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Wednesday 25 December 2013 21 Safar 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5924 Price: QR2

Oil rises on Hosts Qatar South Sudan aim to end supply cut WAFF drought

Business | 17 Sport | 28

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 17,000 Qataris Deadly mishap in Turkey eligible for free shares MPHC IPO to open from Dec 31

DOHA: Some 15,000 Qataris — culture in a largely consumerist including widows, orphans and society. “Qataris are quite accus- the elderly people — who get tomed to selling shares they are state dole and 2,000 Qatari peo- allotted via state-sponsored IPOs ple with special needs are eligi- immediately after listing due to a ble to be allotted 750 shares free wider price difference,” an analyst as part of a state-sponsored ini- said asking not to be named. tial public offering (IPO) being This time, however, the state launched soon. has taken two major steps to Mesaieed Petrochemical make sure people retain the Holding Company (MPHC) is all shares over the long-term (five set to float the low-priced initial to 10 years) for capital gains and public offering (IPO) that will regular dividend income. be open for subscription from “One of them is that half of the December 31 until January 21, shares allotted as part of the IPO 2014. According to lawyer and to a minor will be frozen and will financial expert, Abdullah Taher, not be listed on the bourse for considering that the Qatari popu- trading so no one can sell until Ten people were killed when a navy tug keeled over near the Turkish port city of Izmir on Monday. The boat met with the accident after being released lation is 300,000 and each one of the owner attains the age of 18,” from a navy shipyard where it had undergone repairs. them applies for subscription to said the analyst. the IPO (priced at QR10.20), each Talking of the second step, the would get 1,077 shares on offer analyst said: “If an owner retains via the IPO. And if only 250,000 half the allotted the shares for five Qataris apply for subscription, the years, he gets bonus at the rate of number of shares will be slightly five shares for every 10 held.” Thousands killed in South Sudan: UN up to 1,292 shares, Taher said. And if the shares (half of Only Qatari individuals are the originally allotted ones) JUBA: Thousands of South celebrated yesterday the impor- The official toll nationwide said in a statement. The unrest entitled to apply for subscription are retained over another five Sudanese have been killed in tant and strategic recapture has stood at 500 dead for days, has taken on an ethnic dimension, as Qatari companies and institu- years after that, the owner gets over a week of violence with of the key town of Bor after a although numbers are feared to be pitting Kiir’s Dinka tribe against tions have this time been barred another five shares for every 10 reports of bodies piled in mass nearly week-long rebel occupa- far higher, aid workers say. the Nuer tribe to which Machar from benefiting from the state held. At the end of 10 years, then, graves, the UN said yesterday, tion, although large areas remain Witnesses that AFP has spo- belongs. largesse. an owner gets a bonus share for amid ongoing battles in the out of their control. ken to recount a wave of atroci- UN chief Ban Ki-moon has The last such IPO was launched every share held. young nation threatening to Earlier, UN rights chief Navi ties, including an orchestrated warned reports of crimes against by the state 10 years ago, in 2003, Owners will be eligible to get slide into civil war. Pillay said a mass grave had been campaign of ethnic mass killings humanity will be investigated, when Industries Qatar, holding the bonus shares over the next The top UN humanitarian chief found in the rebel-held town of and rape. In a Christmas mes- as well as asking the Security company for state-owned cement, five and 10 years if they retain in the country Toby Lanzer said Bentiu, while there were “report- sage to the people, Kiir said that Council to nearly double the size steel and petrochemical compa- at least 50 percent of the shares yesterday there was “absolutely edly at least two other mass “innocent people have been wan- of the UN mission in the coun- nies, offered low-priced shares to allotted to them as part of the no doubt in my mind that we’re graves” in the capital Juba. tonly killed”, warning the violence try. However, Machar said for Qatari individuals and entities via IPO. Taher said that his advice into the thousands” of dead, the The grim discovery follows risked spiralling out of control. the first time yesterday that he a mega IPO. to fellow Qataris is that if some first clear indication of the scale escalating battles between troops “There are now people who are was “ready” to accept Kiir’s offer The MPHC IPO, according to of them do not have enough cash of conflict and ethnic violence loyal to President Salva Kiir and targeting others because of their of talks, suggesting neighbouring stock and financial analyst, Bashir to apply for subscription, they engulfing the world’s youngest those backing his rival Riek tribal affiliation... It will only lead Ethiopia as a neutral location. Al Kahlout, is different because should take a bank loan. country. Machar, a former vice president to one thing and that is to turn AFP it aims at promoting a savings THE PENINSULA However, the government also who was sacked in July. this new nation into chaos,” Kiir See also page 8 Egypt police Weather woes hit UAE frees Qatari arrest former national’s son DOHA: The UAE authorities Christmas travel have released a son of a Qatari PM Qandil national who was earlier this CAIRO: Egyptian police PARIS: Gale-force winds and morning, according to power sup- year detained at Dubai airport arrested yesterday Hisham pounding rain yesterday lashed plier ERDF. for his alleged links to a banned Qandil, who was prime min- Britain and France, killing Ferry services in parts of the local social organisation. Abdul ister under deposed Islamist at least five people, disrupt- northern Netherlands were dis- Rahman Al Jaidah, son of Dr president Mohamed Mursi, the ing Christmas travel and leav- rupted and a number of buildings Mahmoud Al Jaidah, was taken Interior Ministry said. ing tens of thousands without have been damaged, including into custody by the UAE author- The ministry said he was power. the PSV football stadium in the ities after an alleged brawl arrested in the desert outside In Britain, three people died southern city of Eindhoven. with security officials outside Cairo with a “smuggler attempt- in pre-Christmas storms, includ- Britain’s Environment Agency the court premises on Monday ing to escape to Sudan,” south of ing a man in Devon, southwest has 276 flood alerts and 162 more during his father’s hearing. Al Egypt. England, who jumped into a fast- severe flood warnings in place, Sharq reported yesterday quot- During his time in office, a flowing river to rescue his dog, almost 120 of which are in south- ing friends of Al Jaidah fam- court had sentenced Qandil to a police said. Two other deaths west and southeast England. The ily here that Abdul Rahman year in prison for not carrying were in car accidents linked to Highways Agency has warned of was back in Doha after being out a ruling to re-nationalise a bad weather. dozens of road closures and local- released. THE PENINSULA company that had been privatised A Russian sailor was also ised flooding. in 1996. feared dead after falling over- The French weather service A Cairo appeals court upheld board from a damaged cargo ship had put 23 of the country’s 96 Snowden says the sentence in September. off the northwest French coast metropolitan departments on An unpopular prime minister, about 220 kilometres from Brest. orange alert — its second-high- mission over Qandil kept a low profile after Rescue workers called off their est level — for high winds and Mursi’s overthrow by the mili- search late on Monday. waves. By yesterday afternoon WASHINGTON: The whistle- tary in July. In another incident, Swiss the number affected had dropped blower Edward Snowden has He represented an alliance sailor Bernard Stamm and to 16. declared “mission accom- of pro-Mursi Islamist groups in Frenchman Damien Guillou were London’s Gatwick Airport plished”, seven months after meetings with European media- rescued from their racing yacht was expecting disruptions, with revelations were first published tors who tried to defuse ten- by a Norwegian vessel. Their some flights likely to be diverted from his mass leak of National sions with the military-installed boat had been damaged by huge to other airports, and Heathrow Security Agency documents. government. waves and Force 10 winds off the Airport warned of problems and The documents, which were The efforts failed in August, British coast, French maritime urged passengers to check flight passed to the Guardian, as well with the police launching a mas- officials said. details. Flights to and from the the Washington Post and other sive crackdown that killed more A total of 145,000 French northern French city of Lille were publications, revealed how the than 1,000 people in street clashes homes, mainly in the northwest- cancelled yesterday due to strong US surveillance agency spied and imprisoned thousands, Stranded passengers at Waterloo train station in central London as train ern region of Brittany, were with- winds but resumed later. on its own citizens and others including top Islamists. services were disrupted yesterday. Christmas travel was hit across Europe out electricity by early yesterday AFP abroad. THE GUARDIAN AFP as inclement weather led to transport disruptions. evening, down from 240,000 in the See also page 10 See also pages 6 &10 WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Qatar leads Arab world in network readiness Govt’s effort to expand online services pays rich dividends

DOHA/KUWAIT: Qatar leads status of Qatar ICT sector and industry that would directly ben- the Arab world in the Network highlighted the growth drivers, efit all stakeholders. Readiness Index (NRI), which opportunities and key challenges With the increase of public and ranks 144 countries on broad for the sector. The report also private investments, Qatar’s tel- criteria to determine the sta- presents an overview of the key ecommunication infrastructure tus of their information and players in the industry and a com- expanded rapidly. communications technology parison of the ICT sector in other ictQATAR initiated (ICT) sector, Kuwait Financial GCC countries. ‘ConnectQatar’ to deploy a core Centre, ‘Markaz’ said in a state- Mobile broadband subscrip- broadband network to facili- ment yesterday. tions in Qatar jumped from 9.6 tate e-Health, e-Education, and The energy-rich economy percent in 2010 to 70.3 percent e-Enterprise projects, which need advanced five places to 23rd in in 2011. More than 85 percent of considerable investment in ICT the 2013 rankings as the govern- the population falls within the infrastructure, and ‘Hukoomi’, ment’s effort to expand its online 15-64 age group, which indicates a centralised government portal services and increase online par- a good percentage of working that aims at pulling all govern- ticipation of citizens paid rich population with high disposable ment transactions, information, dividends. incomes. Increasing government and services onto a single plat- However, the overall level of expenditure in infrastructure and form. It is expected that in the penetration and use of ICT in the youthful demographics has led to coming years, ICT spending in the Gulf state is high with the coun- Qatar emerging a world leader in private sector will increase. Small try ranking 16th in the world in ICT penetration and usage. and medium enterprises (SMEs) this category. Driven by government invest- are expected to invest in IT to Qatar’s ICT sector contributed ment and a thriving hydrocarbon boost sales and improve market about QR5.5bn ($1.5bn) to