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Sunday 13 January 2013 1 Rabial I 1434 - Volume 17 Number 5578 Price: QR2

Investors get Shane clinches richer by over stunning win in QR21bn on QE Oryx Cup final

Business | 17 Sport | 25

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Protecting land Qatar Airways Al Jazeera flight diverted

DOHA: A Qatar Airways flight to an Indian city ‘losing’ Arab was diverted back to Doha early yesterday after a passenger complained of chest pain, accord- ing to reports in local Malayalam dailies. viewers The passenger, Padhmarajan, 40, complained of chest pain as soon as the flight took off at around 2am Arab Spring boomerangs yesterday for Calicut in the south Indian state of Kerala. DOHA: While Al Jazeera local events more ably covered Padhmarajan was rushed Media Network has embarked by independent national chan- to the emergency unit of on an ambitious expansion plan nels that have proliferated rap- Hamad Medical Corporation in the US with its acquisition of idly in a freer political climate, (HMC) where he was Al Gore’s Current TV, its popu- along with internet-borne social declared dead. lar flagship Arabic channel is media”, the report adds. The deceased had been losing ground nearer home. Lamenting the group’s alleg- living in Doha with family. Al Jazeera Arabic is fast los- edly biased and selective coverage It is not known if someone ing viewers in the Arab world, of the revolutions and ignoring from his family was accom- especially in countries where uprisings in some Arab coun- panying him in the flight. the channel provided exten- tries, the report said: “Moreover, His body was to be flown sive coverage of the revolu- Al Jazeera Arabic’s vaunted repu- home to Calicut early today. tions, says London-based ‘The tation for even-handedness has Palestinian activists fix flags on a tent in an ‘outpost’ named Bab Al Shams (Gate of the Sun) that they set Qatar Airways couldn’t be Economist’. withered in recent years”. up between Jerusalem and the Jewish settlement of Maale Adumim in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in immediately contacted for Numerous pan-Arab rivals “The repressed voices it once an area where Israel has vowed to build new settler homes, yesterday. Full report on page 10 comment. have sprouted in the Arab daringly aired, particularly of THE PENINSULA Spring countries as well as Iraq Islamists linked to the Muslim with a copycat mix of flashy Brotherhood, speak now from graphics, daring reportage and positions of power.” sizzling debate. Al Jazeera’s breathless boost- And to top it all, global media ing of rebel fighters in Libya firms such as Bloomberg, News and Syria, and of the Muslim Qatar renews call for Arab force in Syria Corporation and CNN have Brotherhood in Egypt, has made pushed into the Arab market, said many Arab viewers question its CAIRO: Qatar has made a killed more than 60,000 Syrians. all the parties agree with us. But Qatar, a supporter of rebels ‘The Economist’ in a report. veracity. fresh call for an Arab force to “Arabs must think seriously this does not mean that there seeking to overthrow Assad, The journal highlights that Al So has its tendency to ignore end bloodshed in Syria if cur- about sending forces to ensure are other tools to be used to stop made a similar proposal in Jazeera that provided “breathless” human rights abuses by those rent diplomatic efforts by inter- security in Syria if diplomatic the fighting in Syria,” the Prime September. In a speech to the coverage of the Arab Spring to same rebels, and its failure to national peace envoy Lakhdar efforts fail to resolve the cri- Minister said. UN General Assembly, the Emir bring a regime change in coun- treat uprisings in all Arab coun- Brahimi fail, according to Al sis,” Qatar’s Prime Minister and “It is not a question of inter- H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa tries such as Tunisia, Egypt and tries equally. Jazeera television. Foreign Minister, H E Sheikh vention in Syria in favour of Al Thani said Arab states should Libya is facing stiff competition The world-renowned jour- Brahimi is trying to build on Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al one party against the other, but intervene in Syria given the UN from the local players. nal, in its report, also hinted an agreement reached in Geneva Thani, said in remarks broadcast rather a force to preserve secu- Security Council’s failure to stop “Ironically, the Arab revo- that not only viewers but some on June 30 calling for a transi- by Al Jazeera. rity,” the Prime Minister, who the civil war. lutions that Al Jazeera glee- of the senior Al Jazeera corre- tional period in Syria. But dif- “From the beginning we all heads an Arab League com- Russia yesterday voiced sup- fully promoted have produced spondents also endorsed that the ferences between Russia and the agree that a military solution is mittee on Syria, said. “In my port for Brahimi’s efforts but a challenge to its dominance. Channel is biased towards Muslim United States over the future undesirable. Neither the Arab opinion, Arabs must seriously insisted Assad’s exit cannot be Audiences in countries such Brotherhood. of President Bashar Al Assad League nor the Arab Ministerial consider this (solution) if other a precondition for a deal to end as Egypt, Iraq and Tunisia are THE PENINSULA continue to block a deal to end Committee on Syria, which I means fail. Arabs are capable of the country’s conflict. now gripped by fast-moving Continued on page 6 21 months of violence that has chair, favours this option, and ending the bloodshed,” he said. Continued on page 6

Kuwait beat Saudi Fire kills 13 in Many old buildings Bahrain workers’ housing block may face demolition DOHA: The municipal minis- Old Airport, Bin Mahmoud, MANAMA: A fire in a three- try is to decide soon the fate Old Salata, Old Ghanem, Doha storey block housing Asian of a large number of old and Jadeed, Al Asmakh, Freej Abdul workers in the Bahraini capital dilapidated buildings in some Aziz, Bin Omran and New and killed at least 13 people, the state key areas of Doha and Al Old Al Rayyan. BNA news agency reported late Rayyan, and it is likely that Interestingly, the owners of on Friday. One firefighter was many of them will come under the buildings that are eventu- also injured when the building’s bulldozers. ally earmarked for being razed roof collapsed during a rescue The Ministry of Municipality would be required to pay a fee attempt, the news agency added. and Urban Planning has a list of and share 25 percent of the An investigation was under way these buildings and an internal cost of the demolition with the to determine the cause of the fire, committee is studying which ministry. which broke out on Friday in the ones to spare for renovation The real estate registra- building in the Makharka district of and which ones are to be razed tion of buildings whose owners central Manama. Foreigners make to the ground. refuse to pay the fee and share up 54 percent of the 1.234-million The Ministry says it is empow- the cost of demolition would be population of Bahrain. ered by the law to demolish a scrapped. In other words, the Kuwait’s Yousef Al Sulaiman (20) kicks the ball to score a goal past Saudi Arabia’s goalkeeper Waleed Abdullah AFP building without seeking the owners would not be able to sell during their Gulf Cup tournament soccer match in Isa Town, Bahrain, yesterday. Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia 1-0. consent of its owner if it is found the property. Only one of the endangering people’s lives. above-mentioned ramshackle What apparently worries the buildings belongs to the govern- ministry is the fact that many ment, it is understood. of these buildings are occupied, The ministry is also mulling Empty West Bay towers await single tenants mainly by expatriates, despite amending the law to make it being uninhabitable due to their mandatory for building owners dilapidated condition. to keep the passage between one BY SATISH KANADY single tenants rather than sev- When a tower is rented out to about looking for new tenants in Only one of these ram- building and another clean at eral of them. multiple entities the chances of the event the existing ones go. shackle structures, a building all times. DOHA: A number of towers Owner-investors believe leas- several floors lying vacant for long Blue chip companies seldom like located behind Bank Street, has The amendment would also in the West Bay area, called ing out commercial space to a sin- are high, owners fear. to move into a tower where other been referred to the Museums make it illegal for building own- Doha’s Manhattan, are lying gle tenant guarantees long-term They believe it is difficult to find floors are occupied by other com- Authority and there is a possibility ers to use rooftops as storage areas vacant as their owners insist on income, in addition to helping cut a tenant for a vacant floor if the panies”, he said. it will be declared a heritage site. and garbage dumps. They would leasing them out to single ten- down management costs. other floors are occupied. “There is According to investors, single If the Museums Authority be required to keep the rooftops ants in order to ensure hassle- According to leading prop- a risk of losing the annual income tenants are more flexible and will- decides to adopt the building as a clean and tidy at all times. free and long-term income. erty consultants, there are quite 40 to 50 percent in the event of ing to go for long-term relation- historical site, it could carry out There is a likelihood that This points to a new trend a number of towers in the West renting out a tower to multiple ships with property owners. The the necessary repairs and declare civic inspectors will be armed emerging in Qatar’s booming Bay waiting for single tenants. tenants,” said Jed Wolfe, Managing mutual trust and the guarantee it a part of Qatari heritage. with judicial powers to carry out property market as real estate Renting out a 30-40 storey build- Director of Asteco Qatar. of long-term income tend to boost The areas in which the old and regular inspections of rooftops investors seem to be keen on rent- ing to several tenants means the “A single tenant means that the business confidence of both, the dilapidated buildings are located of buildings. ing out multistorey commercial owner has to spend a lot of money you will get a guaranteed income tenants and the property owners. include Najma, Umm Ghuwailina, THE PENINSULA buildings, especially towers, to to manage the building. for long. And you need not bother THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME 155 workers complete Rota’s English course 52 volunteers from universities, QP participate

DOHA: A total of 155 clean- “In addition, it affirms QP’s Abdulla Al Saleh. “We are ers, pantry staff and other sup- commitment to the social devel- extremely grateful to QP for its port staff, recently completed opment of Qatar as we contribute assistance as the RAEL pro- an English language course in empowering people with valu- gramme looks to continue teach- under Reach Out To Asia’s able skills that will surely make a ing language skills that make a Adult English Literacy (RAEL) difference in their lives”. real difference to people’s lives”. initiative sponsored by Qatar Inaugurated in 2009, the RAEL The RAEL programme provides Petroleum. programme was created by Roata both an educational opportunity Fifty-two volunteers from to teach English literacy and for workers who may have had Georgetown School of Foreign language skills to low-skilled limited schooling in their own Service-Qatar, Texas A&M migrant workers, in partnership countries, and a valuable service University at Qatar, Weill Cornell with Al Jaidah Group and several learning opportunity for that gives Medical College Qatar, Rota and Education City universities such students and volunteers new skills Qatar Petroleum participated in the as Georgetown University School and an understanding of different RAEL fall semester programme. of Foreign Service, Carnegie communities and their needs. “Sponsoring Reach Out To Asia’s Mellon University, Texas A & M Volunteers attend a two-day Adult English Literacy programme University at Qatar and Weill training programme to qualify A Rota Adult English Literacy class in progress. clearly demonstrates the strength Cornell Medical College Qatar. as Literacy Trainers. The train- of QP’s partnership approach “Receiving the support of ing covers practical information personal copy of the RAEL cur- literacy classes have traditionally The 2012-13 fall semester in our corporate social respon- Qatar’s most prominent corpora- relating to teaching English, riculum, in addition to lesson been delivered over a period of 16 began in October and ended sibility (CSR) initiatives,” said tion is testament to the success communication across language plans and activity sheets. weeks with a mid-course break in December, while the Spring Abdulrahman Abdulla M Al Obaidly, of Rota’s Adult English Literacy barriers, and the effects of glo- The trainers are responsible for after the first 8 weeks, which semester starts in February and Manager for Public Relations and initiative,” said Roata National bal migration. At the end of the teaching workers based in their is planned to coincide with the finishes in April 2013. Communications of QP. Programme Director, Mohammed training the trainers are given a university or organisation. The December break. THE PENINSULA Cuban community hails new migration policy

DOHA: The growing Cuban community in Qatar is eagerly looking forward to the new migration policy of the Caribbean country which will come into force tomorrow, said the Cuban Ambassador, Ernesto Plasencia. Among other things, the changes in this policy will allow Cubans to leave the island without an exit permit or invitation from a citizen of the country of destination. Plasencia told The Peninsula, “there has been a mat- uration process in the country’s relationship with its migrants. Now a Cuban emigrant can send their child to study at the University in Cuba,” he added. From Monday, in order to travel Cubans will only need to submit the passport and the visa issued by the country of destination when it’s required. “We have normalised our relationship with our emi- grants. There are 1,5 million Cubans living in over 150 countries, and 99.9 percent left for economic reasons, just like it happens in many other countries,” said Plasencia. The ambassador said that Cuba was the first Latin American country to establish an embassy in Qatar nearly 20 years ago. He added that bilateral relations are of mutual respect and collaboration, with the embassy focus- ing on consolidating projects such as the Cuban Hospital. Thanks to this hospital, which was officially inaugu- rated in January 2012, the Cuban population in Qatar will be around 400 at the end of the month, with the medical staff at the hospital reaching 386. However, only 25 people are registered residents here, said the ambassador. THE PENINSULA

Texas A&M hosts chemistry meet with Qafco support

DOHA: Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) recently hosted the Qafco-Texas A&M at Qatar Chemistry Conference 2013 on Thursday at the University’s Engineering Building in Education City. The conference explored green chemistry and its appli- cation to environmental challenges as its main focus. This was the sixth event of this annual programme with Qafco that began in 2007. The conference featured technical programmes and sessions showcased opinions and research from some of the most respected names in green chemistry and engineering. TAMUQ Dean and CEO Dr Mark H Weichold noted the importance of collaborations between industry and academia such as the chemistry conference saying:“Thank you to Qafco for unwavering support of Texas A&M at Qatar. This generous support is a wise investment, as the opportunities it creates through the free flow of ideas between scholars and industry practitioners work to solve complex global challenges.” Dr Paul T Anastas, professor of chemistry and director of the Centreor Green Chemistry and Green Engineering at Yale University, gave the eynote address,“Green Chemistry: Current Status and Future Challenges.” Anastas is credited with establishing the field of green chemistry during his time working for the US Environmental Protection Agency as the Chief of the Industrial Chemistry Branch and as the Director of the US Green Chemistry Programme Qafco Vice-Chairman and CEO Khalifa Al Sowaidi emphasisd the importance of academic and indus- trial cooperation, and said: “I am proud that Qafco has been associated with this noble venture for so long and will continue to support similar ventures in future, as we are aware of our higher role on the global platform.” Dr Hassan Bazzi, chair of TAMUQ Science Programme and associate professor of chemistry, said: “This confer- ence comes as the University celebrates its tenth anni- versary, a great milestone for us. A few weeks ago, the UN climate conference concluded its historical summit in Doha, and this goes very well with the theme that we chose for the conference, Green Chemistry & Green Engineering.” THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Guiragossian works go on show at The Pearl The Family exhibition features 17 paintings

FROM LEFT: Jean Paul Guiragossian, Manuella Guiragossian and Emmanuel Guiragossian addressing the media at the Anima Gallery at the Pearl Qatar here yesterday. (SALIM MATRAMKOT)

BY ISABEL OVALLE show in Beirut and also exhibited exhibition, Manuella Guiragossian collectively in Europe, the United said that the artist can contribute DOHA: The first exhibition States, Armenia, Belorussia, and to help people in suffering with displaying works of renowned Arab countries such as Egypt, a positive approach to the prob- Armenian-Lebanese painter Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Syria. lems that impact human life. “It’s Paul Guiragossian, his sons Among his five children, important for me to take positiv- Emmanuel and Jean Paul and three pursued a career in art. ity, inspire others and bring hope,” his daughter Manuella, opened Emmanuel, the eldest, is a painter, she added. its doors yesterday at Anima sculptor, graphic artist, publisher The family has one big studio Gallery at The Pearl Qatar. and musician. He belongs to a sixth in Lebanon where they discuss Until February 28, the ‘The generation of artists and grew up how to improve their work. Both Family’ exhibition will feature 17 influenced by his grandmother’s Paul and Emmanuel paintings are paintings — all of which have the stories about the war. mainly about the human condition, human element in common —with The other son, Jean Paul, has while Jean Paul paints about injus- a price range from QR3,650 to also worked very lively through- tice towards women and nature. QR328,500. out the years, participating in It’s the first joint exhibition for The show comprises four pieces numerous collective exhibitions in the Guiragossian’s and also the by Paul Guiragossian, which he Berlin, Tokyo, Paris, Madrid, New first one for all of them in Doha. painted between 1980 and 1987, York, London and Los Angeles. Jean Paul said that at first it was another six pieces by Manuella, Manuella, the youngest of the difficult for them to say yes to the painted in 2010 and 2012, four by siblings taking part in the exhibi- proposal of curator Ghada Sholy Emmanuel painted in 2007, 2008 tion, has concentrated mainly in of Anima Gallery. However, “she and 2009, and three by Jean Paul animations and had her first solo chose the paintings perfectly, painted in 2001 and 2008. exhibition in 1989. In 2011, she selecting those that were con- Paul Guiragossian (1926-1993) established the Paul Guiragossian nected without competing with was born in a family of artists. He Foundation. each other,” he added. was the first artist to do a solo At a press briefing to launch the THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Demand-supply gap in property market narrows Demand for residential buildings rises, says expert

BY SATISH KANADY a 15 percent increase over the last one year, said Jed. DOHA: Qatar’s property mar- One-bedroom apartments in ket is fast narrowing in its prime locations proved most pop- demand-supply gap. The ‘over- ular within the residential leasing hanging’ of Qatar’s real estate market, while prime luxury villas market is an old story; and of high quality performed the best looking from a medium term during 2012. Demand for good to long-term perspective, the quality, prime villas have margin- demand side is set to erode the ally outstripped supply and this country’s previously oversupply trend is likely to continue. record, a top property consult- The performance of the prop- ant has said. erty market is set to boost in 2013 Hit by huge demand-supply with the major contracts for key gap, Qatar’s property market projects for rail net work and has been considerably overhang- associated construction projects ing since 2009. But 2012 saw a are awarded. 20 percent increase in terms of The demand is fast outstrip- Asean community members engaged in a tug-of-war competition during the Family Day at the Barzan Olympic transaction volume and a high 35 ping the supply in the commercial Park in Umm Salal Ali yesterday. (KAMMUTTY VP) percent in value terms, Jed Wolfe sector too, especially in the prime (pictured), Managing Director, Residential market is fast pick- Diplomatic/West Bay areas. The Asteco Qatar told The Peninsula. ing up in Qatar. A breakdown rate of vacant space in prime Asean Committee holds Family The demand side of residen- in terms of leasing configura- locations has reduced consider- tial market is fast picking up tions of 2012 residential renting ably. The demand-supply gap will in Qatar. In projects like The shows a 30 percent growth in further narrow down by the end Pearl Qatar, there are very few one-bedroom apartment and 40 of 2013, he said. Day; Thailand is new chairman vacant units available. The one- percent increase in two-bedroom In the commercial leasing mar- bed room apartment segment is apartments. The three-bedroom ket, the vast proportion of tenant BY RAYNALD C RIVERA festival could be on the list. and socio-cultural commu- fully booked. apartment segment has recorded inquiries were from international Asked on the existing relations nity and this event targets the companies seeking 200 to DOHA: A cultural festival is among Asean missions here, he socio-cultural aspect”, said 600sqm of space. The 2012 among the events likely to be said: “We have very good relations Ambassador Relacion, adding Q4 witnessed the final let- organised by the Association but we want to have more peo- the Family Day was a big oppor- tings in Tornado Tower of Southeast Asian Nations ple-to-people contact and events tunity for the different staff of and Al Fardan Commercial (Asean) Committee in Doha such as festivals are an excellent the embassies to get acquainted Tower, two of the most this year under the chairman- platform.” with each other. prestigious office towers in ship of Thailand. Philippine Ambassador Ambassador Relacion consid- West Bay. “One of our aims is to make our Crescente R Relacion, who ered the first Asean Gala Dinner With the government presence felt in the Qatari com- chaired the committee for the last held last year under the chair- issuing orders that future munity and promote camarade- six months, was of the same view manship of Malaysia as a major constructions in the rie among the Asean community saying: “We have very close rela- achievement of the ACD since it Diplomatic areas should members and a festival could be tions. The Asean heads of mission was formally established one year not have more than 20 organised to showcase food and meet at least every month and we ago. floors, the demand has way of life of member countries,” also have a working committee Among the achievements of the almost outstripped the sup- Panyarak Poolthup, Ambassador headed by deputy heads of mis- ACD under the chairmanship of ply in this area. Plots are of Thailand, told The Peninsula sion, who are planning out for the the Philippine mission included no more being developed in yesterday. different activities.” a cultural extravaganza celebrat- this area. Yesterday, Thailand took over The turn-over ceremony yes- ing the founding anniversary of The fact that the Doha the reins as the new chairman terday was held as an important Asean in August last year and a outskirts are emerging as of the Asean Committee in Doha part of the Asean Family Day painting contest in October the prime locations is another (ACD) for the next six months jointly organised by embassies of same year. indications of a matur- after the Philippines. Brunei and Vietnam, featuring Established on August 8, 1967, ing Qatari property mar- Ambassador Poolthup said fun games and authentic delica- Asean currently has 10 mem- ket. The West Bay Area the heads of missions of seven cies from each country. It was ber countries, seven of which and Doha Downtown are Asean countries represented held at Barzan Olympic Park in have embassies in Qatar. They considered a s prime loca- in Doha will hold a meeting at Umm Salal Ali. are Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, tions and the rents are the end of this month to chart “The three pillars of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, very high. Not all business out plans for activities in the Asean community include the and Vietnam. can afford these. So land next six months and an Asean group as an economic, political THE PENINSULA developers are offering new locations. According to Jed, the growing land value is unlikely to have its bearing on the rentals. “The the ibq launches credit card promotion Gulf market is different. In terms of commercial space, tenants have a major stake DOHA: The International Bank of Qatar (ibq) announced the launch of its new year-long credit cards in fixing rents. The residen- promotion offering all ibq credit cardholders superb savings at a range of premium merchant partners tial rentals are often influ- spanning hotels, dining outlets and more, a press release said yesterday. enced by the income levels The promotion runs from December 1, 2012 to December 31, 2013 with premium hotels, restaurants, of expatriates”. cafes, beauty, fashion and health centres partnering with ibq to provide its credit cardholders with added- THE PENINSULA value benefits year-round. In addition to the merchant programme, credit card customers benefit from free purchase protection and free travel insurance as part of the overall ibq credit card value proposition The bank’s new merchant partner base includes: La Cigale Hotel, The Ritz-Carlton Doha, Four Seasons Doha Hotel, The St Regis Doha, Whyndham Grand Regency Doha, Sharq Village & Spa, The Torch, Millennium Hotel Doha, Grand Heritage Doha Hotel and Spa, Oryx Rotana Doha, Movenpick Tower & Suites Doha, 51 East, iSpace, Clarks, Mephisto, Point Zero, Bose, Bang & Olufsen, Tasmeem Flowers & Chocolates, 4 U, Dados Beauty, Qatar Optics, L’Ottico, Optic Gallery, Optifashion, Lunette, Grand Optical, Impression Boutique, Dados Boutique, Consult Dental Center, Gulf Adventures Tourism, Le Notre Paris, Roger’s Diner, Dunia Restaurant, Chili’s, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Johnny Rockets, MBCO and Bert’s Cafe. Luis Tomassoni, Head of Products and Marketing at ibq said: “This exclusive promotion for our credit cardhold- ers is supported by our wide range of premium merchant partners, offering our customers tangible value, benefits and banking experience. We understand our customers demanding lifestyle needs and as such our range of credit cards brings to the market the most comprehensive fea- tures, best-in-class services and exciting promotions. This underscores our commitment to position ibq as the Bank of Choice in Qatar.” The credit cards of the bank are supported by a full retail banking platform including a 24/7 call centre, online banking with ibqonline and SMS banking, making banking convenient and easy for everyone. THE PENINSULA World Customs Organisation Secretary-General arrives

DOHA: World Customs Organisation (WCO) Secretary-General Kunio Mikuriya arrived in Doha yesterday on a two-day visit. While in Doha he will be briefed on Qatar’s Customs Department’s regional and international projects, programmes and strategic plans. The official’s visit aims to activate means of cooperation between Qatar’s Customs Department and WCO, consid- ered the umbrella that covers regional and international customs work. QNA SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 QU signs MoU for CO2 project Oryx GTL to fund and provide expertise to Gas Processing Centre

DOHA: Qatar University (QU) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Oryx GTL for a research project with the university’s Gas Processing Centre (GPC) in the area of CO2 management. The agreement’s main objec- tive is to provide assistance to the GPC in developing its research portfolio and in gradu- ating qualified Qatari nationals to contribute their knowledge and skills to this sector. Under the agreement, Oryx GTL will fund and pro- vide expertise to support the Centre’s CO2 capture research project entitled “Process Development for CO2 Capture: Bench Scale Tests of Selected Chemical Solvents” which will evaluate the performance of different chemical solvents in capturing CO2 from the flue gas of a simulated natural gas-fired power plant. Qatar University, through the GPC, will provide labo- ratory space, equipment and manpower for the project dura- tion. There will be exchange of Officials of Qatar University and Oryx GTL sign the memorandum of understanding. information and joint monitor- ing of the programme between Processing Center in develop- Qatar’s needs for professionals we led Qatar into the future as the two parties as well as joint ing its research portfolio, which in this field,” said GPC Director the world’s GTL capital. With activities such as workshops and we believe is vital for the future Prof Abdelwahab Aroussi. QU and GPC, we are proud to conferences, supporting stu- of Qatar’s gas industry and its Oryx GTL Technical Manager once again go back to our roots dents’ projects, summer train- role in the National Vision Marcel Krause noted that “Oryx and take a pioneering role, this ing supervision, among others. 2030. Oryx GTL is committed GTL was brought into existence time in the development of cut- College of Engineering to supporting academic work in to pioneer novel technology — it ting-edge fundamental scientific (CENG) Acting Dean Dr Rashid Qatar to help overcome these is in our blood. We were the knowledge”. Al Ammari said: “Today we have challenges to the sustainable first world scale GTL plant and THE PENINSULA another example of the shared development of our natural vision of collaboration between resources, and we look for- academia and industry towards a ward to the findings of this common vision. We look forward research project,” said Oryx to continuing our long relation- GTL Chief Operating Officer ship with Oryx GTL especially Etienne Rademeyer. on this research project which “It is an invaluable oppor- studies an area of great impor- tunity for us to collaborate tance not only to the GPC but to with Oryx GTL on this Qatar and the rest of the world research that will be of great in dealing with CO2 mitigation”. benefit to Qatar and will “A key objective of this provide our students with agreement is to assist the Gas knowledge and skills to meet SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME

