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Wednesday 31 December 2014 • 9 Rabial I 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6296 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Stop closure of Deputy Emir awards camel race winners OPINION Gulf and the petrol stations, oil crisis s it the Ibegin- ning of says civic body the end or end of the begin- ning? Ten facilities already shut down Whatever inter- DOHA: The Central Municipal offered various services in just a preta- Council (CMC) yesterday raised small place — services like car- tions and Dr Khalid Al Jaber the issue of shortage of petrol wash and tyre change. analyses stations and urged the civic Then, there were people who experts might offer on the ministry to stop shutting down come to the petrol station to buy steep decline in oil prices, these stations, especially in refreshments and transparent there is no doubt that the densely populated areas. cooking gas cylinders. current crisis is causing The CMC said there was a need Al Hajri suggested that the alarm about the future of to conduct studies to assess the government come out with some this most important stra- requirement of petrol stations in solutions like moving the above tegic commodity and its different localities and take meas- services. “A petrol station should impact on the Gulf States in ures to increase their number. be reserved only for refuelling The Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani awarding the winner of the Founder Sheikh particular. Elected representatives, at vehicles and that can solve the Jassim Bin Mohammed Bin Thani Al Thani Race held at Al Shahanya Camel Race Track yesterday. The American bank their routine weekly session yes- problem of crowding,” he added. More photographs on page 2 Morgan Stanley has set terday, said that while the coun- The chairman of the CMC, three scenarios. First, they try’s population and the number Saud Abdullah Al Hanzab, inter- see a bear market where of vehicles on the roads were vened and said one of the main oil prices will continue to multiplying, petrol stations were reasons for over-crowding at pet- decline due to the inabil- disappearing. rol stations was that currently ity of the market to regain The result is immense crowd- some 10 stations were shut down AirAsia crash bodies spotted balance. Oil production ing at the existing petrol stations for different reasons. may remain high or even most of the day, and sometimes He said if people coming to PANGKALAN BUN, blue suitcase and bodies retrieved found. Navy spokesman Manahan increase while demand there are congestions even at petrol stations for other needs INDONESIA: The hunt for a from the area. Simorangkir told AFP earlier that remains subdued. night, said some members. such as servicing of cars or buy- missing AirAsia passenger plane An air force plane saw a according to naval radio a warship The second is a base case CMC member, Saeed bin ing refreshments or gas cylinders appeared at an end yesterday as “shadow” on the seabed believed had recovered more than 40 bod- scenario, where oil prices will Mubarak Al Rashid, particularly contributed to crowding, then wreckage and bodies were spot- to be that of the missing Flight ies from the sea. But he later said be stable. The third scenario talked of petrol stations in Al the stations can be asked to have ted at sea off Indonesia, prompt- QZ8501, National Search and that report was a miscommunica- is a bull market where prices Gharafa and Al Shahaniya and separate entrances and exits for ing raw scenes of emotion from Rescue Agency chief Bambang tion by his staff. are expected to increase, but said they were crowded 24 hours. such motorists. When a member, sobbing relatives of the 162 peo- Soelistyo told a news conference The search was called off for the possibility for this seems “Heavy vehicles such as trucks raising the issue of safety at petrol ple aboard. in Jakarta. Relatives of the miss- the night due to rough weather. remote. and trailers entering these petrol stations, said motorists keep the The Airbus A320-200 disap- ing hugged each other and burst Initial news of the debris Saudi oil minister has stations for a refill were worsen- ignition of their cars on and keep peared en route from Indonesia’s into tears in Surabaya as they dimmed the faint hopes of said that OPEC will not cut ing the situation. They were caus- talking on their mobile phones second largest city Surabaya to watched footage of one body float- relatives. production even if prices ing traffic snarls.” while in, Al Hanzab said the CMC Singapore during a storm early ing in the sea on a television feed “If that news is true, what can fall to $20 per barrel. Does Joining the issue, another could write to the Ministry of Sunday. of Soelistyo’s press conference. I do? I cannot bring him back to this mean that there is a Council member, Mohamed Interior requesting it to enforce All indications now are that it Later yesterday the search life,” said Dwijanto, 60, whose son Gulf-American conspiracy Dhafir Al Hajri, said that a rea- a law banning such practices. crashed in the Java Sea south- chief said just three bodies had was on the plane along with five to damage the economies of son for crowding at the petrol sta- THE PENINSULA west of the island of Borneo, with been recovered so far, after colleagues. AFP Russia and Iran? tion in Al Shahaniya was that it Continued on page 6 debris including an exit door, a another official said 40 had been See also page 12 Continued on page 5

Oil blaze in Libya UN to vote Bank holiday tomorrow DOHA: Banks will remain closed on January 1 but Exchange on Palestine houses will function as usual. Their remittance services will remain open tomorrow, according to industry sources. “All our branches will remain open on the first day of the New statehood Year,” said a senior official of a leading exchange house. According to Qatar Central Bank (QCB) circular, all commercial UNITED NATIONS: The UN banks will remain closed on January 1, but all electronic operations Security Council was to vote such as bank-to-bank money transfer services and branches of some yesterday on a draft resolution banks at various commercial centres and hypermarkets will remain on Palestinian statehood that open tomorrow, according to a senior official of a private bank. is almost certain to be defeated “Our bank will remain closed for year-end activities as per the in the face of strong opposition QCB circular,” an official of Doha Bank said yesterday, adding, from the United States. “however, our City Centre Branch will remain open tomorrow to Security Council member facilitate customer convenience.” Jordan requested the vote on THE PENINSULA the draft resolution that sets a 12-month deadline to reach a final peace deal with Israel and paves Shooting near Qatar mission the way to a Palestinian state. “We have decided that we are DOHA: A security guard of the Qatari embassy in Turkey’s going to pass to a vote at the capital city of Ankara suffered minor injuries late on Monday Security Council on the resolu- following a shooting incident targeting a car parked near the tion,” Jordanian Ambassador Dina mission premises. Kawar told reporters following a The embassy said in a statement yesterday that a car parked near meeting of Arab ambassadors. its premises was fired upon by a hunting gun in which a security The 15-member council was to guard suffered minor injuries. The embassy statement said it was convene at 2200 GMT. an isolated incident of shooting and the embassy was not targeted, The vote caps a three-month Firefighters trying to put out a blaze at an oil storage tank at the port of Es Sider in Ras Lanuf. Oil tanks at Es Al Sharq reported. THE PENINSULA campaign by the Palestinians at Sider have been on fire for days after a rocket hit one of them, destroying more than two days of Libyan produc- Continued on page 6 the United Nations to win sup- tion, officials said. Libya has appealed to Italy, Germany and the United States for help. port for a resolution that sets a time frame for ending the Israeli occupation. The resolution calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Boy drives off with car, gets 6-month suspended jail term Palestinian territories to be com- pleted no later than the end of 2017. On Monday, the Palestinians DOHA: A youngster has been youngster. The court said this was He opened the car using the that his brother had lost the the sentence be kept in abeyance presented changes to the text, sentenced by a lower court to the first crime committed by the keys and drove to his school. On car keys. and suspension for three years. toughening up language on East six months in jail for stealing convict and that his intention was the way, the driver of the victim’s “I was informed by my driver According to Qatari law, a Jerusalem as the capital of a a vehicle and driving it to his not to steal but show off the car brother saw the car. that he saw my brother’s car court sentence kept in suspen- Palestinian state and demand- school to show off his “new car” to friends at school. He was surprised to see it being being driven by a youth and that sion for a certain period means ing an end to Jewish settlement to friends. It so happened that the school driven by a youngster. He stopped he had intercepted the car and that the ruling is implemented building. The US again rejected The court has, however, ruled boy saw the parked car with the the youngster and informed the the police were informed,” said when the convict commits the measure, arguing that it binds that its verdict be kept in sus- keys inside. He took away the police. the victim’s brother. another crime during that the parties to a strict timeframe. pension for three years so as keys and returned to the car the The victim’s brother was also However, taking a lenient view duration. AFP not to damage the future of the next day. informed and he told the police of the crime, the court ruled that THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME

Deputy Emir honours camel race winners

The Deputy Emir H H Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani attended the final competition of the Founder Sheikh Jassim Bin Mohammed Bin Thani Al Thani Race at Al Shahanya Camel Race Track yesterday and honoured the winners. SYED OMAR Ministry honours 17 s c h o o l s f o r winning contests DOHA: The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has honoured 17 schools for winning in contests as part of ‘The life of the Prophet’s Companions’ programme. Five elementary, seven intermediate and five secondary schools were honoured. Mohamed Al Mahmoud, Director, Da’wa and Religious Guidance Department at the ministry, said the programme about the life of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) aimed to create a generation that is equipped with good Islamic knowledge by introducing the life of the Companions to students and involv- ing them in the intensive educational pro- gramme which also included 70 lectures at schools. Contests were organised for schools at three levels. The ministry plans to prepare a quali- fied and distinguished generation rich in Islamic culture, and deliver a message to everyone by highlighting Islamic values embodied in the life of the Companions as Officials and participants at the honouring ceremony. model. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 CMC briefed on healthcare projects across Qatar DOHA: A Central Municipal Council session yesterday dis- cussed projects of the Supreme Council for Health (SCH) under- way across the country to boost healthcare, achieve goals of Qatar National Vision 2030 and cope with the preparations to host FIFA World Cup in 2022. The projects were revealed to the CMC yesterday in response to ques- tions by Councillor Mohammed bin Salem Al Qamra. A report was pre- pared by the civic Public Service and Utilities Committee. Mohammed Jassim Abdul Rahman, Director, SCH projects, said as part the national strategy 2011-2016, they had set up a master plan for health- www.swiss-belhotel.com care facilities and divided it into three phases, including the current Tel Fax ones, those planned and proposed and A session of the Central Municipal Council in progress. the big projects. He said the big projects include three hospitals, including one for the private sector by helping it pro- Work continues on a communica- Health centres include one in communicable diseases which is vide health services and this could ble diseases hospital in Rumaila and Umm Salal with 45 consulting rooms Tel expected to be completed in 2016, be possible if all workers have health is likely to be finished in 2016. to be completed by the third quar- Fax a gynaecology hospital and a reha- insurance and can be treated any- Other projects to be completed ter of 2015. A health centre in Al bilitation hospital both of which are where in the country. in 2016 include a simulation train- Niama with 45 consulting rooms is expected to be completed in the third The SCH is also completing health- ing centre which will allow virtual expected to be ready by the second quarter of 2016. care centres next year, including a operations at HMC, a Nova centre quarter of next year. Other facili- Tel He said they have a five-year plan workers’ health centre, and a health in Musaimeer to rehabilitate the ties to be completed next year are which included expansion of Al Khor centre in Muaither with 45 examina- addicts, a workers health centre in in Roudah, Karaana (replacing the Fax Hospital to 500 beds, expansion of tion rooms. Abu Nakhila, two health centres and existing health centre) Al Muntazah Al Wakra Hospital and three other It is also expanding the Operations branches of the Medical Commission and Al Khuwairiya. Health centres hospitals, especially in areas where Department at Hamad Medical in Ras Lafan and Mesaeed. to be completed in 2016 will be in Al Tel + 974 44298888 there are many workers, so that each Corporation (HMC) with more Abdul Rahman said they have plans Waab, near Qatar University, Maidir, hospital has at least 120 beds. rooms and the project is likely to be to build 13 more primary healthcare Al Wajba, South Wakra, Al Mashaf Fax He said they also plan to empower completed in 2016. centres across the country. and Ain Khalid. THE PENINSULA

Tel Fax Ooredoo on jobs Rising divorce rates in Qatari society Tel restructuring to Fax due to neglect of Shariah: Clerics improve services and performance Tel Fax DOHA: At least two prominent see them anywhere. happen quickly so there is not enough DOHA: Ooredoo is working Muslim clerics have blamed the But the Islamic way is that the time for the man and the woman to on restructuring jobs in differ- increasing rate of divorce in Qatari man sees the woman in the presence know each other. ent administrative verticals, www.doha.hilton.com society to people overlooking Islamic of a male relative of the woman — the Cleric Sheikh Ali Al Umri said how official sources told Al Sharq. Tel 44233333 974+ tenets (Shariah). father, elder brother or an uncle. Qatari children are being raised has The restructuring aims to It is important that the man and “The woman can show her face and an impact on their understanding of improve the performance of the Fax 44233000 974+ woman see each other before marriage hands to a man if his intention is mar- Shariah. company and its services being in the presence of a male guardian riage,” said the cleric in remarks pub- They are mainly left to the care of provided for customers. such as a relative of the latter, said lished in local Arabic daily Al Watan maids, he said. Some positions in some a cleric. yesterday. The other reason for the high rate departments have been can- Ahmed Al Buanain said these days Naturally, most victims of divorce of divorce in the Qatari community is celled as part of restructur- people usually do not follow the above are women. Normally, their expec- that many youth get married merely ing process. Some expatriate principle of Shariah. Now women ven- tations from marriage are not met. to make their parents happy. employees have been dismissed ture out to work and study, so men can Then, there are some marriages that THE PENINSULA while some Qatari employees moved to other sections and departments maintaining their Tel positions and ranks. Fax Sources added that Ooredoo is keen to maintain its employ- Asian acquitted in forged marriage certificate case ees, especially nationals who have been trained and rehabili- Tel DOHA: A criminal court has got married. He was shown the mar- The accused told the court that his tated according to long-term Fax acquitted an Asian who was accused riage certificate issued in India and he wife’s father had agreed to give her in training plans. of submitting a forged marriage said it was forged. marriage to him but was demanding The restructuring process certificate and forging the seal of The certificate was endorsed by the huge cash and gold. had started many years ago Qatar’s foreign ministry. Qatari consulate in Mumbai. He said he refused to part with cash and was subject to continuous Tel It so happened that the wife of The seal used on the certificate was and gold so the father turned down his assessment and evaluation of Fax the accused filed a police complaint claimed to be fake. request to marry his daughter. employees. Accordingly, some against her father and step-mother The matter went to the court here The accused said the certificate employees were awarded higher that they were mistreating her. and the accused told the judges that issued in India was endorsed by a pri- positions while some were The father was called over by police he had got married through Skype as mary court in Qatar and was genuine, moved to other departments. Tel and there he discovered to his sur- his wife was here while he was in India local Arabic daily Al Watan reported THE PENINSULA prise that her daughter had already at the time. yesterday. THE PENINSULA Fax

Tel C-Ring Road third phase Fax

Tel work begins tomorrow Fax DOHA: Work on the third phase current and future traffic load and of the C-Ring Road project begins improving its overall design. tomorrow, the Public Works All four phases of the project are Authority — Ashghal — said expected to be completed in the sec- yesterday. ond quarter of 2015. The third phase extends from Meanwhile, Ashghal announced the middle point between Rawdat the closure of a section of Al Rayyan Tel Al Khail and New Slata intersec- Park (Al Busat Al Akhdar) adjacent tions to the middle point between to Al Rayyan Road for reconstruc- Fax Rawdat Al Khail and Al Mansoura tion work in the area. intersections. During the partial closure, there On Rawdat Al Khail Street, it will also be renovation work in the Tel extends from the front of Al Shefa park. Fax Polyclinic to the front of the Dispute It will represent the first phase of Resolution Commission. a significant upgrade to be carried One of the three lanes in each out by Ashghal in coordination with www.marriottmarquisdoha.com direction will remain closed dur- the Ministry of Municipality and Tel + 974 44195000 ing the work, which is scheduled Urban Planning that will be con- to be completed in two-and-a-half cluded in the fourth quarter of 2015. Fax + 974 44195100 months. The renovation work will cover All entrances to residential areas various facilities in the park, includ- and commercial establishments will ing the fence, walkways and the remain open throughout the period, lighting system. said Ashghal. A jogging track will be built in the Works on this phase will include park so visitors can have a wider widening of the road to four lanes, choice of sports. increasing the capacity to meet the THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatar wins second place Unique entertainment centre in Holy Quran contest

DOHA: Qatar has taken He said the highest ranks the second place in the achieved by Qatari youth in such planned in Pearl-Qatar 10th King Mohammed VI international competitions reflect International Award for Qatar’s interest in memorisation Recitation, Memorisation and of the Holy Quran. Interpretation of the Holy He pointed to his early readi- Quran, in Morocco. ness for the contest, which con- Infrastructure, Porto Arabia, Qanat Quartier and Medina Centrale ready Qatari Youssuf Ahmed Youssuf tributed to his achievement Asheer, from the Holy Quran, despite difficulties, including Sciences and Islamic Dawa’a and memorisation and interpretation Guidance Department, bagged of the Holy Quran, among others. the second place in the event He highlighted the role of such in which 50 contestants from competitions in the acquisition 37 Arab and Muslim countries of knowledge and experience and took part, said the Ministry of strengthening bonds of brother- Awqaf and Islamic Affairs in a hood among participants. statement. QNA

Health centre working hours to be extended

DOHA: Primary Health Care improve services. Corporation (PHCC) has taken He said the extended work steps to extend working hours time will also reduce crowds and at Mesaimer health centre dur- pressure on the centre during the ing the weekend with a vaccina- week and allow patients to visit it tion clinic for children. during the weekend. The centre will start working Future expansions are being during the weekend from January considered such as extending 2. working days to seven from five It will open on Fridays from in busiest centres in Doha. 4pm to 11pm and on Saturdays Dr Shaikh Edris, Manager, from 7am to 2pm and from 4pm Mesaimer Health Centre, said The island has a thriving community of residents and retailers. to 11pm. work during weekends will make BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB The vaccination clinic for chil- it easier for patients to get serv- project. It is a hub for amenities other facilities and services. island is 2018,” said Al Maliki. dren will be open on Saturdays in ices they need and that extension and facilities, including 600,000 Today, the island has a thriv- More than 52 nationalities own the morning. of working hours is for the gen- DOHA: The United square feet of retail area, 554 ing community of residents and property on the island. For UDC- Khamis Al Khaldi, Regional eral clinic and specialised clinics Development Company (UDC), residential units, numerous parks retailers living and operating owned properties, the number Director, western region, PHCC, are still working on the appoint- the master developer of the and open spaces; the precinct is mainly at the Porto Arabia pre- of investors and buyers exceeds said extended hours at the cen- ment system. Pearl-Qatar, has announced to the largest and most luxurious cinct, while additional stages of 2,000, according UDC. tre aim to benefit patients and THE PENINSULA open a unique entertainment shopping centre in the island. development are in progress. “Naturally, growth is expected centre and several new outlets The first residents and retail- With the development of major to continue leading to 2022, as in Qatar’s man-made island in ers moved into the island in 2009 districts (Porto Arabia, Qanat would investors’ interest in the the coming year, according to a and since then Pearl-Qatar has Quartier and Medina Centrale) island,” he added. senior official of the island. grown steadily in terms of the of the island are completed, more The essence of the Pearl- “UDC plans to open new out- number of residents and retail residents will move in and new Qatar project is its design, which Ashghal urges motorists to lets in the Pearl-Qatar, includ- outlets. retail and hospitality outlets will depicts the real lifestyle of the ing at Medina Centrale, which is In addition to about 12,000 res- open up. Mediterranean communities in already on the business track. idents, the island attracts thou- “The Porto Arabia precinct Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, follow traffic instructions “It will have many restau- sands of visitors and tourists. and those of Medina Centrale and Portugal. rants, more lifestyle brands and It is now home to many cof- and Qanat Quartier have been The UDC has so far completed DOHA: The Public Works and prevent accidents. a unique entertainment centre fee shops and cafes as well as completed. We now have about about 100 percent infrastructure Authority (Ashghal) has It also urged road users to operational by 2015,” said Ali renowned luxury brands for men, 12,000 residents on the island as well as Porto Arabia, Qanat diverted part of Al Rayyan Al abide by the assigned speed limit Saeed Al Maliki, Manager, Media women and children. and about 200 retailers, includ- Quartier and Medina Centrale. Jadeed Road, starting from east of 50kmph along the diversion to Relations, the Pearl-Qatar. The island boasts about 200 ing restaurants and a Spinneys Construction in all stages, includ- of Al Wajbah Roundabout to ensure their safety and the safety Medina Centrale in the heart retail outlets covering fine din- market, open and operational. ing five-star hotels, is expected by east of Al Qalah Roundabout. of their properties and avoid any of Pearl-Qatar constitutes a sig- ing, food and beverage, fashion, Expected completion date of all 2018-end. Ashghal said in a statement surprises on the road. nificant part of the ambitious beauty, lifestyle, banking and the 10 precincts comprising the THE PENINSULA that the existing road comprising The diversion is designed and a dual carriageway with two lanes implemented based on the speed in each direction will be closed limit, and exceeding it can put and diverted to a new parallel motorists and their families in road with the same capacity. danger. It said the new temporary The diversion is a fundamen- Qatar’s contribution to education highlighted road was built to allow upgrad- tal part for starting works of the ing works on the old road, and the first phase of construction and DOHA: The Minister of Education tribution to education for all and sup- Above All’ of H H Sheikha adult literacy, life skills, diversion will last until Q3, 2016. upgrading of Al Rayyan Road and Higher Education and Chairman, port for children around the world. Moza bint Nasser. policy and planning, gov- It urged road users to abide by project. The new road will built Qatar National Committee for Addressing the National Preparatory “Despite population ernance, coordination and traffic rules and follow instruc- in the same alignment as the Education, Culture and Science H E Forum on Education Beyond 2015 held growth and high rates of partnerships, funding and tions on signs installed along the existing one which requires its Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali Al by the committee yesterday, he also immigration into Qatar, follow-up, monitoring and diversion to ensure their safety removal at the first place. QNA Hammadi praised the country’s con- praised initiatives, including ‘Education we do not have a child out accountability. of school,” he said, adding Representatives of the Qatar has absorbed all stu- Unesco Office in Doha, dents and provides them Supreme Education with high-quality educa- Council and national part- tion and attractive school ners discussed the educa- environment. tion plan beyond 2015, Dr Hamda Hassan Al challenges, priorities, Sulaiti, Secretary-General requirements for imple- of the committee, spoke mentation of the plan and about ‘Education for All’, national standards for each steps Qatar has taken to goal ahead of a prepara- achieve its goals and meet tory meeting of a regional challenges, including early conference on Education childhood care, basic edu- Beyond 2015 in Sharm el- cation (primary, elemen- Sheikh, Egypt, on January tary, secondary), youth and 27-29. QNA

Indian embassy registers 277 deaths

DOHA: The Indian Based on requests embassy has registered from Qatari authorities 277 deaths of its nationals for travel documents for this year, with 32 deaths inmates at the centre, in December. the embassy issued 12 It said 241 deaths were emergency certificates in registered in 2013 and 237 December. in 2012. It also issued four air This year the Labour tickets to Indians in dis- and Community Welfare tress to return home this Section received 3,852 month. complaints compared to Indian Community 3,558 in 2013. Benevolent Forum con- An embassy team vis- tinues to help workers ited the Central Prison and through welfare measures, Annex and Deportation including air tickets, finan- Centre during the week to cial assistance and medical enquire about the welfare help. of Indian detainees. This month the forum The number of Indians in has provided four air tick- the prison and the centre ets for workers so far. is 87 and 124, respectively. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 QF holds first teacher recruitment fair Aim to promote professional opportunities in Qatar and region DOHA: Qatar Foundation took part. (QF) held its first teacher QF academies were well rep- recruitment fair to promote resented by Qatar Leadership professional opportunities at Academy, Awsaj Academy, educational institutions in the Academic Bridge Programme, country and the region. Qatar Academy, Qatar Academy The Doha International Al Wakra, Qatar Academy Al Recruitment Fair brought Khor, Qatar Academy Sidra and together over 150 potential can- Qatar Academy Msheireb. didates and at least 35 local and Buthaina Al Nuaimi, international schools to discuss Associate Vice-President, Participants meeting representatives of Qatari and international schools at the fair and (BELOW) educators discussing opportunities with representatives future career opportunities. Education, QF, said, “The high of Qatar Academy Msheireb, member of Qatar Foundation, and other institutions. Designed to match inter- level of interest from local edu- national educators with fresh cators demonstrates the passion Bruce McWilliams, Vice- roles, the fair was hosted in for sharing knowledge with the President, ISS, spoke about association with International next generation. the importance placed by ISS Schools Services (ISS), one of “We are pleased with partici- on the partnership with QF to the world’s leading recruitment pants’ interest in pre-university establish the fair. organisations for teachers. education institutions in Qatar “ISS hopes to continue the ISS hosts such events in which cater for different ages partnership with QF for years selected cities around the world and specialities. to further enhance and promote and this was the first in Qatar. “QF is delighted to part- education in Qatar as outlined There were 120 registered ner with ISS for outreach and in Qatar National Vision 2030,” members of ISS from Qatar recruitment. McWilliams said.. and abroad, and over 30 walk- “Teachers and teaching are “The result was a fantastic in candidates, who spoke with central to improving student event that will continue to grow representatives of regional edu- outcomes, and QF remains com- and play an important role in cational establishments. mitted to collaborations that providing outstanding educa- Academic institutions from deliver a modern world-class tors for schools in Qatar and Qatar, Bahrain, Saudia Arabia, educational system,” Al Nuaimi the Gulf.” the UAE, Jordan, and Pakistan added. THE PENINSULA

Omani minister arrives in Doha CID official testifies in Indians reminded of new passports DOHA: Oman’s Civil DOHA: Indian citizens with handwritten pass- readable passports since 2001. Services Minister Sheikh case of sedatives theft, ports and 20-year passports with validity beyond The passports, however, issued before 2001 and Khalid bin Omar bin Said November 24, 2015, should get their passports particularly those issued during mid-1990s with a Al Marhoon yesterday re-issued and obtain machine readable ones, the validity of 20 years will fall in the category of non- arrived in Doha on a visit. Indian embassy said in a statement yesterday. MRPs. All handwritten passports with pasted pho- The Minister threat to pharmacy staff International Civil Aviation Organisation has set tographs are also considered non-MRPs. of Administrative a deadline of November 24, 2015 for globally phasing By the end of November 2014, it was estimated Development H E Dr Issa DOHA: A lower criminal court is heart specialist, to write a prescrip- out of all non-machine readable passports. that there were about 286,000 handwritten Indian Saad Al Jafali and other hearing a case involving two young tion for sedatives and buy them from From November 25 onwards, countries may deny passports in circulation. officials welcomed him and men accused of threatening an this pharmacy. visa or entry to any person travelling on a non- Details related to passport services are available his delegation at Hamad employee of a hospital’s pharmacy The doctor’s name was engraved machine readable passport. on the website www.passportindia.gov.in International Airport. to steal sedatives. on the seal stamped on the prescrip- The Indian government has been issuing machine THE PENINSULA QNA The staffer told police that the duo tion but there was no signature. used to visit him regularly and pres- Suspecting foul play, the pharmacist sure him to sell them sedatives. called the doctor. Gulf states hit On the day of the incident, the duo He came to the pharmacy but by entered the pharmacy after midnight that time the duo had disappeared. hard by falling and one of them held the employee The employee who lodged the com- from behind and pressed something plaint about burglary said he was oil prices sharp on the back of his neck. not aware what kind of weapon the He asked the staffer not to move accused had pointed at his neck and Continued from page 1 as he said he was holding a weapon whether it was a weapon. Or is it an attempt to on his neck. He said one accused told him that target the Canadian gas The employee said he became his accomplice was in a bad men- and oil or American shale motionless. tal state and could not live without industry and oil extracted The other accused went to a sedatives. from the deep waters in drawer where the sedatives were While stealing the strips, the Brazil and North Pole? Or, kept and pocketed several strips and accused told the pharmacist that do they want to increase the duo left. they wouldn’t injure or harm him as supply to create a sur- A police complaint was filed and they only wanted the sedatives. plus in the international the two were caught following a hunt Yesterday, a lieutenant from the market? and charged with burglary. Criminal Investigation Department The fact is that Gulf It emerged that the duo once used deposed as a witness. countries, including a stolen seal of a hospital doctor, a THE PENINSULA Saudi Arabia, have been hit hard like other pro- ducers as they have lost 50 percent of their oil revenue and exports of petrochemical products too have been affected. Also, stock markets have plunged, while expenses and inflation remain the same. There are fears that Gulf economies might post deficits instead of surplus and they could be forced to draw from their pub- lic reserves or take loans to keep their economies robust. The question is whether Gulf states can resist the pressure if oil prices decline further or if the current situation contin- ues for five years. Will these countries be able to pay salaries, sustain their welfare systems, subsi- dize commodities, main- tain the high spending on education, health, infra- structure and other serv- ices? Will these countries wake from their slumber before economic storms engulf them? Or, are they ready to learn from the successful experiences of Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Finland? Will we learn from the ‘Dutch disease’ to over- come the negative con- sequences of oil crash or follow what the Arab poet Ma’ruf Al Rusaf said: “Sleep and do not wake up, the only winner is sleep”. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME / MIDDLE EAST Motorists becoming rude, less tolerant due to traffic jams

DOHA: The unprecedented traffic jams the city has been witnessing these days have had a negative impact on the behaviour of motorists, making them rude and less tolerant, say residents. Bad road manners and rash driving are on the rise, with the long wait at clogged intersections and roundabouts pushing motor- ists to the brink. Closures and diversions in many crowded areas, especially along the C-Ring Road, have caused a tremendous increase in traffic jams in the heart of the city in recent months. Drivers are more adamant and less willing to give way to others An elderly receiving a ticket from a Qatar Airways official. fearing that even a small compro- mise would mean more time for them to reach their destinations. Honking and putting flash QA provides 18 free tickets lights are familiar on the Doha roads to scare away vehicles mov- ing in front, but such practices to elderly for Umrah have increased with a rise in traf- fic congestions, a local Arabic A file photo of traffic jam on C-Ring Road. ABDUL BASIT DOHA: Qatar Airways (QA) meeting at the Ehsan headquarter daily reported yesterday, quoting has provided 18 free air tick- with a QA delegation headed by citizens and expatriates. complaints against them but I problem leading to traffic jams. from Salwa Road, where renova- ets to the elderly to perform Nabila Fakhroo, Vice-Chairman, “You can see some motorists would drop the idea later. Congestions also force some tion works are going on. Umrah. Employees’ Affairs, a statement honking while the signal lights “Doha was not like this before. motorists to overtake from right “Entering the bridge will take The initiative is part of QA’s said. are on and all vehicles are moving. It has become a crowed city, and crisscross lanes in their hurry a long time. If you give space corporate social responsibility and Ehsan Khalid Abdullah “There are also motorists flash- thanks to infrastructure projects. to reach their destinations. to other cars coming from side commitment to support segments Hussein, Director, Public ing headlights behind you, forcing Traffic jams have changed “Once I was blocked by cars roads, you will be kept waiting. of society, including the elderly, Relations, praised QA’s initiative you to change the lane or cross the the behaviour of the people,” entering from side roads and the “Earlier I was very gener- the airline said yesterday. and support to the elderly. speed limit,” said a respondent. a respondent named Ibrahim signal lights went on and off many ous but now I have become like QA is seeking to improve coop- He said the initiative will lead “Every day I am facing odd Ahmed was quoted as saying. times,” said a resident. other motorists because I have no eration with Qatar Foundation for to stronger partnership between behaviour from other motorists. Motorists entering from side A woman respondent said option. If you try to behave, you Elderly People Care (Ehsan). both sides. “Many times I have taken pic- roads and blocking exit points at every day she goes to her school will reach your office late,” she This was discussed during a THE PENINSULA tures of erring vehicles to lodge intersections is another major crossing Al Jaidah bridge heading said. THE PENINSULA

