaking a law making protests mantling protest tents outside the dreds of people, mostly Islamists, without prior police permission presidential palace in December were killed. illegal, state news agency Mena 2012. At that time, members of Four separate sets of charges reported. the Muslim Brotherhood to which have been brought against Mursi The law was introduced by Mursi belongs attacked opposi- since he was ousted, at least one the interim government last tion protesters camped outside of which can carry the death November. the palace in protest at a decree penalty. Egypt is pushing ahead with by Mursi to grant himself extra- Mursi is accused of inciting the an army-backed plan for politi- judicial powers. killing of protesters outside the cal transition, with presidential At least seven people were Egyptian security forces keep watch outside the police academy where the trial of former president Mohamed Presidential Palace during unrest and parliamentary elections due killed in the clashes, and dozens Mursi and fourteen others takes place, in Cairo yesterday. in late 2012 ignited by a decree to take place within months. of opposition protesters were that expanded his powers. Around Field Marshal Abdel Fattah detained and beaten by Mursi’s galvanising a disparate opposi- Mursi’s defence says there is the Muslim Brotherhood, which a dozen people were killed. Al Sisi is widely expected to supporters. tion that eventually organised the no proof he incited the clashes, moved in to protect the presiden- The trial was adjourned to announce his presidential bid and The incident was a turn- mass protests in June 2013 that and that most of those killed in tial palace after police withdrew. allow for further examination win easily. ing point in Mursi’s presidency, led to his downfall. the violence were members of AFP

Iraq forces Iran gets first hit militants; attacks kill 8 instalment of RAMADI, IRAQ: Security forces and allied tribal fighters mounted major offensives yes- terday against militants in the conflict-hit cities of Ramadi and frozen assets Fallujah as attacks elsewhere in Iraq killed eight people. TEHRAN: Iran has received that the first $550m (¤400m) The massive assaults, involving the first instalment of $4.2bn instalment of $4.2bn in frozen soldiers, police and pro-govern- in frozen assets as part of a assets would be released from ment armed tribesmen, are part nuclear deal with world powers, February. of efforts to wrest back control Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas “The instalment schedule starts of areas that have been in the Araqchi told Isna news agency on February 1 and the payments hands of militants, including the yesterday. are evenly distributed” across 180 Al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Unblocking the funds under days, the US official said. Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) for the landmark deal in which Iran Iran and the P5+1 will also hold weeks, sparking fears the ongoing agreed to roll back parts of its a new round of talks in Vienna stand-off could impact elections nuclear programme and halt on February 18 in a bid to dis- scheduled for April 30. further advances is expected to cuss a comprehensive solution They come after Iraq’s dead- breathe new life into its crippled to Tehran’s contested nuclear Iraqi troopers take part in an intensive security deployment on the outskirts of the city of Ramadi, 100km west liest month in nearly six years, economy. programme. of Baghdad, yesterday. with more than 1,000 people “The first tranche of $500m Major world powers and Israel killed in January, as it grapples was deposited in a Swiss bank fear that Iran is trying to develop with a surge in bloodshed that has account, and everything was done an atomic bomb, but Tehran At least 733 Iraqis killed in Jan sparked fears of a return to the in accordance with the agree- insists its nuclear programme is all-out conflict that left tens of ment,” Araqchi said. peaceful. thousands dead in 2006 and 2007. Iran clinched the interim deal Also yesterday, the official BAGHDAD: The United Iraqis were wounded in attacks over the humanitarian situation Security forces and their allies in November with the P5+1 group Irna news agency quoted the Nations said yesterday that across the country last month. in Anbar, saying thousands of assaulted the militant-held neigh- — Britain, China, France, Russia, head of the civil aviation author- at least 733 Iraqis were killed Baghdad was the worst affected families are displaced and others bourhoods of Malaab, Dhubat, the United States and Germany ity, Alireza Jahanguirian, as say- during violence in January, province, with 297 killed and 585 stranded in besieged Fallujah. and Street 60 in Ramadi, killing — and began implementing the ing that Iran will soon receive even when leaving out casual- wounded. Al Qaeda-linked fight- “I am deeply alarmed by the 35 anti-government fighters and agreement on January 20. spare parts for its ailing civilian ties from an embattled western ers and their allies seized control humanitarian situation of thou- seizing large amounts of weap- Under the agreement, which is fleet. province. of the city of Fallujah and parts sands of displaced families and onry, according to a police officer to last six months, Iran commit- Jahanguirian said the parts The figures issued yesterday of the Anbar provincial capital particularly of those stranded in and tribal militia commander ted to limit its uranium enrich- would arrive within two weeks as by the UN’s mission to Iraq show Ramadi last month after authori- Fallujah. They lack water, fuel, Mohammed Khamis Abu Risha. ment to five percent, halting part of the sanctions relief agreed 618 civilians and 115 members of ties dismantled a protest camp by food, medicine and other basic The clashes were among the production of 20 percent-enriched in Geneva in November. the security forces were killed Sunnis angry at what they con- commodities,” he said. heaviest in several weeks, a jour- uranium. But the November deal foresees in January. But the UNAMI sider second-class treatment by Last week, the UN High nalist in Ramadi said, adding that In return, the European Union an easing on sanctions imposed on statement excluded deaths from the Shia-led government. Commissioner for Refugees said all mobile phone and Internet and the United States have eased several sectors, including Iran’s ongoing fighting in Anbar, due to The government and its tribal that 140,000 Iraqis have fled from connections had been cut. crippling economic sanctions on car industry and petrochemical problems in verifying the “status allies are besieging the rebel-held the embattled areas of Anbar, the Abu Risha, the nephew of a Iran. exports, as well as allowing civil of those killed.” The figures also areas, with fighting reported daily. largest displacement of civilians powerful tribal sheikh, has backed A senior US administra- aviation access to long-denied leave out insurgent deaths. UN mission chief Nickolay in the country since the sectarian anti-government protesters and tion official said last month spares. AFP Also, the UN said at least 1,229 Mladenov expressed deep concern violence of 2006-2008. AFP was implicated in the killing of five soldiers near Ramadi last year, but in ISIL he shares a com- mon enemy with the government in Baghdad. Meanwhile, aerial bombard- ment and artillery fire on a neigh- Top clergy back Rowhani’s nuclear approach bourhood in northern Fallujah, a rare major operation in the city itself, has killed 15 militants, the DUBAI: President Hassan persuading Iran to curb parts of programme is aimed at creating deal, under which Tehran seeks previous government is at the defence ministry announced yes- Rowhani has secured the back- its nuclear work, in return for a atomic weapons capabilities. Iran to end painful economic sanctions root of much of our problems terday, without saying when it ing of senior conservative cler- limited easing of sanctions. denies this. that have severely damaged its oil- today,” Irna quoted conservative happened. ics against hardliners opposed Hardline clerics close to Iranian Irna said the response of the dependent economy. Ayatollah Abdollah Javadi-Amoli The army has largely stayed to a nuclear deal reached with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, clerics in Qom, in central Iran, “This government has inspired as saying. Rowhani, whose elec- out of Fallujah, just a short drive major powers, Iran’s official Revolutionary Guards command- was unanimously positive. hope in our society. Its way of tion led to a thaw in ties with the from Baghdad, fearing any major news agency Irna said yesterday. ers and the intelligence services Support from Qom, whose cler- communicating has put us in West after years of confrontation incursion could lead to a bloody His first vice president, Eshaq have attacked the temporary ics traditionally have influence line with other cultures,” said and hostile rhetoric, has promised and protracted conflict with mas- Jahangiri, visited clerics in the concessions Rowhani has made, among core supporters of the Grand Ayatollah Lotfollah to pursue a consistent foreign pol- sive civilian casualties and prop- Shia holy city of Qom to explain although Khamenei has so far establishment, is likely to boost Safi Golpaygani, referring to icy of “prudence and moderation” erty damage. American battles the deal and seek their bless- backed the president. Rowhani’s government’s posi- Rowhani’s tone compared to his to revive the economy. in the city, a bastion of militants ing over “complex foreign policy Khamenei has the final say on tion in the next round of talks in hardline predecessor, Mahmoud Nasser Makarem-Shirazi, following the 2003 US-led inva- issues” ahead of talks next month all state matters, including the Vienna, having already won over Ahmadinejad, since his landslide another influential conserva- sion, were among their bloodiest on a long-term accord, Irna said. nuclear issue. more reform-minded clerics. election win. Demonstrating their tive cleric, went even further: since the Vietnam War. But an An interim deal between Iran The talks on February 18 will The backing of the clergy is support for Rowhani, some cler- “Everything done during and by official in the provincial secu- and the five permanent mem- seek a comprehensive agree- essential as they have direct access ics blamed Ahmadinejad’s govern- the previous government entailed rity command centre said that bers of the UN Security Council ment defining the permissible to ordinary Iranians in their ser- ment for the struggling economy some kind of problem. The present security forces were preparing a plus Germany was reached in scope of Iran’s nuclear activity. mons when they can mobilise peo- as well as Iran’s political isolation. administration should address major assault on Fallujah in a bid November in Geneva, aimed at Western powers fear the nuclear ple to display their support for the “Poor leadership by the them gradually.” REUTERS to retake the city. AFP SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Syria toll tops 136,000; future talks uncertain Damascus rejects US talks bid without Kerry apology

DAMASCUS: The death toll There was no let-up in the for direct talks unless Secretary in Syria’s civil war has topped bloodletting on Saturday, with of State John Kerry apologised 136,000 after January saw one of at least nine people killed when for his remarks at the Geneva II the conflict’s bloodiest months, regime helicopters dropped bar- talks. an NGO said yesterday, as vio- rel bombs on the northern city “The Americans asked us to lence claimed even more lives. of Aleppo, the Observatory said. negotiate directly with them in But the prospects of a peaceful At least another seven died Montreux,” Walid Muallem told outcome looked dim after 10 days in a double car bombing carried Syrian state media on the plane of talks in Geneva yielded no tan- out by the jihadist Islamic State home from 10 days of peace talks gible results and the regime said of Iraq and the Levant targeting in the Swiss cities of Montreux it was unsure whether it would a rebel headquarters in Aleppo. and Geneva. return to the negotiating table. Moderate and Islamist opposition “But we refused to do so before The Syrian Observatory for fighters have been battling ISIL Secretary of State John Kerry Human Rights said the death toll since early January, after accus- apologised for what he said at at the end of January was at least ing the group of a spate of abuses the conference,” Muallem added, 136,227. against civilians and rebels. in remarks carried by state news The Britain-based group’s Meanwhile, in the central prov- agency Sana. director, Rami Abdel Rahman, ince of Hama, the Observatory Syria’s government and opposi- said “January was among the said at least 12 government fight- tion began the so-called Geneva bloodiest months since the begin- ers were killed around the town II talks on January 22, with the ning of the conflict” in March of Morek. participation of dozens of nations, 2011. The group said rebels, includ- including Russia, which backs the Among the dead were 47,998 ing from the Al Qaeda-linked Al regime, and the United States, civilians, including more than Nusra Front, had seized Morek which supports the opposition. 7,300 children. overnight, cutting a strategic In his opening remarks at the The Observatory said the real regime supply line from Hama conference, Kerry said Syria’s toll could be much higher because city to two military bases in President Bashar Al Assad “will of the extreme secrecy of rebels, neighbouring Idlib province. not be part” of any transitional Lebanese emergency personnel are seen at the site of a car bomb explosion targeting a petrol station in eastern jihadists and the regime about The UN agency for Palestinian government. Lebanese town of Hermel, yesterday. their casualties. refugees UNRWA said it had “There is no way, not possible At the end of December the toll distributed aid for a third con- in the imagination, that the man was 130,433, but fighting between secutive day to the Yarmuk who has led the brutal response rebels and the regime, as well as refugee camp, which has been to his own people could regain Lebanon car bombing kills 4 between them and jihadists, has under a choking siege that the legitimacy to govern,” Kerry said. claimed nearly 6,000 lives since Observatory says has left 88 peo- Muallem also dismissed the BAALBEK, LEBANON: A television station. “We think it is war-ravaged Syria. then. The conflict began after a ple dead from starvation and lack “coalition of the so-called ‘opposi- car bomb killed at least four a suicide attack,” he added. On January 16, a car bomb- regime crackdown on peaceful of medical care. On the diplomatic tion’” in his comments yesterday. people yesterday at a petrol sta- The explosion, which took place ing outside the main govern- anti-government demonstra- front, the two sides and world Muallem was blunt after the tion in eastern Lebanon’s town around 6:00 pm (1600 GMT) after ment administration building in tions, prompting people to take powers were assessing the 10 final session on Friday, saying “we of Hermel, a stronghold of the night had fallen, sparked a huge Hermel killed three people. up arms against President Bashar days of talks in Switzerland last have not reached tangible results”. Shia movement Hezbollah, the blaze that hindered the arrival of The attack is the seventh to hit Al Assad. month which showed few results, Despite persistent pressure from interior minister said. emergency services. Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon In addition to the dead and a and with prospects of a follow-up UN-Arab League envoy Lakhdar “At least four people were killed Al Manar broadcast images since mid 2013, when the group much larger number of wounded, meeting uncertain. Brahimi, and co-sponsors Russia and more than 15 wounded, two of huge flames at the site of the sent men to Syria to fight along- millions of people have been dis- Syria’s foreign minister Walid and the United States, regime and or three of them in critical condi- attack. It was the second blast in side Syrian President Bashar Al placed internally and as refugees Muallem said yesterday his del- rebel delegations failed to agree tion,” Interior Minister Marwan less than a month to hit the town, Assad’s troops against mainly in neighbouring countries. egation had rejected a US request on a single point. AFP Charbel told Hezbollah’s Al Manar which is close to the border with Sunni rebel groups. AFP

Ship sinks off Obama to visit Saudi amid tensions over Iran, Syria Yemen killing WASHINGTON/RIYADH: relationship” and declining trust, challenges from the transition in the meeting to question Obama The Arab Spring as well as a 12 Indian crew President Barack Obama plans said a senior Arab official in dis- Egypt to civil war in Syria. on why he decided against air- November agreement between to travel to Saudi Arabia in cussing the need for the sum- But relations have been tested strikes in Syria, which Saudi Iran and other world powers that ADEN: A cargo ship sank off March on a mission to smooth mit, which was pulled together on a number of fronts. and other Arab officials believe curbs parts of Tehran’s nuclear the coast of Yemen killing all tensions with Washington’s in recent days, the newspaper Members of Saudi Arabia’s rul- strengthened Assad, the newspa- program, has angered Saudi 12 Indian crew, the Interior main Arab ally over US policy reported. ing family threatened a rift with per reported. Arabia, along with other Arab Ministry said yesterday. on Iran’s nuclear programme A White House spokeswoman the United States to protest per- “The meeting in many ways will states and Israel. The ship, which was carry- and the civil war in Syria, a declined to comment. ceived American inaction over get back to basics,” said a Saudi The relationship was also badly ing car tyres and car parts, ran newspaper reported. The United States and Saudi Syria’s civil war, which has killed official briefed on the meetings, shaken by the September 11, 2001, aground on Thursday night but Obama is preparing to meet Arabia have been allies since the more than 100,000 people, as well according the Wall Street Journal. attacks on the United States, the incident did not come to the with the Custodian of the Two kingdom was formed in 1932, giv- as the recent US outreach with “Why did Obama do it the way since most of the hijackers were attention of Yemeni security until Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin ing Riyadh a powerful military Iran. he did it?” Saudi nationals, and by the subse- 10 hours later, its statement said. Abdulaziz for a summit, the Wall protector and Washington secure The Sunni Muslim kingdom’s US and other security officials quent American invasion of Iraq. Heavy winds and high waves Street Journal reported on Friday, oil supplies. regional rivalry with Shia Iran, said earlier this week that “mod- Obama’s visit comes after prevented the rescue of the citing unnamed Arab officials Washington’s relationship an ally of Syria, has amplified sec- erate” Syrian rebel factions were a mission to Riyadh by US Indian sailors. briefed on the meetings. with the Saudis was crucial as tarian tensions across the Middle receiving light arms supplied by Secretary of State John Kerry. The ship was owned by a “This is about a deteriorating the region faced changes and East. King Abdullah is also to use the United States. REUTERS Yemeni and was on its way from the United Arab Emirates to Al Mukalla port in Yemen. It sank off the coast of Al Shehar town in Yemen’s south- eastern Hadramout province, the ministry said. Ansar Beit Maqdis claims rocket fire on Israel’s Eilat

CAIRO: An Egyptian jihad- ist group said yesterday that it fired a rocket at the Red Sea resort of Eilat which was inter- cepted by Israeli air defences, its second in a fortnight. Al Qaeda inspired Ansar Beit Al Maqdis (Partisans of Jerusalem), which is based just across the border from Israel in Egypt’s restive Sinai Peninsula, threatened to follow Friday’s foiled rocket fire with further attacks. “God helped your broth- Yemeni anti-government protesters run for cover during clashes with riot police in the capital Sana’a ers in Ansar Beit Al Maqdis to yesterday. succeed and target the Israeli city of Eilat,” the group said in a state- ment posted on jihadist forums. Yemen’s main oil pipeline bombed “Jews, you have to know that nothing will stop us from fight- ing you, even if the entire world’s SANA’A: Armed tribes- to the Ras Isa oil terminal on Such lawlessness is a glo- armies move on your instructions. men bombed Yemen’s main the Red Sea. bal concern, particularly for If they create a barrier between oil pipeline yesterday, halt- Yemen, which relies on crude the United States and its Gulf us and you, with God’s help and ing crude flow to the coun- exports to finance up to 70 per- Arab allies, because of Yemen’s strength, we will get you and kill try’s main export terminal cent of its budget, has suffered strategic position next to oil you.” The rocket fired on Friday less than a month after it was frequent bombings of its main exporter Saudi Arabia and to was destroyed by an Iron Dome repaired, oil and local officials pipeline in recent years. The main shipping lanes. air defence battery deployed said. last one took place on Dec. 26 Yeman is also home to one of outside Eilat, an Israeli police The attack occurred in the and the pipeline was repaired al Qaeda’s most active wings. spokeswoman said. Serwah district in the cen- on January 5. Before a spate of attacks On January 20, another rocket tral oil-producing province of Disgruntled tribesmen stage that began in 2011, the 270- claimed by the jihadist group Maarib, they said, and caused a these attacks to pressure the mile Maarib pipeline carried struck the outskirts of the Israeli huge fire that prompted the clo- government to provide jobs, set- around 110,000 barrels per day resort city without causing any sure of the pipeline and stopped tle land disputes or free rela- to Ras Isa. casualties. AFP oil flow from the Maarib fields tives from prison. REUTERS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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HAI people will go to ballot box today. If in most countries election is a solution to a crisis, in Thailand, unfortunately, it will mark a continuation Tof the problem. There is little chance that the voting will break the political deadlock that is crippling the A new definition for Al Qaeda country. Bangkok has been in turmoil for almost three months, pulled in different directions by opposing sides. BY KATHERINE Thailand’s long-running political struggle pits its royalist ZIMMERMAN safer because of arbitrary definitions. Al Qaida. The TTP poses a particular establishment, backed by the courts and the military, against The question demands an answer: definitional problem because it has Thaksin, a billionaire tycoon-turned-politician who lives in What is Al Qaida? neither sought nor received formal HAT exactly is Al Al Qaida’s leadership regulates the membership in Al Qaida, yet it con- Dubai to avoid a prison term for corruption. Qaeda? And who cares? use of its name and resources; it has ducted the attempted Times Square On one side is the government of Prime Minister Confusion about how formally and publicly recognized affili- bombing in May 2010. Yingluck Shinawatra and her ruling Pheu Thai Party and on Wto define the terrorist ates in Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Syria The greatest Al Qaida threat to the other side is the protesters from the People’s Democratic group is rife. Was Al Qaeda involved in and West Africa. In each of these the United States is AQAP, which Reform Committee, a Bangkok-based movement which will the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, cases, the regional leadership pledged has attempted to attack the U.S. Libya, that left four Americans dead? loyalty to the Al Qaeda leader, Ayman homeland three times since 2009 and be satisfied with nothing less than the resignation of the The Obama administration says no. Al Zawahiri, who accepted their oaths. whose leader is clearly a member of government. Caught between them are the ordinary Thais Are the groups proliferating around State Department spokeswoman Jen Al Qaida core, despite his location in who don’t find a way out of the crisis. Africa and the Middle East really part Psaki may have been right when she Yemen. Still, most of AQAP’s efforts The snap poll was called by Shinawatra in an attempt of the Al Qaida that toppled the World said last month that “they don’t give in recent years have gone into seizing to quell rising tensions in the nation but the election will Trade Center and hit the Pentagon? out T-shirts or membership cards,” control of parts of Yemen, making it complicate matters. The protesters have vowed to besiege There is no simple answer. Al Qaeda but any sensible definition of group “locally focused.” And what to make is a global terrorist organization that membership must surely recognize of Al Shabab, the formally recognized polling stations a day after gun battles between pro and relies on secrecy to survive. Even Al the explicit and public exchanges of affiliate in Somalia that does not use anti-government groups in the capital heightened fears Qaida members are confused about oaths of loyalty and command between the Al Qaida name? It has been fix- of ongoing political unrest. The elite-backed opposition each other’s status: The leader of Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri, on ated on Somalia but has conducted Democrat Party has not won an the group in Yemen had to ask his the one hand, and the leaders of overt attacks throughout the region and elected majority in around two decades Algerian counterpart for clarification franchises on the other. recruits directly, and in English, from and therefore is boycotting the vote. about Ansar Al Many experts disagree about the the American Somali community. The Din’s relationship extent to which locally oriented mili- Al Qaida today is the realization of This leaves the field open for Yingluck, to Al Qaida in the tants are officially part of Al Qaeda. bin Laden’s broader vision. He did not only way who is expected to win the polls helped Islamic Maghreb. The White House has focused on ter- limit himself only to the founding and forward for by strong electoral support among The covert nature rorists currently targeting the United running of Al Qaida but imagined a rural and urbanised communities from Many experts of the network States, which form a small subset of network uniting like-minded groups Thailand Thaksin’s northeastern heartlands. intentionally the overall Al Qaeda movement. In the extending far beyond state borders. obscures many course of the debate over Benghazi, The Al Qaeda operatives around bin The only way forward for Thailand disagree about the is to relationships. that focus has narrowed further to the Laden’s successor in Pakistan are — at is to implement reforms to strike extent to which Here’s the prob- question of whether “Al Qaida core” least for the time being — hemmed in implement a balance between the ruling party lem: According to ordered a specific attack. by US forces in Afghanistan, and they and the opposition. The Yingluck locally oriented recently declas- There is even disagreement over are under siege from Afghanistan- reforms. sified testimony the definition of “core” Al Qaida. Most based US drone attacks. But the Al administration has to understand that militants are winning the election doesn’t give it of Gen. Martin administration officials suggest that it Qaeda network — a defined set of Dempsey, chair- is the small group keeping company groups running from West Africa absolute power to do things as they officially part of Al man of the Joint with Zawahiri in Pakistan. Others to Southeast Asia — carries on bin please, especially since some actions of the government Chiefs of Staff, define it as veteran members of the Al Laden’s legacy and remains a danger. have been suspicious, like an amnesty bill that would have Qaeda. before the House Qaida network, active before the Sept. An excessively narrow definition absolved former prime minister Thaksin of corruption Armed Services 11, 2001, attacks. But this core has long of Al Qaeda is just as dangerous as charges. The prime minister has to invite the opposition for Committee in been dispersed, with only a small part one that includes every Sunni Muslim talks and make concrete suggestions to resolve the crisis. October, the US still in Pakistan. Some members now extremist group. Clearly not all parts military regards itself as legally barred lead regional franchises: Nasir Al of the broader Al Qaida network are The opposition too must come forward with suggestions that from going after the perpetrators of Wuhayshi, bin Laden’s former secre- equally dangerous. Nor does dealing can be acted upon instead of insisting on the resignation of the Benghazi attacks (and, presum- tary, is both emir of Al Qaida in the with each automatically require the the government. King Bhumibol Adulyadej enjoys huge moral ably, others who attack Americans) Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and Al use of military force. Decisions to use authority in the country and had intervened in the past in unless they are affiliated with Al Qaida’s general manager. force against Al Qaeda must be shaped times of crisis. The king must think if the time has come for Qaeda. The Obama administration’s In reality, Al Qaida’s goals are fur- by strategy and prioritization, like any parsing of words to deny Al Qaeda’s thered by the so-called core, affiliates other national security decision. But an intervention again. direct involvement effectively pre- and local groups that enjoy no formal excluding large portions of the Al The problem with Thailand is that its crises are cludes a military response in these relationships with the Zawahiri con- Qaida network from consideration and protracted, with both sides sticking to their stance. Tourism situations. tingent. The Jamal Network in Egypt, hiding behind semantics guarantees is one of the mainstays of the country’s economy and unrest But the United States can neither Al Mulathamun in the Sahel and the strategic failure. Defining the enemy is dangerous for tourism. Already, tourist arrivals have disrupt nor defend itself from an Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have down is not the answer. declined and will continue to fall further. enemy it cannot define. Nor are we a direct but informal relationship with WP-BLOOMBERG