Emir receives QR20bn shopping malls to come up telephone call from Erdogan Most of new facilities to be built in Gharafa, Wakra, Kharatiat and Al Khor DOHA: The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani DOHA: Qatar will soon have received yesterday a tele- more cozy shopping malls and phone call from Recep Tayyip commercial complexes with at Erdogan, Prime Minister of the least nine such facilities costing Republic of Turkey. They dis- a whopping QR20bn planned in cussed bilateral ties and the lat- the next three years. est developments in the region. Most of the new facilities will be built in Gharafa, Kharatiyat, Qatar sends aid Wakra and Al Khor and some will be based in the new township to shipment for be developed on the location of the existing Doha International Syrian refugees Airport, according to Al Sharq. The UAE-based Al Futaim DOHA: Under the sublime Group has already announced directives of the Heir Apparent plans to open its first shopping H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad mall in Qatar, Doha Festival City, Al Thani, an urgent shipment which is expected to cost QR6bn. of Qatari aid was sent to Syrian Industry sources expect the facil- refugees in the Zaatari refugee ity to be ready in two to three camp in Jordan. years. A source from the Qatar’s Ezdan will build three malls Foreign Ministry told Qatar in Gharafa, Wakra and Wukair News Agency that the 38 tonnes under its new arm Ezdan Mall of aid included tents, blankets and Company to be launched very clothes to help the refugees face soon, said the daily. the bad weather conditions. The North Gate Mall, a luxury The source stressed that the aid shopping facility in Khartiyat is was sent out of Qatar’s sense of duty expected to be completed by next towards the Syrian people in their year, while work on the Marina plight. He added that the brotherly Mall would start this year. The and historic relations between the Doha Mall in Mesaimeer costing people of both countries was also QR2.5bn and the Tawar Mall are a catalyst that prompted Qatar to among the other projects in the send the aid shipment. It is also as pipeline. part of Qatar’s continuous efforts Industry experts believe that to alleviate the suffering of the there is still space for big shop- Syrian people, he said. ping malls in Qatar, with a booming market and growing Board members population. “Qatar still do not have many for Wakrah Youth big shopping malls. Over the past three years, only one such facility Centre named was opened in Al Khor,” said a An artist’s impression of the Doha Festival City. senior official of a leading hyper- DOHA: The Minister of market chain. depends on many factors, mainly There are many shopping facili- of facilities may not necessar- are mainly dependent on the Culture, Arts and Heritage, “The market will become more the location, the way it is managed ties in key locations that are ily bring the prices down since prices in international market. H E Dr Hamad bin Abdul Aziz vibrant with opening of more and the nature of its business. struggling to win customers,” he the market in Qatar is already Local factors have only limited Al Kuwari, issued a decision commercial facilities,” he added. “Professionalism in manage- said. competitive. impact on the prices,” he said. appointing a board of directors The success of a new facility ment is a very important factor. The increase in the number “Commodity prices in Qatar THE PENINSULA for the Wakra Youth Centre. The Minister chose Dr Khalid bin Nasser Al Khater as president and Hassan Abbas Hassan Abdul Rahim, Youssef Abdullah Abdul Fisherman given Rahman Al Abdullah, Reem Said Mubarak Al Khater and Hassan one year in jail for Renowned diabetes specialist joins HMC Abdullah Mohammed Saleh as members of the board. crossing border DOHA: The Hamad Medical process of establishing a dedi- and expertise in diabetes will be The decision said that the Corporation (HMC) has cated, one-stop, multidiscipli- invaluable in supporting and board shall elect one of the mem- DOHA: A criminal court has brought in a renowned diabetes nary diabetes centre within developing our current initia- bers to be a vice-president, secre- sentenced a fisherman to a year specialist and endocrinologist Hamad General Hospital, bring- tives in this area,” said HMC tary-general and assistant to the in jail after he ventured into the to support its efforts to tackle ing together a range of services Managing Director Dr Hanan Al secretary-general. The board’s Qatari territorial waters with the rising incidence of diabetes under one roof. Kuwari duration is four years according his vessel illegally and tried to and metabolic diseases in the The clinic will be staffed by Abou-Samra has held previous to the decision. The centre’s head- prevent arrest by hitting the country. physicians, dieticians, patient roles as Professor of Medicine quarters will be located in Wakra. boat of the Qatari coast guard. The International Diabetes educators and podiatrists and will and Chief of Endocrinology, The court, however, kept its Federation has indicated that the offer a variety of services includ- Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Private firms sentence in suspension for three prevalence of diabetes in Qatar ing an eye clinic and insulin pump at Wayne State University School years and ordered that the fisher- is about 20 percent, HMC said clinic. Due to be operational by of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. asked to create man be deported. yesterday, while announcing the mid- 2013, the centre will play an His career includes senior aca- A witness from Qatar’s coast appointment of Professor Abdul important role in the treatment demic and hospital appointments jobs for nationals guards told the judges that when Badi Abou Samra (pictured), and management of diabetes in at the Harvard Medical School, they sighted the fishing vessel as Chair of the Department of Qatar. Massachusetts General Hospital DOHA: The Ministry of Labour they fired two warning shots for Medicine. “Professor Abou-Samra will be and Lyon University in France, has asked private companies to it to stop, but instead of stopping Abou Samra is a specialist in a key figure in the future design among others. well as finding innovative and review their work mechanisms the man in the vessel tried to hit the fields of biochemistry, endo- and operation of our National “I look forward to working with long lasting ways to prevent its and create job opportunities for the boat of the security guards crinology, internal medicine and Diabetes Centre and he will help the committed team at HMC on spread,” Professor Abou-Samra locals in a bid to steamroll the with his vessel. molecular biology. us to lead research in this field improved treatments for people said of his new role. state’s job nationalisation drive “We, however, managed to stop HMC is currently in the to tackle diabetes. His experience living with diabetes in Qatar as THE PENINSULA in the private sector. his vessel and arrest him,” said The ministry has said the per- the witness. centage of citizens in private jobs THE PENINSULA is quite low at barely five percent and it needs to be increased to 15 Premier blasts National Library percent by the end of the current plan period (2011-16). Assad’s remarks Hakkasan restaurant to open at to move to new The ministry, which is tasked with achieving the above target, Continued from page 1 building soon is expected to review its own Brahimi indicated the issue of recruitment policy to help nation- Assad, whom the US, European St Regis Doha on January 16 DOHA: The Qatar National als get into the private sector in powers and Gulf-led Arab states Library (QNL) (Dar Al increasing numbers. insist must step down to end the DOHA: Hakkasan, the Doha highlights our success in culinary destination.” Kutb), the oldest pub- Private players have been asked war, was a sticking point at a Michelin-starred, modern both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. It was Since the opening of Hakkasan lic library in Qatar will be to assess their job requirements meeting on Friday with envoys Cantonese fine dining restau- only logical to bring Hakkasan to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, Hakkasan moving to a 14-storey build- for the next five years and pro- from Russia and the United rant, is to open doors in Doha Doha and we look forward to a has quickly earned its title as the ing near the Qatar National vide feedback to the ministry States . on January 16 at The St Regis long and fruitful relationship with Emirate’s foremost dining des- Museum very soon, a senior about manpower requirements in “We support this effort,” said Doha. The St Regis Doha”. tination, attracting the likes of official has said. terms of qualifications, speciali- Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem, refer- Following the successful launch Head Chef Lai Min Wei, formerly Uma Thurman, Morgan Freeman, “The building is ready and sations and experience for those ing to Brahimi’s peace initiative. of Hakkasan in Abu Dhabi and of Hakkasan Dubai has overseen and Clive Owen and achieving a only the furnishing work who would be filling those jobs. “But until when? We cannot wait Dubai, Doha will be the third res- the creation and preparation of the staggering line up of accolades as remains. Some administrative As preparations for the FIFA forever on this issue.” taurant in the GCC region and Hakkasan menu which has been rig- a testament to its success. These procedures are also to be com- 2022 event get under way, the Diplomacy, he said, “may con- the latest addition to Doha’s bur- orously tested and tweaked in order include Caterer Middle East’s pleted. We will be moving as ministry has asked the private tinue for two or three or four geoning restaurant scene. to ensure the highest of standards. Top Outlet Opening of the Year soon these are over,” QNL direc- sector to provide details of added weeks, but no more because there Beautifully designed by Woods Hakkasan Doha will continue the 2010, Time Out Abu Dhabi’s Best tor Abdullah Nasser Al Ansari jobs they would be creating, Al is a tragic situation in Syria. We Bagot UK, Hakkasan Doha fea- proud tradition of including signa- Newcomer Restaurant Award told Al Sharq. Sharq reported yesterday. cannot justify that we are now tures a private valet service ture dishes found across its restau- 2010, three category wins at The new premises will include talking of solutions.” access set within the gardens of rants including Peking Duck with the UAE people’s choice What’s a special section for children’s ‘Jazeera English Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem the St Regis Hotel Doha. The new Caviar, Jasmine Tea smoked Wagyu On Awards 2010 ceremony books, and an activity room blasted Assad’s statement that 120 cover restaurant features a Beef Ribs and Grilled Chilean – the Favourite Far Eastern for the public, among other not immune’ the fighting was not over power. dramatic entrance through its Seabass with Chinese Honey. In Restaurant, Favourite New facilities. “If the conflict is not over power, iconic long corridor in slate stone keeping with Hakkasan’s ritual, Comer and for the Best Chef of There is also a plan to add more Continued from page 1 why does he not hand over power and offers an additional capacity Doha will have a number of specially the Year 2010, and Time Out Abu titles and include more services at “It is not just viewers who notice. to the Syrian people,” the Premier of 60 seats on its outside terrace. designed dishes, including Stir-fried Dhabi’s Best Chinese Award 2011. the library, said the official. When Sultan Qassemi, a pundit in asked. The stunning terrace features Duck with Wing Bean or Shanghai Since its 2001 opening in London, Functioning in a small, old the United Arab Emirates, wrote an The Premier stressed that any cascading wooden pavilions sur- Fried Lamb Tenderloin. Hakkasan has developed a loyal building near the Souq area for article last year noting the channel’s solution that includes the Assad rounded by exquisite greenery, Tareq Derbas, General following across its US, UK and many years, the QNL has been pro-Brotherhood bias, he said dozens regime will not end the blood- creating a relaxed garden atmos- Manager of The St Regis Doha Middle Eastern restaurants. A facing severe space constraints of Al Jazeera staff sent confirming bath. “We support the opposition phere and serving as the perfect said: “The opening of such an favorite amongst the internationally and was on the look out for new e-mails.” “Not a few such people, and the Syrian people in their venue for both private gatherings iconic restaurant within our renowned trendsetters, Hakkasan premises. including star correspondents in quest for liberation from this and large parties. The restaurant grounds is a testament to the restaurants have long been synony- There had been reports Beirut, Berlin, Cairo, Moscow and regime,” he said, pointing to the will also feature a Ling-Ling vision and drive of our owners. mous with contemporary Chinese earlier that the facility would Paris, have quit in recent years. death and destruction that have Lounge, ideal for small intimate Hakkasan Doha completes our dishes in elegant surroundings be shifted to another build- Even Al Jazeera English, with ravaged the country for nearly gatherings. extensive dining offering and whether it be in New York, Los ing near the Hamad General a solid reputation built since its two years. Niall Howard, CEO, Hakkasan will certainly contribute to posi- Angeles, London or Dubai. Hospital. birth in 2006, is not immune.” REUTERS & QNA said: “The opening of Hakkasan tioning the hotel as Doha’s best THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA/QNA SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07

Hosni Mubarak Many killed in hostage rescue bid questioned France loses pilot in air raid on Somali town; hostage likely dead in operation over gifts PARIS: At least one French soldier died worth millions and 17 Islamists were killed in a failed bid to free a French hostage held in CAIRO: Egypt’s ousted presi- southern Somalia since 2009, the French dent Hosni Mubarak was yes- defence minister said yesterday. terday questioned over gifts The operation to free the secret agent, worth millions of Egyptian with the alias of Denis Allex, was launched pounds allegedly received from by France’s elite DGSE secret service, the country’s flagship state Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said newspaper, a judicial source in a statement. said. “All indications are (that Allex was) Mubarak, who is already serv- killed by his captors,” Le Drian said, add- ing a life sentence for his involve- ing that one French pilot was killed and ment in the death of protesters another soldier was missing. He had ear- during the 2011 uprising that top- lier spoken of two dead troops. pled him, was ordered detained But the Shebab extremists denied Le for 15 days pending the investiga- Drian’s assertion that they had killed the tion, the source said. hostage, adding that they would decide his According to the official MENA fate in two days and issuing a stern warn- news agency, Mubarak received ing to Paris. gifts worth seven million Egyptian “In the end, it will be the French citizens pounds ($1m) from the Al-Ahram who will inevitably taste the bitter conse- press foundation between 2006 quences of their government’s devil-may- and 2011 when he was ousted. care attitude towards hostages,” a Shebab The ailing 84-year-old presi- statement said. dent has appealed the life sen- Le Drian said the raid in Bulomarer, tence and a court will look into some 110km south of the Somali capital the appeal today. Mogadishu, was sparked by the “intran- He was acquitted of previous sigence of the terrorists who have refused corruption charges on a techni- to negotiate for three and a half years cality, but his two sons who were and were holding Denis Allex in inhuman on trial with him, are facing fresh conditions.” fraud charges. French President Francois Hollande Several Mubarak-era ministers expressed his a great distress over the and officials are currently in jail deaths and extended his condolences to for corruption. the families of victims. Mubarak is currently being Sheikh Mohamed Abdallah, a local treated at a military hospital, Shebab military commander, said: where he was moved from prison, “Mujahedeen fighters defeated the so-called suffering from cracked ribs and commandos of the French government who fluid in the lungs. tried to rescue a hostage, and they (the Meanwhile, unknown attack- commandos) left the bodies of several of ers threw petrol bombs at tents their own at the site of the attack.” housing protesters outside the Abdallah is the commander of Bulomarer. Egyptian presidential palace in The Shebab statement said the French car- Cairo yesterday, injuring dozens ried away “several” of their dead. A man talks to a Somali soldier who was among several who boarded a pick-up truck that was targeted with a roadside bomb near a street of people, witnesses said. “The helicopters attacked a house ... in Mogadishu yesterday. According to witnesses, one soldier was injured in the explosion which targetted the pick-up truck belonging to a A reporter saw several tents upon the assumption that Denis Allex was Somali lawmaker. on fire and ambulances driving being held at that location, but owing to a away from the scene late yester- fatal intelligence blunder, the rescue mis- of the battle,” it said. A Bulomarer resi- Four military helicopters were used in He appeared in a video in June 2010 day evening. sion turned disastrously wrong. dent, Idris Youssouf, said: “We don’t know the raid in Shebab-controlled Bulomarer, appealing to Paris to drop its support for A doctor in one of the ambu- “Several French soldiers were killed in exactly what happened because the attack witnesses said. the Somali government. He last appeared lances said that dozens of people the battle and many more were injured took place at night, but this morning we The Al Qaeda linked Shebab lost their in another video in October looking gaunt had been injured, including police before they fled from the scene of battle, saw several corpses including that of a main strongholds in the south and centre of and calling on Hollande to work for his officers. leaving behind some military parapherna- white man. the country following an offensive launched release. Somalia has not had an effective Protesters opposing an lia and even one of their comrades on the “Three civilians were also killed in the in mid-2011 by an African Union force, but central government since 1991. Islamist-backed constitution have ground. gunfight,” he said. they still control some rural areas. However, a new administration took been camped outside the resi- “The injured French soldier is now in Allex was kidnapped in Somalia in July Allex is among nine French hostages in office last year, ending eight years of dence of President Mohammed the custody of the mujahedeen and Allex 2009 along with a colleague who was freed Africa of whom at least six are held by Al transitional rule by a corruption-riddled Mursi for weeks. still remains safe and far from the location the following month. Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). government. AFP AGENCIES Somali pirates free three Syrian hostages without ransom

MOGADISHU: Somali pirates have released in October 2012 after pirates weapons and release the hostages with- “We have taken these three Syrian commanded bandits in the Arabian Sea released three Syrian hostages held in said they received $400,000, but detained out ransom,” Tiicey said. hostages from the pirates-the other crew and off the Indian Ocean coast of East captivity since 2010 without payment six of the crew to get more money Hostage Muayad Walio said he and had been previously released,” Abdiqadir Africa for almost a decade, raking in mil- of any ransom, government officials for them. his companions in captivity were in good said. lions of dollars in ransom payments. said yesterday. The pirates who had held the three health. “I am very happy. We got our Abdiqadir is the son of a former pirate Somalia, which is only now getting a The three were part of the 19-strong were pardoned, Mohamed Aden Tiicey, freedom after about two years and one kingpin known as Mohamed Abdi Hassan functioning government after two dec- crew of a Panama-flagged, United Arab president of the government of Adado month,” hostage Muayad Walio said. “Afweyne”. He and his father now both ades of chaos and civil war, is next to Emirates-owned bulk cargo vessel cap- region, said by phone. Tiicey and a former pirate, Abdiqadir, work with the Addado region. the Gulf of Aden’s busy shipping lanes. tured in December 2010 some 400 miles “No ransom was paid. We had agreed accompanied the three released hostages A UN Monitoring Group report on Poverty and lawlessness have lured many northeast of the Seychelles. The ship was with pirates to surrender, hand over to Mogadishu. Somalia in 2010 said that “Afweyne” young men into piracy. REUTERS

Historical site Bahrain Shias protest jailing of 13 activists

MANAMA: Thousands of Shias demonstrated near Manama yesterday in a new protest against an appeals court upholding jail terms for 13 activists on charges of plotting to overthrow Bahrain’s rulers, witnesses said. “We will not resign ourselves to it” and “we will not forget the prisoners,” shouted demonstra- tors during the peaceful protest that was monitored by a heavy security presence. Some carried photos of those convicted. On Monday, the Court of Cassation upheld sentences rang- ing from between five years and life in prison against the 13, who took part in 2011 anti-government protests. They were convicted by a military tribunal on charges that Muslims pray and stand in front of graves of Muslims killed during the Battle of Uhud, at Mount Uhud, included “setting up terror groups north of the holy city of Madinah, yesterday. to topple the regime,” and were later retried in a civilian court. Hours after the ruling, hun- dreds of people gathered in the Shia village of Malkiya in support Amnesty concerned over Tunisia draft charter of the prisoners. Since February 2011, Bahrain TUNIS: Amnesty the comments on the eve of constitution fully safeguards has been shaken by opposition International expressed con- a meeting of the National human rights and conforms protests that the authorities of cern yesterday over Tunisia’s Constituent Assembly and to Tunisia’s obligations under the Sunni-dominated kingdom draft constitution, saying ahead of the second anniversary international human rights say are being fuelled by Shia Iran the text contains ambiguous tomorrow of the overthrow of law.” Noting that the the NCA across the Gulf. At the time, provisions that fail to uphold Tunisian strongman Zine El was due to discuss a second the main Shia opposition move- international human rights Abidine Ben Ali. draft of the charter today, it ment Al-Wefaq called the verdict standards. Amnesty said it called on the urged the body to “seize the political. AFP The rights watchdog made NCA to “ensure that the new opportunity.” AFP SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

Editorial

ESTABLISHED IN 1996

CHAIRMAN: SHEIKH THANI BIN ABDULLAH AL THANI France wins and loses EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: KHALID AL SAYED E-MAIL: [email protected] ACTING MANAGING EDITOR: HUSSAIN AHMAD Paris’ win against Islamists in Mali has E-MAIL: [email protected] been dampened by the botched rescue EDITORIAL: TEL: 44557741 / 44557743 FAX: 44557746 / 44557758 P. O. BOX: 3488, DOHA, QATAR. attempt in Somalia. E-MAIL: [email protected] HE ANSAR Dine militant group in Mali yesterday warned Paris Somali town. However, the botched raid claimed the life of the hostage ADVERTISING: TEL: 44557837 / 780 FAX: 44557870 that French citizens in the Muslim world would be targeted after and a French pilot, who was part of the special operation. Seventeen Tabout 100 Islamists were killed in a battle for the town of Konna. Islamists were also killed in the air raid. CLASSIFIED: 44557857 E-MAIL: [email protected] The Al Qaeda-linked rebel group has been grabbing headlines since If Mali made the French Republic proud, it was Somalia that SUBSCRIPTION / HOME DELIVERY early last year as fighting raged in one of the most peaceful countries led to its undoing. On another front, Hollande also came under fire in Africa, thrusting it into a whirlwind that even threatened its rich from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who questioned TEL: 44557809 /839 FAX: 44557819 archaeological heritage. In response to the militant group’s threat, the Socialist French premier’s meeting with a Kurdish rebel. What E-MAIL: [email protected] French President Francois Hollande last evening announced tighten- Erdogan wanted to know from the occupant of the Elysee Palace was ing security across the Republic. France’s anti-terrorism alert system quite justified? It is rather strange that Hollande hobnobbed with a SUBSCRIPTION RATES ‘vigipirate’ was in action amid reports that security on public trans- member of a group that has been designated as a terrorist organisa- ANNUAL QR 675 portation and other strategic spots and buildings was being tightened. tion by the European Union. 6 MONTHS QR 340 The Islamist rebels who had taken control of a large part of northern It seldom happens that a nation is hailed and walloped on different Mali early last year were defeated by Bamako troops backed by the fronts on the same day, as it happened with France yesterday. French air force. The Malian army said that it had fully reclaimed The victory of Malian troopers over Islamists in one of the most vola- the town after a land and air attack. With its strategic role in helping tile regions in Africa has been hailed. However, Russia again proved to recapture the Malian town — Hollande — often thrust into the heat be the fifth columnist. Moscow said that the fate of any African country of domestic politics and bilateral upheavals, has shown his prowess. in a conflict should be decided by the people of the continent. However, Not only did France enjoy the African Union’s backing in wrest- the intricacies of international law notwithstanding, the French move PUBLICATION ing the town under siege by rebels, it also tried to throw its weight in seems laudable. Not only has the recapture of the town weakened the another country in Africa. However, elite French troops were not so Islamists in that part of Africa, it has also brought into focus the role lucky in Somalia. In an attempt to free a French hostage captured an important foreign colonial power can play in bringing peace to an by Islamists in 2009, commandos mounted an air raid on a southern embattled continent.

The French head of state must explain immediately The other side to the French, Turkish and world public why ... he is in communication with these Quote of (PKK) terrorists. The pullout roadmap the day Recep Tayyip Erdogan HE US-Afghanistan summit has made tangible progress. In an Turkish Prime Minister era of uncertainty and waywardness, as the Coalition forces were Tseen groping in the dark, the news that Washington is ready to pull out its troops at an early date, than agreed as per schedule, and would like to re-engage in a different role — as nation-builder is quite promising. President Barack Obama and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai surprisingly backed holding of talks between the Afghan government and the Taleban, which hints at progressive thinking in an attempt to search for a political solution. This new pledge for reconciliatory talks, coupled with the assurance to withdraw combat troops well before 2014, could fall well in the scheme of things that the Pakhtoon militia wanted as preconditions. The need of the hour is now to choreograph their moves in a better manner so that the initiative to find an amicable way out is never lost at the hands of brinkmanship. While Obama has dispensed with his long-term electoral resolve to pull out of the war-torn country, the meeting in Washington is no less than a consolation prize for Karzai who seems to have got a legitimacy shot, as he has been mandated to reach a political settlement with his adversaries. Earlier, it was an equation of Karzai toeing the Brussels and Pentagon line in which the West was averse to any deal with the Taleban. Such a bizarre approach had literally derailed the momentum of reciprocity that the Taleban had showed last year by sending in their second-tier leadership for talks in Qatar and Paris. The Americans are in need of taking a couple of more steps that should come to reflect that the Afghan government is in command of things, and is no more a tutelage to foreign dictates. Release of all political prisoners or, at least, handing them over to authorities in Kabul, including the detainees in Guantanamo Bay and concentration camps in Bagram, is indispensable. Similarly, Kabul and Washington are in need of entering into a bilateral arrangement, on the terms Japan enjoys with the US, stipulating that Afghanistan’s reconstruc- tion and its stability shall remain the corner stone of White House foreign policy. After a decade of chaos, misgovernance and instability, the region of Southwest Asia is in need of institutional measures that should see consolidation of a new Afghanistan free from interference and occupa- tion. Not only the West but also the regional countries have a stake in ensuring Afghanistan’s vibrancy and independence. This Obama- Karzai agreement should see the light of the day in letter and spirit. KHALEEJ TIMES Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate As Australia burns, attitudes are changing. But is it too late?

BY TIM FLANNERY Temperature records are being such extremes were anticipated, that prevailed in the lead-up to of recent weeks have seen many another three degrees. Having broken everywhere. At Leonora, the weather map was marked the devastating 1939 bushfires – Australians rethinking their atti- seen what 0.9 of a degree has done HIS SUMMER, life in in the Western Australian inte- black. represents “extreme” risk. But tude to climate change. A good to heatwaves and fire extremes, Australia resembles a rior, it reached 49C this week – Over the last week, purple after the 2009 fires a new level of friend of mine farms just outside I dread to think about the kind compulsory and very the national high – and just one patches have begun to appear on risk was required. “Catastrophic” Canberra. of country my grandchildren will Tunpleasant game of record temperature among many. some maps. They mark tempera- represents a risk rating above A few years ago the drought live in. Even our best agricultural Russian roulette. A pool of hot The nation’s overall temperature tures above 50C. Pink, which is 100. Under such conditions fires was so severe that his 300 year- land will be under threat if that air more than 1,000 miles wide record was set on 7 January. Then yet to be deployed, will denote behave very differently. The Black old gum trees died of thirst. Then future is realised. And large parts has formed across the inland. It the following day that record was temperatures above 52C. Saturday fires of 2009, which the rains came on so violently of the continent will be uninhabit- covers much of the continent, and exceeded, by half a degree celsius. Climate extremes have a way of killed 173 people, were rated at that they stripped the precious able, not just by humans, but by has proved astonishingly persist- The breaking of so many tem- stacking up to produce unpleasant between 120 and 190. They spread topsoil, filling his dams with mud Australia’s spectacular biodiver- ent. Periodically, low pressure sys- perature records indicates that consequences. Two years ago, the so fast, and burned so hot, that and sheep droppings. sity as well. tems spill the heat towards the Australia’s climate is shifting. ocean temperature off northwest- the communities they advanced This week he watched as his This week’s extreme conditions coast, where most Australians This is supported by analysis of ern Australia reached a record upon were utterly helpless. cousin’s property at Yass was have once again raised the politi- live. At Christmas it was Perth. the long-term trend. Over the high, and evaporation of the The superheated air currently reduced to ashes. When I called cal heat around climate change. Then the heat struck Adelaide, past 40 years we’ve seen a decline warm seawater led to Australia’s monstering the continent is fickle. he was trying to secure his own The Greens party condoned an followed by Tasmania, Victoria, in the number of very cold days, wettest year on record. This week, Sydneysiders watched historic homestead and outbuild- anti-coal activist who created a and southern New South Wales and the occurrence of many more This was followed, in central in relative thermal comfort as ings from fire. He asked me if I false press release claiming that and Canberra. Over this week- very hot days. All of this was pre- Australia, by the longest period those living just 100km to the thought the family would still be the ANZ bank had withdrawn end, it’s southern Queensland and dicted by climate scientists dec- without rain on record. The veg- south endured scorching heat, farming the area 50 years from support for a major coal project, northern New South Wales that ades ago, and is consistent with etation that had thrived in the blustering winds, and unstoppa- now. All I could say was that causing its share price to plunge. look set to face the gun. And with the increasing greenhouse gas wet now lies dried and curing, a ble fires. The forecast for com- it depended upon how quickly Meanwhile the acting leader of every heatwave, the incidences of concentration in the atmosphere. perfect fuel for fires. ing days indicates that Sydney Australia, and the world, reduced the (conservative) opposition, bushfires and heat-related deaths The new conditions have seen With abundant fuel and might once again be lucky, with their greenhouse gas emissions. Warren Truss, said it was simplis- and injuries spike. the Bureau of Meteorology add increased temperatures, the the worst fire conditions striking Australia’s average tempera- tic to link the hot spell to climate Australians are used to hot two new colour categories to nature of bushfires is changing. 50km to the north of the city. But, ture has increased by just 0.9 change, and “utterly simplistic to summers. We normally love Australia’s weather prediction Australians have long rated fire of course, things might work out of a degree celsius over the past suggest that we have these fires them. But the conditions pre- maps. Temperatures of 48-50C risk on the MacArthur index. On differently. century. Within the next 90 years because of climate change”. vailing now are something new. used to be the highest, and where it, a rating of 100 – the conditions The unprecedented conditions we’re on track to warm by at least THE GUARDIAN SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Barack Obama’s white dude problems

BY JOHN DICKERSON pass — whatever the pretext — Since re-election, the Obama balanced against the practical as he tried to rein in his top dip- policy advisers are also women. to draw broad conclusions about administration has not shrunk effect of that symbolism. To put lomat. There haven’t really been Obama named two women to the resident Obama is in Mitt Romney’s lack of concern from playing the gender card. it into perspective, as my Slate any. Supreme Court, one of whom was a flap. His administra- for women. When a Romney aide White House officials repeatedly colleague David Weigel pointed Obama elevated UN his former solicitor general in the tion, like the movie didn’t have an immediate answer asserted that UN Ambassador out, let’s imagine John McCain Ambassador Susan Rice to cabi- Justice Department — a branch The Hobbit, doesn’t about the candidate’s position on Susan Rice’s critics were only had won in 2008. We would have net rank. When John Kerry headed by an African-American have enough women in the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, beating up on her for Benghazi gotten to know Vice President recently got the nod for the State man — and the other who was Pkey roles. The last three White it was portrayed as a dire sign. It controversy — and not the Sarah Palin! And the policies she Department job, it was almost a the first Hispanic woman named House staff announcements have wasn’t just Romney’s shortcom- president or the CIA director — supported would have been far diversity pick. He will be the first to the court. The Supreme Court featured the following people: ings that created the conditions because she was a woman. That different for women than those white male to hold that job in 16 arguably plays a more lasting role John Kerry, Chuck Hagel, John now bruising Obama. The rapid is what the president appeared supported by Obama and Vice years. in determining gender and ethnic Brennan and Jack Lew. All white twitch to all things related to to be suggesting when he said President Joe Biden, who drafted, When Susan Rice’s name was fairness in American society than dudes. The New York Times ener- women and the relentless court- Republicans were picking on Rice for example, the Violence Against being bandied about for State, the any cabinet post. gised elite conversation on this ing created a supercharged politi- because she was an “easy target.” Women Act. President John repeated assertion from admin- The Obama staff directory is a topic with a photograph on the cal atmosphere. When Hillary If people are now drawing grand McCain wouldn’t have signed the istration sources was that the binder full of women. The White front page of Wednesday’s paper. Rosen, a Democratic strategist conclusions based on a few staff Lilly Ledbetter Act. It’s a bit too president was thinking about House itself employs more women In it Obama addresses a semi- unrelated to the Obama campaign, picks, it’s because the Obama neat to correlate women in power her because he trusted her. After than men. As The New York Times circle of 10 male aides and cabi- made a clumsy remark about Ann team helped train them to do so. with policies good for the broad all, he’d picked her to be his top notes, about 43 percent of Obama’s net officials (the coalition of the Romney “never working a day in The recent staff picks also link swathe of women. foreign policy adviser in his first appointees have been women, besweatered). They are arrayed her life,” Obama’s top strategist with a critique that has some It’s also amusing that Valerie presidential campaign. When about the same proportion as in in precise formation, as if to block David Axelrod and campaign validity. We’ve heard since the Jarrett is the one hiding in that Rice withdrew her name, several the Clinton administration, but out senior adviser Valerie Jarrett manager Jim Messina denounced early days of the Obama admin- New York Times photo because it administration aides strongly up from the roughly one-third who is barely visible in the pic- her immediately so as not to istration that the inner circle was The New York Times Magazine hinted that when the national appointed by George W Bush. ture. (She is so hard to find, CNN offend women. The most uninten- has a male bias. We know this: that helped promote the valid security adviser post opens up, In the end, the only thing used a special shading to identify tionally hilarious moment came at If Barack Obama were facing a notion that Jarrett — an African- she’ll top the list. that has really changed so far her leg.) a White House forum on women third election at least one of his American woman — is the presi- Rice and Clinton are just a cou- from Obama’s first term is that The president’s men are irri- and the economy. The event was top players at State, Defence, dent’s most powerful adviser. ple of the powerful women who the president intends to replace tated by this criticism. The focus intended to show women voters, or Treasury would be held by a Who are the two administration have been in the Obama orbit. Hillary Clinton with a man. There on this momentary snapshot, they who are particularly sensitive woman. Needing suburban women officials you have heard the most There’s also Secretary of Health are more cabinet picks to come, argue, ignores the more complete to the weak economy, that the voters, the president just couldn’t about in the last few months? and Human Services Kathleen which conceivably could increase picture. If that is so, they have president cared about them. The afford to have a cabinet where one Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice. Sebelius, Homeland Security the percentage of women in the only themselves to blame. forum was clearly treating women of the faces most likely to be in Clinton has been the biggest rock Director Janet Napolitano, outgo- final tally. Then we’ll see if the During the campaign, the pres- as an interest group. So, it was the news cycle every day was not star of the Obama cabinet. If the ing Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis second Obama administration ident and his allies took every chuckle-worthy when the presi- a woman. president were such a brute, you’d and outgoing EPA Administrator is as bad for women as Middle opportunity to pander to women dent declared, “Women are not But let’s not go overboard. The imagine there would have been Lisa Jackson. The president’s Earth. voters, and never let a moment an interest group.” power of symbolism needs to be lots of stories about gender bias top lawyer and top domestic WP-BLOOMBERG India’s current outpouring Internet architecture needs rethinking