Labour Minister meets Croatian UN envoy to be represented at Syria talks ambassador GENEVA/BEIRUT: UN Syria those talks are set for Jan. 26-29. talks. De Mistura’s involvement who defected earlier in the con- to five to 10 members personally DOHA: The Minister of envoy Staffan de Mistura will “It’s a Russian initiative that lends weight to the initiative, flict back into Syria. rather than to the coalition as a Labour and Social Affairs H E be represented at talks on Syria focuses on intra-Syrian negotia- although - with tensions run- Moscow has repeated a pro- body. “I think for the coalition this Dr Abdullah bin Saleh Mubarak in Moscow next month, his tions,” his spokeswoman Juliette ning high over the Ukraine cri- posal that Assad stay in power would be a problem,” said Steifo, Al Khulaifi yesterday met spokeswoman has said. Touma said by email. sis - there is no sign of Western for two years with a provisional who did not get an invitation. Croatian Ambassador Tomislav Two rounds of Geneva talks “The Office of the Special Envoy participation. government, before presidential Hadi Al Bahra, head of the Bosnjak and discussed means of early in 2014 failed to halt the will be present at these talks. The Moscow has long supported elections in which he could stand National Coalition, said on enhancing relations and issues conflict which has killed 200,000 Office of the Special Envoy wel- Assad, including with arms sup- again along with other candidates, Saturday that Russia lacked a of common concern. people and divisions over the comes any initiative that would plies, and he became a more the diplomat said. clear initiative. future role of Syrian President push forward reaching a peaceful important ally after the Arab However, it is unclear which The body will discuss its stance Omani minister Bashar Al Assad remain a major and diplomatic end to the crisis in Spring protests toppled other Syrian opposition figures would at its general assembly meeting stumbling block to a settlement. Syria,” she said, without specify- Middle Eastern leaders. attend the talks. Two members of which starts on Friday, Steifo arrives in Doha In a renewed peace effort, ing whether de Mistura himself A diplomat who tracks Syria the National Coalition, the main said. Assad’s ally Russia floated the would attend. said the talks could include dis- Western-backed opposition, said Syria said on Saturday it was DOHA: Oman’s Civil Services idea in recent weeks of hosting Russian Foreign Minister cussions on ways to enforce on Tuesday said they had not willing to participate in “prelim- Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Syrian government and oppo- Sergei Lavrov has said the talks Syria’s security, the formation of a received an invitation. inary consultations” in Moscow Omar bin Said Al Marhoon yes- sition figures in Moscow. De would be a “warming up” before transitional government and dis- Coalition member Abdulahad aimed at restarting talks next terday arrived in Doha on a visit. Mistura’s invitation confirms a potential third round of Geneva cussions on how to enable people Steifo said invitations had gone year. REUTERS The Minister of Administrative Development H E Dr Issa Saad Al Jafali and other officials wel- comed him and his delegation at Syria rebels strike Hamad International Airport. Syrian official Top Shebab intelligence visits expo official killed in US raid DOHA: Ahmed Tu’mah, Prime MOGADISHU: A top intelli- that he was confident there Minister of the interim govern- gence official with Somalia’s Al were no “civilian or bystander ment of the National Coalition Qaeda-affliated Shebab rebels casualties”. for Syrian Revolutionary and was killed in a US air strike, Last week Somali officials Opposition Forces, visited Mal Somalia’s government said. announced that Zakariya Ismail Lawal Biennale exhibition, “In a joint operation last night Ahmed Hersi, identified as a which continues until February- by the Somali national security Shebab intelligence chief and the end at Doha Exhibition Center. and the US, Al Shebab intel- subject of a $3m bounty as part He was briefed on the expo ligence chief Abdishakur, also of the US State Department which includes a unique show- known as Tahlil, who replaced “Rewards for Justice” pro- case of private collections blend- the recently arrested former gramme, had given himself up ing heritage and culture. chief, was eliminated,” Somalia’s to government troops and was in Mal Lawal (‘From the old days’ National Security Agency said in custody. in Qatari dialect) is displaying a statement yesterday. He was also said to have been about 4,000 artefacts gathered by “Two other Shebab members close to the Shebab’s previous over 110 Qatari private collectors also died in the attack,” it said, leader Ahmed Abdi Godane, who and 42 from the GCC. adding the air strike took place was killed by a US air strike in They include manuscripts, near the town of Saacow, 320km September. weapons, Islamic collections, old west of the capital Mogadishu and The statement from Somalia’s maps, ethnographic and herit- in the Middle Juba region. National Security Agency said he age items, antiquities, jewellery, In Washington, the Pentagon was now in their custody. clothing, accessories and other had announced overnight that The Shebab said Zakariya had rare items. US war planes had carried out left the movement over a year ago a strike against a senior Shebab before Godane’s death and before A blown up building that rebel fighters say was the target of their offensive against forces loyal to Syria’s leader, but did not give the name Ahmad Umar Abu Ubaidah was Shooting ‘won’t President Bashar Al Assad in the old city of Aleppo yesterday. of the person targeted. appointed as the new leader, and US military spokesman Rear was of little value as a source of affect relations’ Admiral John Kirby said, however, latest intelligence. AFP

Continued from page 1 An unknown person had parked UAE bans Moses epic after Egypt, Morocco his car near the mission premises and it was attacked. DUBAI: The UAE said it would not allow screen- Jewish faiths, Moses is also revered by Muslims as “The incident will in no way ing of Hollywood’s Biblical epic Exodus: Gods a prophet like Mohammed. Councillors decry criticism affect the brotherly relations and Kings, mirroring similar bans by Egypt and Leem said the film had fallen foul of the council between our two countries of Morocco. for its depiction of Moses receiving the revelation Continued from page 1 Qatar and Turkey,” said the mis- The National Media Council, charged with vetting from God through a child. Some members also discussed recent reports in sections of the local sion statement. films for release in the UAE, said the Ridley Scott “We do not allow the distortion of religions... media suggesting that some people are critical of the role of the public “We are in a safe city and movie about Moses’s escape from pharaonic Egypt When it comes to religious and historical movies, representative body and think that it has not done a good job in its country and confident that the contained “religious and historical mistakes.” we care about having a correct narrative and avoid- current fourth term. Turkish public security depart- “The film shows Moses not as a prophet but as just ing hurting the feelings of others,” Leem said. Some councillors said their hands were tied since the CMC only had ment will strengthen security a preacher of peace,” Juma Obaid Al Leem, Director, But he insisted that censorship is not tough, a consultative status and didn’t enjoy executive authority. measures around the embassy,” Media Content Tracking at the council said, adding stressing that most movies are approved for release. Councillor Dr Mohamed bin Jassim Al Muslemani said it was true added the statement. the storyline contradicts holy books. “It is normal if we express reservations about one that some recommendations of the CMC which would benefit society THE PENINSULA In addition to his place in the Christian and movie out of 1,000,” he said. AFP were ignored by authorities concerned. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07

Turkey sacks Clashes erupt four prosecutors behind Erdogan as Al Wefaq graft probe

ANKARA: Turkey’s top judi- cial body yesterday said it had chief remanded dismissed four prosecutors who oversaw a massive corruption investigation which damaged the Islamic-rooted government Bahrain warns against misusing mosques and touched the inner circle of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. DUBAI: Bahrain’s opposition “This behaviour is dangerous The Supreme Board of Judges leader was remanded in custody and reflects the magnitude of the and Prosecutors (HSYK) yesterday for seeking to change political crisis between the regime said Zekeriya Oz, Celal Kara, the regime by force, prompting and the people, and shows that Muammer Akkas and Mehmet cries of “tyrannical rule” and Bahrain needs a political plan Yuzgec would be removed from sparking fresh clashes between under which power would be in their positions, the state-run his supporters and police. the hands of the people,” it said. Anatolia news agency reported. Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the Salman’s arrest on Sunday A final decision on the fate of Shia movement Al Wefaq, was triggered clashes between police the prosecutors was due after the charged on Monday by authorities and protesters in Shiite villages conclusion of an investigation, it in the tiny Sunni-ruled nation, outside the capital Manama, dur- added. They might be dismissed where the opposition boycotted a ing which security forces fired from the profession entirely. November parliamentary election tear gas to disperse demonstra- The four prosecutors, who were that it dismissed as a farce. tors, and which carried on into reassigned in the wake of the cor- The prosecution said yester- the next day. ruption scandal, are accused of day the cleric would remain in Police again fired tear gas yes- abusing their authority by leading custody for seven days pending terday during clashes with young the December 2013 graft probe further investigation. protesters gathered outside the that rocked the government of Bahrain has been gripped cleric’s house in a Shiite suburb Erdogan, then prime minister, by sporadic violence since the of the capital, and witnesses said Bahraini protestors clash with riot police following a protest against the arrest of the head of the banned opposition and touched his inner circle. authorities crushed month-long five people were wounded. movement Al Wefaq, Sheikh Ali Salman, yesterday. The scandal, which dragged pro-democracy protests led by Al Violence was also reported in down four ministers, threw up Wefaq in 2011. other villages. in a statement that Salman was powers to intervene in Bahrain to ministry warned Al Wefaq one of the most serious chal- At least 89 people have been It came after Salman was re- also accused of inciting people support him in his bid to change against using mosques and reli- lenges to Erdogan’s 11-year rule killed since then in clashes with elected as party leader on Friday. to break the law and of “hatred the regime.” gion for political purposes. as prime minister. Erdogan, who security forces, and hundreds The prosecution said on towards a segment of the people”, The prosecution continued Al Wefaq’s “implication of came out fighting from the cri- arrested and put on trial, human Monday that Salman, 49, had an allusion to Sunni Muslims questioning Salman yesterday clerics in politics is a dangerous sis and switched to presidency in rights groups say. been charged with “promoting who are a minority in the Shia- and presented him with “record- deviation from the principles of August, labelled the graft probe an Al Wefaq denounced Salman’s regime change by force, threats majority kingdom. ings of his incitements, which political work,” a statement said, attempted “judicial coup” staged by detention, saying it “entrenches the and illegal means and of insult- The prosecutor said police also justified violence and threats,” while urging the group to “respect US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah tyrannical rule in Bahrain and closes ing the interior ministry publicly.” suspect Salman of calling for for- Mahmud said. Meanwhile, the law.” Gulen, a former ally-turned foe. all doors for a political solution.” Prosecutor Nayef Mahmud said eign interference by “urging super the justice and Islamic affairs AFP Thousands of supporters of Gulen had influential jobs in high places in the police and judiciary. But Gulen vehemently denied Erdogan’s suggestions he insti- gated the probe. Cannot support new Palestinian UN draft resolution: UK Prosecutors dropped the cor- ruption case due to a “lack of evi- dence”, triggering protests from UNITED NATIONS: Britain Lyall Grant was asked by report- Britain nor the United States Israel has said a Security The Palestinian draft resolu- the opposition that it had been joined the United States yes- ers whether his delegation could would need to use their vetoes. Council vote, following the col- tion, obtained by Reuters, calls for buried due to political pressure. terday, declaring that it can- support the Palestinian draft. Washington will not hesitate lapse in April of US-brokered negotiations to be based on ter- The Turkish strongman showed not support a new Palestinian “Well no,” he said. “There’s use its veto to strike down the talks on Palestinian statehood, ritorial lines that existed before no mercy in the fight against draft proposal calling for peace some difficulties with the text, Palestinian measure if necessary, would deepen the conflict. It Israel captured the West Bank, Gulen supporters and struck back with Israel within a year and an particularly language on time council diplomats said. supports negotiations but rejects East Jerusalem and the Gaza by seeking to tighten his grip over end of the Israeli occupation of scales, new language on refugees. All 22 Arab delegations third-party time lines. Strip in the 1967 Middle East war. the judiciary, sacking thousands Palestinian territories by late So I think we would have some endorsed the Palestinian draft The Palestinians, frustrated It also calls for a peace deal of police and prosecutors. 2017. difficulties.” on Monday, though Jordanian by the lack of progress on peace within 12 months, ending Israeli The authorities earlier this Jordan yesterday circulated Lyall Grant did not explic- Ambassador Dina Kawar, the talks, have sought to interna- occupation by the end of 2017. month launched raids against pro- to the UN Security Council a itly threaten to use Britain’s sole Arab representative on the tionalise the issue by seeking An earlier Palestinian draft Gulen media in a move sharply draft resolution prepared by the veto power to help block the 15-nation council, said she would UN membership and recognition called for Jerusalem to be the shared criticised by the EU as marking Palestinians, who said they want Palestinian text if it is put to a personally have liked more time of statehood via membership in capital of Israel and a Palestinian a new erosion of press freedom it put to a vote before Thursday. vote. Western diplomats have said to consult on the draft. international organisations. state. The final proposal reverts to in Turkey. A Turkish court has Washington said it could not sup- that if the draft is voted on before The Arab delegations were Washington, council diplomats a harder line, saying only that East also issued an arrest warrant for port the draft because it was not the new year it will likely fail to meeting later yesterday to discuss say, has made clear it does not Jerusalem will be Palestine’s capital Gulen himself although the United constructive and failed to address muster the required minimum when to put the Palestinian draft want a resolution on the Israeli- and calling for an end to Israeli set- States has until now shown little Israel’s security needs. nine yes votes for adoption. to a vote. Timing for a possible Palestinian issue voted on before tlement building. interest in his extradition. British UN Ambassador Mark That would mean neither vote remains unclear. Israel’s election in March. REUTERS AFP

Suicide bomber targets Libyan Parliament, says lawmaker

BENGHAZI: A suicide bomber speaking said by telephone from toppled and killed in a Nato- yesterday blew up a car out- Tobruk, said that the blast was backed revolt, the country is side the headquarters of Libya’s caused by a suicide bomber who awash with weapons and power- internationally recognised par- rammed his car into the back ful militias, and has rival govern- liament, wounding three law- gate of the hotel. “Witnesses saw ments and parliaments. makers, a legislator said. a car painted in military colours The UN-brokered talks are set The attack came as a Libyan ramming the back gate and then to take place on January 5, diplo- jet shot down a militia helicop- explode,” said Jarushi. mats at the UN Security Council ter after Islamist-led fighters Jarushi, who is the son of air said last week. launched air strikes on a key force chief Brigadier General But Libya’s internationally oil terminal in the east of the Saqr Jarushi, said “body parts” recognised parliament voted country. had been found at the scene of Monday not to attend the nego- The car bomb struck near the the bombing, “indicating that this tiations if the rival legislature back gate of Dar Al Salam Hotel was a suicide attack. based in Tripoli is party to the in the eastern city of Tobruk, Three lawmakers who were talks, according to lawmaker where the parliament that was outside the building at the time Abdulsalam Nassiyeh. elected in June took refuge after were slightly wounded by shat- The suicide bombing came as Islamist-led militias seized con- tered glass, he said. militia aircraft, including a chop- trol of Tripoli in August. The attack comes as the UN per, attacked pro-government Farj Buhashem, a spokesman mission to Libya, UNSMIL, forces in the so-called “oil cres- Fighters from the Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn) militia fire an anti-tank cannon mounted on a vehicle during clashes for the legislature, said parlia- plans a new round of peace talks cent” eastern region around Al with forces loyal to Libya’s internationally recognised government near the Wetia military air base, as they fight ment was meeting on the ground between warring factions aimed Sidra oil terminal, said military for control of the area, some 170km west of Tripoli, yesterday. floor when the blast went off. at ending months of violence and spokesman Ali Al Hassi. “There was broken glass and political deadlock in the North “The air force shot down the other aircraft in the air raids,” Fighters from the Islamist-led third cities Benghazi and Misrata, some pedestrians were injured,” African nation. helicopter as it prepared to land Hassi said. Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn) coalition have been trying to seize Al-Sidra he said. More than three years after at a military base near Sirte air- There were no immediate of militias, which controls much and nearby Ras Lanuf terminals. Lawmaker Tareq Jarushi, dictator Muammar Gaddafi was port, after it had taken part with reports of casualties. of Tripoli, as well as second and AFP

Iraqi forces clear Dhuluiyah of IS jihadists, say commanders

BAGHDAD: Iraqi forces yes- their way south. “Forces from which had resisted repeated blockade which was imposed by Omar Al Juburi, a leader of pro-government forces, he added. terday completed the recapture the army and the police and assault by IS. This “means the (IS) on the Jubur tribe,” the com- the tribal forces battling IS, said On Monday IS published pic- of the town of Dhuluiyah, parts (militiamen) and tribal fighters complete liberation of Dhuluiyah mander said. earlier that military reinforce- tures online showing what it of which had been held by the succeeded today in regaining con- and the end of the (IS) presence,” People fired in the air and ments had arrived to carry out a described as battles in Dhuluiyah. Islamic State jihadist group for trol of Dhuluiyah,” an army major he added. honked car horns in celebra- renewed push to retake the town. In one of the pictures, fight- months, commanders said. general said. A leader in the Shiite Badr tion, according to a policeman Clashes took place in some ers are seen rigging a car with Pro-government forces had The officer said that 50 military militia, which took part in the in the town, which is strategi- areas yesterday where IS forces explosives. Another shows a man pushed into the town, located vehicles advanced from the north operation, confirmed the “com- cally located on roads linking were holed up in houses, Juburi carrying out a suicide attack on 90km outside Baghdad, from the and linked up with allied forces in plete liberation of Dhuluiyah”. the eastern province of Diyala to said. IS fighters have been car- government forces. north two days earlier, fighting the town’s southern Jubur area, “We succeeded in breaking the Salaheddin province in the north. rying out “suicide attacks” on AFP WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Lingering crisis Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

REECE has just emerged from a devastating financial crisis, but is on way to another one: a political crisis. The country’s Prime Minister Antonis Samaras Gwarned yesterday that the financially-stricken nation may be forced out of the eurozone if January’s parliamentary Repression of dissent intensifies election hands hard-left party Syriza power to reverse years of austerity measures. “This struggle will determine whether Greece stays in Europe,” Samaras said as he asked the outgoing under a ruthless Xi Jinping president to dissolve parliament ahead of an election set for January 25. Syriza has pledged to reverse reforms imposed by Greece’s creditors -- the so-called “troika” of the International BY SIMON TISDALL Aspects of Xi’s policy of “autocracy China’s estimated 60-70 million Monetary Fund, European Commission, and European with Chinese characteristics” are famil- Christians have not escaped perse- Central Bank -- cut taxes, and increase state aid and public HINA’S drift towards a new iar to the country’s academic commu- cution during the Christmas period, services. Polls indicate Syriza leads Samaras’ conservative New authoritarianism under the nity, which is under renewed pressure according to reports from Beijing Democracy party by three to six points. unsmiling leadership of Xi to toe the party line. Instructions issued suggesting their plight has worsened Greeks will be tempted to punish their European CJinping has found new expres- by the president after a higher educa- under the new leadership. Members of sion in a series of alarming year’s-end tion conference on Monday included Shouwang, a Beijing Christian group, ‘tormentors’ be electing extremist party, but they must realize moves to curb personal freedoms and the demand that universities do more told Agence France-Presse that several it will be a counter-productive measure. What Athens needs free speech. The country’s implacable to promote Marxist doctrine and pastors had been under house arrest is a government that can work with its European partners to president and Communist party chief Communist party ideological guidance, since they tried to arrange Easter serv- bring the country out of its economic crisis, not a government is forcefully driving China towards the Xinhua news agency reported. ices in a public square in 2011. that will be on a collision course with the European Union. The economic and geopolitical superpower “Enhancing [party] leadership and Most Chinese Christians shun state- harsh truth is that the Greek economy hasn’t still regained status. But the social cost is mounting party-building in the higher learning run churches and worship in “house steadily. institutions is a fundamental guarantee churches” beyond government control. its full health and Syriza has no magical formula to pull the With the ruthless crackdown on for running socialist universities with But official tolerance of such independ- country out of the crisis. dissent in Hong Kong still fresh in the Chinese features well,” Xi was quoted ent activity is waning, judging by a The January election was called on Monday after lawmakers memory, Xi’s latest anti-democratic as saying. crackdown on 400 churches in eastern failed in a third attempt to elect a coup came in the form of expanded Political indoctrination is already a Zhejiang province, some of which were Greece is going successor to 85-year-old President action to block Gmail, Google’s email routine feature of university life for reportedly demolished. Karolos Papoulias, whose five- service, presuma- Chinese students, while their teachers Offering an insight into paranoid to the polls bly because it gave are subject to monitoring to ensure party thinking, an official recently year term ends in March. The users a degree of political correctness. In an echo of the told Beijing worshippers to “resolutely again. But last election plunged Greece into autonomy that Xi Stalinist era in the Soviet Union, this resist the use of Christianity by foreign- weeks of political uncertainty, and his unelected year reporters from state-controlled ers to infiltrate China”. Crosses have any victory of and there are fears of a repeat party cadres media were ordered to attend univer- been torn down at many churches and next month given the close race Series of moves find threatening. sity lectures and detect and denounce at a nursing home. The authorities the hard-left China already teachers whose ideas might be consid- have made an issue out of Christmas between Samaras’ New Democracy to curb personal regularly blocks ered “scornful of China” or pro-western. lights, which are increasingly popular party Syriza conservatives and front-running foreign web- Prof Zhang Xuezhong, of East China in Chinese cities, saying they may pose Syriza. The markets have started freedoms and sites such as University of Political Science and Law a safety hazard. will only help showing concerns about the free speech Facebook and in Shanghai, and Prof Xia Yeliang, of Many in China refuse to accept Xi’s reverse years prospects of a Syriza victory. A YouTube. Google Peking University in Beijing – both self-serving prescripts about what they survey by Marc published on Alpha demonstrate pulled most of noted champions of free speech and may and may not do or say. A recent its business out the rule of law – were sacked in 2013 example was provided by the Sony of austerity TV’s website gave Syriza 28.1 China’s drift of China in 2011 for what they said were political rea- Pictures comedy The Interview, which measures. percent support compared to 25.1 after a row over sons. “I’m just a university faculty mem- caused such offence to North Korea’s percent for New Democracy, with towards a new censorship. ber who expresses his own opinions, dictatorship. Despite being condemned To Potami, a centrist party founded authoritarianism. Attempting to thoughts and proposals, which is abso- by Chinese state media, the film was this year, placing third on 6.1 percent. The extremist party has justify the Gmail lutely my right. This is an out-and-out gleefully (and illegally) downloaded by dismissed warnings that its electoral programme would rattle shutdown, the witch-hunt,” Zhang said. tens of thousands of Chinese within Global Times, which is close to the China’s repression of political activ- hours of its online release, according markets and creditors, but within hours of the election being Communist party, accused Google of ists, writers, independent journalists, to the Washington Post. announced on Monday, the International Monetary Fund said failing to comply with Chinese law. artists and religious groups who poten- “Many Chinese ‘netizens’ left positive it was suspending further bailout payments to Greece until a But an editorial also suggested China’s tially challenge the party’s monopoly reviews online, even without seeing the new government was formed. Greece’s electoral landscape was action “must have been prompted of power has intensified since Xi took movie, as a gesture of protest against fragmented in 2012 after two consecutive ballots in six weeks by newly emerged security reasons” office nearly two years ago. In the most censorship, while others appeared to including “ideological security”. It then recent instance, on Tuesday a court enjoy the lampooning of the North destroyed the dominance of New Democracy and the socialist offered some specious reassurance: “We sentenced Shen Yongping, a filmmaker, Korea regime. The country’s leader is Pasok party, which between them have governed the country only need to have faith that China has to a year in jail for running an illegal often mockingly referred to by Chinese continuously since 1974, propelling Syriza from a fringe party to its own logic in terms of internet policy business. But Shen’s supporters sug- web users as ‘Fatty Kim III’,” the Post the No 2 political force. and it is made and runs in accordance gested his real offence was to have made reported. This is exactly this sort of The next election is very crucial for Greece. It will decide with the country’s fundamental inter- a documentary recording the party’s public irreverence, bordering on lese- whether Greeks want to build on the economic gains they have ests.” For many Chinese, that is a big ongoing failure to uphold the country’s majesty, that grim Xi fears most. ask. constitution and laws. THE GUARDIAN made, or destroy the gains to invite another crisis. The other side Quote of Suu Kyi’s clarion call the day

UNG San Suu Kyi, in a carefully cherished values towards freedom and its erstwhile traditions of purporting government. worded statement as she popular dispensation. nationalism when it comes to dealing Now the Nobel laureate will have believes in reconciliation with Suu Kyi, as she met President Thein with the West. to push the envelope in an articulate Athe military junta, called upon Sein, urged upon his administration to The main problem for Suu Kyi and manner to make herself eligible under The snap poll is the international community to facilitate clear the obstacles for her candidature her party is that the regime of President law of the land, and in doing so the Yangon as it legislates necessary laws as the next head of state — and said Sein had made enough inroads in the West and the US have a definite role to unwanted by voters, towards that end. But this time around, that necessary amendments in the West and the multiple visits of US play. Suu Kyi will be better advised to is unnecessary and is Suu Kyi’s thrust was on presenting her constitution should be introduced in President Barack Obama indicates also voice her concern over communal credentials more categorically than real time. As per laws, any candidate the harmony that has set in between inequality, especially the discrimination happening because of generally calling for opening up the who has spouse or children as foreign the generals and the outside world. It that Rohingya Muslims are faced with. party self-interest… regime that is dominated by serving citizens is ineligible for holding a public is in clear departure to the isolation that Hers should be a popular government and retired generals. What made her office. In that realm, Suu Kyi is barred the army faced as it kept Suu Kyi under in which the minorities should also find and this struggle will statement, delivered after keeping as her spouse was a British citizen and detention for more than two decades. a berth for themselves. The success is quiet for a while, more important was both of her sons have UK citizenship. It, The credit, nonetheless, goes to Suu in making Myanmar a pluralistic soci- determine whether that she castigated the West for what however, remains to be seen how flex- Kyi and her comrades for compelling ety with equal participation for all in Greece stays in she called losing interest in Myanmar, ible the regime turns out to be towards the military to introduce reforms and let national life.. Antonis Samaras and termed it as unbecoming of their that demand, especially keeping in view Myanmar have a first popularly elected Khaleej Times Europe. Greek Prime Minister WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Why air disasters keep happening Poor safety regulations and the rise of low-cost carriers have made Southeast Asian skies more dangerous than ever

BY JOSHUA KURLANTZICK to show its responsiveness. Through its website and emergency call centres, the n the past year, Southeast Asia’s airline has been providing families with aviation industry has suffered an up-to-the-minute and seemingly accurate unprecedented number of tragedies. information about the plane and the nas- Although the odds of any person cent search effort, a sharp contrast from boarding a flight dying in a plane Malaysia Airlines, which told families of Icrash are about 1 in 11 million, three passengers on MH370 virtually nothing planes — two based in Malaysia, the third for days after the plane vanished. an Indonesian affiliate of a Malaysia-based AirAsia has expanded rapidly in group — have apparently gone down, Indonesia, the most populous nation in with no survivors. The latest, AirAsia Southeast Asia and an archipelago where Flight QZ8501, had been travelling from cheap air travel is incredibly attractive Surabaya, Indonesia, to Singapore when to middle classes. Indonesia-based low- it vanished over the Java Sea. cost carrier Lion Air, meanwhile, placed To some extent, the three Malaysian a massive order in 2013 for 234 new air disasters are just brutal bad luck. Still, Airbus planes and followed that up with they point to several disturbing trends an order last month for 40 more planes. that raise the question of whether fly- Other low-cost carriers such as Citilink, ing in peninsular Southeast Asia is Tigerair, Valuair, and many others have completely safe. The air market in the also built up their route networks across region has embraced low-cost carri- the archipelago. People pray for passengers of the missing AirAsia flight QZ8501 in Malang, East Java, yesterday. ers, leading to a proliferation of flights But while air traffic has grown in throughout Southeast Asia, stretching the region, and while AirAsia had a air traffic controllers, and possibly allow- mostly solid safety record, the increase pilots, and mechanics operating in suffered numerous other deadly crashes efforts. AirAsia is, in a way, as much of ing some airlines to expand too rapidly. in low-cost flights may have resulted Indonesia. The country has become infa- in the past 10 years. The European Union an outsider to the Malaysian government Indonesian carriers, air traffic control- in planes being operated by men and mous for poor management of planes in has banned virtually all Indonesian air- as China, Australia, and other countries lers, and Indonesian airspace in general women with less experience than in the the air and coming in for landings, and for lines from flying in the EU because pushing to find out about MH370 were. have become notorious for weak safety past. Southeast Asian airspace still has lax enforcement of airlines’ need to main- of safety concerns. Even Indonesian AirAsia Chief Executive Tony Fernandes regulations. AirAsia has responded to this the same mountains, chaotic weather, tain planes. Pay for air traffic controllers, state carrier Garuda Indonesia was, has repeatedly engaged in public spats crisis much more rapidly than state car- and tough approach paths as it always mechanics, and regulators of the aviation in the 2000s, banned from flying in with Malaysia’s long-ruling governing rier Malaysian Airline did after the dis- did. The pilot on the AirAsia flight had industry remains low by regional stand- Europe because of its safety record. The coalition, including Prime Minister Najib appearance of Flight MH370 last March. about 6,000 hours of flight experience on ards, and graft is endemic at all levels International Air Transport Association Razak, since Fernandes seems to detest AirAsia, modelled on carriers such the Airbus plane he was flying, but it is of regulatory agencies in Indonesia; the has not allowed Lion Air to become a the back-room, statist economic strate- as Ryanair and Southwest Airlines, was unclear whether he had experience flying country ranks among the most corrupt in member because of concerns about the gies common in Malaysia, which are the the first low-cost airline to prosper in at 34,000 feet or higher, where he was try- East Asia in Transparency International’s airline’s safety. opposite of his modern business style. Southeast Asia, which had been domi- ing to take the plane to avoid bad weather. annual Corruption Perceptions Index. Although AirAsia is not a state com- Indonesia, meanwhile, though a real nated by state carriers until open-skies Some low-cost carriers seem particularly There has been little evidence that pany, it will still have to navigate the democracy, also has been reluctant to deals broke the market open in the past strapped trying to find quality staff and Indonesian authorities have addressed opaque bureaucracies of Indonesia’s and allow outsiders complete access when decade. AirAsia allowed the growing mid- allegedly push their pilots and crew to long-standing concerns about flight safety Malaysia’s defence, transportation, and working on search-and-rescue missions, dle classes in Asia to use air travel for work too many hours in order to run so in and around the archipelago. Lion Air other ministries to conduct search and perhaps because the government fears pleasure and business for the first time. many flights. Indonesian carrier Lion Air alone has suffered seven accidents in the rescue and tell the complete story of what exposing the ineptitude of some of the The no-frills airline charged for food, bags has had at least three of its pilots arrested past decade, a horrendous number. By happened to Flight QZ8501. Malaysia’s country’s air regulators and controllers. of any significant size, choosing a specific for crystal methamphetamine use since contrast, all major US airlines combined, semi-authoritarian government demon- The unwillingness of governments in the seat, and many other services, but it also 2011; crystal meth is a stimulant that can which fly exponentially more flights daily strated after the disappearance of MH370 region to confront the shortcomings of gained a reputation for solid customer be used to stay awake and alert. than Lion Air, have suffered a total of that it resents handing over any informa- their aviation systems means that more service. In the wake of Flight QZ8501’s This increase in flights seems to have three serious crashes in the past decade. tion to outsiders, even if that informa- tragedies are likely to occur. disappearance, AirAsia has continued particularly taxed air traffic controllers, Overall, Indonesia’s airlines have tion can help with search-and-rescue BLOOMBERG Time is running out on climate denial Together, we BY DANA NUCCITELLI will defeat IS rom a strictly logical perspective, it’s hard to understand how we can be BY NICHOLAS HOPTON doing so little to slow global warm- Security Council resolutions to Fing. Greg Craven summarised why by stop the flow of arms and fighters examining the extreme possible outcomes in he so-called Islamic State to IS and other extremist groups. his viral climate ‘decision grid’ video. has already lost the bat- In Iraq, we have supported In short, if we take action to slow global Ttle for Muslim hearts and efforts to promote inclusive and warming, the worst case scenario involves dra- minds, and, together, we will accountable governance. conian government regulations that trigger defeat it. In the UK, we have banned an economic recession. If we don’t, the worst As 2014 draws to a close, and preachers of hate and those who case scenario involves an economic recession we reflect on the events of the incite terrorism in our schools, too, but also a host of other global and societal past year, the actions of the so- universities and prisons, and catastrophes. called Islamic State in Iraq and cracked down on abuses of our Although Craven doesn’t look at the prob- Syria have shocked many. charities; and we have removed abilities of these worst case scenarios, they’re This vicious organisation, nei- terrorist material from the also heavily weighted towards the case for tak- ther Islamic nor state-like, dis- Internet. ing action to curb global warming. There are torts the Muslim faith — which New domestic anti-terror leg- lots of options to slow global warming that is peacefully practised by over islation enables us to seize pass- don’t involve drastic government regulation, one billion people every day — to ports to stop would-be fighters and that can even be beneficial for the econ- justify barbaric acts of murder, from travelling from the UK, and omy. If we decide that we’ve gone too far in torture, rape and slavery. to prosecute acts of terror com- cutting carbon pollution, it’s relatively easy to It has targeted people of all mitted by UK citizens anywhere scale back government policies. faiths and ethnicities: Muslims, in the world. On the other hand, evidence from past cli- Christians, Yezidis, Arabs and We must not forget that IS’s mate change events indicates that triggering Kurds. This is no Holy War for atrocities occur at a time when tipping points pushing the climate into a dra- the sake of Islam, but a twisted millions of people are displaced matically different state is a real possibility. death cult that misleads vulner- across the region. Unlike government policies, as the latest IPCC able people into a life of barbarity. According to the UN Refugee report noted, many climate change impacts Across the globe, Sunni and Agency, there are more displaced will be irreversible. Shia Muslims have come together people in 2014 than at any time In other words, if we take too much action to defend their religion. They are since the end of the Second World to curb climate change, the worst case sce- adamant that IS’s poisonous ide- War. Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey nario (upper left grid) is easily avoided. If we ology will not go unchallenged. are shouldering most of the bur- don’t take enough action, we may not be able The scale of the international den, despite the huge impact on to avoid some of the worst consequences in response, a coalition of over their societies and public serv- the bottom right grid. 60 countries, shows that the world ices. The international commu- Of course there’s a wide spectrum of possible will not tolerate these horrific nity must continue to support the actions and outcomes between the extremes. A view of an indigenous symbol reading “People and Rights. Living woods” formed by dozens of acts. resilience of these countries. However, the more action we take to reduce activists at a beachfront in Lima, on the sidelines of the UN COP20 and CMP10. On December 11, Bahrain, Kuwait and Belgium The UK is now the second larg- carbon pollution, the fewer harmful climate 2015, 195 states are scheduled to strike a deal in Paris to curb the fossil-fuel gases imperilling Earth’s have all hosted conferences to est bilateral donor to the Syrian change consequences we’ll trigger. climate system. look at different aspects of the refugee crisis. We are providing Support for climate action is broad and coalition’s work; and air forces over £700m in humanitarian aid growing in a great session to a room full of about 200 government, free market alternative. from across the region have joined to support people in need across In fact, there are few groups that don’t sup- climate scientists who were eager to learn Extreme weather events will only become European, North American and Syria and the region with food, port significant action to curb carbon pollu- about effective science communication. And more intense, and tackling climate change Australian planes in attacking IS fresh water, healthcare, shelter tion. The US military views climate change as more policymakers are starting to listen to is becoming a generational issue. 61 percent from the air. and other basic services. This is a serious threat. The Pope is rumoured to be them. The presidents of the two largest carbon of Republicans under the age of 50 support The UK is committed to play- the largest humanitarian response planning a major effort to encourage an inter- polluting countries recently agreed to curb government action to cut carbon pollution. ing a key role. At the request of in British history, and evidence of national agreement on climate policy targets their emissions, and a couple of Republicans in Conservative policymakers in the USA, the Iraqi government, we are our continued commitment to the in 2015. A growing number of faith groups the House of Representatives recently voiced Australia, and Canada are among the last conducting military strikes and people of the region. support climate action, viewing it as an issue concerns about climate change. major holdouts obstructing action to curb cli- providing training and equip- The events of the past year of stewardship. Even a majority of non-Tea So far, most of those House Republicans mate change, but in the face of physical reality ment to the Iraqi armed forces, show that, in this interconnected Party Republicans agree that the planet is have been unwilling to do anything to slow glo- and growing public will, that’s not a sustain- including the Peshmerga to halt world, a threat to peace and sta- warming and support an international treaty bal warming, and in fact have tried to under- able political position. IS’s advance. bility anywhere impacts us all. that requires the United States to cut its emis- mine President Obama’s efforts to tackle the The longer they hold out and the more car- But military efforts alone are That is why we must face down sions of carbon dioxide 90 percent by the year problem. However, the EPA greenhouse gas bon pollution we pump into the atmosphere, not enough. There needs to be a IS together, and together we will 2050. regulations are here to stay. Republicans’ best the greater the risks of dangerous climate con- comprehensive solution to this succeed. More climate scientists are beginning to option to rid America of these government sequences. Climate action is inevitable, but the problem. That is why in recent The writer is British speak up. At the fall AGU conference, I spoke regulations is to replace them with a small clock is ticking. THE GUARDIAN months we have championed UN Ambassador to Qatar. WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 INTERNATIONAL 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Gambia foils coup bid; three killed Army deserter behind attempt