the sector, Qatar has kept pace with competitiveness. GDP in 2010, and according to an increasingly digital world by A survey by Ooredoo in 2012 the goals set out in Qatar’s vision making rapid strides in ICT. found that 77 percent of SMEs document, it seeks to double the The establishment of an inde- had plans to increase ICT spend- contribution to QR11bn by 2015, pendent regulator, the Supreme ing, with an average of 20 percent, according to Markaz. Council of Information and and this is expected to drive the Markaz recently published the Communication Technology, fast growth of Qatar’s ICT sector executive summary of its report ictQATAR, in 2004 was a good over the next four years. on Qatar ICT. It examined the move to create a knowledge-based THE PENINSULA Fath Al Kheir trip sponsors, participants honoured DOHA: Katara yesterday honoured participants Qatar about the travel across the seas by organising and sponsors of the historic journey of the dhow innovative programmes and cultural and artistic Fath Al Kheir. events, which focused on the Qatari culture and civi- Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, Katara General lisation. He hoped Fath Al Kheir would tour around Manager, praised the crew — captain Hassan bin the world in the future. Isa Al Kaabi and 44 sailors — for their courage and The trip started from Katara Beach on November prowess in dealing with different climatic condi- 22 under the auspices of the Father Emir H H tions during the 27-day journey. “You were the best Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. The traditional ambassadors of Qatari culture and heritage, and dhow sailed to five Gulf countries — Kuwait, Saudi presented a bright and vibrant picture of our mari- Arabia, Bahrain, Oman and the UAE — and returned time history, giving the coming generations the best on National Day. The dhow was welcomed with a example in their education and cultivate them with traditional celebration at Katara Beach featuring the legacy,” he said. popular songs, usually repeated by sailors during He stressed that Katara’s support for the journey diving trips and trade travel, accompanied by an reflecting its commitment to educate the youth of Ardha dance. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 Hospital project on track Over 78pc of facility in Hamad Medical City completed, work in final phase DOHA: More than 78 per- theatres equipped with all resus- cent of the hospital project in citation needs, and 20 pre-oper- Hamad Medical City have been ation beds. It will accommodate completed, with work in the more than 28,000 surgeries a year, final phase, it was disclosed with a capacity of 116 beds. The yesterday. construction stage of the project The Minister of Health H E is scheduled to be completed in Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani the fourth quarter of 2014. and the President of Public Works The Physical Medicine and Authority (Ashghal), Engineer Rehabilitation Hospital includes Nasser bin Ali Al Mawlawi, vis- 200 beds for patients. It also ited the facility and reviewed includes one of the biggest hydro- work progress. therapy suites in the region; and The QR2.13bn project over an the outpatient physiotherapy area of 227,000sqm includes three clinics include 12 treatment specialised hospitals, a scientific rooms, four gyms, and a mas- Report traffic violators centre for medical research and ter suite for education and sup- a Bio-Bank. “The final stages pre- The Minister of Health H E Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani and other officials port. The outpatient clinics also ceding the delivery of the project during their visit to the project site. include occupational therapy, to ministry on Metrash 2 are being completed; more than organ transplantation, and sup- 78 percent of the project has been More than 5,000 work- includes 19 Labour, Delivery, and port treatment clinics for inpa- DOHA: Smartphone users having the Interior Ministry’s Metrash accomplished. The construction ers are working on site for 18 Recovery rooms, three of which tients, and a main laboratory. 2 application can now send photos of traffic violators directly to site is one of the safest for work- hours daily on shifts basis. The are for VIPs. The building also Construction of this hospital is authorities. ers, as the number of working project includes four buildings: includes an integrated accident almost completed. The ministry said on its Facebook page yesterday that to use the hours without time loss injuries Women’s Hospital, Ambulatory and emergency services manage- Designs and interior equipping new app, users should log in to the app, go to General Services and has reached 20 million; this is and Minimally Invasive Surgical ment for Caesarean operations, of the Translational Research select Take Photo and send with remarks. “Now you can send pictures a record achieved for the first Hospital, Physical Medicine and sorting, radiology, treatment Institute and Bio-Bank is in of violations using Metrash 2. Log in and go to ‘General Services’ time in Qatar,” said a statement Rehabilitation Hospital, and rooms, and emergency delivery progress, meeting the new require- and select ‘Take Photo.’ Enable GPS in your phone, take the photo, yesterday. Translational Research Institute rooms. ments approved by the Supreme write your comments and then click on ‘send’ button. It will reach The visit coincided with the and Bio-Bank. The designs con- The hospital will provide Council of Health. When com- the concerned department,” the ministry said. start of a one-week campaign for sider keeping away the traditional advanced medical care for more pleted, it will become one of the With Matrash 2, citizens and residents can access more than 35 fire safety on construction sites. colours and designs of hospitals than 8,000 births a year in soli- most important research cen- services of the ministry within and outside the country. More than During such campaigns that are to leave a positive impact on the darity with Sidra Hospital. It is tres in the world. Ashghal is also 25,000 people have subscribed to Metrash 2, with 4,000 transactions held frequently, workshops are psyche of patients, and accelerate expected to be completed in the building five health centres in carried out daily until October. Smartphone users could download organised for workers and posters their recovery. fourth quarter of 2014. different areas of the country, an Matrash 2 by sending a text message typed as M2RE followed by the and signboards with direct and The Women’s Hospital includes The Ambulatory and Minimally infectious diseases hospital, Al Qatari Identity card number (QID No.) and QID expiry date (M2RE clear instructions about security 190 beds for women, 53 for the Invasive Surgical Hospital has Naufar Centre and the Health and xxxxxxxxxxx (QID No.) xx/xx/xxx (QID expiry date) to 92992. and safety procedures specific to Children Intensive Care Unit, and 64 beds for patients, 52 in the Wellness Centre in Umm Slal cost- THE PENINSULA each campaign, are installed. 48 for child incubation. It also Intensive Care Unit, 14 operation ing QR1.2bn. THE PENINSULA Kahramaa ties up with Japan institute to prepare energy efficiency road map DOHA: Qatar General Electricity which aims to understand how Qataris consumption of power and water in the Division of MRI. Engineer Ali M Al Ali. “This endeavour and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) consume energy. This will lead to an world, Kahramaa has launched initiatives “Kahramaa’s mission is to provide high with MRI reaffirms our commitment has tied up with the Japan-based energy efficiency road map, a policy pack- to tackle the issue. It has sought con- quality and sustainable power and water to energy efficiency and conservation. Mitsubishi Research Institute (MRI) age with targeted time of introduction. sultancy expertise from over 40 years of for better living in Qatar. It is guided by It extends upon the national conserva- to prepare an energy efficiency road One of the policies would be the creation successful measures in energy conserva- a vision that by 2030 our people, assets tion and energy efficiency programme map for Qatar. of standards for appliances and building tion in Japan, throughout which MRI has and operations will set a global bench- (Tarsheed) and will materialise its tar- MRI will conduct a study on power materials, and Qataris will have wider played an integral role in policy advisory. mark for performance, technological geted reductions in power consumption consumption patterns in Qatar, will ana- access to such energy efficient products. “We believe that we can provide Qatar innovation, environmental sustainability by 20 percent and water by 35 percent lyse how energy is consumed, set bench- “Implementation of these policies will with the insight and expertise we have and social responsibility in the electric- over five years. This will cut costs in bil- marks, and quantify saving potentials. lead to tangible results in energy savings,” accumulated in the Japanese experience,” ity, water and district cooling markets,” lions for natural gas generation, contrib- Factories, households, and commercial Kahramaa said in a statement yesterday. said Tetsuya Enomoto, a consultant at said Kahramaa’s Conservation and uting to a better living for the Qatari entities will participate in the survey Facing one of the highest per capita the Environment and Energy Research Energy Efficiency Department Manager society,” he added. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Es’hail 1 to air Qatar Ajyal Youth Film Series launched ExxonMobil Open 2014 DFI’s year-long programme begins with screening of The Kid on January 2

DOHA: Qatar’s first satel- ExxonMobil Open 2014 rep- DOHA: Doha Film Institute An archival treasure from lite Es’hail 1 will start effec- resents the right event for the (DFI) has launched the Ajyal 1921, The Kid is a comic drama tive operations next week and introduction of Es’hailSat to the Youth Film Series, a year-long produced, written and directed by is expected to broadcast the Mena audiences, it added. programme of film screen- Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin stars as Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2014 Es’hailSat, through its exist- ings as part of the Katara DFI the beloved little vagabond, who in Doha from December 30 to ing and planned satellites, is Cinema Programme. finds an abandoned baby in an January 4, the Qatar Satellite expected to broadcast diversified The series will open with the alley and takes him under his Company (Es’hailSat) said and high quality premium con- classic Charlie Chaplin film The wing. yesterday. tent with anti-jamming capabili- Kid (1921, the US) on January 2 As the child gets older, he Es’hailSat is the gold sponsor ties across the Mena. and 3. becomes the Little Tramp’s part- of the tournament being hosted “We are very pleased to be The series, which stems from ner in petty crime, scamming by Qatar Tennis Federation. sponsoring a tournament as pres- the recent Ajyal Youth Film unsuspecting people to survive. The tournament “coincides tigious as the Qatar ExxonMobil Festival, aims at providing youth However, welfare services with the effective start of opera- Open 2014. The extended view- and families with an opportu- attempt to take the boy away, tions of the company’s first satel- ership of the tournament in our nity to engage and participate resulting in a desperate search lite, Es’hail 1, at 26°E broadcast core market, the Mena region, in film appreciation in a fun and and an emotional reunion. This hotspot. is a great opportunity to intro- educational environment, create was Chaplin’s first full-length “Es’hail 1 is also expected to duce the new company that we dialogue and learn about new cul- movie, considered one of his best broadcast the tournament live are. The tournament is also the tures from around the world. works. and in HD from Doha through- right premium content we seek The series