he strange thing about beneficial; some (viruses, worms, of anger is unprecedented the internet is that it and malware generally) were went from being some- destructive. And many (file-shar- Tthing exotic to some- ing) were somewhere in between. thing mundane almost without The consequence was that, over Let’s hope us noticing it. As a consequence, time, a network that was origi- our societies have become fright- nally seamless and uncluttered that the public eningly dependent on a system came to be overlaid with a gro- that almost nobody understands, tesque accumulation of add-ons and that nobody — except for and patches, to the point where revulsion in techie types — thinks about very it begins to resemble a baroque much. It has become the elec- excrescence rather than a clas- Delhi over the tronic plumbing of our world, sical design. with the difference that we pay This is beginning to concern far more attention to our actual some people whose job it is to recent gang plumbing than we do to its virtual worry about these things. Some counterpart. find the baroque complexity of rape case In fact we take it for granted. the contemporary internet offen- We regard the internet as hav- sive on geeky-aesthetic grounds, ing almost magical properties and much as modernists detest the leads to proper as essentially limitless. Someone excesses of Victorian architec- comes up with a bright idea — ture. But others — notably one of punishment of for example internet telephony the original internet architects, or VoIP, as it’s called — and adds David Clark of MIT — worry such crimes. it to the things that the network that the higgledy-piggledy evolu- is expected to do. And the net- tion of the network means that work obliges, with the result that it is now intrinsically fragile BY IAN JACK many voice calls are now handled and may therefore be prone to by the network. Same story with catastrophic failure. Sometimes, hen she came to e-commerce, streaming media, Clark says, the worst disasters are hear of the cru- file-sharing, social networking, caused not by sudden events but elty in Bhagalpur, web mail, and all the other online by slow, incremental processes WIndira Gandhi, services that we now assume to be that humans are good at ignoring. then India’s prime minister, said among the appurtenances of civi- “Things get worse slowly. People she felt physically sick. “What lised life. We assume that we can adjust. The problem is assigning has this country come to?” she Demonstrators react as police unleash water cannon during a protest calling for better safety for women following continue to add tasks of greater the correct degree of fear to dis- asked the parliament in Delhi the rape of a student, in front of the government secretariat and presidential palace in New Delhi. and greater complexity to what tant elephants.” on November 30, 1980. “How can the network already does and that Clark’s fear is that some of anybody do this to their fellow it will continue to deliver. those distant elephants are closer men?” In Bhagalpur, 1,287km apply: economic rivalries, conflict- was a different country then, of cruelty inflicted on them. Finally, It is extraordinary to think that than we think. He sees evidence east of the capital, police had been ing religious identities. “From the course. Its few radio and TV sta- there is the question of feminism. a network designed to facilitate in things like “plunging security” systematically blinding people by outside, Bhagalpur seems like pure tions were government-owned, In the late 1970s, when I first communication between a few and the network’s decreasing abil- poking out their eyes with bicycle sadism,” I wrote at the time, and and most of its newspapers rather came to India, the repression hundred research laboratories ity to accommodate new technolo- spokes or burning them with acid. though that was horrifying, it was austere. Bhagalpur was remote of women was easily ignored by and a few hundred researchers gies. And he thinks that the only At least 30 men had been blinded not the most surprising aspect of and difficult to reach from the the male outsider. The country’s could have scaled up to the point way forward is to rethink the in this way. It had been going on the affair. big cities, and only a few report- prime minister, after all, was a where two billion people now use architecture of the network from for many months, and stopped That came with the protests ers went. Visually, in that age of woman, and it was men who were it, and where large swathes of our the ground up. only after an anti-government that swept through Bhagalpur black-and-white photography said to have suffered most dur- commercial life depend upon it. A good many computer scien- newspaper, the Indian Express, when Gandhi’s government and poor Indian newsprint, all ing her period of emergency rule, In large measure, this is a trib- tists have been worrying about broke the story. awarded each blinded man about the blindings amounted to were when some were forcibly steri- ute to the ingenuity of its original this for at least a decade, funded I went to the town soon after £1,000 in compensation, and sus- a few grey images of men with lised. Women could travel safely architecture. Its designers were by bodies like the US National to interview the eyeless. How pended 15 policemen. Students bandaged heads, or empty sockets in big cities after dark — though faced with a tricky problem: how Science Foundation, which has they had been blinded was easily and lawyers marched through where their eyes should have been. Delhi was an exception. Even in to design a network that was as put upwards of $300m into the described: policemen had pressed the streets; traders shut up shop; In Delhi this month, crowds have daylight on Delhi’s buses, women future-proof as possible? Their quest for a “new” internet design them to the floor of a police station a mob straddled the railway line called for public executions and got molested — grabbed, rubbed up solution was based on two core incorporating some of the things and poked or poured into their and brought trains to a halt. chemical castration, but 30 years against, leered at — but the press principles: there should be no cen- — such as security and authenti- eyes until they fainted. “Why?” Their sympathies were not with ago the demand that Bhagalpur’s trivialised these assaults by char- tral ownership or control; and the cation — that the original archi- was the harder question. The the victims, but the perpetra- sadists be punished was confined acterising them as “Eve-teasing”. network should not be optimised tects didn’t worry about (partly local answer was that they were all tors. They were demonstrating in to a few newspaper editorials. Only Women journalists, newsreaders for any particular application. It because they were designing a dacoits, or bandits who belonged favour of a police force which, as one or two police officers served and academics, a prime minister should be a simple-minded system system for researchers who knew to a caste notorious for its crimi- they saw it, had made their town any considerable time in jail. in a sari: surely the great struggle that essentially did only one thing and trusted one another). nality. But why blind them? Why safe against dacoits who might Accounting for the difference was largely historic, its great vic- — take in data packets at one end It all sounds eminently reason- not simply shoot them, which in chop off a woman’s arm to steal in popular reaction between 1980 tories the abolition of suttee and and do its best to deliver them able, but there are two bluebot- this part of India might have eas- her bangles or knife a shopkeeper and now, however, goes beyond the widows’ remarriage act of the to their destinations at the other. tles in the ointment. The first is ily been arranged by a well tried in the course of raiding his shop. the arrival of 100 satellite chan- 19th century? “Dumb network, smart applica- whether or not we are already method known as the “police Where was the compensation for nels, Facebook and Twitter. There The commotion in Delhi might tions” was the mantra that they in too deep — that we are too encounter”, whereby the dead offi- their misfortunes, people wanted is the question of recognition: the begin to change that. It would be used to express the philosophy dependent on the network in its cially get killed in an exchange of to know. Why hadn’t Gandhi demonstrators in Delhi identified foolish to think of the rape victim that all of the ingenuity should current form to be able to do a gunfire. A local tradition of pun- thought about them? with a victim who was part of as a martyr in a cause – victims be left to those people developing root-and-branch reconstruction ishment may have been partly to So far as I remember, those their burgeoning urban, aspiring are victims – but enough protest applications at the edges of the of it. blame. The medical superintend- were the only demonstrations class, and might have been one and self-examination might one network. The second is the concern that ent at Bhagalpur jail said police prompted by the Bhagalpur blind- of them, or their wife, girlfriend day mean that rape is punished These turned out to be very a new network architecture, with would usually deliver two or ings. It would be fair to say that the or sister. There is the question even in the dustiest town, even good ideas. They enabled the all its desirable “security” fea- three blinded criminals a year — rest of India was shocked by the of social-cum-geographical dis- when committed by the police, “organic” growth of the network tures, might stifle the creativity it was the recent “epidemic” that blindings, but also that the shock tance: alleged criminals from a which would be a marvellous to happen. And they triggered an that the old, open and uncon- was unusual. Perhaps they were came nowhere near the present low caste in a faraway town in a thing; especially marvellous if the explosion of creativity as smart trolled, network enabled. And if meant as walking advertisements torrent of anger and demand for then notoriously backward state, police didn’t beat up, blind or oth- people thought up clever applica- that happened, we really would for police power. None of the fac- social change that has followed the Bihar, were much less likely to erwise torture the suspects they tions that the network could be have thrown out the baby with tors thought to explain turbulence gang rape and death of a 23-year- attract sympathy or prolonged had taken into custody. used for. Some of these applica- the bathwater. in other parts of India seemed to old medical student in Delhi. India attention, however startling the THE GUARDIAN tions (for example the web) were THE GUARDIAN SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MIDDLE EAST Strong show of support for Iraqi prime minister Reaction against anti-govt rallies

BAGHDAD: Hundreds of demon- anti-government protesters. “In strators rallied in central Baghdad the names of all the martyrs, the yesterday to back Prime Minister victims, the widows, we call on the Nouri Al Maliki, as the latest in government not to cancel Article weeks of anti-government rallies 4,” said one protester, a 67-year-old in Sunni areas of Iraq called for who gave his name as Abu Hussam, him to quit. referring to a widely cited article of The demonstrations have wors- Iraq’s anti-terror law. ened a political crisis that pits Abu Hussam said his son was Maliki against his erstwhile govern- killed by gunfire in Baghdad in 2006. ment partners, with the premier “He was 20, I was about to get him facing accusations of authoritarian- married. For six years, I have not ism and sectarianism ahead of key slept, I hope one night I can sleep.” provincial polls. Dozens of people also took part in a At Tahrir Square in the heart of pro-government rally in the southern the capital, demonstrators held up port city of Basra, a journalist said. posters of the prime minister along- Meanwhile, anti-government ral- side banners that read: “I am Iraqi, I lies blocked a key highway linking love Maliki,” and “We strongly sup- Baghdad to Jordan and Syria for a port Nouri Al Maliki.” third week. Protests were also held Many shouted in unison: “All the in Samarra, Tikrit, Baiji and Mosul, people support Nouri Al Maliki”. all Sunni-majority areas north of In a sign of increasing sectarian the capital. rhetoric at the rallies, many demon- The demonstrations have decried strators held up banners describing alleged misuse of anti-terror laws to Syrian soldiers loyal to President Bashar Al Assad are seen in Khan Al-Hariri district in Aleppo yesterday. themselves as “followers of Hussein,” wrongfully hold members of their a revered figure in Shia Islam. A community, and claim they are being speaker led the crowd in chants of targetted by the Shia-led authorities. Russia rejects Assad ouster precondition “Labeika Ya Hussein,” or “We will In the longest-running of the follow you, Hussein”. protests, in western Anbar prov- Banners also blamed parliament ince, tribal leaders called for Maliki MOSCOW/BEIRUT: Russia Assad, whom the United States, Brahimi, who is trying to using military force or support speaker Osama Al Nujaifi, a Sunni to resign. voiced support yesterday for European powers and Gulf-led build on the agreement reached from the UN Security Council Arab opponent of Maliki, for militant “We want Maliki to fall, because he international peace envoy Arab states insist must step in Geneva on June 30, has met to bring down governments it attacks. has insulted our dignity many times,” Lakhdar Brahimi but insisted down to end the civil war, three times with senior Russian opposes. Demonstrators said the pre- said Ali Al Hatem, a leader of the Syrian President Bashar appeared to be a sticking point and US diplomats since early However, as rebels gain mier should resist demands for a powerful Dulaim tribe. “We will not Al Assad’s exit cannot be a at the meeting in Geneva. December and met Assad in ground in the war, Russia has wide-ranging prisoner amnesty leave until you find a replacement for precondition for a deal to end Russia’s Foreign Ministry Damascus. given indications it is preparing and reform of anti-terror laws, Maliki. Then we can negotiate.” the country’s conflict. said: “As before, we firmly uphold Russia and the United States for Assad’s possible exit, while both of which are key demands of AFP Some 60,000 Syrians the thesis that questions about disagreed over what the June continuing to insist he must not have been killed during the Syria’s future must be decided agreement meant for Assad, be forced out by foreign powers. 21-month-old revolt and world by the Syrians themselves, with- with Washington saying it sent Opposition activists say a mil- powers are divided over how to out interference from outside or a clear signal he must go and itary escalation and the hard- stop the escalating bloodshed. the imposition of prepared reci- Russia contending it did not. ship of winter have accelerated Government aircraft bombed pes for development.” Moscow has been reluctant to the death toll. outer districts of Damascus Russia has been Assad’s endorse the “Arab Spring” pop- Yesterday, the skies were yesterday after being grounded most powerful international ular revolts of the last two years, clear and jets and helicopters for a week by stormy weather, backer, joining with China to saying they have increased fired missiles and dropped opposition activists in the block three Western-and Arab- instability in the Middle East bombs on a line of towns to the capital said. backed UN Security Council and created a risk of radical east of Damascus where rebels A Russian Foreign Ministry resolutions aimed to pressure Islamists seizing power. have pushed out Assad’s ground statement following talks on him or push him from power. Although Russia sells arms forces, the Syrian Observatory Friday with the United States Assad can also rely on regional to Syria and rents one of its for Human Rights said. and Brahimi reiterated calls powerhouse Iran. naval bases, the economic ben- Rebel forces have acquired for an end to violence in Syria, In Geneva, Russia called for efit of its support for Assad is more powerful anti-tank and but there was no sign of a “a political transition process” minimal. Analysts say President anti-aircraft weapons during Iraqi policeman frisk people at Tahrir Square in central Baghdad yesterday. breakthrough. based on an agreement by for- Vladimir Putin wants to pre- attacks on Assad’s military Thousands of supporters of Maliki took to the streets in Baghdad to support the Brahimi said the issue of eign powers last June. vent the United States from bases. REUTERS government and refuse the demands of anti-Maliki protesters. Fresh clashes in Tunisia over living conditions

BEN GUERDANE, with tear gas, a journalist Arab Spring. The latest dem- resolve the problem.” Despite TUNISIA: Clashes again reported. onstration came as representa- the border crossing being reo- broke out yesterday between By late afternoon the police- tives of the authorities, trade pened on Thursday, the local residents and police in Ben men evacuated the station to unions and local tribes met in UGTT branch went ahead Guerdane near Tunisia’s bor- seek shelter in the headquar- Ben Guerdane in an attempt with a general strike in the der with Libya after nearly a ters of the national guard, and to thrash out a solution to the town to demand investment week of demonstrations over a tense calm spread over the crisis. and jobs, with only chemists, poor living conditions. region. But Amar Hamdi, who heads hospitals and bakeries remain- Ben Guerdane, around 30km The protesters hurled abuse the local branch of Tunisia’s ing open. from the border, has witnessed at the ruling Islamist Ennahda main trade union confedera- “We don’t want Ras Jdir reo- sporadic unrest since Sunday, party, whose local headquar- tion, the UGTT, said the talks pened — we want development,” fuelled by Tripoli’s decision to ters were also ransacked this had foundered, and blamed the one protester in Ben Guerdane close the Ras Jdir border cross- week. A customs office was also government. said yesterday. ing in early September for secu- torched. “The authorities say this is a There is ongoing social dis- rity reasons. “Ben Guerdane is Free! security problem, but we want content in Tunisia two years Dozens of youths, many of (Prime Minister Hamadi) development projects” for the after the uprising that over- them masked, gathered outside Jebali out!” the protesters region, Hamdi said, denounc- threw dictator Zine El Abidine the police station, which was chanted, two days ahead of ing the fact that “no member Ben Ali, with strikes and pro- torched on Thursday, and threw the second anniversary of the of the government has come tests often degenerating into stones at police who responded revolution that sparked off the to Ben Guerdane to try to violence. AFP

Turkey asks Hollande Israeli premier seeks court nod to explain PKK meet

ISTANBUL: Turkish Prime to remove Palestinian tents Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday demanded French E1, WEST BANK: Israeli European diplomats warn- large, steel-framed tents in an President Francois Hollande Prime Minister Benjamin ing that it could kill off any effort to preserve the land for a explain why he had met one of Netanyahu said yesterday he hope of creating a contiguous future Palestinian state. three Kurdish militants shot was seeking court approval Palestinian state. The encampment’s name, dead in Paris this week. to remove an outpost of The prime minister’s office “Bab el Shams”, which means The execution-style killings at Palestinian tents pitched in said in a statement yesterday “Gateway to the Sun” in Arabic, an institute in central Paris on an area of the occupied West that the government was peti- was taken from a novel by Thursday cast a shadow on a new Bank that Israel has ear- tioning the court to retract its Lebanese writer Elias Khoury initiative by Erdogan’s govern- marked for a new settlement. ruling on the outpost, and had which tells the history of the ment to launch a peace process Israel’s Supreme Court ruled instructed security forces to Palestinians through a love to end a 28-year-old insurgency on Friday that the Palestinian block off roads leading to the story. The writer called the by the Kurdistan Workers Party’s outpost, built in the geographi- rocky desert terrain. protesters in solidarity. (PKK) that has claimed more cally sensitive area known as A group of Palestinian law- Hanan Ashrawi, a than 40,000 lives. E1, could remain for six days makers was refused entry. top Palestine Liberation Hollande told reporters he and while the issue of its removal But others who came from Organisation official, said other politicians knew one of the was being discussed. nearby villages made the long Israeli forces had prevented her three women, who all had ties to Netanyahu’s pledge last trek up the hillside northeast from entering the compound the PKK. Erdogan pledged to con- November to build settlements of Jerusalem to join scores of with other lawmakers. tinue efforts to end the conflict. on E1 caused an outcry, with protesters who have erected 20 REUTERS REUTERS SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 French gunships stop Mali Islamist advance

to let regional nations take the More than 100 killed in fighting lead on any military interven- tion, which appeared at least BAMAKO,: Mali’s army Russia’s Africa envoy, Mikhail several months away. reclaimed a key town from Margelov, lashed out at the The UN Security Council had Islamists yesterday after France French move, saying: “African approved a military mission sent in its air force, opening a residents aside, no one else can organised by west African bloc dramatic new phase in the con- or should solve the continent’s ECOWAS, but Mali’s interim flict with the battle killing more problems. I understand the cur- administration later warned it than 100 people, including rebels rent situation in Mali, but I think could not afford to wait months and government soldiers. however that any operation in for a game-changer. After France launched air raids Africa can and should only be “Our choice is peace... but they to support Malian ground troops done under the aegis of the UN have forced war on us. We will fighting to wrest back the town of and the African Union.” carry out a crushing and mas- Konna, Burkina Faso and Niger But Malian residents thanked sive retaliation against our ene- both announced they were sending France for its support. “The mies,” Mali’s interim president, 500 troops to join a regional force French really saved us,” said Dioncounda Traore, said in an tasked with ousting the Al Qaeda- Moussa Toure in the capital, address on Friday. Yesterday, linked Islamists, who have occupied Bamako — a remark echoed by he thanked France for its the vast desert north since March others, including Mali’s interim intervention. last year and had threatened to president. French President Francois advance on the capital. France also said it had deployed Hollande, who has struggled on The Malian army said it was troops in Bamako to protect its the domestic front and seen his in full control of Konna after the 6,000-strong expatriate commu- popularity hit record lows, said battle, which witnesses and the nity. The capital has remained French forces would remain military said had killed dozens under government control involved as long as necessary. of Islamist fighters — making it throughout the crisis, which A French Mirage 2000 D aircraft flying over Mali after taking off from the French military base of N’Djamena, in Chad. He sent the UN Security one of the worst clashes since the erupted in the wake of a March Council a letter asking for plans start of the crisis and the most 22 coup that ousted democrati- bodies strewn across the area, “The helicopters struck the form of Islamic law in the main to send the 3,300-strong African significant setback inflicted on the cally elected president Amadou with one resident counting 46 insurgents’ vehicles, which dis- towns, flogging, amputating and force to be sped up. Nigeria’s Islamists. Toumani Toure. dead Islamists. The town, which persed. The army is mopping up sometimes executing accused presidency confirmed it had sent France’s Defence Minister A senior Malian officer said the had fallen into insurgents’ hands the city,” a Malian military source transgressors. The collapse of an air force technical team and Jean-Yves Le Drian said army was now fully in control of on Thursday, is some 700km from said. Groups with ties to Al Qaeda a nation formerly seen as a the commander of the planned “Operation Serval” had already Konna, after spending the best Bamako but was seen as one of in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) democratic success story in the ECOWAS force to Mali. suffered its first French casualty part flushing out the last pock- the last ramparts against an overpowered a secular ethnic- region also sparked Western “The technical staff from when a pilot carrying out air raids ets of resistance. “We control the Islamist advance. Tuareg rebellion in March 2012 fears that northern Mali could the Nigerian air force are was killed on Friday. US officials town, all of it,” said Lieutenant Mali’s armed forces had been and seized control of the north, a become a major launchpad for already on the ground in Mali,” said Washington might support Ousmane Fane. “We have claimed in disarray since the March coup territory the size of France. global terrorist attacks. Nigerian presidency spokesman France’s sudden military inter- dozens of casualties, even around and seemed powerless against They have since destroyed The United States, France Reuben Abati told AFP. “They vention, while Nigeria also said it 100 among Islamist ranks in a rebellion of seasoned fighters, centuries-old Muslim mauso- — which has eight hostages in are not fighters; they are tech- had dispatched personnel on the Konna,” he said. but France’s shock intervention leums which they see as a her- the Sahel — and the rest of the nical staff.” ground. Witnesses spoke of dozens of tipped the power balance. esy and imposed an extreme European Union had looked set AFP

Biden gun proposals may Savile’s abuse Bus torched in fresh Northern Ireland riots victims set to CARRICKFERGUS: Police with demonstrators taking the concession to republicans seeking spark fight in Congress in Northern Ireland fired plas- flag onto the streets, but seri- a united Ireland. In the seaside tic bullets and water cannon on ous disorder broke out in the town of Carrickfergus, dozens of WASHINGTON: Vice President the past is not an option,” White seek damages Friday as pro-British loyalists towns of Newtownabbey and armoured police vehicles drove in Joe Biden wrapped up a series of House spokesman Matt Lehrich furious over restrictions on flying Carrickfergus, just north of to restore order after around 100 White House meetings on Friday said. LONDON: Around 50 victims of the British flag torched a bus and Belfast. Police fired water cannon protesters threw bricks, bottles and prepared recommendations Biden’s recommendations are sexual abuse by Jimmy Savile are hurled petrol bombs at officers. and five plastic bullets at rioters and fireworks and torched plastic to curb US gun violence that will likely to put the White House on set to seek damages from the late Violence also flared in towns after they were attacked with a trash bins. call for expanded background a collision course with the influen- broadcaster’s estate and from outside the capital Belfast as total of 33 petrol bombs, as well In the shadow of Carrickfergus checks on gun buyers and set up tial National Rifle Association gun organisations including the BBC loyalists — the Protestant com- as fireworks and masonry. Castle, rubble littered the junction a heated, likely uphill battle in rights lobbying group and spark and Britain’s health service, their munity’s working-class hardcore Four officers were injured, with of Irish Gate and West Street. Congress to revive a ban on mili- the biggest gun-control fight in lawyer said yesterday. — blocked roads around the prov- one requiring hospital treatment, Groups of youths in tracksuits tary-style assault weapons. Congress in nearly a decade. The A report by British police on ince to express their anger. police said, bringing the total lingered as police in riot gear with Biden, who heads a task force NRA criticised the White House Friday said Savile “groomed the Northern Ireland has been number of officers injured since plastic shields stood by. due to give US President Barack effort after meeting with Biden nation” over six decades, hiding swept with a wave of sometimes December to around 70. One Carrickfergus man blamed Obama recommendations next on Thursday. behind his fame to assault girls, violent protests since December 3, Two early arrests were made. the disorder on youths from week, met with representatives Any gun control proposals boys and adult women on BBC when Belfast City Council voted Loyalists have taken to the streets Belfast who had travelled north of the video game industry, whose face a difficult fight in Congress, premises and in schools and hospi- to restrict the number of days the most nights since the Belfast City on the train. “I could see them products often enable players to both in the Republican-led House tals. Liz Dux, a lawyer representing British flag is flown at City Hall Hall ruling. They see the coun- from my house coming out of the carry out shootings in graphically of Representatives and in the more than 50 of Savile’s victims, to 18 per year. cil’s decision to restrict the flying station, young guys aged 15 or 16,” violent games. Democratic-led Senate, where said that because Savile had died in Most of Friday’s province- of the flag as an attack on their he said. The vice president has said he many Democrats represent con- 2011 aged 84, civil claims were the wide protests were peaceful, identity and an unacceptable AFP will recommend “universal” back- servative states with broad public only way that they could get justice. ground checks for all gun buyers support for gun rights. “Compensation is not at the - endorsed as a top priority on Gun control advocates have forefront of their mind, but of Friday by the prominent gun-con- renewed hope that a package of gun course it’s the only method of US study warns trol group the Brady Campaign restrictions could clear Congress, recompense that we can get for to End Gun Violence - and new while acknowledging the assault them now, given that he can’t be of extreme heat, limits on the capacity of ammuni- weapons ban likely will face the prosecuted,” she said. tion magazines. toughest path. “Among the things Dux said they would consider more storms Obama formed the Biden task that are under consideration, ban- making claims against Savile’s force following last month’s mas- ning assault weapons is probably heirs, against the BBC — the WASHINGTON: A gov- sacre in Newtown, Connecticut the hardest lift for Congress. Bans publicly funded broadcaster that ernment report warned in which a gunman shot dead are always the toughest fight,” said made Savile one of its biggest stars on Friday that the United 20 children and six adults at an Jim Kessler, senior vice president in the 1970s and 1980s — and the States could face more elementary school. of policy at the centrist think tank state-run National Health Service. frequent severe weather The White House reiterated Third Way. “We now have to look at what including heat waves on Friday that it also will try NRA President David Keene was known in the organisations. and storms for decades to revive the US ban on assault predicted that any proposal to Once these inquiries have taken to come as temperatures weapons that expired in 2004 ban assault weapons would not place then we will be able to make rise far beyond levels after being in effect for a dec- survive in Congress. He said his progress with the civil claims. being planned for. ade. The Obama administration group has a “profound disagree- “Those inquiries are hugely The draft Third National rejected suggestions it was trying ment” with Obama on the right important to the evidence and it Climate Assessment, a to lower expectations for getting approach to preventing incidents will be foolhardy to press ahead scientific study legally a broad ban on assault weapons such as the one in Newtown. The straight away with the civil claims mandated to advise US approved by Congress. NRA has proposed putting armed now without that evidence coming policy makers, made few “The president has been clear security guards in U.S. schools. forward. A moratorium has been bones that carbon emis- that Congress should reinstate “I do not think that there’s agreed in respect of the major- sions have been causing the assault weapons ban and that going to be a ban on so-called ity of the potential defendants to climate change — a source avoiding this issue just because assault weapons in Congress,” await the outcome of the inquiry.” of controversy among some it’s been politically difficult in Keene said. REUTERS AFP lawmakers. “Evidence for climate change abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the oceans,” the study said. “The sum Bushfires rage in key Australian states total of this evidence tells an unambiguous story: The SYDNEY: Firefighters were No deaths have been reported always had heatwaves, hot days planet is warming.” battling scores of wildfires from the bushfires, which have and bushfires, climate change is The study, which was raging in Australia yesterday, flared during extreme summer increasing the risk of more fre- submitted for public and as a government commission temperatures, but the unprec- quent and longer heatwaves and expert review and could warned that climate change had edented heatwave has prompted more extreme hot days, as well as be revised, said there raised the risk of scorching heat the government’s Climate exacerbating bushfire conditions.” was “strong evidence” waves becoming more frequent. Commission to issue a new report It says while many factors that human activity had In the eastern state of New on the weather event. influence the potential for bush- already roughly doubled South Wales, some 1,000 fire- It says that climate change fires, so called “fire weather” is the probability of extreme fighters were attempting to douse has contributed to making the highly sensitive to changes in heat of the kind seen in about 94 wildfires, about dozen extreme heat conditions—in climatic conditions. And hotter Texas and Oklahoma in uncontained, while fires were also which record-breaking tempera- temperatures, longer heatwaves, the summer of 2011. burning in neighbouring Victoria tures in parts of the country have high winds and drier soils and The assessment expected and Queensland states. topped 45 degrees Celsius — and grasses can all dramatically exac- temperatures to keep ris- And in the southern island bushfires worse. “The length, erbate fire conditions. ing and offered different state of Tasmania, known for its extent and severity of the cur- “Thus when fire occurs in more scenarios for the future cooler temperatures, residents rent heatwave are unprecedented extreme weather conditions, — including temperatures were returning to the burnt-out in the measurement record,” the there is the potential for the fire rising between 2.8 and 5.6 homes they fled a week ago when report “Off the Charts: Extreme to be far more intense and dif- degrees Celsius after 2050 flames raced through villages on Australian summer heat” notes. ficult to control,” the report said. if emissions climb further. the Tasman peninsula. “Although Australia has AFP AFP SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES

Govt to move 19 kids among 100,000 squatters 46 dead in from Manila

MANILA: The Philippine gov- ernment plans to move about China landslide 100,000 squatters from their homes on crucial waterways in Manila by June as a flood con- trol measure and for their own $3,200 compensation for each victim safety, an official said yesterday. The plan is to clear six major BEIJING: A desperate search excavators and trucks, it added. waterways in the sprawling capi- for three people missing in a Li Yongju, 50, said she heard tal before typhoon season starts landslide in southwestern China the crash of the landslide while in June, while also saving the ended yesterday when their cleaning her yard and rushed squatters from being washed bodies were pulled from the with other villagers to the disas- away by floods, said Interior mud, taking the final death toll ter site with shovels and hoes. Undersecretary Francisco to 46 — many of them children. “We pulled out several peo- Fernandez. Authorities in Yunnan prov- ple, one of whom was breathing Experts have long warned that ince said that the last three bod- weakly. But after a while, he died,” flooding in Manila has been wors- ies were recovered yesterday Xinhua quoted Li as saying. ened by the squatter communities morning after a night of frantic Zhou Benju, wept as she who build precarious shanties on efforts by more than 1,000 rescue recounted hearing the rumble of the banks of waterways, prevent- workers to locate the final miss- the landslide. ing water from flowing freely and ing residents of the remote village “Several relatives of my parents blocking drains with rubbish. of Gaopo. — my grandma, brother, uncle Rescuers search for buried victims after a landslide hit Zhenxiong county, Yunnan province of China, yesterday. Fernandez said there were an Xinhua said those buried and my aunt’s family members, estimated 105,000 squatter fami- included 27 adults and 19 chil- died,” she told the agency. area 120 metres long, 110 metres social networking site appeared to the home of Pu’er tea. lies living on the waterways of dren. Authorities said families The landslide was caused by 10 wide and 16 metres deep, accord- show a group of villagers digging But its mountainous areas are the capital. The 20,000 families will receive 20,000 yuan ($3,200) days of heavy rain and snow, steep ing to authorities. through thick mud and debris to prone to landslides and earth- — representing about 100,000 in compensation for each victim. slopes, unstable soil, and earth- Hundreds of thousands of mes- uncover a body, which was carried quakes. Two quakes in September people — living in the six major Two other people were hospi- quakes that jolted the area in sages of support have been posted away on a stretcher. — one of magnitude 5.7 — left 81 waterways would be the first to talised after the landslide struck September, according to local geo- on microblogging site Sina Weibo. The Communist Party’s top dead and hundreds injured. be moved. on Friday morning, engulfing logical experts, Xinhua reported. “Pray for those who remain leaders Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, A neighbouring county was “Forced evacuations will only 16 homes, bringing a thunder- The area may also have been missing in the debris. Life is too along with Premier Wen Jiabao, hit by a landslide in October be taken as a last resort,” said ous crash and throwing up thick weakened by the presence of fragile. We only wish miracles can ordered “all-out efforts to rescue that killed 18 children, after one Fernandez, whose office is in clouds of dust, the official Xinhua a nearby coalmine, the daily happen!” read one post. victims”, Xinhua said. that killed 216 people in 1991, charge of informal settlers. news agency said. Chongqing Chenbao said, although “It is a tragedy, a real tragedy!” Yunnan province, which according to the United States He said the government was Rescuers toiled into the night, this was denied by a local official wrote another on Sohu.com. borders Myanmar, Thailand, Geological Survey. already meeting those affected so braving bitter wind and freezing at a press conference broadcast Photos on Yunnan Web, run Laos and Vietnam, is a rela- An earthquake in neighbour- they could be relocated to areas temperatures, using lamps and on national television. by the Yunnan provincial gov- tively poor part of China where ing Sichuan province in 2008 near their old homes or at least specialised detection devices in The area has experienced unu- ernment, showed rescuers in rural houses are often cheaply claimed around 70,000 lives — in or near the capital. the hope of locating the missing, sually low temperatures in recent orange uniforms digging into wide constructed. the worst natural disaster to In the past, he said, squat- Xinhua said. weeks during what authorities swathes of mud against a back- Gaopo is in Zhenxiong county, hit China in three decades, with ters relocated outside the capi- Soldiers, police, firefighters have called China’s coldest winter drop of snow-covered, terraced in the northeast of Yunnan, a shoddy buildings blamed for the tal swiftly returned to their old and mine rescue workers joined in 28 years. hills. temperate province known for its high toll. homes because they could not find the search operation, using 20 The landslide spread over an A video posted on a Chinese tobacco industry and for being AFP jobs at the relocation site. The government has already allocated 10bn pesos ($246m) for the project this year and is pre- paring “medium-rise buildings” as new homes for the squatters, Sri Lanka draws flak over chief justice impeachment Francisco said. Urban planners have said the clogging of waterways by squat- COLOMBO: International criti- Chief Justice runs contrary to the the Sri Lankan government to but the Lawyers’ Collective, which Samaraweera described the ters is one cause of frequent cism mounted yesterday over a clear rulings of Sri Lanka’s highest respect democratic principles includes most of the 11,000 lawyers impeachment as a final blow to flooding and deaths in the capi- move to impeach Sri Lanka’s chief courts and the proceedings appear and the right to peaceful pro- in the country, have said they will democracy in a country emerging tal caused by storms like Typhoon justice, with Britain demanding to contravene basic principles of test and to ensure the continued not recognise a new appointee and from a decades-long Tamil sepa- Ketsana in 2009. protection for the incumbent and fairness,” the British foreign office safety of Chief Justice Shirani urged other judges to follow suit. ratist war and a state of emer- In recent months, squat- the beleaguered legal profession said in a statement issued by the Bandaranayake.” The privately-run Weekend gency lasting 28 years. ter communities have violently in the former colony. high commission in Colombo. A spokesman for President FT reported the disputed parlia- “Up to yesterday at least we resisted relocation efforts but Britain added its voice to the It said the rushed trial of the Mahinda Rajapaksa said in the mentary vote under the heading: kept up appearances of being at Francisco said those on the United States in expressing deep chief justice violated “due proc- next few days he was expected “Chief’s justice denied.” least a nominal democracy. But waterways realised they had to concern over parliament’s over- ess and respect for the independ- to ratify parliament’s vote to But the state-run Daily News as of Friday night, the Rajapakse move. whelming vote on Friday night ence of the judiciary” and the impeach Bandaranayake, 54, the defended the sacking with an edi- government sheds the facade and “They are there in the water- to sack Chief Justice Shirani Commonwealth principles on rule country’s first woman to hold the torial headlined: “It’s over, and the the country becomes a pariah of ways not because they want to be, Bandaranayake following a contro- of law and good governance. highest judicial post in the island future is bright!” the international community,” but because they have no other versial trial by ruling party MPs. “Together with our inter- of 20 million people. A replace- Former foreign minister and Samaraweera said. choice,” he said. “The motion to impeach the national partners, we call on ment is to be named next week, opposition spokesman Mangala AFP AFP 29 killed, 12 Aquino keeps gun despite outcry hurt in Nepal MANILA: Philippine President Benigno statement that as commander-in-chief, President bus crash Aquino may continue to carry a gun despite an Aquino is exempted”. impending ban on bearing firearms in the run- The ban, which takes effect today and will be KATHMANDU: At least up to polls, an election official said yesterday. in place for six months, is intended to minimise 29 people were killed and 12 Gun ownership is a sensitive topic in the violence ahead of local and congressional elec- injured when a bus veered off a Philippines, where calls are growing for tighter tions in May. narrow mountain road in thick controls or an outright ban in the aftermath of It is not unusual for local officials to seek fog in western Nepal yesterday, a series of shootings starting on New Year’s Eve exemption from gun bans, which are routinely a police officer said. that have left 23 people dead. imposed before elections, but Maranon said this The vehicle tumbled 2,000 feet The ruling by the official Commission on was the first time he could recall a president down a steep hill in Doti district Elections exempted Aquino, a gun enthusiast applying. at 2am (2015 GMT) after the and competitive shooter, on the basis that he is Speaking before an anti-crime group on driver lost control on the road to constitutionally the head of the military. Saturday, Aquino said the government was study- the southwestern plains bordering “We have exempted the members of the Armed ing whether the problem was lack of gun control India, said Nara Bahadur Air, an Forces of the Philippines and since the president laws or just poor enforcement. officer in Doti. is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, “Is the problem about licensed gun owners, “Twenty-nine passengers have then by necessary implication, (the exemption) or lawless elements? Will a total gun ban really been killed in the crash. Twelve covers the president,” said Emil Maranon, an offi- deter kidnappers, murderers, and robbers.... Is passengers who have been seri- cial in the commission. it a question of passing new legislation or more ously injured are being treated Presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte hailed strictly implementing existing laws?” he said. in hospital, 50km from the site,” the ruling, saying, “we welcome the (commission) AFP said Air. The bus had 35 passengers reg- istered at its last checkpoint but drivers on rural routes tend to pick up passengers on the way and police suspect the death toll could rise much higher when the crash site in Chhatiwan village is searched. “The area where the accident occurred has light forest cover... We don’t know the cause of the accident yet but locals have told us that it was foggy during the night,” Air said. Police were called when a man driving by the crash sight heard the screams of survivors, around half an hour after the crash, he added. “We have deployed 50 policemen but they have told us the rescue efforts have been ham- pered because the bus is stuck on a precipice.” Accidents are relatively com- mon on Nepal’s highways because of poor roads, badly maintained vehicles and reckless driving, and death tolls running into double figures are frequent. Relatives mourn over the coffin of Filipino girl, Stephanie Nicole Ella, seven years old, who died after being AFP hit by a stray bullet during the New Year revelry, at her funeral in Caloocan city, east of Manila, yesterday. SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 US to speed up Afghan troop transition Limited role for Nato after 2014

WASHINGTON: US President mission in training Afghan forces Barack Obama said yesterday and preventing a return of Al that the US goal in Afghanistan Qaeda. was “within reach” as he vowed “This week, we agreed that this to move ahead with a timetable spring, Afghan forces will take the to end the 11-year-old military lead for security across the entire campaign and focus on a broad country, and our troops will shift domestic agenda. to a support role,” the US presi- “We’ve pushed the Taliban out dent said. “In the coming months, of their strongholds,” Obama said I’ll announce the next phase of in his weekly radio and Internet our drawdown. And by the end address. “And our core objective — of next year, America’s war in the reason we went to war in the Afghanistan will be over.” first place — is now within reach: Obama said that now ensuring that Al Qaeda can never Americans faced difficult again use Afghanistan to launch domestic tasks of taking care of attacks against America.” returning veterans, growing the Shia Muslims display the unburied coffins of victims of Thursday’s twin bomb attacks during a sit-in in Quetta, yesterday. The burials were scheduled to The comments came after economy, shrinking budget defi- take place after Friday prayers but the bodies would remain unburied until Shias receive promises of protection, participants of the sit-in said. Obama wrapped up talks with cits, creating new jobs and boost- visiting Afghan President Hamid ing family incomes. Karzai, promising to speed up a “We have to fix our infrastruc- transfer of lead security responsi- ture and our immigration sys- Angry Pakistani Shias refuse to bury dead bility from Nato to Afghan forces tem,” he noted. this spring, in a sign that the pace “We have to protect our planet of US troop withdrawal could from the destructive effects of cli- QUETTA: Shia families refus- society, where the dead are nor- said. “We will not end our pro- bodies until our demand is met.” quicken. mate change — and protect our ing to bury their dead after mally buried the same or next day, test until we get an assurance He called for the provincial After meeting with Karzai, children from the horrors of gun twin bombings in Pakistan’s but families say they will not leave that the Pakistan army will take government to be sacked and the Obama said Nato forces would have violence. These, too, will be dif- troubled southwestern city of until the authorities agree to put over security and administrative army to launch an operation to a “very limited” role in the coun- ficult missions for America. But Quetta vowed to continue their the security and administration control in Quetta.” arrest and punish the killers. try after 2014 and insisted that they must be met.” sit-in protest yesterday until of the city under army control. Prime Minister Raja Pervez “We are forced to take this Washington had achieved its prime The White House has ordered the army takes over security. Sunni militant group Lashkar- Ashraf had sent federal minister hard decision,” another Shia goal of “decapitating” Al Qaeda. the Pentagon to come up with By late evening, initial crowds e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility Khurshid Shah to hold talks with leader Daud Agha said. “We real- The leaders met at a crucial plans for a smaller future of hundreds of protesters had for the bombings, which took Shia community leaders, senior ize there is a problem in keeping moment in the final chapter of a Afghan presence than generals swelled to several thousand, all place in an area dominated by administration official Hashim the dead bodies in the open for so long, bloody war, and as Obama had expected, perhaps num- gathered on the main road near Shia Muslims from the Hazara Ghilzai said. long but our concern now is the balances the future security of bering 3,000, 6,000 or 9,000 US the snooker hall hit by Thursday’s ethnic minority and killed 92 peo- A Shia party leader, Agha safety of those who are alive.” Afghanistan with US combat troops. twin suicide attacks. ple, with 121 wounded. Ashraf Zaidi, said: “We discussed In a separate protest, more fatigue and a desire to spend Obama’s domestic political Hundreds of women and chil- It was the worst ever sectarian our one-point agenda — deploy- than 500 workers and support- America’s dwindling resources opponents, however, charge he is dren were among the demonstra- attack on Shias, who account for ment of army in Quetta. The min- ers of the Hazara Democratic at home. in a rush for the exit and warn tors, braving the severe cold as around 20 percent of Pakistan’s ister sought time and promised to Party gathered outside the office Obama, planning the with- that a minimal force could squan- they stood alongside more than 60 180 million population. contact us later after discussing it of the provincial police chief in drawal of most of the 66,000 US der gains hard won in a war that coffins carrying victims’ shrouded “The government machinery with the prime minister. Quetta as its leader Abdul Khaliq troops left in Afghanistan, said has killed more than 3,000 coali- bodies. has failed, there is no protection “We have made it clear went on a three-day hunger strike that after 2014, American forces tion troops. Refusal to bury the bodies is for people in Quetta,” local Shia that we will not leave this against lack of security. would have a “very limited” AFP an extreme position in Islamic party official Hashim Mausawi place nor will we bury the AFP

Pakistan’s foreign Washington condemns ‘inhuman’ attacks in Pakistan ministry gets rap QUETTA: The United States and inhumane acts,” she added. alongside around 30 bodies draped escaped after also shooting dead Police official Hamid Shakeel has condemned the “sense- “We remain concerned about in shrouds and placed in coffins. an employee at a nearby petrol put the death toll at 92. over spending less and inhumane” extremist extremist violence of any kind in It was the deadliest attack in pump. A local police official Noor Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed attacks in Pakistan after a day Pakistan and remain committed Pakistan since suicide bombers Bukhsh Mengal also confirmed responsibility in telephone calls ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s of bomb blasts that killed 126 to working with the government killed 98 people outside a police the incident. to local journalists. The group has foreign ministry and its over- people and sparked angry pro- of Pakistan to combat terror.” training centre in the northwest Earlier Thursday, a bomb deto- links to Al Qaeda and the Taliban, seas missions spent Rs90.483m tests by Shia Muslims. Extremist Sunni militant in 2011 -- an assault claimed by nated under a security force vehi- and was involved in the kidnap during 2004-06 on furnish- Two suicide bombers killed 92 group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed the Pakistani Taliban. cle in a crowded part of Quetta, and beheading of reporter Daniel ing offices with new furniture people and wounded 121 when responsibility for what was the Meanwhile, unidentified men killing 11 people and wounding Pearl in January 2002. and carpets and buying lux- they targeted a crowded snooker worst ever sectarian attack on fired rockets on Nato containers dozens. The attacks, coupled with vio- ury cars, computers and gifts club in the southwestern city of Shias, who account for around 20 carrying goods for international A bomb at a religious gather- lence in the northwest, revived without fulfilling mandatory Quetta Thursday, in an area dom- percent of Pakistan’s 180 million troops operating in Afghanistan, ing in the northwestern Swat val- warnings from analysts that formalities. inated by Shia Muslims from the population. killing one person and destroying ley killed 22 people and wounded Islamist militancy could threaten Auditors’ objections about the Hazara ethnic minority. Hundreds of Shias staged a sit- at least five vehicles in the Hazar more than 80, the deadliest inci- national elections, expected some spending have been presented to US State Department spokes- in at the devastated snooker hall Ganji area on the outskirts of dent in the district since the army time in May. the Public Accounts Committee woman Victoria Nuland on on Friday, refusing to bury loved Quetta on Friday. in 2009 fought off a two-year Polls would mark the first (PAC), sources said yesterday. Friday said Washington offered ones until the army takes respon- “A group of at least 12 uniden- Taliban insurgency. time an elected civilian govern- A report by the Auditor “the families of those killed in sibility for security in Quetta from tified men attacked the terminal At the snooker club, the first ment in Pakistan, for decades General of Pakistan (AGP) said these brutal attacks in Quetta, paramilitary and police officers. and fired rockets, which triggered bomber struck inside the building ruled by the military, completes public money had been spent in Swat, in Karachi... our deepest The government in Baluchistan a massive fire and gutted five out then, 10 minutes later, an attacker a term in office and is replaced hastily and in an ill-considered condolences”. province, which is also fighting a of 10 containers parked there,” in a car blew himself up as police, by another democratically elected manner merely because it was “We obviously stand with the separatist insurgency, announced senior local police official Hamid media workers and rescue teams government. available or to avoid the lapse of people of Pakistan in strongly three days of mourning, but the Shakeel said. rushed to the site, said police AFP grants. condemning these senseless protesters squatted on the road He said that the attackers officer Mir Zubair Mehmood. “A rush of expenditure, par- ticularly in the closing months of the financial year, is regarded as Afghan sport a breach of financial regularity,” it said. The report said the audit had Insecurity fuels demand observed that the spending on furniture, fixtures, machinery and equipment had been done with- out inviting tenders and obtain- for bulletproof vehicles ing sanction from the competent authority. KARACHI: A number of local The company was procuring The ministry had been one companies in Pakistan have materials from the United Arab of the most spendthrift govern- started armouring passen- Emirates, the United States, ment departments which needed ger vehicles following demand South America and Australia for to enforce financial discipline on driven by the deteriorating bulletproofing vehicles, he said. its officers, it said. law and order situation in the “There is a huge demand from AGP Buland Rana said the country. customers to armour their vehi- main issue was wasn’t how With many industrialists, cor- cles, but vehicle owners need to much money the ministry had porate executives, politicians and get an NOC (no objection certifi- spent exclusively on furnishing government officials opting for cate) from the Interior Ministry, its offices and providing vehi- bulletproof vehicles because of and without NOC the company cles to its staff overseas, but the an increasing sense of insecurity, does not armour the vehicle. We attitude. the business of armouring looks are now turning four to five high “In many instances, one can all set to boom. engine power vehicles into bul- see that the ministry went ahead Mansoor Ahmed, General letproof ones, besides securing with a shopping spree without Manager (Technical) of Omar orders for 10-15 more vehicles,” fulfilling formalities, believing Jibran Engineering Industries, he said. that an ex-post facto approval said his company had armoured Giving an example, he said a of the expenditures will not be a 75-80 passenger vehicles, includ- car can be armoured at a cost of problem,” he said. ing four-wheel drive vehicles and Rs3m, which covers floor tops, Rana said the mission in sports utility vehicles, from 2009 doors, pillars, glasses, fuel tank, Brussels spent Rs10m on buy- to 2012. and the front and rear portions. ing furniture during 2005-06. He said the company, which has If a person wants to get his “I cannot understand what was been producing plastic and sheet vehicle made bulletproof abroad, the emergency behind buying metal parts for vehicle manufac- it would cost more than Rs10m, Afghan horsemen compete for a goat carcass during a game of Buzkashi in Herat yesterday. The ancient new furniture that the mis- turers in the country for decades, which includes shipment costs game of Buzkashi is an Afghan national sport and involves two teams of horsemen competing to throw a sion couldn’t wait for its formal had established an armouring and taxes, he added. goat carcass into a scoring circle. approval.” division for passenger vehicles. INTERNEWS INTERNEWS SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA

Three arrested Crimes against women on the rise in UP for rape and State reports 23 rapes in the first 10 days of this month; three victims burnt molestation

LUCKNOW: With crimes A 16-year-old girl was set on helpline from across the sprawling 14-year-old girl was set on fire by danger, and police are looking for against women in the national fire when she foiled a rape attempt state, many complained of being a young man, Shrawan Jatav, after Vijay. An official attributed the in New Delhi spotlight, the country’s most in Shankargarh in Allahabad dis- threatened by boys and men. he failed to rape her. She suffered rise in such violence to demands populous state reported as trict. She suffered more than 70 A 17-year-old girl was set on 70 percent burns. Superintendent to send rapists to the gallows. NEW DELHI: Three people, many as 23 rapes in the first 10 percent burns and is still battling fire by a jilted lover in Hathras of Police Nilabjo Chowdhary said “With the fear of being identified, including a B.Tech student, were days of the new year, with three for life. The victim told police that on the last day of 2012. Police got that the girl’s condition was criti- the rapists are now trying to do arrested in with three separate victims burnt for spurning or she tried her best to save herself the complaint Jan 1. After four cal and that the assailant and his away with evidence by trying to cases of attempt to rape and resisting their male attackers. from her neighbour and attacker, days, she succumbed to her burns. family members were absconding. kill the victim,” the officer said. molestation here, police said Most incidents took place in 20-year-old Gyan Patel. Police said she was attacked In another similar incident, a In the last nine months since yesterday. western and central parts of She accused his parents of inside her house when the assail- 19-year-old suffered multiple stab the Samajwadi Party came to A six-year-old girl was safely Uttar Pradesh and as many as 70 helping him in the attack. Police ant, Arjun, barged in and doused wounds after she resisted a thug’s power, a total of 1,497 rape cases rescued from the clutches of percent rapes were reported from officials admitted they were hor- her with kerosene. He then set attempt to rape her. Fatehpur have been reported in Uttar a 24-year-old man who had villages and small towns, accord- rified to hear the story. “Incidents her on fire before the family Superintendent of Police Rajendra Pradesh. Police spokesman abducted her from her house in ing to official statistics. of rape are shameful, but cases of could come to her rescue. The Singh said the incident took place Rakesh Singh says incidences of east Delhi’s Seelampur on Friday Director General of Police A victims being stabbed and burnt distraught father of the deceased in Karera village when the victim rape have fallen compared to last night. Hearing the screams of the C Sharma is pitching for more alive are indeed very shocking,” told police that his daughter had was going to the fields. year. He added that police were girl, people in the area caught the stringent laws for crimes against Deputy Inspector General of spurned the overtures of the When she raised an alarm, the doing their best to nail people accused, identified as Wasim, just women. “Even one reported rape Police Navneet Sikera said. killer who had been stalking her. man, Vijay, stabbed her many with records of crime against few metres away and beat him up or assault on women is a shame,” He said that in the thousands of The man has been arrested. times and escaped after firing women and sexual assault. before handing him over to police. Sharma said. complaints reaching the women’s In Farukkhabad district, a gunshots in the air. She is out of IANS In another incident, a 21-year- old B.Tech student, identified as Nitesh, was arrested on Friday for allegedly trying to rape a 15-year- Mother of rape old girl inside her house in west Delhi’s Alipur. He was a resident of the same area. “The accused was beaten up and handed over accused in shock to police after being caught red- handed,” said a police officer, add- BADAUN /NEW DELHI: In a processed as a juvenile and has ing that a case has been registered. village in India’s Uttar Pradesh not been charged. He will be In the third case, a 20-year- state, a woman sits hunched on tried separately. Police have said old youth, identified as Omi, was the ground in a green shawl, vis- they are conducting bone tests arrested on Friday night for ibly weak and shivering in the to determine his age as they sus- molesting a girl in New Friends January cold. She says she has pect he may be over 18 years old. Colony market in south Delhi. not eaten for days, and neither Reuters is withholding his name “Another friend of the accused, have her five young children. for this story. The trial of the five Tushar, managed to flee from She has never heard of men is due to start within weeks. the spot when the victim raised Manmohan Singh, the prime It is from a life of rural penury an alarm,” said a police officer. minister, having never ventured that the youth sought to escape, The accused has been booked further from her village than a one of about two million Indians for his offences. IANS nearby market town, and ekes out who migrate to cities every year, a living working in potato fields on chasing an economic boom that Pending anti-sexual other people’s land. has propelled India for the past Her eldest son left home when two decades but has trickled harassment bill is he was 11. He never returned, and down slowly to its poor. the woman thought he was dead. Conversations with relatives, useless: Activists The first news she got of him neighbours and police show the was when police from New Delhi extent to which the accused NEW DELHI: While the gov- turned up at her brick hut to say lived on the margins of the city’s Ravidas camp, the slum where four of the six accused by police in the Delhi gang rape case, reside, in New Delhi. ernment has assured a stronger he had been arrested for the gang emerging prosperity, holding anti-rape law, activists say a rape and death of a student. menial jobs and living in a slum. would come back,” she said. they found the juvenile’s blood- It is in this world that Vinay bill against sexual harassment In an interview with Reuters, Their lives stand in contrast with The details of the boy’s life stained clothes on Singh’s roof. Sharma, another of the accused, at the workplace that has been the mother of the juvenile, the that of the victim. after he left his village are patchy. The friend of the victim who wanted to make his mark, and passed by the Lok Sabha but youngest of six members of She was also from a humble Even his fellow accused did not had accompanied her on the bus, aspired to the kind of life that the is yet to be brought before the the gang accused of the attack, background but funded her stud- know his real name and called and who was also beaten, said victim was striving for. Rajya Sabha is “useless”. recalled the son who left home ies by taking a job in one of the him by an assumed name, a senior the juvenile had beckoned the Passionate about boxing and In a discussion at Indian five or six years ago for the bright call centres that are a hallmark of police officer told Reuters. Police pair to board. Singh and three body-building, Sharma earned Women Press Corps here, women lights, and seemed stunned by the modern India’s economy and have described him as a “freelancer” at of the other accused lived in a $55 a month as a helper in a gym activists also said they had little accusation against him. helped build an aspirational new a Delhi bus station, cleaning buses poor pocket in the otherwise and wanted to enrol on a corre- hope that government will make “Today, the infamy he earned is middle class. and running errands for drivers. largely middle-class Delhi neigh- spondence course, according to his the laws stronger in real terms. eating me up,” his mother said as According to his mother, the “He was a helper on buses who bourhood of R K Puram, whose mother and neighbours in the slum “We do not accept the present villagers stood and stared. “I can’t youth joined a group of other vil- would solicit customers by calling wide streets and tree-lined boul- where he lived. “He always used to draft bill. It has a lot missing,” even sit with two other people in lage boys travelling to New Delhi, out to them in a sing-song tone,” evards contrast with the dark say ‘I will make it big in life’,” said Indu Agnihotri, director, Centre the village because of the shame found work in a roadside eatery the officer said. He was popular lanes, communal taps and open his mother, Champa Devi. for Women and Development that my son has brought to the and - for the first year - used to with the contractors who ran sewers where Singh lived. Many Like the juvenile and the vic- Studies said. The activists said family.” send Rs600 ($11) a month back the bus services and frequently of the people who live there are tim, Sharma’s family is originally among the shortcomings of the A 23-year-old physiotherapy to his family. After he stopped changed jobs. It was during this migrants, working as electri- from Uttar Pradesh. “When the bill, the main was making the student was beaten and raped sending money, his mother never time that he met Ram Singh, the cians, auto-rickshaw drivers, day police came around 4 or 4.30 in sexual assault gender-neutral. on a moving bus in the capital on heard from him again. At first main accused in the case, whom labourers, bus drivers, mechanics the evening, he was at home”, The government has formed a December 16. She was left bleeding she thought he might have been he had gone to meet on the day and street vendors. his mother said. “I ran after him committee under former Supreme on a highway and died two weeks forced into bonded labour. Later, of the attack in the hope of get- The world of the juvenile’s when they were taking him away. Court chief justice J S Verma to later from internal injuries. The she presumed he was dead. A cou- ting back money that Singh had mother is still one where carts They would not even tell me why. collect suggestions on need to five men who have been charged ple of months before the rape, she borrowed from him, police said. drawn by horses and bullocks Even he kept insisting ‘Ma, go change the rape related laws. The with rape and murder are all consulted a holy man about her The juvenile went to Singh’s ply the lanes, and dung cakes are back home, nothing will happen Sexual Harassment of Women at expected to plead not guilty. One son, whom she remembered as a house to claim Rs8,000 ($150) stacked in villages to be used as to me. They are just taking me to Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition says police tortured him. good boy. “The holy man told me but Singh invited him to stay for a fuel. But in the cities, the old ask some questions. I will be back and Redressal) Bill was passed by The sixth member of the that someone has practiced some food instead, according to a police barriers of caste and gender are soon.’ But that was the last I saw Lok Sabha in 2012 but is pending gang, the woman’s son, is being black magic on him, but that he report. After the attack, police say being eroded as India prospers. of him.” REUTERS with Rajya Sabha. IANS

Kumbh Mela Visa denied to Bangalore faces water scarcity British scribe HYDERABAD: India has denied with depleting reservoirs award-winning British journal- ist Yvonne Ridley a visa. She was BANGALORE: Last year was opposition to beat his govern- at KRS and Kabini painted a grim scheduled to address the Spring of bad for Karnataka. This year ment, by stating earlier this week picture. Together, the two reser- Islam conference being held here could be worse if nature does not that water needed to be rationed voirs have just about 18 tmcft by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind. turn benevolent. After a failed for the city and a decision would (thousand million cubic feet). Of The London-based journalist monsoon, winter has been elusive be announced soon. this, live storage — or the water was to address various sessions at and there is warning of a dire Such a decision would have been that can be drawn — is 10 tmcft. the three-day conference, which scarcity of water in the days to disastrous for the ruling BJP, par- Bangalore alone needs 7.5 began on Friday. “The Indian gov- come, even for capital Bangalore. ticularly in Bangalore as the city tmcft of water till May at 1.5 ernment is refusing to give me a The poor monsoon has left continues to reel under the garbage tmcft every month. That leaves conference visa to address 50,000 three-fourths of the state reeling mess that started last July. The only 2.5 tmcft to meet the needs women in Hyderabad about wom- under drought and most of the BJP had won 17 of the 28 assem- of people in Mysore, Mandya en’s rights ... I would have thought reservoirs half empty. bly seats from Bangalore in the last and Ramanagaram districts till after the catastrophic handling of The storage in the two reser- polls in May 2008, when it came May. Ramanagaram and Mandya the Dehli rape case, politicians would voirs, Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) to power for the first time in the are 40km and 80km away from be more sensitive, but it seems not. and Kabini, which are the major state. The assembly has 225 seats, Bangalore on way to Mysore, We women continue to be sidelined water source for Bangalore, has including one nominated member. which is about 130km from here. and treated as second class citizens,” reached alarmingly low levels, Two years later the party also Bommai said this quantum of she said in her post on Facebook. prompting the BJP government captured power in the Bangalore water would be sufficient to meet Ridley, through video confer- to talk of the need to ration water civic body, the BBMP (Bruhat the needs of these three districts. ence, addressed three sessions for the capital’s over eight mil- Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Since the situation is grim, of girls, women and journalists. lion population. KRS reservoir in or Greater Bangalore City the government has set up a “The Indian government knows Mandya district is about 130km Corporation). Realising that the panel headed by water resources how powerful words are. That is from Bangalore and Kabini in political cost could be too heavy if department secretary to daily why I am sitting in the UK today Mysore district. water rationing is implemented, monitor Bangalore’s water talking to you instead of being However, with assembly elec- Bommai and Law Minister S. needs. While the water scarcity with you to deliver this speech in tions due in May, the government Suresh Kumar, who also handles is alarming, the winter too has person,” she said, addressing the retracted on possibility of water the Bangalore Water Supply and eluded Bangaloreans. But for a session of journalists yesterday. rationing but has appealed to Sewerage Board, have sought to few days in early November and Khalid Mubashir-ul-Zafar, presi- Bangaloreans to judiciously use douse panic spreading among December, there has been no need dent of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Hyderabad the resource to ensure that the Bangaloreans over water shortage. for woollens as the temperature unit, said Ridely was given all nec- supply lasts till the monsoon sea- At the same time, both stressed has been above average. essary clearances by the external son begins in June. that water availability for the city It has been bad in Bangalore as affairs ministry, but was denied A Hindu priest holds an oil lamp while performing evening prayers near Water Resources Minister till next monsoon was at the bare day temperature has been three visa in the last minute because of the banks of river Ganges ahead of the Kumbh Mela (Pitcher Festival), Basavaraj Bommai had created minimum and wise usage was to five degrees above the average the tense situation in Hyderabad. in Allahabad yesterday. Kumbh Mela will return to Allahabad in 12 years. a scare among Bangaloreans, essential. The figures Bommai of around 25 degrees Celsius for IANS and also given a big stick to the reeled off over the water levels this time of the year. IANS SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 LoC killings: IAF chief talks tough BRIEFLY Government will not listen to ‘wild calls for revenge and reaction’, says Khurshid