BANJUL, GAMBIA: A group “They wanted to overthrow the of disaffected soldiers launched regime,” a military source told a foiled coup bid in The Gambia AFP, while a Western diplomat yesterday while the west African said a coup attempt has “appar- state’s iron-fisted leader was in ently been foiled”. Dubai, military and diplomatic Army patrols urged people to sources said. return home and remain calm as Forces loyal to President Yahya they fanned out across the capi- Jammeh, who has ruled the small tal. Shops, banks offices and busi- country for 20 years, killed three nesses were closed and there were suspects including the alleged few vehicles on the streets. ringleader — an army deserter, a The former head of military military officer said. police, Jammeh, 49, has ruled the The officer, speaking to AFP largely rural nation of some 1.8 from Bissau, said the deserter million people with a firm hand named as Lamin Sanneh led since 1994, when he came to power a heavily-armed attack with in a coup that toppled founding another six men on the presiden- leader Sir Dawda Jawara. tial palace in the capital Banjul. Jammeh first led an armed Opposition supporters gather during an unauthorised rally in support of Alexei and Oleg Navalny in central Moscow yesterday. The pre-dawn assault triggered forces provisional ruling council panic in the tropical city, while that suspended the constitution of national radio went off air for the former British colony. In 1996, several hours and state television he went on to win a presidential was suspended. election, aged just 31, amid allega- Kremlin critic gets suspended sentence Opposition politician Sheikh tions of fraud. Sidya Bayo told a private The army justified Jawara’s MOSCOW: A Russian court in his government and inner affiliate of the French cosmetics in prison? To punish me even Senegalese radio station that the ouster on the grounds of endemic gave Kremlin critic Alexei circle. company Yves Rocher between harder?” Currently under house unrest was “the start of a mutiny corruption and policies that Navalny a suspended sen- Opposition figures say jailing 2008 and 2012. arrest, Alexei Navalny is serving that changed” into a bid to topple undermined democratic institu- tence yesterday for embezzling Navalny risked a new wave of Yesterday’s ruling will come as another suspended five-year jail Jammeh. tions and caused social unrest, but money but jailed his brother for protests so he was being punished a relief for Navalny’s supporters term for a separate conviction Three of the suspected coup Jammeh’s foes challenge his own three and a half years in a case through his brother instead. after prosecutors asked that he last year, which critics also called plotters were killed and another democratic record. seen as part of a campaign to In Washington, the US State be imprisoned for 10 years. The a sham. captured by Jammeh’s forces, Since the young soldier took stifle dissent. Department described the sen- Kremlin denies allegations that “The authorities are tortur- but there was no confirmation power and donned the flowing As hundreds of his supporters tencing and jailing as a disturb- it uses the courts to persecute ing and destroying relatives of of an overall death toll from the robes of a civilian chief, his regime gathered in front of the Kremlin, ing development that appeared opponents. their political opponents. This fighting. has claimed to have foiled a suc- Navalny broke house arrest to join “designed to further punish and Officials have taken few steps regime doesn’t deserve to exist, “Police and the army are now cession of coup plots in murky the rally but was swiftly detained deter political activism”. to investigate Navalny’s corrup- it must be destroyed,” Navalny entirely in control of the situa- circumstances. and driven back home by police. The European Union also said tion allegations. He claimed there told reporters outside the court tion,” the military officer told Backed by his Alliance for Police dispersed the protest after the verdict seemed to be politi- was mass embezzlement, includ- as he was escorted in a car for AFP on condition of anonymity. Patriotic Reorientation and two hours, detaining more than cally motivated, while a German ing in state bank VTB and pipe- prisoners. A Gambian diplomat said the Reconstruction (APRC) party, 100 people. official said the ruling was a blow line monopoly Transneft, run by Russian state television chan- presidential palace in the heart which enjoys a large majority in Navalny led mass demonstra- to civil society. close allies of Putin. nels were not covering the sen- of the small city on the Gambia parliament, Jammeh has come tions against President Vladimir The Navalny brothers, Alexei “Aren’t you ashamed of what tencing or mentioned it very river was attacked at around under fire for serious human Putin three years ago, when tens and Oleg, were accused of steal- you are doing?” Navalny told briefly, while most Russian print 3am, by armed men including rights abuses, including the dis- of thousands took to the streets ing 30 million roubles, around the court and judge Yelena media or radio stations had it members of the presidential appearance of his foes. in Moscow and St Petersburg $500,000 at the current exchange Korobchenko. “Why are you among their top stories. guard. AFP to protest against corruption rate, from two firms including an putting him (my brother Oleg) REUTERS

Militants shoot dead 15 Many still unaccounted for in Italy ferry disaster BRINDISI: The death toll from a ferry about what happened has said they received disaster in the Adriatic Sea rose to 13 no instructions from the crew about what in northeast yesterday as fears mounted that the final to do. count could be much higher. Teodora Doulis, a Greek woman whose Uncertainty over the scale of the tragedy husband Giorgios died in the disaster, Nigeria persisted with Greek and Italian authori- was among a number of passengers who ties still unable to say with any certainty described the car deck — thought to have MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA: how many paying passengers were on board been where the fire started — as being cov- Suspected Islamist militants the Norman Atlantic when it burst into ered with fuel. opened fire in a remote town flames in stormy seas on Sunday. “It stank of petrol. The ship should never in northeast Nigeria, killing at And Giuseppe Volpe, the prosecutor in have left port in that condition,” she said. least 15 people, witnesses and a charge of a criminal probe into the disas- In the absence of leadership from the security source said. ter, said the discovery of stowaways among crew, the intensity of the fire, which made The attack on Monday night those rescued from the blazing ship meant metal surfaces so hot that shoes were targeted Kautikari, near the “it is likely that we will find other victims melting, led to a panic which exposed the Cameroon border, just 10 kilome- in the wreckage”. worst side of human instinct, according to tres from the village of Chibok, Volpe’s comment suggested the navy had survivors. where more than 200 schoolgirls not been able to fully search the burnt- Ute Kilger, a passenger from Munich, were abducted in April. They out ship. As well as the possibility of Germany, described how she had witnessed remain captives. stowaways in some of the lorries on board, a middle-aged man barge past women, “They were about twenty, well- there were also fears some passengers may children and the elderly to ensure he was armed. They came in four-wheel have suffocated or been burnt to death in winched to safety before them. drive vehicles and some motorcy- their cabins. “He just went and sat in the basket, cles. Initially, I thought they were The Italian coastguard confirmed the which was clearly designed for children. I soldiers,” survivor Jonah Umaru recovery of the body of an 11th dead pas- didn’t know whether to laugh or cry,” the said by telephone. senger yesterday. The ill-fated Italian- 45-year-old lawyer told Italian media. “The man running behind me owned ship claimed two more lives when Rescued passengers from Norman Atlantic arrive at the airport in Elefsina, west of Athens, Two key questions for investigators will was gunned down as I was fleeing. two Albanian seamen died from injuries yesterday. be why the fire gained such force so quickly Afterwards, there were 15 people sustained when a cable linking their tug- and why it was not contained in the area lying dead in the streets.” boat to the ferry snapped. Amid the uncertainty over the passenger people saved. where it started. Suspected Boko Haram gun- Nearly 40 passengers listed as having numbers, the Italian coastguard and navy The ship’s Italian owner, ANEK and its The ship’s owner, Italian company men kidnapped 172 women and been on the ferry were still unaccounted helicopters continued to scour the waters Italian captain all face possible manslaugh- Visemar di Navigazione, has acknowledged children and killed 35 other for but it was unclear whether this was around the stricken ferry, which caught ter charges arising from Volpe’s investiga- that a December 19 safety inspection high- people this month near the due to them having died as a result of the fire after it left the Greek port of Patras tion. Greece also announced its own probe lighted a problem with at least one fire door same area. fire or by drowning, or the result of errors bound for Italy. yesterday. but insists it was fixed before the vessel Violence by Boko Haram, which in the ship’s manifest. Officially, 437 people who were on The accounts of passengers evacuated set sail. is fighting to establish an Islamic Greek survivor Urania Thireou offered board have been accounted for, 38 short from the ferry after a terrifying 24-hour According to Paris MoU, a multi- state in Nigeria, has killed 10,340 a possible explanation. of a revised total of passengers and ordeal have depicted the Norman Atlantic’s national body which oversees maritime people so far this year, accord- “At the start, there were people who got crew released by the ship’s operator crew as being completely unprepared to safety standards, the Greek inspectors ing to a count by the Council on into the biggest lifeboat,” she told AFP at ANEK Ferries. deal with an emergency. highlighted problems with more than one Foreign Relations last month. a hotel in the Italian port city of Brindisi. But government ministers in both Many have told how it was either thick fire door as well as the functioning of some The five-year-old insurgency “They got it into the water but we Greece and Italy have confirmed that smoke or other passengers who woke those watertight doors, emergency lighting and has also displaced more than a were told afterwards that they were not there are also significant discrepancies sleeping, not the crew or alarms. the availability of life-saving equipment. million people from the remote rescued.” between the list released by ANEK and the Almost every survivor who has spoken AFP northeast. It is considered the gravest threat to the stability of Africa’s biggest economy and top oil producer — and its neighbours. Underscoring the regional threat posed by the group, Italian helicopter sent to intercept cargo ship with migrants Cameroon’s army said it had killed at least 41 Boko Haram militants as it fought off a wave ATHENS: An Italian helicop- Blue Sky M, was spotted close to there was no confirmation from situation was under control. board, but other reports put the of attacks along its border with ter was flying to intercept a the coast of Corfu earlier in the the defence or shipping ministries. “He said there was no problem total at 400. Nigeria over the weekend. cargo ship believed to be carry- day after authorities got an alarm Greek naval and coastguard and he would continue on course The Italian airforce said a Instability in the northeast ing hundreds of migrants after call about a potential incident vessels as well as a military heli- towards Italy,” said a shipping helicopter had taken off from its is likely to undermine efforts to it left Greek waters and headed on board. copter were sent to the scene, but ministry official, who declined to base in Gioia del Colle in south- hold Nigeria’s presidential and towards Italy, according to a Greek state television said the the ship was allowed to continue be quoted by name. ern Italy and was carrying coast other elections across the region statement from the air force. alarm had been raised because into international waters after Greece’s SKAI television said guard officials. in February. REUTERS The Moldovan-flagged ship, armed men were on board, but the captain assured officials the as many as 700 people may be on REUTERS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11

Autopsy shows Ebola-hit nurse US police shot black man transferred to in back

LOS ANGELES: An unarmed black man killed by Los Angeles London hospital police officers was shot three times, including once in the back at close range, according to his autopsy report. Health worker arrived from West Africa The August 11 death of Ezell Ford is among a string of cases LONDON: A health worker the three West African coun- in the United States this year who has become the first person tries worst affected by the out- in which black men have been to be diagnosed with Ebola in break — Sierra Leone, Liberia and killed by police officers under Britain was being treated at a Guinea—had passed 20,000, with contentious and contested London hospital yesterday after more than 7,842 deaths so far. circumstances. contracting the disease in West Cafferkey, a National Health The highly anticipated autopsy, Africa. Service worker who had been released yesterday by the Los The woman arrived from working in West Africa with the Angeles County coroner’s office, Scotland at the Royal Free hos- charity Save the Children, flew showed that Ford was shot once pital, Britain’s designated Ebola from Sierra Leone to Glasgow late in the back, once in the arm and treatment centre, in an ambu- on Sunday on a British Airways once in the abdomen. lance accompanied by police vehi- flight via Casablanca in Morocco The wound to his back left a cles, a witness said. and London’s Heathrow. “muzzle imprint” on his skin, “The latest update we have on She was diagnosed with the suggesting Ford was shot at very the condition of the patient is virus on Monday after develop- close range. that she is doing as well as can be ing symptoms overnight and was Steven Lerman, the lawyer for expected in the circumstances,” initially treated at a Scottish Ford’s family, decried the “hor- Scottish First Minister Nicola hospital. Local media said she A healthcare worker (centre) who was diagnosed with Ebola after returning from Sierra Leone is walked from an rifying” autopsy report. Sturgeon said. is in her late 30s and had been ambulance and put into a quarantine tent trolley before being wheeled into a Hercules Transport plane at Glasgow “What they did to Mr Ford The BBC named the patient working in the Kerry Town Ebola International Airport yesterday. is nothing short of criminal,” as Pauline Cafferkey, and local treatment centre outside Sierra Lerman said. media described her as nurse Leone’s capital, Freetown. given a new, ebola-free toy. minister Jeremy Hunt said. virus, having had no known con- Ford, who was 25 and appar- with 16 years’ experience who A journalist who visited the At every doorway there was Britain began screening pas- tact with infected people. ently suffered from mental illness, normally worked at a Scottish centre last week said it was a a barrel of disinfectant. Health sengers from West Africa for A third person was undergoing was killed during a confronta- health centre. huge, pristine facility built by workers preparing to enter the symptoms of Ebola in October. tests in Cornwall, England, and tion with two patrol officers — Sturgeon said she could not British army engineers, with red zone all had spotters to check Hunt said then that he expected was being treated in an isolation Sharlton Wampler and Antonio confirm the patient’s identity for around 80 beds and stringent equipment as they changed into to see “a handful” of cases arriv- unit, a statement from Public Villegas — in southern Los confidentiality reasons. cleansing procedures far supe- protective clothing. ing in Britain. Health England said. The results Angeles. At the time of the inci- The London hospital’s ‘High- rior to those of a nearby Sierra Authorities said Cafferkey was Earlier this year the Royal of those tests would take at least dent, Ford was alone, unarmed, level isolation unit’ will allow doc- Leonean treatment centre. diagnosed early, meaning the risk Free hospital successfully treated 24 hours. and walking on the sidewalk. tors to treat Cafferkey while she With paths laid with new gravel to others was extremely low, but another British aid worker, Around 200 people have been The autopsy report does not lies in a plastic tent, limiting the and whitewashed walls, the centre they were investigating all pos- William Pooley, who was flown assessed or tested for the virus provide a narrative of the shoot- scope for the disease, which is even had a gazebo in the “red zone” sible contacts with her. home after being diagnosed with in recent months, Paul Cosford, ing, but the Los Angeles Police transmitted by contact with bodily for recovering patients to sit and “I’m satisfied ... that the the virus in Sierra Leone. Director for Health Protection at Department says the incident fluids, to be passed to medical staff. chat. Child patients were given a procedures, the protocols, the Sturgeon said a second patient Public Health England, the gov- unfolded with Wampler and The World Health Organisation cuddly toy on arrival. On discharge, things that we’ve been practis- in Scotland was being tested after ernment body handling Britain’s Villegas attempting to talk to Ford. said on Monday that the number the toys would have to stay inside ing now for months and months returning from West Africa, but response to Ebola, told the BBC. He walked away, however, and was of people infected by Ebola in the red zone, so each child was have now kicked in,” health had a low probability of having the REUTERS “attempting to conceal his hands.” The officers followed Ford and as one of them tried to grab him, “Ford grabbed the officer’s hand- gun and attempted to remove the gun from its holster,” according to Secret files shed light on first Thatcher-Gorbachev talks a Los Angeles Police Department statement. “The officer yelled out to his partner that Mr Ford LONDON: Classified docu- The warmth of their relation- Reagan following Gorbachev’s like human rights in the Soviet potatoes, we would be happy to had his gun. The officer’s partner ments made public yes- ship even survived one of the visit. Union,” she added. lend it,” wrote senior agricul- then fired two rounds striking Mr terday shed light on the most notorious defections of the “He is relatively open in man- British officials also were struck ture ministry civil servant Ivor Ford,” the LAPD said. political courtship between Cold War — double agent Oleg ner and intelligent. He is affable by his vivacious wife Raisa, who Llewellyn to Downing Street “At about the same time, the Britain’s Margaret Thatcher Gordievsky, who had been head and has some charm and humour,” at one point on the trip dropped colleague Len Appleyard after officer on the ground while on his and Mikhail Gorbachev — whom of the KGB’s London station, in she wrote. “I certainly found him in to royal jeweller Mappin and receiving the book. back grabbed his backup weapon, she famously declared she could 1985. a man one could do business with. Webb to buy some gold earrings Gordievsky’s defection to reached around Mr Ford and fired “do business” with. The documents were released I actually rather liked him.” set with diamonds and rubies. Britain—he shook off KGB agents one shot at close range striking After Gorbachev’s first offi- by the National Archives in Despite that positive impres- Less glamorously, she also sent a trailing him in Moscow and Mr Ford in the back.” At a press cial visit to Britain in 1984, four London under the 30-year rule, sion, Gorbachev was also sub- book of 500 Belarusian potato reci- boarded a train to Finland before conference yesterday, Los Angeles months before he became Soviet which allows previously secret jected to the “Iron Lady’s” pes to Britain’s agriculture minister being taken over the border in the police Chief Charlie Beck said leader, Thatcher praised his government files to be made pub- legendary sharp tongue. after the trip, following a conversa- boot of an embassy car—threat- “there is nothing in the coroner’s “charm and humour” as both lic three decades on. “He was clearly not used to tion the pair had on the subject. ened to cast a major shadow over report that is inconsistent with sides sought to improve East- Thatcher, who died in 2013, the sort of rigorous questioning “If you have anyone who reads improving East-West relations. the version the officer has given.” West relations. wrote to then US president Ronald which he got from me on things Russian and has a fondness for AFP AFP

Frosty walk New York City mayor heckled at US lawmaker under fire police graduation over speech to racists NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio drew heck- WASHINGTON: The number month’s US midterm elections, les and boos along with applause three figure in the Republican taking control of the Senate and when he addressed graduat- majority in the US House of strengthening its hold on the ing police cadets yesterday, two Representatives came under House of Representatives for the days after thousands of uni- attack yesterday after he new Congress starting in January. formed officers turned their admitted giving a speech to a Democrats seized on the rev- backs on him at a slain police- racist group. elations to call on House Speaker man’s funeral. Representative Steve Scalise of John Boehner to sack Scalise from With the city a focal point in a Louisiana, the Republican house his leadership role. national debate over the killings whip, confirmed yesterday that in “It’s hard to believe, given of unarmed black men by white 2002 he gave an address to the David Duke’s reputation in police, the mayor has been strug- European-American Unity and Louisiana, that somebody in pol- gling to mend the most toxic rift Rights Organization (EURO). itics in Louisiana wasn’t aware in decades between City Hall and The “white nationalist” anti- of Duke’s associations with the the country’s biggest police force. Semitic group was founded by group and what they stand for,” Some booed as the mayor began notorious former Klu Klux Klan Representative Joaquin Castro of his speech before 884 graduating grand wizard and Louisiana poli- Texas told the Washington Post. cadets at Manhattan’s Madison tician David Duke, but Scalise Democratic Communications Square Garden arena. He warmly insisted he was not aware of its Committee communications praised the police department. agenda. director Mo Elleithee poured “You will confront all the prob- A man walks along a frosty path in Primrose Hill in north London yesterday. “When people asked me to scorn on the idea that Scalise — lems that plague our society,” go speak, I went and spoke then a state legislator — might de Blasio told the new officers. to any group that called,” he not have been aware of the group’s “Problems that you didn’t create.” told Louisiana newspaper The reputation. “Seriously? He didn’t A heckler cried out, “You cre- Times-Picayune. know?” he demanded. ated them!” Some in the audience Seven held hostage in Brazil prison “I didn’t know who all of these “The group was named the applauded and cheered the out- groups were and I detest any kind European-American Unity and burst. De Blasio, briefly flustered, of hate group. For anyone to sug- Rights Organization, it was continued his speech. RIO DE JANEIRO: Inmates Prison staff could not confirm in a series of prison mutinies gest that I was involved with a founded by David Duke and he A dozen or so audience mem- at a prison in southern Brazil if any further hostages had been across Brazil in recent months. group like that is insulting and was invited by two of Duke’s long- bers turned their backs on the yesterday took seven prison released in the second mutiny by As well as disturbances in ludicrous,” he insisted. time associates. mayor, repeating a gesture by staff hostage during the latest inmates of the facility, built in 1996 Maringa itself in late October, the “I don’t support any of the “It doesn’t get much more clear thousands of officers from around in a series of mutinies at peni- and which holds 650 prisoners, in same month saw two days of unrest things I have read about this than that. Does he not believe the country at Saturday’s funeral tentiaries in recent months, just over two months. A spokes- at Guarapava, also in Parana state, group, but I spoke to a lot of that speaking to an anti-Semitic for Police Officer Rafael Ramos. Brazilian media reported. woman said police were at the scene. which ended with the release of groups during that period. I went hate group legitimizes them and Police first turned their backs on Officials, quoting state jus- Web news portal G1 indicated guards and inmates whom other all throughout South Louisiana.” elevates their racist and divisive the mayor a week earlier when tice officials, said one of those military police were negotiating prisoners had taken hostage. Scalise’s attendance at the existence?” Republicans won the he arrived at the hospital where detained was released yesterday with the mutineers in a wing of Quoting the state justice secre- 2002 EURO convention was recent Congressional election Ramos and his partner, Wenjian evening with minor injuries after the jail holding 120 prisoners. tary and regional prison officers’ revealed by Louisiana political with the support of conservative Liu, were taken. the seven were taken hostage According to the state justice union, Sindarspen, broadcaster blog CenLamar.com based in part white voters, but analysts warn After the ceremony, some of during disturbances which began ministry, the jail is not quite full Globo reported that the past five on an old posting on the well- they will struggle to win over the new officers said they appre- mid-afternoon at Maringa prison to capacity in currently holding months have seen 23 prison muti- known neo-Nazi Internet forum blacks and Hispanics in future ciated de Blasio’s support. in the southern state of Parana, 636 detainees. nies in Parana state alone. Stormfront. presidential races. REUTERS some 600km west of Sao Paulo. The unrest was only the latest AFP The Republican Party won last AFP WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES

Bangla Islamist Crash probe to sentenced to hang for focus on pilot’s war crimes

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s war crimes court yesterday sen- request timing tenced a leading Islamist to death for rape, mass murder and genocide during the coun- try’s 1971 war of independence US, France to assist in AirAsia probe from Pakistan. ATM Azharul Islam became the SURABAYA, Indonesia: on Tuesday went unanswered. 16th person and the 11th Islamist to Investigators into the AirAsia Iriyanto, 53, spent more than be convicted of atrocities by the flight which crashed into the 10 years as a pilot trainer before International Crimes Tribunal, sea off Indonesia are focusing on flying with airlines including which found him guilty of being the timing of the crew’s request Merpati Airlines, Adam Air and, a key member of a notorious pro- to climb to a higher altitude to for the last three years, AirAsia. Pakistan militia. avoid bad weather as a possi- The former fighter pilot also The 62-year-old is the assist- ble factor behind the tragedy, a flew with the Indonesian Air Force, ant secretary general of the source close to the probe said. according to friends and family. nation’s largest Islamist party, As Indonesian ships and air- AirAsia boss Tony Fernandes said the Jamaat-e Islami. craft recovered debris and bodies it was “too early to speculate” “I am innocent!” he shouted from AirAsia Flight QZ8501, the about the cause of the crash. as the presiding judge Enayetur investigation into what happened “I have full confidence in Rahim ordered him to be “hanged on Sunday, when the aircraft car- my ... crew,” he told report- by the neck” for the genocide of rying 162 people disappeared from ers in Surabaya. “Our pilot was more than 1,200 people in a flood radars, has only just begun. extremely experienced, (with) Members of the Search and Rescue Agency SARS carry debris recovered from the sea from missing Indonesia plain in the northern district of Among the early lines of 20,000 hours (of flying time). Air Asia flight QZ 8501 at Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, yesterday. Rangpur. “No doubt, it was mass inquiry is whether the crew could “He came from the air force, murder,” Judge Rahim told a have asked to ascend, or climbed one of their best graduates. He packed court, which was blan- on their own initiative in case of came from Surabaya, so he knows keted by tight security. emergency, at an earlier stage, the area very well.” Iriyanto’s co- Disaster taints Indonesia’s Those killed included hundreds and what role storms in the area pilot on the crashed jet was Remi of Hindus — a minority in mainly might have played. “We know that Plesel of France. Muslim Pakistan — in one of the the weather was very bad in this According to Indonesian worst episodes of the nine-month area, there was a storm,” said the authorities, at 6.12am on Sunday, progress in air safety war. official, who declined to be named 36 minutes after taking off from The conflict ended with the as he was not authorized to speak Surabaya’s Juanda Airport on a JAKARTA: The crash of weather, looks set to be country’s the runway as it came into land former East Pakistan seceding to the press. flight to Singapore, the pilot of AirAsia Flight QZ8501 has only deadly one in 2014, Sudibyo on Sulawesi island. from the regime in Islamabad, “Why did he (the pilot) request the doomed aircraft asked for raised concerns over Indonesia’s said. Chappy Hakim, a former air with the help of Indian troops, to climb at that stage? Should permission from Jakarta air traf- safety record, but aviation ana- Gerry Soejatman, an inde- force chief, said the room for and becoming Bangladesh. he have climbed earlier? Other fic control to climb 6,000 feet to lysts say the country has made pendent aviation analyst, said improvement in safety standards Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina aircraft were flying at a higher 38,000ft and deviate to the left to huge advances since the days Indonesia had 0.18 fatal acci- was still huge. created the controversial tribu- altitude in that area. How did the avoid bad weather. when all of its airlines were dents per one million passengers “In 2007 we were audited and nal, a domestic court with no two pilots react to the weather? Two minutes later, Jakarta banned from flying to Europe. in 2007, which had dropped to less we did not comply on a hundred international or United Nations We are asking those questions.” responded by asking QZ8501 to The air travel industry in the than half that in 2011. things... and I (still) don’t think oversight, in 2010. Indonesia’s National go left seven miles and climb to sprawling archipelago is boom- “The EU ban slapped Indonesia we have complied to the interna- It has mostly focused on the Transportation Safety Committee 34,000ft. There was no response ing, with domestic passengers on the face, but because of that tional standards,” he said, adding trials of the Jamaat leaders (NTSC) will lead the investigation from the cockpit. The aircraft growing nearly five-fold over the Indonesia then improved the that the country was still short who opposed the break-up of into the crash of the Airbus A320, was still detected by the ATC’s past decade and airlines scoring safety standards,” he said. of inspectors. Pakistan and saw the liberation together with representatives from radar for another three minutes billion-dollar deals with foreign Accidents in 2007 included an Since the EU ban, only a war by Bengalis as a conspiracy the United States, France and before disappearing at 6.18 a.m. plane makers. Adam Air plane plunging into the handful of Indonesian airlines by majority-Hindu India. Britain, according to the source. According to flightradar24. Until the Airbus A320-200 sea off Sulawesi island on New have been reallowed in Europe, The tribunal has also sentenced He said evidence such as radar com, a website that uses radar plunged into the sea on Sunday Year’s Day, killing all 102 people including Garuda and AirAsia to death a former minister of data, weather reports, and the data to track aircraft live, other carrying 162 people, Indonesia on board. That airline was later Indonesia, which operated Flight the main opposition Bangladesh communication between the pilots aircraft in the area were flying appeared to be shedding its rep- banned from flying. QZ8501. Nationalist Party. and air traffic control has been between 34,000 and 39,000 feet utation for plane crashes, which In March 2007, a jet with flag AirAsia Indonesia is a unit of Secular protesters staged gathered and is being studied. when QZ8501 disappeared. had led the European Union in carrier Garuda Indonesia burst Malaysian-based AirAsia, which impromptu “victory” marches in The “black box” flight recorders Investigators are looking at the 2007 to ban all 51 Indonesian air- into flames on landing in the dominates Southeast Asia’s boom- the capital Dhaka and in Rangpur have yet to be located, however, crash of Air France flight AF447 lines from flying to the bloc. province of Central Java, killing ing low-cost airline market and to hail the latest verdict. and the source cautioned that it in 2009 for possible clues to what “Now we can count accidents 21 people. had previously earned a solid But defence lawyer Tajul Islam was too early to draw firm conclu- happened on Sunday. with our hands, a stark contrast In more recent incidents, a Lion safety record. rejected the charges against Islam sions as to what went wrong. The investigation into that to the accidents we had in 2007 Air plane missed the runway as it Indonesia’s director general of and said his team planned to appeal It was not immediately Airbus A330 showed the co-pilot and the years prior to that,” said came in to land in Bali in April civil aviation said Tuesday that the verdict in the Supreme Court. clear whether Indonesia’s only lost speed readings due to icing, and Dudi Sudibyo, a senior editor of last year, slamming into the sea debris spotted during an aerial “Azharul Islam was a 19-year-old pilots’ union represented the his panic reaction put the plane into aviation magazine Angkasa. and splitting in two. Dozens of the search of the Java Sea was from student during the war and in no captain, Iriyanto, although it a stall which the rest of the crew The AirAsia flight, which was 108 people on board were injured, the missing plane. Rescuers also way was involved in war crime. works mainly with employ- failed to recognise, sending the air- travelling from the Indonesian but there were no fatalities. began to retrieve bodies—with the The charges against him are false ees of national carrier Garuda craft plunging into Atlantic. city Surabaya to Singapore when Later in 2013, a Lion Air jet latest toll at more than 40. and fabricated,” the lawyer said. Indonesia. Calls to the union late REUTERS it lost contact during stormy crashed into a cow and skidded off AFP AFP Sri Lanka Tamil party endorses opposition

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s largest Tamil joint opposition candidate Maithripala Rajapakse of failing to ensure ethnic rec- party yesterday endorsed the main oppo- Sirisena,” the party’s leader Rajavarothiam onciliation after crushing Tamil separatists sition candidate in next week’s election, Sampanthan told reporters. in May 2009. accusing President Mahinda Rajapaksa The announcement came two days after Rajapakse’s popularity among the Sinhala of failing to deliver reconciliation after the second largest minority party, the Sri increased after he ended the 37-year-old the country’s ethnic war. Lanka Muslim Congress, defected from the guerrilla war, which the UN says left at least The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said government and pledged support to Sirisena 100,000 people dead between 1972 and 2009. it would work to defeat Rajapaksa, who — who himself quit Rajapaksa’s cabinet last However, his party’s popularity showed crushed separatist Tamil rebels in a 2009 month. a 21-point decline at local elections in offensive that sparked war crimes allega- Minority Tamils and Muslims account September. tions, in the January 8 presidential election. for nearly 23 percent of the electorate and “The president had the opportunity to Although the TNA has been a long-time could emerge as kingmakers in the election solve the national (ethnic) question, but he critic of Rajapaksa, it is the first time it has if the majority Buddhists, who are mainly failed,” Sampanthan said. expressed support for opposition candidate ethnic Sinhalese, are split down the middle. “We are looking for a peaceful, honour- Maithripala Sirisena, who hopes to end the Both Rajapakse and Sirisena, the former able and a permanent solution within the incumbent’s nine-year rule. health minister, are Buddhists from the framework of a united and an undivided “The TNA at forthcoming presidential Sinhalese community. Sri Lanka.” elections extends its fullest support to the TNA leader Sampanthan accused AFP