comprises two The actor, filmmaker and com- out the satellite coverage span- to broadcast through our exist- screenings every month, show- poser rose to fame in the silent ning the Middle East and North ing and planned fleet of satellites casing classics and contemporary movie era with his infamous Africa (Mena) region,” the com- from 26°E broadcast hotspot,” international films. pantomime and slapstick style of pany said in a statement. said Es’hailSat’s CEO Ali Ahmed Free screenings will take place making films such as A Woman of With more than 300 million Al Kuwari. on Thursday mornings for schools Paris (1923) and The Circus (1928). viewers in the region, the Qatar THE PENINSULA only, which will also include edu- His career spanned over 75 cational learning activities, and years and along the way he bagged Friday afternoons for the general awards, including a Special public for regular screenings. Golden Lion at the Venice Film 232 Indians have died DFI CEO Abdulaziz Al Khater Festival in 1972 and a Lifetime said: “The founding motive of Achievement Award from the the series is simple; it is to instil Lincoln Center Film Society the the love of cinema among young same year. Tickets can be pur- this year, says Embassy people and families in our com- chased at www.dohafilminstitute. munity. We want to inspire them com or from DFI Ticket Outlet at DOHA: The Indian Embassy The mission issued 11 emer- through the medium of film and Katara, Building 26. Tickets are held the monthly ‘Open House’ gency certificates in December, allow them to explore, discuss and priced at QR35 for the public and yesterday to discuss urgent and three in September on create their own dialogue around QR25 for students. A scene from the film The Kid. consular and labour issues of request by Qatari authorities for storytelling.” THE PENINSULA Indians. travel documents for inmates at The embassy registered the the centre. It also issued 16 air deaths of 20 Indians in December, tickets to Indians to return home Merry Christmas taking the total to 232 so far this in December. year. The Indian Community The Labour and Community Benevolent Forum, which func- 15 children with kidney Welfare Section received 3,484 tions under the aegis of the complaints until Friday. embassy, continues to assist Arora and other officials met Indian workers through measures people at the Open House, dis- such as air tickets, medical treat- failure on dialysis at cussed their problems and assured ment and financial assistance. them of follow-up. It will organise a medical Officials also visited the cen- camp, in association with Indian Hamad General Hospital tral prison and the deportation Doctors Club and other partners, centre this week to enquire about in Zikreet on January 31 for low- DOHA: Hamad General failure. the welfare of Indian detainees. income workers living in Dukhan Hospital’s (HGH) paediatric “If a child develops complete Sixty-one Indians are in the and Zikreet Industrial Area. dialysis unit has 15 patients kidney failure, we would use one prison and 232 at the centre. THE PENINSULA with kidney failure. Congenital of the two available types of dial- deformities are responsible for ysis treatments — the hemodialy- 40 percent of kidney failure in sis, which is more commonly used children, says an expert. for treating kidney failure in Ten children are on perito- adults, or the peritoneal dialysis. neal dialysis, a treatment for “We usually do not resort to Ooredoo unveils new Mobile severe chronic kidney disease, hemodialysis when treating chil- while the other five are provided dren, as it causes problems when with haemodialysis services, inserting the catheter into the Data Scratch Card promotion said Dr Bajes Hamad, Senior vein to draw blood.” Nephrology Consultant and Head He stressed the importance of DOHA: Ooredoo yesterday extra, while those using the 6GB of Paediatric Kidney Dialysis being vigilant for symptoms that launched a new promotion, will get 1.5GB more data for free. Unit. may indicate a kidney failure, offering 25 percent more data The data will be valid for 30 “The establishment of the unit, such as rapid breathing, malnu- for free on all Mobile Data days once activated, and custom- with its three dialysis stations, trition, pallor, severe anaemia, Scratch Cards until March 15. ers can use more than one scratch has helped families and enabled bad smell of breath or sweat Mobile Data Scratch Cards cards during the 30-day period. us to provide more children with (urea smell), high blood pressure, offer customers more options, One of the benefits of the cards our services. The healthcare or urination disorders. easy access and a more conven- is that they enable customers to team includes six consultants Lying in his bed at the pae- ient way to top up data for their expand their Internet usage on a and specialists,” said Dr Hamad. diatric dialysis unit, 10-year-old mobile devices. month-by-month basis based on He said kidney failure among Mohammed spends four consecu- The original Ooredoo Mobile how much they need, with no sub- children has different causes tive hours four times a week con- Data Card, launched earlier this scription or renewal fees. compared with adults. Congenital nected to a dialysis machine. year, enables customers to extend To activate the cards, custom- deformities of the urinary tract, Mohammad arrived in Doha their mobile data limit by 1GB, ers scratch off the panel to reveal such as urinary obstruction, rep- six months ago, but began his without eating into their exist- the activation code and follow the resent 40 percent of these causes. kidney dialysis treatment four ing credit. Available for QR60, instructions on the back of the However, kidney failure among years ago in his home country, the card has proved to be one of card to redeem their data. children may be attributed to Iran. Ooredoo’s top sellers. Demand for Mobile Data in other medical conditions, such as His mother Samanahsays uri- Ooredoo recently launched Qatar surged this year since the nephrosis, particularly the type nary retention first became a two new cards — the 3GB for launch of Ooredoo’s 4G network, that does not respond to treat- problem for him when he was QR80 and 6GB for QR100, to which provides the fastest mobile ment and may lead to kidney seven months. This impacted offer customers more choice and network speeds in Qatar. fibrosis. his kidney functions and led to a more data as they surf on Qatar’s As the first and only 4G pro- Genetic diseases resulting complete kidney failure. network. vider in the country, Ooredoo from consanguineous marriages, Mohammad has undergone a When customers activate the continues to expand the range of such as kidney cysts and diseases bladder surgery to fix the ure- 1GB cards during the promo- Mobile Data services to enable as caused by lack of certain enzymes thra, the urinary tract, and is tion, they will enjoy an additional many customers to enjoy the ben- with symptoms of deposition of awaiting leg surgery to help him 250MB for free. Customers using efits of the fast service. salts in the kidney, may also be walk appropriately. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA the 3GB card will get 750MB responsible for paediatric kidney A Christmas tree at a restaurant in Doha yesterday. KAMMUTTY V P Qatargas team recognised for best Qatar condemns Egypt blast performance at LNG training in Japan DOHA: Qatar has condemned the explosion that targeted the headquarters of a security direc- DOHA: A Qatargas team and site visits to industrial Japan Cooperation Center, torate in the city of Mansoura comprising Nationals from facilities. Petroleum (JCCP) was in the Dakahlia governorate in Onshore Operations were As part of the programme, founded in November 1981 to Egypt, killing more than 12 peo- recognised for “Best Team attendees were required to promote technical coopera- ple and injuring 130. The explo- Performance” among all deliver case studies relating tion and personnel exchanges sion also damaged the buildings. participating teams at an to the technical challenges in with the oil-producing coun- In a statement to Qatar News LNG process training pro- their own facilities. tries in the downstream sec- Agency, a Foreign Ministry official gramme held recently in The Qatargas Group made tors of the oil industry. source confirmed that Qatar con- Japan. a presentation on the proc- Its major activities include demns such acts which are contrary The three-week training ess technology challenge of programmes to accept over- to all human values and called on programme was organized addressing the increase of seas technical and adminis- all parties to exercise restraint and by JCCP (Japan Cooperation acid gas concentration in the trative staff for training, to maintain stability and security in Center, Petroleum). feed gas to Qatargas 1 facili- dispatch Japanese experts Egypt, which in turn means the Oil and gas profession- ties, by delivering a new Acid abroad, to sponsor inter- stability of the region. The source als from ten countries par- Gas Removal Unit (AGR4) national conferences and reiterated Qatar’s firm stance ticipated in the programme and new Sulphur Recovery seminars and to conduct against violence in all its manifes- which focused on technolo- Unit (SRU4) to remove the studies and research. JCCP tations and forms and whatever gies related to the refining, expected increase in H2S has established a long track its source, stressing that dialogue liquefaction, transportation, and CO2 content in order to record in these endeavours between all parties is the only way storage and utilization of maintain the current produc- since its founding. to maintain national unity. QNA LNG and involved lectures tion plateau of Qatargas 1. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 Car bomb hits Egypt police HQ: 15 dead An attempt to intimidate voters ahead of a constitutional referendum next month: Interior minister

MANSOURA, EGYPT: A suspected suicide car bomb- ing outside an Egyptian police headquarters killed at least 15 people yesterday in one of the deadliest attacks since the mili- tary overthrew Islamist presi- dent Mohamed Mursi. The explosion in a city north of Cairo, which military-installed authorities suggested was car- ried out by Mursi’s Muslim Brotherhood, comes as the coun- try is bitterly polarised over his ouster, with over 1,000 people killed in months of unrest. The Muslim Brotherhood, which publicly renounced vio- lence decades ago, condemned the bombing, and analysts said it was likely the work of more radical Islamists, who have carried out a string of similar attacks in the Sinai targeting security forces. The interior ministry had said at least 12 of the dead were police- men in the attack on police head- quarters in the Nile Delta city of Mansoura. A security official later said another police conscript was The site of a car bomb explosion outside the police headquarters in Mansoura, Dakahlia, yesterday. found dead in the rubble of the blast, and a police officer was dis- “I heard a massive explosion a funeral for the victims, whose international terrorist organisa- he told reporters after surveying attacks outside the Sinai.” covered dead under the wreckage behind me. I flew through glass corpses, shrouded in white and tion. They are responsible for the damage. It was the second The interim presidency of the building. and wreckage and then lost con- Egyptian flags, were carried on what happened in Mansoura,” time the building has been tar- declared three days of mourning Investigators suspect a suicide sciousness,” he said from his fire engines through chanting said teacher Hamada Arafat. geted this year, after a pipe bomb after the explosion, and said the bomber rammed a car freighted stretcher, his head swathed in crowds. “They are now adopting tactics outside killed a policeman in July. security forces would “avenge our with powerful explosives through bandages. “I go to work every day not like Al Qaeda.” Al Qaeda-inspired groups