The other side Quote of India’s ‘presidential’ elections the day HOUGH India is a parliamentary not legally — responsible for the com- candidates on a common platform, interactions of more than five minutes democracy, where political munal riots in his state in 2002. After where they could debate their policies with the media all these years, decided parties (or so-called high the BJP declared Modi’s name, the and programmes, just as American to take the plunge a few days ago and Tcommands) decide on the new Congress too has been under pres- presidential candidates engage in a allowed himself to be ‘cross-examined’ We urge the prime minister after the elections, this sure to announce its prime ministerial series of debates before elections. by Arnab Goswami of Times Now, one time the race is beginning to look like candidate. Of course, both parties are unsure of the most incisive and aggressive Egyptian authorities the run-up to the American presidential While Manmohan Singh, the incum- whether to allow their prospective interrogators on the small screen. Sadly election. bent premier, ruled himself out of the prime ministerial candidates to slug for the heir to the Congress throne, his to promptly release The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), race, Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the it out in television studios, fearing the maiden foray was a virtual disaster, with under pressure from its restless cad- Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, is now the consequences of an embarrassing slip his wooden countenance and tautologi- all journalists res, was forced to declare the name of undeclared candidate of the Congress or being outwitted by the rival. India is a cal replies projecting him in poor light. imprisoned for its prime ministerial candidate months and the United Progressive Alliance. nation of more than 250 million house- But Modi too has major problems before the elections. Narendra Modi, News television is also having a sig- holds (with an average of five members with the electronic and print media and carrying out Rupert Colville the Gujarat Chief Minister, is a highly- nificant impact in these elections and in each), of which more than 150 million refuses to be probed on the Gujarat polarising figure in Indian politics and political parties have started splurging households own TV sets. Such debates riots, preferring only to harp on his gov- legitimate news UN High Commissioner is still being seen by a vast section of money on advertisements. The elec- can make or mar a politician’s career. ernment’s ‘achievements.’ reporting activities. for Human Rights the electorate as being morally — if tronic media would love to put the two Gandhi, who has avoided serious Khaleej Times Spokesman SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Nuclear past points to the A natter about stuff that probability of an accident

BY RUPERT MYERS really doesn’t matter ow have we not had a nuclear war? It is hard to maintain much faith in the long-term safety of our nuclear deterrent with each glimpse of the all-too human flaws of those with Htheir finger on the button. Thirty-four Air Force officers in Cameron and charge of launching nuclear missiles have been suspended over accusa- tions that they cheated in proficiency tests about their knowledge of Hollande discuss how to operate the weapons. The cheating, uncovered during a probe into the use of drugs by nuclear launch officers, betrays the compla- cency and boredom of men and women whose job is to refrain from many things but not doing the one thing they are trained to do. Officials have been quick to reassure the public that these suspensions the things everyone pose no risk of nuclear accident, but it’s hard to be convinced. Consider the types of incidents that we now know happened during the cold war era: bombs almost detonating by accident and military exercises being else wants to talk twitchily misunderstood by officers on the other side. The pattern has been one in which the government reassures the public that no danger about. exists, while privately acknowledging their fears that human and technical error could conspire to catastrophic effect. The classification of military documents will hide current blushes for decades to come. BY HUGH MUIR The difficulty with the role of nuclear launch officers is that their job is almost entirely uneventful. It’s easy to see how this would lead hey talked about so many things. to professional frustration. In a post-cold war era, it is unlikely to be Europe, defence, nuclear, history, a career which attracts the brightest and the best, and 99.9% of the government spending. But the role would simply not require the Air Force’s top talent. prime minister is human; mere Responsibility for the inception of all-out nuclear war is not without flesh and blood. So for at least its pressures; occasionally there are moments when the world has to Tpart of the time, David Cameron will have trust that the person making the decision isn’t one of those bored, drug- French President François Hollande (left) and British PM David Cameron. been saying one thing to President François taking nuclear launch officers who cheated on the proficiency exam. Hollande while thinking another; this guy - In these rare situations, it is vital that the person making the deci- this short bespectacled guy with the slicked desires, he smiled an uneasy smile and said. the same interests and the same values.” Both sion is trained, clear-headed and reliable. Failures of vetting mean that back hair; with that time-worn look – merg- “With regard to your last question, I’m afraid would collaborate over the 70th anniversary of less than ideal candidates can slip through into jobs with high levels of ing Jack Nicholson and Sven Göran Eriksson. I decline to answer.” D-Day and fuss over the Queen. Both coun- responsibility. The mental health of nuclear launch officers who have With his place at the centre of an infamous A question later, the president and the tries would work together on satellite research been said to suffer from serious “morale issues” can never be entirely love triangle, and not for the first time either prime minister stepped down from their in space. guaranteed. If an accidental nuclear explosion were to occur on US soil, - how does he do it? respective podiums to continue discussions But it was clear there had been, and would it is of little reassurance to learn that the men and women responsible And the answer is that in his way President at an Oxfordshire pub. Hollande may have be, little common ground over Cameron’s for our military response are, according to Defence Secretary Chuck Hollande is a bit of a smoothy. Happy to talk needed a drink, and he did shoot a final glare demand for EU reform. Both said they wanted Hagel, in need of immediate review. for hours in a fashion seemingly effortless. at the press before leaving the auditorium. But an efficient Europe: neither pretended they As long as we have nuclear weapons, we are compelled to place the Confident in his own skin. Happy to milk the there was an impressive composure about the saw the nuts and bolts of that in the same ability to launch them in the hands of mere mortals. It is an unlikely limelight on his own terms. And we all saw French president. So many admirers. They way. They would never agree on everything gamble on human nature. Classification of information means that we that during their press conference at RAF can’t all be wrong. said Cameron. “François is a French socialist usually only learn of the truly scary moments long after the fact, by Brize Norton on Friday when the president - When they talked policy, it seemed that and I am a British Conservative.” which time they lose their ability to horrify us. A rare exception to who came to talk about Europe and defence the two men agreed on the things that united France wants the UK inside the EU, said this is 1995, when the Russians mistook a Norwegian research rocket and history and government spending - was them and agreed to disagree about the rest. Hollande. And he was not above a spot of mis- for a US ballistic missile heading for Russia. Despite the end of the asked by the man from a British newspa- Discussing nuclear power and the fact that chief on that score, imagining perhaps - and Cold War, it was the first time that the leader of a nuclear country per (the super, soaraway Telegraph) about EDF Energy will build the first new power despite the prime minster’s known stance – a was forced to literally open the “nuclear briefcase”. Boris Yeltsin had the recent entanglements in his private life. station in a generation at Hinkley Point in time of closer European integration. EDF will inserted his nuclear key and was two minutes away from launch- “Monsieur Le President,” began senior politi- Somerset, Hollande looked rather smug and build at least two new nuclear reactors, he ing Russia’s own nuclear missiles, when the flying object detected by cal correspondent Chris Hope. “I know this is Cameron rather grateful, particularly at the said. “This is at least £16bn worth. I am talk- Russian radars fell into the sea. a very sensitive subject for you. Do you think mention of thousands of jobs. They jointly ing of pounds here. Not for the time being of As we learn of near misses, and the failings of our last line of defence, your private life has made France an interna- expressed concern about the continuing euros. I don’t want to embarrass David.” it becomes harder to believe that nuclear proliferation will not ultimately tional joke. Are you still having an affair with tragedy in Syria, rattled sabres at the errant Which was kind, for the prime minister lead to an accident. There is no knowing how professional the launch Julie Gayet. And do you wish she was here?” president supervising repression in Ukraine, had probably sufficient embarrassment for one officers of other nuclear states are, or how they would react to a nuclear Cameron’s reaction was not to react. He and reminisced about military co-operation week, having faced a Commons rebellion from incident. As more countries develop their nuclear arsenals, an ever larger launched into an answer to a question about during French-led operations in Mali and the 80-odd of his backbenchers over the immi- group of people must be trusted with the power to trigger nuclear catas- his referendum, and it was clear that even he Central African republic. They also said they gration bill. He was asked about the chaos at trophe. The greater the number of men and women with the responsi- had no idea what was coming out of his mouth. would work together to stop the number of Westminster. Chaos? What chaos, he said? bility of not launching nuclear weapons, the greater the likelihood that He was playing for time on Hollande’s behalf. young people being radicalised by terrorists Everything went perfectly. Another thing for the weakest link in this deadly international standoff will fail. Clouded Hollande himself mouthed something about and extremists; between 600 and 700 young the two leaders to agree on. Life’s trials only in secrecy, the dangers are hard to quantify. The greatest danger might Britain being entitled to have a referendum people on either side of the Channel. That bother if you let them. not be in a bunker near Tehran, but a silo in Montana. if it wanted one. As to his own wants and part was easy, indicated Hollande. “We have THE GUARDIAN THE GUARDIAN Dear Obama, spare us the press-freedom lecturing

foreign reporters who muck- leak prosecutions/investigations since New York Times rake here the way the Times 2009. Nor has it strong-armed report- did in China. But both sides ers, although from the looks of Downie’s rely on a passive-aggressive report, national security reporters live reporter James approach to tame and cir- in dread of getting themselves and their cumvent the press. sources snared in a government surveil- Risen might end up China doesn’t deport lance dragnet. Times reporters for publish- The administration hasn’t stoppered ing scoops; it uses the visa the flow of information from the govern- in jail if he doesn’t process to starve them out. It ment to reporters completely, but as one doesn’t lock up Times report- reporter told Downie, the leak investiga- reveal his sources ers for their great work; it tions have left sources “scared to death,” uses the Great Firewall to frightened even to discuss unclassified lock out the domestic audi- information with reporters. in one of eight ence from reading their Downie will probably discount the pas- stories. It doesn’t prohibit sive part of my passive-aggressive analy- leak prosecutions/ foreign reporters from trav- sis. Not prone to hyperbole, he writes in elling the country; it merely his report, “The administration’s war denies them permission to on leaks and other efforts to control investigations since visit “sensitive” areas. (Not information are the most aggressive I’ve everybody in China has seen since the Nixon administration, 2009. gotten the passive-aggressive when I was one of the editors involved memo: A CNN reporter got in the Washington Post’s investigation roughed up by Chinese secu- of Watergate.” BY JACK SHAFER rity this month and spirited While the hypocrisy vantage remains away while attempting to there for the Chinese to seize and to earing his best straight cover a Chinese activist’s beat the Americans with, they’re con- face, White House Press trial.) tinuing to do what they do best: stall and Secretary Jay Carney lec- President Obama (right) stands with VP Joseph Biden as he discusses unemployment,at the White House Likewise, the Obama prevaricate. Wtured China on press free- in Washington on Friday. administration hasn’t impris- A foreign ministry spokesman issued dom. In a redundant official statement, oned any US journalists - yet. a statement today claiming that Austin he accused Beijing of restricting “the New York Times reporter Ramzy, one of the Times reporters hung ability of journalists to do their work” emails have contributed to a climate of Biden Jr “warned” Chinese leaders dur- James Risen might end up in jail if he up in the visa dispute, had not adequately and “impede their ability to do their jobs.” fear in some newsrooms. ing his visit there last month that there doesn’t reveal his sources in one of eight followed the laws and regulations gov- If the Chinese cared about public Carney’s jawboning, in which he also would be consequences if the country erning work visas. “China expresses its opinion, they would have called a news called for the unblocking of Western continued its efforts to oust US report- displeasure,” the statement reads. conference of their own and read aloud news sites, was precipitated by the slow- ers. What consequences? Congress might The Govt’s leak “China does not accept the unjusti- from former Washington Post Executive down game China’s visa offices have been get mad about it, Biden told the Chinese, fiable accusations by the US side, and Editor Leonard Downie Jr’s comprehen- playing with US foreign correspondents. and retaliate somehow. investigations demands the US side to respect facts sive October report for the Committee to Two New York Times reporters have The stifled laughter of the Chinese and take cautious words and acts” and Protect Journalists, which catalogued the had to leave the country in the past 13 was not recorded, although I’m sure the have left sources blah blah blah. Obama administration’s hostility toward months because their visa applications country’s leaders and diplomats made But who am I to second guess the the press. went unprocessed, and Bloomberg News’s Onion-esque jokes about Biden and his Chinese? Their strategy seems to be the Downie found that although China-based reporters “have also expe- rhetorical pop-gun after he left earshot. “scared to death,” winning one. President Barack Obama promised a rienced visa delays,” the Times reports It’s not much of a threat to tell the lead- After all, if they accuse the United more open government, his administra- today. ers of the world’s second-most power- frightened even to States of hypocrisy, that would put pres- tion has prosecuted sources under the Nearly all observers agree that the ful economy that your legislature, which sure on them to refrain from practicing Espionage Act, imposed delays on and slowdowns and denials directed at the can’t agree on anything, will soon arrive hypocrisy, too. denials of FOIA requests, and closed Times can be attributed to its aggressive to tickle them if they don’t behave. discuss unclassified That leaves only one constituency to its doors on reporters, systematically coverage of crony capitalism in China. I imply no equivalence here between pester the Obama administration about blunting the press. And recent revela- But Carney isn’t the only member of the Obama administration’s treatment information with using the China example to argue for tions about mass surveillance by the the Obama administration agitating for of the press and that of the Chinese. open government at home. That would National Security Agency and the secret freedom of the press in China. The Times Unlike China, the United States doesn’t be you and me. subpoena of reporters’ phone logs and also reports that Vice President Joseph R deny press credentials and work visas to reporters. REUTERS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INTERNATIONAL

1,000 evacuated from snow-hit West, Russia clash over Ukraine cars, buses in Kerry to meet opposition in Kiev amid fears army will intervene northern Serbia BELGRADE: Rescuers, army MUNICH/KIEV: The United Ukraine and Syria, where Moscow and police have evacuated about States and Europe exchanged backs President Bashar Al Assad, 1,000 people from cars and buses angry words with Russia yes- made for a chilly atmosphere on stranded in deep snow in north- terday in a tug-of-war over the podium there. ern Serbia, but several hundred Ukraine, with US, EU and Nato On the sidelines, boxer-turned- people still remain stuck, the leaders saying Moscow must politician Vitaly Klitschko and government said yesterday. not strong-arm Kiev into an Arseniy Yatsenyuk, an ally of Authorities have closed down unpopular alliance. jailed former prime minister Yulia snow-hit roads and banned At conference in Munich where Tymoshenko, as well as lawmaker river traffic on the Danube river Western diplomats met leaders of Petro Poroshenko and pop star because of strong winds, said the the Ukrainian opposition, United Ruslana Lyzhychko lobbied for government statement. States Secreatary of State John support for the opposition. “The Serbian government is Kerry said the protesters believe They led a small protest in urging citizens not to travel until “their futures do not have to lie the streets of the Bavarian capi- all danger is fully removed,” the with one country alone, and cer- tal amid meetings with Kerry, statement added. tainly not coerced”. German Foreign Minister Frank- Winter so far in Serbia had been “Nowhere is the fight for a Walter Steinmeier and EU foreign exceptionally mild, but over the democratic, European future policy chief Catherine Ashton. last week a cold spell and snow- more important today than in “We expect support for storms have swept across parts Ukraine,” he said. “The United Ukraine, support for a democrati- of central and eastern Europe. States and EU stand with the cally peaceful movement because Heavy snow in Bulgaria left doz- people of Ukraine in that fight.” everyone wants to see Ukraine ens of villages without electricity But Russian Foreign Minister as a modern European country, and water and Romanian authori- Sergei Lavrov, outnumbered in which is our main goal,” Klitschko ties declared a “code red” weather Munich by supporters of Ukraine’s told reporters. warning on Wednesday. overtures to the European Union Demonstrators were saying Emergency officials in Serbia that were suddenly ditched by “enough, enough waiting, enough reported that dozens of cars and President Viktor Yanukovich last corruption, enough of living with- two passenger trains remain November, hit back with the same out rules”, he said. stranded in the country’s north, charge. Yanukovich has signed into flat area where strong winds have Lavrov said “political choice law an amnesty for protest- been piling up snow drifts, cutting was preordained for Ukraine” ers detained in the unrest and off villages and roads. when Nato offered Kiev poten- repealed anti-protest legislation. Volunteers carry hot food to distribute it to anti-government protesters near a barricade at the site of clashes with Deputy Prime Minister tial membership of the western But this looked unlikely to end riot police in Kiev yesterday. Dozens of volunteers provide food day and night for protesters at the site of clashes Aleksandar Vucic — who is tipped military alliance in 2008. Ukraine the sometimes violent protests with riot police in the Ukrainian capital. to become the new prime minister demurred but does cooperate with that began when he accepted a after snap elections in March — Nato on international peace mis- $15bn Russian loan package late “We insist on full respect for Meanwhile, Ukraine’s oppo- warned that the 63-year-leader toured the area with other gov- sions such as Afghanistan. last year instead of a trade deal the fundamental principle that sition warned yesterday the would lose power if he failed ernment ministers. Vucic said “Here a choice is being with Europe. each and every country has an military may move against anti- to “quash the rebellion”, while there are about a dozen columns imposed,” said Lavrov, accusing Kerry and other western dip- inherent right to freely choose government demonstrators, Ukraine’s state security service of cars still stranded. some EU politicians of fomenting lomats put the burden of respon- its alliances,” added Rasmussen ahead of talks with US Secretary announced a criminal investi- anti-Yanukovich protests by peo- sibility for the violence on the as Lavrov sat nearby. of State John Kerry over the gation into what it said was an ple who “seize and hold govern- Ukrainian government. European Council President country’s worst crisis since opposition attempt to seize power. Peacekeepers ment buildings, attack the police “We strongly condemn the vio- Herman Van Rompuy spoke independence. As fears grew that authorities and use racist and anti-Semitic lence we have seen, not least the of former Soviet republics like The warning came hours after may be preparing to crush the in CAR recapture and Nazi slogans”. excessive use of force by the secu- Ukraine, Georgia and Moldavia the army weighed in on the cri- two-month protest movement, They were trading barbs at rity forces in Ukraine,” said Nato being attracted to the European sis for the first time, calling on Kerry said the United States and rebel-held town the annual Munich Security chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen, way of life. “The future of Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych to European Union “stand with the Conference. Differences between speaking of Yanukovich’s “special belongs with the European act urgently to end the turmoil. people of Ukraine”. BANGUI: Peacekeepers in Russia and the western allies on responsibility”. Union,” he said. Piling on the pressure, Moscow AGENCIES the Central African Republic (CAR) said yesterday they had recaptured the key town of Sibut from rebel fighters, while their mission received pledges of $132 from African countries. The commander of the African Labour leader Union force told state radio his troops had taken control of the town from former members of the mainly Muslim Seleka rebellion, leaders of a March 2013 coup that plans to reduce plunged the country in chaos. “As I speak, MISCA has taken control of the town of Sibut,” said General Tumenta Chomud, trade union ties referring to the force of around 5,500 peacekeepers deployed in LONDON: The leader of was announced last July, media the country. “A Gabonese con- Britain’s opposition Labour reports suggested Labour nets tingent from MISCA is in place party, Ed Miliband, revealed £8m (¤9m, $12m) a year from in the town. It is clear that the plans yesterday to further almost three million union work- Seleka fighters can be contained reduce the influence of trade ers — the majority of the party’s and they will be disarmed.” unions on the party. funds. He wants to change the way In an interview with the Labour leaders are elected by Guardian newspaper yesterday, Bulgaria to open ending block voting by the unions Miliband said the changes were — a system that secured his own aimed at “letting people back into communist-era narrow victory over his brother our politics, and getting them in 2010. back into politics”. secret files Thousands of people protest a government plan to limit abortions, in Madrid yesterday. The current electoral col- “These are the biggest changes lege system gives a third of the to who can become involved in the SOFIA: Bulgarian President votes each to the unions, party Labour party since probably its Rosen Plevneliev called yes- members, and elected members formation,” he said. terday for all the communist- Thousands march in Madrid of the British and European The changes are being sent to era secret services’ files to be parliaments. members of the party’s ruling opened immediately, still a con- Miliband proposes to scrap this national executive — of which troversial issue a quarter of the and give every member of the about a third represent unions century after the collapse of the against abortion limits centre-left party a direct vote for — before a decision is taken at former regime. a new leader. a special meeting in London on “After 25 years, the time for MADRID: Thousands of pro- Catholic Church, Prime Minister pro-choice campaigners, who say The reforms build on his plans March 1. keeping secrets has passed....All choice campaigners converged Mariano Rajoy’s conservative gov- the new legislation would roll back announced last year to change The reforms were sparked by citizens, school pupils and stu- on the Spanish capital yester- ernment announced on December the decades in Spain, returning to the party’s financial ties with the a row last year over efforts by dents have the right to learn, with day to voice their opposition to 20 it would roll back a 2010 law conditions similar to those of a trade unions, which helped found Britain’s biggest union, United, to no intermediary, the truth about a government plan to restrict that allows women to opt freely more restrictive 1985 law. Labour in 1900. get its favoured candidate chosen totalitarian power,” he said in a access to abortion in the mainly for abortion in the first 14 weeks “I would never have imagined Miliband wants to end the to contest a parliamentary by- national address. Catholic country. of pregnancy. we would find ourselves back here, process by which union members election in Falkirk, in Scotland. The conservative president said Demonstrators shouting slo- The new law, yet to pass par- fighting for something we thought are automatically affiliated to Miliband is particularly sensi- the “worst vice of the transition” gans and carrying banners that liament where the ruling People’s we had won,” said 57-year-old Labour unless they opt out, say- tive to criticism about union influ- that followed the fall of the com- read “it is my right, it is my life” Party enjoys an absolute majority, protestor Maria Pilar Sanchez. ing it makes no sense in the 21st ence after their support helped munist regime on November 10, crowded around a Madrid station would allow abortion only in cases “We don’t want to turn the clock century. However, it risks having him beat his older brother, ex- 1989, was the lack of self-analysis to greet a “freedom train” of pro- of rape or a threat to the physi- back 40 years. Having an abortion a major impact on the finances foreign minister David Miliband, on the preceding four decades of testers from northern Spain. cal or psychological health of the used to be a crime in Spain. We don’t of the party, which depends on to the Labour leadership in 2010. totalitarianism. Under pressure from the mother. The move has outraged want to return to that.” AFP union donations. When the move AFP AGENCIES Head of Italy’s state pension agency resigns after scandal ROME: The head of Italy’s state multiple positions potentially and private companies and has he should go. The cabinet bill his other posts, he is the vice Minister Nunzia de Girolamo pension agency resigned yester- involving conflicts of interest. been characterised in the media on Friday appeared to target president of the tax collection became the second minister in day after a scandal involving Mastrapasqua came under as a prime example of someone Mastrapasqua directly. agency Equitalia. Letta’s government to resign conflict of interest and pension scrutiny this week when it benefiting unfairly from his role “I think Mastrapasqua has A Rome court is investigat- after she was caught on tape in contribution irregularities that emerged that a Rome court was in the public sector elite. made a wise choice,” Letta said ing the private Israelite Hospital an embarrassing exchange involv- has embarrassed Enrico Letta’s investigating a private hospital, He has denied all wrong-doing on Saturday during a visit to Abu where Mastrapasqua is director ing public contracts in her home fragile coalition government. of which he is director general, and said on Wednesday he had no Dhabi. “He understood the sense general for alleged billing irregu- region of Benevento, in southern Antonio Mastrapasqua, the for alleged billing malpractice and intention of resigning. of the government’s initiative, larities and some ¤40m ($54m) Italy. chief of the state pension and late pension payments on behalf But his position became unten- that you can’t have such impor- in pension back payments owed Last year Sports and Equal welfare fund INPS, stepped down of its employees. able as parliamentarians close to tant positions without an exclu- to INPS for its employees, daily Opportunities Minister Josefa after the government presented Mastrapasqua, a non-partisan Matteo Renzi, the centre-left sive contract.” Corriere della Sera said on Friday, Idem resigned over a tax evasion legislation on Friday to prevent technocrat, sits on the boards and leader of the biggest party in Mastrapasqua had been the citing INPS documents. scandal. public sector managers holding committees of numerous public Letta’s government, said that head of INPS since 2008. Among On Sunday, Agriculture REUTERS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 ASIA / PHILIPPINES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11