Too early to Philippine storm toll jumps to 30 commit to 2015 MANILA: At least 30 people were killed in arrival, with most expected to be sent home later polls: Suu Kyi landslides and flash floods as tropical storm Tuesday as floodwaters start to recede, officials Jangmi slowly crossed the southern and cen- said. YANGON: Myanmar opposition tral Philippines, dumping heavy rain for a sec- Jangmi’s 65km per hour wind gusts were weak leader Aung San Suu Kyi called ond day yesterday, officials said. compared to the last storm to traverse the cen- on the government yesterday to Rivers burst their banks and submerged tral region earlier this month, Hagupit, which hold a transparent election next villages in floods up to “neck-deep” while hill- had winds of up to 210km per hour. year and said her party was sides crashed onto homes and highways, offi- “We are focused on floods and landslides waiting for a poll date to be set cials said. because, while the storm’s winds are weak, it before deciding whether to run. Some residents in vulnerable areas ignored will bring heavy rain,” national civil defence chief She said it was “too early” to com- evacuation warnings, Stephany Uy-Tan, mayor Alexander Pama told DZMM radio. mit, when asked at a news confer- of the town of Catbalogan in Samar province, Five people were killed after a landslide buried ence if her party would contest the told DZMM radio. “The rains were really strong a house in the town of Tanauan in Leyte province, ballot scheduled for the end of 2015. and people thought the storm won’t be too strong the region’s civil defence spokeswoman Blanche “As I’m not an astrologer, I can- based on the news,” she said. Gobenciong said. not say what the situation will Twelve people were killed after a landslide Eight people including three eight-year- be,” she said. “I’m just a politician. buried two vans on a mountainside highway in old children drowned after raging floodwaters As politicians we can calculate, Catbalogan, she said. “Rescuers report hearing washed away their shanty homes in the coastal but we can’t assume the situation voices from the rubble,” she said. town of Ronda in Cebu province, regional civil will happen as we calculate.” Jangmi, which was forecast to bring up to 15 defence officer Lemuel Tabada said. Her reluctance to commit could millimetres (0.6 inches) of rain per hour, barrel- Two teenage boys, meanwhile, died from elec- further complicate a standoff in led through fishing and tourist areas on Tuesday, trocution while wading through floodwaters at Myanmar centred on her National a day after it smashed into the mountainous Loon in Bohol province, said Allen Cabaron from League for Democracy party’s bid southeastern region on Mindanao island. the same civil defence office. to change the constitution. Thousands were evacuated ahead of the storm’s AFP REUTERS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 Court remands Afghan cadets Mumbai attack mastermind Lakhvi held a day after release

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani officials and defence lawyer court yesterday remanded the Rizwan Abbasi told reporters. alleged mastermind of the 2008 Lakhvi was brought to court Mumbai attacks in police cus- surrounded by police comman- tody for two days in a kidnap- dos and paramilitary Rangers. ping case, a day after another Dozens of police and Rangers court approved his release. were deployed outside the build- It is the latest round in a two- ing and on its rooftop. week tussle over the detention of Abbasi accused the authorities Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, accused of trumping up the kidnapping over the terror siege in India’s charge to keep Lakhvi in jail and commercial capital. The affair avoid a major diplomatic incident has worsened already tense ties with India. with India. “My client was granted bail The attacks which left 166 by an anti-terrorism court on people dead were blamed on December 18, but the same day banned Pakistani militant group the government arrested him Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). India has under public order law,” he told long seethed at Pakistan’s failure reporters. either to hand over or prosecute “Yesterday the high court sus- those accused of planning and pended that detention order and Newly-graduated Afghan National Army (ANA) cadets attend their graduation ceremony at the Afghan Kabul Military training centre in Kabul yesterday. organising the violence. the moment that order was sus- Lakhvi and six other suspects pended, before the release of my have been charged in Pakistan but client, he was arrested in a fake their cases have made virtually no kidnapping case.” progress in more than five years. Pakistan, long accused of qui- Islamabad reviews anti-terror funding plan A court granted Lakhvi bail on etly tolerating militant groups December 18, drawing an angry that target arch-rival India, has response from Indian Prime promised to crack down on all ISLAMABAD: Pakistan yes- after he chaired the high-level shall win this fight as a nation,” — attended by intelligence offi- Minister Narendra Modi. terror groups after a Taliban terday reviewed its strategy meeting. He was referring to Sharif said. cials, the ministers of defence After that ruling, authorities school massacre killed 150 — to block terror financing and the country’s worst ever terror The prime minister has and finance and the army chief, detained him under a public order mainly children. disrupt militant communica- attack, a massacre carried out announced the establishment of among other high-level officials law. But on Monday a judge sus- But Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), a tion networks as part of the by Taliban militants on an army military courts for terror-related — only those cases which relate pended his detention and set bail charitable organisation seen as a implementation of a national school in Peshawar earlier this cases in order to accelerate trials, to terrorists responsible for mass terms. front for LeT, operates openly in counter-terrorism action plan, month which left 150 people dead, and he has also lifted a six-year murder of innocent civilians, chil- At yesterday’s hearing police the country and its leaders fre- officials said. mostly children. moratorium on the death pen- dren and soldiers of law enforce- Inspector Mohammad Arshad quently appear on TV delivering “We have isolated terrorists Pakistan has ramped up its alty, reinstating it for terrorism- ment agencies will be referred to told the court Lakhvi was accused fiery speeches against India. with our unity and will make sure anti-terror strategy in the wake related cases. the special courts. of kidnapping a man six and a half JuD spokesman Nazir Ahmed that we remain united against of the December 16 slaughter. Officials said early last week “Special courts are part of years ago. accused the Pakistan government those who killed the innocent “Our fight is with the forces of that Pakistan plans to execute the national action plan and The court remanded Lakhvi of caving in to pressure from the children,” Prime Minister Nawaz hatred, violence and intolerance... around 500 militants in the com- an extraordinary solution to in police custody for two days United States and India in trying Sharif was quoted as saying in We cannot betray our martyrs by ing weeks. an extraordinary problem,” for further investigation, court to keep Lakhvi in jail. AFP a statement issued by his office giving a picture of disunity and Sharif told the meeting Sharif said. AFP Crackdown on fake power bills Militants set ablaze two primary schools ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s recently that the bureau had recov- National Accountability Bureau ered over Rs5bn last year but most (NAB) is reported to have decided of the claims/bills of distribution PESHAWAR: Militants set Taliban militants. All the wooden benches bombed and torched hun- to take action against fake and companies were found to be bogus fire to two primary schools Yesterday’s pre-dawn arson and desks along with school dreds of schools in northwest fictitious billing by power distri- and inaccurate. After action on in Pakistan’s troubled north- attacks took place in two vil- records were destroyed and Pakistan. bution companies. bogus claims, the NAB has been west yesterday as authori- lages in the Kurram tribal dis- buildings were damaged, Khan No one was hurt in yester- Sources here yesterday said that facing over 600 fresh litigations. ties extended winter holidays trict, where Taliban insurgent said. day’s attack as schools are closed NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry told the meeting that amid threats of attacks, offi- activity and violence between No group immediately for winter vacations, which had told a meeting presided over NAB would certainly recover the cials said. Shia and Sunni Muslims claimed responsibility but Khan authorities have extended until by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar defaulted money. INTERNEWS The incident comes two are rife. blamed “militants” for the latest January 12 after the Peshawar weeks after the massacre of 150 Amjad Ali Khan, the district’s attacks. massacre amid threats of more people at an army-run school top administrative official, told Taliban and other militants violence. in Peshawar, where 134 chil- AFP the attackers had doused opposed to girls’ education Originally schools were due to dren were among the victims furniture with petrol before set- and secular schooling more reopen on January 3. gunned down by heavily-armed ting it ablaze. generally have in the past AFP

Market fire Pakistan raises vigil on Afghans ISLAMABAD: Mirwais Gul, 21, whose family belongs to the Qarabagh district in Kabul, Afghanistan, was born and raised in Pakistan. Now living in I-11 slums near Pir Wadhai Adda in capital city Islamabad, he displays his identity card, which states he is an Afghan citizen. “This card has become very important now,” he says. “Police raided our neighbourhood about a week ago and took away all Afghans whose cards had expired or who had no proof of being registered Afghan citizens.” Gul speaks fluent Pashto and Urdu. Conversing with Pathans living close to him, it is hard to determine he is Afghan. “I feel very Pakistani, but the police have recently been reminding me I’m Afghan,” he says. “When they came here looking for Afghan men a few days ago, they took about 150 of them.” After the ruthless Peshawar school massacre on December 16 that killed some 150 people, almost all of them students, the government has accelerated its efforts to put in place stringent security checks. Even as media reports suggest the attack could have been coordinated by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from its base in Afghanistan, the government is instill- ing fear among many Afghans by raiding their neighbourhoods in quick succession. On December 23, the police and Rangers carried out a joint operation in Shehzad Town, Islamabad, and arrested an alleged Afghan terrorist along with eight other People gather outside a building damaged by a fire in Lahore, Pakistan, suspects. “People are fearful of raids here as those detained are yesterday. Thirteen people, including a woman and a child, were killed kept in prison for two to three days,” says Gul. “Although they in the fire that broke out at the four-storey shopping plaza in Anarkali are usually released soon after interrogation, their families are left concerned.” INTERNEWS market, the oldest shopping area in Lahore on Monday evening.

Pakistan drafts law to set up information commission

ISLAMABAD: After toughening up the Information Commission with powers of a under Article 19A of the Constitution. Right to Information Act 2014, a parlia- civil court will be set up to ensure and over- However, due to lack of any effective leg- mentary panel in Pakistan has finalised see that the general public can have access islation, Pakistan is among a few countries the legislation, which will soon be placed to information from public bodies. Right to in the world where there has never been a before the federal cabinet for approval. information is deemed a basic human right proper mechanism to acquire information According to the final draft, the Pakistan under international law and is guaranteed from the public bodies. INTERNEWS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA Amit Shah discharged in Sohrabuddin case CBI court says BJP chief implicated for political reasons

MUMBAI: BJP president Amit then Gujarat home minister — Kauserbi disappeared after the Shah yesterday got a major was falsely implicated in the case incident and was believed to have relief when a special CBI Court for political reasons. This implied been similarly eliminated. discharged him in the alleged that Shah will not stand trial in Sohrabuddin’s associate staged shootout case related to the sensational case which ruled Prajapati — who was a witness to Sohrabuddin Sheikh, his wife headlines for many years. the killing — was also shot dead Kauserbi Sheikh and witness Sohrabuddin’s brother in Chhapri village in Banaskantha Tulsiram Prajapati in Gujarat. Rubabuddin Sheikh yesterday district in December 2006. Central Bureau of Investigation cried foul, and accused the CBI Shah, who was then home min- Special Judge MB Gosavi ruled of being “sold out”. He said he ister of Gujarat, was accused of that there exists “no case” against would challenge the matter in the being a conspirator in the killings Shah and that he (Shah) was Bombay High Court. along with some Gujarat Police implicated in the case for “politi- A CBI spokesperson said it officials and destroying evidence. cal reasons”. would study the court order Shah was arrested in July 2010 “Amit A Shah is discharged before taking further steps in the and was forced to resign as min- from the case,” the judge ruled, matter. ister, but he secured bail three ordering the dropping of charges The case dates back months later on the condition that pertaining to murder, criminal to November 2005 when he would not enter Gujarat. He conspiracy and other sections Sohrabuddin, a small-time crimi- lived in New Delhi for the next against the BJP chief in the cases nal and his wife Kauserbi, were couple of years. dating back to 2005-2006. allegedly picked up by the Gujarat In September 2012, at the CBI’s The judge said the CBI’s infer- Anti Terrorism Squad when they request for a fair trial since wit- ence was not acceptable as there were travelling from Hyderabad nesses were allegedly being threat- Samoni Basumatary, a Bodo tribal woman holds her sixteen day old twin babies in a relief camp in the violence was no case against Shah when to Sangli in Maharashtra. Police ened, the case was transferred affected Kokrajhar district of Assam. More than 170,000 violence-affected Bodo and Adivasi community people the entire records were consid- claimed the couple were linked from Gujarat to Mumbai, and have taken shelter in relief camps in Kokrajhar district alone. ered in totality. with Pakistan-based terror group later in 2013, the Supreme Court He concurred with the conten- Lashkar-e-Taiba. clubbed together the Sohrabuddin tion of Shah’s counsel SV Raju Sohrabuddin was later killed in and Prajapati cases. that the BJP chief — who was an alleged staged shootout, while IANS Gogoi blames Centre for violence

GUWAHATI: The central gov- “If I am responsible for the allegations,” the chief minister ernment was to blame for the violence, the Centre has more said. Asked about his allegation of Victory of truth, claims BJP recent violence in Assam that responsibility. The General Officer the BJP’s nexus with the NDFB, left 79 people dead and rendered Commanding (GoC) of the army’s Gogoi said the people of Assam over two lakh people homeless, 4 Corps based in Tezpur is the know the party had the support NEW DELHI: The BJP welcomed the discharge Shah,” said a BJP statement issued by party secre- Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi operational head of the Unified of the militants. of party president Amit Shah by a special court in tary Shrikant Sharma. It accused the Congress of said, alleging a nexus between Command structure that carries “The militants had targeted our the Sohrabuddin Sheikh case and termed it a “vic- resorting to a “crooked mode” to tarnish Shah’s image the BJP and Bodo militants. out counter-insurgency operations party candidate in Tezpur Lok tory of truth”. as it (Congress) “cannot win politically”. “People of Gogoi said this to the media in Assam. So, it is the responsibil- Sabha constituency. We had to Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Finance this country will never forgive this despicable antics. while countering the Bharatiya ity of the army, which is under the provide him a bullet-proof car for Minister Arun Jaitley called it Shah’s “vindication”. Congress president Sonia Gandhi should apologise to Janata Party’s allegation that the Centre,” he said. campaigning. So, people of Assam Congress leader Raashid Alvi, however, accused the the nation for this odious crime,” the statement said. state government failed to act on “We received intelligence inputs are aware about the nexus,” he Narendra Modi government of misusing the Central Jaitley said the CBI court discharging Shah in the intelligence inputs provided by about a probable attack by mili- said. Bureau of Investigation. alleged staged shootout case vindicated the party central agencies and prevent the tants. However, the central agen- Gogoi said the situation was The BJP in a statement said Shah’s discharge vin- chief. violence that rocked the three dis- cies had also received the same fast returning to normal in the dicated the party’s stand and unwavering faith in the Jaitley said he was following the case and it was tricts of Sonitpur, Kokrajhar and information. I want to ask them three districts. As of now, 2.11 judiciary. “politically motivated” to malign Shah and Modi, who Chirang December 23. what were the central agencies lakh people were taking shelter in It also accused the Congress of misusing investi- was the Gujarat chief minister at that time. He alleged a nexus between the doing? Why couldn’t they prevent relief camps in the affected areas. gating agencies to implicate its political opponents “Since I had analysed the alleged evidence, both BJP and the Bodo militants and the attacks?” Gogoi asked. “We have deployed maximum and demanded an apology from Congress president during investigation and after the filing of the said the the National Democratic “This is not the time for a security personnel in the affected Sonia Gandhi. chargesheet, I was among the few voices which had Front of Bodoland (NDFB) fac- blame-game. The BJP is trying to areas. At present, we have 135 “The Congress always misused the CBI to fulfil its consistently maintained during the past three years tion opposed to peace talks had politicise the violence. The cen- companies of security forces in political interests. The Congress’ dual character has that the prosecution of Amit Shah was a case of ‘no supported the party during the tral government has not blamed Assam. We have built pickets in been exposed. Now it is clear that the Congress-led evidence’,” he wrote in an article posted on the BJP Lok Sabha polls in Assam. me but I have seen that some interior places to ensure security UPA government conspired politically to implicate website. IANS A case had also been registered BJP leaders are trying to blame and instill confidence among the in this regard, Gogoi said. me. I am only answering their people,” he said. IANS Rajnath Singh Bollywood, young India defend PK but protests continue reviews NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: “PK”, which released on which has grossed Rs246 crore “It is unfortunate that people interpretations made by Pandits Bollywood and young India December 19, shows Aamir as an in less than two weeks in the are staging protests. The scenes and Maulvis and has lost scientific security ahead passionately defended Aamir alien who is fascinated by India. country. and dialogues are not against god. temper,” he said. Ragini Jha, 23, Khan-starrer “PK” even as The film, which takes a swipe Director Rajkumar Hirani As a Hindu myself, I didn’t find enjoyed “PK” so much that she Hindu rightwing groups contin- at godmen, also stars Anushka said: “I’m deeply saddened and anything insulting,” film enthusi- has watched it twice. “It is not of Obama visit ued their protests alleging that Sharma, Sanjay Dutt, Boman concerned about the protests by ast Ayonav Bagchi, 33, said. targeting anyone. It is not against it defamed Hindu religion. Irani and Sushant Singh Rajput. some groups against our film. On “My sentiments were not hurt. any religion. I don’t understand NEW DELHI: Home Minister Producers, directors and actors VHP and Bajrang Dal activ- behalf of the entire team of ‘PK’, I We have seen how godmen work why people are taking offence.” Rajnath Singh reviewed the as well as movie buffs were unani- ists demonstrated at the Delite would like to clarify we respect all in India. Most are corrupt. The Arya Samaj leader Swami country’s security situation mous that the Hindi film no way cinema in Old Delhi and at PVR religions and faiths. It saddens me movie is asking people to stay Agnivesh in fact demanded that at a high-level meeting here hurt Hindu interests and that the Priya in south Delhi besides to think that a film ... is accused of away from such people, and that’s the movie be made tax free. ahead of US President Barack protests were unacceptable as it Kanpur, Bhopal and Bhubaneswar. being disrespectful of Hinduism. I fine with me,” he added. Agnivesh told IANS: “I found Obama’s visit to India for the had cleared the censors. At all places, the protesters tore would like to thank the millions of Anzaar Aslam, 28, too praised this film brilliant. It raises a Republic Day celebrations. But the Vishwa Hindu Parishad up the film’s posters. The VHP deeply religious people who have the film. “What could have been a fundamental debate on the true The meeting also comes after (VHP) reiterated its demand that said the screening was halted at loved the film (which) condemns better way to portray the intoxi- nature of any religion and their the recent violence in Assam per- the film, one of the biggest hits the two theatres in the capital. only the abuse of (religion).” cation of Indian society doped in concept of god, the creator... The petrated by Bodo militants and a from Bollywood, be banned or at The industry admitted that the He urged the Hindu groups “to religious superstitions? The pro- questions are very profound. The blast in Bengaluru. least what it said were the offend- protests had slightly affected the see the film in totality”. test was expected from a society whole controversy is ... by those “It was a high-level inter-min- ing parts be deleted immediately. box office collection of the film, Young India agreed. which remains confined in the who feel threatened.” IANS isterial meeting. The main pur- pose was to review the security establishment in the country,” a home ministry official said. Rehearsal for Republic Day The official refused to reveal the points discussed in the meet- ing, but confirmed that the Northeast youths to government did not want to leave any error in security dur- ing Obama’s visit. “We discussed join Delhi Police: Rijiju the country’s security situation,” army chief Gen. Dalbir Singh told reporters after the meeting, but NEW DELHI: Minister of The committee headed by MP refused to give details. State for Home Affairs Kiren Bezbaruah, Member of the North Defence Minister Manohar Rijiju announced that 160 youths Eastern Council, was set up in Feb Parrikar, Foreign Secretary from northeast states would be 2014 after a 19-year-old student Sujatha Singh, National Security inducted into the Delhi Police. from Arunachal Pradesh, Nido Adviser Ajit Doval and chiefs of Rijiju made the announcement Tania, died in Delhi January 29. intelligence agencies were also while attending a meeting with The committee’s mandate was to present in the meeting. senior officials at Delhi Police listen to the issues raised by people Last week, the home minis- headquarters. from northeast India living in other ter had met the army chief to Rijiju said that 10 male and 10 parts of the country, especially in review the security situation in female police officers each will metro cities. The committee was Assam where at least 79 people be inducted into the Delhi Police also asked to suggest measures were killed and over two lakh dis- from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, which could be adopted by the gov- placed people were taking shelter Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, ernment of India. The committee in relief camps after Bodo mili- Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim. filed its report with the ministry of tants attacked adivasis in three At present, only 39 policemen home affairs July 11, 2014. districts. from the northeastern states Rijiju along with some home A blast in Bengaluru on Sunday are serving with Delhi Police. ministry officials visited the Delhi killed a woman and injured three Of these, 10 are Indian Police Police headquarters yesterday other people. Service officers while the rest are and discussed the problems of India has already asked neigh- either constables, head consta- the northeast people with senior bours Bhutan and Myanmar to bles or inspectors. He also gave police officers. He appreciated the help evict Indian militants who Indian Air Force soldiers rehearse for the Republic Day parade on a cold and foggy winter morning in New an assurance about the complete Delhi Police for taking several are believed to have bases there. Delhiyesterday. The country will celebrate its annual Republic Day on January 26. implementation of the Bezbaruah steps for the safety of northeast IANS committee recommendations. people residing in Delhi. IANS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 Identify rivers Cold wave continues for linking: Prime Minister Govt to fast track irrigation projects

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked officials Water ministry to fast track implementation of a mega irrigation scheme launches e-book and also instructed the water resources ministry to identify NEW DELHI: The water river-interlinking projects that resources ministry has could be taken up immediately. launched its e-book as a step Chairing a high-level meet- towards e-governance and ing involving the agriculture, transparency, the govern- water resources and rural devel- ment said. opment ministries, the prime It said the 87-page e-book minister instructed them to was exhaustive and covered fast track the Pradhan Mantri almost all programmes and Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), schemes of the ministry. which was announced by Finance “Up to date information Minister Arun Jaitley in his about various activities of the budget speech and aims at pro- ministry has been provided Kashmiri fishermen use spears to catch fishes in the waters of the Anchar Lake on a cold winter day in Srinagar yesterday. It was a day of great viding irrigation facilities to every on the e-book. The e-book chill and dense fog in the state. farm. link is — http://mowr.gov.in/ Modi also said that the writereaddata/e-book.pdf,” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural ministry said in a release. Employment Guarantee Act The ministry had launched (MNREGA) can be integrated its Facebook page in November A watershed year for tourism in Agra UP clears four with the overall plan for PMKSY. as part of its efforts to reach to An official statement said Modi a larger audience through the has “called for a multi-pronged social media. IANS AGRA: The collective efforts of separate cycle tracks are being sprawling 1,000 acre project that metro projects approach to the ultimate goal the state and the central gov- constructed for tourists. Two new will give tourists a good reason to of providing irrigation for every ernments in 2014 have begun star hotels opened in December, stay back in Agra. LUCKNOW: The Uttar farm through the Pradhan He also called for precise moni- yielding positive results for increasing the number of rooms Despite the tragic death of Pradesh cabinet okayed Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana”. toring of outcomes in this regard. Agra’s tourism industry which now available to in the city. lions, the Etawah Safari and the the detailed project reports “At the macro-level, the prime “The prime minister has asked had seen a low for past several “While the number of rooms in Chambal crocodile sanctuary in (DPRs) for metro rail minister asked the ministry of concerned departments to look years, as nothing seemed to be the city hotels are increasing, we Bah tehsil of Agra have already projects in four major cities. water resources to identify river- into the possibility of identifying moving ahead. witness a trend towards same day begun attracting tourists. The cabinet meeting, interlinking projects that could be progressive farmers, who could The launch of e-ticketing facil- return to Delhi due to the open- The state government’s bold chaired by Chief Minister immediately taken up,” the state- take the lead in implementing ity at the fag-end of the year ing of the Yamuna Expressway. decision to cut VAT on aviation Akhilesh Yadav, approved ment said. water conservation and innova- came as a boon for foreign tour- With the high speed train to Agra fuel from 25 percent to four per- DPRs for Kanpur, Meerut, The prime minister also called tive irrigation techniques,” the ists, who are now saving a lot of about to start any day now, the cent is likely to prove a major Agra and Varanasi. for comprehensive mapping and statement said. time and uncertainty. trend will be further strength- attraction in coming months to While Agra attracts a lot identification of water bodies He also called for integrating Tourism sources said online ened,” Sandeep Arora, a hotelier divert the flights to Agra. This of foreign tourists because of across the country and sug- water recycling projects of key booking of tickets will effectively of Taj Ganj, said. will prove a major boost to the the Taj Mahal, Varanasi is the gested that satellite imagery and towns and cities with irrigation in check ticket reselling. Though the The state government has tourism sector, as lack of air con- parliamentary constituency 3D photography could be used to nearby rural areas and “empha- number of foreign visitors fell by already launched its ambitious nectivity was proving a major of Prime Minister Narendra guide villages to the best possible sized the importance of generat- around 59,000, this year, tourism Agra-Lucknow Expressway hindrance. Modi. Meerut is an important sources of irrigation. ing consciousness among people industry leaders feel the momen- project with a 22-month deadline. Work on a new terminal for business centre in western Noting that MNREGA had towards water conservation”. tum will pick up in the remain- Work has simultaneously started the Kheria airport has begun as Uttar Pradesh and Kanpur been used over the past few years Water Resources Minister ing three months of the current in several stretches. around 55 acres of land is being is the commercial capital of for creation and augmentation of Uma Bharti and Agriculture fiscal. Work is in progress on the acquired by the state govern- Uttar Pradesh with a large irrigation assets, Modi said that Minister Radha Mohan Singh Work on the Taj Ganj beauti- Sanjay Khan-sponsored Theme ment for the Airports Authority number of business houses and MNREGA should be integrated were present at the meeting. fication project costing around Park on the Firozabad road as of India in Dhanauli village. industries. IANS with the overall plan of PMKSY. IANS Rs140 crore is continuing and land is now being acquired for the IANS

BG Verghese, ‘Make in India’ drive lacks skilled labour CPI-M pulls up

MUMBAI: In a classroom of Achuthanandan 87, veteran construction firm Larsen & Toubro’s training centre outside for defending Mumbai, an instructor lifts up a editor, dead tool and shows it to his students: NEW DELHI: BG Verghese, “Clawhandle,” he tells them. former aide acclaimed editor, respected “Clawhandle,” chant back the KOCHI: The CPI-M pulled columnist and a leading young men. up party leader and former intellectual, died yesterday Prime Minister Narendra Modi Kerala chief minister VS evening at his son’s home in is depending on such young peo- Achuthanandan for defending nearby Gurgaon, a family ple to realise his dream of turn- his then aide arrested for set- friend said. ing India from a country of IT ting ablaze the memorial to a Verghese was 87. He is sur- professionals, security guards and communist veteran. vived by his wife Jamila and two low-paid chauffeurs into a manu- After a lull in intra-party sons. Born in 1927 in Burma, facturing and export powerhouse conflict, the state unit of the now Myanmar, Verghese began through his “Make in India” ini- Communist Party of India- his career as a journalist with tiative. India has too few skilled Marxist criticised Achuthanandan the Times of India in 1949. He labourers thanks to decades of for his stand on the destruction of rose to become the editor of neglect in training and it desper- the memorial to P Krishna Pillai. the Hindustan Times and the ately needs electricians, bricklay- Of the five named in the Indian Express in a career ers and plumbers. case, prime accused Litheesh P spanning six decades during The shortage means India could Chandran was a staff member which he also was informa- squander the potential demo- of Achuthanandan when he was tion adviser to prime minister graphic dividend of 12 million chief minister from 2006 to 2011. Indira Gandhi during 1966-68. people joining the labour market Initially, Achuthanandan Verghese was information a year, just when China’s work- termed the attack “heinous and consultant to the defence min- force is expected to lose 6 million pre-planned”. But when Chandran ister (2001), a member of the over the next decade because of its and his close friends were named National Security Advisory aging population. as accused, he termed it a con- Board and of the Kargil Review “India, so far, has been a coun- spiracy by police and asked the Committee. He was an author- try that celebrated knowledge and CPI-M to condemn the police. ity on India’s troubled north- intellect. Skills are not celebrated,” Students tie iron bars at an outdoor classroom at the L&T construction skills training institute in Panvel, Maharashtra. The CPI-M approved the sack- east and water resources and said Rituparna Chakraborty, presi- ing of the party members accused was a member of several NGOs dent of Indian Staffing Federation, Indian government data. The lack infrastructure. training. “We were not doing any- of desecrating the monument at and educational institutions. which represents the country’s of proper training is compounded Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the thing in our villages.” Even then, Alappuzha. Verghese was a founder employment agencies. by prejudice against manual labour country’s biggest construction companies struggle to find volun- “It was wrong on the part of member of the Editors Guild China became a manufacturing under the Hindu caste system, company, says it could face a labour teers. Most young people eschew Achuthanandan to have glori- of India and received the giant by steering secondary school which has traditionally left jobs shortage next year, just when building and manufacturing jobs fied Chandran, which has caused Ramon Magsaysay Award for students into formal skilled train- that might get your hands dirty it plans to ramp up investment in favor of less physically strenuous a dent to the party’s image. He Journalism in 1975. He was ing programmes. By contrast, in to the lowest of the low. As a result, after two years of slow economic work, despite data showing that should stop airing such remarks also on a fact finding mission India, students who do not go on only one in 10 workers in India’s growth. It has gone out to rural wages for professions with acute in public,” a party statement said. on the Gujarat riots of 2002. to tertiary education have few construction industry are skilled, areas to find recruits and bring shortages such as plumbers and Chandran was arrested this He has written over a dozen vocational options other than gov- according to government data. them to sprawling training centers electricians are higher than even month and released on bail. The books, the last one being a his- ernment-run Industrial Training The government has a goal to - such as the one in the outskirts low-level IT engineers. others got anticipatory bail from tory of India as told through its Institutes (ITIs) that executives provide at least some skills to 500 of Mumbai, where young men At L&T’s training centre in the Kerala High Court. Pillai was postage stamps. He was a visit- say are poorly managed and often million people by 2022. But pri- practice bricklaying and putting Mumbai, 25 percent of people who a founder-leader of the commu- ing professor at the Centre for outdated. vate companies such as the Godrej up scaffolding - from which up to joined this year have left the three- nist movement in Kerala. He died Policy Research. In his mem- For example, the ITI syllabus Group are taking matters into 20,000 students graduate a year, month training course. of snake bite on August 19, 1948 oirs titled “First Draft” that for car mechanics includes con- their own hands, recruiting and many of them joining L&T. “There is a bit of reluctance ... while he was in hiding. he published in 2010, he wrote: siderable training on carburetors, training workers themselves to be Yogesh Devdas Dudhpachari, to join this kind of trade,” said Ajit The CPI-M also gave a clean “Age is an attitude, least of all which were widely phased out of ready with skilled labour when an 24, is one of L&T’s recruits. An Singh, executive vice president of chit to Alappuzha party veteran a biological attribute.” cars in the 1990s. economic recovery comes. unskilled motorcycle mechanic, he L&T’s Corporate Infrastructure TK Palani who, Achuthanandan Prime Minister Narendra The scant training available “I always say that there is no attended an ITI to learn carpentry and Services. “The rural youth are alleged, had a role in the attack Modi condoled the death of means that India only has 3.5 unemployment in India. It’s only but ended up back at his village used to staying in their comfort on the memorial. Verghese, describing him an million workers undergoing skills unemployability,” said Adi Godrej, without a job before being taken on zones in the villages and don’t want Vijayan and Achuthanandan insightful thinker. IANS courses a year, compared with whose businesses range from con- by L&T. “Skill and time is valued to move out to the project sites.” are known to lead rival camps in 90 million in China, according to sumer goods to real estate and here,” he said during a break in his REUTERS the Kerala CPI-M. IANS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME Year-end chorus

Fajr (Dawn) 4:57 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:19 Zuhr (Noon) 11:37 Asr (Afternoon) 2:35 Maghrib (Sunset) 4:55 Isha (Night) 6:25

WEATHER

Today Thursday Friday Weather Conditions: Clear Clear Clear Moderate temperature High: 25° High: 23° High: 23° daytime with slight Low: 17° Low: 16° Low: 17° dust and relatively cold by night.