martyrs.” barriers surrounding the build- The bombing was the deadliest knowing whether I’ll return,” said Interior minister Mohamed on the peninsula have claimed “Our war on terrorism has ing shortly after 1am (2300 GMT since Mursi’s overthrow outside Ahmed Fouad, a policeman at the Ibrahim said the explosion was attacks, including a bombing become the first priority of this Monday). of the Sinai Peninsula bordering funeral who lost two comrades in meant to intimidate voters ahead aimed at the interior minister period,” the presidency said in a The blast also killed a civilian, Israel and Gaza, where militants the attack. of a constitutional referendum in September outside his Cairo statement. medics said. have killed more than 100 police Crowds torched a bus belong- next month billed as the first step home. The Brotherhood condemned The explosion peeled off part of and soldiers. ing to a tourism company, saying in the democratic transition after Shadi Hamid, research direc- the bombing “in the strongest pos- the building’s facade and could be Hours after the bombing, prime its employees had made pro- Mursi’s overthrow, to be followed tor at the Brookings Doha Center, sible terms,” while The Anti-Coup felt up to 20km (12 miles) away. minister Hazem Beblawi labelled Islamist salutes, and then ran- by fresh elections. said “this is a more sophisticated Alliance led by the Brotherhood Casualties were rushed to a the Brotherhood a “terrorist” sacked a supermarket believed “This is an attempt to terrorise attack than previous ones. It said the “military coup is respon- nearby hospital, where one wit- group but did not blame the to belong to Muslim Brotherhood people because of the referendum. could be a sign of things to come... sible for the continuation of such ness said the blast had sent him organisation for the blast. sympathisers. There is a security plan, and this The insurgency in Sinai is becom- sinful bombings.” flying through the air. Thousands later turned out for “The Muslim Brotherhood is an will not affect the referendum,” ing emboldened and extending AFP

Erdogan plans Most Palestinians believe reshuffle after Israel poisoned Arafat graft probe RAMALLAH: A majority of levels of lethal polonium in Arafat’s Palestinians believe Israel poisoned remains and personal effects, with ANKARA: Turkish Prime their late leader Yasser Arafat, Swiss researchers saying the data Minister Recep Tayyip according to poll published yester- lean towards the possibility of poi- Erdogan, rattled by a huge day, which also highlights a decline soning but French scientists ruling corruption scandal implicat- in Hamas popularity compared to that possibility out. ing some of his closest allies, is rival Fatah. The cause of Arafat’s 2004 death preparing a cabinet reshuffle, The poll, released by Ramallah- in a French military hospital have country’s President Abdullah based Palestinian Center for Policy yet to be finally clarified, with many Gul said yesterday. and Survey Research, showed 59 Palestinians blaming Israel for it, a Gul said the premier, who is percent of respondents believe Israel charge the Jewish state has consist- on an official visit to Pakistan, is fatally poisoned Arafat, while 21 per- ently denied. expected to announce the reshuf- cent “believe that a Palestinian party The poll also showed a decline in fle after he returns. or group or a joint Palestinian-Israeli support of Hamas, the Islamist move- “We have held long talks with party or group is responsible.” ment that rules the Gaza Strip. the prime minister on ministers... Recent analyses found high AFP He is making preparations and evaluations. We will meet when he is back and you will get an answer following this meeting,” Gul told reporters in Ankara. Erdogan, who was already expected to change up his cabinet ahead of local elections on March A Hamas training camp after it was hit by an Israeli air strike in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, 30, is expected to replace 10 min- yesterday. isters — almost half the cabinet, according to media reports. Several newspapers have reported that ministers caught up Gazan child, Bedouin killed in a high-level bribery and corrup- tion probe are set to be replaced. Twenty-four people including the sons of Interior Minister in cross-border attacks Muammer Guler and Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, as well GAZA CITY: A three-year-old Palestinian Abu Latif, 22, a Bedouin from the southern town as the chief executive of state- girl was killed in an Israeli raid on the Gaza of Rahat. The army said Abu Latif was the “first owned Halkbank, have so far been Strip after the fatal shooting yesterday of Israeli civilian killed in the vicinity of the Gaza charged as part of three separate an Israeli near the Gaza border, in the latest Strip” since a major eight-day outbreak of fight- investigations into the bribery uptick in Israeli-Palestinian violence. ing in and around Gaza in November 2012. allegations. Cross-border exchanges between Israel and Just ahead of the air strikes, Prime Minister Erdogan, who has led Turkey Gaza have increased in recent days, and Israel Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Israel would since 2002 as the head of a con- said yesterday it held Islamist movement Hamas respond “forcefully” to the attack. servative Islamic-leaning gov- responsible, as rulers of the Palestinian enclave, On Monday, the army said troops had fired at ernment, has described the for any fire directed from there at the Jewish an individual “trying to place a bomb” near the probe as “a smear campaign” to state. fence in northern Gaza. undermine Turkey’s ambitions Palestinian medics named the dead girl as Hala Earlier the same day, police reported a rocket to become a major political and Abu Sabikha from a refugee camp in the central fired from the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave had economic power. The premier has Gaza Strip. hit southern Israel without causing any casual- responded to the probe by sacking They said at least six other people had ties or damage. dozens of police chiefs. been wounded in the series of tank and air A Palestinian was shot and wounded by Israeli The interior and economy min- strikes throughout Gaza, including on militant soldiers on Friday in southern Gaza, a day after isters have denied the bribery positions. another Palestinian was killed and four wounded accusations, with Guler branding The Israeli army said its aircraft, tanks and along the heavily fortified fence. the probe yesterday as “political infantry “targeted terror sites in the Gaza Strip.” Israeli Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon plotting”. “The sites included a weapon-manufacturing stressed yesterday that “in Gaza, Hamas is ruler, In his first direct response to facility and a terror infrastructure in the south- and we hold it responsible for the shooting today the graft controversy, Gul said ern Gaza Strip, a terror site and another terror from the Strip and the rocket launches in the allegations of bribery can not be infrastructure in the central Gaza Strip and a past two days at Israel.” covered up. “The judiciary is inde- concealed rocket launcher in the northern Gaza “I advise Hamas to not test our patience,” he pendent. If there is corruption, Strip.” said in a statement. “If there won’t be quiet in it can’t be concealed. Everyone The army said the attacks were in retalia- Israel, there won’t be quiet in Gaza either.” should be respectful of the judi- tion for the shooting of an Israeli man who was A statement from Hamas, which does not rec- cial process. The judiciary will engaged in maintenance work on the Israel-Gaza ognise Israeli, said “the occupier and its raids will reach the right conclusion,” he border fence in the northern Gaza Strip. not deter or stop the resistance.” said. AFP A police spokeswoman identified him as Saleh AFP WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 06 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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A fulfilling mission Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate

HE NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has declared ‘mission accomplished’. And independent experts are unlikely to disagree with him. How South Sudan leaders T Seven months after revelations were first published from his mass leak of National Security Agency documents, the world is a slightly changed place. The huge embarrassment and diplomatic troubles which the revelations have caused the wasted nation-building effort US administration and the global brouhaha they triggered have served two purposes – first, to expose the lies of the US BY CARL ODERA and government that the massive snooping the NSA is undertaking EDMUND BLAIR “I am in the bush, and I am trying my peace deal was signed with Sudan. is meant to protect the country from terrorism, and secondly, best to have a better negotiating posi- Machar, his acquaintances say, is a create a global awareness and a movement against brazen tion,” Machar, 61, who holds a doctorate highly intelligent rival whose political and unprecedented snooping. Washington is still reeling from HETHER South Sudan tips from Britain’s University of Bradford, ambitions tend to trump any national the consequences of those revelations, and the fact that the into a broader ethnic war or told Reuters on a crackly mobile phone agenda. He led a splinter SPLA group Wdraws back from the brink line from an undisclosed location. in 1991 and his Nuer troops massacred whistleblower had planned the whole mission intelligently and largely depends on two men who have The international community has Dinkas in Bor town that year. In 1997, he meticulously has contributed to its success. Snowden had taken long tussled for power: the president poured in billions of dollars of aid and signed a unilateral deal with Khartoum a high moral ground from the beginning, and has been able to from the dominant Dinka tribe and sent in a myriad of advisers to build the that gave him an official post in Sudan. stick to his position since then. the ambitious deputy he sacked in new state. But it has been unable to fix “Anything short of the two men sit- The NSA documents, which were passed to the Guardian, as July, Riek Machar, a Nuer. Both eth- the dysfunction that has festered at the ting down and trying to work it out will well the Washington Post and other publications, revealed how nic groups, spurred on by their leaders, top of government and which came to a not work,” said Jok. have clashed in the past, giving the lat- head in the summer when 62-year-old But bringing the two together for now technological developments were used by the US surveillance est spiral of violence an air of depressing Kiir dismissed his vice president. has hit deadlock. Kiir’s government has agency to spy on its own citizens and others abroad, and also inevitability for many South Sudanese, “Opportunities were certainly missed refused to release the group of rival poli- to spy on allies, such as the US on Germany and Australia on desperate for development in one of the to engage in more robust preventive ticians he detained. Machar says they Indonesia. The publication of the poorest places in Africa. diplomacy over the past few months must be freed as they are the ones who news in Indonesia that it was being “Neither cares much about their peo- as the political crisis began gathering will handle any negotiations. ple,” said Chuo, who repairs motorbikes momentum,” said John Prendergast, Much may depend on Kiir’s reputa- spied on by Australia created a Snowden in Juba. “Instead, member of a US group of intellectuals tion as a conciliator, often bringing in diplomatic row between the two they are focusing that cajoled Washington to back South rival militias even though it could mean has declared countries. Snowden said the agency too much on per- Sudan’s split from Sudan. putting political influence before com- ‘mission was spying on “more Americans