(LEFT) A government supporter is helped by pro-government protesters after being shot; (RIGHT) an anti-government protester with a rifle hidden in a sack runs during clashes in Bangkok yesterday. Rivals clash on Thailand election eve Explosions rock Bangkok; six injured in gunfire; ballot boxes prevented from being delivered to polling stations BANGKOK: Explosions and ricocheting off buildings for over from the Lak Si district office — a bullet hit him in the leg, while killed and hundreds injured in Yingluck’s opponents say she is heavy gunfire rattled Bangkok an hour in a daylight attack that one of 50 in the capital — were a photo on Twitter showed what clashes, grenade attacks and drive- a puppet for Thaksin, who lives yesterday as pro- and anti-gov- sent shockwaves across the city. confronted by a group of some appeared to be the photographer by shootings since the opposition in Dubai to avoid a prison term ernment protesters clashed on Tensions are high in the capi- 200 government supporters, some standing up as one of his legs was rallies began three months ago. for graft. the eve of Thai elections seen as tal ahead of snap elections today, armed with sticks and metal bars. bandaged. The backdrop to the protests The protests were initially trig- unlikely to end a cycle of violence which opposition demonstrators At least two explosions were “I’m walking now. I’m okay,” he is a years-long political strug- gered by a failed amnesty bill that in the kingdom after months of have vowed to block as they seek heard in the area before the fir- told the Journal. “I’ll be able to gle pitting the kingdom’s roy- could have allowed Thaksin to opposition rallies. to prevent the likely re-election ing began. work tomorrow.” alist establishment — backed return without going to jail. Bystanders, security personnel of Prime Minister Yingluck “The clash point is the inter- The firing started after talks by the courts and the military Yingluck is likely to win the and journalists raced to take cover Shinawatra. section, gunshots seemed to be between the rival groups broke — against Thaksin, a billionaire poll, helped by strong support in in a shopping mall after a masked Bangkok has been rocked by fired from both sides,” said Sunai down in the area, which is roughly tycoon-turned-politician. Thaksin’s north and northeastern gunman began spraying bullets weeks of sometimes bloody politi- Phasuk, a senior researcher with split between Yingluck’s support- The protesters are mainly heartlands. But unrest threatens from an assault rifle during con- cal violence during rallies by a New York-based Human Rights ers and those backing the opposi- made up of Thaksin’s foes in the polling and several constituencies frontations between government loose coalition opposed to Yingluck Watch, who was at the scene. tion protests, Sunai added. Bangkok middle class and south- are without a candidate. supporters and opposition demon- and the enduring influence of her He said a reporter was among “This is what we forecast for erners backed by factions in the Authorities yesterday said pro- strators, according to a reporter. elder brother Thaksin Shinawatra the injured. tomorrow. Tensions could flare up elite. They are demanding that testers were also blocking ballot At least six people were — a former premier ousted by the The Wall Street Journal reported into violence very easily,” he said, Yingluck’s elected government boxes being delivered to polling injured as a busy intersection in military in 2006. that acclaimed US photographer adding that protesters had been step down to make way for an une- stations across southern Thailand a northern suburb of the capi- Yesterday’s clashes happened James Nachtwey had been hurt in evacuated and tensions appeared lected “people’s council” that would — the stronghold of the opposition tal was turned into a battle zone after demonstrators blocking the pre-election clashes. to have calmed after nightfall. oversee reforms to tackle corrup- Democrat Party. with volleys of sustained gunfire ballot boxes from being delivered It quoted Nachtwey as saying At least 10 people have been tion and alleged vote-buying. AFP

Rodman offers to take jailed Frenchwoman faces China woos Taiwan with American’s Malaysia death penalty offshore ‘common homeland’ place in N Korea KUALA LUMPUR: A Hamza said police were investi- Frenchwoman and four others gating those detained for illegally PINGTAN: A few kilometres But the economic potential of in 1949 with the Communist Party detained in Malaysia on suspi- growing the plants and drug traf- off the Chinese coast, Beijing the “experimental zone” has yet controlling the mainland and the WASHINGTON: Former bas- cion of growing cannabis could ficking. “We will finish our inves- has appointed a Taiwanese citi- to be proved, and with Beijing defeated Nationalists retreating ketball star Dennis Rodman face the death penalty after tigations and submit the papers zen as deputy chief of an experi- setting the rules, its hints at to Taiwan. offered on Friday to take the police said yesterday they were to the attorney general’s office. mental “common homeland” political integration may well For decades the threat of place of an imprisoned Korean- “very likely” to be charged with It’s very likely that they will be that is an unusually forward be rebuffed. conflict loomed, with both sides American in North Korea, as he drug trafficking. charged,” Hamza said. overture to Taipei. “It’s basically the Chinese claiming to represent the whole spoke publicly for the first time The Frenchwoman, an He added the Frenchwoman, in Pingtan island is physically creating what they see as what of China. from a rehab facility. Indonesian maid and three her 30s, had been in Malaysia for China’s closest spot to Taiwan, future integration would look Beijing has described reunifica- Rodman, 52, appeared on CNN Malaysian men were arrested on a year but declined to name her and is now also being trans- like -- without really much tion as a “historical mission”, to less than a month after his fourth Wednesday in a raid on two lux- or give further details. formed into its nearest approxi- input from Taiwan,” said Bonnie be imposed by force if necessary. trip within 12 months to North ury apartment units in the capital Hundreds of people are cur- mation of a unified country, as Glaser, a senior adviser at the But at the same time a “one Korea, where he sang “Happy of eastern Sabah state on Borneo rently on death row in Malaysia, part of Beijing’s long-held dream US-based Centre for Strategic country, two systems” model is on Birthday” to supreme leader island, state police chief Hamza mainly for drug-related offences. to reclaim the self-governing and International Studies. offer, similar to the arrangements Kim Jong-Un, whom he calls a Taib said. Police seized 36 canna- Since 1960 nearly 450 people neighbour it considers a rogue “It may help some individual with Hong Kong, the former personal friend. bis plants and half a kilogramme have been executed, although the province. Taiwan companies make some British colony turned semiau- He said he felt for the fam- of processed cannabis from the Southeast Asian country has car- New towers crowd the shoreline money, but I don’t think it’s going tonomous Chinese territory. ily of Kenneth Bae, 45, a devout units, Hamza said. ried out few hangings in recent and the glow of construction sites to promote the political goals that Beijing has sought warmer ties Christian tour operator arrested Malaysia is known for its strict years. fills the night, while Taiwanese they seek,” she added. in recent years and in February a in November 2012 and later sen- anti-drug trafficking laws, and Two Australians were put to are being invited to serve in “The political symbolism in minister from Taipei will visit the tenced to 15 years of hard labour the offence carries a mandatory death in 1986 for heroin traffick- government, drive Taiwanese- all of this is seen as potentially mainland in the two sides’ first for allegedly importing “inflam- sentence of death by hanging ing — the first Westerners to be licensed cars and open Taiwanese threatening to Taiwan.” official contact in six decades. matory” material. upon conviction. hanged. AFP currency bank accounts. China’s brutal civil war ended AFP “I feel for them deeply,” he told CNN’s “New Day” programme. “Like I said, I will do anything, literally anything — this is Dennis Rodman talking — if they say, ‘We’ll take Dennis Rodman and Two Filipino TV let Kenneth Bae go,’ straightaway, 11 killed after Indonesian volcano erupts take me. journalists hurt “I will do that... I have no prob- KARO: Eleven people, includ- lem,” he added. ing four schoolchildren, were in bomb blast Upon leaving North Korea killed yesterday after they were earlier this month, Rodman engulfed by scorching ash clouds SAUDI AMPATUAN: Two prompted outrage when he sug- spat out by Indonesia’s Mount journalists at a major Philippine gested on the same CNN program Sinabung in its biggest eruption TV broadcaster were injured that Bae was responsible for his in recent days, officials said. yesterday after a bomb exploded own fate. Eight people were found dead in as they were covering fighting The player later apologized and Sukameriah village, near Mount between soldiers and hardline blamed alcohol for his remarks. Sinabung on the western island of Muslim rebels, a military com- Bae’s sister Terri Chung Sumatra, four or whom were high mander said. declined to react to Rodman’s school students on a sightseeing A reporter and cameraman at latest remarks, saying: “We are trip to the volcano, said Sutopo ABC-5 were among at least six going to decline politely from Purwo Nugroho, the spokes- civilians hurt by the improvised making any comments at this man for the National Disaster explosive device that exploded in time.” Management Agency. Saudi Ampatuan town in the trou- Rodman, who checked into a Three other bodies were recov- bled southern island of Mindanao, rehab facility in New Jersey upon ered from the village in the late said Colonel Edgardo Gonzales. his return to the United States, afternoon and taken to hospital Six soldiers were also wounded also spoke of his alcoholism, stat- for identification, Nugroho added. in the explosion, the military ing: “I’ve always been a party ani- A man and his son were caught added. “This morning... as our mal (and) the reason I drink is by the clouds when they went to soldiers were on a security patrol, because I’m bored.” Sukameriah village, 2.7 kilome- they were hit by an IED. By coin- Of North Korea’s leader, he tres south of Sinabung crater cidence the civilians and the TV said: “I don’t know him as a dic- to pay respect at the graves of crew were there,” Gonzales said. tator. With him, he’s a 31-year-old their relatives. Thirty-thousand The head of ABC-5’s news divi- guy and I call him a kid all the people have taken refuge since sion, Luchi Cruz-Valdes, said cam- time, and yeah, he’s my friend. the volcano started erupting in Indonesian villagers flee as Mount Sinabung spews volcanic ash in Karo, North Sumatra, yesterday. eraman Adrian Bulatao’s injury AFP September. AFP was “serious”. AFP SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN Afghan presidential candidate’s aides killed Unidentified gunmen open fire on Abdullah Abdullah’s election team members in Herat

KABUL: Gunmen shot dead in Herat, along with another No one had claimed responsi- on who was behind the threats. the Afghan police and army face 2009 election, is seen as a favourite two aides of Afghan presidential team member in Herat city this bility for the attack. But a source Abdullah spokesman a major challenge with little sup- this time around, experts say. candidate Abdullah Abdullah evening,” Sayed Fazel Sangcharaki, close to Abdullah who did not wish Sangcharaki said Hamdard had port from the dwindling number He was a member of on the eve of the official election a spokesman for Abdullah said. to be named said: “We had received worked with Abdullah during the of Nato troops. Burhanuddin Rabbani’s govern- campaign yesterday. Abdul Rauf Ahmadi, a police some threats in the past week, and last presidential campaign in 2009, The interior ministry hopes to ment before the Taliban era, which The attack came as the country spokesman in the western city of two suspects were detained three and lamented the lack of security open 6,431 of the 6,845 polling cen- ended in 2001, and was also a close prepares for its first ever demo- Herat, confirmed the incident. days ago near our election cam- provided by the government. tres, although fears of insurgent aide to Ahmad Shah Massoud, the cratic transfer of power, with the “Unfortunately two people, paign office in the city. “This incident at the beginning violence could keep turnout low. legendary commander of the anti- April 5 election viewed as a key namely Ahmad Hamdard and “We had also informed the secu- of election campaign is a bad sign Only about one-third of regis- Taliban Northern Alliance militia. test of the effectiveness of the Shujahideen were killed in the rity forces that there may be more as either the security forces are tered voters cast their ballots last Afghanistan’s election campaign 350,000-strong Afghan security fourth district of Herat city this possible threats, but unfortunately, incapable of providing security time — significantly lower than kicks off today, with 11 candidates forces as foreign troops prepare evening. Unidentified gunmen despite some security measures for the election campaign or they previous elections — and the turn- vying to succeed President Hamid to exit the country. opened fire on them in the mid- taken by us and police there, two do not take their job seriously,” he out may decline further. Karzai as the country enters a new “I can confirm that armed men dle of street,” he said. main members of our election said. Abdullah, a suave opposition era without the aid of Nato combat killed Dr Hamdard, who was to The police spokesman only gave team were killed this evening.” Taliban insurgents have threat- leader who came second to Karzai troops to fight the Taliban. lead our election campaign team one name for the second victim. The source did not elaborate ened to target the campaign, and in the chaotic and fraud-riddled AFP

Afghan child labour Uniform cheque Taliban panel for govt talks standards to be includes Imran Khan introduced MIRANSHAH: The Pakistani with insurgents. His spokesperson, Taliban yesterday said crick- Shireen Mazari, said: “Our posi- KARACHI: The State Bank eter-turned politician Imran tion is very clear. We have full con- of Pakistan has decided to Khan would be one of five mem- fidence in the committee formed implement a uniform stand- bers of a committee set up to by the government.” ard for cheque printing hold talks with the government. Aziz said the committee was a across the banking industry The announcement came days “noble cause”. and prescribed guidelines after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif “I will continue to be part of relating to their layout, and named a similar team to facilitate the committee if the govern- June 30, 2014 has been set as dialogue with the extremists, who ment shows sincerity in looking the deadline for implementa- have waged a deadly insurgency into (Taliban) demands — and tion of the standard. since 2007. of course the major demand is In a circular, the SBP has “The committee members will enforcement of Shariah law in the advised all banks and financial hold talks with their interlocutors country,” he said. institutions to arrange new in the government’s team on our Experts expressed doubt yester- chequebooks as per the new behalf and put forth our point of day that much would come from standard upon the exhaus- view,” Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan the establishment of the two com- tion of the existing stock or by (TTP) spokesman Shahidullah mittees, suggesting the Taliban the deadline, whichever comes Shahid said. were not committed to talks. earlier, and to issue only the Khan is joined by the chief “The TTP’s strategy is to avoid new standardised chequebooks cleric of Islamabad’s Red Mosque, a military action until end of 2014, after June 30. Maulana Abdul Aziz, and three when international troops with- Bank and financial institu- senior religious party leaders: draw from Afghanistan,” security tions have been directed to Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, Mufti analyst Hasan Askari said. ensure that clearing stamps Kifayatullah and Professor “This will help them join hands are affixed on the reverse Ibrahim Khan. with Afghan Taliban and focus full side of the cheque, not on the Khan, leader of the Pakistan attention on securing control of obverse, so that no material Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, has been the tribal regions.” part of the cheque is defaced. a vocal supporter of negotiating AFP An Afghan child working as a garbage collector looks for recyclable material in Ghazni. Economic development The central bank advised is considered a vital weapon to stop Afghanistan from sinking back into civil war and to stem Islamist extremism banks to ensure that the size after 100,000 international combat troops pull out. of the stamp is in accordance with the requirements of the new standards. Kashmir border Nato chief doesn’t see Karzai signing pact Pakistani police bus service to kill four gunmen MUNICH: President Hamid sign the agreement unless certain must be negotiated with other time to plan its post-2014 mission, resume soon Karzai is unlikely to sign a pact conditions are met. Nato forces. even if it was not signed until ISLAMABAD: At least four for US and Nato forces to stay The delay has frustrated the Instead, he believed Karzai Karzai’s successor was in office. gunmen were killed yester- MUZAFFARABAD: The bus in Afghanistan after 2014 and United States and its allies, who would leave the issue for the presi- “Most probably, it will be for a day in an encounter with the service across the de facto bor- will probably leave the choice for want to plan the post-2014 train- dent elected in an April 5 election. new president to sign a security police during a search opera- der in Kashmir will resume his successor, Nato chief Anders ing and advisory mission. Karzai has served two terms agreement and in that case we tion in northwest Pakistan’s next week after being sus- Fogh Rasmussen said yesterday. Both the United States and and cannot run again. are prepared to stay after 2014,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa pended for more than two Kabul and Washington spent Nato have said they may be “I think, realistically speaking, Rasmussen said. province. weeks, a Pakistani official said months negotiating a legal frame- forced to pull their forces out of a new president will be the one “If we don’t get a signature even The incident occurred in yesterday. work for some US troops to stay Afghanistan entirely at the end of to sign,” Rasmussen told report- from a new president, then we will Yar Hussain area of Swabi All movement including trav- on after the end of 2014, when this year unless the agreement is ers during the annual Munich also be prepared to withdraw eve- district, according to local elling and trade along the Line Nato-led forces are due to end signed soon. Security Conference. rything by the end of 2014, because media. of Control (LoC), which divides combat operations, leaving behind Rasmussen acknowledged for He said, however, that he was in that case we don’t have a legal Police also claimed to have the disputed Himalayan region a much smaller training and advi- the first time yesterday that he confident that Afghanistan would basis for a continued presence,” recovered weapons and explo- between Pakistan and India, sory mission. did not expect Karzai to sign the sign the agreement “at the end of he said. sives after the encounter. had been suspended after Indian But Karzai has said he will not US pact and a similar pact that the day” and Nato would still have REUTERS AGENCIES authorities detained a Pakistani truck driver for allegedly carrying 114 kilograms of heroin. Rescue worker killed “Senior officials from the two sides met recently and decided to resume the bus service in UK media hails Bilawal’s anti-Taliban stance the first phase from January 3,” Mohammad Ismail, chief of the ISLAMABAD: The UK daily “Sons of the Pashtun soil, they Taliban are a direct threat to all Trade and Travel Authority in Independent has praised what it gained widespread support with that. Pakistani Kashmir, said. called the “surprising transfor- their claims to being pious and “That’s one reason why the However, he said there has mation of Bilawal Bhutto into a honest, even though their version decision by Bilawal Bhutto been an impasse over resumption leader of Pakistan’s anti-Taliban of Islam was brutally reductive. Zardari, the 25-year-old son of trade. movement.” “That helps to explain why they of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Ali At least 49 Pakistani trucks and In a report yesterday by Peter are still such a force to reckon with Zardari, Pakistan’s recently their drivers were being held on Popham, the paper said Bilawal’s today. The situation is completely retired president, to call for deci- India’s side of the border following call had gone down very well far different in Pakistan, west of the sive military action against the the incident, while Pakistan had beyond the family stronghold. Indus River, where the shaggy- Pakistani Taliban is going down retaliated by holding 27 trucks. The paper said: “The Afghan bearded, blood-thirsty Islamists of very well far beyond the Bhutto Meanwhile, traders and rela- Taliban and the Pakistani Taliban the Pakistani Taliban are seen in family’s strongholds in Karachi tives of the detained truck driv- are two very different things. The the same light as ancient Romans and rural Sindh.” ers rallied in Muzaffarabad, the Afghan Taliban, who have stub- regarded the Visigoths as terrify- In an interview with the BBC’s capital of Pakistan-administered bornly resisted the worst that the ing barbarian invaders. Lyse Doucet this week, Bhutto Kashmir, yesterday and said they US and Britain could throw at “For all its failings and con- said: “Dialogue is always an option would not allow resumption of them for the past 12 years, brought tradictions, Pakistan enjoys a but we have to have a position of the bus service until all the a measure of peace and stability to measure of civilisation unknown strength. How do you talk from a drivers return to their homes in their war-racked country during in Afghanistan beyond the water- position of weakness?” safety. the late 1990s. ing holes of Kabul. The Pakistani INTERNEWS “The government should not resume the bus service until India returns our drivers and their trucks. All the local traders and their families will stop this bus from leaving Muzaffarabad Cricketer Umar held over alleged assault on Monday,” secretary general of Intra-Kashmir Trade Hamid KARACHI: Pakistan Test him, got abusive and also tore his complaint and instead they have Kashmiri said. batsman Umar Akmal has been shirt,” senior police official Tariq detained me,” he added. Barter trade across the de detained by police for ques- Aziz told reporters. Umar claimed the incident was facto border began in 2008 as tioning after being accused of “He is presently detained at the captured on CCTV cameras at part of peace efforts between assaulting a police warden in police station for questioning,” he the traffic signal and the footage the nuclear-armed neighbours, his hometown of Lahore. added. will make it clear who was the but it is frequently disrupted by The case has been registered However, Umar, 23, denied the aggrieved and guilty parties. disputes. at the Gulberg police station in charges and told reporters that Umar’s family blamed the police It was last suspended in whose jurisdiction the alleged the traffic warden had slapped him for stopping him from applying September 2013 for a period of incident happened yesterday. and abused him over a minor issue. for bail yesterday as the court had almost six weeks over a disagree- Rescue workers of Chhipa services cry beside the body of their colleague, “He violated a traffic signal and “His behaviour was inappro- closed for the day by the time he ment on the origin of goods being who was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Karachi yesterday. when he was stopped by the traf- priate to say the least. I came to was taken there for the hearing. traded. AFP fic warden he misbehaved with the police station to register a REUTERS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13

Nitish Kumar Police assure rules out return to NDA fast probe into PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar yesterday ruled out his party Janata Dal- United’s (JD-U) return to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)- student killing led NDA. “There is no question of us (JD- U) returning to the NDA,” Nitish Kumar said at a function here. Northeastern students meet Kejriwal The chief minister’s state- ment came after JD-U president NEW DELHI: Students “It is a shocking incident and Sharad Yadav on Friday report- from the northeastern states, it is not the first time. It is not edly said that his party may demanding justice over Nido just about people from north- return to the NDA after the Lok Tania’s killing, called off their east, people from outside always Sabha polls. protest yesterday after the face discrimination here,” said a However, Sharad Yadav yes- Delhi Police assured them of protestor. terday denied making such a speedy investigations. Taniam, the son of a state statement. A delegation of students union legislator, was found dead a day Nitish Kumar said there is a also met Delhi Chief Minister later, triggering fury among rights strong possibility of a non-BJP Arvind Kejriwal. activists, students and migrants and non-Congress formation by The protest was held at the from the young student’s home like minded parties including Lajpat Nagar market in south state of Arunachal Pradesh. the JD-U, Left parties and other Delhi where Nido Tania, 19, was Angry protesters carrying regional parties. mercilessly beaten up by two placards and banners gathered at “We are keen on trying for a shopkeepers Wednesday after- the same marketplace Saturday new front on the basis of under- noon following a row over his to demand a proper probe into standing and cooperation to take appearance and clothing. He died Taniam’s death and highlight Students from northeastern states during a protest against Delhi police in New Delhi, yesterday. on the Congress and the BJP in at a hospital Thursday. their “routine racial profiling”. elections,” he said. Students from Arunachal “We are not animals. Please rods. He was taken away by the minister (Sushilkumar Shinde) “We wholeheartedly condemn Earlier, Nitish Kumar said Pradesh had threatened that they respect our feelings. We respect police but was reportedly dropped and chief minister (Kejriwal) this kind of racist slur and vio- talks were on “among like- would hold an indefinite protest. yours,” Sabaduni, General at the same place where he was will rise to the occasion,” the BJP lence that happened in the middle minded parties” on forming a “The Delhi Police have accepted Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh first attacked. leader said. of a major market in New Delhi,” new front ahead of the Lok Sabha our demands and assured that student union, told reporters. Friends allege Taniam was Activists and people from the Rai said in a statement. elections. investigation will be speeded up Taniam, whose father is beaten for a second time by the northeast termed it a “racial “We observe with concern that The chief minister said his so we have called off our pro- a Congress lawmaker in the same group of people, leading to attack” while the region’s parlia- this kind of situation happens in party along with the Left parties, test. We are also meeting Arvind Arunachal Pradesh state legisla- severe internal injuries. mentarians said they would take Delhi every now and then,” it including the Communist Party of Kejriwal to discuss the matter,” ture, was studying in Jalandhar Another protestor said that up the matter with the prime said. India-Marxist (CPM), had been said J T Tagam, former president in neighbouring Punjab state they “want Delhi chief minister minister. The statement added that the working on forming a new politi- of Arunachal Pradesh students and had travelled to Delhi for a (Arvind Kejriwal) to deliver jus- Lok Sabha MP and Sikkim Northeast MPs Forum will be cal formation. union. holiday. tice to us”. Democratic Front spokesperson meeting Kejriwal, urging him to Scores of protestors held His friends say that while at A group of people from the P D Rai yesterday condemned the take action against the culprits. SP hits out at placards, raised slogans against the market he stopped at a con- northeastern states also met incident, saying the state’s peo- “We would like that this kind discrimination and demanded fectionery shop for directions, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ple were “horrified” on knowing of situation does not ever arise Kejriwal for calling justice. Nido Tania was the son where he was taunted over his leader Harsh Vardhan. about Tania’s death and its causes for any northeastern student or of Arunachal Pradesh Congress hair colour by the men, who then “I hope prime minister as it played out on TV and social person.” Mulayam corrupt legislator Nido Pavitra. attacked him with sticks and iron (Manmohan Singh), home media. AGENCIES LUCKNOW: The Samajwadi Party yesterday lashed out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for calling party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav a “cor- rupt” leader who should not be India’s first Monorail begins services in Mumbai allowed to enter parliament. Reacting to Friday’s state- MUMBAI: The much-antic- minutes but the Monorail will after the 23.8-km Osaka Monorail would stand out in the Mumbai Mumbai suburban railways and ment by the Aam Aadmi Party ipated Mumbai Monorail — complete it in just 20 minutes. in Japan. skyline from all sides. BEST bus fleet. (AAP) chief, where he said the India’s first — was inaugurated The second phase — con- The Wadala-Chembur sec- Each train is capable of ferry- The Monorail has generated Samajwadi Party supremo was here yesterday, with Chief necting Wadala with Sant tion, that was thrown open, ing 600 passengers. immense excitement among among several corrupt politi- Minister Prithviraj Chavan, Gadge Maharaj Chowk in has seven stations en route — The capacity can be enhanced Mumbaikars — comparable to the cians in India, party spokesman Deputy Chief Minister Ajit south Mumbai, a distance of Wadala, Mysore Colony, Bhakti to 900 with the addition of two Rajiv Gandhi Bandra-Worli Sea and Prisons Minister Rajendra Pawar and several media per- 19.17km — will be completed by Park, BPCL, VNP-RC Marg more coaches in each Monorail Link opening in June 2009. Chowdhary said such words can sons climbing aboard for the mid-2015, said officials of the Junction, Fertiliser Colony and in the near future when the speed With comfortable, clean, quick, only be spoken by a street-level inaugural ride. Mumbai Metropolitan Region Chembur. would also be gradually increased green, world-class commute at politician. The 8.93-km-long Monorail, Development Authority. The Monorail will also be cost- to 80km per hour. affordable rates, the Monorail will “Such words for netaji running between Chembur and Costing a total Rs3,000 crore, effective for commuters who can From today, the trains will be provide a crucial connectivity to (Mulayam), who has a long his- Wadala in the east-south direc- the fully-elevated Monorail enjoy airconditioned comfortable operated at an interval of 15 min- areas not adequately serviced by tory of public service and struggle, tion, comprising the first phase, has a minimum height of 5.5 travel with the minimum fare utes and ferry around 2,500 pas- the existing suburban railways can only come from an ‘adh- will be open to the public from metres and is higher in some starting at just Rs5. The fare sengers per hour, for eight hours network. kachra’ politician,” Chowdhary today. sections. will go up to Rs11 for the full from 7am to 3pm. It will also complement said in a statement. It would initially travel at a The fully completed Chembur- journey. Later, the services are proposed the objectives of the upcom- “Politics has stooped so low that speed of 31 km per hour. Sant Gadge Maharaj Chowk The Monorail comprises four to be increased to around 19 hours ing Metro Rail that will link anyone can call a senior leader Usually, the Chembur-Wadala corridor will be second longest colourful coaches — featuring sky daily, from 5am to midnight, on Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar. names,” he said. road journey takes around 60-70 Monorail corridor in the world blue, green and soft pink — that the lines of the existing congested IANS AGENCIES