DOHA - SUN & SEA

SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 06:19 16:55 02:00 & 11:45 07:00 & 19:15 15-25/30 KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER Some 220 singers of a local chorus group perform Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 ‘Choral’ during the annual concert to attract year-end MUSCAT 26/18 Chance of showers 26/17 Clear shoppers at Mitsukoshi department store in Tokyo. About 900 people gathered in the event as Japan prepares for the New Year’s break, one of the MAKKAH 34/22 Partly cloudy 34/21 Clear biggest holidays of the calendar in the country. KUWAIT 22/08 Clear 22/07 Clear BAHRAIN 22/15 Clear 22/14 Clear SANAA 23/05 Partly cloudy 23/04 Clear RIYADH 24/11 Clear 24/09 Clear DUBAI 25/18 Clear 27/17 Clear BAGHDAD 19/06 Partly cloudy 18/07 Partly cloudy Car collectors seek one-off THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER models in quest for exclusivity ATHENS 06/04 Chance of rain 06/03 Rain WASHINGTON 04/-3 Partly cloudy 05/-1 Clear COBURG: SYDNEY 31/21 Partly cloudy 30/21 Chance of storm Martin Kapp ges- of grinding machines for the auto tures towards the sleek red industry. Kapp is just one of a LONDON 08/06 Partly cloudy 11/09 Cloudy Italian sports car standing in his crowd of clients looking beyond PARIS 04/-1 Partly cloudy 04/01 Partly cloudy barn in the heart of Germany, the standard offerings from ISTANBUL 04/04 Rain 06/03 Chance of rain secure in the knowledge there upmarket showroom marques MANILA 27/22 Mostly cloudy 27/23 Partly cloudy is not another exactly like it in such as Ferrari (part of Fiat ) DHAKA 21/18 Chance of rain 22/18 Chance of storm the world. and Porsche (part of Volkswagen DELHI 19/07 Clear 19/10 Clear By commissioning the 300km ) and have commissioned boutique ISLAMABAD 20/06 Clear 21/05 Clear per hour Alfa Romeo TZ 3 Corsa design houses such as Castriota the 63-year-old engineering com- Design, Zagato, Pininfarina and pany executive joined a band of Carrozeria Touring to create tai- custom car aficionados ranging lor-made models. from financiers to rock stars keen Although Kapp won’t say how Birth year can influence obesity to acquire an exclusive exotic much he paid for his car, industry vehicle. Anecdotal evidence sug- insiders say the cost of a one-off NEW YORK: People born before 1942 are less likely to be gests they are a growing breed. vehicle can range from several affected by a variant to a gene linked to obesity risk than those Advances in computer design hundred thousand to several who are born after 1942. The effect is stronger in those born in and safety testing have helped million euros, depending on the Alfa Romeo TZ 3 Corsa (L) and Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ. later decades, finds a fascinating research. The findings under- improve the feasibility of the design sought by the client. scores the effect of broad environmental changes to increase in cottage industry specialised in Kapp worked with Italian simulation techniques have cut accept software programmes to obesity in recent times. “We found that the correlation between creating one-off cars for wealthy coachbuilder Zagato because he back the need for costly prototype do some of the work previously the best known obesity-associated gene variant and body mass buyers, helping collectors like wanted a new version of his clas- crash testing procedures. done through crash testing. index increased significantly as the year of birth of partici- Kapp achieve what had been a sic Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ, retain- “Without a doubt, the real As a result, custom coachbuild- pants increased,” said lead author James Niels Rosenquist from distant dream. ing the low-slung curves and revolution that has occurred in ing has experienced a renaissance Massachusetts General Hospital. “Knowing there would only flourishes of the 1960s original recent years has been the official in the past five years, experts and The researchers used data gathered between 1971 and 2008, when ever be one built, that really but adding modern performance acceptance of mathematical mod- manufacturers say, radically mod- participants ranged in age from 27 to 63. Looking at the relation- appealed to me,” said Kapp, and safety features. elling and virtual simulation,” said ernising an industry which traces ships between participants’ body mass index (BMI), as measured whose home is on the outskirts Recent advances in computing Andrea Zagato, the third gen- its roots to an era when owners eight times during the study period, and the FTO gene variants of Coburg, Bavaria, where he is power and software have sim- eration member of Milan-based of horse-drawn coaches commis- they had inherited. IANS a managing director and partner plified car design, reducing pro- coachbuilding business Zagato sioned a body to go on top of an at Kapp Group, a manufacturer duction costs, and new software noted, saying regulators now undercarriage. REUTERS US prefers landlines over cellphones at work

WASHINGTON: Americans don’t work in an office. see email and the Internet as And the Internet was seen the most important tools for as vital for 68 percent of those productivity at work, and still in an office, and 26 percent of prefer landlines over cellphones non-office employees. for the office, a study showed For those who work away yesterday. from their main workplace, The Pew Research Center the Internet and cell phones found 61 percent of those sur- are key tools, Pew found. veyed cited email as “very impor- Among the nearly 60 percent tant” for their jobs and 54 percent of employed Internet users who said the same for the Internet. go outside of the workplace at The figures were even higher least occasionally, half say the for office-based workers. More Internet and cell phones are than one in three surveyed said “very important” to allowing the landline phone was an impor- them to do their job. tant tool for work, compared The survey also found that with 24 percent for a mobile or nearly half — 46 percent — of smartphone. And despite the rise employees said their workplace of social networks like Facebook blocks access to certain web- and Twitter, just four percent in sites or imposes rules about the survey said these platforms Employees work at the Facebook campus in Menlo Park, California. what they can say or post were important for the workplace. online. One in four said their “Email is to the digital age technologies arise. “It was the But one in three said the new company encourages employees what stone-sharpening tools were killer app 45 years ago for the landscape increased the time to use the Internet and email to in the prehistoric age,” said Lee early Arpanet and it contin- they spent working. The impor- promote the organization, but Rainie, director of Internet, sci- ues to rule workplaces despite tance of email in the workplace more than half said this was ence, and technology research at threats like spam and phishing has been documented for some not the case. the Pew Center. and competitors like social net- time. In 2002, Pew Research “These respondents high- “Email has proven its worth on working and texting.” Internet surveys showed that light how workplaces in the the job as the foundational ‘social Contrary to concerns that 61 percent of American work- Knowledge Economy are dif- media’ day by day even as rival technology is a distraction, the ers were using email at work ferently organized and have survey found 46 percent said and in 2008, reported that 62 different connections to cus- digital tools made them more percent of working US adults tomers and competitors from productive, compared with were “networked,” meaning workplaces designed to suit the seven percent who said their they used the Internet or email Industrial Age,” said Rainie. productivity fell. Half of the in the workplace. The report is based on respondents said technologies For office-based workers, an online survey conducted allowed them to expand the these tools are markedly more September 12-18 of 1,066 adult number of people with whom important, Pew found: 78 per- Internet users, which included they communicate, and 39 per- cent of office workers cited 535 employed full-time or part- cent said they had more flexibil- email as an important tool time. The margin of error was ity at work due to digital tools. compared with 25 percent who estimated at 4.9 percent. AFP Wednesday 31 December 2014 9 Rabial I 1436 Volume 19 Number 6296 Price: QR2

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Opec output hits six-month low on Libya Output below group’s 30 mbpd target for first time since June; Supply falls by 270,000 bpd on Libya turmoil

LONDON: Opec’s oil supply fell since then and the situation in a barrel. Crude has since fallen according to industry sources to the shutdown of the Khafji terminals to at least 2.65 million by 270,000 barrels per day (bpd) that country is going worse by the further, hitting a 5-year low of and Libyan oil officials. oilfield, run by Saudi Arabia bpd, the highest since at least in December to a six-month low day,” said Olivier Jakob, analyst at $56.74 yesterday, pressured by a Fighting has closed Libya’s two and Kuwait, while production in 2003. A restart of Kirkuk ship- as fighting cut Libyan output, Petromatrix. global glut. largest ports, Es Sider and Ras Qatar, where maintenance has ments from northern Iraq, halted offsetting record Iraqi south- “But there’s quite an overhang Still, actual Opec supply has Lanuf, while the western ports been taking place, also declined since early March, also increased ern exports and stable Saudi still, if you look at the balances fallen for a third month to the of Zawiya and Mellitah have also slightly. Iraqi supplies. Arabian production, a Reuters for next year.” lowest since June when the halted oil exports. Saudi Arabia pumped 9.60 mil- The drop in Opec output since survey found. Supply from Opec averaged group pumped 29.92 million Nigerian output fell in lion bpd in November and output September reduces the size of The survey indicates Libyan 29.98 million bpd in December, bpd, according to Reuters sur- December as crude streams this month has been flat, industry the projected market surplus in turmoil is effectively lowering down from a revised 30.25 mil- veys. September output of 30.84 including Bonny, Qua Iboe and sources who track Saudi supply 2015, but if supply remains at output by the Organization of the lion bpd in November, according million bpd was the highest since Agbami exported fewer car- said. Saudi Oil Minister Ali Al December’s rate the group will Petroleum Exporting Countries, to the survey based on ship- November 2012. goes. Shipping schedules point Naimi, who convinced his fellow be pumping close to 2 million even after oil ministers decided ping data and information from The largest reduction has to an increase in January and ministers of the need to defend bpd more than the demand for at a meeting in Vienna last month sources at oil companies, Opec come from Libya, where out- imply production above 2 mil- market share, said on Dec. 21 its crude in the first half. against a formal reduction to and consultants. put averaged 400,000 bpd lion bpd. Saudi Arabia would not cut its Opec forecasts demand for its defend market share. Opec at its November 27 meet- in December and dropped Maintenance at oilfields and output. crude will average 28.22 million “Opec in Vienna did not decide ing retained its output target of to around 350,000 bpd by other facilities had smaller The largest increase came bpd in the first six months of a supply cut but supplies from 30 million bpd, sending oil prices the end of the month from impacts in some Opec members. from Iraq, which boosted exports 2015. Libya have been coming down to a four-year low close to $71 800,000 bpd at the start, Kuwaiti output edged lower due this month from its southern REUTERS

Round fruits for New Year Qatar’s third quarter GDP estimated at QR193bn

DOHA: Qatar’s nominal Gross previous quarter (Q2, 2014) esti- led to a sharper decline in nomi- Domestic Product (GDP) esti- mate of QR93.86bn, there has nal GVA of this sector. mate for third quarter (Q3) been a growth of 3.9 percent. The nominal GVA estimate of 2014 stood at QR193.08bn The nominal Gross Value of Non-mining and Quarrying (about $53bn), up 4.1 percent Added (GVA) estimate of Mining sectors in the Q3, 2014 has been compared to the estimate of and Quarrying (including Oil placed at QR97.82bn, which QR185.43bn ($50.91bn) in Q3, and Gas) sector in Q3, 2014 has shows an increase of 13.9 percent 2013, according to the latest been QR95.26bn, which shows a over the estimate of Q3, 2013 data released by the Ministry decline of 4.3 percent over the (QR85.9bn). of Development, Planning and estimate of Q3, 2013, placed at Compared to the previous Statistics yesterday. QR99.53bn. quarter (Q2, 2014) estimate, However, on quarterly basis, Compared to the previous there has been an increase of the nominal GDP estimate in quarter (Q2, 2014) estimate, there 5.3 percent in the GVA of these Q3, 2014 has increased by 1.8 has been a decline of 1.5 percent sectors. percent compared to the previ- in the GVA of this sector. The real GVA of these sectors ous quarter (Q2, 2014) estimate The real GVA of this sector in Q3, 2014, totaled QR61.17bn, of QR189.65bn. in Q3, 2014 (QR36.33bn), wit- which shows a growth of 12 per- Holiday-goers choose fruits at a market in Manila yesterday. Filipinos carry out a tradition of buying 12 dif- The Ministry has released the nessing a fall of 2.8 percent cent over the GVA (QR54.60bn) ferent types of round fruits, each symbolising a month of the year, for good fortune for the coming New Year. preliminary estimates of GDP over the estimate of Q3, 2013 estimated in the corresponding at current and constant prices (QR37.38bn). quarter Q3, 2013. The quarter-on- for Q3, 2014, produced by using However, compared to the pre- quarter growth of these sectors the data collected through the vious quarter (Q2, 2014) estimate, was 5.5 percent. Quarterly Economic Indicator a growth of 1.3 percent has been The year-on-year growth in US gives quiet nod to light oil exports Survey and from other source seen in this quarter. the Q3, 2014 is the result of agencies. The receding crude oil pro- double digit rise seen mainly in WA SH I NGT ON: The US energy companies eager to rulings in private letters, which The quarterly real GDP in Q3, duction and some maintenance electricity, construction, trading, Department of Commerce ship the fuel abroad. are not open to the public. 2014, (at constant prices 2004) shutdowns in Gas plants prima- transport and communication, said it gave “some” oil com- The Bureau of Industry and Previously the BIS issued per- stood at QR97.51bn ($26.78bn), rily explain the year-on-year fall financial sectors and domestic panies yesterday permission Security (BIS), an office of the mission to export the condensate registering a year-on-year in the production volume of this services. The seven percent jump to export a lightly processed Commerce Department, did not to Pioneer Natural Resources and growth of 6 percent over the sector. in the country’s population in Q3, crude oil, taking the first say how many so-called commod- Enterprise Products Partners in estimate of Q3, 2013 QR91.98bn Besides this, the reduction in 2014 was another factor in con- action in several months on ity classifications it issued. The 2014 and to Peaker Energy in ($25.26bn). international price levels of crude tributing such a growth. applications from about 20 bureau communicates on the 2013. REUTERS When compared to the oil and gases in this quarter has THE PENINSULA Songbird tells shareholders to take no action on $4bn bid

LONDON: Canary Wharf Songbird shares were down 1 wealth fund, with 15.8 percent. owner Songbird Estates Plc percent at 317p by 1507 GMT, a Shareholders have until Jan. 29 has told shareholders to take near 10 percent discount to the to accept the offer. no action on a Qatari-led $4bn offer that showed investor scepti- Songbird owns 69 percent of takeover bid, reiterating that cism it will go through. Canary Wharf Group, estab- the 350 pence per share cash Songbird said this month that lished about 25 years ago on offer undervalued the company. the £2.6bn ($4bn) offer under- former docks as a new financial Qatar Investment Authority valued the company but stopped zone. It is also a part-owner of (QIA) and US investor Brookfield short of formally rejecting it, as the “Walkie Talkie” skyscraper Property Partners LP earlier it had done with a previous 2.2 in the City, London’s traditional published their final offer docu- billion pound proposal. business area. ment for the majority owner of QIA and Brookfield said they QIA already has a 29 per- the London financial district and already had commitments to the cent stake in Songbird, while Songbird said yesterday it would Songbird deal from sharehold- Brookfield has 22 percent of send a formal response within the ers Third Avenue Management, Canary Wharf Group. They next 14 days. Madison International and EMS said yesterday they planned “The board believes that the Capital, amounting to around 32 to retain key management in offer from QIA and Brookfield percent of the company’s “free Canary Wharf Group, singling does not reflect the full value of float” of readily tradeable shares. out Chairman and CEO George the company, its unique operat- But any deal would have to Iacobescu for praise, if their bid ing platform and future growth gain the approval of Songbird’s was successful. The Canary Wharf financial district is seen at dusk in east London. potential,” Songbird said in a other major shareholders, includ- US fund Franklin Mutual statement, advising shareholders ing New York-based investor Advisers, which owns around to indicate it plans to accept any bid for Songbird is successful, QIA Wharf Group shares not held by to do nothing until they receive Simon Glick, who has almost 26 7 percent of Canary Wharf cash offer for its Canary Wharf and Brookfield said they would Songbird. Songbird’s official response. percent, and China’s sovereign Group, has written to Songbird Group shares, they added. If the make an offer for all Canary REUTERS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Sanction-hit Russian Marking first mobile call in UK bank gets $1.8bn aid Second largest bank VTB receives help from national fund

MOSCOW: Russia’s second been deposited for 30 years with the European Union to contest largest bank VTB said yester- the interest rate set at inflation the sanctions, which prevent day it has received 100bn rou- plus one percentage point. European entities from lending bles ($1.8bn) from the country’s The public funds must be used to the bank — one of several hit national welfare fund, part of a to “finance profitable infrastruc- with similar measures. plan to recapitalise the banking tural projects,” the government Russia’s Finance Minister system hit by the falling ruble said. Anton Siluanov indicated last and Western sanctions. The national welfare fund is week that a similar policy will be “VTB confirms that today the a mammoth pile of money accu- followed with another giant state bank has been provided with mulated over the years of high bank Gazprombank, which will 100bn roubles” — the first tranche oil prices, when Russia made bil- receive 70bn roubles in the com- of a 250bn rouble deposit planned lions of dollars through its energy ing days. by the government, said the state exports. The swift fall of the ruble ear- bank, which was targeted with VTB said the deposit puts its lier this month has pressed the sanctions over Moscow’s meddling capital adequacy ratio at 12 per- central bank to sharply hike its in Ukraine imposed by the United cent. The other 150bn roubles is key rate and parliament has States and the European Union. expected in the first quarter of approved a plan to recapitalise The decree allotting the sum 2015, it said. the banking system in order to published on the Russian govern- The bank in October filed a continue lending in the battered A photo-illustration shows an iPhone 5 resting against two vintage mobile phones in Vodafone’s Oxford Street ment’s website said the money has lawsuit in the Court of Justice of economy. AFP store during an event to mark the 30th anniversary of the first mobile phone call in the UK, in central London. On January 1, 1985 the first mobile phone call in the UK was made across Vodafone’s network.

Saudi Electricity signs deal for Brazil Central Bank reduces size of currency intervention SAO PAULO: Brazil’s central $200m a day. The programme Finance Minister Joaquim in Sao Paulo, fell eight basis business day in currency swaps. integrated bank is reducing the size of is designed to “continue pro- Levy’s pledge to implement rig- points, or 0.08 percentage point, The measures haven’t con- its currency intervention pro- viding exchange rate hedging orous fiscal discipline has failed to 12.90 percent. tained consumer prices, as infla- gramme, which will run for at and liquidity,” according to the to damp bond traders’ expecta- The central bank in August tion has exceeded the 2.5 percent power plant least another three months. statement. tions for annual cost-of-living 2013 implemented the currency to 6.5 percent target range for The central bank on Friday will President Dilma Rousseff is increases. measures after the real hit nearly the past four months. Two-year KHOBAR: State-owned utility start holding foreign exchange struggling to boost growth with- The real, which has depreciated a five-year low on indications the breakeven inflation rates, based Saudi Electricity Co signed yes- swap auctions from Monday to out fueling above-target inflation. 11 percent this year, strengthened U.S. Federal Reserve was pre- on the gap in yields of inflation- terday a contract worth SR1bn Friday until at least March 31, The real’s depreciation has ele- by 1.8 percent to 2.6576 per US paring to taper its monetary linked bonds and interest-rate ($267m) to buy generators for offering as much as $100m a day, vated the price of imports, par- dollar at the market’s close ear- stimulus. Brazil said in June swaps, have increased 0.11 per- the kingdom’s first fossil fuel- it said in a statement posted on tially offsetting central bank lier today. this year it would extend the centage points to 7.22 percent fired power plant that will also its website today. That’s smaller efforts to tame inflation through Swap rates on the contract due program through at least Dec. this month. produce solar energy. than the current program of steeper interest rates. Incoming in January 2017, the most traded 31, offering $200 million each BLOOMBERG The 550-megawatt integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) plant will primarily burn natural gas, but will generate 50 MW of solar Less than forecast energy to increase fuel efficiency at the planned facility near Tabuk Kuwait’s CBK cuts on the Red Sea coast. SEC did not name the company which will supply generating units to the plant, but an industry source stake in Boubyan Bank familiar with the matter said the company was General Electric. DUBAI: Commercial Bank of capital reserves, citing “legisla- ISCC plants reduce emissions Kuwait (CBK) has cut its stake tive and technical issues”. of climate-warming carbon by in Boubyan Bank to about 12.7 The bank sold as many Boubyan increasing the amount of steam percent from the 19.9 percent shares as it could without affect- available for driving power gen- which it held in September, ing those linked to a legal dispute eration turbines, without having CBK’s chief executive said with Islamic investment firm to burn more gas or oil. SEC said yesterday. Investment Dar, Mahfouz said. the project, expected to cost a Most of the reduction occurred The two companies have been total of SR2.5bn, would be fully during heavy market trading on embroiled in litigation over a stake operational before the end of 2017. Tuesday, Kuwait Stock Exchange in Boubyan which Investment Dar The company’s chief executive data showed. sold to CBK in 2008, with the Ziyad Al Shiha was also quoted “We are selling the proportion right to buy it back. as saying in the statement that a we can sell,” CBK chief execu- Investment Dar, which hopes new high voltage direct current tive Elham Yousri Mahfouz told to sell the stake to repay credi- facility in Tabuk, expected to cost Reuters by telephone. “We have tors, said in a bourse filing last SR4.5bn, would be commissioned the right to and Basel III is com- month that Kuwait’s Court of in 2018 to boost electricity trans- ing, so it’s better for banks to Appeal had referred the case to mission in the country’s western improve their capital ratios.” the Court of First Instance in region and later to Egypt. The stake dropped to 17.7 per- the Commercial Courts. It did A real estate sign advertising in Vienna, Virginia, outside of Washington. US single-family home price apprecia- REUTERS cent on Monday, the data showed, not elaborate. tion slowed less than forecast in October, as there were hints of some re-acceleration in home prices in some and Mahfouz said yesterday that Boubyan’s stock price rose 1.25 cities by year-end, according to the S&P/Case Shiller composite index released yesterday. it had fallen further to 12.7 per- percent to 0.405 dinar on Tuesday, cent. A 7.2 percent holding in but the identity of the buyers of Boubyan would have fetched Boubyan shares was not clear. about $200m at yesterday’s mar- National Bank of Kuwait, the Bombardier receives order for 24 jets worth $1.4bn ket price. country’s biggest bank, owns 58 CBK, Kuwait’s fifth-largest percent of Boubyan, according to MONTREAL: Canadian air- which can transport as many as recognized as the most cost-effi- latest request, Montreal-based bank by assets, has been striving Thomson Reuters data. craft manufacturer Bombardier 90 passengers for up to 2,000km. cient jet aircraft in its class,” said Bombardier has now received a total to boost its capital to comply with In a statement on Tuesday, has received an order for 24 Bombardier said the aircraft was Ray Jones, senior vice president of 1,858 firm orders for CRJ series Basel III capital adequacy rules, Boubyan said the strong activ- CRJ900 NextGen regional jets one of the most cost-efficient on of sales and marketing. aircraft, including 384 CRJ900s and which are being phased in around ity involving its stock was not worth a total of $1.14bn, the the market. He added the aircraft was the CRJ900 NextGen planes. the world. linked to any news, speculation or industry giant said. “With its demonstrated reli- “ideal tool for operators look- The company said its CRJ In November it cancelled the rumours concerning the lender’s An anonymous buyer pur- ability and low fuel consumption, ing at further increasing the effi- planes are used by about 60 air- sale of a KD120m ($413m) bond assets or activities. chased the CRJ900 planes, the CRJ900 NextGen regional is ciency of their fleets.” With this lines worldwide. AFP which would have boosted its REUTERS Ukraine economy shrank 7.5pc in worst year since WWII KIEV: Ukraine’s central bank hryvnia currency to depreci- that what we have experienced start of the month that Ukraine chief yesterday said the strife-torn ate by about 50 percent — said this year will never happen again. next year would need $15bn on country’s economy contracted by the annual inflation rate had Without question, we are looking top of the $27bn two-year pack- 7.5 percent and inflation soared in reached 21 percent by the end forward to 2015 with optimism.” age that global lenders pieced a year more painful than any since of November. “No matter how Ukraine’s reserves more than together in the spring. But the World War II. sad it may sound, we have to say halved in 2014 and dipped to less Fund has delayed disbursing Valeria Gontareva added how- things as they are: our GDP fell than $10bn for the first time its last two tranches because of ever that the pro-Western lead- by 7.5 percent and the currency’s in five years as the authorities Kiev’s inability to put together a ers who rose to power in Kiev devaluation reached 50 percent,” sought to prop up the hryvnia and coherent economic restructur- after the February ouster of a Gontareva said. fund their eight-month campaign ing programme. Gontareva said Moscow-backed president were The government had earlier against pro-Russian separatists in she expected those payments to optimistic about the chances of a projected that the economy would the industrial east. be released shortly after an IMF gradual improvement next year shrink by up to five additional Gontareva said a further $8.6 team completes its next mis- and actual growth in 2016. percentage points in 2015. billion of the bank’s reserves were sion to Kiev in the second half Gontareva’s comments came Gontareva confirmed the figure spent on helping the state energy of January. The hryvnia and the a day after parliament approved but also cautioned that inflation firm Naftogaz pay off its natural Russian ruble have both lost about an austerity budget that should next year may reach 18 percent gas debts to Russia and strike new their half their value and turned help unlock emergency assistance — above the 13-percent target contracts with EU states. into the year’s two worst perform- from the International Monetary because of the government’s deci- The central bank’s eventual ing currencies in the world. Fund and other global lenders sion to revoke subsidies and raise decision to let the hryvnia float The ruble’s depreciation has within the next few months. utility tariffs. “Our country has freely saw the currency slip from accelerated with the plunge in The central bank head — criti- not lived through such a difficult 8.24 to the dollar at the start of the global price paid for Russia’s Valeria Gontareva, the head of Ukraine’s Central Bank, at a news conference cised in the media for following year since at least World War II,” the year to 15.82 yesterday. vital oil and natural gas exports. in Kiev yesterday. IMF advice and allowing the Gontareva told reporters. “I think IMF managers admitted at the AFP WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 China to step up free trade SpiceJet axes 300 more flights talks with Cash-strapped private airline asked to pay `2bn dues by Airport Authority of India

Middle East NEW DELHI: Cash-strapped a day after the troubled airline airline SpiceJet yesterday said failed to submit a cash flow plan BEIJING: China will speed up that it will cancel 300 more to the aviation ministry to show free trade talks with six coun- flights till January 31, even that its potential investors are tries on the Arabian peninsula as the government seemed ready to pump in the required and begin trade negotiations to rule out any help by saying funds to keep its operations alive. with Israel next year, state the budget carrier will have to On Dec 26, the airline’s man- media said yesterday, as itself resolve its financial trou- agement along with new investors Beijing accelerates efforts to bles and the Airport Authority submitted a revival plan to the sign such agreements. of India (AAI) asked it to pay civil aviation ministry, proposing a China and members of the Gulf Rs2bn dues by today. Rs3bn infusion and a subsequent Cooperation Council — Bahrain, The latest update on the air- Rs1.2bn buyout to keep the airline Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi line’s website states that over afloat. Arabia and the United Arab 300 flights have been cancelled The company’s chief operating Emirates — started free trade till January 31, 2015. Earlier the officer Sanjeev Kapoor along with talks in 2004, and a deal will help troubled airline had truncated its co-founder Ajay Singh submitted China cut costs on energy imports operations by canceling over 1,800 a revival plan which incorporated from the region, the official China flights till December 31, 2014. an equity infusion of Rs3bn which Daily said. Commenting on the airline’s has been backed by banks. “GCC countries consider China troubles, Civil Aviation Minister Singh, the co-founder of the as a major market for their petro- Ashok Gajapathi Raju said that airline, had earlier sold his stake chemical products, and this (FTA) the budget carrier will have to in 2010 but is now interested will assist those nations in their resolve its financial problems on in investing back in the budget industrial development,” Zhang its own and that the government carrier to save it from shutting Shaogang, head of the Commerce can only be a facilitator in the operations. The troubles for the Ministry’s international trade and revival process. cash-strapped airline started economic affairs department, was “Government is here to be help- after it recently reported a Rs.310 A spicejet flight is seen on the tarmac of the international airport in Mumbai. quoted as saying. ful but the SpiceJet problem is its crore loss in the quarter ended Zhang added that the ministry finances which it will have to sort September from Rs5.6bn loss has finished a feasibility study out,” the minister told reporters companies and state-run Airports 31, failing which the state-run payments for operations or every in the corresponding period of on launching free trade talks on the sidelines of State Aviation Authority of India (AAI) not to entity has threatened to put it on time they use various facilities of last fiscal. The airline had also with Israel, and hopes to sign it Ministers’ meet held here to collect dues till today. a cash-and-carry payment mode. the airport, including navigation, reduced its fleet size and is now sometime in the next few years, discuss the draft Civil Aviation The airline has so far paid its Airlines usually pay monthly luggage handling, parking, hous- operating only 18 aircraft from a the English-language newspaper Policy. Earlier, the government dues to the oil companies, but charges to the airport operators. ing and landing charges of the fleet size of 35 earlier this year. It said. had given a 15 day interim relief it has to provide a Rs2bn bank But under the cash-and-carry aircraft as well as the ticketing is currently operating 230 flights China inked major free trade to the airline by calling on oil guarantee to AAI by December mode, they have to make daily counters. The development comes per day. IANS agreements with Australia and South Korea this year, and already has deals with a hand- ful of other countries, including Costa Rica, Peru, New Zealand and the Association of Southeast Morgan Stanley close Asian Nations. Bisco Misr to mortgage-bond takeover bid deadline extended accord with US

CAIRO: Egypt’s financial NEW YORK: Morgan Stanley disclosures to investors. regulator has extended until is in talks with the US to resolve The Justice Department’s case January 11 the bidding period an investigation into the bank’s follows other regulatory actions for Bisco Misr, the subject of a creation and sale of mortgage- against Morgan Stanley over takeover battle pitting Kellogg backed bonds, the latest in a similar allegations. The firm in , the world’s largest break- string of Wall Street cases tied February agreed to pay $1.25 bil- fast cereal maker, against to the 2008 financial crisis, a lion after the Federal Housing UAE-based Abraaj Asset person familiar with the matter Finance Agency accused it of Management. said. selling faulty mortgage- backed Kellogg raised its bid for An agreement could be reached securities to Fannie Mae and the Egyptian snack maker on within the first few months of Freddie Mac. Wednesday, topping an offer from 2015, said the person, who asked About six months later, private equity company Abraaj in Participants at the Bourse Game with Citi Qatar team and Theodore Leventis (far left in the front row). not to be named because the nego- Morgan Stanley reached a $275m an intensifying $144m battle. tiations are private. The amount settlement with the Securities The tussle has shown foreign of a possible settlement isn’t clear. and Exchange Commission over investors are returning to Egypt. A settlement would add claims it understated the number It is part of flurry of mergers and Citi Qatar holds Bourse Game seminar Morgan Stanley to a growing of delinquent loans backing sub- rights issues boosting activity on list of banks to face federal sanc- prime mortgage securities. the Cairo bourse, an exchange tions over mortgage practices In its November disclosure, which has struggled to revive DOHA: With the aim of train- including structure of rates, FX “traders” in serious discussion in the run-up to the collapse in Morgan Stanley said the Illinois investor confidence during the ing local treasury, finance and swaps and interbank dealing, over hedging and investment housing prices. In August, Bank Attorney General’s Office has political and economic turmoil investment officers from cor- while trainees spent hours on strategies. of America Corp. agreed to pay demanded $88m, claiming the which has followed the Arab porate and government entities a simulated trading floor learn- The seminar ended with $16.7bn for misrepresenting the firm misled pension funds. Morgan Spring uprisings. in Qatar, Citibank QFC Branch ing the finer points of foreign prizes for the top three quality of bonds backed by home Stanley said in the filing it disa- Abraaj, the Middle East’s larg- recently held Bourse Game exchange trading. ‘banks’ and certificates for all loans. Citigroup Inc. reached a grees with the office’s claims. est private equity firm, has been seminar for the second time in Theodore Leventis, better attendees. $7bn deal in July, while JPMorgan Mary Claire Delaney, a spokes- battling Kellogg since last month, Doha. known globally as the “Bourse “The Bourse Game is part Chase & Co. struck a $13bn accord woman for New York-based when the US group scuppered its The five-day seminar is Master” who’s been running of Citi’s mission to answer to last year. Morgan Stanley, and Patrick deal to snap up the Egyptian cake an intensive introduction to the Bourse Games for both Citi clients’ needs. It reflects our Morgan Stanley has said for Rodenbush, a Justice Department and biscuit maker. Money Markets and Foreign staff and customers for the last commitment to training local years that it faces government spokesman, declined to comment. Each suitor has made four Exchange which utilises prac- 35 years in over 70 countries professionals and teaching inquiries into how it handled The negotiations with the offers, and the battle has driven tical learning techniques and around the world, conducted the them hands-on skills to develop home loans and related invest- Justice Department were reported up the bid price by more than a promotes a stimulating learn- seminar. a more insightful understand- ment products. earlier by the New York Times. The fifth from Abraaj’s opening gam- ing environment. The trading floor was abuzz ing of investment opportunity as In a November regulatory department has been examining bit of 73.91 pounds per share. The Doha version featured with activity and excitement well as risk, and the way mar- filing, the firm said that some the relationship between the bank Bisco Misr is an established eighteen trainees from more as teams representing ficti- kets work on a global scale,” said cases had reached “advanced and New Century Financial Corp., brand with three factories in than eight major corporations, tious banks indulged in for- Carmen Haddad, Chief Executive stages.” The investigations a subprime lender that collapsed Cairo and Alexandria. and covered main money mar- eign exchange trading and Officer at Citi Qatar. focus in part on the firm’s due in the housing bust, according to REUTERS ket and foreign exchange topics money market activity with THE PENINSULA diligence on loans it bought and the newspaper. BLOOMBERG Infiniti introduces world’s first light painting using cars