NEW DELHI: In a veiled warn- violations continue we might have Information and Broadcasting two killed Indian soldiers, one was incident on the LoC in Poonch ing, the IAF chief said yesterday to look at the whole issue again.” Manish Tewari said the Jan 8 kill- “mutilated and beheaded” while district of Jammu and Kashmir that India may have to “look at The Indian Air Force (IAF) ing and mutilation of two Indian the other was “mutilated”. indicates that Pakistan was not some other options” if Pakistan chief’s strong words came a day soldiers was in violation of “rules Border tensions between India keen to improve relations. President greets continues to violate the ceasefire after Pakistan summoned the of engagement”. and Pakistan have risen sharply Congress leader Ambika Soni on the LoC with impunity even Indian envoy in Islamabad to “Government is doing eve- since the January 6 death of a said the brutal killing of two nation on Lohri as the government said it will not lodge its protest over the killing of rything at the strategic level to Pakistani soldier in alleged firing Indian soldiers was a hindrance buckle to “wild calls for revenge a Pakistani soldier in alleged fir- express its anger. We have said by Indian forces along the Line of to the confidence building meas- and Pongal and reaction” over the killing ing by Indian troops on Thursday. clearly that the incident is inhu- Control in Jammu and Kashmir. ures between India and Pakistan. and beheading of two Indian sol- External Affairs Minister man. The incident is in complete Two days later, Pakistani sol- In Poonch district, the civil NEW DELHI: President diers by Pakistani troops. Salman Khurshid, in an interview violation of the Geneva conven- diers killed and beheaded two society appealed to the govern- Pranab Mukherjee yester- Air Chief Marshal N A K to NDTV news channel, however tion and rules of engagement,” he Indian soldiers in the Mendhar ments of India and Pakistan to day greeted the nation on Browne termed violations of said the government was not said at a press conference. sector in Poonch district. India restore peace and respect the Lohri, Makar Sankranti and the Line of Control (LoC) and “going to be pressurised by wild Pakistan has not responded so had summoned the Pakistani High 2003 ceasefire agreement. Pongal, expressing hope that the 2003 ceasefire agreement by calls for revenge and reaction”. far to India’s request for a brig- Commissioner Salman Bashir to In a written appeal, prominent the festivals would bring Pakistan as “totally unacceptable”. “We will do what is in the best adier-level flag meeting. “We are lodge its protest over the killing. citizens of the town said: “For the prosperity and happiness. In “We are watching the situa- interest of the country and peace, still waiting (for a response),” the Political parties have called for people of Poonch region as others his message to the nation, tion carefully, if the violations keeping in mind that there is a Indian Army spokesperson said. tough action against Pakistan. living close to the LoC, the cease- the President said: “On the continue, perhaps we may have lot at stake.” Heightened border There was no firing yesterday Former BJP president Rajnath fire (agreement of November auspicious occasion of Lohri, to think of some other options for tensions “demands very respon- on the Line of Control that divides Singh said India should recall its 2003) brought peace, security and Makar Sankranti and Pongal, compliance,” he said, but declined sible and sensible and moderate Jammu and Kashmir between high commissioner to Pakistan created atmosphere for develop- I extend my warm greetings to elaborate on the options. behaviour”, he said. India and Pakistan, he informed. and scale down the level of dip- ment in the border areas.” and good wishes to all fellow “Options are options...If Union Minister of State for The army also clarified that of the lomatic ties. He said that recent IANS citizens and wish them every happiness and prosperity. May these festivals which celebrate fresh harvests, the hard work of our farmers and the bounty of nature bring the promise of further growth and progress JMM seeks time for our nation.” Lohri would be celebrated today, while Pongal and Makar Sankranti would fall tomorrow. to form new govt Railway body fines RANCHI: The Jharkhand want president’s rule in the state,” Mukti Morcha (JMM) yester- Congress legislative party leader 2,040 for spitting day sought more time for form- Rajendra Singh said. RJD legisla- BHUBANESWAR: The ing an alternative government tive party leader Annapurna Devi East Coast Railway has fined in the state. also met the governor and requested 2,040 people for spitting and JMM chief Shibu Soren, his son him not to dissolve the house. “We littering at railway premises Hemant Soren and other leaders requested him to explore possibilities in less than a month and made the request when they met of formation of the government in collected Rs128,570 in fines Governor Syed Ahmad here. the state,” she said. from them, an official said. “We had requested the gover- JMM has been exploring the The people faced action for nor to give us some more time possibility of forming a govern- their acts in different railway for formation of the government ment in the state with Congress premises under the jurisdic- in the state,” Hemant Soren told backing. Congress legislators and tion of ECoR. The railways reporters afterwards. “The possi- leaders in the state are in favour have been imposing different bilities of alternative government of the formation of the alterna- amounts of fine on people to exist in the state and the governor tive government, but are yet to maintain cleanliness in its should explore the possibilities.” get any concrete assurance from premises, including in differ- Hemant Soren returned here the Congress high command, say Gujarat state Chief Minister Narendra Modi addressing the audience during the valedictory function of the Vibrant ent railway stations since the on Friday night after meeting party sources. Gujarat 2013 6th Global Summit at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, 30km from Ahmedabad, yesterday. past few months. Those spit- Congress leaders in Delhi. He said Congress, RJD and some ting and littering at A1 cat- that the Congress would decide Independent legislators could egory major railway stations about the formation of an alterna- support an alternative govern- Modi avoids talk of higher office like Bhubaneswar, Puri and tive government. ment led by the JMM. Visakhapatnam were fined The 28-month Bharatiya Janata If such an agreement were to Rs100 each, while at smaller Party-led Arjun Munda govern- be arrived at, the Congress, RJD GANDHINAGAR: Fresh off its low-cost Nano after its plans regarded as efficient state govern- stations, the fines range from ment fell after JMM withdrew and Independents, along with the his re-election as chief minister to make the car in West Bengal ment, which stands in contrast to Rs50 to Rs30. support Jan 8. The Munda cabi- JMM could attempt a coalition of Gujarat and amid expecta- were disrupted by farmers. the red tape and unpredictability net had recommended dissolution comprising 41 legislators. tions he could contend to be the Last month, Modi’s Hindu elsewhere in India that frustrate Man threatening of the state assembly. Congress Of the 82 legislators in the state, next prime minister, Narendra nationalist Bharatiya Janata businesses and investors. Pooja Bhatt held and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) 37 are in favour of fresh polls. The Modi avoided talk of a bigger Party won 115 of the state assem- One of the few major execu- delegations also separately met 37 include 18 of the BJP, six of political future during a state bly’s 182 seats against 61 for the tives in attendance to speak MUMBAI: An unidentified the governor and requested not All Jharkhand Students’ Union investment event. Congress party, which heads a openly of Modi as candidate man who was making threat- to accept the cabinet’s decision to (AJSU), two of Janata Dal-United Still, Modi, one of India’s most national government that has for prime minister was Sanjay ening calls to Pooja Bhatt has dissolve the assembly. (JD-U) and 11 of the Jharkhand popular and divisive politicians, was been beset by corruption scandals Lalbhai, chairman of Arvind Ltd, been arrested, says the actor- “We requested the governor to Vikas Morch-P (JVM-P). the star of his “Vibrant Gujarat and presided over an economy on a textile maker based in nearby filmmaker. “Just got a call from consider it if JMM stakes claim The AJSU chief also met the Summit,” which featured a parade track this fiscal year for its slow- Ahmedabad. “We are dealing Abhay Shastry, Bandra Police to form the government. We will governor and requested to dis- of corporate heavyweights as well est growth in a decade. with him as the chief minister of Station, confirming they have inform him (governor) after talk- solve the house as recommended as foreign officials who extolled the Modi appeared to downplay Gujarat as of now, but I am sure arrested man who made abu- ing to central leaders. We do not by the cabinet. IANS business-friendly state and Modi’s ambitions for higher office, mak- he has the skills required at the sive/threatening calls to me leadership even as they mostly kept ing a point of inviting delegates national level also, the decisive- on January 9,” Pooja tweeted clear of politics. to the next edition of the event ness, the leadership,” he said. yesterday. “Police confirms “In Gujarat, we see a culture in 2015. “When I gave a similar Others lauding Modi included that man who abused/threat- of implementation, reflecting the invitation in 2011, the media had the billionaire Ambani brothers. ened me is all of 25 years old Pune’s German Bakery opens doors qualities of the chief minister,” mocked me saying I was yet to be “Gujarat has been the birthplace and works for Vodafone. Can’t Cyrus Mistry, who recently suc- re-elected and was already issuing of India’s greatest leaders. What all wait to look into his eyes and PUNE: Pune’s landmark German Bakery, which was targeted in a ceeded Ratan Tata as head of the invitations. This time, there is no these men have said about leader- say hello,” she further posted. terrorist attack in 2010, has virtually risen like a phoenix 35 months Tata Group, India’s biggest busi- such problem,” he said in his clos- ship, Narendrabhai has practised Pooja had filed an official com- after it was completely devastated. An excited Snehal Kharose, the ness house, said from a stage he ing remarks, delivered in Hindi. in his 10-year tenure as chief min- plaint on Wednesday at the daughter of the founder, said that it was thrown open on Thursday shared with Modi. Gujarat, with a long tradition ister,” Anil Ambani said, stopping police station here against (January 10) with a soft launch, “just to inform the people and our In one of Modi’s biggest wins, of entrepreneurship, has been a short of expressing support for the caller, who was calling her patrons that we are still here”. in 2008 he convinced Tata Motors magnet for industrial investment Modi as a potential prime minister, incessantly in the wee hours, IANS to build a factory in the state for thanks in part to what is widely which he did in 2009. REUTERS and threatened her. IANS Kerala aims to make its ‘own’ PBD more useful T TOOK more than a dec- with Gandhian thought. THE NR EYE to give compensation, providing their personal property,” the chief Indian (NRI) status of returnees ade for Kerala to realize that One fails to understand, why legal assistance to those in need minister said at the PBD session. from the present one year. Many India’s annual diaspora jam- do the Government of India as of it and facilitate registration of The greatest amount of dis- wanted effective intervention of Iboree is no place to get the well as the Ministry of Overseas Moiz Mannan Adhaar. satisfaction was understandably the Government of India in get- peculiar issues of non-resident Indians Affairs not come out The Global Advisory Committee expressed by Gulf NRIs regarding ting released hundreds of Indians Keralites resolved; not even a spe- straight and call it an invest- helping hands and not a shoul- for Kerala would monitor the the functioning of Air India. They languishing in various jails abroad cial session dedicated to its mas- ment meet. Then, they would der to cry on. decisions taken at the Pravasi were also deeply concerned about for no fault of theirs. They sug- sive workforce in the Gulf. be able to go about their desired So, it’s good that Chandy has Bharatiya Diwas and would the bulk loss of jobs owing to gested a free legal aid facility in The state has hosted NRI business without feeling guilty announced his state’s plans to take initiative for implementing nationalisation initiatives in the all embassies to help such people. conclaves with different pur- about it. hold a PBD in Kerala every welfare and rehabilitation pro- Gulf. For this purpose there has The shortage of staff at embassies poses earlier, but this time Chief The President, the Prime year immediately following the grammes for the expatriates. The been a vociferous demand for a in the Gulf and the attitude of the Minister Oommen Chandy has Minister, the Overseas Indians national event. Further, to moni- chief minister was further quoted comprehensive resettlement and existing staff also came under fire done the right thing by announc- Affairs Minister and an array of tor the implementation of the as saying that the Global Advisory rehabilitation package for return- from the participants. ing an all-encompassing Pravasi top functionaries make it a point announced welfare and security Committee for Kerala would also ees. In addition, the participants The high cost of remittance is Bharatiya Divas exclusively for its to refer to the plight of the blue measures, the chief minister has be entrusted with efforts to real- wanted free travel tickets for the pinching for the low income work- own overseas workers. collar workers in the Gulf and envisaged the formation of a per- ize the Air Kerala project, to set oustees. ers in the gulf and MOIA offi- The 11th edition of the Pravasi to assure that India would take manent Global Advisory Council. up Malayalee expatriate rehabili- Another major issue raised by cials have said the issue required Bharatiya divas, hosted by care of them. One hopes that his council would tation projects and to deal with the NRIs was the limit imposed a “detailed technical and expert Kerala for the first time, con- A re-iteration of their plight be given some statutory powers to issues of non-resident Keralites on gold NRIs can bring when study”. cluded yesterday with nearly the from this platform without hold the concerned accountable in countries other than those in they visit the country. They were The NRIs also expressed con- same hyperbole and rhetoric as ever addressing the core issues for inaction, if any. the Gulf. told that MOIA had taken up the cern over lack of facilities for in previous years. It has become amounts to cruelty. Why should According to reports from The Kerala government also issue with the finance ministry higher education for their chil- clear not that the event rolls out it be a platform for the over- Kochi, the council would be plans to set up a help desk to and a revision in the limit could dren and kin and new regulations the red carpet only for the high seas workers to come and nar- responsible for monitoring issues ensure the welfare of aged par- be expected in the next budget. in most Gulf countries affecting and mighty NRIs to lure their rate their woes? Does India not pertaining to amnesty return- ents of NRIs. “Those working in The delegates were also the self-employed sections. There money. Celebrated to mark the already have the mechanism in ees, those still in jail after serving West Asia can register a com- informed that the Government were also suggestions regarding return from South Africa of the place to know their problems as their term, financial assistance for plaint over the phone. The gov- of India was “actively consid- setting up of NRI hospitals and ‘Father of the Nation’, the high and when they crop up? What those undergoing punishment in ernment will ensure the safety of ering” a proposal to extend NRI employment exchanges. profile festival has nothing to do poor NRIs expect at the PBD is vehicle accidents who are unable family members and will protect the period of the Non-resident THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 16 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MORNING BREAK

PRAYER TIME

Fajr (Dawn) 5:01 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:21 Zuhr (Noon) 11:42 Asr (Afternoon) 2:43 Maghrib (Sunset) 5:05 Isha (Night) 6:35

WEATHER Weather Today Monday Tuesday Conditions: Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Mostly sunny Slight dust to dusty with High: 19° High: 22° High: 21° partly cloudy Low: 13° Low: 16° Low: 16° to cloudy and chance of light rain by night, relatively cold.

DOHA - SUN & SEA SUN TIDE SEA SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND The capsized cruise liner Costa Concordia is pictured outside Giglio Harbour yesterday. 06:21 17:05 06:15 & 17:45 13:15 & 23:30 20-30/35KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER Shaken survivors remember cruise disaster MUSCAT 24/18 Clear 25/18 Mostly sunny GIGLIO ISLAND, Italy: stay with us our whole lives. I am Salvage workers have been in local homes and a church in the MAKKAH 29/21 Partly sunny 30/21 Partly sunny Shaken survivors and grieving here to pay tribute to my sister. labouring around the clock for port after being pulled shivering KUWAIT 14/08 Mostly sunny 15/09 Mostly sunny relatives of the 32 victims of I feel as if I am with her again,” months to stabilise the wreck from the sea following a panicky BAHRAIN 19/15 Mostly sunny 20/14 Mostly sunny the Costa Concordia cruise ship she said. and eventually refloat it and tow evacuation. SANAA 24/09 Chance of rain 25/07 Chance of rain disaster began arriving on the Indian-born Kevin Rebello, it away in an operation that has “The idea is to exorcise a hor- RIYADH 16/09 Clear 20/06 Clear island of Giglio for a first anni- whose brother worked as a waiter never been attempted before. rible episode, and to share the DUBAI 24/17 Mostly sunny 25/17 Mostly sunny versary commemoration of the on the ship and is still officially The removal has been hit by pain and drama of those who lost BAGHDAD 13/03 Mostly sunny 14/04 Mostly sunny tragedy today. reported missing, said: “It’s not delays but the head of Italy’s a loved one,” Ortelli said. “It’s terrible coming back here,” easy to return. I have still not civil protection agency, Franco “Many survivors and relatives one survivor, Clara Stara, said in found peace.” Gabrielli, said it would happen of victims have returned to thank THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW the tiny Italian port where the The 290m liner crashed into by September at the latest. us, and share their memories with HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER giant hulk of a ship, twice as big a group of rocks just off Giglio, Franco Porcellacchia, an exec- us. Some, a year on, still send us as the Titanic, still lies keeled veered sharply and keeled over utive from ship owner Costa emails,” he said. The commemora- ATHENS 15/08 Clear 18/10 Mostly sunny over on its side. just as many passengers were sit- Crociere who is overseeing the tions today will include replacing WASHINGTON 21/17 Mostly sunny 19/17 Chance of rain “I’ve been anxious since yester- ting down for supper on the first project, said the budget had where it once stood the rock that SYDNEY 23/17 Chance of rain 23/16 Mostly sunny day and I hadn’t felt any fear for night of a Mediterranean cruise. increased from $300m to $400m the ship crashed into and tore away. LONDON 04/02 Mostly sunny 03/09 Chance of rain a whole year,” she said. There were 4,229 people from and could rise further. Mayor Father Lorenzo Pasquotti said PARIS 05/02 Chance of rain 03/09 Partly sunny Among the arrivals was the 70 countries on board. Sergio Ortelli said islanders were he would display objects that sur- ISTANBUL 07/01 Partly sunny 09/05 Mostly sunny family of Erika Fani Soria Molina, Hundreds were forced to jump keen to welcome back those who vivors left behind — life jackets, MANILA 31/23 Chance of storms 23/22 Mostly sunny a Peruvian waitress who died. into the freezing waters after lived through that night, even emergency blankets, even dis- DHAKA 24/14 Clear 26/15 Clear “This is very difficult for us,” some of the lifeboats failed to though Costa Crociere asked sur- carded rolls of bread — next to DELHI 19/08 Clear 21/12 Clear said her sister Maddelein Soria, deploy, while others climbed down vivors to stay away from the com- the altar, underneath a Madonna ISLAMABAD 18/05 Clear 20/04 Mostly sunny 35, as her father held back tears. a rope ladder across the hull in memoration because of logistics. statue salvaged from the ship’s “This is something that will the dark to waiting boats. Many survivors sought shelter chapel. AFP

Boy, 13, drives father’s Mercedes across Europe

ROME: A 13-year-old boy ran incredible,” Eleonora Spadati, their consent. The boy’s parents away from his adoptive par- head of local Carabinieri police quickly realised their son might ents in Italy, taking his father’s in Montebelluna in northeast have tried to go to Poland and Mercedes and driving 1,000km Italy where the boy ran from, contacted local Italian police, toward his native Poland before said yesterday. asking for an alert along his pos- being stopped in Germany. Spadati said the boy missed sible route. The boy — a go-kart enthusi- Poland and wanted to see his German traffic police picked ast — managed to pass motor- biological sister. him up just 200 kilometres from way toll booths and cross two Just before leaving on the Polish border on Friday. international borders in his two- Thursday with just ¤200 (around Spadati said she had been con- day drive across northern Italy, $270) in his pocket and a pass- tacted by the Polish consulate Austria and half of Germany. port, he had also argued with his asking after the boy, and social “He looks like a 16-year-old, parents after they confiscated his workers will increase checks on but still! He managed to fuel up mobile phone as a punishment the family once they return to and pass two borders. It’s just for topping up its credit without Italy today. AFP

Astronomers find largest structure in the universe

LONDON: Astronomers have discovered the larg- est known structure in the universe — a group of quasars so large it would take 4 billion years to cross it while travelling Enjoy Your Music, at speed of light. The immense scale in Your Style also challenges Albert Einstein’s Cosmological Principle, the assumption that the universe looks the same from every point of view, researchers said. Enjoy safe, comfortable controls on the road with Bluetooth® Wireless The findings by aca- Technology. Two phones can be connected full-time and easily switched. demics from Britain’s Play your favourite songs from your digital audio player, in customisable University of Central sound with High/Low-Pass Filter and advanced equalizer features. Lancashire were published Illuminations can also be tailored to your taste. in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and reported on the society’s website on Friday. Quasars are believed to be the brightest objects in the universe, with light emanating from the nuclei of galaxies from the early days of the universe and visible billions of light- years away. “Since 1982 it has been known that quasars tend to P. O. BOX 329 Doha, State of Qatar Tel: +974 4015 0100 Fax: +974 4015 0221 group together in clumps [email protected] www.nas-goc.com or ‘structures’ of surpris- Musherib Panasonic Main Showroom Tel: 4015 0100 | Al Rayyan Panasonic Showroom Tel. 4411 6358 | Markhiya Panasonic Showroom TVTV Roundabout Tel. 4487 4861 , 4015 0208 ingly large sizes, forming Al Khor Panasonic Showroom Tel. 4472 6049 | Souq Ahmed Bin Ali Panasonic Showroom Tel. 4441 3901, 4015 0206 | Wakrah PanasonicanasonicSh Showroomowroom Tel.Tel 44644464 0661 0661 large quasar groups or Azizia Panasonic Showroom Tel. 4468 5492 , 4015 0207 | Electronics Service Center : 4416 7054 Email: [email protected] AC & Home Appliances Service Center Tel 4444 2550 email: [email protected] LQGs,” the society said. REUTERS ‘JVC’ is the trademark or registered trademark of Victor Company of Japan. Limited www.jvc-me.com Sunday 13 January 2013 1 Rabial I 1434 Volume 17 Number 5578 Price: QR2

Non-oil sector drives GCC GDP growth

Business | 18

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780

Lifestyle trade fair Mena to pump Investors get $250bn into power projects richer by in five years DOHA: The Middle East and North African (MENA) coun- tries are expected to pump nearly $250bn into power over QR21bn projects over the next five years to expand generation capacity and meet the growing domestic QE bull run expected to continue demand. The projects will be one of the DOHA: Investors on the Qatari main topics of discussion at the bourse have become richer by 11th Power-Gen Middle East over a huge QR21bn ($5.75bn) in conference which will be held in barely seven trading days since Doha from February 4-6. Key offi- the dawn of the current year, cials and experts from the Gulf thanks to stocks rallying ahead Last year was bad for and other countries will attend of full-year profit and divi- the bourse with all the annual event. The event will dend declaration by the listed indicators reflecting explore new venture investments, entities. intellectual property, enhanced The market capitalisation of a decline except the technology solutions, management the bourse (Qatar Exchange) market capitalisation skills and innovative new products. was QR459.88bn at the close of figure that surged by Significant energy-related trading on December 31, the last a marginal QR2.53bn. projects as part of the 200 planned trading day of 2012, which surged Souvenir vendor Soenke Preuss displays a miniature model of the ocean liner Titanic during the lifestyle and announced ventures val- to QR480.88bn last Thursday, up More than 10 times trade fair ‘early bird’ in Hamburg, yesterday. A total of 944 companies are displaying their lifestyle products ued between $100m and $20bn 4.6 percent. that yearly gain was on home living, presents, fashion, jewellery and wellness on some 80,000 square metre space. will be major points of discus- The capitalisation figure has witnessed in just sion at the event. Citing find- been jumping by QR3bn on aver- ings of a latest study conducted age each trading day since the seven days of by Arab Petroleum Investment market reopened after New Year trading this year. Corp (Apicorp), the organisers on January 2. There have been said in Dubai yesterday that six seven trading days since. GTL experts gather in Doha countries, which control 40 per- “We expect the rally to con- cent of the world’s recoverable oil tinue,” an investor said. The ending higher in daily trading. As resources, will add nearly half the equity market normally witnesses for trading through last week, 29 expected additional power genera- a bullish run at the start of a new stocks ended higher at the end of for first industry congress tion capacity in the region. year, anticipating robust profit trading on Thursday, for instance. It estimated the total capital and dividend declaration by the Investors said liquidity flow DOHA: Global gas-to-liquid novel technology with potential to a formidable new circle of business in power generation in Mena at companies. into the bourse was a problem (GTL) leaders from the US to power such wide-ranging indus- partnerships. $147.5bn during 2013-2017 to add The main index of the bourse last year and added they hoped Japan are here in GTL’s Capital tries as aviation, vehicle engine “We find it apt that an event about 123.9GW of electricity while gained five percent, or about 423 the situation would change this to initiate a new course of direc- manufacturing, fuel companies, of this scale for the global GTL the rest could cover water projects. points, since the beginning of the year as stocks were expected to tion for the promising industry lubricant manufacturing and pet- industry is taking place in the The study puts investments in year, from 8,359 as on December remain generally buoyant. at the inaugural World GTL rochemical plants. ‘GTL Capital of the World’, and power projects at around $63.1bn 31, 2012 to 8,782 on January 2 As for net profits as well, 2012 Congress, which will get under “The first-ever World GTL we look forward to continue con- in the GCC, $36.8bn in Mashreq when the market closed after last wasn’t an eventful year as collec- way today at the St Regis Hotel. Congress has attracted the atten- tributing to Qatar’s leadership (east) Arab nations, $21.4bn in week’s trading. The year 2012 was tive profits of the listed entities Being held under the patron- tion of many top figures of the role in GTL,” added Al Marzouqi. Iran, $14.6bn in Maghreb Arab bad for the bourse as stocks plum- for the first three quarters were age of the Minister of Energy oil and gas world to discuss the After the official opening cer- countries and nearly $2.3bn in meted amid subdued trading with only marginally more than those and Industry and Chairman future of the industry. The diverse emony, scheduled for 9am, by an other Arab nations. all indicators reflecting a decline in the same period of 2011. and Managing Director of variety of sessions will give a com- opening address and keynote by More than 60 distinguished del- except the market capitalisation The net profits of the compa- Qatar Petroleum (QP) H E Dr plete overview of GTL, technolo- Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, egates from over 20 countries will figure that surged at the year-end, nies in the first nine months of Mohammed bin Saleh Al Sada, gies, innovations, and market, in Managing Director, RasGas speak about a variety of issues, albeit by a marginal QR2.53bn. 2011 totalled a little more than the congress promises to be a context with a view towards the Company Limited, followed by including the challenges and More than 10 times that yearly QR28bn ($7.67bn) — a figure that premium platform to spawn fresh future,” said Leila Masinaei Al more insightful keynotes by opportunities for power project gain was witnessed in just seven showed only a slight increase dialogue with a rich conference Marzouqi, Divisional Director, Oil Akbar Al Baker, CEO, Qatar development, maximising today’s days of trading this year. (QR28.52bn) in the first three agenda, side events and an excit- and Gas from IQPC Middle East. Airways; Wael Sawan, Managing grid potential and tomorrow’s “One of the factors that have quarters of 2012. ing exhibition over the next three During the event, more than Director and Chairman, Qatar alternatives, renewable energy had a positive impact on the world So unless the companies per- days. 500 attendees from 30 countries, Shell; and Saad Al Kuwari, CEO, technologies and integration and stock market, as also on Qatari form exceptionally well in the Organised by IQPC (the representing a broad sweep of Qatar International Petroleum operation and maintenance. shares, was the end now being in fourth and the last quarter of International Quality and industries from education and Marketing Company (Tasweeq). Delegates and visitors will also sight of Washington’s fiscal woes,” 2012 (which is unlikely), their Productivity Centre), with QP research to national oil compa- Today’s conference agenda have the opportunity to view first- said another investor. collective net profits are not hosting the world’s largest such nies, will utilise the opportunities focuses on the present and future hand innovative and cutting-edge Nearly all counters have shown expected to show considerable assembly to date, the congress is on the sidelines of the confer- state of the GTL industry, as well products and technologies by over improvement since the dawn of increase over the previous year, stealing the industry spotlight at ence and break out workshop as GTL financing and GTL plants 135 leading regional and interna- 2013 except insurance, with a analysts said. a time when GTL is fast cement- sessions to network, exchange operations technology. tional companies. majority of the 42 listed entities THE PENINSULA ing its position as a revolutionary ideas, gain knowledge and foster THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA

QFIB, SPPC successfully close ENPI deal DOHA: QFIB, Qatar’s first high ranking officials from KSA, in our investment strategy. From independent Shariah compli- Qatar and UAE. the outset we worked closely with ant investment bank authorised QFIB acquired the major- ENPI’s management team to by the Qatar Financial Centre ity stake in ENPI Group in July effectively implement strategic Regulatory Authority (QFCRA), 2009 and since then has played an growth plans and streamline the and Saudi Printing & Packaging instrumental role in cementing company’s operations. Company (SPPC) announced ENPI’s position as a leading player “Our successful exit of ENPI is the successful completion of the in the plastic packaging solutions a testament to our ability to grow Emirates National Factory of industry by streamlining the busi- our portfolio companies, in spite of Plastic Industries (ENPI Group) ness, institutionalising operations difficult market conditions, while deal, a statement said yesterday. and expanding ENPI’s manufac- generating sound returns for our QFIB’s 71.3 percent stake, a turing base to include Abu Dhabi investors. majority share in ENPI, was and Saudi Arabia. “We would like to thank Nizar sold to SPPC, a publicly traded QFIB chairman, Abdulla bin Rajoub, ENPI’s Founder and CEO, Saudi firm specialised in provid- Fahad Al Marri said: “QFIB’ busi- for his unwavering commitment ing printing packaging solutions. ness strategy focuses on investing to growing the business and estab- ENPI Group is the leading pro- in companies that demonstrate lishing ENPI as a regional player ducer of flexible and rigid plastic positive growth potential. ENPI in the plastic conversion manufac- packaging solutions having strong had such capabilities. During our turing sector.” manufacturing base including holding period, ENPI managed Nizar Rajoub, Founder and High ranking officials from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE at the ceremony to close the ENPI deal. eight factories in Sharjah, Abu to successfully grow and expand CEO of ENPI also added: “We Dhabi and Riyadh. where its revenue has more than thank QFIB for their valuable the next phase of our growth. We pleasure to work with QFIB on the TechnoCard, which form the The acquisition was announced doubled since our acquisition. We expertise and insight during this are looking forward to working structuring of this transaction. technology businesses of ENPI. at a closing ceremony held at are pleased with the successful important phase of ENPI group’s with SPPC to further cement the The QFIB team demonstrated FutureCard is the leading manu- Saudi Research and Marketing exit of ENPI which has generated business cycle. QFIB shared our position of ENPI Group as a lead- professionalism and commit- facturer of smart cards having Group’s headquarters in Riyadh. for the Bank an IRR of 31 percent. vision and strongly believed in the ing provider of plastic packaging ment throughout the negotiation strong expertise in designing, The ceremony was attended by Emad Mansour, CEO of QFIB company’s growth potential. QFIB solutions process.” manufacturing and customisation H R H Prince Faisal bin Salman added: “ENPI represents the typi- played a critical role in helping Saad Al Azwari, Board Member As part of the deal QFIB of all types of cards. bin Abdulaziz and a number of cal size and sector that we target ENPI build the foundations for and CEO of SPPC said: “It was a will retain FutureCard and THE PENINSULA SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS

Greece okays Non-oil sector drove China’s 2012 inflation new tax bill on GCC GDP growth last rescue terms rate falls, risks rising ATHENS: Greece’s parliament early yesterday approved a new year: QNB Group tax bill, part of the latest batch Factors exist that limit economic growth: Analysts of fiscal reforms tied to the country’s next slice of EU loans. DOHA: Real GDP growth in the Saudi Arabia is the largest GCC BEIJING: China’s infla- of September — the worst in growth. Yao Wei, an economist The legislation, criticised by GCC is likely to have slowed from economy, accounting for around 47 tion rate slowed sharply in more than three years. with Societe Generale in Hong the opposition as another serious 7.8 percent in 2011 to an estimated percent of the region’s GDP. 2012, official data showed on But data for the final three Kong, said that the increase blow to middle-class incomes in 5.7 percent in 2012, according to a The oil sector has underpinned Friday, but analysts warned months of the year, including in China’s sub-index of hous- the midst of a recession, was sup- report by QNB Group. the Saudi economy with production of increasing price risks this manufacturing, broader indus- ing inflation to three percent ported by 162 deputies from the This remains a relatively high averaging 9.8 million bpd in the first year that may limit scope for trial output and retail sales, last month from 2.6 percent in governing three-party coalition in rate of growth compared with many three quarters of 2012, up from an measures to boost economic have spurred optimism among November, may increase policy a vote held after midnight in the other countries in the current chal- average of 9.3 million in 2011. Real growth. economists that growth accel- uncertainties. 300-strong parliament. lenging global economic and financial growth was even stronger in the The country’s consumer erated in the fourth quarter. The reading — a key barom- The latest reform, the first part environment. The non-oil sector has Saudi non-oil sector in 2012 at 7.2 price index (CPI), a main gauge However, the fact that CPI eter of the country’s property of a larger overhaul expected in driven growth while oil output has percent. Ongoing major investment of inflation, rose 2.6 percent in was surging on food price market — covers leasing and April, broadens the tax base in the also risen. projects have supported growth in 2012, the National Bureau of spikes would limit leeway for decoration costs, but excludes hope of increasing state revenue In 2012, oil prices remained at sectors such as construction, which Statistics (NBS) said, down policymakers -- who are sensi- purchase prices, according to by about ¤2.5bn ($3.3bn) this year. historically high levels, boosting expanded by 10.3 percent in 2012. from 5.4 percent the year tive to the risk of inflation lead- the NBS definition. It introduces new annual government revenue and spending, Qatar is the third largest economy before. ing to social unrest -- to take “The central government income thresholds for salaried tax- which, in turn, boosts growth across in the GCC, accounting for 12 per- The annual inflation figure further easing measures to spur may come under pressure to payers and scraps tax breaks for non-oil industrial and services sec- cent of regional GDP. There has been was also lower than the gov- economic growth, analysts said. tighten controls on the prop- the self-employed, a class blamed tors. Around 22 percent of govern- a slowdown in real GDP growth as ernment’s target of 4.0 percent, “The central bank is con- erty market once the sector for a large part of the tax evasion ment spending is capital expenditure, the state’s rapid liquefied natural gas signalling that prices remained cerned about underlining shows signs of heating up, that has plagued state finances mainly on infrastructure in trans- expansion programme has peaked well under control last year. inflationary pressures and it which will definitely affect the for decades. The conservative-led port, real estate, education and and further expansion has been put Inflation stood at 2.5 percent is one reason they have not pace of the overall economic coalition government has been hit healthcare sectors. Government on hold, for the time being. year-on-year in December, the cut more aggressively,” said recovery,” she said. with several defections in the past spending, therefore, supports non- However, growth is still strong at NBS said, the second straight Ben Simpfendorfer, managing The government has sought few weeks in opposition to the con- oil sectors such as construction and 6.1 percent in 2012 due to the non- month that the reading rose director of Hong Kong-based to curb property speculation for tinued austerity wave. utilities. oil sector. and the highest since May, economic consultancy firm Silk the past two years, with meas- Finance Minister Yannis The remaining 78 percent of gov- The non-oil industrial and services when it hit three percent. Road Associates. ures including restrictions on Stournaras had said the bill had ernment spending is current expend- sectors are estimated to have exhib- Rising food prices, par- “So the biggest risk is this is second and third home pur- to be voted on this week ahead of iture, mainly on government wages ited strong growth of 10.1 percent ticularly for vegetables due to actually a restraint on policy chases, higher minimum down- a meeting by European finance and other public services. This pro- and 9.1 percent respectively, accord- unusually cold weather, were makers’ ability to support the payments, and annual taxes in ministers that will determine the vides an injection of income into the ing to QNB Group. This compares the major contributor to the economy, either through rate some cities on multiple and disbursement of Greece’s next loan GCC non-oil economy, driving growth to just 2.1 percent for the oil and gas December increase, according cuts or through more stimulus,” non-locally-owned homes. instalment. AFP in services and retail trade. sector. to the bureau. he said. Policymakers cut inter- The moves cooled the once Additionally, non-oil industry has Although oil production is levelling The benign inflation environ- est rates twice last year and red-hot market, but demand grown strongly as investment in off, non-oil sectors are likely to grow ment came as China’s economic trimmed the amount of cash remains pent-up and govern- major manufacturing projects, par- strongly in most countries, supported expansion slowed during the banks must place in reserve ment monetary policy has ticularly petrochemicals, has boosted by rising government expenditure. first nine months of the year, three times from December eased in recent months. China Personal computer output. Budget spending continues to rise with GDP growth of 7.4 percent 2011 in a bid to encourage releases fourth-quarter GDP Rising oil production was also an across the GCC on the back of strong in the three months to the end lending and pump up economic figures next Friday. AFP sales slip during important factor driving growth inflows of hydrocarbons revenue. in 2012. Total GCC oil production For instance, the Saudi budget for holiday season reached 17.2 million barrels per day 2013 includes an increase in planned (bpd), on average, in the first three spending of 19 percent to $219bn. SAN FRANCISCO: Personal quarters of 2012, 6.2 percent higher In Qatar, major infrastructure computer sales slipped at the than in 2011. projects are beginning to be ramped Qtel offers business products through Almana end of last year, despite the Higher oil production came as up to ensure they are completed holiday shopping season and the Opec removed its production quotas within a set timeframe to meet FIFA DOHA: Qtel customers can release of new Windows oper- for individual countries. requirements for the 2022 World now request business prod- ating software for machines, The quotas had initially been put in Cup. Project spending of around ucts and services through a leading industry tracker place in 2009 when oil prices crashed, $30bn a year is expected in 2013-14 Almana Networks, thanks to reported on Thursday. but were replaced in 2012 with a in Qatar. a new partnership between Worldwide PC shipments more relaxed aggregate production Although spending is being con- the two companies. totalled 89.8 million units in the target for all Opec members. Opec solidated in the UAE, private sector This partnership enables fourth quarter of 2012, finishing also ramped up production in 2011-12 investment is likely to compensate as Qtel to reach more business 6.4 percent lower than the same to calm oil markets as concerns grew the recovery takes hold. Some new customers and to ensure that period the prior year, according to about lower output in countries such real estate projects are being initi- they receive more convenient International Data Corporation. as Libya (due to the Arab Spring) ated and old projects revamped. and enhanced services. It was said to be the first time and Iran (due to sanctions). Strong investment into non-oil Customers can also receive in more than five years that there Overall, despite historically high industries across the GCC, includ- greater value thanks to special was a year-on-year decline in PC oil prices and rising oil production, ing production of petrochemicals, bundled offers from Almana shipments during the holiday strong growth in the non-oil GCC fertilisers, steel and aluminium will Networks, one of the country’s season. economy has sustained its share in continue to support non-oil growth. leading telecom and IT solu- “Consumers as well as PC ven- total GDP at around 50 percent in Therefore, QNB Group expects tion providers. Both companies dors and distribution channels 2012. QNB Group estimates that GDP growth in the GCC growth to officially marked the partner- continued to be diverted from PC total nominal GDP in the GCC was stabilise at around 5 percent-6 per- ship at a recent signing cere- sales by ongoing demand for tab- Qtel’s Chief Sales and Service Officer Mohammed Saleh H Al Marri $1.56 trillion in 2012, or 2.2 percent cent in 2013-14. mony attended by Mohammed lets and smartphones,” IDC said and Almana Networks CEO and Chairman Saud Omar Almana at the of global GDP. THE PENINSULA Saleh H Al Marri, Qtel’s Chief in a release. Sales and Service Officer, and ceremony to sign the new partnership . Microsoft released the new Almana Networks CEO and Windows 8 operating system Chairman Saud Omar Almana. necessary processes and tools company launched the “Let’s worldwide on October 26 as a way Founded in 2005, Almana to support the rapid implemen- Talk” campaign. to help the dominant PC software Networks has become an tation of enhanced services. “Let’s Talk” encourages maker get a bigger share of the emerging industry leader in This partnership is part of organisations of all sizes to use market for mobile devices such low voltage systems deploy- Qtel’s commitment to offering Qtel Business Centres across as tablets. ment and IT services, which its customers more choice and the country to help them Windows 8 was designed with help customers map multiple enhanced value on its products upgrade and use new solutions, touch-screen capabilities in mind technology solutions to unique and services. such as Office in a Box and USB and to make it easier to synchro- business needs. Qtel has been making greater modems for accessing mobile nise computer content across the Almana Networks helps its outreach to business custom- broadband. array of Internet-linked gadgets customers in developing the ers since July 2012, when the THE PENINSULA used in modern life. AFP SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 Turkmenistan plans sell-offs, but not oil, gas Transport, communications and construction to be privatised; new gas routes planned to bypass Russia

ASHGABAT: Reclusive without giving a time frame. The primarily target transport, com- Ruling since the death of Turkmen private businesses percent in 2013. Hopes for future Turkmenistan will launch president, who wields virtually munications and construction his autoctratic predecessor have so far been allowed to invest prosperity depend on laying a privatisation of state-held unlimited powers in the Central assets. Saparmurat Niyazov in December mainly in services, public cater- alternative gas export routes to assets in its tightly regulated Asian nation of 5.5 million, made “Our privatisation pro- 2006, Berdymukhamedov has ing and small-scale construction the European Union and India to economy in coming months but no mention of the oil and gas gramme is just in line with eased his grip on small-scale projects. ease dependence on the country’s looks set to keep control of the sector in a country which sits on our plans of gradual transi- entrepreneurs and stamped out The Turkmen economy former imperial master Russia. vital oil and gas industry, offi- the world’s fourth-largest natu- tion to a market economy,” said the black market in the manat has grown rapidly on the Besides Russia, Turkmenistan cials said yesterday. ral gas reserves. Berdymukhamedov, whose word currency. back of high world oil prices. sells gas to China and Iran. “I have just signed an order to A government official said is final in a nation seen by human The country now plans to Berdymukhamedov said gross The desert nation plans to approve Turkmenistan’s privati- requesting anonymity, that the rights bodies as one of the most introduce international account- domestic product had expanded more than triple its annual gas sation programme for 2013-16,” sector would remain under state repressive in the world. ing standards next year and to by 11.1 percent last year and production capacity to 250 billion state media quoted President control. In his speech, launch a stock market in 2016. would grow by no less than 11 cubic metres by 2030. Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov The government has compiled Berdymukhamedov, a qualified But two decades after percent in 2013. Growth in 2011 While state media do not as telling an enlarged govern- a list of other “strategic com- dentist widely titled “Arkadag” the Soviet Union’s demise, was 14.7 percent. disclose the size of gas output, ment meeting on Friday. panies of national significance” (The Patron), also did not Turkmenistan is still lagging The International Monetary energy major BP estimated “Sell-offs of some state com- which will not be privatised, the say whether foreign investors far behind its oil-rich post-Soviet Fund is slightly less optimistic; Turkmen gas production at 59.5 panies will start already at the official said. would be allowed to take part in neighbour Kazakhstan in terms in November it forecast growth bc m in 2011. beginning of this year,” he said He said sell-offs would privatisation. of economic reforms. of 8.0 percent in 2012 and 7.7 REUTERS

Auto Show preview Mecom suffers Two airlines 17pc decline to suspend in advertising Iran flights as revenues sanctions bite LONDON: Troubled pan- European newspaper publisher LONDON: Two European air- Mecom has reported a 17 percent lines said yesterday they were year-on-year decline in advertis- halting services to Iran, a sign ing revenues in the final quarter of the crumbling purchasing of 2012, and revealed it is in dis- power of Iranians as their econ- cussions to sell its Danish and omy buckles under the weight of Polish operations. Western sanctions. The London stock market-listed Air France-KLM will suspend company, which was founded by its Amsterdam-Tehran service former Mirror Group chief execu- starting April 2013, a spokesman tive David Montgomery, said that for the carrier said. It currently the advertising decline was at least flies to Iran four times a week. a slight improvement on the 20 Austrian Airlines, a unit of percent fall reported in the third Germany’s Deutsche Lufthansa, quarter last year. is cancelling its services to Iran Mecom, which ousted CEO Tom due to a lack of demand, a spokes- Toumazis in July after less than a man said. The carrier’s last flight year, gave an update to sharehold- from Vienna to Tehran will be on ers on a strategic review of the January 13. business in a pre-close statement It used to fly to Tehran four on Friday, ahead of reporting final times a week, but reduced that results for 2012. The publisher said to three in November. that it has received “expressions of The Iranian rial has lost about interest” from buyers looking at two thirds of its value against acquiring Mecom’s entire Danish the US dollar in the last year, newspaper operation. “[Mecom] following US sanctions on its will invite a small number of poten- central bank and a European tial buyers to conduct due diligence Union embargo of Iranian oil, lev- shortly,” the company added. Two cars of the ‘people mover’ public rail are seen covered with an advertisement for the 2014 Chevy Silverado pickup truck as they move past General ied over Iran’s disputed nuclear Mecom said that it has also Motors World Headquarters in Detroit, Michigan yesterday. The North American International Auto Show media preview starts on Monday in Detroit. programme. entered into exclusive discus- That depreciation has made sions with one buyer to offload imported goods and foreign plane its Polish operation. However, it tickets far more expensive for is still struggling to find a buyer Iranians. for its flagship Dutch business, A spokesman for Lufthansa which accounts for almost 60 per- US firms hiring more CEOs from outside said the German carrier was con- cent of group revenues and more tinuing to fly to Tehran five times than 80 percent of profits, saying NEW YORK: US compa- “During the recession, many managing director at Canny, planning during the reces- a week. Italian airline Alitalia that offers to date have “not been nies from Avon Products to of these CEOs were kind of hun- Bowen Inc., a New York-based sion, according to Ana Dutra, also flies to Iran, according to its acceptable”. Yahoo! recruited externally for kered down in their positions and boutique executive search firm. Chicago- based CEO of Korn/ website. Mecom said it is examining a 29 percent of chief executive quite frankly, boards saw termi- “People are maybe finally believ- Ferry International’s leadership The US and its European number of offers for specific parts officer hires in 2012, the most nation of their CEO as additional ing the recovery is real,” he said and talent consulting business. allies fear Iran is trying to build of the Dutch business, includ- in at least 17 years as desire risk to the organisation,” Shields in a phone interview. Companies “Companies cut down on lead- a bomb under the cover of a civil- ing some of its standalone digital for growth sparked demand for said in a telephone interview. are “looking at potential acquisi- ership development programs and ian nuclear programme. Iran says operations. The company said that new leaders. “Now as the market has tions or at least in investing in the coaching,” she said in a phone its programme is purely peaceful. it expects 2012 earnings before, Avon’s hiring of Sherilyn McCoy improved, what they’re seeing is businesses in terms of the talent.” interview. The sanctions against Iran’s interest, tax, depreciation and from Johnson & Johnson and the window has opened up” and At New York-based Avon, “Now they’re finding them- energy and banking sectors have amortisation to be about ¤89m. Yahoo’s choice of Google’s Marissa they’re more willing go outside for the world’s largest door-to-door selves essentially with a gap, made it more difficult for the Net debt stands at ¤130m, a gear- Mayer helped fuel a 36 percent talent if necessary. cosmetics seller, McCoy was with a void between the top lay- Iranian government to earn for- ing of about 1.5 times earnings. jump in outside CEO recruitment Total CEO turnover in 2012 recruited in April after three ers and the next layers of the eign currency, raising concern Stephen Davidson, executive at Fortune 500 and Standard & cooled to a rate of 9.3 percent, just years of profit declines. She ended organization.” that the central bank will not chairman of Mecom, said: “During Poor’s 500 companies, according 0.4 percentage points higher than the reign of Andrea Jung, who Another trend resulting from be able to defend the rial and a period of sustained economic to Crist Kolder Associates. The the 15-year low set in 2010, Crist still serves as a senior adviser. the improving economy: The per- depressing its value. pressure and notwithstanding the Hinsdale, Ill.-based search firm Kolder data show. Churn among Yahoo!, based in Sunnyvale, centage of CEO hires with expe- Airlines already had to think additional demands of the strate- analysed management changes at chief financial officers and chief California, hired Mayer in July rience in financial jobs dropped twice over whether to maintain gic review processes, our people 669 companies through December. operating officers rose to 13.8 per- from rival Google to help turn to the lowest level since 2006 last services to the country since Iran remain committed to the improve- External hiring is rising as cent and 26.5 percent respectively. around the company after sales year after peaking at 44.2 percent said in 2011 it had stopped provid- ment and modernisation of our companies that may have sought Increased volatility in execu- dropped for three years. Mayer, in 2007, according to the Crist- ing fuel to European aircraft in products and businesses. to preserve management conti- tive roles typically reflects more the fifth CEO in four years, took Kolder study. retaliation for their refusal to fuel “In 2013 we expect further ben- nuity through the recession look favorable economic conditions, after Scott Thompson resigned It’s a sign there’s less need for Iranian planes. efits to come from restructuring to shake things up with fresh according to Matt McGreal, chief over inaccuracies in his academic an executive who can shepherd a Austrian Airlines suspended its initiatives and the launch of new perspectives and more expan- of the search firm’s corporate gov- record. company through financial stress service to Tehran for more than subscription packages that provide sion- oriented skill sets, accord- ernance practice. Many corporations may be than for one who can build rev- two months last summer because our readers different and innova- ing to Hugh Shields, co-founder of While turnover still trails pre- forced to scout executives at enue and leverage new markets, it could not be sure of getting its tive ways to access our content.” Chicago-based executive recruiter recession levels, demand for new their competitors after scaling Crist Kolder’s McGreal said. planes refuelled there. GUARDIAN NEWS Shields Meneley Partners. leaders is rising, said Greg Gabel, back recruitment and succession WP-BLOOMBERG REUTERS

Impala sells 51pc of Zimbabwe platinum business • Bullion - Mumbai HARARE: Impala Platinum, dogged Zimplats during the nego- Australian-listed Zimplats to be tolerated.” He said the law Gold (10 gm) Standard Rs. 30345 the world’s number two pro- tiations is now hopefully a thing transfer 10 percent of shares to sought to reverse colonial eco- Silver (1 kg) Rs. 580095 ducer of platinum on Friday of the past,” said Goodlace. workers, 10 percent to a com- nomic policies that pushed the • Indian Rupees QR1 = 14.90 sealed a deal to sell a 51-percent The agreement is in compliance munity trust where its mine is majority blacks to the fringes of • Sensex stake in its Zimbabwean unit with a controversial indigenisa- located and 31 percent to the gov- the mainstream economy. Zimplats under a state-imposed tion law that President Robert ernment’s National Indigenisation The Zimplats deal will be BSE 19663.64 black empowerment scheme. Mugabe signed in 2010. and Economic Empowerment closely watched as a bellwether NSE 5951.30 The deal will see Impala get The law forces foreign-owned Fund. of Zimbabwe’s investment climate • LIC (International) launches New Gold Investment Plan ‘GOLD PLUS’ – $971m (¤731m) executive Terence companies - including banks and Indigenisation Minister Saviour and security of operations. which provides an opportunity to invest in GOLD ETF & GOLD SPOT, PAN Goodlace said, making it one of retailers — to cede 51 percent Kasukuwere said all foreign firms Mugabe’s partner in an shaky Card/Demat Account not required. the largest empowerment trans- ownership to black Zimbabwean had no choice but to respect the power sharing government, Prime • Short-term investment plan from LIC International upto 6.4 percent return actions in Zimbabwe to date. investors. equity laws. Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, p.a. (in dollar) “We are pleased that after two Mugabe, who a decade ago “There will be no sacred cow is uneasy with the law, which • Housing loan from HDFC LTD years of hard work and diligence, launched a campaign to seize spared and no stone unturned he says will drive away foreign we have produced an acceptable white-owned farmland, has to ensure that the policy is fully investment just as the country • Mutual Fund: Buy & Sell: SBI MF, HDFC MF, UTI MF, Birla Sun Life MF, solution,” Goodlace said at a deal- threatened to take over firms implemented,” said Kasukuwere is recovering from a decade-long Tata MF, Reliance MF etc. signing ceremony in Harare. which do not comply. after inking signing the pact. economic collapse. Contact: Investec, Tel: 44325060/44365060 email: [email protected] “The uncertainty that had The plan is for the “Non-compliance will no longer AFP SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS VIEWS

Obama’s nominee untested Next US energy chief outside budget expertise

BY RACHELLE YOUNGLAI AND SARAH N LYNCH

S President Barack Obama broke the mold on may go back to roots Thursday by choosing a budget wonk to serve as US Treasury secretary, leaving gaps on the interna- BY TIMOTHY GARDNER of its budget goes: security of nuclear weap- Former politicians, though, could be bet- tional and financial side that could make for a rocky ons, reactors and waste. ter suited for the position because they transition. he next head of the US “DOE policy is going back to a business- could better handle calls from members of UJack Lew, Obama’s chief of staff, was chosen to lead the Department of Energy is likely as-usual situation where, essentially, mili- Congress to hack away at the DOE budget, Treasury Department as the White House heads into another to guide the agency through a tary nuclear spending tail-wags the energy some analysts contend. round of difficult talks with Congress on how to put the nation fundamental shift: easing up on a policy dog,” said Robert Alvarez, of the “The primary job of the secretary is to on a sound fiscal path. push to commercialise renewable Institute for Policy Studies who was a sen- protect the DOE’s core budget in the face of By tapping a two-time White House budget director, Obama Tenergy and instead focusing on the surpris- ior DOE official in the 1990s. Congress. This is an area where a politician signalled the importance he places on the ongoing budget battles. ing domestic oil and gas boom and manage- The agency’s renewable energy initiatives might do the job best,” Goldwyn said. If the Senate confirms Lew, as widely expected, the budget ment of US nuclear security. will permanently move back to research and Byron Dorgan, the former senator of expert’s most pressing task will be to ensure that Congress raises US President Barack Obama is widely development and away from commercializa- North Dakota, could be another good choice, the nation’s debt ceiling in time for the United States to avoid a believed to be considering candidates to tion, said Bledsoe. said Charles Ebinger, the director of the damaging default and credit-rating downgrades. replace Energy Secretary Steven Chu, the DOE sources and analysts at think tanks Energy Security Initiative at the Brookings In selecting a Washington insider, Obama has potentially left Nobel Prize winning physicist who man- in Washington said an announcement from Institution. the Treasury Department with holes in crucial areas: financial aged an ill-fated $40bn effort to promote Chu to step down could come any day, with Dorgan once chaired the Senate energy markets, regulation and international economics. the green economy with loans and grants a replacement to be named within weeks, and natural resources committee and is now Obama’s outgoing Treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, was to solar, wind and biofuel companies. possibly after the January 21 inauguration. a fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center, previously president of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, The programme, part of the 2009 eco- The administration would not officially a Washington think tank peppered with where part of his job was to liaise with Wall Street and regulate nomic stimulus bill, suffered a public rela- comment on whether Chu will step down. former lawmakers. big banks. He also had held top positions in President Bill Clinton’s tions nightmare when solar panel maker None of the potential candidates for the job Other politicians mentioned include Treasury Department and at the International Monetary Fund. Solyndra and battery manufacturer A123 commented either. former Colorado governor Bill Ritter, who Geithner’s immediate predecessor, former Goldman Sachs CEO declared bankruptcy last year after receiv- Two of those thought to be on the short- helped reform regulations on oil and gas in Hank Paulson, was also deeply steeped in the ways of Wall Street, ing hundreds of millions of dollars in US list have deep experience on nuclear issues. his state. Ritter now advocates for respon- as was Geithner’s boss during the Clinton administration, then- backed financial assistance. Christine Gregoire, the outgoing governor sible oil and gas drilling from a post at Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin. “The four years under Chu were the of Washington state, has had a long career Colorado State University. “Jack Lew is by all accounts highly qualified to be secretary least typical of the entire DOE,” said Paul working with the federal government to Susan Tierney, a former assistant sec- of the Treasury,” said Dennis Kelleher, the chief executive of Bledsoe, an independent energy consultant. clean up the nuclear waste mess at the fed- retary for policy at the DOE, has also been the left-leaning group Better Markets, which supports tougher The agency was formed by President Jimmy eral Hanford Site in her state. mentioned as a candidate, although she financial regulation. Carter in 1977 in response to high oil prices Ashton Carter, the deputy secretary of withdrew from the running for deputy “The one area of concern is whether or not he is sufficiently after the Arab oil embargo. defense, led a program to dismantle thou- energy secretary in 2009. committed to quickly and thoroughly implementing financial “They had this huge amount of money to sands of nuclear weapons in the former Chu, who joined the department in 2009, reform and re-regulating Wall Street.” push out the door, which became not only Soviet Union. Carter’s experience manag- had next to no experience dealing with Bankers and other financial services executives privately a priority but a challenge to spend wisely,” ing money and annual procurement at the the oil and natural gas industry and was expressed concern that Lew lacked financial markets experience, said Bledsoe, a former White House aide to Pentagon could also make him a strong can- tagged by critics as a symbol of the Obama even though he worked on Wall Street for two years. Sheila Bair, Bill Clinton. didate, said David Goldwyn, who led inter- administration’s efforts to move away from a former bank regulator, told CNBC television on Wednesday The focus at the DOE in the years ahead national energy affairs at both the State petroleum. that “someone with a little broader perspective would be good.” is likely to return to where about two-thirds Department and the DOE. REUTERS Lew, who is known as a strong administrator, admitted his financial experience was scant when he was vetted by the Senate to serve as a State Department deputy secretary and then as Obama’s budget chief. At a Senate Budget Committee hearing in September 2010, he was pressed by Senator Bernie Sanders for his views on whether deregulation contributed significantly to the 2007-2009 financial crisis. “I don’t consider myself an expert in some of these aspects of the financial industry,” Lew responded. “My experience with the financial industry has been as a manager, not as an investment adviser.” “I don’t personally know the extent to which deregulation drove it, but I don’t believe that deregulation was the, you know, proximate cause,” he added. Those comments upset Sanders, a political independent who supports tougher regulation. Sanders voted against Lew’s selec- tion as budget chief, and on Thursday said he was prepared to vote against him again. While Lew is expected to win confirmation, he could face a fair amount of opposition from a combination of left-leaning, pro- regulation lawmakers like Sanders and Republicans who have clashed with the nominee in past budget talks. During his time on Wall Street, Lew was the chief operat- ing officer of Citigroup’s global wealth management division. He later became COO for Citi Alternative Investments, a largely administrative role that was apart from investment decisions that portfolio managers would have made. “I found that things he was responsible for doing worked bet- ter after he joined,” said Todd Thomson, who headed Citigroup’s wealth management unit in 2006 and hired Lew. “He’s very good at working across an organisation, and bringing people together to resolve issues.” Lew joined Citi on the recommendation of former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, who was then chair- man of Citigroup’s executive committee. Rubin knew Lew from their time together in the Clinton administration. Outside of Washington policy circles, Lew is little known. A number of financial officials in Asia and Europe drew a blank when asked by Reuters for their appraisal. Lew’s selection could put pressure on the Obama administra- tion to find a deputy with business and financial experience to help round out Lew’s deep knowledge of Congress and the budget. Current Treasury No. 2 Neal Wolin is expected to depart once he assures a smooth transition is in place. REUTERS Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

New Saudi refineries to reduce crude oil export cushion

BY DANIEL FINEREN Exporting Countries and keep of the Saudi grades, pushing up its Saudi products hit the markets, to Reuters analysis of official fig- 2012, its crude exports averaged AND HUMEYRA PAMUK prices at levels that do not over prices. “Despite growing demand especially with the global economy ures available through the Joint just 7.5 million bpd. burden the world economy. at home, most of the products will slowing as well, unless there are Oil Data Initiative (JODI). So Saudi Arabia could still audi Arabia’s drive to Now the world’s largest crude go to exports and have a regional more closures of old refineries,” By comparison, the gap between increase exports by 1.5 million build new refineries exporter has invested tens of bil- impact on product markets and he said. Saudi Arabia’s move from Saudi production and exports in bpd above the record levels sold means its maximum lions of dollars raising refinery the flow of products globally,” selling only crude toward more the same period of 2005 was 1.9 in that period, even if the three capacity to export crude, capacity to maximise profits by Fesharaki said in FGE’s latest value-added products aims to million bpd, pointing to a 20 per- refineries due online over the next the big gun it aims at selling more products while cut- global refining report. diversify its economy and should cent rise in Saudi crude use over five years were already running Sother producers wanting higher ting a fuel import bill that has Even when making up for sup- be profitable, especially as the the last five years. flat out. oil prices, is set to decline over ballooned since 2007 as domestic ply losses from Libya and Iran refineries will use mostly heavy Current Saudi crude consump- By far the largest of the new the next five years. Major oil demand grew. over the last two years, Saudi and sour oil that it now sells at a tion rates cap its annual average Saudi oilfields on the horizon is importers are not alarmed, as The trio of refineries will con- Arabia has rarely needed to discount to other grades. crude exports at around 10.1 mln Manifa, which is expected to pro- actual Saudi crude exports are tinue major exports of petroleum pump more than 10 million bpd “More of our liquids production bpd, with more available in win- duce around 500,000 bpd by mid- well below their maximum and in the form of diesel and petrol, and Saudi officials have said they can travel farther down the value ter and less in summer when air- 2013 and hit full flow of 900,000 because more US and Iraqi crude moderating any erosion of the see no need to increase capacity chain, rather than being exported conditioning needs are high. bpd of heavy crude in 2014. will become available. But India’s kingdom’s overall clout in crude beyond the current sustainable as crude oil, refined products or Adding another 1.2 million bpd “The key thing for me is what refining industry has reason to oil markets. Some traders at levels of around 12.5 million bpd. natural gas liquids,” state run oil of refinery capacity raises poten- happens with Manifa... If Manifa worry about the emergence of a Asian refiners, the biggest buy- A surge in North American company Saudi Aramco says on tial Saudi crude use to 3.6 million is only replacing decline in other rival processing more than a mil- ers of Saudi crude, were relaxed shale oil production and rising its web page. As the new refiner- bpd by 2017, unless it succeeds in fields, then that of course implies lion barrels a day. about the availability of crude. Iraqi exports have taken much of ies use more crude, Aramco may reducing the oil it burns for power a shift from exports to more The three new refineries, each “I am not worried about the the pressure off Riyadh to main- run its existing oil wells harder generation. domestic use,” Robin Mills of able to process 400,000 barrels per supply situation. Supply of crude tain such a large and costly spare but it is already spending to offset If not accompanied by a rise in UAE-based energy consultancy day (bpd) of mainly heavy crude, is ample, especially from the capacity cushion that it has never declining production from older crude production capacity that Manaarco said. could consume nearly a tenth of Gulf,” a trader at north Asian and may never test. fields. Unless it invests yet more more than offsets declines in If oil use in power generation the kingdom’s current officially refiner said. “Iraq’s production “The rapid increase in shale oil heavily to build more capacity, its maturing fields, increasing refin- can be controlled by more gas use, declared production capacity of is increasing, that could make production will lower US import maximum crude export potential ery use could reduce maximum Saudi Arabia will remain a signifi- 12.5 million bpd when they are all up. But, refining margins will of crude oil from the Middle East will fall. export capacity to around 9 mil- cant oil product exporter. But its fully operational in 2017. definitely be a concern if Saudi in the next few years,” a senior Rapidly rising domestic demand lion bpd in five years time. net exports of crude and products Saudi Arabia has so far used its Arabia begins to export products.” trader at a western oil company for vehicle fuels and power plants Whether that will be an issue could drop by 600,000-1,100,000 unique ability to produce much Fereidun Fesharaki, chairman in Singapore said, adding that has seen implied Saudi crude oil for world oil markets is unclear, bpd by 2020, depending on the more crude than needed to coun- of Facts Global Energy, said the lower US demand would push use rise to an average of 2.4 mil- as even when Saudi production pace of Saudi demand, unless it ter price hawks led by Iran in the new refineries will result in lower more west African crude into lion bpd in the 12 months to the averaged a record of 9.9 million raises crude output further, Mills Organisation of the Petroleum exports of Arab Heavy crude, one Asia. “Margins will be affected if end of October, 2012, according bpd in the first nine months of said. REUTERS SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 GECM & TENDERS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

GLOBAL ECONOMIC CRISIS MAP (GECM) Every Sunday Bank of England to sit tight at Italy jobless records put Trade with China falls first time in year’s first meeting heat on Monti in poll race three years LONDON: The Bank of England is ROMA: Youth unemployment BEIJING: China’s trade with Japan fell expected to keep its key interest in Italy rose to an all time high 3.9 percent in 2012 to $329 billion, the South Korea’s economic US trade deficit surges; import rate at a record-low 0.50 percent on above 37 per cent in November, first drop in three years, the General data showed on Tuesday, putting growth lower than global prices fall Thursday and decide against pumping Administration of Customs said Thursday. pressure on outgoing Prime average in 2012 WASHINGTON: The Commerce out more new cash to stimulate Minister Mario Monti who is The drop reflects a Chinese consumer Department said on Friday the trade Britain’s weak economy, analysts boycott of Japanese goods sparked SEOUL: South Korea’s economic said. Analysts said the BoE, which seeking a second term at national growth rate lagged behind the gap increased 16 percent in November elections in February.Italy has by a territorial row, which led to an will be led by Canadian central bank global average last year, data to $48.7bn. Analysts were expecting been in a deep recession since the 8.6 percent fall in imports from Japan chief Mark Carney from July, will the deficit to shrink to $41.3 bn, so the middle of 2011 and joblessness last year. Japan fell from being China’s showed Wednesday, raising report could lead some economists likely sit tight at its first monetary has risen steadily as businesses fourth-largest trading partner to its fifth. concerns that the country has to trim their forecasts for economic policy meeting of 2013 amid clamp down on staffing levels to already lapsed into a period of growth in the fourth quarter. stubbornly high British inflation and cope with crumbling domestic low growth. According to the easing global economic strains. demand. Ministry of Strategy and Finance, South Korea’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.1 India automakers group cuts sales percent on-year in 2012, lower than the global average of forecast for third time 3.3 percent estimated by the NEW DELHI: India’s automakers’ International Monetary Fund association lowered its full-year domestic (IMF). South Africa: Eurozone crisis car sales forecast for the third time in six ‘Biggest Risk for 2013’ months as slowing economic growth and JOHANNESBURG: Businesses in high interest rates continue to keep buyers Australia’s banks set to slump, South Africa have lost an estimated from showrooms. The Society of Indian economist says Argentina losing LNG supplies to US$15-billion in revenues as a Automobile Manufacturers forecast as little SYDNEY: Australia’s major banks, whose Brazil, Japan, South Korea result of the ongoing eurozone crisis, as no change in car sales in the year ending share prices soared in 2012, may lose BUENOS AIRES: Stiff competition with four in 10 companies affected March 31, Sugato Sen, the deputy director some of their shine in coming years as from drought hit Brazil and energy globally and an increasing number general of the industry group, said in New weakening commodity demand from China hungry Asia is posing difficulties for looking to do business elsewhere, Delhi today. crimps growth in the resource-rich economy, Argentina in its hunt for vital supplies says consultancy Grant Thornton. according to a well-known US economist. of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 2013, Harry Dent said that Australia may well trade sources said. The intensified encounter a mild recession by the end of competition for a limited number of 2014 as a global slowdown sparked by spot LNG cargoes has pushed prices Europe’s inability to resolve its debt crisis above what Argentina currently hopes hurts China’s economy over the next couple to pay, they said. of years.