Rural Olympics Buddhadeb Khirki residents’ anger forcing summoned by panel probing Africans out of the area police firing NEW DELHI: For years, they law minister. But the residents There are roughly 15,000 had called this gritty working seemed to solidly back the errant African students living across KOLKATA: Former West class neighbourhood their home, minister who had exceeded his India at any given point of time, Bengal chief minister as it was close to universities brief. spread across cities like Delhi, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has and hospitals and rents were Nazeer Ahmed, a local resident Chandigarh, Pune, Bangalore and been summoned to appear affordable compared to the rest and one among those protest- other educational hubs. before a one-man inquiry com- of the Indian capital. ing against Africans in Khirki The lanes in Khirki Extension mission probing the July 21, 1993 But now, in the wake of a Extension, said Bharti did not do are narrow, damp and squalid. police firing on Youth Congress controversial raid by a Delhi any wrong. “The entire African The houses in the area were con- workers that left 13 dead. minister against “drug and pros- community living here is being structed in such a fashion that “Bhattacharjee has been titution dens” directed against looked upon with suspicion for the no sunlight falls on the lanes. It requested to appear before the “some Africans”, scores of others misdeeds of a few,” Ahmed said. is estimated that around 3,000 commission on February 26 to from the continent, either stu- Ahmed even went to the extent Africans, mostly from Uganda and record his views. An order asking dents, those who had come here of saying that the problem can be Nigeria, live in this area on rent. his presence on the day scheduled for treatment or those who were resolved if all the African resi- For a one-bedroom flat an Indian has been issued,” Justice (retd) doing small businesses, are having dents are evicted from the area. pays Rs8,000-9,000 ($120-150) per Sushanta Chatterjee of the com- to move out of Khirki Extension He himself asked an African liv- month, while the Africans shell mission said here yesterday. in south Delhi — the target of res- ing on rent in his apartment block out almost double this. “There are references to the idents’ hostility and ill-concealed to vacate. Bharti’s act of knocking at the name of Bhattacharjee in media racist feelings against “blacks.” An African woman, who runs doors of Africans in the middle reports published after the inci- Delhi Law Minister Somnath a small restaurant in Khirki, of the night has created ripples dent, so the commission deems it fit Bharti, who belongs to the fledg- said on condition of anonymity: across African communities. to summon him,” Chatterjee said. ling activists-turned-political “Locals are hostile towards us. Another African woman said Immediately after assuming party called Aam Admi Party, or My landlord has stopped pipe- that many of her friends have power in May 2011, the Mamata the party of the common man, line water supply to my flat and shifted out and she is also plan- Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress did a midnight raid on Khirki I could not have a bath for three ning to shift from Khirki. She government in the state consti- Extension, a stone’s throw from days. Even the people who sell pointed out that local Africans tuted the commission to ascertain glittering shopping malls, a cou- water in the locality charge us a chose this place because of its who issued the order to the police ple of weeks ago alleging Africans premium.” advantageous location in the city. to open fire at the rally, which was staying there were involved She said the Khirki prob- However, a few residents called by Banerjee, who at the in drug and prostitution and lem sparked off because of the blamed the police more than time was a youth Congress leader. he wanted to catch them red- revealing dresses a set of African the foreigners, many of whom The now ruling Trinamool handed. Hundreds of Africans, women wore. were living here even after observes July 21 as “Martyr’s Day”. largely from Nigeria and Uganda, A group of African students their visas had expired and the Jyoti Basu was the chief minister stay in the area. said the primary reason for them police let them off after tak- at the time of the incident, while The incident, criticised by the to come to India is affordable edu- ing bribes. A property dealer Bhattacharjee, Communist Party Indian foreign ministry and by cation, scholarships and easy visa operating in the area said the of India-Marxist (CPI-M) polit- A Sikh Nihang warrior performs a stunt on two galloping horses dur- women’s activists and student availability. “But these incidents owners preferred the foreign buro member, was the informa- ing the 78th Kila Raipur Sports Festival, also known as the “Rural groups, made national and inter- are making life difficult for us,” tenants because they pay more tion and culture minister. Olympics”, at Kila Raipur, some 20km from Ludhiana, yesterday. national news and there were said one of the students, as the rent than the locals. IANS demands for sacking the state others nodded in unison. IANS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA

Efforts on for Italy blasts handling of marines’ case non-Congress, Special court to await February 3 ruling of Supreme Court; Letta to contact international allies non-BJP

ROME/NEW DELHI: Ahead President Giorgio Napolitano that he will support Letta in killing fishermen Valentine (aka who was part of a delegation that alternative: Karat of hearing of the case in India’s has blasted India’s handling of the raising awareness among Italy’s Gelastine) and Ajesh Binki after travelled to New Delhi likened cap- apex court, Italy has blasted case as “contradictory and discon- international partners about the allegedly mistaking them for ital punishment to an act of war. HYDERABAD: Communist India’s handling of the case of certing”, he said in a statement. marines. pirates and opening fire on their One of the marines said Party of India-Marxist (CPM) the two Italian marines as “con- On Thursday, a special court “The head of state will continue fishing trawler while guarding the Monday that they were still doing General Secretary Prakash tradictory and disconcerting”. in New Delhi announced that it and intensify the contacts estab- privately owned Italian-flagged their military duty. “We are sol- Karat yesterday said the Left Italy has also said that it will would postpone the case until lished on this issue with the heads oil-tanker MT Enrica Lexie off diers, Italian soldiers. We must parties were trying to bring work among its international February 25, heightening tension of State of friendly nations, hav- the coast of Kerala on February suffer with dignity,” said Latorre, together all secular parties for partners to raise awareness of the in what has become an interna- ing already encountered atten- 15, 2012. who met the parliamentary del- a non-Congress and non-BJP plight of the marines who are fac- tional matter. tion and understanding about Italy’s Defence Minister Mario egates at the Italian embassy.”We alternative. ing trial in India for the alleged The special court said it would this painful case from them,” the Mauro said on Friday that India hope to come back with honour”. Talking to reporters here, he killing of two fishermen. await a February 3 ruling from statement added. is violating the marines’ human After seeing the marines, the said the efforts were on to evolve Premier Enrico Letta, after the Indian Supreme Court on a Napolitano reportedly also rights by holding them for so long. Italian delegation met all the EU such a combination before Lok meeting an Italian parliamentary reported move by the National promised them that they would Speaking outside a defense con- ambassadors in New Delhi. All Sabha elections but declined to delegation that visited the two Investigation Agency (NIA) to return to Italy “with honour”, ference in Munich, Mauro said except one, whose nationality has call it a “third front”. marines — Massimiliano Latorre prosecute the Italians under an according to a centre-right MP that India’s justice system has not been disclosed, agreed with Italy Karat said while about 10 non- and Salvatore Girone — in New anti-terrorism law that bears who has been at the forefront of taken too long. “(The) marines that the case of the two marines Congress and non-Bharatiya Delhi, said in Rome: “We will the death penalty, despite pre- a drive to get the marines home. are innocent and it is right that was an international issue, not just Janata Party parties were trying continue our contacts with Italy’s vious reassurances from the “Napolitano on the phone they come back home.” a bilateral issue, the MPs said. to come together and may also main European and international Indian foreign ministry that the with #marines, you will return “After two years, there is still An Italian petition to the cooperate for Lok Sabha elections, partners to raise awareness on marines would not face capital with honour,” tweeted Maurizio not an indictment: this is a vio- Indian Supreme Court said that the formation may take a con- an issue that sees the interna- punishment. Gasparri, Senate whip for ex- lation of human rights,” Mauro the pair should be released due to crete shape only after the polls. tional community on the side of Napolitano, who said that the premier Silvio Berlusconi’s Forza added. The renewed threat of long delays in the pre-trial proc- He said this would also depend our two marines and their fami- case had been managed in “con- Italia party and deputy Speaker capital punishment in the case ess, following their arrest almost on the election results. lies,” Italian news agency ANSA tradictory, disconcerting ways by in the upper house. has increased outrage. two years ago. The CPM leader believes reported. the Indian authorities”, added The pair are accused of One of the Italian lawmakers IANS AIADMK, the Janata Dal-United, the Janata Dal-Secular, the Biju Janata Dal, the Samajwadi Party besides the Left parties may be BJP campaign in Kolkata part of the non-Congress and non-BJP alliance. Goa provokes strain in Karat said CPM had decided to field candidates in 35 Lok Sabha seats spread over eight states. The party may field candidates in India-Russia ties: Envoy other states after reaching elec- toral understanding with regional PANAJI: Upset with the Goa agency Itar-Tass’s bureau chief in parties, he added. government’s “shocking” and India, told the media. “We have not yet taken a deci- abrupt refusal to allow an Indo- Antipin said the top newspapers sion about other states because Russian music festival, Russia and Itar-Tass were keeping tabs we may have electoral under- may shift the event to Thailand, on the developments involving standing with different parties. a Russian diplomat said here Russians in Goa and felt that the We are having consultations with yesterday. festival’s cancellation would trig- them,” he said. Alexey Mzareulov, Russian ger adverse coverage back home. Asked about YSR Congress deputy consul in Mumbai, said Backing Antipin, Mzareulov said: party, he said while CPM consider Goa did not care for the money “Think about what Russian tour- it as a secular party, it had not that Russian tourists spent here. ists when they go back to Russia taken a decision on having elec- Addressing a press confer- will say about this story.” toral understanding with it. ence in Panaji, Mzareulov said The festival was to be held Karat alleged that Congress was the “weight of the scandal” was January 31 to February 1 at Baga, trying to bring women’s reserva- such that the matter was now one of the most popular beaches in tion and communal violence bills out of the hands of the consular north Goa, located 20km from the in the ensuing parliament session authorities and in the hands of capital. “If money of Russian tour- for political benefits. He said the the Russian ambassador. ists is nothing for you, if it means CPM along with secular parties “Goa provoked the loss of nothing for many thousands of like SP and JD-U would work out Russian-Indian friendship rela- families of Goa, it is a matter for a common strategy in parliament. tions, because as you know we the state authorities to decide. We Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wear masks and posters of Narendra Modi, the prime ministerial IANS have more than 250,000 Russian have enough places to be recom- candidate of BJP and Gujarat’s chief minister, as they attend a party campaign rally in Kolkata, yesterday. tourists here,” Mzareulov said. mended,” Mzareulov said. Russian tourists would now The diplomat said that both begin to think of Kerala or even Russia’s consular office in other countries as holiday desti- Mumbai as well as the embassy nations instead of Goa, he said. in Delhi were shocked when they Sonia assures north Karnataka of financial package The decision to cancel the fes- learnt that the festival was can- tival, which had top Indian bands celled abruptly. like Indian Ocean and Parikrama “Now our pride of this good GULBARGA, Karnataka: special financial package for their of similar packages granted to jobs and educational institutions. playing with their Russians coun- traditional cooperation between Congress President Sonia socio-economic development,” Telangana in Andhra Pradesh Lauding the people of the terparts, was taken by the Goa Russia and India has been com- Gandhi yesterday assured peo- Gandhi said at a massive public and Vidharbha in Maharashtra. region for voting for her party in government after a scuffle between promised. We see tourism from ple in north Karnataka of a meeting here, about 650km from The central government has the May 2013 assembly election, taxi operators and tour operators Russia to India, especially to Goa, special financial package from Bangalore. recently granted a special status Gandhi said by giving a comfort- earlier this week, in which some as one of the most important the central government for the Gandhi was responding to to the six districts of this back- able majority to the Congress, Russian tourists were injured. components of bilateral relations. integrated development of the the demand voiced by Railways ward region — Bidar, Bellary, the people have voted for devel- “This is not just loss of money Human relationships are impor- region. Minister and Gulbarga MP Gulbarga, Koppal, Raichur and opment, which, she said, suffered for the organisers, but also a loss tant now after the Soviet Union’s “I will follow up with the cen- Mallikarjun Kharge for the Yadgir — by a constitutional during the “corruption-riddled” of profit from the festival for Goa,” disintegration,” he said. tral government the demand of financial package from the cen- amendment to provide the resi- Bharatiya Janata Party rule. Alexander Antipin, Russian news IANS the people in the region to grant a tral finance panel on the lines dents reservation in government IANS

Harish Rawat to be Uttarakhand’s Migrants will soon avail of e-migrate initiative ROM April this year, human intervention and auto- is liable to fulfil certain prereq- The ‘e-migrate’ project initi- new chief minister Indian migrants are matic implementation of the THE NR EYE uisites before leaving the country ated by the ministry seeks to likely to be saved the emigration process (as required for employment abroad. The list of facilitate these and related pro- DEHRADUN: Union Water hassles of running under the Emigration Act, 1983), Moiz Mannan these prerequisites includes hav- cedures in the entire process Resources Minister Harish Rawat from pillar to post with real time access to relevant ing a passport, emigration clear- of recruitment and therefore was yesterday named the new Fand also escape the peril of being information and data to all con- ance, employment contract, visa seeks to involve stakeholders on chief minister of Uttarakhand, duped by unscrupulous agents cerned. This project would, to a be issued to the emigrants under or work permit, medical examina- both sides. The project has been Congress party leaders said. and employers. Officials in the great extend, help reduce corrup- the project after examining all tion certificate, police clearance planned with consultancy support Congress president Sonia Ministry of Overseas Indians tion, malpractices and irregular pros and cons to ensure that the certificate, return air tickets etc. from the National Institute for Gandhi chose Rawat after outgo- Affairs (MOIA) have said that the migration and thereby facilitate benefits are commensurate with Once the candidates are Smart Government, Hyderabad. ing chief minister Vijay Bahuguna ambitious ‘e-migrate’ project with legal and orderly migration. the cost to the emigrant. screened and selected by the According to ministry sources, moved a resolution at a meeting of a vision to “transform emigration The primary objectives of the The e-migrate project was con- employer, usually it is the recruit- it is aimed at achieving greater Congress legislators here author- into a simple, transparent, orderly project are to design and imple- ceptualised several years ago in ment agent who assists them in user convenience and effective ising her to select his successor. and humane process” will soon be ment processes and application order to systematise the overseas completing the required proce- protection and welfare of the Central observers Janardan launched in a phased manner. for emigration ecosystem; to bring recruitment of mainly blue-col- dural formalities such as obtain- emigrant. The subsidiary benefits Dwivedi, Ambika Soni and It will happen provided the dif- changes and technology that lar migrants and cut out not just ing emigration clearance. would include greater levels of effi- Ghulam Nabi Azad, who were ferent ministries involved, such as result in significant improvement discrepancies but also malprac- The employment contract states ciency, transparency and account- present at the meeting, conveyed the Ministry of External Affairs in delivery of emigration services; tices indulged in by unscrupulous the terms and conditions of employ- ability in the emigration system, the message to the party high (MEA) and the Ministry of Home to introduce systems that simplify agents and employers. ment offered by the employer and facilitation of legal emigration and command. Since Gandhi is on a Affairs (MHA) can sort of the different processes in the emigra- Currently, the job contracts acceptance of the same by the prevention of illegal emigration. tour in Karnataka, it took some matter of information sharing tion cycle; and, to establish inter- of skilled and unskilled Indian employee. Usually, the recruitment The scheme is expected to time in getting across to her, and stop asking for charges for faces among key stakeholders. workers carrying passports with agent receives this certificate from automate emigration clearance, Dwivedi told media persons. this from each other. The project involves full auto- ‘Emigration Clearance Required’ the employer and obtains the sig- computerise registration of When she proposed Rawat’s A senior MIOA official was mation of Protector of Emigrant stamps have to be attested by the nature of the employee either in his recruitment agents and employ- name, the matter was brought recently quoted by the media as offices & Protector General of Indian Protector of Emigrants presence or by post. ers’ permits, dispense with dis- before the legislature party again saying that the ministry was tar- Emigrant office, phased inter- and Indian embassies. After Upon the execution of the cretion, mitigate harassment of and was ratified unanimously. geting to introduce the e-migrate linking with recruiting agents, approval from two Indian author- employment contract, the emigrants and remove corruption. The new cabinet was scheduled project in April. The e-Migrate employers, immigration counters, ities, the employer submits the employer seeks approval from It would also provide useful tools to be sworn in later yesterday. Project aims to transform the Indian missions abroad, insurance worker’s job contract to the UAE his government, and once it is and data for policy analysis, infor- Bahuguna resigned on Friday emigration into simple, transpar- companies etc and integration of Ministry of Labour. This contract received it is forwarded to the mation dissemination and speedy after instructions from the party ent, orderly and humane economic labour market information with is the relevant document to refer agent. This permission is gen- redress of grievances. high command following accusa- process. It would result in signifi- policy decisions through appro- to if any dispute arises. erally called Visa/NOC/Work The scheme involves computeri- tions of poor rehabilitation meas- cant improvement in the quality priate Management Information However, there are widespread Permit/Entry Permit etc, and is sation of the functions of the POE ures taken after the June 2013 of services to emigrant workers System. The project would develop complaints about discrepancies in the most important document in (Protector of Emigrants) offices flash floods which killed thou- since it would simplify different integrated modules on recruiting the terms of contract submitted the external migration system. and the PGE (Protector General sands of people in the hill state. processes in the emigration cycle agent system, emigration clear- to those three authorities. And This document is a prerequisite of Emigrants) office and phased Rawat, who had lost the race to and improve effectiveness. The ance system, immigration control there was no system to detect the to obtain emigration clearance, interlinking with recruiting agents, Bahuguna when the Congress party e-Migrate Project would provide system, complaint management discrepancies. a police clearance certificate, air employers, immigration counters, came back to power in 2012, will a complete and comprehensive system, Recruiting Agent rating As per the rules laid down in tickets etc — and for most of the Indian missions abroad, insurance be the state’s eighth chief minister. electronic platform linking all system and the contract attesta- this regard by the Government documents concerning overseas companies and state governments etc. IANS the stakeholders with minimum tion system. Identity cards would of India, an intending emigrant labour mobility. THE PENINSULA

SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME Longest-ever secret solar Fajr (Dawn) 4:58 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:17 eclipse seen Zuhr (Noon) 11:48 Asr (Afternoon) 2:56 from space Maghrib (Sunset) 5:20 WASHINGTON: Here was Isha (Night) 6:50 an eclipse that we missed. But Nasa’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was up and alive and witnessed a stunning WEATHER phenomenon. It captured transit of the Weather moon across the sun in six dif- Today Monday Tuesday Conditions: ferent colour-coded wavelengths Partly cloudy Partly cloudy Clear of light. The moon first appeared Partly cloudy at 8.31am ET on Thursday and to cloudy with passed in front of the sun in next couple of hours. High: 23° High: 23° High: 26° chance of Low: 16° Low: 19° Low: 17° scattered rain Transits typically last about at places at half an hour but at two-and-a-half times. hours, this was one of the longest ever recorded, said a Nasa release. In the last frame, the moon is sil- DOHA - SUN & SEA houetted against the solar corona. The lunar transit of the sun SUN TIDE SEA was followed by a strong solar perspective. The events are on July 26 this year. sun continuously day and night SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND flare. Twice a year during new called lunar transits rather than SDO circles earth in a geo- from a vantage point high above phase, the moon glides in front eclipses since they’re seen from synchronous orbit about 22,000 Mexico and the Pacific Ocean. 03-12 KT 06:18 17:16 06:45 & 18:45 13:30 of the sun from the observatory’s outer space. The next one occurs miles high and photographs the IANS

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER

MUSCAT 24/19 Partly cloudy 24/19 Partly cloudy KUWAIT 17/12 Mostly cloudy 18/12 Partly cloudy Healthy sleep key to ward off depression later BAHRAIN 19/15 Mostly cloudy 21/17 Partly cloudy SANAA 25/09 Rain 26/09 Partly cloudy WASHINGTON: Don’t sleep neurology and co-director of on depressive symptoms increased physical, mental and emotional RIYADH 23/15 Partly cloudy 28/18 Partly cloudy deprive yourself as it may be a the University of Washington to 53 percent among twins with a well-being,” said Badr. DUBAI 24/16 Mostly cloudy 26/17 Partly cloudy precursor for major depression Medicine Sleep Centre in Seattle. short sleep duration of five hours According to Robert E Roberts, BAGHDAD 15/06 Mostly cloudy 12/06 Chance of rain as you reach adulthood — occur- This new research emphasises per night and 49 percent among professor of behavioural sciences ring before other symptoms of that we can make an investment those who reported sleeping 10 at University of Texas, “sleep THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW major depression and additional in our health by prioritising sleep, hours per night. disturbance and hours of sleep mood disorders hit you hard. added M Safwan Badr, presi- Another study of 4,175 indi- should be part of the medical his- HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER A genetic study of adult twins dent, American Academy of Sleep viduals between age 11 and 17 is tory of adolescents to ascertain and a community-based study of Medicine. A study of 1,788 adult the first to document reciprocal risk”. The studies were published ATHENS 11/09 Rain 11/07 Cloudy adolescents has reported novel twins is the first to demonstrate a effects for major depression and in the journal Sleep. WASHINGTON 15/02 Chance of showers 05/-2 Snow links between sleep duration gene by environment interaction short sleep duration among ado- IANS SYDNEY 26/20 Chance of rain 27/20 Partly cloudy and depression. Both short and between self-reported habitual sleep lescents using prospective data. LONDON 12/07 Partly cloudy 12/07 Partly cloudy excessively long sleep durations duration and depressive symptoms. Sleeping six hours or less appear to activate genes related Results suggest that sleep per night increases the risk for PARIS 10/03 Clear 10/06 Partly cloudy to depressive symptoms. durations outside the normal major depression, which, in turn, ISTANBUL 09/03 Mostly cloudy 08/02 Partly cloudy “We were surprised that the range increase the genetic risk increases the risk for decreased MANILA 32/23 Chance of rain 32/24 Partly cloudy heritability of depressive symp- for depressive symptoms. Among sleep among adolescents, said the toms in twins with very short twins with a normal sleep dura- study. Optimising sleep may be DHAKA 27/11 Clear 27/10 Clear sleep was nearly twice the herit- tion of seven to 8.9 hours per night, one way to maximise the effec- DELHI 21/11 Partly cloudy 24/13 Partly cloudy ability in twins sleeping normal the total heritability of depressive tiveness of treatments for depres- ISLAMABAD 22/07 Mostly cloudy 16/06 Rain amounts of time,” said Nathaniel symptoms was 27 percent. sion such as psychotherapy. Watson, associate professor of However, the genetic influence “Healthy sleep is a necessity for Sunday 2 February 2014 2 Rabial II 1435 Volume 18 Number 5963 Price: QR2

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 QBA ready to support Cypriot companies Cyprus President invites Qatari businessmen

DOHA: The Qatari Busin- members of QBA and guests. to prevent double taxation, essmen’s Association (QBA) Both sides discussed the including an agreement with assured to the President of possible ways of strengthening Qatar, and a strong tax and the Republic of Cyprus, Nicos bilateral relations, especially in legal system, where Cyprus is Anastasiades, that QBA is the fields business and trade. considered to have one of the ready to support Cypriot com- Sheikh Faisal declared that lowest tax rates in Europe. panies and businessmen in the association is ready to Dr Al Sada noted that there exploring business and invest- facilitate and support Cypriot are host of similarities between ment opportunities in the companies and businessmen in Qatar and Cyprus, which would Qatari market. entering the Qatari market, and constitute a strong basis for The elite association of local that the Qatari businessmen cooperation, especially after the business leaders held a meet- were also interested in discov- signing of several cooperation ing in honour of Anastasiades ering business opportunities in agreements, including those and his accompanying official the Cypriot market. inked in the field of energy, edu- and business delegation during Anastasiades confirmed that cation, water desalination and their recently concluded visit to his country is looking forward waste-water treatment. Qatar. to cooperate with Qatar in He also stressed that there The high level delegation building mutually beneficial is a strong public-private part- included ministers and more partnerships. The President nership at the local level, and than 60 businessmen and repre- highlighted a host of compara- the private sector is ready to sentatives from major national tive advantages that his country work with the government on and private Cypriot companies. enjoys as an attractive tourism its projects abroad as well. H E Dr Mohamed bin and investment destination, Anastasiades invited Qatari Saleh Al Sada, the Minister of including its strategic location businessmen to visit Cyprus Energy and Industry, was also being at the crossroads of three to identify investment oppor- present in the meeting held on continents namely Europe, Asia tunities. The President also January 27 at QBA office. It was and Africa. visited Sheikh Faisal’s private attended by Sheikh Faisal bin The President mentioned carpet museum, which includes a Qassim Al Thani, Chairman of some of the investment incen- wide range of unique old carpets, the QBA; Hussein Al Fardan, tives that Cyprus offers such ceramics and precious furniture Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, the Chairman of Qatari Businessmen’s Association (QBA), presenting First Deputy Chairman; Sheikh as a well-developed infrastruc- from various countries. It also con- a memento to Nicos Anastasiades, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, at QBA office recently. H E Dr Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, ture that attracts businesses, tains a unique collection of porce- Dr Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, the Minister of Energy and Industry; Hussein Al Fardan, First Deputy Second Deputy Chairman, in addition to 50 agreements lain from the Abbasid period. Chairman of QBA, and Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, Second Deputy Chairman of QBA, are also seen. and many other distinguished signed with different countries THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS QE tapering hits emerging markets QNB Group forecasts GDP growth of the ‘Fragile Five’ group