DUBAI: Infiniti Middle East was a project six months in the a film that captured the magic has brought to life a ground- making. enabling the world to experience breaking, world’s first perform- Commenting on the creative the visual art and the emotion of ance of light painting with cars execution, Francesca Ciaudano, the experience. The video is avail- – Inspired Light by Infiniti. Deputy General Manager, able at: http://www.youtube.com/ Conceptualised to go beyond Marketing and Public Relations, watch?v=Dfiy35IJ2uQ the traditional and challenge the Infiniti Middle East, said: ‘Inspired Light by Infiniti’ status quo, in line with the brand’s “Inspired light allowed us to cre- chose the Dubai Motor Festival philosophy, the team sought to ate something truly exceptional to bring the exciting project to create something unforgettable both from an automotive perspec- life. Apart from the thousands with the brand’s iconic SUV, the tive as well as art. We used three of automotive enthusiasts at the QX70S Elite Sport. of our iconic QX70 vehicles and festival, Infiniti also engaged with Infiniti decided on light paint- transformed them into moving the public to feature in their own ing, a genre of art that requires light painting brushes to create light portrait and then share it only darkness and light to cre- giant colourful images. In our across social media: www.face- ate any number of shapes, illus- view, the technique was the per- book.com/InfinitiMiddleEast. trations, patterns, moods and fect tool for illustrating Infiniti’s The architect of Inspired Light themes but for the first time passion for performance, design, by Infiniti and the world’s lead- brought to life using cars. Led by pushing boundaries and of course, ing light painter, Patrick Rochon, the world’s leading light painter, originality.” said: “My career has been built on Patrick Rochon and a production The spectacular execution fea- consistently pushing the bounda- perfect because of the synergies Light by Infiniti’, using cars for form and as an experience that team assembled from around the tured authentic prints generated ries and challenging the normal. shared to deliver new, fresh and the first time, takes light painting is truly inspiring.” world, Inspired Light by Infiniti from the light painting as well as The partnership with Infiniti was exciting experiences. ‘Inspired to the next level both as an art THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Gulf markets tumble again as oil hits fresh low

DUBAI: Gulf stock markets threaten Greece’s euro zone bail- firms are almost inactive during Arabtec Holding and developer percent of selling activity yester- of Kuwait (CBK) which is one of suffered broad sell-offs yester- out. Saudi Arabia’s main stock the Christmas and New Year holi- Emaar Properties, the most heav- day and foreigners were also net Boubyan’s main shareholders said day as Brent crude oil slumped index tumbled 4.2 percent in days, leaving stocks at the mercy ily traded stocks, lost 9.1 and 6.5 sellers. On other Gulf markets, that CBK had reduced its stake to a fresh 5-1/2-year low and active trade. Petrochemicals giant of volatile retail investors. percent respectively. Abu Dhabi’s index dropped 2.2 by selling shares on the mar- political uncertainty in Greece Saudi Basic Industries , down However, yesterday’s declines Some stocks, such as property percent, Oman lost 2.7 percent ket in order to boost its capital pressured global equities. 4.6 percent, was the main drag. were not as huge as those seen firm Deyaar and builder Drake and Qatar’s bourse was down 1.9 adequacy. CBK had a 17.7 percent Brent fell as low as $56.74 per Overall, the Saudi petrochemicals in mid-December, when Saudi and Scull, fell by their daily 10 percent. stake in Boubyan as of December barrel, its lowest since May 2009, sector lost 5.0 percent. Arabia’s benchmark lost 7.3 per- percent limits. Kuwait’s index fell 1.8 percent, 29, according to bourse data. as persistent worries about a Prices of petrochemicals are cent in a single day in response Although Dubai is much less but most of the day’s trading was CBK shares climbed 1.6 percent global supply glut offset concerns often linked to crude prices and to oil’s weakness. The kingdom’s dependent on oil revenues than in the shares of Boubyan Bank, on Tuesday. about output disruptions in Libya. some Gulf producers have enjoyed government last week published other Gulf states, its stock market which added 1.3 percent to 0.405 Outside the Gulf, Egypt’s European stock markets, to access to subsidised feedstock a 2015 budget that will maintain has been hit hardest in the region dinar. bourse edged up 0.5 percent. The which Gulf investors often turn which gave them better margins. spending at a high level, eas- in recent months because of its A total of 94.2 million shares Cairo government signed a deal for cues, were down after Greek With cheap oil, that comparative ing some investors’ fears about higher liquidity, exposure to for- representing a 4.8 percent stake on Monday to import liquefied Prime Minister Antonis Samaras advantage has been slashed. expenditure cuts which could eign investors and the unwinding in the bank changed hands on natural gas from Algeria between failed to get enough support for Another reason for markets’ hurt economic growth and cor- of leveraged positions. Tuesday. April and September, a move his presidential nominee; he will sharp drop was that many insti- porate profits. Dubai’s index According to bourse data, Elham Yousry Mahfouz, chief aimed at easing a chronic energy call a national election that could tutions such as fund management tumbled 5.4 percent. Builder retail investors accounted for 86 executive of Commercial Bank shortage. REUTERS Wall Street recedes from record levels European stocks slide on lower oil prices, Greece

NEW YORK: US stocks edged profits, and volatility could be of its Parkinson’s drug could pro- lower yesterday, with major amplified with many market par- vide an alternative to treatments indexes pulling back from ticipants out for the holiday, which that require surgery. record levels as the recent trend depresses volume. The stock mar- Civeo Corp, which provides of modest moves and low vol- ket will be closed on Thursday for temporary housing for oilfield ume continued in the next-to- the New Year’s holiday. workers and miners, said late last trading day of the year. “I still like equities, but we’re Monday it slashed its workforce The day’s losses were broad if at a point where valuations are and forecast revenue could fall not especially deep. All ten pri- no longer really cheap. I don’t see by one-third as slumping crude mary S&P 500 sectors were lower much that looks inexpensive,” said prices force oil producers to cut on the day, with utilities - 2014’s James Liu, global market strat- costs. best sector performer - leading egist for JPMorgan Funds in The stock plunged 51 percent to the decline with a drop of 0.9 per- Chicago. $4.07 on volume of about 27.4 mil- cent, followed by telecom, which Liu said that investors would lion shares, making for the most fell 0.4 percent. Both sectors are typically buy defensive sectors in active day in its history. considered defensive groups. an environment like the current European stock markets fell Equities have been trending one, “but those are actually the yesterday as traders reacted to to the upside recently, buoyed by most expensive. The standard further declines in oil prices and Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York yesterday. strong economic data and the US playbook has been turned on its political turmoil in Greece which Federal Reserve’s commitment to head.” He added that he preferred pushed the euro to a 29-month oil prices. United States. or 0.3 percent, to 4,792.67. be “patient” about raising inter- cyclical sectors in 2015. low. On its last trading day of the The CAC 40 in Paris dropped Declining issues outnumbered est rates. In the latest economic data, Crude futures hit the lowest year, Frankfurt’s DAX 30 shed 1.13 percent to 4,269.10 points in advancing ones on the NYSE After the S&P 500 gained consumer confidence rose slightly levels for five-and-a-half years, 1.22 percent to close at 9,805.55 mid-afternoon deals compared to by 1,677 to 1,235, for a 1.36-to-1 nearly 6 percent over the prior less than expected in December, while the euro struck $1.2124, points. It rose by a modest 2.65 Monday’s close. ratio; on the Nasdaq, 1,451 issues eight sessions, it notched its while U.S. single-family home its lowest point since July 2012, percent over the year as weak At 11:00 am (1600 GMT) the fell and 1,090 advanced for a 1.33- 53rd record close of the year price appreciation slowed less before rebounding. eurozone growth weighed on Dow Jones industrial average to-1 ratio . on Monday, while the Dow just than forecast in October. London’s benchmark FTSE 100 Germany, Europe’s biggest fell 48.06 points, or 0.27 per- The S&P 500 was posting 19 missed extending its streak of NeuroDerm Ltd soared 60 per- index shed 1.07 percent to stand economy. cent, to 17,990.17, the S&P 500 new 52-week highs and 5 new positive sessions to eight. cent to $9.88 on heavy volume at 6,562.78 points in afternoon Markets have been hit also by lost 5.28 points, or 0.25 per- lows; the Nasdaq Composite was The speed and scale of the after it said data from a mid-stage deals, as heavyweight energy weaker growth in China that has cent, to 2,085.29 and the Nasdaq recording 69 new highs and 29 rally could push traders to take study suggested that a higher dose companies retreated on sliding offset stronger expansion in the Composite dropped 14.25 points, new lows. REUTERS/AFP

Year-end shopping China’s top train makers to merge

HONG KONG: China’s top two The merger could also put the scandal after a high-speed train bullet train makers will merge, combined entity in a stronger crash near Wenzhou city killed 40 state media said yesterday, position to take on the likes people and sparked an investiga- in a move that will create a of Germany’s Siemens and tion that found evidence of brib- multi-billion-dollar firm as Bombardier of Canada. ery in railway construction. the country seeks export mar- Each is valued at around $13bn, It was also part of a consortium kets for its high-speed railway with CSR having a slightly higher that won a $3.75bn high-speed technologies. market capitalisation. railway contract from Mexico in The official Xinhua news agency The two companies, both dual- early November. The contract was confirmed the two state-owned listed on the Shanghai and Hong cancelled shortly afterwards amid firms, China CNR Corp. and CSR Kong stock exchanges, had sus- questions over the legality of the Corp., would “merge into a new pended their shares from trading bidding process. company”, citing an announce- pending “important” announce- CSR’s net profit rose 58.29 ment filed by the latter with ments, exchange filings show. percent year-on-year to 3.97 the Shanghai Stock Exchange China’s high-speed rail net- billion yuan ($651 million) in yesterday. work was only established in 2007 the January-September period, Details were not immediately but has fast become the world’s according to the company. available but there have been largest. CNR secured a deal in October months of speculation about The state-run China Daily to supply metro trains to the the deal, with the 21st Century newspaper said the high-speed US city of Boston. Its net profit Business Herald reporting the rail network was set to reach jumped 65.1 percent year-on-year new entity’s name as “China 50,000km by 2020, with four main to 3.96bn yuan in the first three Railway Rolling Stock Group”, lines running north and south quarters of this year, the company citing an unnamed source. and another four east and west. said. The firms share the same State media has previously said However, the network has also origin, a rail vehicle manufacturer it would help prevent “cut-throat” been plagued by graft and safety spun off from the former railway competition between the two scandals. ministry in 2000 and split into when seeking business overseas. CSR was embroiled in a 2011 two. AFP Shoppers take a break with their purchases on Oxford Street in central London yesterday.

Salzgitter extends production halt for Chinese paper blames Google over Gmail blocking South Stream project BEIJING: Internet giant crackdown on pro-democracy block. China operates the world’s Google itself or a combination But it may serve the interests Google’s unwillingness to obey demonstrators. Users could access most extensive and sophisticated of the two”, it added. A company of Chinese businesses. There BERLIN: Salzgitter AG’s Europipe Chinese law is to blame for the the service by using third-party Internet censorship system, spokesman said yesterday that was a surge in new sign-ups joint venture extended a steel-pipe shutdown of its hugely popular mail applications, rather than the known as the “Great Firewall”. internal checks found “nothing for a rival e-mail service run by production shutdown for the South email service, state-run media webpage. But Jeremy Goldkorn, Foreign websites such as wrong on our end”. Netease, according to news web- Stream natural-gas project pend- said yesterday after the last founder of Beijing-based Danwei Facebook, Twitter and YouTube If China did block Gmail, the site ChinaByte. ing a final decision on the project easy way to access Gmail was which tracks Chinese media and are routinely blocked and content Global Times said, it “must have Netease saw new users at a that Russia aims to scrap. apparently blocked. the Internet, said those ways of that the ruling Communist Party been prompted by newly emerged rate three to four times normal The cost of the suspension will “China welcomes the company connecting were also barred in deems offensive is often quickly security reasons” and users should in the past few days, ChinaByte result in a low double- digit million- to do business on the prerequisite recent days. deleted. Google withdrew from “accept the reality”. reported, citing company officials. euro cost to Salzgitter’s earnings, that it obeys Chinese law; however Some access seemed to be China in 2010 after a fallout with “We only need to have faith Foreign ministry spokeswoman the German steelmaker said. The Google values more its reluctance restored afternoon, with some Beijing over censorship issues. that China has its own logic in Hua Chunying said she was “not suspension will be in place at least to be restricted by Chinese law, users saying they could down- “The issue at heart is to what terms of Internet policy and it aware” of the blocking of Gmail through Feb 19, it said. Salzgitter resulting in conflict,” the Global load messages.Google’s own extent Google is willing to obey is made and runs in accordance when asked about the issue at a earlier this month said that the Times said in an editorial. Transparency Report showed a Chinese law, on which China’s with the country’s fundamental regular press conference Monday. venture with closely held AG der Gmail, the world’s biggest email slight uptick in traffic compared attitude is steadfast,” said the interests,” it added. “I would like to stress that Dillinger Huettenwerke would stop service, has been largely inacces- with the past two days, although Global Times, which is close to the Nonetheless it acknowledged: China always welcomes and sup- production for South Stream only sible from within China since the the amount of users accessing Communist Party. “We don’t want to be shut off, as ports foreign investors’ legal busi- through the end of this year. run-up to the 25th anniversary Gmail from China was still a Access problems could be it obviously doesn’t serve our own ness operations in China,” she BLOOMBERG in June of the Tiananmen Square fraction of what it was before the “caused by the China side, by interests.” said. AFP WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 BUSINESS VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

Greek spillover to euro area Automakers feel optimistic set to be contained this time BY JAMES G NEUGER after rebound in 2014 REECE’S flirtation with an exit from the euro in 2011 and BY DREW HARWELL two cliffhanger elections in 2012 prompted the darkest prices increased five percent, to aluminum, shaving off £700 and a computer — with no steer- Gdays of the debt crisis, halted only by the European Central $16,335, data from auto-pricing helping improve gas mileage. The ing wheel or pedals in sight. In Bank’s pledge to save the currency come what may. AVE good- website TrueCar shows. smartphone world’s top players coming years, other automakers, Now, with the collapse of another Greek government, Europe’s bye to a ban- It was also the year that the also jumped into in-car comput- including Cadillac, said they plan leaders, its more vulnerable economies and financial markets are ner year for industry finally put some real ing, announcing dashboard tech to market autonomous cars. better prepared. While euro in-or-out threats will echo through the US auto distance between it and the offerings such as Apple CarPlay But all of the good news was the Greek election campaign, the spillover across Europe this time industry. Six Great Recession. The auto bail- and Android Auto. tainted by one crippling super- is likely to be contained. Wyears after the federal bail- outs, begun in 2008 as part of the Electric-car giant Tesla made lative: 2014 was the worst year “We’re looking at a Greece problem — the euro crisis is over,” out saved it from driving off a $700bon financial rescue, ended the most noise, with billionaire for auto recalls in US history. Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank in London, cliff, the nation’s car-and-truck officially this month when the executive Elon Musk announcing Automakers announced that said by phone. “The euro crisis was all about contagion risk. I do economy has rebounded with Treasury Department sold its a $5bn battery “Gigafactory” in more than 50 million cars and not expect markets to seriously contest the contagion defenses of supercharged sales, innovative stake in lender Ally Financial, the Nevada and, in his latest pledge, trucks — or about 1 in 5 on Europe.” upgrades — and even rosier fore- last big recipient of federal relief. a Tesla Roadster that drives 400 American roads — were at risk Investor reaction to the Greek parliament’s failure to pick a casts for the year ahead. It was great news for carmak- miles, the distance from Los of critical defects. president traced the familiar north-south divide. Greek stocks and New vehicle sales rose 6 per- ers. Nearly 17 million cars and Angeles to San Francisco, on a Two of the most lethal, high- bonds plunged and markets were buffeted in Italy, Portugal and cent this year, and US carmak- trucks were made across North single charge. The hype pushed profile flaws — GM’s faulty igni- Spain, while funds flowed into Germany, Europe’s biggest economy ers are set to sell more than 16 America this year, an eight- Musk’s cars further into the tion switches and the exploding and hard-money bastion. million vehicles, the most since year high. Five years after filing spotlight and boosted Tesla’s air bags linked to Japanese auto- Yet look closer and Italy, the euro zone’s second most- indebted 2006. The economy is improv- for bankruptcy, GM is soaring: stock. Shares have jumped parts giant Takata — were blamed country after Greece, is nowhere near a fiscal calamity. Ten-year ing, more people have jobs and Its profits doubled in the most 48 percent this year, closing in dozens of deaths, and millions borrowing costs are hovering around 2 percent, compared to over 7 hopeful drivers are finding easier recent quarter, compared with Monday at $225.71 each. of faulty cars remain on the road. percent at the height of the crisis. Bond holders are charging Italy access to low-interest loans. The a year ago. Other once-slug- Not all of the innovation in 2014 GM has recalled 30 million cars 144 basis points more than Germany to borrow, a far cry from 553 cherry on top: gas prices’ world- gish brands also showed resil- focused on putting buyers behind and trucks worldwide. A series of basis points in November 2011. wide free fall, which has made it ience: Nationwide sales of Jeep the wheel. With young Americans investigations led to a $35m fine Countries along Europe’s edges are better equipped now, thanks cheaper, easier and more entic- Wranglers, Grand Cherokees driving far less than they used to, for GM, and the deadline to join a partly to the ECB’s likely start of sovereign bond purchases, said ing to get out and drive. and other cars have risen about earnings and confidence at com- victims’ compensation fund over- analysts at JPMorgan Chase led by David Mackie. In particular, Although some automakers 44 percent this year over last. panies such as techie taxi firm seen by adviser Kenneth Feinberg Spain and Ireland have turned the corner economically, they said. spent the year offering lower It was also one of the auto Uber soared. In one valuation, ends next month. “Distress in Greek financial markets has historically impacted prices to woo lifetime driv- world’s most inventive years Uber was said to be worth more Other recalls were just as dev- negatively other markets, but we are inclined to downplay the ers, most won better sales for yet, both in high-tech rollouts than Mazda and Tesla combined. astating. Federal prosecutors in medium-term significance of the Greek political crisis” for bonds popular vehicles such as crosso- of new concept cars and in Some companies focused March announced a $1.2bn fine elsewhere in Europe, the analysts said in a note to clients. vers, trucks and SUVs without upgrades of longtime bestsell- heavily on making human driv- against Toyota due to its troubled Greece leant over the precipice Monday when Prime Minister depending on steep discounts. ers. America’s top-selling vehicle ers become a thing of the past. recall of 10 million cars, marking Antonis Samaras fell short of a parliamentary supermajority to The average new car or truck for more than three decades, the Google this year unveiled its the largest criminal penalty for elect his candidate for the country’s largely ceremonial presidency. sold for $31,831, a 2 percent jump Ford F-150 pickup truck, had its self-driving, bubble-bodied con- an automaker in the US. That forced a new parliamentary election pitting Samaras, who from last year, while used-vehicle frame reconfigured from steel to cept car, piloted exclusively by WP-BLOOMBERG came to power in 2012 after initially challenging the terms for Greece’s ¤240bn ($293bn) rescue package, against Alexis Tsipras of the Syriza party, who never stopped challenging them. There were echoes of 2012 in Monday’s European political reac- tion. Back then, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said “we cannot force Greece” to press on with the budget cuts needed to stay in the euro zone, while a German then on the ECB board, Joerg Asmussen, said there was “no alternative” to austerity. Schaeuble reprised that line in a statement Monday, saying that tough reforms in Greece were bearing fruit and “they are with- out any alternative.” Germany will support Greece on its path of reform, he said, though “if Greece chooses a different way, it will become difficult.” The European Commission put the choice before Greek voters in more upbeat terms. What Greece needs to keep aid flowing is “broad support” in the election for a “growth-friendly reform proc- ess,” Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said in a statement in Brussels. When Greece hurtled toward bankruptcy in early 2010, the European Union had no way of helping countries in need. When Greece toyed with quitting the euro in late 2011, and held a stalemated election in May 2012 before Samaras put together a unity government after a second election six weeks later, it had only a temporary bailout fund. Now, it has a full-time aid fund in the ¤500bn European Stability Mechanism and a central bank tiptoeing — amid opposition from Germany — toward large-scale bond purchases. It also boasts success stories: Ireland, Portugal and Spain have been weaned off financial aid. The risk is less a splintering of the 18-nation eurozone — it will become 19 on January 1 when Lithuania joins — than a protracted phase of subpar economic growth that leaves a generation scarred by unemployment and tempted by political extremism, especially in the south. “Europe remains stagnant,” Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi told reporters in Rome. “Reforms alone aren’t enough. The EU paradigm needs to change.” As at earlier moments of stress for the euro, the focus is on the ECB as the European institution that can act the quickest to buttress the economy. Greece’s campaign and talks over a bailout extension will at most delay ECB moves to buy sovereign bonds, said Mujtaba Rahman, a former EU official who is now director of European analysis at the Eurasia Group in London. “Monetary policy decisions will be influenced by developments in Greece only to a very limited extent, given the small size of the Greek economy,” Rahman said in a research note. “But the coming few months will be volatile, and with it the risk of unintended accidents.” WP-BLOOMBERG Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate World’s 400 richest add $92bn in ’14 as Alibaba jumps

BY PETER NEWCOMB spokeswoman in Hong Kong. chief executive officer of the country’s economy. Bloomberg ranking. them access to different state Global stocks rose in 2014, with world’s largest social-networking Nobody was hit harder than Viktor Vekselberg surpassed resources. “The competition for HE richest people on the MSCI World Index advanc- company, gained $10.6bn as the Vladimir Evtushenkov. Once Alisher Usmanov as Russia’s resources will increase, as will the Earth got richer in ing 4.3 percent during the year Menlo Park, California-based Russia’s 14th-richest person, the richest person after Usmanov’s redistribution of ownership,” he 2014, adding $92bn to to close at 1,731.71 on December business rose to a record on 66-year-old lost 80 percent of MegaFon OAO lost almost half said. their collective fortune 29. The Standard and Poor’s 500 December 22. his wealth, dropping him from its value since June. Vekselberg is Russian billionaires weren’t the in the face of falling Index rose 13 percent to close at This year Facebook made head- the Bloomberg ranking. He was worth $14.1bn , while Usmanov fell only ones to suffer losses. Sheldon Tenergy prices and geopolitical tur- 2,090.57. The Stoxx Europe 600 way in mobile, a business that has sentenced to house arrest by a 32 percent to $13.8bn. Adelson, the gambling mogul who moil incited by Russian President gained 4.9 percent to close at flourished as mobile advertising Moscow court in September after One of only a few Russians controls Las Vegas Sands Corp, Vladimir Putin. 344.27. increased and marketing initia- a money-laundering investigation among the world’s 400 richest the world’s largest casino company, The net worth of the world’s Two of the year’s other big- tives expanded with applications connected to the $2.5bn purchase who gained in 2014 was aluminum fell $8.7bn as the Las Vegas-based 400 wealthiest billionaires on gest gainers were Warren Buffett and video. Facebook’s acquisition of shares in oil producer OAO billionaire Oleg Deripaska, who company dropped 25 percent. December 29 stood at $4.1 tril- and Mark Zuckerberg of the US of Instagram in 2012 for $1bn has Bashneft. added $1.6bn as his Hong Kong- Macau’s casinos are looking at lion, according to the Bloomberg Buffett, chairman of Berkshire also been paying off: A Citigroup The court also ruled in favor based United Co. Rusal rose 122 their first down year in revenue Billionaires Index, a daily ranking Hathaway, added $13.7bn to analyst said on December 19 the of nationalizing his stake in percent. Deripaska has increased since the market was opened to of the world’s richest. his net worth after the Omaha, photo- sharing app is worth $35bn. Bashneft, which he controlled his fortune to $8.2bn. He’s the foreign operators in 2002, after The biggest gainer was Jack Nebraska-based company soared Zuckerberg’s company faced through publicly traded AFK world’s 154th-richest person. China’s President Xi Jinping Ma, co-founder of Alibaba Group, 28 percent as the dozens of oper- a challenge in Russia, where Sistema. Evtushenkov’s fortune “The reputation of Russian busi- cracked down on corruption on the China’s largest e-commerce com- ating businesses the 84-year-old the blocking of a Facebook page has fallen $8.1bn, the most of any ness in the west has become worse, mainland and high-rollers shunned pany. Ma, a former English teacher chairman bought over the past five promoting a Russian opposition Russian in 2014. and will continue to get worse,” said the gambling enclave. More than who started the Hangzhou-based decades churned out record profit. rally highlighted the challenges Leonid Mikhelson has been Stanislav Belkovsky, a Kremlin half of the company’s 2013 $13.8bn company in his apartment in 1999, Buffett passed Mexican tel- the social network faces as Putin the biggest loser in dollar terms adviser during Putin’s first term in revenue comes from Macau. added $25.1bn to his fortune, rid- ecommunications billionaire cracks down on the Internet amid among those remaining in the who now consults for Moscow’s Adelson’s decline was followed ing a 56 percent surge in the com- Carlos Slim on December 5 to a looming economic downturn. country’s 20 richest, dropping Institute for National Strategy, a by Jeffrey Bezos, chairman of pany’s shares since its September become the world’s second-richest The European Union and US lim- $7.8bn since the start of the research firm. “That means that Amazon.com. The 50-year-old had initial public offering. Ma, 50, with person. Bill Gates, co-founder of ited Russian companies’ access to year. The 59-year-old is the chief the capabilities for Russia’s billion- $7.2bn trimmed from his fortune a $28.7bn fortune, briefly passed Li Microsoft, was up $9.1bn during financing to punish Putin after executive officer of OAO Novatek, aires to run businesses abroad are as the Seattle-based company lost Ka-shing as Asia’s richest person. the year. The 59-year-old remains he annexed Crimea in March. Russia’s second-largest natural going to decrease.” ground in the cloud-computing “I am nothing but happy when the world’s richest person with a Russia’s troubles have been wors- gas producer, which fell 44 per- Belkovsky says Putin will try to market to crosstown competitor young people from China do $87.6bn fortune. ened by the corresponding plunge cent during the year. He has a compensate the country’s sanc- Microsoft. well,” Li, 86, said through his Zuckerberg, the hoodie-wearing in the price of oil, a bedrock of the $10.1bn fortune, according to the tioned businessmen by giving WP-BLOOMBERG WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET

QE Indices Summary QE Index 12,327.62 1.94 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Total Return Index 18,386.53 1.94 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 4,117.23 2.40 % RATE QE All Share Index 3,158.25 1.58 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 3,215.19 0.75 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 5392.328 -54.623 -1 5672.3 5072.7 QE All Share Industrials 4,083.1 1.38 % QR139.0990 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 QE All Share Transportation 2,265.44 2.02 % Cac 40 Index/D 4284.66 -33.27 -0.77 4598.65 3789.11 QE All Share Real Estate 2,269.08 4.20 % SILVER UK ...... QR 5.6248 QR 5.7032 QE All Share Insurance 3,958.03 0.64 % Dj Indu Average 18038.23 -15.48 -0.09 18103.4 15340.69 QR 1.8661 Euro ...... QR 4.3979 QR 4.4594 QE All Share Telecoms 1,438.03 2.20 % CA$ ...... QR 3.1054 QR 3.1672 QE All Share Consumer Goods & 6,874.66 2.73 % Hang Seng Inde/D 23501.1 -272.08 -1.14 25362.98 21137.61 Services Swiss Fr ...... QR 3.6562 QR 3.7074 QE Market Summary Comparison Iseq Overall/D 5236.51 4.02 0.08 5325.15 4275.26 Yen ...... QR 0.0302 QR 0.0308 Aus$ ...... QR 2.9454 QR 3.0032 Today Previous day Karachi 100 In/D 31953.9 47.16 0.15 32315.56 25273.11 CRUDE OIL 30-12-2014 29-12-2014 Ind Re ...... QR 0.0569 QR 0.0581 Index 12,327.62 12,571.59 Nikkei 225 Index 17450.77 -279.07 -1.57 18030.83 13885.11 Pak Re ...... QR 0.0357 QR 0.0364 Change 243.97 59.83 BRENT Peso ...... QR 0.0805 QR 0.0823 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 2093.55 1737.92 % 1.94 0.47 $ 57.16 SL Re ...... QR 0.0275 QR 0.0281 YTD% 18.77 21.12 Straits Times/D 3366.11 -1.58 -0.05 3387.84 2953.01 Taka ...... QR 0.0463 QR 0.0473 Volume 23,357,532 25,596,715 DUBAI Nep Re ...... QR 0.0356 QR 0.0363 Value (QAR) 1,050,108,511.54 979,246,244.78 Straits Times/D 3290.99 -1.82 -0.06 3387.84 2953.01 SA Rand ...... QR 0.3102 QR 0.3165 Trades 10,596 10,834 $ 53.57 Straits Times/D 3274.06 -8.82 -0.27 3291.83 2953.01 Up 05 | Down 35 | Unchanged 03

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 30-12-2014

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS A List of Shares from the world

COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED A B G Infra-T/D 121.5 -0.45 9042 Cipla-A/D 625.55 2.8 38837 Himat Seide-B/D 87.3 -0.4 59539 Kanoria Chem-B/D 35.8 0 6777 Orient.Carb.-T/D 360 -4.1 2365 Legal & Genera/D 248.4 0.3 1485138 A C C-A/D 1400.85 -0.5 8903 City Union Bk-/D 93.3 0.55 39012 Hind Motors-T/D 7.73 -0.01 30197 Kg Denim-B/D 17 -0.2 17794 Orient.Carb.-T/D 360 -4.1 2365 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 76.24 -0.01 12908589 Aban Offs-A/D 506.95 16.25 1527528 Colgate-A/D 1782 0.45 5337 Hind Org Chem-/D 21.25 0.7 82331 Kilburnengg-T/D 40.6 -0.95 6525 Punjab Chem.-B/D 111.5 3.25 20308 Marks & Sp./D 484.6 1.4 706369 Aegis Logis-B/D 443 6.2 9149 Container Cor-/D 1339.75 15.6 2671 Hind Unilever-/D 759.6 1 35407 Kinetic Eng-B/D 48.8 -1 6487 Radico Khait-B/D 86.5 -0.65 38083 Next/D 6712.3952 195 187600 Ahmed.Forg-B/D 326.85 -7.3 70502 Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 150.65 2.35 7517 Hind.Petrol-A/D 549.55 5.55 71605 Kopran-B/D 50.9 -0.4 62828 Rallis India-A/D 210.45 0.75 14248 Pearson/D 1166 -22 222371 Alembic-B/D 38.35 0.25 101445 Dcm Financia-B/D 1.1 0.02 15150 Hindalco-A/D 156.25 -0.85 382110 Lakshmi Elec-B/D 446.65 5.25 4153 Reliance Indus/D 491.9 28.95 420675 Prudential/D 1505.5 -17.5 305281 Alfred Herb-B/D 350 5 4419 Dcm Shram Ind-/D 105 -1.95 6510 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1129.6 5.9 84093 Lok.Hous&Con-T/D 12.54 0.16 8212 Ruchi Soya-B/D 36.15 -0.8 31972 Rank Group/D 160.5 -1.2 5917 Alok Indus-A/D 10.04 -0.08 1149279 Dhampur Sugar-/D 42.55 0.35 6436 I F C I-A/D 37.7 0 1390104 Lumax Ind-B/D 415.95 16.8 8515 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 658.45 49.45 97520 Rentokil Initi/D 120.78 0.3 148231 Apollo Tyre-A/D 222.55 -0.45 160538 Dr. Reddy-A/D 3179.3 38.85 7762 Idbi-A/D 73 1.95 748476 Lupin-A/D 1428.7 -3.05 27328 Timexgroup-T/D 12.6 -0.35 42079 Rolls Royce Pl/D 869.5 -9 369221 Asahi I Glass-/D 115.7 -0.15 5425 E I H-B/D 123.2 4.95 32118 Ifb Agro-B/D 350.9 -2.3 7995 Lyka Labs-T/D 26.5 0.25 169352 Tinplate-B/D 62.25 -0.7 24051 Rsa Insrance G/D 442 -0.9 369802 Ashok Leyland-/D 51.55 0.25 1264499 E.I.D Parry-A/D 197.75 -0.75 16336 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 486.6 6.9 59806 Mah.Seamless-B/D 245.75 1.35 3971 Ucal Fuel-B/D 137.2 0.15 34320 Sainsbury(J)/D 245.5552 -0.5 1424190 Ballarpur In-B/D 15.35 -0.05 205028 Electrosteel-B/D 17.85 -0.1 55085 India Cement-A/D 85 -0.7 169481 Maha Scooter-B/D 1009.95 15.9 5425 Unitech P -A/D 15.9 -0.8 6887151 Schroders/D 2685 -30 41712 Bata India-A/D 1298 -8.2 7423 Emco-B/D 41.6 3.95 354354 India Glycol-B/D 99.4 -0.2 11266 Mangalam Cem-B/D 310.85 -2.8 12395 Univcable-T/D 46.55 0.35 2110 Severn Trent/D 2026 -15 102799 Beml Ltd-A/D 750.4 50.1 329000 Escorts Fin-B/D 5.53 -0.29 10505 Indian Hotel-A/D 123.95 1.9 110359 Maral Overs-B/D 19.1 0.1 2503 Uppergsugar-T/D 37 -0.05 2498 Smith&Nephew/D 1170 -23 487026 Bh Electronic-/D 2807.7 78.7 43259 Escorts-A/D 129.7 0.5 171963 Indo-Tcount-T/D 359.95 23.4 96535 Mastek-B/D 394.75 -9.05 219894 Smiths Group/D 1097 -11 148927 Bhansali Eng-T/D 14 0.05 2634 Essar Oil-T/D 105.8 -1.45 235756 Indusind-A/D 791.75 7.5 41689 Max India L-A/D 387.4 2.3 31473 LONDON Standrd Chart /D 961.5 -6.5 984192 Bharat Bijle-B/D 720.4 81.55 58533 Eveready Indu-/D 179.4 4.65 69121 J.B.Chemical-B/D 201 2.5 23023 Mrpl-A/D 47 -0.15 37466 Tate & Lyle/D 605 -0.5 250188 Bhartiya Int-B/D 403.95 2.15 15699 F D C-B/D 158.05 -1.35 10045 Jagson Phar-B/D 38.55 4.85 173231 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 25.85 -0.65 6267 3I Group/D 444.7 -7 134432 Tesco/D 188 -0.4 3851662 Bhel-A/D 258.35 3.85 218668 Federal Bank-A/D 150.6 1.5 154910 Jbf Indu-B/D 238.05 2.65 162977 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 25.85 -0.65 6267 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3183 -28 52421 Tomkins/D 0 0 0 Bom.Burmah-B/D 370.65 -5.45 38348 Ferro Alloys-B/D 6.76 -0.15 30440 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.66 -0.02 31289 Nahar Spg.-B/D 95 0.15 37208 Barclays/D 243.65 1.2 5168697 Unilever/D 2643 -24 280736 Bombay Dyeing-/D 65.85 0.2 194995 Fgp Ltd-B/D 2.33 -0.12 5300 Jct Ltd-B/D 3.94 0.02 221577 Nation Alum -A/D 53.5 -0.9 650518 Bg Group/D 867.3 -22.4 1595828 United Util Gr/D 924 -9.5 278920 Camph.& All-B/D 275 -6.7 7153 Finolex-A/D 257.1 -3.2 2713 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 4.67 0 25908 Navneet Edu-B/D 108.6 -0.35 30340 Bp/D 410.85 -7.15 5621812 Vodafone Group/D 222 -2.8 5735758 Canfin Homes-B/D 498 -0.45 5779 Gail-A/D 443.55 1.2 55836 Jik Indust-B/D 1.07 0.04 2634 Nepc India-T/D 2.53 -0.11 21569 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3496 -58 303162 Whitbread/D 4750 24 60178 Caprihans-B/D 86 -2 8700 Galada Power-T/D 12.95 -0.05 2075 Jindal Drill-B/D 173 -2.25 2254 Neuland Lab-B/D 491 14.55 16043 Bt Group/D 403.6 -1.9 1970879 Cast.Bo/D 493.85 -6.6 62155 Gammon India-T/D 26 -0.1 50640 Jktyre&Ind-B/D 132.35 2.25 688040 Nrb Bearings-B/D 125.8 2 6882 Centrica/D 284.2 -2 1837528 Century Enka-B/D 162 0.3 6327 Godfrey Phil-B/D 588 5.7 2213 Jmc Projects-T/D 181.65 7.5 27805 O N G C-A/D 341.5 -5.05 243236 Gkn/D 351.18 0.5 613613 Century Text-A/D 517.05 -1.9 90255 Goodricke-B/D 159.6 -1 19971 Kabra Extr-B/D 81.9 -1.15 5140 Ocl India-B/D 443.9 1.7 3592 Hsbc Holdings/D 612.11 -7.7 2010089 Chambal Fert-B/D 60.5 0.6 60710 Goodyear I -B/D 635.55 3.35 16006 Kajaria Cer-A/D 566 -0.1 2004 Oil Country-B/D 34.55 0.05 2766 Imperial Tobac/D 2838 -13 224131 Chowgule St-T/D 22.15 0.9 39523 Hcl Infosys-B/D 52.45 0.05 872491 Kalpat Power-B/D 213.65 -5.1 76897 Orchid Chem-B/D 64.85 -1.05 180730 Kingfisher/D 334 0 696723 Cimmco-B/D 83 3.95 204733 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 17.95 -0.2 616176 Kalyani Stel-T/D 151.8 -2.45 27230 Orient Hotel-T/D 23.1 0.2 2111 Land Secs Grou/D 1147.33 -9 143952 WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23