TENDERS

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(12:00hrs) Mobile security forward command vehicle 17/02/2013 23 LT12MT0136 QR 100,000 QR 500 Supply of D.I. pipes, stop cocks, pipe repair diesel engine driven (1 No.) (12:00hrs) 20/01/2013 2 LTC 645/2012 clamps, flexible couplings, flanges, saddle QR 105,000 QR 500 Consultancy for material specifications & 07/03/2013 (before noon) 24 Kahramaa GTC/529/2012 QR 100,000 QR 800 straps, ferrules & collar bolted glands standards of electricity distribution system (before noon) AF/C/ Supply, delivery & installation of KIOSK with 25 QR 50,000 QR 500 24/01/2013 TAC/ 04/02/2013 AL5182/12 3 years support for Aspire Zone Foundation Renovation of eight (8) Nos. Hangars (E- 3 CW/G/30/2012- QR 580,00 QR 6,000 Before 12 Supply, delivery of mobile safety barrier 204-01) AF/C/ Ministry of 2013 noon 26 system folding accordion style panels in QR 5,000 QR 300 27/01/2013 AA5172/12 defence Aspire Sports Hall at Aspire Zone TAC/ 04/02/2013 Construction of four (4) Nos. Electric Sub- Supply, delivery of polyethylene bags for the 4 CW/L/32/2012- QR 20,000 QR 2,000 Before 12 stations (F-530-01) 27 AF/C/ collection & transportation of soiled linen QR 5,000 QR 300 27/01/2013 2013 noon for Aspetar on Call-off basis Maintenance of telemecanique variables AF/M/ 28 frequency drives (VFD) in Aspire logistics at QR 10,000 QR 300 27/01/2013 AL3043/12 Aspire Zone 21/01/2013 Provision of temporary fencing and gate LTC 157/2012 AJS SRX-3400 firewall support QR 6,000 QR 200 AF/C/ Al Jazeera (13:00 hrs) 29 barricades on call-off basis for Aspire QR 30,000 QR 400 23/01/2013 AL5181/12 Media Network Aspire Zone Logistics AF/C/ Supply, delivery, planting & maintenance of 30 QR 25,000 QR 400 24/1/2013 ALAP5176/12 trees at Aspire Park 6 LTC/632/2012 Internet security upgrade QR 80,000 QR 500 20/01/2013 Furnish design plans, supervise and provide allied services for the modification of main AF/D/ 31 entrances, lobbies and VIP areas of Aspire QR 60,000 QR 500 27/01/2013 13/01/2013 AA0110/12 Supply of sensors for Hydran and hydran sports hall and for student’s cafeteria and 7 LTC 639/2012 QR 17,000 QR 500 (before 12 units Aspire Sports Academy at Aspire Zone noon) Design, supply, install, testing, AF/C/ 32 commissioning and maintenance of filed QR 70,000 QR 500 23/01/2013 Stocking & supply of subsea grout bags AL5183/12 13/01/2013 facilitiies 1:1 at Aspire Zone 8 LT11MT0077 & cement on call-off basis for a period of QR 90,000 QR 500 (12:00hrs) three (3) years (re-tender) Al Jazeera Media 21/01/2013 33 LTC 150/2012 Al Jazeera Festival 9 QR 18,000 QR 250 Network (13:00hrs) Refurbishment of west burn pit at Fahahil 9LT12115500 QR 150,000 QR 200 13/01/2013 Stripping Plant within Dukhan field Supply and delivery of various software S t a t e o f Q a t a r 34 KP/A3117/12 licences with one year support at Katara QR 25,000 QR 300 13/01/2013 Katara Project Fabrication and supply of complete flare 27/01/2013 Project 10 GT11MT0077 QR 150,000 QR 1,000 tips (4 Nos.) (12:00hrs) TAC/ 28/01/2013 Ministry of 35 CW/L/33/2012- Renovation of car parking sheds (F-525-01) QR 28,000 QR 2,000 before 12 Sale and removal of scroll compressor, defence 2013 noon split AC, motor/spares for vehicle and 14/01/2013 11 ST12MT0371 QR 2,000 Free accessories/spares for hoisting and lifting (12:00hrs) Reconstruction & upgrading of old equip./12KG/LPG cylinder botting spares S a l w a R P S w i t h u n d e r g r o u n d r e s e r v o i r s Designs, supply and construction of Provision of 17025 Accreditation Auditing 12 ST12108700 QR 10,000 N/A 11/2/2013 a 30MIG rectangular RC underground services reservoir, pumphouse to accommodate 8 nos. pumps + 4 slots for future VFD 335 Ips 21/02.2013 QR QR Feed SOS for elimination of stray voltages in 36 GTC/518/2012 @45 meters headpumps, control building. Time before 13 LT13100300 QR 100,000 QR 200 3/2/2013 2,000,000 20,000 RG plant Cabli In addition, office building of 1350m2/Floor, 12:00 noon and 2 office buildings of 500 m2/floor, Provision of valve greasing support services 14 LT12115300 QR 65,000 QR 200 20/01/2013 water operation & maintenance building 960 on call-off basis in Dukhan fields m2/floor, all comprise of basement, ground and 3 floors, lagoon, chlorination building, Sale & removal of analysers, laborator, 21/01/2013 15 ST12MT0139 QR 2,000 Free guard houses and switch gear building. kitchen equip. & work stations (12:00hrs) Construction of Kahramaa Customer Consultancy services for power system Contact & AMI Center The proposed 16 LT12115200 QR 60,000 QR 200 13/01/2013 customer contact and AMI center is located 14/02/2013 analysis for production GTC QR QR 37 at Al Thumana south of Doha. The building (before 12:00 516/2012 3,000,000 20,000 Provision of industrial cleaners for Dukhan comprises basement, ground and two floors noon) 17 GT13100600 QR 400,000 QR 500 10/2/2013 field and a service area with total built up area of 18,092 m2, in addtion to external landscape Sale and removal of casing and casing 21/01/2013 18 ST11MT0112 QR 2,000 Free Supply, installation & commissioning of (3) nipple (12:00hrs) Three medical units 1.) Ultrasound machine 38 87/2012-2013 QR 30,000 QR 500 14/01/2013 3D/4D 2.) Endoscope disinfector 3.) UV- Inplant piping survey of RG plant, FNGLCS prope disinfector for ultrasound 19 LT13100200 QR 100,000 QR 200 3/2/2013 and FHSP in Dukhan fields Ministry of TAC/ 28/01/2013 39 Interior CW/L/34/2012- Constructon of gate with canopy (F-632-01) QR 13,000 QR 2,000 before 12 2013 noon Instrument support services at offshore 20 GT13100700 QR 150,000 QR 500 17/02/2013 Al Jazeera Media 21/01/2013 location 40 LTC 157/2012 Video Conference set QR 6,000 QR 200 Network (13:00hrs) SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Schaub Deng shines as facing Bulls beat Knicks big test Durant scores 42 as Thunder rout Lakers against NEW YORK: Luol Deng scored mentally strong, has a great will,” Patriots 33 points in Chicago’s 108- NBA Results Thibodeaux said. “He understands 101 NBA win over the Knicks Toronto 99 Charlotte 78 what he has to go through.” in New York yesterday, with Kevin Durant delivered 42 NEW YORK: Houston Texans Boston 103 Houston 91 Derrick Rose’s appearance on points, eight rebounds and five quarterback Matt Schaub starts the practice court raising hopes Brooklyn 99 Phoenix 79 assists Friday as Oklahoma City his first road play-off game, at of even better things to come. Atlanta 103 Utah 95 dealt the reeling Los Angeles the New England Patriots today, Deng’s 33 point tally was his Chicago 108 NY Knicks 101 Lakers a sixth straight NBA with the pressure on. best of the season, improving on Memphis 101 San Antonio 98 defeat, 116-101. The Patriots, corning in from a the 29 the British forward scored New Orleans 104 Minnesota 92 Russell Westbrook scored 27 bye week, loom as favorites in the in a four-point Bulls victory Detroit 103 Milwaukee 87 points with 10 assists and Kevin American Football Conference against the Knicks on December Martin chipped in 15 points for (AFC) divisional round clash as Denver 98 Cleveland 91 21. the Thunder, who have won four they look to go one better than “Honestly it’s not about the Oklahoma City 116 LA Lakers 101 of their last five games. last season when they lost to the scoring,” he said. “I just want to Golden State 103 Portland 97 “A great team win for us,” said New York Giants in the Super play well. I score for the team, game, and even after the Knicks Durant. “My teammates did a Bowl. but I don’t go out trying to get engineered a 12-0 scoring run late good job of getting me the ball. New England crushed Houston big numbers. I never focus on one in the fourth quarter the Bulls We moved the ball so well, which 42-14 in week 14, a result which thing.” were able to hang on. makes it easy for everybody.” knocked the Texans off their Carlos Boozer scored 17 points Even before the victory, the Meanwhile, nothing seems easy perch and started a slump which and Richard Hamilton added 14 Bulls had reason to be pleased these days for the Lakers. also affected Schaub. for the Bulls, who never trailed as Rose, the 2011 NBA Most Kobe Bryant led Los Angeles Although the Texans beat the and are now 3-0 against the Valuable Player, took part in the with 28 points and Antawn Indianapolis Colts in week 15, Knicks this season. pre-game shoot-around, stretch- Jamison contributed 19 points they ended the regular season “It feels great,” said Chicago’s ing with his teammates and firing and 10 rebounds, but the Lakers with successive losses and then Joakim Noah. “Everybody’s locked off some jump shots. have now lost six in a row for the were far from convincing in the in when we play the Knicks.” Bulls head coach Tom first time since a seven-game skid 19-13 wild-card round win over Chicago’s victory spoiled the Thibodeau said Rose, who has from March 2-15 in 2007. the Cincinnati Bengals. return of Knicks star Carmelo been sidelined since he tore a “We played hard the whole Schaub has thrown just one Anthony after he served a one- knee ligament in the first game of game, but they were just better,” touchdown in those four games game suspension for confronting the playoffs last April, is “getting Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni and has made three interceptions Boston forward Kevin Garnett closer” to being able to be exposed said. “They were just longer, and given up 10 sacks. after Monday’s 102-96 defeat in to contact in practice. faster, better team-wise and we The intense atmosphere of New York. And he said the young star, crumbled away.” a road game in the playoffs Anthony finished with 39 points who is expected back after the The Lakers were again without will test all of the 31-year-old’s on 14-of-32 shooting but couldn’t mid-February All-Star break, is Dwight Howard, who is nursing Oklahoma City Thunder Russell Westbrook gestures after making a three character. prevent the Knicks from dropping coping admirably with the rehab a shoulder injury, and Pau Gasol, point shot against the Los Angeles Lakers, during first half action of their “I think he will be ready,” said a third straight game. process. who is recovering from a concus- NBA game in Los Angeles, California, USA, yesterday. The Thunder beat Texans wide receiver Andre Chicago dominated most of the “He’s a great team player. He’s sion. AGENCIES the Lakers 116-101. Johnson. “He’s working his butt off like he’s done every week. I think just getting his first (playoff) win probably got a monkey off Jamieson his back because that is some- thing people talked about,” he Rookie Henley leads Sony Open poised for said. Schaub missed out on the play- HONOLULU, Hawaii: US “I think with that mindset it Players Championship last year, offs last year due to injury but PGA Tour Sony Open PGA Tour rookie Russell Henley takes a little pressure off me,” the carded a 63 and was alone in Durban double his opposite number Tom Brady 126 Russell Henley 63-63 carded a sparkling 63 yesterday 23-year-old said. fourth on 129. has no shortage of post-season 128 Scott Langley 62-66, Scott Piercy 64-64 to seize a two-shot lead in the He certainly didn’t look as if he South African Tim Clark (66), DURBAN, South Africa: Scott experience. 129 Matt Kuchar 66-63 $5.6m Sony Open. felt any pressure on Friday, when Chris Kirk (62) and Charles Jamieson is set up to win two Brady has won 16 playoff 130 Chris Kirk 68-62, Tim Clark (RSA) 64-66, Henley, playing his first tour- he hit every green in regulation. Howell (64) were tied on 130. European Tour events in this games, a league record that he Charles Howell 66-64 nament as a tour member, had “I didn’t make every putt that Kirk’s effort included two Indian Ocean city within two shares, for the moment, with Joe a two-round total of 14-under was close, but I was hitting great eagles, at the par-five ninth and months after taking a five-shot Montana. 131 Pat Perez 68-63 par 126 -- breaking the 36-hole putts, hitting them like I want to the par-five 18th. lead yesterday three rounds into He has also played in five Super 132 Stephen Ames (CAN) 65-67, Danny record at this tournament by two hit them, and some were falling. Clark, who was hampered much the Volvo Golf Champions. Bowls, winning three of them, but Lee (NZL) 66-66, Scott Gardiner (AUS) strokes. So I’m happy about it,” he said. of last season with nagging elbow Jamieson fired a four-under- he believes track records go out 68-64, Tim Herron 66-66 He teed off on 10 on the par- Henley said he benefited from pain, said he thought he now had par 68 for a total of 201 at Durban of the window when it comes to 133 Jeff Overton 65-68 70 Waialae Country Club course playing with fellow rookie Langley, the problem under control. Country Club to move clear of the playoffs. 134 John Rollins 68-66, Vijay Singh (FIJ) and notched seven birdies without who birdied his last three holes to “Obviously, I’ve still got to take Thai Thongchai Jaidee, Julien “I played games early in my 67-67, John Huh 71-63, Alistair Presnell a bogey to separate himself from stay in the hunt. care of myself and look after it,” Quesne of France and South career when I had no experience (AUS) 68-66, Henrik Norlander (SWE) playing partner and fellow rookie The two, who tied for low ama- Clark said. African Louis Oosthuizen. and I did pretty well,” he told 70-64, Matt Jones (AUS) 66-68, Rory Scott Langley and Scott Piercy. teur honors at the 2010 US Open “But at least coming out to the The Scot won the first event reporters. REUTERS Sabbatini (RSA) 69-65, Brian Stuard Langley, the overnight leader at Pebble Beach, will play together golf course, I feel like I’m pretty of the 2013 European Tour -- 66-68 after a first-round 62, carded a again in the final group today. much 100 percent.” the inaugural Nelson Mandela 135 Bart Bryant 68-67, Webb Simpson 66 for 128. Piercy joined him on “It’s never easy to back up a Dustin Johnson, winner of the Championship -- last month at Sapp, Strahan 66-69, Tommy Gainey 66-69, David 12-under with a second straight really good round, I kind of got off season-opening Tournament of another Durban course after Mathis 69-66, Dicky Pride 68-67, Erik 64. to a little slower start,” Langley Champions at Kapalua, which was the tournament was cut to two among Hall of Compton 67-68, Hideto Tanihara (JPN) “It’s pretty surreal,” Henley said. reduced to 54 holes and finished rounds by torrential rain. 70-65, Lee Williams 69-66, Ricky Barnes said, adding that his main aim as “But it was certainly nice to on Tuesday because of weather, He is alone among the 33 com- Fame finalists 70-65, John Senden (AUS) 69-66, Ryan he approached his first season on finish the way I did and kind of withdrew after nine holes of the petitors in having shot three sub- Palmer 67-68, Marc Leishman (AUS) tour was to try to play his game, get back in it with Russ.” second round because of illness. 70 ruonds over the 6,111-metre 67-68, Shawn Stefani 68-67 learn and become a better player. Matt Kuchar, winner of the AFP track. AFP CANTON, Ohio: Defensive stars Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan are among the final- ists announced yesterday for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class Ishikawa, Wiratchant of 2013. Sapp and Strahan are among four players eligible for the first time, along with Larry Allen and Jonathan Ogden. get Masters invitations Eleven more candidates are eli- gible from the “modern era” along TOKYO: Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa of making had played my best,” he said. with two senior nominees. (pictuered) and Thailand’s a Masters “The players at the Masters are All 17 will be considered for Thaworn Wiratchant have debut was all good players and it is a very election when the Hall of Fame’s received invitations to play in fulfilled so challenging golf course. Selection Committee meets on this year’s Masters at Augusta, unexpect- “Every year, I watch the February 2 in New Orleans, on Russell Henley tournament organisers said edly. Masters on TV and I think to the eve of the Super Bowl. putts on the yesterday. “When myself that it’s such a difficult Sapp was a seven-time Pro 13th hole green “The Masters has long estab- my manager golf course. Bowl defensive tackle in a 13-year during the lished a tradition of supporting informed “I have spoken to Thongchai NFL career with Tampa Bay and second round the global game, and we were me, I initially and Prayad about their experi- Oakland from 1995-2007, helping of the Sony excited to extend invitations to thought she ences in the Masters previously the Buccaneers win a Super Bowl Open in Hawaii Thaworn Wiratchant and Ryo was joking,” and I will talk to them again title in 2002. at Waialae Ishikawa, who we hope will pro- he told the to find out more about the golf Strahan played 15 seasons at Country Club vide added interest and enthusi- Asian Tour. course. defensive end with the New York in Honolulu, asm for golf in Asia through their “I didn’t “From what I’ve seen, you have Giants from 1993-2007 and went Hawaii, participation in the tournament,” expect to to be good in every department, out as a Super Bowl champion, yesterday. Augusta National Golf Club chair- receive especially around the greens helping his team to a 17-14 win man Billy Payne said. an invitation and I was plan- which are very fast and tricky. I over previously undefeated New The tournament is scheduled ning to work hard to break into am sure it will be really challeng- England in the title game. for April 11-14. the world’s top-50 (by the end ing but I am looking forward to The other modern-era finalists Wiratchant, who became the of March) to qualify for the my first trip there.” are wide receivers Cris Carter, oldest winner of the Asian Tour Masters.” Wiratchant hoped his late Tim Brown and Andre Reed, Order of Merit by topping the Wiratchant will become debut will be an inspiration for running back Jerome Bettis, money list in 2012, will be mak- the fourth Thai after Sukree other players on the Asian Tour defensive end/linebackers Kevin ing his first Masters appearance. Onsham, Thongchai Jaidee and who aspire to play in the Masters Greene and Charles Haley, guard The 46-year-old holds the Prayad Marksaeng to tee off at and the other majors. Will Shields, cornerback Aeneas Asian Tour record for most the Augusta National and making This edition will also mark Williams, coach Bill Parcells and career victories, having won for the cut for the weekend rounds the 21-year-old Ishikawa’s fifth owners Art Modell and Eddie the 15th time at the Indian Open will be his top priority. consecutive start at the Masters DeBartolo jnr. last October. “I’ll try to make the cut... that where he has missed the cut on Defensive tackle Curley Culp The Thai golfer was ecstatic would be the goal. If I don’t make three occasions and finished tied and linebacker Dave Robinson are after his new year resolution it, then I want to ensure that I for 20th in 2011. AFP the senior nominees. AFP SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Shane clinches stunning win in Oryx Cup UIM World Championship final Runner-up spot for David; Abu Faisal wins Qatar Marathon Race hosted by QMSF

DOHA: U-5 Graham Trucking’s Jimmy Shane snatched a dra- matic victory in the Oryx Cup UIM World Championship in Doha Bay yesterday to con- clude the 2012 season of rac- ing in the Air National Guard H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Championship. Six of the fastest power boats on the planet lined up at the start and Shane became the fourth dif- ferent winner of the Oryx Cup in as many years after leading from start-to-finish to hold off a fierce challenge from runner-up and newly-crowned National High Points champion Steve David in U-6 Oh Boy! Oberto. Jon Zimmerman finished a dis- tant third in U-9 Jones Racing, Brian Perkins was fourth at the helm of U-88 Snoqualmie Casino and Tom Thompson struggled at the back of the field with engine issues and made the finish in fifth place with U-11 Miss Peters & May J Michael Kelly (U-37 Miss Beacon Plumbing) was disquali- fied on the start lap for failure to follow race officials’ instructions. “It’s been a great first season in this championship for me and to cap it with a win in the Oryx Cup Steve David (left), Oryx Cup winner Jimmy Shane (centre) and Jon Zimmerman (right) during the podium ceremony at Doha Bay yesterday. RIGHT: Action from the Oryx Cup UIM World is superb,” said an ecstatic Shane. Championship at Doha Bay yesterday. “I must congratulate Jimmy on a great drive today,” said David sportingly. “It was not meant to be, but there is always next time.” Under the presidency of Sheikh Hassan bin Jabot Al Thani, the Qatar Marine Sports Federation Qatar Aquabike (QMSF) hosted a 25-minute Marathon race Marathon Aqua Bike Race two podium finishers hours before the main Oryx Cup with Khalid bin UIM World Championship event. Arhama Al Kuwari Twenty-four Qatari, Kuwaiti and of the QMSF. Emirati racers took part in the RIGHT: Qatar’s 10-lap race on a tricky, wind- Thamer Ahmad affected 2.5-mile course around Abu Faisal, the island in Doha Bay and there winner of the were 14 finishers. Qatar Aquabike Thamer Ahmad Abu Faisal held off a strong challenge from Marathon race in fellow Qataris Waleed Mahmoud action on Doha Al-Sharshani and Rashid Rashid Bay yesterday. Al-Mohanadi to seal victory and the first cash prize of 20,000 Qatari riyals. Ahmad Rashid Al-Dauas and Mohsen Al-Hajri completed the top five, albeit one lap behind. Oryx Cup UIM World Championship final entered the course (‘get in score’ to crane the boats on to the pon- and the first turn. The Maryland struggled at the rear of the field clean sweep of all the heats and Steve David (U-6), Jon or ‘score-up’) one-minute before toon, but eventually got underway driver, who confirmed the run- and Perkins began to fall behind, final in Doha. Boats and race Zimmerman (U-9), Tom they took the flying start. Kelly at 3.40hrs. Kelly was dramati- ner-up spot in the National High Shane and David edged clear of equipment will remain in Qatar Thompson (U-11), Jimmy Shane ran as the ‘trailer’ boat and had cally disqualified before the boats Points title race this weekend, Zimmerman. for the next four weeks and the (U-5), Brian Perkins (U-88) and to start five seconds behind the reached the back straight on the had the measure of David and Shane drive a faultless race American teams and drivers will J Michael Kelly (U-37) started other five racers. warm-up lap for failing to leave the Florida man had no answer to take the chequered flag and return for the start of the 2013 the five-lap final on Doha Bay The race was delayed by 40 the inside lane and that left the to the speed of the U-5 Graham become the fourth racer in as Air National Guard H1 Unlimited and lane choice was left to how minutes because an exception- door open for Shane to edge in Trucking hydroplane. As the many years to win the Oryx Cup, Championship at the start of the boats lined up when they ally low tide made it impossible front of David through the start race progressed and Thompson his success depriving David of a February. THE PENINSULA Armstrong ‘plans to admit doping’ in Oprah interview

LOS ANGELES: Lance interview, for which Armstrong financial ramifications. Since the Armstrong plans to admit to will not receive any payment. International Cycling Union effec- doping for the first time in an Last week, The New York tively erased him from the sport’s interview with Oprah Winfrey Times reported that Armstrong, record books, British newspaper that will be taped tomorrow 41, was considering publicly The Sunday Times has already at the disgraced cyclist’s home admitting that he used banned sued Armstrong for more than in Austin, Texas, USA Today performance-enhancing drugs £1m ($1.6m) over a libel payment reported. in an apparent bid to return to made to him in 2006. In an article posted on its web- competitive sport in marathons The newspaper paid Armstrong site yesterday night, USA Today and triathlons. £300,000 to settle a libel case cited “a person with knowl- On her Twitter feed Tuesday, after publishing a story suggest- edge of the situation” as saying Winfrey said: “Looking forward ing he may have cheated, and now Armstrong plans to admit to dop- to this conversation with @ wants that money plus interest ing throughout his career, but lancearmstrong”. and legal costs repaid. that he probably will not go into Armstrong retweeted that A Texas insurance company great detail about specific cases message on his own Twitter has also threatened legal action and events. account. to recoup millions of dollars in The announcement that Not everyone is convinced that bonuses that it paid to him for Armstrong had agreed to an such an interview is the proper multiple Tour victories. interview, to air on Winfrey’s venue for Armstrong to address His years of dominance in OWN cable TV network on the charges against him. the sport’s greatest race raised Thursday, sparked widespread “Only Lance would get to have cycling’s profile in the United speculation that he might finally his moment of truth, if that’s States to new heights and gave confess to being a drug cheat after what it will be, in front of Oprah Armstrong, a cancer survivor, a years of strenuous denials. Winfrey,” said British cyclist unique platform to promote can- It will be Armstrong’s first David Millar, who served a two- cer awareness and research. interview since he was stripped year ban after admitting doping The Lance Armstrong in October of his seven Tour de in 2004 and is now a member of Foundation has raised almost France titles after the US Anti- the athletes’ commission for the $500m since its creation in 1997. Doping Agency (USADA) said World Anti-Doping Agency. In the wake of the allegations, he helped orchestrate the most “It is not sitting in front of a several top sponsors dropped sophisticated doping program in judge or a disciplinary hearing Armstrong and the on November sports history. being properly questioned about 14 his name was dropped from Nicole Nichols of Winfrey’s the things he has done wrong.” the charity he founded, which A file picture taken on July 22, 2004 shows Yellow jersey US Lance Armstrong (US Postal/USA) celebrating as he OWN network said on Wednesday Any confession by is now known as the Livestrong crosses the finish line and wins the 17th stage of the 91st Tour de France cycling race between Bourg-d’Oisans “no question is off-limits” in the Armstrong could have legal or Foundation. AFP and Le Grand Bornand. SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT QIRRCH: Dominant West grabs double at Losail Indian rider Krishnan wins both races in LARRC