sonal grudges - For almost a year before Machar’s petence in government. in America than Russians in the left-overs from dismissal, the two men’s relationship in “Kiir has always said that he doesn’t accomplished’. Russia” and were not entirely Failure to halt their old days.” office was defined by “miscommunica- want his people to turn back again to The United tion or mistrust or silence”, said former war,” said Foreign Minister Barnaba comfortable with the data collected And there are the escalation States and other culture ministry undersecretary Jok Marial Benjamin, citing the president’s on “ordinary” citizens. Western backers of Madut Jok, who left his post in April. past talks with opponents. “We talked reasons to Snowden made the ‘mission could have the new nation are The power play caused stasis in gov- to them and they were absorbed into believe him. accomplished’ declaration in an wider fallout scrambling with ernment, and most worryingly derailed our government.” interview with Washington Post. regional African crucial efforts to build a programme of Eric Reeves, a fellow American activ- He said that for him, in terms of in an already states to broker national reconciliation between bigger ist for South Sudan with Prendergast, talks, but have lim- ethnic groups, such as Dinka and Nuer, said Machar needed to be convinced personal satisfaction, the mission’s volatile region. ited leverage to end and the dozens of others that have long that prolonging any ethnic conflict already accomplished. “I already won. As soon as the journalists Sudan may be fighting that has clashed over control of the south’s scant would mean he would lose US or other were able to work, everything that I had been trying to do was killed hundreds of resources. Western support. “But there is no real validated. Because, remember, I didn’t want to change society. I drawn in if there people and driven Jok, now chairman of the Sudd leverage,” he said. wanted to give society a chance to determine if it should change 40,000 to UN bases Institute think-tank, described how The United Nations plans to beef up is a threat to for shelter. Machar formed a committee to draw up its peacekeeping force in South Sudan, itself. All I wanted was for the public to be able to have a say in oilfields. Failure to halt a “practical, scientific” plan to rebuild where the Akobo UN base was overrun how they are governed.” the escalation could ethnic relations, only to have it dis- and looted by Nuers who are blamed for The Obama administration has already announced that have wider fallout banded by Kiir, who put church leaders killing 11 Dinkas sheltering there. it’s taking a relook at the NSA’s surveillance programmes. in an already vola- in charge to “focus on praying away the But the patchwork nature of the The extent of reforms under consideration is not known, but tile region. Sudan may be drawn in if woes of South Sudan and nothing more.” SPLA army and shifting loyalties means chances are that NSA will be reined in. The snooping agency’s there is a threat to oil fields from which Those who know the two men give there is little chance of turning the it derives vital fees from pumping crude similar accounts of the two characters UNMISS force into a robust interven- future actions will continue to be scrutinised by the public and across its land. And other neighbours on whose shoulders so much rests. tion brigade like the one that quelled the staff. Snowden has given the courage to many to stand up fret about a descent into chaos. Uganda Kiir, largely educated in the bush, a rebellion in next door Democractic against the crushing powers of the establishment. has already sent troops to Juba. has patched up militia rivalries to hold Republic of Congo. “If you don’t know In the Washington Post interview, the whistleblower likened Both leaders say they are ready to together the brittle SPLM/SPLA that where your enemy is coming from, or himself to an ascetic and a house cat and said he rarely left the talk. But old habits die hard. Kiir said fought Sudan and now runs the south. who your enemy is, it doesn’t really mat- house, spending most of his days surfing the internet. But that’s he was the target of a “foiled coup” and But they say he lacks the vision of his ter how heavily armed you are,” said rounded up rivals. Machar slipped away predecessor, John Garang, who died in Reeves. a price worth paying for the mission he has undertaken • and has mustered militia forces. a helicopter crash in 2005, the year a REUTERS The other side Quote of Death of an arms maker the day

HAT was the motto of a man his motherland. “I have no regrets and exported to guerrillas waging war picking up AK-47s from opponents who designed one of the bear no responsibility for how politi- against colonial regimes and later felled in skirmishes. most popular ‘gadgets’ of the cians have used it,” he once remarked. even to terrorists taking on established The inventor of the deadliest and Tmodern world, a philosophy “I am sad that it is used by terrorists. governments. most popular weapon in human his- I already won. that would heartily have been endorsed I would prefer to have invented a Fans and users of the deadly tory, however, never gained financially by many contemporary innovators. But machine that people like farmers could weapon have venerated it over the from his rifle. Though he was bestowed Because, remember, Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov was use, like a lawnmower.” years. Osama bin Laden was pho- with many prestigious awards by the no Steve Jobs or Eric Schmidt. His Kalashnikov designed the weapon tographed with the assault rifle, erstwhile Soviet rulers and the present I didn’t want to invention, the Avtomat Kalashnikova towards the end of World War II, but Afghans have weaved its designs Russian regime, Kalashnikov led a model 1947, the notorious AK-47, it was rarely ever used for the protec- in their carpets, the Mozambique simple life in the Urals. The weapons change society. has killed more people than any other tion of the former Soviet Union. The national flag features an AK-47 with designer, who also wrote poems, I wanted to give firearm in human history. authorities outsourced production of a bayonet attached to the barrel, always aspired to be a poet; perhaps Born in a collective farm in Siberia the weapon to franchises in its satel- and American rap singers have glo- modern history would have been dif- society a chance in 1919, the Russian arms enthusiast, lite states in Eastern Europe and to rified the weapon. Kalashnikov once ferent had he pursued his literary who passed away on Monday, invented regimes in China and North Korea. claimed that even American soldiers ambitions. to determine if it Edward Snowden the assault rifle for the protection of During the Cold War, AK-47s were dumped their M16 rifles in Vietnam, Khaleej Times should change itself. NSA Whistleblower WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Win for Putin as Khodorkovsky leaves After 10 years behind bars, Khodorkovsky’s further activities will probably be similar to dissidents: Less than earth-shaking for the regime.

BY LEONID BERSHIDSKY was important to the former oilman. Previously, he had been told that to he the night-time release and secure a pardon he had to confess, some- swift transfer to Germany of thing he refused to do. “Confessing of Russia’s best-known politi- nonexistent crimes would have meant cal prisoner, former oligarch playing on the side of those who said the Mikhail Khodorkovsky are 100,000 employees of Yukos were an over- Tbeing compared by some to the ex-Soviet sized criminal group,” he said at a press Union’s treatment of dissidents such as conference. Alexander Solzhenitsyn and Vladimir Relieved that he would no longer Bukovsky. be called on to confess, Khodorkovsky After 10 years behind bars, penned two letters to Putin. One was a Khodorkovsky’s further activities will short formal application for a pardon, the probably be similar to dissidents: Less other a longer personal message saying than earth-shaking for the regime. He that he wanted to take care of his ailing says he doesn’t plan to enter politics, go mother and would not go into politics. On back to business or even live in Russia. December 19, Putin confirmed receipt of At the time of his arrest in 2003, the letters and announced his decision Forbes magazine ranked Khodorkovsky to grant the pardon on humanitarian as the world’s 26th richest man, with an grounds. In the early hours of December $8bn fortune. He served an eight-year 20, the warden of the Karelian penal sentence for tax evasion, grand larceny colony, where Khodorkovsky was serv- and embezzlement and had 10 months ing his sentence, told the inmate to pack Freed Russian former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s first wife Yelena (left), and parents Marina (centre) and Boris Khodorkovsky at left to serve of a second prison term, for a trip abroad. which was imposed for the preposterous Khodorkovsky was then driven to the his news conference in the Museum Haus am Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin on Sunday. charge of stealing oil from the subsidiar- regional capital of Petrozavodsk with ies of his holding company, Yukos. Then, two bags of paperwork and flown to St return to Russia, as Solzhenitsyn did in no return to Russia and no funding the Khodorkovsky’s release that he wasn’t President Vladimir Putin unexpect- Petersburg. There his escort, a penal 1994. He said, however, that it wasn’t opposition — were augmented by his eager to go into battle. Putin’s benevo- edly pardoned him. The chain of events system official, replaced his prisoner’s practical to go back now. “Unfortunately, polite remarks about Putin, whom he lent gesture, and the involvement of a leading to Khodorkovsky’s release has coat with an airport worker’s jacket. I have no guarantee that I will be able said he did not hate. Khodorkovsky also European elder statesman, will improve become reasonably clear from the press Still wearing prison-issue trousers, he to leave again and go where I need to go said discouraged any boycott of Putin’s the Russian president’s international conferences he gave in Berlin and the boarded a private plane sent for him by on one kind of business or another, and pet project, the winter Olympics in Sochi, standing ahead of the Winter Olympics, comments of German-Russian political Genscher and landed in Berlin two hours family affairs are now a priority,” he told because it was a “sports festival for mil- which some world leaders have recently scientist Alexander Rahr, who appears later. Genscher was waiting to take him a press conference on December 21. lions of people.” declined to attend. to have played a role in the ex- oligarch’s to the luxurious Hotel Adlon, overlooking The former tycoon confirmed that he The ex-oligarch is definitely no Andrei “Putin does not want the Olympics liberation. the Brandenburg Gate. wasn’t interested in business, because Sakharov, whose call for an international to be attended only by North Koreans Khodorkovsky owes his freedom to Khodorkovsky issued a brief statement he had already been at the top at Yukos, boycott of the 1980 Olympics was heeded and American gays,” according to Anti- Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who served on arrival saying that he was happy to or in politics: “Fighting for power is not by more than 60 countries, led by the Putin activist Olga Romanova, referring as foreign minister under Chancellor be free and intended, above all, to “repay my thing,” he added. Khodorkovsky also United States. to the pointed inclusion of lesbian and Helmut Kohl, the architect of German debts” to his family. On December 21, he said he wasn’t sure how much money he “Putin realised that Khodorkovsky is gay athletes in the US official delegation. reunification. Genscher says he met twice went shopping with his son Pavel and still had, except that it was enough to no revolutionary and his priority goal