NHL Results Boston 5 Detroit 2 New Jersey 3 Pittsburgh 1 Three head NFL coaches NY Islanders 4 Washington 3 Montreal 3 Carolina 1 Ottawa 5 Buffalo 2 Tampa Bay 3 Toronto 2 St Louis 3 Colorado 0 Minnesota 3 Winnipeg 2 Chicago 5 Nashville 4 dumped on Black Monday Dallas 3 NY Rangers 2 Calgary 2 Los Angeles 1 Arizona 4 Philadelphia 2 Trestman, Ryan and Smith fired after suffering dismal losing seasons Brooklyn 107 Sacramento 99 Orlando 102 Miami 101 CARY, NORTH CAROLINA: With a lack of stability in the Washington 104 Houston 103 There were no surprises when quarterback position, the Jets LA Clippers 101 Utah 97 three National Football League failed to post a winning record in (NFL) head coaches were axed the past four seasons. on what has become known as Idzik was general manager for Captain Toews Black Monday, following the two years but received criticism league’s regular season finale. for his draft choices. lifts Blackhawks Marc Trestman (Chicago Jets quarterback Geno Smith Bears), Rex Ryan (New York said he was “hurt” by Ryan’s over Predators Jets) and Mike Smith (Atlanta departure but understood that Falcons) were fired after suffer- the NFL was a business. CHICAGO: Captain Jonathan ing dismal losing seasons, and all “We understand these things Toews was the only player to three departures had been widely happen,” Smith said. “You’ve got score in a shootout, lifting expected. to continue to buy in ... whoever the Chicago Blackhawks to a With Jim Harbaugh (San the coach is and continue to come-from-behind win over the Francisco 49ers) also leaving the develop as players. I think we’ll Nashville Predators. previous day in a widely expected be fine as long as we do the right Nashville lead 4-3 late in the move to take the head coaching things.” third period, with left winger job at the University of Michigan, Smith’s axing in Atlanta came James Neal leading the way with at least four NFL teams will have just a day after the Falcons missed a pair of goals, but Chicago tied new head coaches next season. a chance to win the weak NFC the game with 1:13 left in regula- Trestman lasted only two sea- South when they were humiliated tion on Bryan Bickell’s score. sons in Chicago and his position 34-3 by the Carolina Panthers to Chicago remains atop the had become increasingly tenuous finish the season 6-10. NHL Western Conference with as the 5-11 Bears toiled to their He was 66-46 in seven seasons a 25-10-2 mark, while its clos- worst season in a decade amid in Atlanta. No Falcons coach has est challenger, Nashville, falls to reports of ineffectual leadership. won more games and he took the 23-9-3. One of Trestman’s under- team to the NFC Championship Devils 3, Penguins 1 lings, offensive coordinator game just two seasons ago, but Jaromir Jagr scored the go- Aaron Kromer, acknowledged they have struggled since, going ahead goal with 1:20 left in the this month being the source of a 10-22. second period, the 24th goal media report claiming the team Smith came under increasing of his career against the team had “buyer’s remorse” over the Rex Ryan of the New York Jets, Mike Smith of the Atlanta Falcons and Marc Trestman of the Chicago Bears. criticism from fans this season with which he started his Hall signing of quarterback Jay Cutler and reports surfaced recently that of Fame career, leading the New to a new seven-year $126m deal. One Bears player, however, after a 4-12 season. Ryan, who this was something I had to do,” owner Arthur Blank had hired a Jersey Devils to a victory over the Kromer was also ditched on believes things can be turned was dumped along with general Jets owner Woody Johnson said. search firm to assist in the hunt Pittsburgh Penguins. Monday along with general man- around quickly in Chicago. manager John Idzik, had been in An outspoken coach with a for a new coach. The victory snapped a three- ager Phil Emery, who lasted three “We got all the weapons, we charge for six years but the team lively personality, Ryan made “This is a business about win- game winless streak for the Devils seasons and eventually paid the got all the tools,” cornerback Tim failed to make the play-offs for a good start to his reign by ning football games and that is (13-18-7), who won for only the price for a series of questionable Jennings told reporters. the last four seasons. reaching two successive AFC how you are judged,” Smith said second time in their last 10 games. decisions, most notably the lucra- Ryan’s departure from the Jets “We’re in the win business, and Championship games but the Jets on Sunday before he was dumped. The loss was the fourth straight tive contract extension for Cutler. was also just about inevitable we’re not winning, so I thought were beaten on both occasions. REUTERS for the Penguins (22-9-5). Sidney Crosby, having scored just one goal over his last 12 games since returning after a Top seeds bring plenty of Super Bowl experience bout with the mumps, scored a goal of highlight film variety to MIAMI: For all the NFL’s already won a Super Bowl. Equally predictable as the top The Cowboys have not been another disappointing campaign. open the scoring at 14:37 of the much-vaunted unpredictably, There is winning experience on seeds were most of the flops of the to the Super Bowl since 1995 A major rebuilding operation first period. the 2014 regular season ended the sidelines too where Denver’s season. The bottom three in the and have not reached the play- is expected at the Jets who also Canadiens 3, Hurricanes 1 with largely expected results John Fox is the only head coach AFC — the Jacksonville Jaguars, offs since 2009 but their form fired general manager John Idzik. The Montreal Canadiens meaning a powerful play-off from that quartet who has not Oakland Raiders and Tennessee in the regular season, which The Bears and Atlanta Falcons received second-period goals from field headed by teams with landed a Lombardi Trophy. Titans — have not posted a win- included an impressive win over are also looking for new head Jiri Sekac and Lars Eller to defeat recent Super Bowl experience. The Seahawks made a shaky ning record between them in the the Seahawks, suggests they are coaches, as are the 49ers following the Carolina Hurricanes. The defending Super Bowl 3-3 start to the 2014 season but past six seasons. capable of being challengers. Jim Harbaugh’s decision to move Montreal goaltender Carey champion Seattle Seahawks fin- ominously for their rivals ended The NFC had a few surpris- Their success is about far more back to college football. Price stopped 28 shots as the ished as top seed in the NFC their campaign with six straight ingly bad failures, however, with than Romo’s accomplished dis- Other owners thinking of mak- Canadiens (23-11-2) have won six ahead of 2010 winners, the Green wins and the fewest points allowed the Washington Redskins (4-12) plays, however. DeMarco Murray ing changes might want to note of their last seven games, outscor- Bay Packers. in the league for the third year in and the Chicago Bears (5-11) not set a new Cowboys single season the presence of the Pittsburgh ing their opponents 24-9 during in In the AFC, the New England a row. expected to be so poor. The decline record for rushing yards, his Steelers in the wildcard round. that stretch. Patriots are looking for a sixth Head coach Pete Carroll cer- of the San Francisco 49ers (8-8) 1,845 yards surpassing Emmitt After losing the 2010 Super Blues 3, Avalanche 0 Super Bowl appearance since 2001 tainly believes his team had and New Orleans Saints (7-9) also Smith’s previous benchmark, and Bowl to the Packers and then Martin Brodeur needed to stop after taking top seed ahead of last answered the doubters in the caught out plenty. receiver Dez Bryant’s 16 touch- suffering a defeat in the wild- only 16 shots to extend his NHL season’s runners-up, the Denver media. The main positive surprise of down catches was another fran- card round the following year, record with his 125th shutout, Broncos. “You guys kept talking about the season was the strong show- chise record. the Steelers had two disappoint- and the St. Louis Blues snapped All four quarterbacks from how you can’t do this, can’t get to ing of the Dallas Cowboys who While Dallas may be reap- ing 8-8 seasons, leading some to a four-game winless streak with the top four seeded teams — this point again ... and we just did took the number three seed in the ing the rewards for owner Jerry question the future of coach Mike a victory over the Colorado the Broncos’ Peyton Manning, it. We will see how we do in the NFC with a 12-4 record as quar- Jones’ faith in both Romo and Tomlin. Avalanche. Seahawks’ Russell Wilson, New play-offs. We got back to division terback Tony Romo answered coach Jason Garrett, patience With Tomlin still in charge, the Brodeur, playing his sixth and England’s Tom Brady and the champs and that is pretty rare. questions about his ability to lead ran out in New York where the Steelers (11-5) are now back in perhaps last game for the Blues as Packers’ Aaron Rodgers — have I’m really proud of that,” he said. the offense. Jets (4-12) fired Rex Ryan after the post-season mix. REUTERS Brian Elliott prepares to return from a knee injury, earned the 691st win of his career, also tops in NHL history. Vladimir Tarasenko notched his 22nd goal of the season. Bulls beat Pacers for seventh consecutive win Lightning 3, Maple Leafs 2 Steven Stamkos scored his 20th INDIANAPOLIS: Jimmy Chris Bosh’s return from injury, goal of the season at 11:05 of the Butler scored 27 points and NBA Results defeating the Miami Heat by a third period to give the Tampa grabbed nine rebounds and the Milwaukee 104 Charlotte 94 point. Bay Lightning a win over the Chicago Bulls held off a late Chicago 92 Indiana 90 Victor Oladipo hit a tying layup, Toronto Maple Leafs. rally to beat Indiana 92-90 on Brooklyn 107 Sacramento 99 and on Orlando’s next possession, The Lightning (23-11-4) have Monday for their seventh con- hit one of two free throws with won three straight while Toronto Orlando 102 Miami 101 secutive NBA victory. 6.5 seconds left to give the Magic (20-14-3) has lost five of its last Spanish star Pau Gasol added Washington 104 Houston 103 (13-21) the win. six. 20 points while Derrick Rose LA Clippers 101 Utah 97 Dwyane Wade, who scored 15 of James Reimer finished with 38 contributed 17 despite 5-of-20 his 25 points in the fourth quarter saves in the loss for Toronto. shooting for the visiting Bulls, and C.J. Watson missed a base- but missed a fade-away jumper Flames 2, Kings 1 who improved to 22-9, two games line 3-pointer at the buzzer that at the buzzer to hand Orlando Curtis Glencross and Markus behind Toronto for the best record would have won the game for the win. Bosh added 20 points Granlund each scored in a 62-sec- in the Eastern Conference. Indiana. and seven rebounds in his return ond span in the first period, and The Bulls nearly squandered Chris Copeland came off the to the Heat (14-18) from a calf goaltender Jonas Hiller did his a 21-point lead with a sluggish bench to lead Indiana’s six dou- ailment. part with 26 saves as the Flames fourth quarter in which they were ble-figure scorers with 17 points, Nets 107, Kings 99 posted a third consecutive victory. outscored 25-11. netting 13 of them in the fourth Mason Plumlee scored 22 Calgary improved to 20-15-3. A 3-point play by Chicago’s quarter. points and had a great night at Tyler Toffoli had the lone goal for Mike Dunleavy, who pulled down The Pacers slid to 11-21, 11 1/2 the free-throw line while leading the Kings (18-12-7). a game-high 10 rebounds, put games behind the pace-setting the Brooklyn Nets to victory over Islanders 4, Capitals 3 (OT) the Bulls ahead 75-54 late in the Bulls in the Central division. the Sacramento Kings. Defenseman Johnny Boychuk third quarter, but Chicago missed Wizards 104, Rockets 103 Plumlee made a career-high 10 scored a power play goal with 2:07 an unprecedented 17 shots in a Bradley Beal drilled a transi- free throws and went to the line left in overtime as the New York row until Gasol broke the futility tion three-pointer that staved off a career-highest 16 times. Islanders avoided a disastrous streak with a turnaround jumper a spirited comeback and helped DeMarcus Cousins added 24 loss by edging the Washington with 3:27 remaining in the fourth the Washington Wizards reclaim points and 13 boards for the Kings Capitals. quarter. stability en route to a win over (13-18), who were undone by 21 The Islander, led 3-0 enter- While the Bulls went silent, the the Houston Rockets. turnovers. ing the third period before the Pacers scored 20 points in a row Washington (22-8) blew an Bucks 104, Hornets 94 (OT) Capitals (18-11-7) tied it on goals at one stretch, with Lavoy Allen’s 18-point lead but John Wall made Brandon Knight scored 18 Eric Fehr, Nicklas Backstrom and layup midway into the final period a pair of free throws to put his points and made several key plays Alex Ovechkin. putting Indiana in front and Luis team four points ahead with five late in the game as the Milwaukee With the win, the Islanders Scola’s basket putting the Pacers seconds left before James Harden Bucks dominated overtime to beat (24-11-1) moved into a tie for Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (left) tries to dribble past Chicago Bulls ahead 86-83. made a triple at the buzzer for the the Charlotte Hornets. first place in the Metropolitan guard Jimmy Butler at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena in Indianapolis Butler sank a 3-pointer with Rockets (21-9). The Hornets (10-22) lost their Division with the Pittsburgh on Monday night. just over a minute remaining Magic 102, Heat 101 third game in a row. Penguins, who lost at New Jersey to put the Bulls back on top The Orlando Magic spoiled AGENCIES on Saturday. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT One-year Barcelona ban to stay Spanish club’s appeal against FIFA sanction rejected by Court of Arbitration for Sport

LAUSANNE: The main inter- The club acknowledged mak- of the 10 young players. national sport appeal court ing “errors” but said these were The ban is a new blow to the Catalan club yesterday backed a one-year caused by “conflict between FIFA club’s image. Barcelona already transfer ban against Barcelona regulations and Spanish legisla- face criminal proceedings in Spain in a major blow to the Spanish tion.” Barcelona said they would over alleged tax avoidance in the to appeal football giants. study the full CAS ruling and signing of Brazilian star Neymar The Court of Arbitration could make an appeal to a Swiss in 2013. Argentine striker Lionel for Sport (CAS) “dismissed” a federal court. Messi also faces a possible trial transfer ban Barcelona appeal against the FIFA ordered the ban in April over tax avoidance. MADRID: FC Barcelona yes- FIFA ban imposed in April for after an investigation into several And the sanction will not help terday said it could make a new breaching rules on signing play- under-18 players who were reg- coach Luis Enrique in his cam- appeal against the “dispropor- ers aged under 18. istered and played for Barcelona paign to get Barcelona back to the tionate” one-year transfer ban Barcelona cannot buy players between 2009 and 2013. It found winning ways expected by fans. ordered by FIFA to a Swiss during the transfer window that that Barcelona and the Spanish Barcelona had been linked with court. opens on January 1 and for the federation were guilty of a “seri- a January move for Germany’s The Spanish team said it summer transfer period before ous” infringement of rules for 10 World Cup forward Marco Reus. “totally disagrees” with the FIFA the 2015-16 season. players. The team won the Spanish ban upheld yesterday by the Court They can only open the cheque Barcelona made a first appeal title in 2013 but have since been of Arbitration for Sport. book again in January 2016. to FIFA and the sanction was eclipsed by Real Madrid and “FC Barcelona wishes to state, “FIFA considers that CAS suspended enabling them to Atletico Madrid in Spain and with all due respect for the has shown clear and strong sup- make major signings such as Europe. Barcelona last won the sports authorities, that it totally port for FIFA’s efforts to protect Luis Suarez from Liverpool for Champions League in 2011. disagrees with the verdict of the underage players,” the world rul- 95m euros. They are currently one point Court of Arbitration for Sport,” ing body said in a statement. They also bought defenders behind Real but have played one said a Barcelona statement. Barcelona, however, said they Thomas Vermaelen from Arsenal game more. Reigning champions Barcelona acknowledged that it would consider a new appeal and Jeremy Mathieu from Atletico in third place are just had made “errors” but said these to a Swiss federal court. CAS Valenica, midfielder Ivan Rakitic three points behind. were “of an administrative nature and FIFA are both based in from Sevilla and goalkeepers Vermaelen is injured and not and to a large extent have been Switzerland. Claudio Bravo from Real Sociedad expected to play again until at caused by the existing conflict Barcelona were also fined and Marc-André ter Stegen from least March and other new sign- between the FIFA regulations and $455,000. The Spanish federation Borussia Monchengladbach in a ings have not shone. Suarez has Spanish legislation, along with the was also reprimanded by FIFA summer spree of more than 150 scored only one league goal since club’s conviction that it was act- and fined. million euros. making his debut in October. ing correctly. “The panel found in particular FIFA’s appeal committee Enrique insisted this month “FC Barcelona considers the that FC Barcelona had breached upheld the ban in August and however that Barcelona can com- sanction to be completely dispro- the rules regarding the protection Barcelona then went to the CAS. pete even without new players. portionate” and “excessive”. of minors and the registration of Barcelona aggressively fought The FIFA ban will put pres- Barcelona said that when it had minors attending football acad- the ban at the start, calling it a sure on Barcelona president Josep the full details of the CAS ruling, FC Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic of “West Team” kicks the ball during the emies,” said the statement. “grave injustice” and a threat to Maria Bartomeu, already strug- it would “study and assess the second Champions for Life charity match at the Vicente Calderon stadium Barcelona said they “totally its ‘Masia’ academy which nur- gling with the Neymar case, and various legal options available, in Madrid on Monday night. The event was organised by Spain’s UNICEF disagree” with the sanction which tured the likes of Lionel Messi who may have to put his job up for including the possibility of using and by the Professional Soccer Foundation (FFP). they called “disproportionate” and Andres Iniesta. But it has reelection before his term ends in the CAS arbitration route to the and “excessive”. since admitted errors in the cases 2016. AFP Swiss Federal Tribunal.” AFP Lallana double helps Liverpool end 2014 on a high

LONDON: Liverpool ended that they can salvage a troubled could only produce a weak shot a flailing elbow. Liverpool have their topsy-turvy 2014 on a campaign. from the edge of the penalty struggled to kill off opponents high after two goals from Adam “It was a great performance area that was easily gathered by this season but they were gifted Lallana, one excellent and one against a very good side. I felt for Fabianski. a second goal in the 51st minute. freakish, helped inspire their the big part of the game we domi- Swansea enjoyed a sustained Fabiasnki took an age on the 4-1 trouncing of Swansea on nated,” Rodgers said. period of possession that ended ball after a back pass and his Monday in the last Premier “For me it was about getting with Wayne Routledge’s deep clearance smacked into Lallana League game of the year. back to performing well. Tonight cross being met by Nathan Dyer, and bounced over the embar- Brendan Rodgers’ side scored we were convincing. We have to but the winger’s header was easy rassed Swansea goalkeeper and four for the first time since March keep that intensity and work-rate. for Simon Mignolet to pluck from into the net. thanks to Lallana’s second half “We know the work we need to the air. The visitors got one back a double after Alberto Moreno had put in but the players are starting Rodgers’s side finally made the minute later when Sigurdsson put the Reds ahead in the first to work together. We are a young breakthrough in the 33rd minute converted from close range after half at Anfield. side looking to settle in and play with a flowing move started and Wayne Routledge’s cross dropped Jonjo Shelvey’s own goal com- a type of football we find creative finished by Moreno. kindly for the midfielder. pleted the demolition of lack- and exciting.” The Spanish left-back advanced But moments later Wilfried lustre Swansea, who had briefly Liverpool started brightly and to pick out Lallana, who in turn Bony was unable to beat Mignolet threatened a revival when Gylfi Martin Skrtel towered above his slipped Jordan Henderson into and Liverpool took advantage to Sigurdsson struck to reduce the marker at the far post to head space on the left. kill off Garry Monk’s men in the deficit to 2-1. straight at Swansea goalkeeper Moreno had carried on his run 61st minute. As a result of their goal Lukasz Fabianksi. and met Henderson’s low cross Coutinho’s deft flick sent spree, the hosts climbed above The Reds threatened again as into the six-yard box with a half- Lallana through the midfield and Swansea into eighth place — Raheem Sterling’s volley from volley that crashed off Fabianski he cut inside two defenders before five points behind fourth placed Moreno’s cross drew a good stop and into the net. striking low past Fabianski. Southampton in the race to qual- from Fabianski but, when the Coutinho fired into the side- Seven minutes later, ify for the Champions League. rebound fell to Lallana, he blazed netting from a tight angle after Henderson’s right-wing corner With one defeat in their last wildly over the crossbar from a mazy run as Liverpool pushed was flicked into his own net by 10 matches in all competitions close-range. for a second goal. Shelvey to seal the win. and Lallana finally showing the While Liverpool were forcing Swansea midfielder Shelvey There was still time for more class that persuaded Rodgers Swansea back, they were still was fortunate to escape pun- controversy as Sterling flicked his Liverpool’s English midfielder Adam Lallana celebrates with team-mate to pay £25m to sign him from searching for the cutting edge ishment from referee Andre hand in the direction of Federico Jordan Henderson after scoring a goal against Swansea City during an Southampton, Liverpool head into that has been missing for much of Marriner before half-time when Fernandez but avoided censure English Premier League match at Anfield in Liverpool on Monday night. the new year with renewed belief the season and Philippe Coutinho he caught Can in the face with from Marriner. AGENCIES Iraq relying Qatar friendly North Korea on Younis’ replace head Injury-hit Kruse never lost experience coach Yun sight of Asian Cup goal SINGAPORE: Iraq’s most- SEOUL: North Korea have capped player Younis Mahmoud replaced suspended head coach MELBOURNE: A serious runners-up to Japan. was named in the 23-man squad Yun Jong-su with his pred- knee injury cost Robbie Kruse Kruse went on to establish for next month’s Asian Cup ecessor Jo Tong-sop for next a World Cup place earlier this himself as a regular under former despite not playing for a club for month’s Asian Cup campaign in year but the Bayer Leverkusen coach Holger Osieck, who was more than a year. Australia. forward grafted through some axed shortly before the World The 31-year-old forward, who Yun was banned for 12 heavy rehabilitation to ensure Cup following back-to-back 6-0 skippered the side to the 2007 months by the Asian Football he didn’t miss out on next friendly defeats by Brazil and Asian Cup title, has scored more Confederation (AFC) earlier this month’s Asian Cup on home soil. France. than 50 goals for Iraq in more month for “offensive behaviour” The 26-year-old tore his ante- Kruse returned to action fol- than 130 appearances but has not during the Asian Games final in rior cruciate ligament in January lowing the length injury lay off had a club contract since leaving South Korea where they lost 1-0 and was forced to watch from afar in October with Leverkusen but Saudi Arabian outfit Al Ahli in to the hosts. as the Socceroos lost to Spain, has been used infrequently since. December last year. Yun and the North Korean Netherlands and Chile in Brazil. Despite that, he was named The talisman has instead rep- bench remonstrated with offi- Kruse acknowledged nothing in Ange Postecoglou’s 23-man resented Iraq’s mainly under- cials after the match and accused would make up for missing out Asian Cup squad and is likely to 23 side at the Asian Games in referees of favouring their bitter on a first World Cup but added feature regularly along with cen- September, where they won a rivals South Korea. the carrot of competing at a home tral striker Tim Cahill when the bronze medal after he scored four Yun’s ban meant the former Asian Cup kept him going as he Socceroos take on South Korea, goals. international was not allowed to battled back to full fitness. Kuwait and Oman in Group A Younis was the only player enter the dressing room or the “My rehab went for about seven Robbie Kruse matches. aged over 30 named in Radhi area surrounding the field of play or eight months... this tourna- However, nothing will be taken Qatar’s national football team Shenaishil’s squad on Monday for but could still attend training ses- ment I was working towards the I’m thankful that this has come for granted. the Group D matches in Australia will take on Oman in a friendly sions and undertake other foot- whole time,” Kruse told reporters around just six months later. “Learning how to walk and against holders Japan and fellow today as the two sides prepare ball-related activities, the AFC on Tuesday. “Hopefully this Asian Cup I can contract your muscles again, it’s west Asian sides Palestine and for the Asian Cup, which kicks off said. “I was at rehab for seven, eight really stamp my authority on the quite taxing. You miss out on so Jordan. in Australia on January 9. Head North Korea, who will com- hours a day and I’ve never had to competition.” many things and you start to Colombus Crew forward Justin coach Djamel Belmadi (pictured) pete in their fourth Asian Cup work that long in my life. Kruse made his debut for the appreciate how good of a life you Meram, Swindon Town mid- led the squad in their main in Australia, did not respond to “I can’t right the wrong of not Socceroos prior to the 2011 Asian have as a footballer,” he said. fielder Yaser Kasim and talented training yesterday. The Maroons requests to confirm the switch but being able to go to the World Cup. Cup and scored the final goal in “Sometimes I used to get 18-year-old playmaker Human will also face New Zealand in the AFC said Jo had been regis- You go through so many emotions a 6-0 rout of Uzbekistan in the annoyed at having to train all the Tareq were also named in the 23. Canberra on January 5. tered as head coach for the Jan. when you miss out on a big tour- semi-finals of the tournament in time but now I’m just happy to be REUTERS 9-31 tournament. REUTERS nament like a World Cup and Qatar where Australia finished as able to run on the field.” WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25

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1: In this photograph taken on January 23, 2006, India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays a shot during the second Test against Pakistan at the Iqbal Cricket Stadium in Faisalabad. Dhoni announced his retirement from Tests yesterday shortly after his team lost a series against Australia. 2: This February 27, 2006 photo shows Dhoni bowls in the nets during a practice session ahead of the first Test against England in Nagpur. 3: In this photograph taken on October 13, 2010, Dhoni holds the series winning Border-Gavskar trophy during the presentation ceremony after the second Test against Australia at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. 4: Dhoni plays a shot during the second Test against Australia in Brisbane, in this December 18, 2014, file photo. ‘Mahi’ ends long ride in whites The 90-Test career is a tale of mixed legacy for arguably the best Indian captain