DOHA: Anthony West won because I got a good gap with the both races of the Qatar rest. International Road Racing Smith admitted that he had Championship (QIRRCH) at some problems with his bike Losail International Circuit, during the race. The 22-year-old yesterday. Briton said: “I had some clutch The Australian rider, who problems and my start was not dominated the practice ses- good. I made a mistake in the first sions on Friday, held off Britain’s laps and I run off the track so I Bradley Smith and compatriot lost time to be back. Then I had Alex Cudlin, who finished in sec- a good battle with Cudlin and I ond and third places respectively hope to resolve the problems in Anthony West (left) of Australia shakes hands with Qatar Motor and in the first race. the clutch and be closer to West Motorcycling Federation (QMMF) President Nasser bin Khalifa Al Attiyah In the afternoon race, West in second race.” after West renewed his deal with QMMF Racing Team for the 2013 Moto2 crossed the finish line 15.402 sec- Defending champion, Cudlin, season, yesterday. onds ahead of Qatar’s Nasser Al who started the first race in sec- Malki, who finished in second ond position, struggled through- place in a BMW. Al Malki’s com- out the race but managed to finish patriot Mashel Al Naimi finished in third place. Afterwards, Cudlin Aussie rider West in third place with a Honda. said he was happy with the race Elsewhere, in the Losail Asian and enjoyed competing against Road Racing Championship Smith. (LARRC), Indian rider Rajini He said: “The race was good, renews deal with Krishnan won the race, who fin- I enjoyed with the battle with Runner-up Nasser Al Malki (left), winner Anthony West (centre) and third ished in seventh position overall. Smith. At the beginning of the place Mashel Al Naimi on the podium after the second race in the Qatar His compatriot Deepak race I was slow, not good feel- International Road Racing Championship at Losail International Circuit Ravikumar and Hungarian rider ing with the front of the bike. It yesterday. QMMF Racing Team Nikolett Kovacs finished in sec- took me some laps to get into the ond and third places respectively. rhythm but then West was gone. DOHA: Anthony West Australia) West believes that Just like West, Krishnan made The last two laps I lost a little QIRRCH Race One Results (top five) renewed his contract with the this season will be a great suc- it a double win, finishing first in bit and some mistakes make me Position Name Nationality Make Total Time Qatar Motor and Motorcycling cess for QMMF Racing Team. the second race. finished in third but I am happy Federation (QMMF) Racing He feels very good being part Ravikumar and Algerian rider to race against riders of MotoGP 1 Anthony West AUS SUZUKI 31:11.045 Team for another season in of this team and hopes to bring Walid Benterki finished in second and Moto2.” 2Bradley SmithGBRYAMAHA31:18.522Moto2 category, yesterday. more success and be in the and third spots. German rider Nina Prinz made It will be the second season podium more races. West, riding a Suzuki, led an excellent start but Prinz’s bike 3Alex CudlinAUSSUZUKI31:19.283that the Australian rider will be Al Attiyah stated that he is the first race from start to fin- suffered an electrical problem and 4 Nasser Al Malki QAT BMW 31:31.286 representing the QMMF Racing very happy with the perform- ish despite the windy conditions saw her chances of winning the Team for this season’s MotoGP ance of the Australian rider and to finish 7.477 seconds ahead of race end when she had to retire 5 Mashel Al Naimi QAT HONDA 31:31.323 World Championship. he believes that this coming sea- Smith, who will make his MotoGP in the seventh lap. QMMF President Nasser son will be a great season for the debut with Yamaha when the sea- Qatari rider Al Malki finished QIRRCH Race Two Results (top five) bin Khalifa Al Attiyah and QMMF Racing Team. son starts at Losail on April 7. in fourth position. West signed the agreement LIC will host the season’s Speaking after the race, West, In the second race, despite Position Name Nationality Make Total Time after the second round of the opening round of the champion- who also rides for Qatar Motor West finishing the line first, Al 1 Anthony West AUS SUZUKI 31:01.547 Qatar International Road ship on April 7. and Motorcycling Federation Malki was said to be pleased to Racing Championship at Losail The Qatar MotoGP is the only (QMMF) Racing Team in Moto2, be in second place, after starting 2 Nasser Al Malki QAT BMW 31:16.949 International Circuit (LIC), night race in the championship said: “I had a good feeling and I from the grid in fifth position. where West won the two races. calendar. 3 Mashel Al Naimi QAT HONDA 31:17.183 tried to keep my rhythm and Prinz, and Smith, both had After a great end in the last The last race of the sea- stand on the track as there was a mechanical problems and had to 4 Alexander Cudlin AUS SUZUKI 31:20.090 season in Moto2 (with two son takes place in Valencia in horrible wind all day. I am happy retire in the middle of the race. podiums, in Malaysia and in November. THE PENINSULA 5 Saeed Al Sulaiti QAT BMW 31:57.734 that I didn’t had to fight too much THE PENINSULA Dakar Rally: Peterhansel’s stage win overshadowed by third death

SALTA, ARGENTINA: Ten-time cham- Bourgin was in 68th place in the overall In the motorcycling stage, America’s Kurt pion Stephane Peterhansel extended his motorcycling rankings of his first Dakar. Caselli, on a KTM, took the honours, winning Dakar Rally lead on Friday night, but the On Thursday, two people were killed in a in 1hr 51min 31sec, an advantage of 1min 23sec world’s most gruelling endurance event was head-on collision between a rally support vehi- over Chile’s Francisco Lopez and Olivier Pain once again hit by tragedy when a French cle and a taxi near Peru’s border with Chile. of France. motorcyclist was killed. Going into the 2013 event, some 59 people, Pain still leads the overall standings by 6min As Peterhansel claimed the seventh stage including 20 spectators, had lost their lives 06sec ahead of Lopez. which crossed the Andes between Calama in in the race. Defending champion Cyril Despres, who had Chile and Salta in Argentina to build a lead of On Friday, Peterhansel finished the been second overall, dropped to more than 14 more than three minutes over 2011 champion 218km run with a 39sec lead over compa- minutes off the pace after mechanical prob- Nasser Al Attiyah, the event was reeling from triot Guerlain Chicherit, in an SMG, with lems left him without fifth gear for half the a third death in two days. American NASCAR driver Robby Gordon, in distance. Competitor Thomas Bourgin, 25, was a Hummer, 1min 08sec off the pace. “Cyril’s problems have given me a significant involved in a collision with a police car which Al Attiyah, who had won his third stage gap for the lead, and that’s a good thing for was coming in the opposite direction on the of this year’s race on Thursday to slash me,” said Pain. Mechanics of the Qatari Nasser Al Attiyah team work on his vehicle at the link road to the start of Friday’s stage in Peterhansel’s overall lead down to 1min 18sec, “That’s just part of racing, but I’m not for- rally camp after the seventh stage of the Rally Dakar between Calama Calama. was sixth on Friday in his Buggy, 1min 56sec getting that it could happen to me too, so I’m (Chile) and Salta, Argentina, on Friday. French Stephane Peterhansel (Mini), “The rally’s medical teams deployed on the behind. not getting cocky about it, especially since in cars, and US Curt Caselli (KTM), on motorbikes, were the winners of ground were only able to certify the rider’s He remains second overall, but it is now Cyril has the capacity to claw back the time the stage, that ended tragically after the death of a French pilot during a death, probably instant,” a statement on the 3min 14sec behind defending champion he’s lost.” Today’s eighth stage is a 247km run collision with a Chilean police vehicle. race’s official website reported. Peterhansel. between Salta and Tucuman. AFP

Lyon go top in France Gulf Cup: Kuwait reach semis Van Persie demands

PARIS: Lyon, looking to win stalemate at home to Ajaccio. the French title for the first Lyon should have won by a wider focus for Liverpool clash time in five seasons, went top margin but Lisandro saw his of the heap yesterday with a 2-1 effort deflected to safety at the MANCHESTER, United more time,” said van Persie. win at Troyes propelling them last by Yohann Thuram-Ullien Kingdom: Robin van Persie has “Nothing is decided. It will be ahead of big spenders Paris following a cross from the right urged his Manchester United tough and it will be hard. This Saint Germain (PSG). by Michel Bastos midway through team-mates not to get car- weekend we have Liverpool and Lyon shrugged off the embar- the first half. ried away by their seven-point it’s a massive game for us.” rassment of a Cup exit in mid- Marseille, the 2010 champi- lead at the top of the Premier Van Persie has also warned week to third division Epinal after ons, can join Lyon on 41 points if League ahead of today’s clash against complacency when United Maxime Gonalons and Samuel they win at relegation-threatened with Liverpool. meet Brendan Rodgers’ side. Umtiti, at the second attempt, Sochaux today. United face their old enemies at “We have to look at the three found the net from two well- Lorient, seven points adrift Old Trafford and victory will put points and it’s a bit like a derby, rehearsed corner routines - one of Marseille, were at defend- them 10 points clear of second- the teams being so close to each from Steed Malbranque, the other ing champions Montpellier, who place Manchester City, who do other,” said van Persie. from Arnold Mvuemba. have struggled this term and were not play at Arsenal until later in “There is so much history Benjamin Nivet gave Troyes thumped at Lille just before the the day. between them and there have brief hope with a fine volley sand- winter break. The Dutchman, who has netted been some great games over the wiching the two goals for the visi- On Friday, PSG gave 40m-euro 16 league goals this term after a years, going back a long way. They tors, but this latest reverse leaves man Lucas Moura, who was £24m ($38.7m, 29.1m euros) close- are a great team and, on their day, them six points from safety after unveiled during a press confer- season move from Arsenal, wants they can make it a really hard only two wins in their opening 20 ence in Doha, his Ligue 1 debut his side to maintain focus. game for us.” league matches. but it was fellow Brazilian native Fahed Al Ebrahim (left) of Kuwait vies with Nasser Al Shamrani of Saudi “It is only seven points, you United defender Rio Ferdinand Remi Garde’s men now lead the Thiago Motta who stole the Arabia during their Gulf Cup football match in Manama, yesterday. have to look at it game by game. is also relishing the clash. table by two points after incon- headlines by being red-carded Kuwait won 1-0. In the other match, Iraq beat Yemen 2-0. Iraq will face We still have to go through the “I would say it is the fixture sistent PSG yet again frustrated in a lacklustre 0-0 draw against Bahrain in the semi-finals, whereas UAE will meet Kuwait. entire second half of the league we look forward to first,” he said their fans Friday with a goalless Ajaccio. AGENCIES and almost play everyone one ahead of the match. AFP SUNDAY 13 JANUARY 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27

Hewitt wins Tomic wins first Kooyong title

MELBOURNE: Lleyton Hewitt showed vintage form as he humbled Juan Martin Del Potro 6-1, 6-4 yesterday to win ATP title in Sydney the Kooyong Classic, giving him a major boost ahead of his first match at the Australian Open. Australian edges past Anderson in final The former number one and two-time Grand Slam winner a decade ago completed victories SYDNEY: Rising Australian opening service game and holding over three top-15 opponents at star Bernard Tomic clinched a break point in the sixth game the eight-man special event at the his first ATP Tour title with a before wrapping up the set in 28 Kooyong Stadium -- the former fighting win over South African minutes. home of the Open. Kevin Anderson in the final But he encountered stiffer Hewitt’s current game belies of the Sydney International opposition from Anderson in the his 82nd place ranking, with the yesterday. second set, fighting off a break 31-year-old veteran hopeful of Tomic claimed his eighth point on serve in the eighth game doing major damage as he begins straight win of the year in down- before taking it to a tiebreaker, play on Monday against Serb ing the 36th-ranked Anderson which the South African domi- eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic at 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3 in one hour nated to make it one set all. Melbourne Park. and 55 minutes, setting himself Tomic had the Anderson serve “Janko is a tough first round up for the Australian Open, which under pressure in the third set, -- but there are not too many begins tomorrow, and saying he breaking in the eighth game easy first rounds out there,” said felt “unstoppable”. on his fourth break point when Hewitt. “He’s a quality player who Tomic is the first Australian Anderson double-faulted. has improved a lot in the past two winner of the Sydney tournament Tomic confidently served out years. since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005 and for the match for his first career “It’s nice to know I’ve done all the first 20-year-old event winner senior title. It was his second vic- the right preparation, I can just since Roger Federer in 2002. Australia’s Bernard Tomic holds up tory over Anderson. go out there and play,” said the “I couldn’t ask for anything the winner’s trophy after his win in The confident youngster has battler who a year ago had the more. It’s an amazing feeling,” the final of the International Sydney begun 2013 in blazing style start- foot surgery that finally cured a Tomic said. Tennis tournament yesterday. ing with three wins in the mixed lingering problem that had forced “Now that I know what it feels teams Hopman Cup, including him to play in pain. like to win a tournament, and it’s a triumph in Perth over world Hewitt earned his compre- the best feeling in the world. Mayer on Tuesday. “I’ve got a number one Novak Djokovic. hensive win over number seven “I’m so happy I won. I can’t good opponent in the first round “I’m really fit and that’s why I Argentine Del Potro in 66 min- stop here now. Now I’ve got to and I’m playing great tennis. I feel feel fine,” Tomic said. utes to duplicate his Kooyong title look to the next tournament and unstoppable. I feel like I’m playing “It’s just amazing what I’ve from 2011. keep playing the tennis I’ve been great tennis,” he said. done the last few months and got The Australian raced through playing.” “When you know that no one my body to where it is and my the opening set in 27 minutes, He will head the Australian can beat you, not even the No.1, tennis is improving each day. reaching a 3-1 lead after just 16 Open in Melbourne with his rank- you’ve got a good feeling. “To get all these matches under minutes. He finished off the set ing down to 43 and with a chance “It’s amazing stepping on court. my belt is a big confidence and on a first set point as Del Potro of facing the 17-time Grand You’re so confident. That’s going this is what you need in this fired a forehand long. Slam champion and second seed to be taken down to Melbourne sport.” Del Potro made a stab at a rally Federer in the third round. and I’m going to use that for every Anderson, 26, was the first Roger Federer of Switzerland shares a light moment with a ball girl during in the second set, breaking Hewitt Tomic begins with a match match I play there.” Tomic began South African to reach the final Kid’s Tennis Day at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, for 3-4 at one point and levelling against Argentina’s Leonardo confidently, breaking Anderson’s of the Sydney International. AFP yesterday. at 4-all soon after. But Hewitt stayed in control, moving to 5-4 and finishing a game later on a second match point, a stinging forehand return Fresh Federer defends quiet build-up winner. AFP

MELBOURNE, Australia: Swiss great Roger Federer most tennis professionals have retired, with longevity a warned yesterday he was fresh and eager for more key motivation for him now. Vesnina wins Grand Slam glory as he prepared for his 53rd straight As part of plans to extend his shelf life, he will play fewer major, defending his quiet start to the year. tournaments in 2013, focusing on the majors. first WTA title The 31-year-old has been playing Grand Slam tennis “Longevity has always been something that’s been since 1999 and shows no signs of slowing down, but has important to me,” he said. altered the way he prepares for the big events and skipped “I’ve planned the season accordingly this year again, that in Hobart any warm-up tournaments ahead of next week’s Australian I will not miss the majors because of injury.” Open. The Ferreira landmark is one he is focused on, with HOBART, Australia: Russia’s He said it is all part of his plan to keep competing the South African a good friend and inspiration. He used Elena Vesnina won her first at the elite level for as long as possible and overtake to ball-boy for him when he was young and they played WTA title with a 6-3, 6-4 vic- South African Wayne Ferreira’s record of 56 consecu- doubles together. tory over defending champion tive Slams. “I hope I can make it, I was thinking back how many Mona Barthel in the Hobart “I purposely didn’t play a lead-up tournament so that I’d times I’ve played already in the main draw of a Slam,” he International final yesterday. be fresh for the beginning, hopefully going deep into the said of the 56-Slam target. Vesnina, the world number tournament. That’s the goal obviously,” he said. “It’s been a lot. For many years I also came here 68, playing in her seventh final, “I think it’s nice sometimes doing it slightly different for qualifying, back in ‘99, for the juniors ‘98. I go showed too much fight for the than every year the same thing. Otherwise it feels like a back 15, 16 years already I’ve been coming here every German, whose occasional blaz- deja vu and that’s not always a good thing. single year. ing winners were undone by an “It’s been very relaxing, the last one-and-a-half months,” Novak Djokovic of Serbia points as he leaves the court with “I’m excited that I’ve played so many in a row and I hope erratic service game. Vesnina, he added. Roger Federer of Switzerland (centre) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga I can keep the streak alive and see where it stops. We’ll who was ranked as high as 22 “Not many appearances, no press almost. Just focusing of France (left) during the Kid’s Tennis Day at the Australian see how it goes.” in 2009, becomes the second on getting ready mentally and physically really.” Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, yesterday. Other than Ferreira, only Stefan Edberg has played Russian to win the Hobart event Bidding for an 18th Grand Slam title and a fifth at more straight Grand Slams at 54. after Anna Chakvetadze in 2007 Melbourne, Federer is enjoying the game now as much as necessary. Federer’s key threat to further Grand Slam glory in and takes home $40,000 in prize he ever has -- even the endless gym work to stay fit enough “I have a lot of experience,” he added. “I’m ready to Melbourne are Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, but money. The 26-year-old Russian to compete with the young guns of the tour. go and eager. That to me right now dominates. It’s he also warned any of the current top 10 was capable of defeated seeds Yaroslava Shvedova It is not something he used to savour. important to be fresh going into a new season because breaking through. and Sloane Stephens along with “Today I take much more pleasure out of doing the gym the last couple years have been tough on tour.” “Obviously with Rafa (Nadal) not in the draw, that former Australian event cham- work than I ever have,” he said. “Today things for me Federer has indicated he wants to compete at the 2016 might mean for some of the players they only have to beat pion Jarmila Gajdosova on her make sense. I know why I’m doing them. I know they’re Olympic Games in Rio, when he will be 35, an age when one of us, of the top three, maybe none,” he said. AFP way to the final. AFP Williams of England wins Qatar Open Amateur Golf Championship Starc out of Aussie ODI squad with calf injury

SYDNEY: Paceman Mitchell withdrawn him from the game Starc has calf muscle sore- on Sunday as a precaution. ness and has withdrawn from “He will be reassessed over the Australia’s one-day squad ahead next few days and he is a possi- of this weekend’s second match bility to play in next weekend’s against Sri Lanka, Cricket matches against Sri Lanka if his Australia said yesterday. symptoms resolve.” South Australian quick Kane Meanwhile, senior paceman Richardson has been called up as Brett Lee yesterday questioned cover for today’s ODI against Sri Australia’s contentious rotation Lanka at the Adelaide Oval, after selection policy after injury to Starc picked up the injury during Starc. With Starc out, Lee criti- Australia’s 107-run series opening cised the rotation policy, branding win in Melbourne on Friday. it confusing. The left-armer took 1-25 off “I believe, and I’m a bit old six overs, but his status for the school, that you’ve got to earn remainder of the five-match ODI your right to play for Australia,” series remains uncertain. he told reporters yesterday. The Australians are already “You don’t want to breed a cul- without several fast bowlers ture where you’re looking over due to injury, including Ben your shoulder every time -- who’s Hilfenhaus and Pat Cummins, out this week? Who’s getting although James Pattinson and rested? Who’s coming in because Josh Hazlewood have returned there are four or five guys waiting from being sidelined. to take my spot?. “Mitchell Starc had some “On the one hand I think it’s mild right calf soreness after great that everybody’s getting an the match at the MCG,” Cricket opportunity. Max Williams of England, winner of the 27th edition of the Qatar Open Amateur Golf Championship, poses for a picture with the President of Qatar Golf Australia physiotherapist Alex “But also, if I’m a paying mem- Federation Hassan Al Nuaimi, (second left sitting) and other officials at the prize giving ceremony yesterday. Williams qualified for the Commercialbank Kountouris said in a statement ber of the public, I want to see Qatar Masters, an European Tour event, that will begin on January 23. Around 140 golfers from 33 countries competed at DGC in the three-day event on Saturday. Australia’s number one side. which is played over a three-round, 54-hole Individual Stroke Play format. PICTURE BY: ABDUL BASIT “Whilst we are not majorly What is that side? I don’t know, concerned about it, we have no one knows.” AGENCIES Sunday 13 January 2013 1 Rabial I Safar 1434 Volume 17 Number 5578 Sport Price: QR2 LATEST NEWS UPDATES IN TAMIL FILIPINO LANGUAGE DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED FROM QATAR! Deng shines Dominant West TAMIL TIMES WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Middle East Edition AVAILABLE as Bulls beat grabs double AT ALL LEADING BOOK STORES / SUPERMARKETS Knicks at Losail Available every Wednesdays in all leading IN QATAR supermarkets and shops in Qatar & Bahrain Tel. : +974 44557622 / 44557623 FOR ADVERTISEMENTS CONTACT: Fax. : +974 44557759 DAR AL SHARQ TEL: 4455 7623 EMAIL: [email protected] Sport | 24 Sport | 26 email: [email protected]

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Own goals help Chelsea crush Stoke; Spurs draw Aston Villa slip into relegation zone after 1-0 loss; Everton held at home

LONDON: Jon Walters scored injury lay-off, while Walters an unfortunate brace of headed blazed a last-minute penalty David Ferrer of Spain kisses the own goals and missed a late over the crossbar to compound winner’s trophy as he celebrates penalty as Chelsea won 4-0 at his misfortune. his win over Philipp Kohlschreiber Stoke City to reclaim third Chelsea’s victory took them of Germany in the Men’s final at the place in the Premier League back into third place, after the Auckland ATP tennis tournament in yesterday. previous incumbents of the final Auckland, yesterday. Frank Lampard also got on the podium position, Tottenham score-sheet to become Chelsea’s Hotspur, were held to a 0-0 draw second-highest all-time goal- at Queens Park Rangers. Ferrer wins scorer, as Rafael Benitez’s side Spurs striker Jermain Defoe bounced back from their 2-0 loss came close to opening the scor- to Swansea City in the first leg of ing in the first half with a 20-yard Auckland their League Cup semi-final. strike that crashed back off the Chelsea made the break- post, with QPR goalkeeper Julio through in first-half injury time Cesar reacting brilliantly to save title for at the Britannia Stadium when Emmanuel Adebayor’s follow-up. Walters inadvertently put Cesar The hosts’ best chances both fourth time Azpilicueta’s cross past his own fell to Shaun Wright-Phillips, but goalkeeper with a bullet header. he could not find the target on Improbably, Walters then either occasion. AUCKLAND: Top-seed David diverted a Juan Mata into his Julio Cesar also thwarted Ferrer warmed up for the own goal to make it 2-0 in the Defoe in the second period, while Australian open with a fourth 63rd minute and two minutes Tottenham full-back Kyle Walker ATP Auckland crown when later Lampard blasted home his whipped a free-kick inches over he recovered from two early 194th Chelsea goal from the pen- the crossbar. service breaks to beat Philipp alty spot after Mata went down “They defended very well; we Kohlschreiber in straight sets in the Stoke box. wanted to play with a higher yesterday. Stoke had not been beaten at tempo, but they frustrate you,” It was a confidence-boost- home all season but that record said Tottenham manager Andre ing finish for Ferrer ahead of was shattered, with Eden Hazard Villas-Boas. the opening Grand Slam of the adding a superb fourth in the 73rd “Julio Cesar had a great game. year in Melbourne as he fought minute with a sweetly struck left- It was a difficult game for us, but back to win 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 after foot shot from 25 yards. we got an away point, so we are Kohlschreiber held set point at Chelsea fans had even more satisfied.” 4-5 on serve in the first set. reason to cheer when captain Following the shock 1-0 win at Stoke City’s Jon Walters (centre) reacts after missing a penalty against Chelsea during their English Premier League Despite dropping his second John Terry came on as a sub- Chelsea in their previous outing, match at the Britannia Stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, northern England, yesterday. and fifth service games, it took stitute following a two-month QPR are now five points from Ferrer just 78 minutes to dispose safety with 16 games to play. of Kohlschreiber with most of the English Premier They remain at the bottom of avoid relegation a shot in the arm. Wigan Athletic climbed Johnson and James McClean also time spent on the first set which the table, however, after Reading Aston Villa’s miserable week out of the relegation places at on target. lasted 52 minutes before the avoided slipping to the foot of continued as they lost 1-0 at home Villa’s expense after Franco Di Everton squandered an oppor- Spaniard won the tie break 7-5. League Results the standings by storming back to Southampton to slip into the Santo cancelled out Georgios tunity to close to within a point However, while it showed Aston Villa 0 Southampton 1 from two goals down to win 3-2 relegation zone. Karagounis’ 25-yard opener to of fourth-place Spurs by draw- he was tapering nicely for the Everton 0 Swansea 0 in extraordinary fashion at home Beaten 3-1 by fourth-tier give the Latics a 1-1 draw at ing 0-0 at home to Swansea, Australian Open, Ferrer put Fulham 1 Wigan 1 to West Bromwich Albion. Bradford City in the first leg of Fulham. while Newcastle United’s trip to thoughts of Melbourne aside Norwich 0 Newcastle 0 A Romelu Lukaku brace had their League Cup semi-final on A glorious 30-yard drive by Norwich City also ended goalless. as he celebrated equalling the QPR 0 Tottenham 0 put the visitors in control, but Tuesday, Paul Lambert’s men Sebastian Larsson set Sunderland The top two are both in action record of former 12-time Grand Reading scored three times in the went down to a 34th-minute on their way to a 3-0 success at today, with leaders Manchester Slam winner Roy Emerson as the Reading 3 West Brom 2 last eight minutes through Jimmy Rickie Lambert penalty and have home to West Ham United that United hosting Liverpool and only players to win four times in Stoke 0 Chelsea 4 Kebe, Adam Le Fondre and Pavel now gone five league games with- lifted them further away from second-place Manchester City Auckland. Sunderland 3 West Ham 0 Pogrebnyak to give their fight to out a win. the bottom three, with Adam visiting Arsenal. AFP “It was amazing for me to win here for the fourth time. Now I can say this is my favourite tour- nament,” he said. “But every tournament is dif- ferent and now I want to enjoy ICC gives this moment because it is very Hosts South Africa take control special for me and tomorrow (today) I will go to Melbourne PORT ELIZABETH, South total of 525 for eight declared, Steyn, bowling his fastest avoided when BJ Watling cut support to and practise again.” Africa: Dale Steyn and Rory needing another 279 to avoid the spell of the summer, had Martin Steyn for four in the last over of Once he settled into the game, Kleinveldt ripped out New follow on. Guptill and Kane Williamson the day. crucially finding his rhythm when Zealand’s top order batsmen There were three centurions caught in the slips in his first South Africa were made to Pakistan facing set point, Ferrer took full as South Africa took control in the South African innings, three overs. struggle for runs early, adding LAHORE, Pakistan: control as he darted around the on the second day of the second with Faf du Plessis (137) and Then the strongly-built only 65 runs in 29 overs before Cricket’s governing body will court retrieving the seemingly and final Test at St George’s Dean Elgar (103 not out) joining Kleinveldt, who replaced the lunch. continue to support Pakistan impossible. Park yesterday. first day hero Hashim Amla, who injured Vernon Philander, pro- Du Plessis and Elgar played in its efforts to bring back As his confidence rose, New Zealand were reeling at 47 added only four to his overnight duced a snorter of a delivery through the difficult period the international game, but Kohlschreiber’s game fell apart for six at the close, a massive 478 score before being dismissed for to have Dean Brownlie caught and lifted the tempo during the much depends on the secu- and he was unable to compete behind South Africa’s first innings 110. behind off his gloves. Kleinveldt afternoon. rity situation, an official said with the Spaniard physically or followed up with a full ball which The pair shared a sixth wicket yesterday. mentally. Scoreboard trapped Daniel Flynn leg before stand of 131, a record for South International cricket has After Ferrer broke wicket. Africa against New Zealand as been suspended in Pakistan Kohlschreiber in the 10th game South Africa (I innings): 1w); Patel 36.5-2-134-1; Munro 18-4-40-2. New Zealand captain Brendon the home side added 105 runs since terrorists attacked the of the first set, he broke him again A Petersen c Patel b Bracewell ...... 21 New Zealand (I innings): McCullum survived the pace between lunch and tea. Sri Lankan team bus in 2009, three times in the second set G Smith c Watling b Wagner ...... 54 M Guptill c Petersen b Steyn ...... 1 bowling onslaught, only to suc- Du Plessis, stuck on 99 at lunch, leaving eight people dead and which included taking the match H Amla c Watling b Boult ...... 110 B McCullum c Kallis b Peterson ...... 13 cumb to the second ball of spin. reached his century when he hit seven visiting players wounded. on a double fault as the German’s J Kallis c Watling b Bracewell ...... 8 K Williamson c Smith b Steyn...... 4 He played a loose drive against the first ball he received after the David Richardson, chief usually lethal serve deserted him. A de Villiers c Williamson b Patel ...... 51 D Brownlie c De Villiers b Kleinveldt ...... 10 left-arm spinner Robin Peterson interval, from off-spinner Jeetan executive of the International “I had a very good start but it’s F du Plessis c McCullum b Munro ...... 137 D Flynn lbw b Kleinveldt ...... 0 to be caught at slip for 13, eked Patel, for six. Cricket Council (ICC) said very hard to play against David, D Elgar (not out) ...... 103 B Watling (batting) ...... 15 out over 98 minutes and 61 balls. The left-handed Elgar played Pakistan will continue to be he never gives up, he gives you R Peterson c Patel b Munro ...... 8 C Munro c Elgar b Peterson ...... 0 New Zealand’s woes continued some fine attacking shots, par- supported. all the time one-more shot,” said D Steyn c Patel b Bracewell ...... 5 D Bracewell (batting) ...... 3 when debutant Colin Munro was ticularly against off-spinner “The ICC views Pakistan as Kohlschreiber who conceded he R Kleinveldt (not out) ...... 7 Extras (LB-1) ...... 1 out first ball, caught at short leg Jeetan Patel, and hit left-arm a very important part of inter- needed to take the first set to Extras (B-6, LB-8, NB-3, W-4) ...... 21 Total (for 6 wkts) ...... 47 off Peterson. pace bowler Neil Wagner for a national cricket,” Richardson have any chance of winning. Total (for 8 wkts decl) ...... 525 Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-8, 3-27, 4-27, 5-39, New Zealand were 39 for six soaring six over long-on as he told a media briefing in Lahore. “I didn’t take the first set and Did not bat: M Morkel 6-39. and in danger of being dismissed attempted to reach his maiden “It’s our role to support he raised his level and that’s why Fall of wickets: 1-29, 2-121, 3-137, 4-223, Bowling: Steyn 8-2-14-2; Morkel 8-4-12-0; for fewer than the disastrous 45 century before tea. Pakistan in its efforts to make I think the second set went too 5-336, 6-467, 7-481, 8-508. Kleinveldt 6-1-18-2; Peterson 2-1-2-2. all out which doomed them to an He was on 91 at tea and the sure that international cricket fast.” Bowling: Boult 32-5-108-1 (2w); Bracewell Match situation: New Zealand trail by 478 runs innings defeat in the first Test in declaration was delayed until he returns to the country,” he said. Ferrer will play Belgian Olivier 34-6-94-3 (1w); Wagner 33-4-135-1 (3nb, with four wickets remaining in the first innings. Cape Town. reached his hundred in the sixth AFP Rochus in the first round of the But that humiliation was over after the break. AFP Australian Open. AFP