DOHA: Since the announce- deficits: Brazil, India, Indonesia, Rupee since October 2013 without date (33 percent). This reflects ment by the US Federal Reserve South Africa and Turkey. This the aggressive interest rate hike both the largest current-account (Fed) of the gradual reduction group, called the Fragile Five, witnessed in Brazil. Instead, the deficit (6.8 percent in Q3 2013) of its asset-purchasing pro- has seen the largest weakening authorities have curbed imports and one of the lowest real GDP gramme — the so-called taper- of their currencies and the biggest of gold and increased the incen- growth rates (1.8 percent in Q3 ing of quantitative easing (QE) impact on economic activity. tives for sugar exports to reduce 2013) on declining exports and — emerging markets (EMs) These trends are unfortunately the current-account deficit. domestic labour disruptions. The have witnessed large capital likely to continue in 2014. As the However, India’s central bank South African Reserve Bank outflows, a strong weakening Fed gradually implements QE did raise its policy rate by 25 basis refused to increase interest rates of their currencies and reduced tapering during the year, addi- points as EM currencies came until late January 2014 (the first growth prospects. tional capital is likely to flow under renewed pressure in the hike in six years), letting the cur- These negative trends are out of EMs and be redeployed in last week of January. rency fall instead. unfortunately expected to con- advanced economies. This will Real GDP growth was prob- However, the increase in inter- tinue in 2014 with the Fed’s imple- put further pressure on EMs ably just below 5 percent in 2013, est rates did little to support the mentation of QE tapering, leading to tighten their fiscal and mon- although the momentum has currency, which continued to to lower economic growth, tighter etary policies and lead to lower been slowing, reflecting tighter weaken, as the move was pre- macroeconomic policies and pos- economic growth. domestic liquidity and a slow- sented by the central bank as a sible disruptions in the balance In 2013, Brazil witnessed its down in consumer confidence and one-off measure. The prospects of payments (BOP) of selected largest capital outflows for 10 investment. We therefore forecast for 2014 remain modest on con- countries. years. This resulted in a signifi- Indian real GDP growth in the 4 tinued weakness of commodity The Fed announcement on May cant weakening of the Brazilian percent-4.5 percent range in 2014. exports and further social ten- 18, 2013 of QE tapering and the Real. The authorities responded Indonesia has witnessed sub- sions. As a result, QNB Group start of its implementation in with an aggressive tightening of stantial capital outflows in 2013. expects South African real GDP January 2014 have led to a sud- monetary policy, pushing interest As a result, the Rupiah has lost growth to remain in the 1.5 per- den reversal of EM capital flows. rates into double digits. almost a quarter of its value cent-2 percent range for 2014. What had been the preferred des- As a result, the economy went against the USD. The authorities Additional capital outflows are tination of global capital in search into recession in the third quarter have so far been unable to stem likely to lead to a further weak- for higher yields in the last few of 2013 and all coincident indica- the outflow despite a significant ening of the South African Rand. unscathed in 2013, with real GDP on economic growth. The expe- years suddenly became the emer- tors point to a further decline in rise in interest rates as demand Finally, Turkey has experienced growth estimated at 3.7 percent. rience to date suggests that only gency exit investors wanted to the fourth quarter. In 2014, further for imports remains robust. a rapid outflow of capital and a However, the rapid weakening of India has been able to do so suc- rush through. As a result, around pressures on the exchange rate Investment has slowed but pri- sharp weakening of the Turkish the currency is likely to shake cessfully, while Brazil, Indonesia, $100bn were withdrawn from EM may lead to additional tightening vate consumption remains strong Lira (27 percent) as political ten- investor confidence further. South Africa, and Turkey are still bonds and equities funds in the of interest rates and a slow recov- on the back of a growing middle sions increased. In the January As a result, we project Turkish struggling with stabilizing their last eight months of 2013, based ery in economic activity, notwith- class. monetary policy meeting, the cen- real GDP growth will slow to a currencies. on data from EPFR Global. This standing the FIFA 2016 World Cup. As a result, real GDP growth tral bank elected to keep interest range of 2 percent-2.5 percent Going forward, the implemen- led to a large weakening of EM As a result, QNB Group forecasts has slowed only moderately to rates on hold. However, this was in 2014. tation of QE tapering will con- currencies, a tightening of mac- Brazil’s real GDP growth of 1 per- an estimated 5.5 percent in 2013. followed by a sharp weakening of Overall, the outlook for the tinue to put pressure on EMs to roeconomic policies and a slow- cent-1.5 percent in 2014. We forecast Indonesian real GDP the Lira, prompting the central Fragile Five countries in 2014 reduce their current-account down in economic activity. India’s experience to-date with growth to slow down further to 5.1 bank to call an emergency meet- is mixed. The sudden reversal deficits in line with available Five countries have been par- capital outflows has been better percent in 2014. ing last week, when it decided to in capital flows associated with financing. This will inevita- ticularly affected by this sudden than other emerging markets. Among the Fragile Five, South more than double its benchmark QE tapering has tested the abil- bly have a negative impact on reversal of EM capital flows, Skillful central bank policies have Africa has witnessed the larg- interest rate. ity of the authorities to tighten growth prospects. given their large current-account successfully stabilised the Indian est weakening of its currency to The economy has been relatively policies while limiting the impact THE PENINSULA

Iraq crude exports decline in January BAGHDAD: Crude exports on the pipeline carrying oil from capacity to more than 5m b/d, from Iraq declined in January the northern Kirkuk oilfields to he forecast. Of the 2.228m b/d to an average of 2.228m barrels Turkey, as well as disruption to exported in January, 2.036 came per day (b/d) but should rise shipping from Iraq’s southern from Basra and 192,000 from next month, Oil Minister Abdul ports due to bad weather. Kirkuk, Luaibi said, adding that Kareem Luaibi said yesterday. But the completion of work on Iraq is aiming to ship more oil to Luaibi attributed the drop from a new platform at Basra ports Africa in addition to Asian and 2.341m b/d in December to attacks in February will increase export European markets. REUTERS

Officials at the opening ceremony of the outlet in Grand Mall. Malabar Gold opens Grand Mall outlet DOHA: Malabar Gold & Malabar Group, and other dis- get a guaranteed gold coin and a Diamonds, the leading jew- tinguished guests were present. chance to win up to 100 gold coins ellery retailer, opened yet The outlet is the 107th world- instantly. another showroom here to wide. In Qatar, Malabar Group If it is a diamond jewellery pur- strengthen its presence in the already have showrooms in Doha, chase, the customers get a ‘Scratch region. The outlet located in Gharaffa and Al Khor. To cele- & Win’ coupon for a guaranteed Grand Mall, near Karwa head- brate the opening, Malabar Gold cash refund with a chance to quarters, was inaugurated on & Diamonds announced fabulous win up to 100 percent cash back. January 31 by Sheikh Saoud bin inaugural offers for their custom- Customers who buy diamond jewel- Abdulla Ahmed Ali Al Thani. ers. For every purchase of gold or lery worth QR3,000 are eligible to P S Sasi Kumar, Deputy Chief diamond jewellery above QR3,000, get both the coupons. These offers of Mission, Embassy of India, customers will get a ‘Scratch & are valid till February 15, 2014. Doha; M P Ahamed, Chairman, Win’ coupon through which they THE PENINSULA Moody’s downgrades Ukraine WASHINGTON: Rating firm Moody’s on Friday currency tumbling. “While the Ukrainian central downgraded Ukraine’s sovereign debt rating a bank’s ability to manage a currency depreciation notch, citing the country’s escalating political cri- may continue to benefit from the Russian support sis and concerns about whether it will continue to package, the escalation of the crisis has increased the have Russian financial support. risk of a large-scale conversion to foreign currency,” Moody’s cut the country’s rating, already in spec- the rating firm said. ulative territory, to Caa2 from Caa1, and put the Thirdly, it cited questions over Russia’s earlier country on “negative outlook,” signalling it could be promise to help the government financially. downgraded again in the medium term. “If a potential regime change were to lead to a rap- The first driver for the downgrade “is the escala- prochement of Ukraine with the European Union, tion and increasingly violent nature of the crisis that Moody’s believe that the Russian authorities’ willing- began with peaceful public protests in the capital ness to disburse the remainder of the promised $15bn city of Kiev in November 2013,” Moody’s Investors support package will be sharply reduced,” it said. Service said in a statement. In November, Ukrainian President Viktor “The hardened positions between the government Yanukovych scrapped an integration deal with the and the opposition and the spread of anti-govern- EU in favour of closer ties with Kiev’s historical ment protests to the country’s western regions have master Moscow, sparking huge protests. increased the likelihood of a severe administrative The Moody’s rating blow came after Yanukovych crisis, potentially involving a power vacuum and repealed controversial anti-protest laws that were protracted political uncertainty.” passed earlier this month, radicalising the anti-govern- Moody’s cited as a second factor the increased risk ment movement. On Tuesday, rating firm Standard of a sharp rise in external financing needs as people & Poor’s downgraded Ukraine one notch from B- to snap up foreign currency, which has sent the local CCC+ citing “political instability”. AFP SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 Bahrain plans Walmart’s China plans to issue new takaful rules Central bank bid to attract business

MANAMA: Bahrain’s central a takaful operator sets up a bank will release a new regu- shareholders’ fund to oversee and latory framework for Islamic manage separate pools of money insurance (takaful) this quar- contributed by policy holders. ter, in an overhaul of standards But this relationship has raised which the regulator hopes will concerns because of the use of attract new business in a sector “benevolent loans”, known as qard it helped to pioneer. hasan, which shareholders extend Bahrain already has takaful-spe- on a voluntary basis to plug any cific rules but regulatory reform deficits in a policy holders’ fund. could help it grab a larger chunk The practice is criticised by some of the sector, which Ernst & Young scholars as contradicting Islamic estimates will globally total $17.1bn risk-sharing principles; they say in gross contributions by 2015. qard hasan is meant to be used The new rules, developed after when a policy holders’ fund runs two years of consultations with out of money, rather than to han- A file picture of a Walmart store in Paramount, California. The world’s largest retailer said that it will tighten inspections on its suppliers in China the industry, cover the operations dle recurring regulatory deficits. after it was forced to recall donkey meat products that had been found to contain fox. The firm also said it would also change its rules in China and solvency of takaful firms, The abolition or replacement of to ensure that meat shipments are properly documented before they hit the shelves. said Abdul Rahman Mohammed qard hasan has long been on the Al Baker, executive director of industry’s agenda, but a broad financial institutions supervision consensus has not been reached. at Bahrain’s central bank. Bahrain’s rules call for a new They are expected to increase way of calculating capital and takaful firms’ ability to distribute replacing qard hasan with capital Opec oil output rises in January: Survey surpluses to policy holders and injections. Under the proposed dividends to shareholders, he said. rules, total capital would include LONDON: Opec’s oil out- could put pressure on oil prices from Libya, as the El Sharara field is helping it sell more crude. “We are in the final process of the both the available capital of the put has risen in January from without cutbacks from other restarted in early January after The largest decline in Opec new solvency framework for taka- shareholders’ fund and the net December’s two-and-a-half- members, such as Saudi Arabia. protesters ended a blockade. Still, was from Angola, whose output ful. This will not only enhance the admissible assets of the policy year low, due to a partial recov- In January, higher supply in output remains less than half of the dropped 120,000 b/d because of industry in Bahrain but also have holders’ funds, said Al Baker. ery in Libyan supply and higher Libya, more Iraqi exports and 1.4m b/d the country was pumping reduced shipments of several an impact around the world.” This amount would be com- shipments from Iraq and Iran, a a further small rise in Iranian last year, and further recovery is crude streams including Girassol, Addressing how takaful sol- pared to the solvency require- Reuters survey found on Friday. shipments outweighed reduc- by no means assured. Cabinda, Saturno and Palanca. vency requirements — a concept ments for policy holders’ funds Output from the Organisation tions in Angola and Saudi Arabia. Iraq’s oil exports in January Saudi Arabia, industry sources similar to capital adequacy ratios to determine excesses or defi- of the Petroleum Exporting December production in Saudi rose to 2.45m b/d, due to higher say, trimmed output due to a for banks - are calculated will help ciencies of capital; any deficiency Countries averaged 29.94m bar- Arabia, Libya and the United shipments from southern ports reduced requirement for crude to to ensure firms match the risks would then be addressed by capi- rels per day (b/d), up from a Arab Emirates was revised. despite some disruption from bad fuel domestic power plants and on their books to their future tal injections from shareholders revised 29.63m b/d in December, Opec’s December output was weather. Exports of Kirkuk crude lower demand outside the coun- obligations to policy holders, Al instead of qard hasan. according to the survey based on the lowest since May 2011, when through northern Iraq declined. try — although December’s supply Baker said. This is expected to Calculation of these amounts shipping data and information the group pumped 28.90m b/d, Iranian supply to market was was higher than earlier thought. provide greater clarity to the sec- would require the endorsement from sources at oil companies, according to Reuters surveys. estimated at 2.75m b/d, up 50,000 The kingdom has cut supplies tor while attracting firms to set of the firm’s Shariah board and Opec and consultants. Despite January’s increase, sup- b/d. The modest pickup is the third from 10.05m b/d in August, the up in Bahrain, he added. board of directors, while distribu- The survey illustrates the ply is below Opec’s nominal target consecutive monthly rise, accord- highest since records began in An alternative to conventional tion of surpluses from policy hold- potential for Opec supply to of 30m b/d for a fourth straight ing to sources who track tanker 1980, according to figures from insurance, takaful is based on ers’ funds would also need central rebound in 2014 if Libya, Iraq and month. movements, and adds to signs that the US Energy Information the concept of mutuality, where bank approval. REUTERS Iran sustain higher output. That Opec’s biggest increase came the easing of sanctions on Tehran Administration. REUTERS Rabobank move

An exterior view of the headquarters of the Rabobank in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Rabobank certificate hold- ers voted overwhelmingly to change the bank’s cooperative model by launching its membership certificates at the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange. Philippine GDP growth rises in ’13 MANILA: The Philippines last Asian markets from Singapore. The next policy meeting is sched- quarter capped its strongest two “That sort of strength in the con- uled for February 6. years of growth since the 1950s, text of an acceleration in devel- Aquino plans to increase when the US ally enjoyed a post- oped nations increases the risk spending to a record this year war reconstruction boom, as it of overheating, something policy while seeking more than $8bn lured foreign investment and makers should keep an eye on.” of investments in highways and put money into infrastructure. The economy expanded 6.5 per- airports to improve infrastruc- Gross domestic product rose cent last quarter, compared with ture and create jobs. San Miguel 7.2 percent in 2013, the Philippine a 6.9 percent gain in the previous Corp., Ayala Corp and Megawide Statistics Authority said, after three months, the data showed. Construction Corp are among gaining 6.8 percent in the pre- Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas will companies building schools, power vious year. That was the fastest probably raise its benchmark plants and roads. The government two-year pace since 1954-1955, interest rate to 4 percent by the estimates reconstruction of the data compiled by Bloomberg show. fourth quarter from a record- typhoon-affected areas will cost A recovery in advanced econo- low 3.5 percent now, according 361bn pesos ($8bn). mies may help President Benigno to Bloomberg surveys. The Philippines won its first Aquino achieve his goal of bol- Inflation quickened to 4.1 per- investment-grade scores from stering growth to as much as 8.5 cent in December, the fastest pace Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch percent by 2016 as he transforms in two years, after Haiyan struck Ratings and Standard and Poor’s last the country into a manufacturing in November. The central bank year. Aquino’s pledge to curb corrup- hub. Rising exports have helped forecasts 2014 price gains to aver- tion and spur faster growth has seen counter the impact of Super age 4.5 percent. foreign direct investment almost Typhoon Haiyan, and the central The central bank “will con- double to $2.8bn in 2012 from 2008, bank said that it will act if needed tinue to monitor developments, World Bank data show. Consumer to contain inflation expectations. including any noise from tempo- spending rose 5.6 percent last quar- “The Philippine economy rary domestic volatility, and act ter from a year earlier, according clearly still has strong momen- as appropriate to ensure infla- to the report. Investment gained tum despite the typhoon,” said tion expectations remain well- 5.7 percent, while manufacturing Edward Teather, an economist anchored,” Governor Amando increased 12.3 percent. at UBS AG who covers Southeast Tetangco said after the report. WP-BLOOMBERG SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Volatility hits commodities as Fed cuts stimulus Gold price falls to $1,251 an ounce; metals hit by firm dollar; sugar dives, but cocoa and coffee surge

LONDON: Commodity prices futures also soared on higher and upbeat growth. The news “Copper prices look set to close earlier. Three-month aluminium rallied this week to £1,865 in faced a choppy week as fur- demand for heating fuel thanks to also weighed on gold because lower for the fifth week in suc- fell to $1,713.50 a tonne from $1,768. London and $2,933 in New York, ther stimulus tapering from the recent cold weather in the United many investors argue that QE cession as fears about another Three-month lead retreated to reaching levels last witnessed in Federal Reserve and turmoil States. fuels higher inflation. The glam- Chinese slowdown, combined with $2,108 a tonne from $2,152. Three- September 2011. across emerging markets over- US benchmark West Texas orous metal is widely regarded as reduced demand from emerging month tin dropped to $21,925 a By Friday on LIFFE, London’s shadowed solid fourth-quarter Intermediate surged on Thursday a hedge against inflation. markets, as the current turmoil tonne from $22,000. Three-month futures exchange, cocoa for deliv- economic growth in the United to $98.59 per barrel, the high- Platinum and palladium mean- starts to create a drag on growth nickel dipped to $13,750 a tonne ery in March rose to £1,861 a States. est point since January 2. Prices while hit one-month lows at prospects in the region,” added from $14,553. Three-month zinc tonne from £1,778 a week ear- The Fed said on Wednesday tailed off on Friday on weak $1,366.75 and $704.50 respectively, analyst Hewson. declined to $1,964 a tonne from lier. On ICE Futures US, cocoa that it will reduce its bond-buy- Chinese data in subdued deals, despite ongoing strikes in major Chinese manufacturing con- $2,027. for March increased to $2,921 a ing or quantitative easing (QE) with most Asian markets shut producer South Africa. tracted for the first time in six SUGAR: Prices dived to multi- tonne from $2,806. programme by $10bn to $65bn for the Lunar New Year holiday. “Precious metals are once again months in January, HSBC con- year lows, weighed down by COFFEE: Coffee futures a month, citing a pick-up in the “With Chinese markets closed finding themselves in the red as firmed on Thursday, raising ques- worries over emerging markets rebounded from the precious economy. The news sent emerg- for the majority of the coming the week draws to a close,” said tions over growth prospects for turmoil and plentiful supplies. week’s losses. Prices jumped to ing market currencies plunging in week and fears of emerging mar- analyst Fawad Razaqzada at the world’s second-largest econ- Sugar sank to 14.70 US cents per a six-month high at $1,825 in India, South Africa and Turkey, ket contagion spreading from online trading firm Forex.com. omy this year. The banking giant’s pound in New York, the lowest London. They also reached 123.45 despite a raft of interest rate hikes. Turkey, Argentina and India as The stronger greenback makes final reading of China’s purchas- point since June 2010. cents in New York, which was the Sentiment won a boost on they struggle to control inflation, dollar-priced goods more expen- ing managers’ index (PMI), which In London, the commodity best level so far this year. Thursday as official data showed investors may opt to remain on sive and tends to sap demand. By tracks manufacturing activity in touched the weakest level since By Friday on the ICE Futures the US economy — a key con- the sidelines,” added Sucden ana- late Friday on the London Bullion factories and workshops, fell to April 2009, at $399.10 a tonne. US exchange, Arabica for deliv- sumer of raw materials — grew lyst Kash Kamal. Market, the price of gold fell to 49.5 this month. By Friday on LIFFE, the ery in March rallied to 121.60 US 3.2 percent in October-December, By Friday on London’s $1,251 an ounce from $1,267 a It was its lowest figure since price of a tonne of white sugar cents a pound from 114.50 cents a beating predictions of 3.0 percent. Intercontinental Exchange, Brent week earlier. July and fractionally below the for March rose to $410.50 from week earlier. On LIFFE, Robusta OIL: New York prices rallied to North Sea crude for delivery in Silver dipped to $19.31 an ounce preliminary 49.6 reading HSBC $404.90 a week earlier. On New for March gained to $1,801 a the highest level so far this year March stood at $107.18 a barrel from $20.19. On the London announced last week. The index York’s ICE Futures US exchange, tonne from $1,700. on forecast-beating fourth-quarter from $107.24 a week earlier. On the Platinum and Palladium Market, is a closely watched gauge of the the price of unrefined sugar for RUBBER: Prices in Kuala economic growth in the United New York Mercantile Exchange, platinum slid to $1,382 an ounce health of the Asian economic delivery in March eased to 15.04 Lumpur fell as the ringgit States, which is the world’s biggest West Texas Intermediate or light from $1,443. Palladium slipped to powerhouse. A reading above 50 US cents a pound from 15.05. strengthened against the US dol- crude consuming nation. sweet crude for March rallied to $707 an ounce from $745. indicates growth, while anything COCOA: Prices zoomed to their lar, while jitters persisted over “US GDP figures boosted $97.84 a barrel compared with BASE METALS: Base or below signals contraction. highest levels in more than two- slowing growth in top consumer demand expectations of the $96.64 a week earlier. industrial metals prices sank as By Friday on the London Metal and-a-half years on the prospect China. The Malaysian Rubber world’s biggest oil consumer,” PRECIOUS METALS: Prices traders also fretted over turmoil Exchange, copper for delivery of another production deficit this Board’s benchmark SMR20 fell to said Michael Hewson, analyst at fell as the dollar rose following in emerging markets and the out- in three months slid to $7,063 year. The commodity, which is 193.20 US cents a kilo from 213.70 traders CMC Markets UK. Crude news of US stimulus reduction look for Chinese demand. a tonne from $7,210.50 week mostly used to make chocolate, cents a week earlier. AFP