for “It looks as though he does not like such with Putin, a Germanophile, to broker embraced his parents, who had flown live on without working. And he stressed the rest of his life is to never go back to company.” Khodorkovsky’s release to Germany, back from Moscow to meet him. that he wouldn’t bankroll any opposition where he spent the last 10 years,” political In terms of substance, however, the where the prisoner’s mother was at “This is the Solzhenitsyn option,” histo- movements in Russia. “I do not have such commentator Stanislav Belkovsky told Khodorkovsky pardon changes nothing. the time undergoing medical treat- rian and journalist Nikolai Svanidze told resources and even if I did,” he said, “I Slon.ru. “Putin is sure Khodorkovsky has The rules in Russian business and what ment, before returning more recently to Echo Moskvy radio, recalling the Nobel understand better than they do how dan- no intention of toppling Putin’s regime or remains of politics are the same as they Moscow. prizewinning author’s 1974 forced exile to gerous it would be for them.” doing it any serious damage in the West.” were before his release. Putin’s close “Khodorkovsky’s release was achieved West Germany. “Freedom in exchange for The 50 year-old’s description of what Putin’s allies even felt safe to mock associates will continue to get fat gov- by German secret diplomacy,” Rahr told leaving the country and in exchange for he intends to do with the rest of his life Khodorkovsky. Igor Sechin, a longtime ernment contracts, while others remain RTVi. “Thank God Germany still has the public relations coup that naturally sounded deliberately vague. “I would like Putin friend who is now chief execu- subject to the arbitrary justice applied to covert or semi-covert channels with occurs for the Kremlin, for Putin, with to devote the active time that remains to tive of Rosneft, the state-owned com- Khodorkovsky in 2003, and the arbitrary Russia that other European nations and the pardon.” me to repaying debts to those who are pany that swallowed up most Yukos mercy he received in 2013. “Putin’s gov- America probably no longer have, and in On social networks, many also recalled doing worse than I am, that is those who assets, told reporters he was willing ernment system is not doomed because such situations they can work.” Genscher the 1976 release of dissident Vladimir are still in jail, and to society, our Russian to find Khodorkovsky a job at Rosneft Khodorkovsky may someday crush it,” said his interest in Khodorkovsky, whom Bukovsky, who was exchanged for the society, for which it is very important to — although “all the top management columnist Oleg Kashin wrote on Slon. he had met before his imprisonment, was Chilean Communist leader Luis Corvalan change a bit so we in Russia could live positions are occupied.” Khodorkovsky ru. “It is doomed above all because the purely humanitarian. after spending 12 years in Soviet prison better,” he said. “Give me a bit more time responded benignly in an interview with rules by which it lives are known to a On November 12, lawyers passed a camps and psychiatric hospitals. Once than 36 hours to think over the specifics.” TV Rain: “I think he was joking.” too-small group of people, maybe only to message from Genscher to Khodorkovsky: freed to Switzerland, Bukovsky settled The apparently self-imposed restric- Putin has clearly achieved his tac- Putin itself. And when too few players He could now petition Putin for a par- in Britain, where he remains. tions that Khodorkovsky has assumed tical goals. It was clear to anybody in, know the rules, the game may end at any don without admitting to guilt. This Khodorkovsky’s stated desire is to — no big business, no political activity, or watching, the media circus around moment.” WP-BLOOMBERG 2014: Another poll about Obamacare Pussy Riot freed: Is this BY BILL SCHNEIDER premiums shoot up next year will the end of culture war? Republicans are counting on complain. Loudly. ere we go again — 2014 It’s the same thing that hap- BY NATALIA ANTONOVA will be the third elec- opposition to Obamacare to propel pened with people who had their tion in a row in which individual policies cancelled this s the result of a general amnesty, Pussy Riot rockers Nadezhda HObamacare is the cen- year because they did not meet Tolokonnikova and Maria Alyokhina have been set free. In tral issue. The Affordable Care them to a majority in the Senate the Obamacare standards. Those case you’re just joining us from outer space, these women Act, which President Barack people claimed they were betrayed Ahad been serving a two-year sentence for hooliganism and Obama signed into law in March next year. because of Obama’s 2010 pledge, incitement to religious hatred after performing an anti-Putin song at 2010, contributed to a fierce voter “If you like your insurance plan, Christ the Saviour Cathedral in downtown Moscow. backlash against Democrats political story, one immensely percent say they disapprove of you will keep it.” Although they were originally due for release in March, just a few in November 2010. After the damaging to Democrats: the roll- the new law. The poll found about Very few Americans actually months from now, it’s good that Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina came Supreme Court upheld the law out of Obamacare. the same disapproval among the faced cancellations — because out early, for both obvious and not-so-obvious reasons. in June 2012, the issue seemed to While both parties were dam- insured (51 percent). Only a third very few Americans purchase First of all, it’s simply gratifying to see these women, who both have be settled by Obama’s re-election aged by the year-end stories, of the uninsured believe the new individual coverage. But those young children, set free. Whether or not you agree with Vladimir that November. the headline in the Washington law will actually help them. who were affected complained. Putin’s assessment that their performances were “degrading” to women But no. The botched Obamacare Post last week was, “Obama There’s another problem. Many And those complaints made a (based on old polls Russians pretty much seem to agree with him), it’s rollout this year has again thrust suffers most from year of tur- small businesses are being allowed powerful impression on the elec- important to note that the sentence against them was extremely harsh the issue to the top of the political moil, poll finds.” The Democrats’ to extend their employees’ cur- torate. Millions are benefiting and unfair. Yet the ugly show trial that followed, somehow managed to agenda. Republicans are count- Obamacare disaster trumped the rent health insurance plans from Obamacare. They are get- be more offensive than the original performance. Various prominent ing on opposition to Obamacare Republicans’ shutdown disaster. through next year. In October ting health insurance they could members of the clergy went on record to say that they did not support to propel them to a majority in The problems with Obamacare 2014 — a month before the elec- never get before. The working Pussy Riot’s persecution. the Senate next year. A conserv- are likely to continue into 2014. tion — insurance companies will poor in many states are becoming The Pussy Riot case eventually became a bitter punchline. Every ative group is already running The problem is that the young notify those employers of the eligible for the expanded Medicaid time some unsympathetic bureaucrat or drunk driver was perceived to an ad attacking Senator Jeanne and the healthy are not signing new premiums they will have to program. A lot of people, particu- have got off easily in the courts, people would joke that, “Hey, at least Shaheen (D-NH) for supporting up in anything close to the num- pay under Obamacare. In many larly women and older Americans, there was no dancing in a church involved!” In that sense, the drama Obamacare: “Next November, if bers needed to subsidise insur- cases, those premiums will go up. will see their coverage expanded surrounding Pussy Riot served to further undermine a legal system you like your senator, you can ance coverage for the old and Way up. They may have gone up and their premiums go down. plagued by allegations of inhumanity and abuse. keep her. If you don’t, you know the sick. The incentives are not even without Obamacare, but any They are not being heard from, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova’s letter from a Mordovian penal colony what to do.” strong enough. Young people are rate increases will be blamed on however. In the Times-CBS poll, – a letter that accused the authorities of torture and exploitation of 2013 came to a close with two convinced they are immortal. Obamacare. As one expert put only a third of the uninsured said prisoners – was yet another blow against the legal system. big political stories. The gov- They don’t expect to get sick. Or it to Politico, “You own all the that, when they evaluate their The case against Pussy Riot also allowed a new group of radical ernment shutdown in October to have a car crash — the leading changes when you put in new member of Congress, his or her Orthodox activists to rise to prominence. Galvanised by media atten- was immensely damaging to health risk for young people. rules.” position on Obamacare “will mat- tion, the radicals went from attacking people wearing Pussy Riot Republicans. So damaging that The law says they have to spend The Act does require more ter a lot.” The Democrats’ chal- T-shirts to harassing staff at a downtown sex museum, calling for the House Republicans defied their $100 or $200 a month for health comprehensive coverage than lenge is to rally people who are “pagan” Olympic torch relay to be cancelled, and barging in on a satiri- conservative base and voted for insurance or else pay a fine. How many small business plans now being helped. That will not be an cal production at Moscow’s venerated Chekhov Art theatre – among a compromise budget deal last much is the fine? For the first provide. Companies that have easy task. Satisfied people rarely their many other “achievements.” The new culture war sparked by week. Speaker John Boehner year, $95. When do they have younger and healthier workers make a lot of noise in politics — the original Pussy Riot performance is tiresome and disturbing. Now (R-Ohio) attacked the Tea Party, to pay it? In April 2015. Which will have to share the cost of cov- unless they feel threatened. The that all Pussy Riot members have been freed and church officials are accusing them of pushing con- sounds to them like the distant ering firms with an older work- Democrats’ task in 2014 will be mentioning the possibility of dialogue with them – perhaps passions gressional Republicans “into this future. force. The Obama administration to dramatise the threat that will die down. As an Orthodox Christian, I don’t want some glassy-eyed fight to defund Obamacare and The New York Times and CBS promised that the vast majority a Republican Congress would guy screaming at me to “repent” when I go to the theatre. I don’t want shut down the government.” News just polled uninsured of workers with employer-based pose to Obamacare. The Act was to be lectured about the “forces of darkness” that will surely consume The message was, “No more Americans and found them highly insurance would not be affected. passed nearly four years ago. But Russia for holding an Olympic torch relay. At the end of the day, I shutdowns.” Republicans didn’t sceptical of the Affordable Care That is almost certainly true. the struggle is still far from over. want there to be at least a measure of healing – for everyone involved. want to step on the second big Act. Among the uninsured, 53 But the minority who see their REUTERS An amnesty is the perfect excuse to move on. THE GUARDIAN WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 08 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MIDDLE EAST Damascus Grave with 75 calls US a bodies found ‘one-eyed pirate’ in South Sudan