NEW DELHI: The words “honour” and “virtue” are writ- Factbox on Mahendra Singh Dhoni ten across Mahendra Singh Born: July 7, 1981 in Ranchi. Dhoni’s chest in his Twitter Nickname: Mahi. profile picture, fitting words for %Made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2005, scoring 30 in the rain-hit match in Chennai. the Indian who displayed both % He went on to play 90 Tests for India, amassing 4876 runs at a 38-plus average, hitting six qualities in abundance during centuries and 33 fifties. He also took 256 catches and contributed 38 stumpings. his 90-Test career. %Dhoni’s highest Test score of 224 came against Australia in February 2013. The honorary Indian Army The wicket-keeper batsman made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in late 2004 and was run out lieutenant colonel dropped a for a first ball duck in the Chittagong match. bombshell by announcing his %Dhoni has played 250 ODIs, scoring 8192 runs, averaging 52.85 with a strike rate in the vicinity retirement from Tests at the age of 90. He has hit nine centuries in this format to go with 56 fifties. of 33 moments after helping India %He has also played 50 Twenty20 Internationals, scoring 849 runs, averaging nearly 34 with a secure a draw in the third match 116 strike rate. against Australia. %Under his captaincy, India won the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007, the 50-over World The series was lost but it was Cup in 2011 and remained the number one Test team for 18 months from December 2009. an abrupt end to a career in which %He received Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India’s highest sports honour, in 2007. Dhoni emerged from the crick- % Known for his penchant to seal a victory with a six, Dhoni’s trademark “helicopter” shot has eting backwaters of Jharkhand amused fans who have also hailed his unflappable temperament. to take arguably the most dif- % India’s string of away Test defeats remains a blot on his captaincy records, though, and the ficult job in the sport – leading emergence of Virat Kohli was seen as an alternative. the national team of 1.2 billion % He surpassed retired great Sachin Tendulkar as the highest-earning Indian sportsman but cricket-crazy Indians. remains a fiercely private person. He rose from being a ticket inspector with Indian Railways to FIVE KEY MOMENTS IN DHONI’S CAREER a charismatic bike-loving crick- 2005: Dhoni shot to fame with two brilliant one-day innings -- 148 off 123 balls against Pakistan and eter with flowing locks who often an unbeaten 183 off 145 against Sri Lanka, leading to his inclusion in the Test team the same year. changed hairstyles and befriended 2007: Dhoni was asked to captain India in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa after senior Bollywood actors. players like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar declined to play. He led his young team to a stunning win over arch-rivals Pakistan in the final at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. The victory inspired a Dhoni developed his own bat- Twenty20 revolution in India that led to the creation of the glitzy Indian Premier League in 2008. ting and keeping techniques, 2009: Under Dhoni India assumed the number one ranking in Test cricket, a position they held till 2011. tinkered with conventional field settings and displayed a natural 2011: Dhoni hit the winning six as India won the 50-over World Cup by defeating Sri Lanka in the final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. It was India’s second World Cup title after Kapil Dev’s tendency to take calculated risks team achieved the feat in 1983. while maintaining a Zen-like In this photograph taken on December 13, 2005, Indian cricketer Mahendra Dhoni (left) plays a stroke as Sri 2014: As India stumbled in overseas Tests, Dhoni’s defensive leadership was slammed by critics and calm. Under his leadership, India Lanka’s Jehan Mubarak looks on, during India’s second innings on the fourth day of the second Test match at media alike. The toll of being captain, batsman and wicket-keeper in all three formats for the past won the Twenty20 World Cup in the Ferozeshah Kotla ground in New Delhi. seven years took its toll and Dhoni quit Test cricket. 2007 and the 50-over World Cup 38 stumpings, 78 sixes, 21 home wins four years later and were the top- % ranked test team for a year and A look back at the key numbers from MS Dhoni’s Test career, as batsman, captain, and half in between. wicketkeeper % But India’s most successful Test 60 The number of Tests in which MS Dhoni captained India, the highest among all Indians, and captain also presided over a dis- ‘Spoilt brat’ Kohli takes sixth among all captains. It’s also easily the highest for a wicketkeeper - the next best is Bangladesh’s mal away record with the team Mushfiqur Rahim, with 19 matches as captain. % winning only two of 22 Tests on 294 Test dismissals for Dhoni, the fifth highest among all wicketkeepers, and the best for an foreign soil since 2011. Indian by far: the next best is Syed Kirmani’s 198 dismissals in 88 matches. The burden of captaining and %27 The number of Tests India won with Dhoni as captain - the next highest for India is Sourav charge as Test captain Ganguly with 21. Only six captains won more Tests than Dhoni did. keeping wicket in all three for- mats of the game also took its %21 The number of home Tests India won under Dhoni, which puts him fourth in the all-time list toll on Dhoni’s body. Runs began NEW DELHI: Firebrand bats- had been tipped by many to stand - only Graeme Smith, Ricky Ponting and Steve Waugh captained in more home wins. The next best to dry up in Tests and his move- man Virat Kohli is likely to down once the series was over. for India is Mohammad Azharuddin with 13 wins. However, in overseas Tests India won only six out of ment behind the stumps slowed instill a new aggression in the The right-hander Kohli has 30 under Dhoni, and lost 15. In contrast, India won 11 out of 28 overseas Tests under Ganguly, and five out of 17 under Rahul Dravid. Since the 2011 World Cup, India lost 13 out of 18 overseas Tests down, resulting in spilt catches Indian team as he assumes the emerged as India’s leading bats- under Dhoni, winning only one and drawing four. and fluffed stumpings. captaincy of a Test side which man following the recent retire- % 9 Number of dismissals Dhoni affected in his last Test (eight catches, one stumping), which Dhoni’s usual limited-over pro- badly needs to start packing a ments of a string of greats is the highest for an Indian wicketkeeper. There are five instances of eight dismissals by an Indian activeness often deserted him in punch on its travels. including Sachin Tendulkar, wicketkeeper, of which Dhoni was the protagonist three times. In Test history, there are only four the Test arena and the clamour Dubbed by some opponents as Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. instances of wicketkeepers affecting more than nine dismissals in a Test. was growing to hand the job a ‘spoilt brat’, the 26-year-old has From 32 Tests so far, Kohli has %38 The number of stumpings by Dhoni, which is the joint third highest in Test history, along with over to Virat Kohli, an animated been tasked with leading a team aggregated 2,354 runs at an aver- Kirmani. Only Godfrey Evans (46) and Bert Oldfield (52) have more stumpings. antithesis to Dhoni’s phlegmatic that last won a Test series away age of 44.41 with nine hundreds %224 Dhoni’s score against Australia in Chennai last year, the third best ever by a wicketkeeper brand of captaincy. from home back in 2011 against and 10 half-centuries. in Tests. Only Andy Flower (232* against India in 2000) and Kumar Sangakkara (230 versus Pakistan “He must have been very the West Indies. He has been the vice-captain in 2002) have made bigger scores. Before Dhoni’s double-century, the highest by a wicketkeeper for impressed with how Virat cap- Kohli, who is taking over from and led India in the first Test India was Budhi Kunderan’s 192 against England in 1964. tained and handled the pressure Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the against Australia with Dhoni %4876 Runs that Dhoni scored in Tests, which is the third best for a wicketkeeper, after Adam in the first Test,” former India fourth and final Test in Sydney, nursing an injury. Gilchrist (5570) and Mark Boucher (5515). Among Indian wicketkeepers it’s easily the best, well clear of captain Sunil Gavaskar told Star has been one of the few batsman Kohli, who has been romanti- Virat Kohli Kirmani’s 2759 and Farrokh Engineer’s 2611. He averaged 38.09, the best among Indian wicketkeep- Sports., referring to the Adelaide to emerge with credit from the cally linked with raven-haired ers who played more than three Tests, while his six Test hundreds is three times the next best for India. Test which Dhoni missed. tour in Australia which again saw Bollywood actress Anushka % 47.21 Dhoni’s batting average in Tests in Asia. In 72 innings he scored six hundreds and 18 While Kohli’s superiority as a India suffer a resounding series Kohli has scored three centuries Sharma, is popular with many fifties. He played exactly 72 innings outside Asia as well, but didn’t manage a single hundred, and Test batsman is beyond doubt, the defeat. – and got under the Australians’ fans despite his somewhat brash averaged 29.79. His highest outside Asia was 92, at The Oval in 2007. 26-year-old’s ability to control his The loss of the Border- skin in the process. reputation. %3454 Runs scored by Dhoni as Test captain, which is the highest among Indian captains. Sunil emotions, which often threaten Gavaskar trophy follows series Kohli’s immediate task will Even Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar is next, with 3449 runs in 47 Tests as captain, while Azharuddin made 2856 runs in 47 to get the better of him, will be defeats in England and New be to lift the sagging morale of Gavaskar has been moved to voice matches. Dhoni averaged 40.63 as captain; when not captain, his average dropped to 33.06. tested. Zealand earlier this year for a the team who have just one more his disapproval of Kohli’s aggres- % 2871 The Test runs Dhoni scored from the No. 7 position, the highest for India at that slot; Dhoni leaves Test cricket with team that was ranked the best in game to salvage a modicum of sive approach in Australia, saying Kapil Dev is next with an aggregate of 2861. No other Indian batsman has scored more than 800 a 45 percent winning record as the world little more than three pride before starting their defence he was “not sure it was the wisest runs from that position. captain to focus on his favoured years ago. The team’s shortcom- of the ODI World Cup under thing to do”. % 15 The number of overseas Tests India lost under Dhoni. Only Stephen Fleming (16 losses limited-overs game, starting with ings were first exposed in England Dhoni’s stewardship. But Sourav Ganguly, another from 42 Tests) and Brian Lara (16 losses from 20 Tests) have lost more overseas games as captain. leading India’s title defence in the in the summer of 2011 when they For the moment his appoint- former skipper who managed % 78 Number of sixes Dhoni hit in Tests. Among Indians only Virender Sehwag, with 90 sixes, 50-over World Cup. suffered the first of two back- ment is as interim skipper but to famously rile the Aussies, is has more. Dhoni will once again marshal to-back whitewashes. Australia he has long been widely seen as a fan of Kohli’s no-holds barred %22 The number of century partnerships that Dhoni was involved in. His most prolific partnerships his team-mates in the tournament dished out the second hiding. the natural successor of Dhoni approach. came with VVS Laxman: in 27 stands they aggregated 1361 runs, at an average of 56.70 runs per in Australia and New Zealand But while other batsman such who was the most successful Test “I like his (Kohli’s) passion. completed partnership, with three century stands. Laxman was the only partner with whom Dhoni starting in February, and his fans as swashbuckling opener Shikhar match skipper in India’s history. You’ve got to have passion,” said put together more than 1000 runs. Of the four double-century partnerships he was involved in, two will go into raptures every time he Dhawan and the usually solid The timing of Dhoni’s Ganguly. “It should mean some- were with Laxman. unfurls his trademark “helicopter Cheteshwar Pujara have strug- announcement took many by thing to you, any job you do. I like % 2 Number of Man-of-the-Match awards Dhoni won in Tests. Both were against Australia - in shot”. REUTERS gled Down Under in recent weeks, surprise although the 33-year-old him, I like what I see.” AFP Mohali in 2008, and in Chennai in 2013. WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Aussies make one change Australia seal India series for SCG Test

MELBOURNE: Australia yesterday added Ashton Agar to their squad for next week’s after rare Melbourne draw fourth Test against India, rais- ing the prospect of the home side playing two spinners in First draw in 17 years at MCG; India’s 33-year winless drought continues Sydney. Agar, who scored a memora- ble 98 in his Test debut against MELBOURNE: Australia have not won at the Melbourne England, will give national selec- regained the Border-Gavaskar Cricket Ground for 33 years. tors another spin option at the Trophy after India hung on for India resisted for a time Sydney Cricket Ground in addi- a tense draw in the third Test in through Virat Kohli and Ajinkya tion to off-spinner Nathan Lyon. Melbourne yesterday. Rahane, who shared in a record The squad is otherwise India were never in the hunt 262-run stand in the first innings, unchanged after the third Test on the final day after Australia but once Kohli was dismissed to in Melbourne finished in a draw, took till lunch to declare at 318 break an 85-run partnership, with all-rounder Mitchell Marsh for nine, leaving them to chase pressure again mounted on the having been ruled out of the 384 runs for victory off 70 overs. tourists, who have a notorious Sydney game with a hamstring Their task became even more reputation for lower-order bat- injury. Herculean when they were ting collapses. “I think Ashton’s bowling very reduced to 19 for three in the “We lost early wickets, we put well at the moment,” skipper ninth over and from there it was pressure on ourselves and we had Steve Smith said. a matter of survival. to fight it out and overall it’s a “He’s a good addition to the The match was called off with good performance by the team,” squad. We’ll see how the wicket four overs remaining when India Dhoni said. is in Sydney when we get there were 174 for six with skipper MS “It was very tough to score over and we’ll go from there.” Dhoni on 24 and Ravi Ashwin 300 on this kind of wicket in one On the possibility of playing on eight. It was the first drawn day so overall I’m quite happy.” two spinners at the traditional Melbourne Test in 17 years. Kohli was out to a poor shot on spin-friendly SCG, Smith said: The Australians have won the the first ball after tea, spooning “We’ll just have to wait and see four-match series with one Test a catch straight to Joe Burns at what the wicket is like. left to play in Sydney next week square leg off Ryan Harris for 54. “Last year it had a bit of grass after winning in Adelaide and Mitchell Johnson then bowled on it and previously it’s been quite Brisbane. Cheteshwar Pujara (21) with a spin friendly wicket. “India have some very good a gem of a delivery, straighten- “So I think it’s more of a see batters in their side, it was still ing off the pitch to crash into how the wicket is and if he’s a very good wicket and we really off-stump. needed then he can play.” didn’t want to give India a sniff,” Johnson rattled Pujara with Australia have already won Australia skipper Steve Smith a short-pitched snorter into the the Border-Gavaskar Trophy said of his declaration decision. grille of his helmet and then two series after wins in Adelaide and “We’ve got another series win, balls later produced his wicket- Brisbane heading into the fourth which is what we were after, and taking delivery to leave the tour- Sydney Test. AFP hopefully we can finish well in ists at 141 for five with 18 overs Australia’s paceman Mitchell Johnson (left) leaps in the air as he sees India’s batsman Ajinkya Rahane (right) Sydney.” left. dropped on the final day of the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, yesterday. The draw means that India Rahane mistimed a pull shot off Squad Australia - David Warner, Chris Rogers, Josh Hazlewood to Shaun Marsh wicket call by umpire Kumar quick runs and hoisted Ashwin Shane Watson, Steve Smith (capt), Shaun Scoreboard for 48 off 117 balls to expose the Dharmasena in the ninth over of for a six and a four off successive Marsh, Joe Burns, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, Josh Australia (I innings): ...... 530 92-2 (1w); I Sharma 20-5-49-2 (5nb); Ashwin India tail with 14 overs remaining. the innings by Hazlewood. Vijay, balls to reach 96 but became edgy India had a disastrous start to who has a ton and two half-cen- on 99 with a lunch-time declara- Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Peter Siddle, India (I innings): ...... 465 28-4-75-2. Ashton Agar. Australia (II innings): India (II innings): their innings and lost Shikhar turies in this series, was given out tion imminent. D Warner lbw Ashwin ...... 40 M Vijay lbw Hazlewood ...... 11 Dhawan (0), Lokesh Rahul (1) although replays showed the ball Marsh became the 16th player C Rogers b Ashwin ...... 69 S Dhawan lbw Harris ...... 0 and Murali Vijay (11) to slump would have missed leg-stump. in Test cricket to be run out on 99 S Watson c Dhoni b I Sharma ...... 17 L Rahul c Watson b Johnson ...... 1 to 19 for three in the ninth over India refuse to use the Decision and the third Australian, with all Kiwis look S Smith c Rahane b Yadav ...... 14 V Kohli c Burns b Harris ...... 54 of their final innings. Referral System (DRS) and have of them occurring in Melbourne. S Marsh (run out-Kohli) ...... 99 A Rahane c Marsh b Hazlewood ...... 48 Harris struck with the second been on the wrong end of several The last Australian was Arthur J Burns c Dhoni b I Sharma ...... 9 C Pujara b Johnson ...... 21 ball of his opening over, trapping umpiring decisions. Morris in 1953. to continue B Haddin c Dhoni b Yadav ...... 13 M Dhoni (not out) ...... 24 Dhawan leg before wicket for a Marsh was run out for 99 ahead It was Marsh’s highest score M Johnson c Rahane b Shami ...... 15 R Ashwin (not out) ...... 8 duck. of Australia’s safety-first lunch against India and he was closing winning run R Harris c Dhoni b Shami...... 21 Extras (LB-6, NB-1) ...... 7 Johnson backed that up in the declaration at 318 for nine after in on his third Test century and Total (for 6 wkts) ...... 174 next over getting a thick edge crawling along in the morning first home Test ton after knocks N Lyon (not out) ...... 1 WELLINGTON: J Hazlewood (not out) ...... 0 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-5, 3-19, 4-104, 5-141, off debutant Rahul, promoted to session. of 148 in South Africa and 141 in New Extras (LB-13, W-2, NB-5) ...... 20 6-142. number three, and Shane Watson Marsh scampered after a risky Sri Lanka. Zealand’s eight-wicket victory Total (for 9 wkts decl) ...... 318 Bowling: Johnson 15-3-38-2; Harris 16-8- running back from slips took the single off Umesh Yadav only to be Harris was the other Australian over Sri Lanka in the first Test Fall of wickets: 1-57, 2-98, 3-131, 4-164, 30-2; Hazlewood 15-3-40-2; Lyon 12-0-36-0; skied catch over his shoulder to caught out by Kohli’s throw from wicket to fall, caught behind off of their two-match series has 5-176, 6-202, 7-234, 8-303, 9-317. Watson 6-1-14-0 (1nb); Smith 2-0-10-0. dismiss the batsman. behind the non-striker’s end. Mohammed Shami for 21 and giv- given them an opportunity to Bowling: Yadav 22-3-89-2 (1w); Shami 28-4- Result: Drawn. In-form opener Vijay went Towards the end of a mean- ing Dhoni his ninth dismissal of start next year as they did this, to a controversial leg before dering session Marsh went after the match. AFP with a series triumph over a higher-ranked opponent. Brendon McCullum’s side are Whatmore seventh in the International Amla, Ramdin content after draw Cricket Council’s (ICC) rank- ings, two places below Sri Lanka, appointed as though are playing at a standard PORT ELIZABETH: South that belies that position. Zimbabwe Africa and the West Indies will They have played nine Tests travel to Cape Town for the in 2014 and won five of them, a third and final Test after rain national record for Test victories coach and a wet outfield cut more than in a year, lost two and drawn two. half the playing time from the They are also unbeaten in six suc- HARARE: Zimbabwe Cricket second Test at St George’s Park cessive series at home and away has appointed Australia’s former yesterday. A groundsman since they were hammered 2-0 in international Dav Whatmore as No play was possible on the works on the England in May, 2013. national coach ahead of the 2015 final day and the match ended wet outfield on While McCullum has garnered World Cup, a top union official with the West Indies on 275 for the second day the headlines with two double announced yesterday. nine in their first innings in reply of the second centuries, New Zealand’s first Whatmore replaces Stephen to South Africa’s 417 for eight Test between Test triple century and a 134- Mangongo who was fired less than declared. South Africa ball innings of 195 at Hagley Oval two weeks ago over the national South Africa take a 1-0 lead and the West that changed the complexion of side’s poor showing during a into the third Test starting on the game, the team has become Indies in Port recent tour of Bangladesh. Friday. settled and balanced. Elizabeth, in “His initial assignment is to South African captain Hashim Bowlers Tim Southee and see us through to the World Amla said a result had been “on this December Trent Boult have blossomed into Cup,” Wilson Manase, Zimbabwe the cards” if there had been a full 27 file photo. one of the best new ball combina- Cricket chairman said, “and day’s play possible on Tuesday. tions in the world with both now thereafter we shall work out “We were hoping to get the last ranked inside the top-10, while another long term contract.” wicket quickly and then set them batsman Kane Williamson has “He has a wealth of experience a target with 50 or 60 overs to go.” come of age in the past 12 months. at the highest level of coaching,” Amla said he was satisfied with Williamson has scored 929 runs he said. South Africa’s performance. in 2014 with four centuries and Whatmore, 60, who has pre- He said the fact that only six coupled with Ross Taylor’s contin- viously coached Bangladesh, ued maturation and development, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, will be Scoreboard overs were possible on the second by Marlon Samuels and man of have one major reason to smile the heart of the batting lineup has assisted by former Zimbabwe day contributed to wickets falling the match Kraigg Brathwaite had on their difficult tour of South no concerns going forward. international Douglas Hondo who South Africa (I innings): ...... 417/8 decl when play resumed on day three. given his team a lift. Africa with the continued devel- Sri Lanka captain Angelo will also be the bowling coach, West Indies (I innings): “We lost a lot of time when “Hopefully those two guys opment of young opener Kraigg Mathews said he had seen enough Manase said. K Brathwaite c Petersen b Morkel ...... 106 we were batting so we lost some can kick on and guys like Shiv Brathwaite. in the team’s seconds innings bat- Zimbabwe cricket dismissed D Smith c Amla b Morkel ...... 22 wickets trying to make a game (Chanderpaul) and myself can The Barbadian scored a classy ting, when Dimuth Karunaratne Mangongo as cricket coach L Johnson c Du Plessis b Morkel ...... 0 of it.” back them up.” 106 in the rain-effected drawn scored a maiden Test century, and after the national squad lost M Samuels lbw Philander ...... 101 Amla praised his bowlers. “The Ramdin said the West Indies second Test which showed his in their bowling to have hope at all eight fixtures during a tour S Chanderpaul b Imran Tahir ...... 7 West Indies had one good part- had bowled much better than they solid technique, even tempera- the Basin Reserve. “We showed a of Bangladesh just two months D Ramdin lbw Imran Tahir ...... 20 nership but our seamers bowled did in the first Test at Centurion. ment and old-fashioned guts as lot of fight and a lot of character before the World Cup. J Holder c De Villiers b Morkel ...... 1 exceptionally well.” “We bowled in the right areas he weathered a hostile spell of fast in the second innings,” said the A “very pleased” Whatmore J Taylor (not out) ...... 10 He said it was possible the and created some chances. bowling from Morne Morkel and captain. said he has already set his sight S Benn c Petersen b Imran Tahir ...... 4 loss of Tuesday’s play might have Hopefully we can do something Dale Steyn. “I thought the bowlers bowled on Zimbabwe reaching the Super K Peters (run out-Steyn) ...... 0 helped the bowlers. good in the next Test match. We It was a third century of 2014 pretty well. We got the lines and 8 at the World Cup in Australia Extras (LB-4) ...... 4 “If the bowlers had to bowl all have to look at our fielding and for the 22-year-old and his first lengths right. That’s a positive we and New Zealand in February and Total (for 9 wkts) ...... 275 afternoon, there might have been work on our catching.” outside of the Caribbean, in a year can take to Wellington. March next year. Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-55, 3-231, 4-233, some tired bodies with only two West Indian coach Stuart in which he has scored 701 Test Mathews said he hoped left- “We are going to be as com- 5-260, 6-261, 7-265, 8-270, 9-275. days before the next game. Now Williams said the team had been runs at an average of almost 78. arm spinner Rangana Herath petitive as possible, our first tar- Bowling: Steyn 14-3-48-0; Philander 18-4- we will have some fresh bodies for determined to improve after the He showed when he scored 212 would be available for the second get is to make that Super 8. We 41-1; Morkel 20-2-69-4; Imran Tahir 26-2- Newlands.” first Test. “We showed that over against Bangladesh in September test, though he doubted there will work really hard to try and 108-3; Elgar 1-0-5-0. West Indian captain Denesh the past couple of days,” he said. that he has the powers of concen- would be many changes to his achieve that,” he said. AFP Ramdin said the centuries scored Meanwhile, the West Indies tration to bat long. AGENCIES side. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2014 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27 Impressive Qatar catches FIFA’s eye Football governing body publishes the 2014 report card of Al Anabi on its website

DOHA: FIFA has highlighted the achievements of Qatari foot- ball in 2014 across the different age groups in a report published on the football governing body’s website. The report mentioned how the Maroon kicked off the year on high as they were crowned cham- pions of the West Asia Football Federation Championship (WAFF) in Doha under young Algerian coach Djamel Belmadi who was appointed by Qatar Football Association after lead- ing Lekhwiya to the Qatar Stars League title twice in a row. “It was an ideal tournament,” the report quoted Belmadi’s inter- view with FIFA after winning the West Asian title. “We turned in excellent per- Qatar’s players and officials celebrate after winning the Asian Football formances in every match, scored Confederation Under-19 Championship final at the Thuwunna Youth a lot of goals, and we just kept Training Centre Stadium in Yangon in this October 24, 2014 file picture. winning! The players had the BOTTOM: The Qatar team, winner of the eighth West Asia Football perfect attitude: they wanted to Federation Championship, celebrates with the trophy at Al Sadd Stadium do their country proud and they in Doha yesterday. The hosts defeated Jordan 2-0 in the final. succeeded. They have a bright future.” Qatari players celebrate with the Gulf Cup trophy after defeating Saudi Arabia 2-1 in the final of the 22nd edi- Turning to the Maroon’s young- tion of the tournament at the King Fahad Stadium in Riyadh, in this November 26, 2014 file photo. sters, the report underlined the U-19 team’s glorious campaign in the AFC U-19 Championship, which was held tournament’s top scorer and series of wins in international FIFA report as “almost flawless in Myanmar in October. Ahmad Moein was named friendlies put on in preparation and tactically-disciplined” in the The article pointed how the Player-of-the-Tournament. for the Asian Cup 2015. final-game against hosts Saudi Qatari side topped their group “It’s an indescribable delight. Capping a successful year for Arabia culminated in a 2-1 win and traced their path all the way Today we’ve been crowned Asian Qatari football was the senior for the Maroon. to the final in which they over- U-19 champions for the first time,” team’s victory in the Gulf Cup in “We knew the challenges we came North Korea, the opponent FIFA website quoted the team’s Saudi Arabia where the Maroon were going to come up against in their opening game of the Spanish coach Felix Sanchez Bas landed their third title in the and we kept calm and collected, tournament as well, 1-0. Their as saying back then. regional tournament, ten years something that was most evident qualification for the tournament’s “This team has proved its after their previous success and in the final stages,” Belmadi told semi-finals also meant they auto- worth and deserves the title. They the first time on a foreign soil. FIFA.com at the time. matically booked a berth in the are the future of Qatari foot- During the tournament, the “We put in superb displays FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will ball. They’ve made unbelievable Qatari side followed a first- in the semis and the final. The be hosted in New Zealand next efforts and deserve what they’ve round stage in which they picked players were fully prepared and year. achieved.” up three successive draws with deserved the title. It’s an impor- Not only did the Qatari Following the confirmation of a strong showing against Oman tant step towards a future which youngsters land the title but his appointment on a permanent in the semifinal as they won 3-1. we look upon with confidence and also Ahmed Al Sadi was the basis, Belmadi led his side to a A performance described by the a good deal of ambition.” QNA Auge guides Mister Ginoux to Qatar Derby victory at QREC

DOHA: Mister Ginoux yes- Bentley finished second astride In race six, Bentley rode terday brought delight to Al Samjida while Zameer - who had a winner when he guided Al Results: Shaqab Racing when he won Cedric Segeon in the saddle - Murabitoon past the winning Thoroughbred Maiden Plate the Qatar Pure Arabian Derby ended in third spot. post. 1850M ahead of Samjida and Zameer Minutes earlier, W J Lee guided Al Murabitoon clocked a time Running Time: 1:54:30 at Qatar Racing and Equestrian Makruma to win in the Doha of 1:46:51 in the 1600m race. Jenjal, Galaxy, Majid Safedeen,Alberto Sanna Club (QREC). Thorughbred Oaks battle, clinch- ridden by Gerald Avranche, Bon Voyage, Z. Mohsen, Marco Monteriso Ridden by Julien Auge, Mister ing the issue ahead of Naddirah finished second while AJS Al Ginoux clocked a time of 1:45.34 and Chalie’s Wish. Rayyan finished third with jockey Tarrafal, Ahmed Al Jehani, W. J Lee to nail the win in the 1600 dirt Makruma clocked a time of Convertino. Thoroughbred Handicap Rated 55 - 75 track race at QREC. 2:03.98 in the 2000m marathon Races continue today at 1600M The victory was worth as Nadirha - ridden by Pier QREC where riders will com- Running Time: 1:36:39 QR171,000 as trainer Thomas Convertino - finished in sec- pete for Qatar Thoroughbred Jumaira Tower, I. Al Malki, Gary Carter Fourcy celebrated his only win in ond spot. Marco Monteriso was Derby, the day’s feature race for Crafted, I. Al Malki, Gerald Avranche the day’s feature race. astride Charlie’s Wish who was three-year-olds. Popular British jockey Harry third. THE PENINSULA Maxentius, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry Bentley Horoughbred Handicap Rated 60 - 80 1200M Qatar Racing Running Time: 1:11:82 and Equestrian Club (QREC) Hi Holy, Y. Bentaher, Gerald Avranche Chairman, Carina Palace, H. Aashoor, Julien Augé Sheikh Court Life, Majid Safedeen, W. J Lee Mohammed Qatar Fillies Nursery Stakes - bin Faleh Al Thoroughbreds Action from the second day of the Qatar Optimist Cup 2014 at Katara’s Thani (centre) 1400M Cultural Village in Doha yesterday. The six-day event will end on January presents a Running Time: 1:24:72 2. Around 31 sailors from eleven countries are competing in 12 races. memento in the Bronze Maquette, M. Hussain, T. O’Shea The event is open for competitors born in 1999 or after and is organised presence of Dahaab, A. de Mieulle, P. Convertino by Qatar Sailing and Rowing Federation (QSRF) in cooperation with QREC General Natural Charm, Jassim Al Ghazali, R. Mullen Doha Sailing Club. Manager Sami Jassim Al Doha Local Thoroughbred Oaks (Fillies) Boenain (sec- 1600M ond right) yes- Running Time: 1:39:93 Yasar takes early terday at QREC. Yasmeen, A. de Mieulle, Gaetan Faucon PICTURES BY: Hawra, M. Al Yaqout, P. Convertino JUHAIM Qhudoua, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry Bentley lead in Doha sailing Qatar L/B P/A Derby 1600M DOHA: Defending champion is in fourth place while Ghanim Running Time: 1:46:51 Rasim Yasar of Turkey emerged Al Sewaidi of Qatar is in fifth Al Murabitoon, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry as the sole leader at the end position. Around 31 sailors from Bentley of the second day of the Qatar eleven countries are competing Jenjal, M. Salama, Gerald Avranche Optimist Cup 2014. in 12 races. The event is open for AJS Al Rayyan, M. Al Yaqout, P. Convertino Yesterday Yasar picked the competitors born in 1999 or after. Doha Thoroughbred Oaks (Gr3) least number of penalties to break Besides hosts Qatar, sailors away from the rest of chasing from Algeria, Belgium, Bulgaria, 2000M pack. China, Denmark, Germany, India, Running Time: 2:03:98 The Turk, now has seven nett Netherlands, Switzerland and Makruma, Majid Safedeen, W. J Lee points in his kitty, while sec- Turkey are taking part in the Nadirah, A. de Mieulle, P. Convertino ond placed Florine Bramervaer championship. Charlie’s Wish, S. Ibido, Marco Monteriso of Netherlands is seven points Qatar is one of the four coun- behind the leader. tries which is fielding sailors in Qatar P/A Derby Okyanua Arikan of Turkey, both the boys and girls categories. 1600M who shared the lead with Yasar Turkey, India and Netherlands Running Time: 1:45:34 at the end of three races on the have one girl competitor each in Mister Ginoux, Thomas Fourcy, Julien Augé first day of racing, is now in the the event. Jockey Julien Auge receiving his trophy from an official. Auge rode Mister Ginoux to victory in the 1600 dirt Samjida, Jassim Al Ghazali, Harry Bentley third spot with 19 nett points. The six-day event will end on track race at QREC. RIGHT: Action from one of the races at QREC. Jann Schupbach of Switzerland January 2. THE PENINSULA Zameer,.M. Salama, Cedric Segeon Wednesday 31 December 2014 9 Rabial I 1436 Volume 19 Number 6296 Sport Price: QR2 Black Monday Liverpool end as three NFL 2014 with win coaches sacked over Swansea

Sport | 23 Sport | 24

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Dhoni announces retirement from Tests India’s most successful Test-match skipper to concentrate on 50-over and T20 formats

NEW DELHI: India’s World Australia that begins in Sydney He scored 4,876 runs during his “Always enjoyed playing Cup-winning captain Mahendra on January 6. 90 Test career at an average of together. Next target 2015 WC Singh Dhoni retired yesterday While India managed to hang 38.09 with six centuries. my friend!!” from Test cricket shortly after on for a draw in the third Test in But the pressure of being cap- Batting great Sunil Gavaskar his team lost yet another over- Melbourne yesterday, it was not tain, batsman and wicket-keeper said India will miss Dhoni in seas series, this time against enough to prevent Australia from in all three formats of the game Test cricket despite the recent Australia. regaining the Border-Gavaskar took its toll amid criticism of his criticism. Dhoni, who is one of the world’s Trophy. defensive approach in the five-day “India will miss Dhoni big time highest-earning sportsman, has The 33-year-old Dhoni, who game. because he gave a new dimension Indian bats- chosen “to retire from Test is also the team’s wicket-keeper, It was rumoured before the to Indian cricket,” the former man Mahendra Cricket with immediate effect took over as Test skipper in 2008 tour of Australia that Dhoni will captain told NDTV. Singh Dhoni in order to concentrate” on the after a successful spell captaining quit Tests after the series, but his “Over the last year or so, the plays a shot 50-over and Twenty20 formats the one-day and T20 sides. decision to do so even before the pressure of captaincy was prob- during the final of the game, a statement from Under his leadership, India Sydney Test surprised many. ably affecting his wicket-keeping. day of the third Indian cricket authorities said. became the top-ranked Test Dhoni, who also captained the The amount of cricket he was Test against Former team-mate and bat- nation in 2009, building on their Chennai Super Kings franchise in playing probably told on him.” Australia at ting legend Sachin Tendulkar victory in the inaugural World the Indian Premier League, was Another former captain Bishan the Melbourne was among those paying tribute Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007 rated by Forbes earlier this year Bedi said Dhoni’s decision to Cricket to Dhoni who was the most suc- in Dhoni’s first outing as captain. as the fifth richest sportsman in retire in the midst of a series left Ground (MCG) cessful Test-match skipper in But India have struggled when the world with an annual brand him “perplexed.” India’s history. playing away from home in recent value of $20m. “But that’s his prerogative. I in Melbourne The announcement comes just years. The poor record includes Record-breaking batsman wish him happy retirement,” Bedi yesterday. weeks before India are due to two 4-0 whitewashes in England Tendulkar, who quit Test cricket said. begin their defence of the 50-over and Australia in 2011 and a 3-1 last year, urged Dhoni to target Noted commentator Harsha World Cup trophy that Dhoni loss in England earlier this year. the World Cup that opens in Bhogle, meanwhile, tweeted: “If lifted on home soil in 2011. Dhoni was nevertheless India’s Australia and New Zealand on Dhoni says that the strain of play- Star batsman Virat Kohli, who most successful Test captain win- February 14. ing all forms is telling on him, was the vice-captain under Dhoni, ning 27 of the 60 Tests he led the “Well done on a wonderful we should accept and say ‘thank will lead the Indian team in the national side in, with 18 losses and career in Test cricket,” Tendulkar you’.” AFP fourth and final Test against 15 draws. tweeted.

Volunteers of the 17th Asian Clubs League Championship were honoured at a special ceremony held at the Qatar 2015 Volunteers Centre, located at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha recently. RIGHT: A volun- teer pose with his Appreciation Certificate. Qatar 2015 honours volunteers of Asian Clubs championship

DOHA: The Qatar 2015 Organising Committee has felic- itated 260 volunteers for their efforts during the 17th Asian Clubs League Championship at a special ceremony held at the Qatar 2015 Volunteers Centre, located at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha. Volunteers offered their serv- ices across several functional areas during the tournament that was held as a test event for the newly built Ali Bin Hamad Al Volunteers of the 17th Asian Clubs League Championship and officials Attiya Arena in Al Sadd. of Qatar 2015 cut a cake at the Qatar 2015 Volunteers Centre, located “Certificates of at the Qatar Sports Club in Doha recently. Appreciation”were given to the volunteers by Mohamad Jabor Al Mulla, Assistant Director Handball World Championship in helped to ensure that sufficient General of Qatar 2015 Organising January.” support will be provided during Committee and Director General Over the past months,Qatar the championship next year. of the 17th Asian Club League 2015 launched a series of commu- With role specific training being Championship. nity initiatives and open houses provided for registered volunteers, Congratulating the team, to encourage people to sign up the team has been prepared to be Mohamad Jabor Al Mulla said: for its Volunteer Programme. It of assistance at the three stadia “The 17th Asian Clubs League has been steadily building a team hosting the matches and other Championship brought together of 1500 volunteers from diverse non-competition venues such as ten clubs from six countries and cultural and professional back- the accommodation, accredita- the Volunteer team played an grounds to provide an enriching tion, airport services, protocol, important role as mediators and experience for all at the main spectator services, transport, points of contact between partic- championship. uniforms, workforce, media and ipating teams, VIPs, spectators The two test events have also broadcasting that will be hosting andthe media. We thank them given the team first-hand expe- members of the International for their enthusiasm and dedica- rience of the requirements of Handball Federation (IHF), ath- tion. We hope to bring everyone international sports events and a letes and visitors. together again for the 24th Men’s structured feedback process has THE PENINSULA