Brazilian, Chilean banks to merge Peugeot family okays stake Ireland puts sale to Dongfeng, France three former PARIS: The Peugeot family, which said. Pierre-Olivier Salmon, a spokes- bankers on trial controls Peugeot Citroen, has agreed man at Paris-based Peugeot, declined to sell shares to Dongfeng Motor and to comment on the progress of the since crisis the French state as part of a plan to planned capital increase and the fam- raise ¤3bn ($4.1bn) in fresh funding ily dispute. DUBLIN: Ireland put three for the ailing carmaker, two people Thierry is pushing an option in former bankers on trial on familiar with the matter said. which Peugeot would raise the entire Friday in its first such case The boards of the family’s two hold- ¤3bn by selling shares on the market since the financial crisis that ing companies, EPF and FFP, signed without investments from Dongfeng forced it to accept an ¤85bn off this week on a two-step capital or France, a person familiar said. ($115bn) international bailout. increase, said the people, who asked JPMorgan Chase & Co has offered to The three former executives not to be identified because the meet- fully underwrite a capital increase of of collapsed Anglo Irish Bank ings were private. that size, the person said. pleaded not guilty to charges The family members’ support is cru- “I’m worried about the strategy of of providing unlawful financial cial because together they control 25.5 pulling away from Peugeot SA that you assistance by lending money to percent of Peugeot’s capital and 38.1 seem to want to implement,” Thierry others to buy the bank’s shares, percent of the voting rights. wrote in a letter to Robert dated Jan. boosting its stock price. Europe’s second-largest carmaker 27. “I believe that the Peugeot family The high-profile trial of former announced last week that Dongfeng must continue to back Peugeot SA and chairman and chief executive and the French government are look- not reduce its interest, and must par- Sean FitzPatrick and two other ing at first contributing funds through ticipate as fully as possible in the capi- executives, Willie McAteer and a sale reserved for them, and then pos- tal increase announced by the group.” Pat Whelan, could run for several sibly participating in a broader rights Newspaper Les Echos posted the months. offering after that. letter on its website, accompanying a Ireland’s banking crisis cost The 118-year-old manufacturer is report on the divisions within the fam- taxpayers more than ¤60bn seeking a cash injection after burn- ily and JPMorgan’s backing for a ¤3bn ($81bn), or about two-fifths of ing through more than ¤4bn in the capital increase. national output, forcing it to take last two years as auto demand in its The carmaker is currently mov- an emergency package in 2010 European home region sank. The ing forward with the first option and from the European Union and new funding is equal to 75 percent of making progress in the talks with International Monetary Fund. Peugeot’s market value and follows a Dongfeng, the people said. Peugeot Though Dublin has now com- 2012 share sale to raise ¤1bn in which still aims to announce a definitive pleted its bailout and growth General Motors bought a 7 percent deal when it reports 2013 earnings on has returned, it still has one of stake that it later sold. February 19, they said. Europe’s highest levels of national Seven of 10 board members present As part of the plan, the family will debt and has to implement more at an EPF meeting on January 27 invest about ¤100m to maintain a 14 austerity to ensure its economy is voted in favor of the plan, one person percent stake, one person said. on solid foundations. said. The FFP board met the follow- Dongfeng and the French govern- “The major offence involved ing day, with no one voting against the ment would each contribute at least here is that Anglo provided cer- proposal, the person said. ¤750m to also have holdings of about 14 tain financial assistance for the Robert Peugeot, head of the listed percent apiece, a person familiar said purchase of their own shares,” FFP, and his cousin Thierry, who leads last week. The carmaker would then Judge Martin Nolan told potential the carmaker’s supervisory board, have hold a rights issue of about ¤1.4bn for jurors, hundreds of whom showed clashed over the direction to follow, the rest of the funding, the person said. up for selection. All three accused the people said. Robert favours pull- The plan will create a three-headed sat in the dock wearing sober ing back from the family’s reliance on governance structure that will make suits, FitzPatrick with his arms the carmaker, while Thierry wants to running Peugeot difficult, Thierry said folded, while the jury was chosen. maintain as much control as possible of in his letter. A man walks next to an office of bank Corpbanca in Santiago, Chile. Brazilian bank Itau Unibanco, The men are alleged to have the company the family founded, they WP-BLOOMBERG the biggest private bank of its country, announced its merger with Chilean bank Corpbanca, which provided loans to investors known will permit it access to markets in Colombia, Peru and Central America. as the “Maple Ten” and to the wife and five children of bank- rupt businessman Sean Quinn to enable them to buy shares in the bank. The maximum possible sentence is five years in prison for For firms, a rocky road ahead in emerging markets each charge. Whelan, the bank’s former CHICAGO/LONDON: International and Brazil, along with worries about an we’ve managed hyper inflationary periods, about half its revenue outside the United managing director for Ireland, companies are taking steps to mitigate abrupt slowdown in China, means compa- busts, booms, and we’ve never had a loss- States. The executive said his traders are faces seven more charges that he the effects of the turmoil in emerg- nies are now bracing for deeper reversals making year in Brazil.” not actively hedging now for currency was privy to fraudulent altera- ing markets, including hedging foreign in demand for their products in emerging Economists at Bank of America Merrill volatility but could begin doing so at any tion of facility letters addressed currency exposure more aggressively, economies. And this is happening at a time Lynch described the turmoil of the past minute. to seven investors relating to reducing some investment plans, cutting when their US dollar or euro revenues from week as “a perfect storm of idiosyncratic For others, like Swedish apparel retailer terms for loans. He also pleaded costs, and raising prices frequently. many of these countries are also taking a risks” within emerging markets — citing Hennes & Mauritz , hedging is a perma- not guilty to those charges. While executives are not hitting the hit because of plunging emerging market credit risks in China, political crises in nent strategy in emerging markets. “We The bank, whose failure cost panic button just yet, and many say the currencies. Turkey, Ukraine and Thailand, and the always live with a bit of currency risk,” Irish taxpayers some ¤30bn, was risks they face are hardly unique, they are Carmakers Ford Motor Co and Fiat currency devaluation in Argentina. said H&M Chief Executive Officer Karl- put into an accelerated liquidation still aggressively tackling costs and mak- SpA and home appliance manufacturer While all these events have further Johan Persson. “We will keep the hedging process last year. ing sure that revenue keeps up with infla- Whirlpool Corp cited weakness and a more dimmed an already bearish outlook for strategy that we have. We think it works When Ireland’s property bub- tionary pressures. And many warn that if sober outlook in once-roaring emerging many emerging economies, a full-fledged well for us.” ble burst, the country of 4.6 mil- China suffers a credit crisis as some fear, markets in earnings reports last week. crisis does not look likely. “We do not While it is impossible to predict exactly lion plunged deep into crisis and then things could get a whole lot worse. Still, for many executives, especially view the current wobble as the start of an where and when economic or market tur- recession and many Irish people From Africa to Asia to Latin America, those with decades of experience in the EM-wide crisis,” Alberto Ades, co-head moil might arise, most companies con- had their salaries cut and taxes policymakers are scrambling to prop up developing world, wild currency swings and of Global Economics Research at BofA stantly monitor the political, economic hiked to help pay debts resulting their currencies and prevent a sudden exo- economic ups and downs are a fact of life Merrill Lynch wrote in a note on Thursday. and financial developments in the countries from the rescue. dus of foreign capital by jacking up interest that they must deftly navigate. Companies with operations in emerg- where they operate. Nolan said anyone who had rates and taking other steps — all this just “We have had quite a bit of currency ing economies are nonetheless dusting off “Everybody right now is focusing on India, worked or held shares in the as many emerging economies were already changes, particularly in the very weak contingency plans, with strategies vary- South Africa and Turkey, but the issues bank or other financial institu- starting to slow sharply after a decade- emerging markets. But let’s put it in con- ing country by country. “We are taking a there are not new. They just haven’t been tions, or who had formed strong long boom. text,” Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool’s chairman wait-and-see attitude in terms of decisive on the front page,” said another corporate opinions on Anglo Irish, should The sudden onslaught of market vola- and chief executive said. “We’ve been in action,” said the treasurer of a multi-bil- treasurer who asked not to be identified. not serve on the jury. tility in Turkey, Argentina, South Africa the Brazilian market for over 60 years and lion dollar advertising company that books REUTERS REUTERS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 BUSINESS VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

Obama’s small steps China Tobin tax, shadow won’t fix inequality banking and moral hazard BY HELAINE OLEN

resident Barack Obama is taking on the challenge of increas- BY JAMES SAFT “However, by bailing out investors in this True enough, but what is also true is that ing the United States’ all but stagnant economic mobility. He particular instance, the authorities are per- if you institutionalize a system with high wants, he said in Tuesday’s State of the Union Address, to ometimes it can be hard to under- petuating moral hazard within the Chinese rewards to capital not well correlated to the Pboth “strengthen the middle class” and “build new ladders stand just what exactly China’s regu- financial system and this risk may in fact have actual outcomes of investment you are going of opportunity” into it. His modest plan — modest so that it does not lators are trying to achieve. become a whole lot bigger.” to see a lot of money sloshing your way. need the congressional approval he’s unlikely to receive — includes Take, for example, two interesting Investors in China have treated, and for A recent study by research group Global raising the minimum wage for federal contract workers and offer- but fundamentally conflicting stories good reason, wealth management and other Financial Integrity suggests that some $400bn ing workers a new workplace retirement savings account option. Sin the past week: the bailout of a trust prod- shadow banking products as if they were has made its way into China since 2006 by It’s a nice start. But nowhere near enough. The United States’ uct and discussion of a Tobin tax on financial somehow guaranteed, paying more attention dodging official channels, much of it affected sluggish economic mobility is not new. According to a paper transactions. to who is selling them and how much they by reporting falsely high prices of goods sent recently published by academics at Harvard University and the The forces behind these two stories are yield than how secure is the investment the to Hong Kong. University of California, Berkeley, it has been mediocre for those pulling against one another, with the shadow money is ultimately funding. That money can then be brought back into born in the 1970s, and it is just as bad for those born 20 years later. banking bailout creating a moral hazard That lack of discrimination about capital China “legitimately” and put to work. So what’s different now? Two things. First, the fast-growing enticement for the capital flows the Tobin tax allocation can be seen in the wilderness of Not only is that a play on the appreciation of rate of income inequality has left the rungs on the mobility ladder is intended to stem. unused or unoccupied real estate develop- the yuan, it is a path into high-yielding shadow further apart than ever before. The top 1 percent of earners, as In a deal reportedly orchestrated by Chinese ments in China and in the very low aggregate banking investments, and one made all the Paul Krugman recently noted, saw their incomes increase by 182 authorities, a $495m wealth management returns on capital investment there. Send yet more attractive by low rates overseas. percent between 1979 and 2012. The next 4 percent saw a gain product called Credit Equals Gold averted another message that investors will be bailed China’s primary challenge in coming years of just under 52 percent. default this week, though investors will be out even if, as in this case, the mine proves is to make a transition from an economy The ever greater amounts of money earned by the highest tier singed by the loss of some promised interest a bust, and you will get more unneeded holes highly dependent on unsustainable levels of allows them to buy privileges that all but ensure their children payments. The deal, originally raised by China dug in the ground. investment towards one balanced by a larger can remain at the top. Upper-income families inhabit a world Credit Trust for an investment in a coal min- That brings us to the idea of a Tobin tax – a consumer sector. While China is right to be where private schools charge annual tuition totalling only a few ing company and sold through the Industrial small levy on individual currency transactions concerned about hot money flows, it won’t thousand dollars less than the median household income, and & Commercial Bank of China Ltd, is part of a intended to stem speculative hot money flows improve capital allocation by simply blocking pricy tutors, extracurricular activities and private college coun- burgeoning $6tr shadow banking sector. into the yuan. Long debated for China, the them, especially if it rewards and indemnifies sellors ensure their children will retain their privileged status. While allowing the high-yielding deal to idea was most recently elevated by Guan Tao, dumb money at home. Even the best and most exclusive suburban public high schools default would have dealt a blow to the bank- head of the department of international pay- It is obvious that you cannot offer high can’t offer these advantages. ing sector, it would also have sent the much- ments at the State Administration of Foreign returns on lousy investments indefinitely, Yet the era of easy credit and the real estate bubble of the needed message that risk and reward in China Exchange (SAFE), who last Friday said it was though it is equally obvious that so far China, aughts shaded this reality for years — effectively allowing people are connected. But with investors taking the under consideration. with strong central control, has kept this game to temporarily borrow their way out of America’s inequality and rewards and someone else bearing the risks, “If the renminbi (yuan) continues to be sta- going. mobility problems. Your salary might not be keeping up, but if moral hazard is the obvious outcome. ble or rise slightly while yuan interest rates A slow and steady climbing down from the you used your home equity from the house you bought with 5 “The concern is that a wealth management are higher than those of major currencies, peaks of moral hazard would be a lot more percent down, you could purchase the same $10,000 sub-zero product credit event could trigger a broader loss financial operations of many companies could useful than a Tobin tax in ensuring a happy refrigerator as anyone else. of investor confidence akin to a deposit run,” lead to more money inflows,” Guan told a news ending. When the housing bubble and resulting credit explosion col- ratings agency Fitch said in a commentary. conference. REUTERS lapsed, the truth about our unequal economy could no longer be denied. Numbers came fast and furious. According to Emmanuel Saez at the University of California, Berkeley, 95 percent of the income earned by households between 2008 and 2102 went to the top 1 percent. At the other end of the income spectrum, more and more Americans identify as lower class — something all but unheard of in the home of Horatio Alger. We can see the practical results all around. The part of the Affordable Care Act that prohibits companies from offering better coverage to high-ranking employees, the one supposed to begin at the end of 2010? Still not enforced. More members of Congress are millionaires than not. In San Francisco, the middle-class masses still take public transit, while those lucky or skilled enough to get jobs with Silicon Valley behemoths like Google, get ferried to work on private luxury buses. For the wealthy, the combination of isolation and privileged affluence leads to an increasing social cluelessness and entitle- ment. The smallest criticism is viewed as a personal affront — as venture capitalist Tom Perkins revealed when he compared criti- cism of wealthy people such as himself to the Nazi persecution of the Jews. As Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo put it: “There’s a slice of the population, whether it’s the top 1 percent or .01 percent or whatever, that doesn’t just have more stuff and money. The sheer scale of the difference means they live what is simply a qualitatively different kind of existence. That gulf cre- ates estrangement and alienation…” As for the rest of us? We live with a sense that the fix is in, that there is one set of lenient rules for the plutocracy, and a harsher set for everyone else. That explains the gallows humour about private profits and socialized risk, and the fury average Americans feel when demonised for buying homes they could not afford while the banks and mortgage companies that lent out all that mortgage money have escaped with little more than slap-on-the-wrist fines. It’s corrosive, this sort of divide. It feeds on itself. People who believe they are permanently destined to look through glass win- dows at their financial betters are volatile. So too are the people on the other side of the divide — scared that every waspish comment about $4 slices of toast means Robespierre is around the corner. Bad things can happen in this sort of environment. Obama needs to take it on. If he can’t get Congress to take action, he needs to explain to the American public the consequences of inaction. Small steps are unlikely to be enough. REUTERS Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Suicide, scandal and Beijing’s auto power grab

BY EDWARD That weakness in the domestic popular vehicles, entered India’s According the preliminary potential stressors beyond even under a government strategy that NIEDERMEYER market translates into poor pros- commercial vehicle market as the Indian government investiga- the always-grueling expat auto leverages joint ventures to acquire pects for India’s domestic auto- Chevrolet Enjoy. tion, GM acknowledged tamper- exec grind. the technology and know-how to he shocking death of makers, which now significantly Cheap Chinese vehicles did ing with a Chevrolet Tavera sent And to be sure, the entire compete with global majors, even- Tata Motors manag- lag China’s in the race to establish not immediately take off in India for emissions testing, but denied Asian auto business is under a tually surpassing their erstwhile ing director Karl Slym, indigenous brands and products however, and in 2012 the Chinese bribery had taken place. lot of pressure. As GM becomes partners. SAIC has executed Twho apparently fell from in export markets. Tata, which sold most of their shares in the Though already working at an increasingly China-centric that plan to near perfection with his 22nd- floor hotel window in Slym was assigned to turn around, India venture to GM, citing weak Tata by the time the scandal company in the wake of its Shanghai-GM, attracting key GM Bangkok on Sunday, sent ripples seemed to exemplify India’s auto- performance. But because the fac- erupted, where he remained 2009 “Chinese bailout,” which R&D projects to its joint research of sorrow and horror beyond the motive struggles, betting big on tory in China is paid royalties for tight-lipped about his role in the saw it trade control of both its centre, taking a majority stake of family and colleagues who knew a low-cost Nano that has fallen every kit it ships to India, it was investigation, Slym was named in Shanghai-GM and India ventures its Chinese sales company, devel- him personally. For the global victim to technical problems, ove- making money even as GM lost a Indian media reports as a target for a $400m Chinese bank loan, oping and building Chevrolet- corps of company-hopping auto rhype and price inflation. reported $200m on Indian oper- of the government investigation. it’s becoming a lightning rod for badged vehicles for export, and executives and their families, used But before Slym took the ations last year (and selling far In a seemingly damning twist, China-India economic rivalry. now apparently taking over the to long hours, high pressure and reigns at Tata, he actually helped fewer than Slym’s 2011 prediction his successor as managing direc- Indeed, as the brouhaha over a Indian “joint venture.” GM and trying relocations, Slym’s death ramp up the pressure on India’s of 300,000 units). tor of GM India, Lowell Paddock, household servant caused a diplo- SAIC executives regularly extol represented a worst fear realized. automakers by establishing an Thanks to this kit-assembly took credit for exposing the fraud matic uproar between the US and the harmony of their relationship, But beyond the grief and automotive foothold on the sub- and royalty-based deal, negoti- to investigating officials, effec- India, Shanghai may have decided but it’s clear that the relationship bewilderment that inevitably continent for its strategic com- ated during GM’s darkest hour, tively throwing Slym under the the facade of US partnership is is no longer as even-handed as it surrounds this kind of tragedy, petitor, China. GM India became the Chinese bus. no longer be worth preserving. once was. Slym’s passing underlines serious As managing director of auto industry’s first toehold in a Earlier, in 2013 Indian media Just weeks ago, Chinese media Of course, India is hardly indif- questions about both the broader General Motors in India from strategic competitor’s market. reported that Slym also faced a reported that SAIC-GM-Wuling ferent to the plight of its strug- state of the Indian auto indus- 2007 to 2012, Slym shifted GM’s And this achievement, likely warrant for a six-month jail sen- Automobile Co, the Chinese- gling domestic automakers, either. try, the growing economic grasp India operations into a 50-50 joint celebrated as much by politicians tence issued by the Chandigarh controlled joint venture with But without the central author- of China and the efforts by US venture with China’s Shanghai in Beijing as it was by automak- State Consumer Disputes the US automaker, is now pur- ity of the Chinese government, automakers’ to tap into the car- Automotive Industry Corporation, ers in Shanghai, has not been Redressal Commission over suing full ownership of the India India’s automotive hopes have lain hungry emerging world. paving the way for the introduc- problem-free. Tata’s alleged failure to provide a venture. with executives like Karl Slym: India’s car market has long tion of Chinese- made, low-cost Last year GM’s India opera- commission-ordered redress for Having got a foot in the door well-versed in the global indus- been one of the most challenging vehicles to India. tions found themselves embroiled warranty repair on a Tata Nano. with the help of Slym and GM, try and deeply connected to the of the so-called BRIC nations, Under the cover of the Chevy in an emissions-testing fraud For all his outspoken love Shanghai is moving to consolidate people of India. In addition to the upon which the major global auto- bowtie logo and Slym’s cricket- scandal that has claimed the for what he called his “adopted its position on the subcontinent. tragic human loss, his passing was makers are relying for long-term aficionado, Indophile charm, the jobs of at least 15 GM employees, home,” reports of Slym’s travails This situation wasn’t hard to a blow to India’s bid for automo- growth, and last year it posted its Wuling Hong Guang van, one including the firm’s global pow- in the automotive “Wild East” of foresee. As part of a “pillar indus- tive leadership. first overall decline in a decade. of China’s most affordable and ertrain chief. India and China show signs of try,” China’s automakers operate WP-BLOOMBERG SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com GECM & TENDERS

GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS MAP (GECM) Every Sunday German unemployment falls UK economy grew by 1.9pc more than expected in January in 2013, fastest since 2007 BERLIN: German unemployment fell China yuan weakens to 6.1073 significantly more than expected LONDON: The British economy against US dollar on a seasonally adjusted basis in BEIJING: The Chinese currency Stocks fall to close out bad grew by 1.9 percent in 2013, its January to its lowest level in nearly Renminbi, or the yuan, weakens 20 month fastest rate in six years, a result a year, Labour Office data showed Japan trade deficit hits record the government was quick to basis points to 6.1073 against the US NEW YORK: The stock market closed on Thursday. The number of people high in 2013 claim as proof that its policies dollar on Wednesday, according to the out its worst month in more than out of work decreased by 28,000 TOKYO: Japan’s trade deficit have led to a turnaround. to 2.927 million, the data showed, China Foreign Exchange Trading System. a year and a half as turmoil in the swelled to a record $112 billion “There’s plenty more to do beating the mid-range forecast in a In China’s foreign exchange spot market, developing world sparked a broad in 2013, official data showed but we’re heading in the right Reuters poll for a fall of 5,000. the yuan is allowed to rise or fall by 1 decline in US share prices. on Monday, as the benefits of a direction,” Chancellor George percent from the central parity rate The Dow Jones industrial average cheap yen for the export-driven Osborne said. each trading day. slumped nearly 150 points to end economy were diluted by soaring January with a 5.3pc drop, its worst post-Fukushima energy bills. monthly performance since May 2012. Rupee dropped to two month low against US dollar MUMBAI: Indian rupee dropped to two and a half month low against the US dollar mirroring weakness in other emerging market currencies against the greenback. The partially South Africa rand sinks as convertible rupee closed at 63.10 Brazil current account deficit labour tensions deepen after hitting an intra-day low at 63.30 per dollar. $81.4 bn in 2013 CAPE TOWN: South Africa’s rand hit BRASILIA: Brazil posted a record a fresh five-year low on Monday as the currency came under sustained current account deficit of $81.4 Australia shares seen lingering near pressure amid a worldwide flight from billion in 2013 -- equivalent to 6-week low, await local earnings 3.66 percent of GDP and almost 50 emerging markets. The rand weakened SYDNEY: Australian shares are set for a percent up on 2012, the country’s to 11.25 against the dollar in morning sluggish open on Wednesday, lingering central bank said Friday. trading, before regaining some ground near a six-week low touched in the against the greenback. The 2012 deficit was $54.249 previous session, with investors waiting billion or 2.41 percent of GDP to see more production and earnings while the forecast for 2014 is a guidance from local companies. Local $78 billion shortfall. share price index futures added two points to 5,135.0, which is still a 40.1-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark fell 1.3 percent on Tuesday.

TENDERS

TENDER TENDER CLOSING TENDER TENDER CLOSING No. COMPANY TENDER NO. SUBJECT No. COMPANY TENDER NO. SUBJECT BOND FEES DATE BOND FEES DATE

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Maintenance of lighting installations on 22 GT14101600 QR 500,000 QR 500 2/3/2014 PWA/ Riw in South of Greater Doha Zone 90 to call-off basis in Dukhan Fields 37 QR 1,700,000 QR 3,000 25/02/2014 GTC/082/13-14 95 Phase-3 IA-R/13-14/C/052/G Sale and removal of bench grinder, 17/02/2014 23 ST13MT0358 cutting tools, cable drums, valves, QR 2,000 Free (12:00hrs) PWA/ Access road to Al Karaana PTP IA/13- metallic/electronic items etc 38 QR 1,200,000 QR 2,500 25/02/2014 GTC/083/13-14 14/C/053/G Sale and removal of Toyota Corolla 1.8 17/02/2014 24 ST13MT0359 QR 2,000 Free (model 2013) (12:00hrs) PWA/ Maintenance and improvement works in 39 QR 2,100,000 QR 3,000 4/3/2014 25 LP14101400 Pharmacy outsourcing N/A QR 200 16/02/2014 GTC/084/13-14 Expressways AA-R/13-14/OM/050/C1/G Aspire Zone EMC enterprise storage 26 AF/C/AF5433/13 QR 40,000 QR 300 2/3/2014 Aspire Zone upgrade Prov. of operation and maint services for 40 GT141010200 QR 175,000 N/A 2/3/2014 Aspire Zone Foundation Network & two incinerators & accessories at Halul 27 AF/C/AF5434/13 QR 240,000 QR 1,000 2/3/2014 security upgradation project SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23

Chad Le Clos enjoys mixed Durant’s 30-point streak fortunes

PERTH: South African star Chad Le Clos recovered his winning form on the second day ends in Thunder’s romp of the Aquatic Super Series in Perth yesterday. Less than six months out from Jefferson scores season-high 40 points as Charlotte defeat Lakers the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow where he will be expected to be a major force, the Olympic NEW YORK: The Oklahoma Timberwolves. Guard Courtney He spoiled Kings forward gold medallist shrugged off his City Thunder proved they are Lee scored 16 points, Mike Conley Rudy Gay’s effort that included moderate efforts on the first day the hottest team in the NBA had 12 points and guard Tayshaun 35 points, 12 rebounds and six to win the men’s 100m butterfly. League, winning their 10th suc- Prince added 11, including a three- assists. With AUD$500,000 ($437,000) cessive game with a 120-95 vic- pointer with 59.6 seconds left that Guard DeMar DeRozan in prizemoney up for grabs in the tory over the Brooklyn Nets. put the Grizzlies up by six. returned to the lineup to score five-nation event over the two Thunder forward Kevin Durant Forward Kevin Love scored 22 19 points and the Toronto Raptors nights, Le Clos was disappointing had his streak of 12 consecutive of his 28 points in the second half, beat the Denver Nuggets 100-90. in three swims on Friday. 30-point games snapped, scoring including 18 points in the third Forward Terrence Ross had 18 The South African burst to 26 and adding seven assists. quarter, for the Timberwolves. points for the Raptors, who won prominence in London in 2012, Durant sat out the entire Veteran forward Elton Brand for the first time in 11 years in winning the 200m butterfly by fourth quarter as the Thunder had a season-high 18 points Denver. upsetting American superstar were leading by 89-59 at the end against his former team as the Center J J Hickson had 18 Michael Phelps, and winning sil- of the third. Atlanta Hawks rolled to a 125- points and 13 rebounds and guard ver in the 100m butterfly. In the past 30 years, only Kobe 99 victory over the Philadelphia Evan Fournier scored 18 points However, the 2013 world cham- Bryant (16) and Tracy McGrady 76ers. for the Nuggets. pion finished second to Japanese (14) recorded more consecutive The 34-year-old Brand, in his Center Al Jefferson scored a teenager Daiya Seto in the 200m 30-point games. 15th season, shot 8-for-12 off the season-high 40 points and grabbed butterfly on Friday, and was also Forward Serge Ibaka showed Atlanta bench to lead seven play- 18 rebounds to lift the Charlotte unplaced in the 200m individual his versatility, scoring from any- ers in double figures. Bobcats to a 110-100 victory over medley and 50m butterfly. where on the floor with 25 points Another reserve, forward Mike the Los Angeles Lakers. Le Clos, 21, had to come from on 12-of-12 shooting. Ibaka and Scott, also had 18 for the Hawks, Jefferson connected on 18 of 32 behind in the 100m butterfly, with Durant shot a combined 22 of 24 with 16 of those coming in the field goals as Charlotte (21-27) Australian Daniel Lester setting from the field. second quarter. beat the Lakers for the first time the early pace. Memphis Forward Zach Forward Thaddeus Young had in Los Angeles in five years. The However, he appeared to win Randolph scored 13 of his 26 29 points, one shy of his season Bobcats also handed Los Angeles with something in reserve, hav- points in the fourth quarter, high, to pace the Sixers. (16-31) its sixth straight loss. ing a sustained look across at including a twisting shot from Veteran guard Arron Afflalo All-Star guard Steph Curry his rivals as he neared the wall, the paint with 2:27 left that scored 21 points in 30 minutes as scored 44 points and the Golden touching in a time of 52.66 to just gave the Grizzlies the lead in a the Orlando Magic breezed to an State Warriors spoiled a festive beat fast-finishing Australian 94-90 victory over the Minnesota easy 113-102 victory over the lowly banner-raising night for former Christopher Wright by 0.12sec, Milwaukee Bucks. Utah coach Jerry Sloan with a with a fading Lester back in third It was the fifth consecutive loss come-from-behind 95-90 victory in 53.05. NBA Results for the Bucks (8-38) and the 14th over the Jazz. The South African also placed Orlando 113 Milwaukee 102 loss in their last 15 games. Curry hit two of his eight third in the men’s 400m individ- The hard-luck and short- three-pointers during a key 12-0 ual medley after China’s Wang Atlanta 125 Philadelphia 99 handed Sacramento Kings could run in the fourth quarter that put Shun, who initially appeared to Memphis 94 Minnesota 90 not hold onto a 14-point fourth- the Warriors (29-19) in position have pipped Le Clos to the finish Oklahoma City 120 Brooklyn 95 quarter lead and lost 107-103 to to win and dampen the party-like line, was disqualified. Dallas 107 Sacramento 103 the Dallas Mavericks. atmosphere. Le Clos was happy to be on the Toronto 100 Denver 90 Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki Center Andrew Bogut scored 16 Oklahoma City Thunder’s small forward Kevin Durant shoots the ball board and admitted his form had Charlotte 110 LA Lakers 100 led the Mavs’ comeback with 34 points and grabbed 17 rebounds to over Brooklyn Nets’ small forward Paul Pierce in the first half of their been below what he hoped. points, 12 in the decisive final help Golden State. “It’s been a tough couple of days Golden State 95 Utah 90 NBA match at Barclays Center, Brooklyn yesterday. period. REUTERS for me,” he said. “It was good to get a win on the board.” While it was an event of mixed fortunes for Le Clos, rising star Kosuke Hagino notched his sec- ond and third wins of what was an impressive meet for the Japanese Third straight win for Rangers men. Having won the 200m indi- NEW YORK: The New York scored the only goal of a seven- Ryder on a breakaway for his vidual medley in a quick time on Rangers beat the New York round shootout to give the Detroit 24th, and most important, save Friday, he backed it up by claim- Islanders for the second time in Red Wings a 4-3 win over the of the game. Right winger Devin ing the 200m freestyle in a time three days in the NHL champi- Washington Capitals. Setoguchi’s second goal of the of 1:46.35, beating Australian onship, recording a 4-1 win at Left winger Drew Miller and game with just under three min- Cameron McEvoy by 0.33sec. Madison Square Garden after defenseman Danny DeKeyser utes left in the third period lifted Hagino then took out the men’s they had defeated their closest and right winger Gustav Nyquist the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-3 victory 400m individual medley from rivals 2-1 at Yankee Stadium on scored for Detroit in regulation. over the Vancouver Canucks. countryman Seto, with Le Clos Wednesday. Detroit goaltender Jimmy Setoguchi fired his ninth missing a place. The Rangers scored three Howard stopped 26 shots in his and 10th goals of the year past China’s Fu Yuanhui upset local times in the third period with first game back after being out for Canucks goalie Eddie Lack, the favourite and 2013 world cham- goals from Derick Brassard, three games with a knee injury. second coming off a tremendous pionship silver medallist Emily Brad Richards and defenseman Right winger Alex Ovechkin cross-ice pass from blue-liner Seebohm in the women’s 100m Ryan McDonough, who added an and left winger Jason Chimera Jacob Trouba at 17:04. backstroke. empty-net goal as time expired, both had a goal and an assist and The Jets (26-25-5) pulled to Fu won in 1:00.05, with Japan’s to drop the Islanders to 21-28-8. center Casey Wellman also scored within six points of the Canucks Sayaka Akase 0.43sec back in sec- Anton Khudobin stopped 26 for Washington. (27-20-9) for the final wild-card ond and Seebohm third in 1:00.98. shots and left winger Jeff Skinner Defenseman Shea Weber’s spot in the Western Conference. Australian James Magnussen notched his team-leading sixth second goal of the game at 1:29 REUTERS won the blue riband men’s 50m game-winning goal as the Carolina of overtime gave Nashville a 3-2 freestyle to back up his 100m suc- Hurricanes defeated St. Louis 3-1. win over the New Jersey Devils at cess on Friday night, in a quick Right winger Alexander Semin sold-out Bridgestone Arena. NHL Results time of 21.88sec. scored into an empty net with Weber, who scored Nashville’s NY Rangers 4 NY Islanders 1 There was a major upset in the 1:04 left to seal it for Carolina with first goal at 6:45 of the first period, Carolina 3 St Louis 1 women’s 400m individual medley, his 13th goal of the season as the fired a wrist shot past goaltender with Ye Shiwen beaten out of a Calvin de Haan (44) of the New York Islanders skates with the puck Detroit 4 Washington 3 against Derick Brassard of the New York Rangers during their NHL Hurricanes (25-20-9) improved to Cory Schneider, moments after place in the event she won gold in Nashville 3 New Jersey 2 match at Madison Square Garden in New York City yesterday. 11-4 in their last 15 games. Predators goalie Carter Hutton at the London Olympics. Right winger Patrick Eaves stopped right winger Michael Winnipeg 4 Vancouver 3 AFP Most support Redskins keeping name: Goodell

NEW YORK: More people, “But if you look at the num- something less “offensive.” including native Americans, bers, including native American Even President Barack Obama support the Washington communities, nine out of 10 sup- has waded into the debate say- Redskins keeping their con- ported the name. Eight out of 10 ing that if he owned the team, troversial name, said National in the general American popula- he would consider changing the Football League commissioner tion would not like us to change name, which American Indians Roger Goodell yesterday. the name.” and others have long pilloried as Goodell took on the touchy sub- However, Oneida Indian Nation racist. ject during his pre-Super Bowl representative Ray Halbritter Native American groups have state of the league address and strongly disagreed with Goodell’s fought the name in court and attempted to defuse the issue by assessment. through advertising campaigns claiming that the vast of majority “It is deeply troubling that but Goodell pointed polls that of football fans, and the American with the Super Bowl happening seem to indicate that the outrage public in general, have no prob- on lands that were once home is not widespread. lem with the Redskins name that to native Americans, NFL com- Goodell’s comments on Friday generated protests last season at missioner Roger Goodell would are far different from last year stadiums across the league. use the event as a platform to when the NFL commissioner told “Let me remind you this is the insist that the dictionary-defined a Washington radio audience, “If name of a football team, a football R-word racial slur against Native one person is offended, we have team that has had that name for Americans is somehow a sign of to listen.” 80 years and has presented the honor,” Halbritter in a statement. “I’ve been spending the last name in a way that has honoured For the past 14 years, Dan year talking many of the leaders Native Americans,” said Goodell. Snyder, principal owner of the in native American communities, “We recognise that there are Washington Redskins franchise, we are listening,” said Goodell. Seattle Seahawks’ running back Marshawn Lynch (centre) walks off the field at the MetLife Stadium during some who don’t agree with the has defied calls from activists “We are trying to make sure we their NFL Super Bowl XLVIII walk-through in East Rutherford, New Jersey yesterday. The Seahawks will play name and we have listened and and journalists to change his understand the issues.” against the Denver Broncos in the game tomorrow. respected them. team’s name and Indian logo to REUTERS SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Gallacher storms to Dubai lead Defending champion’s 63 includes seven birdies and an eagle on back nine

DUBAI: Stephen Gallacher he showed in the first round, he produced one of the finest Dubai Desert looked comfortable all day. back nines in the history of the He produced a rock-solid two- Woods set European Tour yesterday to Classic Scores under back nine, with birdies on stand on the verge of becoming DUBAI: Leading scores on 10 and 17, to edge to within two to make the first player to successfully Saturday in the third round strokes of Gallacher, who he will defend the Dubai Desert Classic. of the $2.5m Dubai Desert partner in Sunday’s final pairing. Delhi debut The 39-year-old Scot was doing Classic, part of the European McIlroy, who has been suffer- nothing very much with seven PGA Tour:- ing from a stomach upset, said DUBAI: One of India’s lead- straight pars and a bogey when that Gallacher’s gallop had been ing golfers believes Tiger Majlis Course, par-72 he suddenly went on the rampage. “phenomenal.” Woods short visit next week From the ninth, Gallacher 200 Stephen Gallacher (SCO) 66-71-63 “I didn’t know that he was 10 to Delhi will generate a long- nailed an eagle and eight bird- 202 Rory McIlroy (NIR) 63-70-69 under for the last 10 holes. That’s lasting interest in golf. ies in 10 holes. His nine-under 204 Brooks Koepka (USA) 69-65-70, some golf right there. Woods is visiting the world’s 28 on the back nine equalled the Thorbjorn Olesen (DAN) 71-68-65 “But I feel like I can catch him largest democratic nation for European Tour record. 205 Edoardo Molinari (ITA) 65-72-68, tomorrow. I don’t really want to the first time to compete on By the time he had finished, Robert Rock (ENG) 67-70-68, Steve focus on what he is doing - just try Tuesday in an 18-hole corporate he was three clear of the field, Webster (ENG) 71-70-64 to focus on my own thing.” outing on the Delhi Golf Club in although tournament favourite 206 Roope Kakko (FIN) 69-69-68 On the back of some inspired the India capital. Rory McIlroy eased that back to 207 Darren Fichardt (RSA) 69-72-66, putting, Koepka briefly nudged The 14-time major winner has two strokes by the end of the day. Dawie Van der Walt (RSA) 72-70-65, ahead of the Northern Irishman, been invited by Pawan Munjal, The Ulsterman, who led after Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 71-67-69, Jamie but bogeys at 12, 14 and 15 pulled CEO and Managing Director of the first two rounds, had a Donaldson (WAL) 69-68-70, Damien him back into a tie for third with the Hero Motor Group, one of steady 69, with rising US player McGrane (IRL) 66-70-71 Olesen. Tiger Woods’ hopes of the largest motor cycle manu- Brooks Koepka (70) and Danish winning the Dubai Desert Classic facturers in the world. 208 Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 68-69-71, hope Thorbjorn Olesen (65) four for a record-equalling third time Munjal, who first met Woods Bernd Wiesberger (AUT), 70-70-68, strokes off the pace on 12 under. were all but smashed after he in Florida some years back dur- Paul Waring (ENG) 70-70-68, Romain A further stroke back came carded a third round of 70. ing the staging of the annual Wattel (FRA) 68-73-67, Richard a trio consisting of Englishman It was an improved perform- Tavistock Cup, was in Dubai Sterne (RSA) 66-73-69 Robert Rock, Italian Edoardo ance compared to the day before up until Friday night local Molinari and Finn Roope Kakko, patient. You never know in this for the world number one, but he time finalising arrangements all of whom had 68s. Asked to game. You could birdie the first was left trailing way down the for Tuesday’s historic visit. explain what had gotten into five and you could birdie the last field with no chance of closing Woods also will open a him heading for the ninth tee, five. That’s the beauty of it.” the gap. special ‘Tiger Woods’ block Gallacher said he had no idea. Prior to Gallacher’s all-out “Wasted a lot of opportuni- of luxury apartments after “I struggled at the start to be assault on the Majlis course, it had ties out there,” said Woods of his Michael Schumacher and Maria honest. The first three holes a bit looked like a day for the twenty- round. Sharapova each unveiled simi- ropey, first four holes actually a somethings as McIlroy (24) and “I only hit a couple of bad shots, lar named buildings. bit ropey,” he said. Koepka (23) went head-to-head missed a ton of putts and just The 14-time Major win- “And then bogeyed eight and I in the final pairing with Olesen threw away a lot of shots.” ner will play alongside Munjal thought, oh well, because I wasn’t (24) closing in fast on them. Woods missed the cut in his and European Tour based Shiv feeling in sorts, but then I hit a McIlroy bogeyed the first for first tournament of the year Kapur, who is also a member at beautiful drive and seven-iron to the second straight day, but at Torrey Pines last week and the Delhi Club and is sponsored nine to about three-foot and from bounced back with an eagle at admits that he is struggling to Stephen Gallacher of Scotland plays a shot during the third round of the by Hero. then on in, I just never missed the third and, while he was una- get his game together after a long 2014 Omega Dubai Desert Classic in Dubai, yesterday. Joining the trio will be one of a shot. “You just try and stay ble to reproduce the fireworks winter break. AFP Woods long-time golfing friends and PGA Tour colleague, Arjun Atwal who resides on the exclu- sive Isleworth Estate in Flordia where Woods lived for much of Jones and Watson head leaderboard his career. Kupur is the son of an India PHOENIX: Australia’s Matt the desert temperatures dropped. stock broker and graduated Jones fired his second straight “We definitely got the good side Phoenix Open Scores from Purdue University where six-under 65 yesterday to seize of the draw going early,” he said. PHOENIX: Leading second- he was an all-American. a share of the second-round “It’s going to be cold and the ball round scores yesterday in the The 31-year old is one of lead of the Phoenix Open along- isn’t going as far.” US PGA Tour $6.2m Phoenix India’s most successful golfers side former Masters champion Watson was pleased with his Open (USA unless noted. first winning the Asian Tour Bubba Watson. round, despite his two late bogeys. Par-71): ‘Rookie of the Year’ title in Watson, tied for the lead after a “Everything is clicking right 130 Matt Jones (AUS) 65-65, Bubba Watson 2005 after capturing the Volvo first-round 64, carded a 66 on the now,” he said. 64-66 Masters of Asia championship. par-71 TPC Scottsdale Stadium “I played really well last week, 132 Greg Chalmers (AUS) 65-67, Harris Kupur has won twice on the Course to maintain a share of the just didn’t make the putts. This English 65-67 secondary Challenge Tour but lead on 12-under-par 130. time I’m playing well and some of still awaits a first main Tour 133 Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 66-67, Pat The leading duo were two the putts are dropping.” Perez 65-68, Kevin Stadler 65-68 victory. strokes in front of Australian South Korea’s YE Yang, who “Tiger’s visit to India is 134 William McGirt 65-69, Brandt Snedeker Greg Chalmers and Harris shared the first-round lead with going to make a huge impact 70-64, Patrick Reed 67-67, Scott Piercy English, who both posted second- Watson, stumbled to a 73 and fell and there is a big buzz already 67-67 round 67s. into a tie for 15th on five-under. not only in Delhi but the whole Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama Defending champion Phil 135 Morgan Hoffmann 69-66, Martin Laird country,” said Kupur after also shot 67 to join the group Mickelson, who fired a first-round (SCO) 67-68, Jason Kokrak 66-69 shooting a third round of 70 at sharing fifth place on nine-under 60 en route to a wire-to-wire tri- 137 Nick Watney 69-68, Ken Duke 70-67, the Dubai Desert Classic. 133. He was tied with Americans umph here last year, carded a 67 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 66-71, “I know the members at my Pat Perez (68) and Kevin Stadler that left him tied for 27th eight Nicolas Colsaerts (BEL) 69-68, James club are very excited and there (68). shots off the lead. Driscoll 67-70, Hunter Mahan 66-71, is going to be people climbing Watson, seeking his first vic- Mickelson’s title defence was Ryan Moore 66-71, Bill Haas 69-68, all over the walls just to get a Jhonattan Vegas (VEN) 71-66, Y.E. Yang tory since his 2012 Masters tri- Bubba Watson gestures to the crowd after playing the 4th hole during in doubt until Wednesday, after glimpse of Tiger. (KOR) 64-73, Chris Stroud 70-67 umph, had seven birdies but he the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC he withdrew from the Farmers “But the interest he will gen- bogeyed two of his last three holes Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona, yesterday. Insurance Open at Torrey Pines erate even in his short visit is -- the seventh and ninth. with a bad back last week. twice as many as he managed in not just from a golf perspective Jones, who has a home nearby He said his first-round 71 the first round. “My distance con- but basically he is one of the and is a local favorite, birdied birdie of the day at the par-four round before it was suspended was due to rust rather than any trol was back on. biggest celebrities in the world three of the first four holes and 18th. by darkness. back trouble, and he felt sharper “I don’t know if I’m too far back and with him coming to India after his only bogey of the day at Ten players returned today Along the way players coped yesterday. or not, but on this golf course you for a first time is going to gener- the ninth added another three morning to complete their open- with some gusty winds, and Jones “I didn’t make too many sloppy can really make some fireworks ate a huge amount of interest in birdies at 13, 14 and 15 before cap- ing rounds, and four players was glad to have his second round swings,” said Mickelson, whose 10 happen.” AFP golf. AFP ping his round with his seventh failed to complete the second completed relatively early before fairways hit in regulation were

Qatar International Jet Ski Championship

The podium winners at the last round of the Qatar International Jet Ski Championship pose for a group picture with Sami Abu Shaikha (centre, front row), General Secretary of Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF) and Khalid bin Arhama Al Kuwari (second left), Head of F1 Racing at QMSF at Doha Corniche yesterday. Races were held in the Ski F1, Runabout Stock, Runabout Stock (Beginner class) and the Runabout Super Stock (Runabout F1) categories. RIGHT: Action from the last round of the Qatar International Jet Ski Championship. PICTURES BY: SHAIVAL DALAL SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25

ODI rout France, Swiss and Germany fires up New Zealand for India Tests into Davis Cup quarters WELLINGTON: A fired up New Zealand yesterday turned their sights towards the upcom- Defending champions Czech Republic lead 2-1 against Netherlands ing two Tests against India, bursting with confidence after exceeding expectations by domi- PARIS: France, Switzerland nating the one-day series. and Germany all advanced to Pavlyuchenkova The first Test starts in the Davis Cup World Group Auckland next Thursday, with quarter-finals yesterday as ousts New Zealand already plotting to Spain and Serbia crashed out of continue the barrage of short- the 114-year-old competition. Sharapova, into pitched deliveries which the France took an unassailable Indian batsmen struggled to con- 3-0 lead over Australia, with tend with in the ODIs. Germany seeing off Spain, minus Paris Open final “Even in our wildest dreams world number one Rafael Nadal, we didn’t think we could win 4-0 and Switzerland beat 2010 win- PARIS: Anastasia against such a quality side,” coach ners and last year’s finalists Pavlyuchenkova made it through Mike Hesson said. Serbia by the same scoreline. to the Paris WTA Open final “We know it’s a different for- But the Czech Republic will at the expense of her Russian mat (Tests), and there’ll be a few have to wait until today to keep compatriot and top seed Maria new guys, but we’ll definitely take their quest for a third consecu- Sharapova yesterday. some confidence into the Tests.” tive title on track as they lead the Pavlyuchenoka, ranked 26th in The gulf between the two sides Netherlands 2-1 at Ostrava. the world, ended the 2012 French on the world rankings table may On the clay in Mouilleron- Open champion’s run at the Stade be vast but New Zealand showed le-Captif, Richard Gasquet and Coubertin 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. it mattered little as they wrapped Jo-Wilfried Tsonga clinched the Germany’s Philipp The former junior champion up the one-day series with an vital rubber for France with a Kohlschreiber (left) and Tommy will meet the winner of Saturday’s emphatic 87-run victory in the 5-7, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 7-5 success Haas celebrate winning their other semi-final between Italian final match in Wellington on over Chris Guccione and Lleyton doubles match against Spain’s Sara Errani and French home Friday. Hewitt. Marrero and Verdasco at the hope Alize Cornet. In the process India, whose best France were sitting pretty Davis Cup first round tie in On the back foot early in the performance was to tie the third overnight after Gasquet beat Frankfurt Main, Germany, match Pavlyuchenkova was match, dropped from first to sec- Aussie teenager Nick Kyrgios trailing 3-0 then 4-1 before the ond in the rankings while New yesterday. 7-6 (7/3), 6-2, 6-2, before Tsonga 22-year-old saved two break Zealand raised their standing ousted Hewitt 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2). points, going on to level after from a modest eighth to seventh. France’s reward was a last breaking wolrd number five It is a similar margin at Test eight clash with Germany, who Sharapova’s serve for 4-4. level where India are number took an unbeatable 3-0 lead over But the opening set evaded her two with New Zealand in eighth five-time former champions Spain when she produced two unforced place, but Hesson said his players in Frankfurt earlier Saturday. errors. proved in the ODIs that was no That quarter-final is scheduled She regrouped and broke barrier. for April 4-6. Tommy Haas and Pattaya Open: Makarova Sharapova in the first game “It’s all very well having plans Philipp Kohlschreiber needed of the second set, following up but you need quality players to nearly three and a half hours to with a second break to level the execute them and we certainly seal a 7-6(7/5), 6-7(9/11), 7-6(9/7), semi-final. saw that. It was as good as it gets 6-3 over Spain’s Fernando The pair traded breaks in the really from a coach’s point of Verdasco and David Marrero. to face Pliskova in final deciding set, with Sharapova view,” he said. Kohlschreiber and Florian going on to serve to try and level “A number of different players Mayer had given the hosts a 2-0 PATTAYA, Thailand: After failing to win any of three In a contest that consisted it at 5-5, but that proved beyond stood up throughout the series overnight lead. Russian fourth seed Ekaterina match points on her opponent’s almost entirely of very short her as she double faulted to hand at key times,” he added, singling Switzerland’s all important Makarova will face unseeded serve at 5-3, Makarova finally points, neither player earned a victory to her fellow Russian. out the imperious form of Kane point was delivered by the pairing Czech Karolina Pliskova in the claimed victory with her fourth. break point in the second set “I let her regain her confi- Williamson and Ross Taylor who of Marco Chiudinelli and Michael final of the Pattaya Open after “The best part of my game until Goerges took advantage of dence,” Sharapova remarked. will reprise their roles at three Lanmer, who saw off Nenad both claimed three-set victories is that I was fighting,” said a weak game by her opponent to The winner, coached by her and four in the Test batting line Zimonjic and Filip Krajinovic 6-6 yesterday. Makarova. “She’s playing so break for 5-4, then serving out father after a spell with Martina up. (7/3), 3-6, 6-6 (7/2), 6-2. Makarova, whose only previ- aggressive, so flat. It was difficult at love. Hingis, reflected: “The key to the Williamson became the fourth The Swiss took control of the ous title came when she won to return because she was serving In the final set it was Pliskova’s game was the serve.” New Zealander to score a half- tie in Novi Sad on Friday when Eastbourne in 2010, edged past so good today. steadier game that gave her the AFP century in five consecutive ODIs, Roger Federer, yet to add the Czech Andrea Hlavackova 6-3, “At the end of the second set edge. She broke serve to lead 2-0 while Taylor produced back-to- Davis Cup trophy to his array of 0-6, 6-4. I was so angry because here I’d and, although Goerges recovered back centuries for only the fourth silverware, and freshly crowned While Pliskova, who will also already played two matches in the break with a spectacular fore- Pattaya Open Results time by a New Zealander in a one- Australian champion Stanislas be chasing her second career title three sets and I really wanted hand winner down the line in the PATTAYA, Thailand: Results from the sixth day series. AFP Wawrinka, won both of their after winning in Kuala Lumpur to finish it in two sets. But she fifth game, Pliskova immediately singles.Federer, a last-minute in February 2013, beat Germany’s played amazing all that set and it responded with a further break day of the WTA Pattaya Open yesterday (x addition to the Swiss team, won Julia Goerges 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. was difficult to do anything.” to lead 4-2. denotes seeding): ECB chief through 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 against Makarova struggled to gain the Pliskova played a solid match Goerges then faced two match Semi-final singles 268th-ranked Ilija Bozoljac on the upper hand, despite breaking to and was the steadier player points at 5-2, and although she Karolina Pliskova (CZE) bt Julia Goerges hints Giles will hard court surface in Novi Sad. lead 2-0. She had to fight off a throughout. Although Goerges survived that threat Pliskova (GER) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 Serbia were weakened by the break point before securing the served the first two of her 16 aces was able to serve out the match succeed Flower absence of star turns Novak first set, and then failed to win a of the match in the opening game, to love. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS x4) bt Andrea Djokovic and Janko Tipsarevic. game in the second as her more she dropped her serve with a fore- “There weren’t any rallies Hlavackova (CZE) 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 MELBOURNE: England Tired from his exploits in the aggressive opponent put her on hand error. because we were both serving well Cricket Board chairman Giles heat of Melbourne Wawrinka the defensive. The Czech broke serve again to and we have similar games, so it WTA Paris Open Results Clarke hinted yesterday that then stepped up to battle past But the final set mirrored lead 5-2 but double-faulted on set was tough,” said Pliskova, who PARIS: Results from the sixth day of the Ashley Giles would succeed 102nd ranked Dusan Lajovic 6-4, the first, with Makarova taking point and then was broken when fired 13 aces of her own. WTA Paris Open yesterday (x denotes Andy Flower as Test coach after 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (9/7). an early break to lead 2-1 when Goerges struck a stinging fore- “In the second set she was serv- seeding): the former Zimbabwe interna- The Swiss will meet either her return forced an error, and hand winner. ing really well. I almost couldn’t Semi-finals tional quit following their Ashes Kazakhstan or Belgium who are with her again having to save a But Goerges then surrendered do anything. I tried to stay calm whitewash. playing in Astana with the hosts break point before closing out the her serve and the set with two and play my game and wait for my Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) bt Maria Flower resigned on Friday to leading 2-1. REUTERS match. consecutive double-faults. chance.” AFP Sharapova (RUS x1) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 allow the team to rebuild after their disastrous tour of Australia, where they lost the Test series 5-0. However, he is remaining a selector “for the time being”, with British reports saying the deci- Schmid extends championship lead sion to stand down was his alone and not prompted by the Ashes DOHA: Clemens Schmid of Al Al Attiyah’s first Porsche GT3 humiliation. Nabooda Racing won the open- race experience saw the legend Flower had already ceded ing race in Round 4 at the Losail win the Silver Michelin category coaching control of England’s one- International Circuit to con- in impressive fashion, finishing a day team to former England spin- tinue his title push in an inci- very credible 11th overall. ner Giles, and said he had come to dent-packed encounter under Speaking after the race Nasser the conclusion that a man in his the lights in the Porsche GT3 said: “That was a fantastic feeling position needed to be “responsible Cup Challenge Middle East. and I’m happy with the result for across all formats”. The UAE-based driver, who my first race. I need more time Clarke suggested Giles could has been in consistent form all to learn about the car and myself take over all three formats, with- season, won the race and collected but I look forward to that time. out putting a timeframe on any maximum points after his main The Porsche GT3 is incredible. appointment. title contender Zaid Ashkanani The power, the brakes, everything “We would all agree he is a very of Kuwait suffered a 20second feels unreal but also different for strong candidate. We have the penalty for a jump start while on me even the start! highest regard for him as a man pole position. “I’m used to having a nice two and coach of great integrity and Qatar racing legend Nasser bin minute break between me and capability,” he said in Melbourne. Saleh Al Attiyah had a memora- the car in front. Here it’s not “He played a lot of cricket for ble debut in the Porsche GT3 Cup even one second. The grid is full England and is respected in the Challenge Middle East. and you need to look both sides game. It may well be that other For local motorsport fans that and be smart. I managed to do outstanding candidates emerge as turned out in their thousands that and bring it home win- Paul Downton (England cricket’s to witness the Porsche debut ning my category. I’m happy but managing director) leads the of Qatari hero Al Attiyah for can’t wait for the next race,” process.” Team QMMF (Qatar Motor & he added. England’s next Test match Motorcycling Federation) it was In the fight for the podium is not until the northern hemi- a proud night. the unfortunate Ashkanani paid sphere summer, when they host The Olympic medallist and the price for his mistake on the Sri Lanka. Last month British Dakar Rally champion best start grid, falling back to fourth press reports, denied by Flower, known for his outstanding ral- position with the time penalty suggested he was not prepared to lying career proved his natu- imposed and gifting the 5th race Qatar’s Nasser Al Attiyah, Silver Category Round 4 Race 1 winner at the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Middle carry on as England coach so long ral racing ability extends to the win of the season to a grateful East, poses for a picture at the Losail International Circuit on Friday night. as Kevin Pietersen remained in track as he took to the podium. Schmid. THE PENINSULA the team. AFP SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Radcliffe rules out immediate Wales edge comeback

ITEN, KENYA: World mar- athon record holder Paula Radcliffe has ruled out an imme- diate return to competitive rac- past brave Italy ing after a spate of injuries and surgery all helped to scuttle her latest ambition to race in this year’s London Marathon. France stun England after late Fickou try “At this point I don’t know when I will make a comeback because I had major surgery CARDIFF, United Kingdom: another Halfpenny penalty put that Wales, tested up front by an when I was unable to take part Wales began their quest for an them two scores in front at 23-15. Italy side boasting the most expe- in the London Olympics in 2012, unprecedented third successive “We have to tighten up those rienced pack in Test history with “ Radcliffe said. Six Nations title with a shaky mistakes in our game. If we don’t nearly 600 caps between them, Radcliffe is in Kenya for train- 23-15 victory over a gutsy Italy then we’ll lose against Ireland scored again when Halfpenny ing and to also mentor the young at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium next week,” Wales centre Jamie landed a penalty following a British runners preparing here yesterday. Roberts told the BBC. line-out infringement by Mauro for the London Marathon and the The build-up to this fixture had It was a point echoed by Wales Bergamasco. Glasgow Commonwealth Games. been overshadowed by the bitter coach Warren Gatland, who Italy came close to a try when Her last competitive outing was row within Welsh rugby over a admitted: “We made it tough for captain Sergio Parisse crossed in early 2012. ‘player exodus’ to foreign clubs ourselves. Italy were dogged and after winning an aerial chal- “End of August 2012 I had the and the future of the country’s competed all day. lenge with Wales wing George big surgery and I wasn’t able to four regional teams. “We need to tidy up some things North. run at all until April of 2013, and But politics were put to one side ahead of the Ireland game and be Meanwhile, France snatched then it was very sore and pretty as Wales saw off a determined a bit more accurate,” added the a thrilling 26-24 Six Nations painful. I took a slow build-up so I Azzurri side, whose performance New Zealander, himself a former Championship victory over am now able to run once a day an belied a poor record that now Ireland coach. England yesterday thanks to hour or two hours and it seems to stands at 16 matches without an Wales, whose poor first half a late converted try from Gael be coming back,” she said. away win in the Six Nations. display in last season’s opening Fickou at Stade de France. “But I don’t want to push it Wales led 17-3 at half-time defeat by Ireland ultimately cost Substitute Fickou was let either. I want to have the gift of after converted tries from wing them a Grand Slam, took just loose on the left wing and scored being able to go out for a run eve- Alex Cuthbert and centre Scott three minutes to score the game’s with three minutes left, deny- ryday when I want to run. So I Williams were separated by a first try. ing England a comeback victory don’t want to jeopardise that but Leigh Halfpenny penalty. Debutant Italy wing Angelo after they had battled back from if I can come back and run one But they were caught cold soon Esposito made a mess of trying a 13-point deficit. more marathon or even a half after the break by the first of Italy to gather Wales fly-half Rhys France, desperate to erase marathon I will be very happy centre Michele Campagnaro’s two Priestland’s grubber-kick, allow- memories of last year’s champion- because I can finish on my terms,” tries and didn’t manage another ing Cuthbert to touch down in the ship when they managed only one added the two-time London point until Halfpenny’s 66th right corner. victory, stunned England when Marathon champion. minute penalty. British and Irish Lions full- winger Yoann Huget touched Radcliffe said she was disap- But just when it seemed back Halfpenny made a difficult down for the first try after 30 pointed not to come back and they’d put the match beyond touchline conversion look easy seconds. lower her record of 2:15.25 she Italy’s reach, man-of-the- and Wales were 7-0 in front as Huget increased the French set in London in 2003, which has match Campagnaro intercepted the cheers echoed off the closed advantage with a second try 10 been a subject of discussion by Halfpenny’s pass and ran in for a Millennium Stadium roof. minutes later before three points her Kenyan opponents, who have try under the posts which fly-half However, Italy were on the from Owen Farrell’s boot and a France’s Gael Fickou escapes to score a try against England during their aspired to join forces to break the Tommaso Allan converted. board when Allan kicked a sim- Mike Brown score five minutes Six Nations rugby union match at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, mark. Now, with 11 minutes left, ple penalty in front of the posts. before halftime gave England near Paris, yesterday. “I thought at the time that I Wales led by just five points before It wasn’t until the 28th minute hope. AGENCIES could come back and run quicker but then injuries came and ill- ness meant I couldn’t have been in good enough shape at the time of the race and now it is a little bit too late in my career to be able Brawn will not make comeback to F1: Report to run in 2-sub 15 again,” said the 37-year-old mother of two. “Realistically the sport is evolv- LONDON: Former Mercedes River Dee. “If they had put two forward to it but I’ve got no other that he instead chose to run with I had Pedro (de la Rosa) and Nick ing very fast and obviously records team principal Ross Brawn and two together they would have plans. the fledgling Caterham without (Heidfield) came during the year. are there to be aimed at and to be will not make a comeback realised I was definitely retiring.” Meanwhile, Japanese driver even being paid. Those guys had more experience beaten. I am philosophical about to Formula One, the Daily The 59-year-old is widely cred- Kamui Kobayashi has admitted Indeed it is Malaysian entre- than me and I just tried to learn that but at the same time I would Telegraph reported yesterday. ited as a key figure behind Michael he is getting used to a new role preneur Tony Fernandes’ team from them. like the world record to stand a Brawn, involved with team Schumacher’s seven world titles as the most experienced driver that will benefit financially from “This time I have experience little bit longer.” management for over 35 years, at Benetton and Ferrari and also at Caterham on his return to the deal as Kobayashi also handed and I started in Formula One Meanwhile, Kenya’s two-time made the announcement at a fish- found success with his self-titled Formula One. over one million pounds ($1.6 mil- before this team did. I’ve had to world marathon champion and ing event in Scotland, confirming team in 2009, when Jenson Button The upcoming season will be lion) raised by his fans in sponsor- give a lot of information and feed- Olympic silver medallist Abel that the sabbatical he took after won the world championship. Kobayashi’s fifth in Formula One, ship, whilst Fernandes has also back to the guys. We share a lot Kirui is to make his much- leaving Mercedes in December He had been linked with roles but he sat out the 2013 campaign acknowledged the commercial of information with each other. It awaited return at this month’s was now a permanent departure at returning engine manufac- after being axed by Sauber after advantages of having Japan’s top is a new challenge.” Tokyo marathon on February 23 from the sport. turer Honda, the FIA, Williams three years at the end of 2012. driver on his side. The new Caterham CT05 has after recovering from a career- “What they didn’t realise when and McLaren, the latter being a The 27-year-old spent the For Kobayashi, though, the certainly managed to turn a few threatening leg injury. I was invited here was they had potential chance to team up with year representing Ferrari in the opportunity to use his experience heads this week with the team World champion in 2009 and a scoop because the world’s press Ron Dennis after he returned to World Endurance Championships is an exciting one. themselves describing it as “the 2011, Kirui suffered a leg stress was trying to find out if I was the team. and was even being offered an “After a one year break I am Marmite of the paddock” due to fracture while in training for the retiring or not,” the Briton told “I’m retiring - it’s not tongue in expanded role in the Italian giants very excited to be back in Formula its unconventional looking nose. London marathon in March 2013 the newspaper. cheek,” Brawn asserted. Formula One testing operations One, but I also had a lot of courage From Kobayashi’s point of view and was forced to skip the event “This is the busiest time of the “I’m going to take a year to for this year. to want this job with this team. I inside the cockpit, his “pinocchio” as well as the defence of his title year for Formula One and I said enjoy the fishing and then see However, such was Kobayashi’s have to say it is a very positive car as he describes it, feels good. at the Moscow world champion- I would come along and open the what life brings. I’m looking desire to be back competing in F1 challenge for me. “In other years AGENCIES ships last August. AGENCIES Shooting: Nasser Al Hemaidi reigns supreme in Trap

DOHA: Nasser Ali Al Hemaidi displayed an ice cool tem- perament to clinch the top place in the Trap event of the Qatar Shooting and Archery Association Heir Apparent Cup at Losail Shooting Range here yesterday. The 29-year-old warded off a tough challenge from Rashid Taleb Al Athba beating his oppo- nent 12-10 in a closely contested final. “It is a good preparations for the upcoming Qatar Open,” Al Hemaidi said about his win. “I concentrated on what I was doing and not looking at the scores. It was tough fight and Nasser Ali Al Hemaidi (centre), winner in the Trap event at the Qatar Shooting and Archery it was a touch and go and I am Association Heir Apparent Cup, poses for a picture with silver medal winner Rashid Taleb happy to win it,” added a jubiliant Al Athba ( left) and bronze medal winner Mohammed Ahmed Al Roumihi at Losail Shooting Al Hemaidi. Range yesterday. RIGHT: Nasser Al Hemaidi celebrates his win. BOTTOM: Competitors Mohammed Ahmed Al from the women’s Trap event with officials. PICTURES BY: SALIM MATRAMKOT Roumihi edged Masoud Hamad Al Athba 9-6 to win the bronze medal in the event. In the women’s section, Koloud Hassan Al Kalaf won the Trap event, while Amna Mosaaid Al Abdullah had to settle for the silver medal. Nora Eisa Al Ali won the bronze medal defeating Bana Ali Haji. In the men’s jun- ior event, Anglo Roberto Scalzone bagged the top position followed by Abdullah Salem Mashaab and Sultan Ganim Al Niaami. THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 2 FEBRUARY 2014 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27

English Premier League Results United big guns Cardiff 2 (Bellamy 49, Jones 51) Norwich 1 (Snodgrass 5) Everton 2 (Naismith 74, Mirallas 85) Aston Villa 1 (Bacuna 34) Fulham 0 Southampton 3 (Lallana 64, Lambert 70, Rodriguez 75) Hull 1 (Long 12) Tottenham 1 (Paulinho 61) misfire at Stoke Newcastle 0 Sunderland 3 (Borini 19-pen, Johnson 23, Colback 80) Stoke 2 (Adam 38, 52) Manchester United Sunderland trounce Newcastle United 1 (Van Persie 47) West Ham 2 (Nolan 26, 45) Swansea 0 Playing today LONDON: Manchester the table. With top-four teams recorded a potentially important Arsenal vs Crystal Palace (1600GMT), West United’s new-look line-up Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea victory, weathering the dismissal Brom vs Liverpool (1330GMT) crashed to a 2-1 defeat at Stoke and Liverpool not in action, of striker Andy Carroll to over- Playing tomorrow City yesterday as they squan- Everton were the only side who come Swansea City 2-0 at Upton dered another opportunity to fully capitalised on the opportu- Park, although they remained in Manchester City vs Chelsea (2000GMT) make up ground on the Premier nity to close on the Champions the bottom three. League’s top four. League places. Carroll created both of West Scottish League United fielded Wayne Rooney, Thrashed 4-0 by Liverpool in Ham’s first-half goals, knocking Robin van Persie and record sign- mid-week, Everton fell 1-0 down the ball down for Kevin Nolan to Cup Results ing Juan Mata in their starting XI at home to Aston Villa when break the deadlock in the 26th Semi-finals for the first time, but an eighth Leandro Bacuna finished off a minute and then teeing up the Aberdeen 4 (Hayes 3, 79, Pawlett 32, defeat of the campaign left the slick counter-attack. same player to head in a second Rooney 63) St Johnstone 0 champions six points below the However, Steven Naismith in first-half injury time. Playing today Champions League places. came off the bench to score a The former Liverpool striker Hearts vs Inverness CT (1215GMT) On an afternoon of howling 74th-minute equaliser before was sent off in the 58th minute wind at the Britannia Stadium, Kevin Mirallas’s late free-kick after catching Swansea centre- Scottish Premiership Stoke took a 38th-minute lead secured a 2-1 win that left back Chico Flores with a flailing when Charlie Adam’s 35-yard Roberto Martinez’s side a point arm, with West Ham manager Results free-kick took a huge deflection behind Liverpool in fifth place. Sam Allardyce later revealing Kilmarnock 2 (Boyd 48, 90) Ross County 2 off Michael Carrick that wrong- Tottenham Hotspur were una- that the club would appeal against (Arquin 30, Songo’o 37) footed goalkeeper David de Gea. ble to follow Everton’s lead after the decision. Partick 1 (Fraser 75) Dundee Utd 1 (El United had already lost Jonny being held to a 1-1 draw at Hull Cardiff City’s new signings Alagui 29) Evans to injury by that point and City that saw them slip to sixth. Wilfried Zaha and Kenwyne Jones they then saw Evans’s centre- Spurs were crushed 5-1 by made an instant impact as Ole Playing today back partner Phil Jones stretch- City on Wednesday and they had Gunnar Solskjaer’s side climbed Celtic vs St Mirren (1500GMT) ered off after an aerial collision to settle for a point at the KC off the foot of the table by coming with Jon Walters. Stadium after Paulinho’s smart from behind to win 2-1 at home German League United equalised two minutes 61st-minute finish cancelled out to Norwich City. into the second half, Van Persie Shane Long’s first Hull goal in the Robert Snodgrass put Norwich Results finishing adroitly from Mata’s first half. ahead in the fifth minute, but on- Schalke 04 2 (Santana 9, Boateng 81) VfL deft pass, only for Adam to Sunderland leapt up the table loan Manchester United winger Wolfsburg 1 (Arnold 65) restore Stoke’s lead five minutes to 14th place after prevailing 3-0 Zaha created a 49th-minute Bayer Leverkusen 2 (Kiessling 26, Derdiyok later with a glorious shot into the against derby rivals Newcastle equaliser for Craig Bellamy before 84) VfB Stuttgart 1 (Leitner 12) top-right corner. United at St James’ Park for the Jones smashed in the winner a Hoffenheim 3 (Roberto Firmino 4, Suele 44, The visitors piled on the pres- second season running. minute later. Beck 60) Hamburg 0 sure in stoppage time, but to no Fabio Borini’s penalty gave Fulham slumped to last place Mainz 2 (Park 24, Koo 86) Freiburg 0 avail, with Tom Cleverley blazing Sunderland the lead in the 19th after losing 3-0 at home to Augsburg 3 (Werner 11, Halil Altintop 49, a shot over the crossbar after minute and Adam Johnson tapped Southampton, who scored all Hahn 55) Werder Bremen 1 (Callsen-Bracker Asmir Begovic had palmed a free- in his seventh goal in seven games their goals in the final half an Stoke City’s Charlie Adam (right) celebrates with team-mate Peter 3-og) kick from Rooney onto the post. four minutes later before Jack hour through England interna- Odemwingie after scoring a goal against Manchester United during Playing today It was Stoke’s first win over Colback sealed victory with a late tionals Adam Lallana, Rickie their English Premier League match at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke- Hertha Berlin vs Nuremberg (1430), Bayern United since December 1984 and strike. Lambert and Jay Rodriguez. on-Trent, central England, yesterday. saw them climb to 11th place in West Ham United also AFP Munich vs Eintracht Frankfurt (1630) Former Spain coach QSL: Umm Salal ease to Monaco rally to Aragones sixth consecutive win dies, aged 75 draw Lorient DOHA: Umm Salal trounced Al PARIS: Monaco saw their teams struggling to create clean Ahli 3-1 to register their sixth championship chances dented scoring chances before Jeremie MADRID: Former coach Luis consecutive win in the Qatar yesterday as they were forced to Aliadiere appeared to grab the Aragones, the man who ended Stars League here yesterday. come back twice before snatch- winner with 17 minutes left. Spain’s 44-year wait for a major Third-placed Al Ahli took the ing a 2-2 draw at Lorient to The striker who began his international trophy by win- lead in the 21 minute through fall five points behind Paris career at Arsenal before spells ning Euro 2008 and sparking a Meshal Abdullah and were lead- Saint-Germain. at Celtic, West Ham, Wolves golden era for the team, has died ing till the 79th minute, but three It took an 88th minute equal- and Middlesbrough banged the at the age of 75. goals within a span of 21 minutes iser from Layvin Kurzawa to save ball home from a rebound to pile He passed away yesterday saw Umm Salal victorious. pride for Claudio Ranieri’s men as the pressure on Monaco before morning in the Centro de Madrid Umm Salal equalised through a the visitors were staring down the Kurzawa came to their rescue. clinic in the Spanish capital after spot kick conversion in the 79th barrel of defeat with time run- Monaco now know next a battle with leukaemia, his family minute with Victor Simoes find- ning out. Lorient, who came into Sunday’s home clash against said in a statement. ing the back of the net. the match in 10th spot and within Paris Saint-Germain is a must- The RFEF, the country’s soccer Umm Salal took the lead touching distance of the European win situation with their deficit federation, expressed its sorrow three minutes later through an places, took a shock lead on 13 increased to five points after the at the loss of the “Spain coach Abdulaziz Mohammed Al Yahri minutes when Monaco failed to leaders defeated Bordeaux 2-0 on that started their glorious run of goal and they put the issue beyond clear a corner kick. Friday. success in world football”. doubt with an injury time goal Kevin Monnet-Paquet picked On Friday, Yohan Cabaye, Spain lifted the European from Maher Yousef. up the loose ball following a poor signed from Newcastle 48 hours Championship trophy in 1964 In another match, defend- clearance and whipped in a cross earlier, came on as a second half but for several decades after they Action from the Qatar Stars League (QSL) match between Al Sadd and ing champions Al Sadd defeated that Cameroon striker Vincent substitute and hit the bar with a were regarded as under-achievers. Qatar SC in Doha yesterday. Al Sadd won 1-0 Qatar SC 1-0. Aboubakar met with a firm header in Paris Saint Germain’s Aragones changed that per- THE PENINSULA header to beat Croatian ‘keeper 2-0 defeat of Bordeaux. ception with his victory in 2008, Danijel Subasic. PSG manager Laurent Blanc creating the platform for more However with half-time loom- introduced Cabaye, who arrived triumphs under Vicente del Qatar Stars ing, Ranieri’s men equalised on 41 from the Premier League on a Bosque at the 2010 World Cup minutes thanks to a clinical finish reported 23 million euros deal, to and Euro 2012. League Results from Valere Germain. the Parc des Princes in the 68th Spain beat Germany 1-0 in Emmanuel Riviere was the cat- minute. the final in Vienna six years ago, and Standings alyst as he broke into the penalty The 28-year-old France inter- Fernando Torres scoring the win- area before laying off a perfect national wasted no time in mak- ner in the 33rd minute. Umm Salal 3 Al Ahli 1 pass for Germain who made no ing his presence felt, in icy wet “Without doubt he paved the Al Kharaitiyat 0 Al Sailiya 0 mistake from close range. conditions, with an attempt fly- way for this latest period that has The second half provided a ing off the crossbar of Bordeaux Qatar SC 0 Al Sadd 1 been so successful. He had a lot of more balanced affair with both keeper Cedric Carrasso. AFP experience as a coach and person- On Friday ally I had a special affection for Muaither SC 0 Lekhwiya 5 him,” said Del Bosque. Al Wakra 1 Eljaish 4 “I knew he had a health prob- lem but I never imagined it would Al Gharafa 1 Al Rayyan 1 come to this. We will remember Al Khor 3 Al Arabi 3 this day with a lot of sadness.” P W D L GA GA Pts Chelsea striker Torres, who was with Liverpool when he appeared Lekhwiya 19 12 4 3 44 20 40 in the final in Vienna, also paid Eljaish 19 10 3 6 27 20 33 tribute to Aragones. Al Sadd 18 8 6 4 33 20 30 “RIP Luis Aragones. Thanks boss, I will never be able to thank Al Ahli 18 8 4 6 36 31 28 you enough for what you did for AlSailiya 18 7 6 5 30 27 27 me,” Torres said on his Twitter Qatar SC 18 7 5 6 21 24 26 feed. Xabi Alonso, who came on as Al Arabi 18 7 4 7 31 31 25 a substitute in the 2008 final, Umm Salal 18 6 5 7 25 27 23 was also fulsome in his praise of Al Gharafa 18 5 7 6 30 29 22 Aragones. Al Kharaitiyat 18 5 6 7 24 24 21 “We have lost a great person, it is a sad day. His personality has Al Khor 18 3 12 3 19 21 21 marked us for life,” Real Madrid Al Wakra 18 5 6 7 27 32 21 Monaco’s Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho (left) vies with Lorient’s midfielder Alonso said on his Al Rayyan 18 3 6 9 18 29 15 forward Gilles Sunu during the French L1 match at Le Moustoir Stadium Twitter account. in Lorient, western France, yesterday. REUTERS Muaither 18 3 2 13 19 49 11 Sunday 2 February 2014 2 Rabial II 1435 Volume 18 Number 5963 Sport Price: QR2

Gallacher Man United big storms to guns misfire at Dubai lead Stoke

Sport | 24 Sport | 27

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Valencia stun Barcelona 3-2 Martino’s side suffers first league defeat at the Camp Nou since April 2012

MADRID: Valencia inflicted hour and Valencia missed a great Barcelona’s first league defeat at Spanish League chance to equalise when Ricardo the Camp Nou since April 2012 Costa headed wide when pre- as they came from behind to win Results sented with an open goal after 3-2 yesterday. MADRID: Spanish league Victor Valdes completely mis- Alexis Sanchez had given the results yesterday: judged a corner from the right. hosts a deserved early lead, but Valencia did level just before Barcelona 2 (Sanchez 7, Messi 54-pen) goals just before and after half- the break as Parejo swept home Valencia 3 (Parejo 44, Piatti 48, Alcacer 59) time from Dani Parejo and Pablo Sofiane Feghouli’s low cross. Piatti turned the game on its Playing today And the visitors went in front head. Elche vs Almeria (1100), Real Betis vs just three minutes after the Lionel Messi quickly levelled Espanyol (1600), Atletico Madrid vs Real restart as Piatti took advantage from the penalty spot, only for Sociedad (1800), Athletic Bilbao vs Real of more hesitation by Valdes to Paco Alcacer to strike the winner Madrid (2000) loop a header into the net. low past Victor Valdes five min- Barcelona were handed a utes later. And Barca’s day was window. None of Los Che’s new reprieve six minutes later when summed up 13 minutes from time men were signed in time to make referee Pedro Perez Montero when Jordi Alba was sent-off for the starting line-up, though, and wrongly awarded a penalty for a second bookable offence. they suffered a terrible start as handball against Costa when the Both Atletico Madrid and Real Sanchez’s shot looped up over the ball appeared to have struck the Madrid now have the chance stranded Alves after just seven Valencia captain’s shoulder. to end Barca’s record run of minutes. Messi showed no mercy form 59 league games at the top of Barca should have then built the spot as he rifled high into the the table when they face Real on their lead as Alves made a roof of the net to register his first Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao brilliant save to prevent Sanchez league goal in nine games stretch- respectively today. doubling his tally with a header ing back to September. Valencia came into the game from point-blank range, whilst However, it took Valencia off the back of a busy couple of Sergio Busquets, Messi and Dani just five minutes to retake the days in the transfer market as five Alves all came close. lead as Alcacer slotted home Barcelona’s Argentinian midfielder Javier Mascherano (left) vies with Valencia’s Chilean forward Eduardo players left and four arrived in However, Barca’s intensity another intelligent cut-back from Vargas during their Spanish League at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona, yesterday. the final 48 hours of the January dipped after the opening half Feghouli. AFP