DAMASCUS: Syria lashed out at the United States yesterday, describing it as a “one-eyed pirate.” a day after Washington Rebel leader wants talks in Ethiopia condemned President Bashar Al Assad’s regime over its aer- JUBA/GENEVA: A mass particularly fragile region, have ial assault on Aleppo. grave containing some 75 bodies tried to mediate between Machar, “The White House is ignoring has been found in South Sudan’s who hails from the Nuer tribe, the crimes committed by the ter- Unity State and two other mass and Kiir, a Dinka. rorists,” state news agency Sana graves have been reported in However, Machar said for the said, using the regime term for the capital Juba after ethnic first time yesterday that he was anti-Assad rebels. violence, the United Nations ready to accept Kiir’s offer of “Meanwhile, it condemns what said yesterday. talks, suggesting neighbouring it describes as incessant aerial UN High Commissioner for Ethiopia as a neutral location. attacks by Syrian government Human Rights Navi Pillay called “We are ready for talks,” he forces in Aleppo.” on both sides to protect civilians told Radio France Internationale “Washington is a pirate that and warned that political and (RFI), adding that he had spo- only looks with one eye,” said the military leaders could be held to ken earlier in the day to US agency, adding that “in the areas account for crimes. Secretary of State John Kerry named by the White House... “Mass extrajudicial killings, and Ethiopia’s Foreign Minster all you have is groups of Saudis, the targeting of individuals on Tedros Adhanom. A building destroyed after being hit by an airstrike in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, yesterday. Qataris and Chechens.” the basis of their ethnicity and “We want democratic free and Damascus has systematically arbitrary detentions have been fair elections. We want Salva blamed a “foreign conspiracy” for documented in recent days,” Kiir to call it a day,” Machar violence in Syria, refusing to rec- Pillay said in a statement. “We said, listing his demands, which Air strikes kill 15 in Aleppo ognise the existence of any popu- have discovered a mass grave in follow days of shuttle diplomacy lar uprising calling for Assad’s Bentiu, in Unity State, and there by African nations and calls from removal. are reportedly at least two other Western powers for fighting to stop. DAMASCUS: Syrian air baby and an older child, all sur- run aimlessly in all directions, Sana also accused US President mass graves in Juba.” Machar’s promise of talks came strikes killed 15 people, includ- vivors of the bombing. looking for anywhere to hide, but Barack Obama’s administration Spokeswoman Ravina shortly before the army stormed ing three children, in Aleppo The Observatory, a Britain- there is nowhere to hide. So many of silence over the fighting in Shamdasani said that the bod- Bor town, which Information yesterday, as the regime pressed based group relying on a network people are getting trapped under Maalula, an ancient Christian ies of 75 soldiers of the Sudan Minister Michael Makwei called a blistering 10-day bombing of activists and other witnesses the rubble of collapsing buildings,” town north of Damascus that People’s Liberation Army were a “gift of the government of South campaign that has killed hun- inside Syria, called on “the inter- Wissam said. recently fell into the hands of Al believed to be in the mass grave in Sudan to the people”. dreds, threatening planned national community, the UN sec- “When the helicopters start Qaeda-affiliated jihadists. Bentiu visited by UN rights offic- Bor’s capture, apparently peace talks. retary general and anyone with launching the TNT-packed bar- ers. “They are reportedly all of without major resistance by One activist in Aleppo a conscience to take immediate rels, it’s like madness grips eve- ‘REBELS ATTACKED CHEM- Dinka ethnicity,” Shamdasani told the rebels, relieves some 17,000 described the past 10 days as “the action to stop these indiscrimi- ryone... The bombing is random.” ICAL WEAPONS SITES’ Reuters in Geneva, adding that besieged civilians who fled into most violent in the whole of the nate killings of Syrian civilians.” The opposition National Syria accused rebels yesterday the UN team had been unable to the overstretched UN peace- Syrian revolution,” a war that has Aleppo has been divided into Coalition has said it will boycott of recently attacking two sites verify the numbers or identities. keeping compound for protection, claimed more than 126,000 lives regime and rebel-held enclaves peace talks slated for January if where chemical arms were stored, UN chief Ban Ki-moon has severely stretching limited food since March 2011 and displaced since the opposition launched a the bombing of Aleppo does not state news agency Sana quoted a warned warring factions that and supplies. millions of people. massive offensive in July last year. cease. “In order for the political foreign ministry source as saying. reports of crimes against human- UN peacekeepers had spent The Syrian Observatory for Rebel areas have since suffered process to succeed, immediate con- The attacks on December 21 ity will be investigated, as well as days bolstering fortifications Human Rights has documented frequent bombardment, but an fidence building measures must be came just as preparations were asking the Security Council to ahead of the army assault, the killing of 379 people, among activist in Aleppo said via the enacted -- to include the establish- being made for the arms at the nearly double the size of the UN after militia gunmen last week them 108 children, 34 women and Internet that the laTest attacks ment of humanitarian corridors to sites to be destroyed outside Syria mission in the country. stormed a UN compound in the 30 fighters, in the massive air are unprecedented. “The past 10 cities under siege by Assad’s mili- under a UN resolution decreeing President Salva Kiir and rebel Jonglei outpost of Akobo, killing campaign in and around Aleppo, days in Aleppo have been the most tias -- and an immediate halt to the the elimination of the country’s leader Riek Machar, his former two Indian soldiers and some 20 the country’s second city and one- violent in the whole of the Syrian regime’s barrel bomb campaign,” chemical arsenal, the source said. deputy, have both indicated they ethnic Dinka civilians sheltering time commercial hub. revolution,” said Mohammad Munzer Aqbiq, an adviser to the “On December 21, 2013, armed were ready to talk to try to end there. Fighting has spread to half Video footage distributed by Wissam, a 19-year-old activist. Coalition’s presidency, said. terrorist groups staged a major a deepening conflict that has of the young nation’s 10 states, the Shahba Press, a network of activ- “When the planes come, peo- Rights groups have widely con- attack against one of the sites, killed hundreds of people since it United Nations said Tuesday, with ists in the region, showed men ple freeze, they stand, look up at demned the use of TNT-packed located in central Syria... but the erupted this month. hundreds of thousands fleeing to covered in dust carrying a woman the sky, and wait for the bombing, barrels dropped from helicopters authorities fought back and the Western powers and east the countryside, prompting warn- through a destroyed street in the feeling helpless. as unlawful because they fail to attack failed,” said the source, African states, anxious to prevent ings of an imminent humanitar- rebel-held Sukkari neighbour- “Then when the bombing discriminate between civilians using the regime’s term “terror- the fighting from destabilising a ian disaster. AGENCIES hood. Other men carried out a starts, so does the panic. People and combatants. AFP ists” to refer to rebels. AFP

Fresh attacks kill Bomb hits Iraq minister’s convoy Three big Yemeni parties BAGHDAD: A bomb struck the acting Iraqi defence minister’s one in Benghazi convoy west of Baghdad yesterday, wounding two of his guards, the BENGHAZI: A Libyan sol- ministry said. The roadside bomb hit Saadun Al Dulaimi’s convoy dier was shot dead and a civil- as it travelled between Fallujah and Ramadi, “wounding two of his reject federation proposal ian wounded by a bomb under guards and damaging one of the vehicles,” spokesman Mohammed his car in separate attacks in Al Askari was quoted as saying. the eastern city of Benghazi Askari did not specify whether or not Dulaimi was travelling in the SANA’A: Three leading Yemeni yesterday, medics and security convoy at the time of the attack. parties have rejected a proposal sources said. The bombing comes after five senior officers, among them a divisional to turn the country into a fed- “A soldier from the Libyan commander, and 10 other soldiers were killed on Saturday during an eration of semi-autonomous army was killed and a civilian operation against militants in Anbar province, where Dulaimi’s convoy regions, in the latest blow to a was seriously wounded,” a secu- was travelling when it was attacked. national dialogue designed to rity source said. The soldier The Iraqi government responded by launching an operation dubbed put Yemen on track to demo- belonged to the Saiqa special “Avenge the Leader Mohammed,” named after the divisional com- cratic elections. forces unit and was shot five times mander who was killed, and Askari said on Monday that Iraqi forces The national dialogue, launched by unknown attackers. Later, the had destroyed two militant camps in Anbar. in March as part of a 2011 Gulf- 23-year-old son of a senior navy brokered power transfer deal that officer was seriously wounded by eased long-serving president Ali a bomb placed underneath his car Qaeda claims attack that killed scribes Abdullah Saleh out of office, has in the city centre. been struggling with demands by The victim’s father, BAGHDAD: An Al Qaeda-linked militant group has claimed an southern separatists to restore Commander Rafaa Al Awami is attack on an Iraqi television station headquarters in which five jour- South Yemen, which merged with in Russia for training and had nalists were killed. At the direction of the Islamic State of Iraq and North Yemen in 1990. recently received threats, a secu- the Levant’s “war ministry,” militants attacked “the headquarters Lack of progress has raised rity source said, without elabo- of the Salaheddin satellite (channel) which... distorts the facts and Western concerns that the power rating. Surgeons had to amputate fights the Sunni people,” the group said on online jihadist forums. transfer deal could unravel, the young man’s foot, said Fadia It said two militants took part in the attack on Monday, although deepening nationwide turmoil, Aal Barghathi, spokeswoman for police said four suicide bombers assaulted the channel’s headquarters boosting Al Qaeda militants and the city’s Al Jala hospital. in Tikrit, north of Baghdad. The attack killed five of the channel’s jour- unsettling adjacent oil-exporting nalists — the chief news editor, a copy editor, a producer, a presenter heavyweight Saudi Arabia. Jamal Benomar, UN envoy to Yemen, speaks during a press conference and the archives manager — and wounded five more of its employees. The three parties rejecting the in Sana’a yesterday. Britain extradites Iraq has come in for repeated criticism over the lack of media free- proposal were the former South dom and the number of unsolved killings of journalists. Yemen’s Socialist Party, Saleh’s control over major southern prov- and its once-Marxist south united Algeria ex-tycoon The country is experiencing the worst violence against journalists General People’s Congress and inces such as that of Hadramout. in 1990, but civil war broke out in years, with 12 killed in attacks since October 5. the southern Nasserist party, said Most of Yemen’s oil reserves are four years later in which then- ALGIERS: Rafik Khalifa, a Violence has reached a level not seen since 2008, when Iraq was just Abdullah Noman, a member of a in the south. President Saleh crushed south- former Algerian tycoon who emerging from a brutal period of sectarian killings. More than 6,650 committee responsible for draft- Yassin Noman, head of the ern secessionists and maintained once owned an airline and a people have been killed in Iraq since the beginning of the year, accord- ing the plan. Yemeni Socialist Party, said his the union. Since then, the conse- string of companies, was extra- ing to AFP figures based on security and medical sources. Noman said the proposal had party had declined to participate quences of the conflict have fuelled dited to his homeland from not fixed the number of provinces in a signing ceremony for the southern demands for another Britain yesterday, Algeria’s APS into which the new federation is regional plan which took place on partition or autonomy. Hardliners news agency reported. Laden son-in-law faces new charges to be divided — a key stumbling Monday evening with the support of the Al Herak Al Janoubi, a coa- He took refuge in Britain in block in the national dialogue. of the United Nations’ Yemen lition of groups formed in 2007 2003 when his business collapsed, NEW YORK: US prosecutors yesterday linked Osama bin Laden’s The Saba state news agency envoy Jamal Benomar. that aims to restore the southern costing the Algerian state and son-in-law to the 2001 Al Qaeda shoe bomber plot after adding two said Yemeni President Abd- “If you insist on six provinces state, view a two-region division individuals between $1.5bn and extra charges against the Kuwaiti, who faces life behind bars if Rabbu Mansour Hadi would chair and are able to garner the major- of the country as a transitional $5bn (¤1.1bn and 3.6bn). convicted. Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, 48, whose trial in New York is a panel to decide that issue. ity of votes in the (national) dia- period before holding a referen- In 2007, Algeria convicted him scheduled to begin on February 3, was initially charged with one Some southern secessionists logue conference, then go ahead dum on full independence. in absentia of criminal involve- count of conspiracy to kill Americans after his arrest last February. are hoping to divide the country with your plan,” Yassin Noman Besides the secessionist move- ment and fraud, sentencing him But a superceding indictment Friday added charges of conspiracy into two major regions, with the said, referring to parties in favour ment, Yemen is also grappling to life in prison and demanding his to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and providing south having significant control of a multi-region federation. with Al Qaeda militants and with extradition. Britain’s Home Office material support and resources to terrorists. over its own affairs. But a number Among those backing the a rebellion in the north, which said last week that Khalifa had The former Al-Qaeda spokesman, who was captured by US agents of northern Yemeni parties favour regional proposal were a fac- flared in October into clashes been refused leave to appeal to the in Jordan, on Monday entered a not guilty plea to all charges. a multi-region federation. tion of the southern secessionist between Shia Houthi rebels and Supreme Court on December 3 He appeared relaxed, greeting his defense team with smiles and Southerners fear that having movement that supports Yemeni Sunni Salafis in which more than and would be extradited within wearing a blue T-shirt over an orange standard-issue prison shirt, his several regions would dilute their President Hadi and also Shia 100 people were killed. 28 days of that date. salt and pepper curls escaping a white Muslim cap. authority and deprive them of Houthi rebels. Yemen’s north REUTERS AGENCIES AGENCIES WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 Russia closes Greenpeace case Activists wait for exit visas Gazprom shows defiance Punk band girls raise the heat MOSCOW: Russia the Arctic Circle city has closed the crimi- of Murmansk and KRASNOYARSK: Two freed members of nal case against one then transferred to anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot yester- of the 30 crew mem- Russia’s second city of day met in Siberia for the first time since bers of a Greenpeace Saint Petersburg. their release, discussing plans to set up a ship who were It was courts in new rights group to help Russian prisoners. charged with hooli- Saint Petersburg that Maria Alyokhina, who had been serving her ganism over a pro- in November ordered sentence at a prison colony in the central city test against Gazprom the release of all 30 on of Nizhny Novgorod, flew into the Siberian city oil drilling in the bail. Since then they of Krasnoyarsk to meet up with band mate Arctic, the group said have all been free but Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who was released yesterday. unable to leave the from a prison hospital. The move, part of Russian President city. The Arctic Sunrise Alyokhina, 25, and Tolokonnikova, 24, were a Kremlin-backed Vladimir Putin ship remains under released two months early under a Kremlin- amnesty, should pave Russian control in backed amnesty after serving most of their the way for the other 29 crew Murmansk. two-year sentences for staging a protest per- to have their cases closed and Greenpeace said Perrett, from formance against Putin in an Orthodox cathe- then allow the 26 foreign nation- the city of Newport in Wales, has dral in Moscow in February 2012. als charged in the saga to finally now requested an exit visa from Their release was welcomed yesterday by leave Russia. the Federal Migration Service another famous prisoner who was freed — “The first of the Arctic 30 has to allow him to leave Russia. He Mikhail Khodorkovsky. today heard the good news that will hear back from the Service “Dear girls! I know that the past months the Investigative Committee has tomorrow to collect his visa, it were utter hell for you,” wrote the former closed its criminal case against added. chief of the Yukos oil company who received them,” a Greenpeace spokesman “It’s time to go home, it’s time a pardon from President Vladimir Putin told AFP, naming the activist as to get back to Wales, and I just got last week and was put on a plane to Berlin Anthony Perrett of Britain. one big step closer,” Greenpeace straight away. After their criminal cases are quoted Perrett as saying. “I am happy to learn that the torture closed, the activists will still need He added he was “proud” of unworthy of a European country in the 21st exit visas to leave Russia as they what he did. “The Arctic is melt- century has come to an end,” he said. have never officially entered the ing before our eyes and yet the oil Tolokonnikova’s husband Pyotr Verzilov told country on their Arctic Sunrise companies are lining up to profit AFP the two women had discussed plans to Two members of the anti-Kremlin punk band Pussy Riot, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova (right) and Maria protest ship. from its destruction,” he said. create “a fully fledged organisation to help Alyokhina meet in the airport of the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk, some 3500km east of Moscow “They will be free to leave In apparent defiance of inmates.” yesterday. Russia once they get the right Greenpeace, Gazprom on Friday The two punk rockers remained defiant stamps in their passports from announced it had begun oil pro- after their release, denouncing their amnesty staging new performances in the future but the migration service,” said the duction at the Prirazlomnaya oil as a “PR stunt” and vowing to fight injustice said the pair had matured over the past two Greenpeace spokesman in a state- rig that had been the target of the in Russian prisons. BAND-WIDTH years and therefore are likely to express them- ment to AFP. activists’ actions. “In my last penal colony I had friends who Alyokhina, 25, and Tolokonnikova, 24 have selves in new ways. “We know that getting those Greenpeace argues that the told rights activists about their conditions, small children. They call their release PR stunt “I am not going to stop my political activ- stamps would be the best ageing oil rig is an environmen- and I will do everything in my power so that ity because I feel responsible for this country Christmas present for the Arctic tal catastrophe waiting to happen they do not come under pressure,” the curly- Tolokonnikova said the chief of the prison in which I live, and I am not going to leave 30 and we hope it can occur which risks ruining the pristine haired Alyokhina said in televised remarks in service in Mordovia, where she had served it, either,” she said in a radio interview on quickly, but until such time as Arctic ecology of the southern Krasnoyarsk. most of her sentence, should be removed from Monday. they do, we cannot say when they Barents Sea where the deposit is The young women, both of whom have She went on a hunger strike after releas- will leave.” located. Gazprom — already owner small children, earlier yesterday embraced his post over what she said were violations. ing a letter complaining that women at her Russia had held the 30 crew of the world’s largest natural gas at Krasnoyarsk airport surrounded by a crowd The two women are expected to hold a news Penal Colony Number 14 in Mordovia were members since September after reserves and a growing presence of journalists. conference in Moscow on Friday treated like “slaves” and worked 17-hour days two activists scaled an oil rig in the oil sector — says it planned Showing she had lost none of her fight- in a sewing workshop. in the Barents Sea owned by to produce six million tonnes of ing spirit, Tolokonnikova said the chief of Tolokonnikova said she had played punk rock in Tolokonnikova was then moved to a new Gazprom to protest against oil crude per year (120,000 barrels the prison service in Mordovia, where she the prison hospital. prison in Siberia’s Krasnoyarsk region, where prospecting. per day) at the site by 2021. had served most of her sentence, should be she was kept at a hospital for convicts rather Their initial arrest came when The arrest of the so-called removed from his post over what she said were than the prison itself. the Dutch-flagged Arctic Sunrise Arctic 30 — who hail from 18 dif- numerous violations. showed she had no fear about wading into the She said she had played punk rock in the was seized by the Russian security ferent countries — risked becom- “Mordovia will receive its just deserts. Get most politicised of issues, calling on countries prison hospital. forces who winched down from a ing another bone of contention ready,” she said on Twitter. to boycott the Winter Olympic Games that “There in the Krasnoyarsk prison hospital helicopter in a commando-style in increasingly tense relations The two women are expected to hold a news Russia is hosting in Sochi. was a punk rock band. It was magical. I will operation. between Russia and the West. conference in Moscow on Friday. “I appeal for a boycott, I appeal for honesty,” miss it,” she said on Twitter. They were initially detained in AFP Upon her release on Monday, Tolokonnikova she said. Tolokonnikova also did not rule out AFP Khodorkovsky applies for Swiss visa to meet children MOSCOW: Kremlin critic together for 10 years.” and would like to discuss that Berlin, have had to sort out their family. “In the lottery of fate I Mikhail Khodorkovsky They will meet up in Berlin plan with his family, the spokes- travel documents before going to won big time,” he said, stressing (pictured) was set to reunite where Khodorkovsky went after woman said. Germany. his wife was waiting for him. with his wife Inna and their walking free from a prison in The Swiss Foreign Ministry “My family is my main treas- “I would not be able to exist three children in Berlin on northwestern Russia following a said he applied yesterday for a ure and we are together despite without her. She is one half Christmas Eve after spending pardon from President Vladimir three-month Schengen visa to the years, kilometres and barbed of my heart.” On Saturday, 10 years in a Russian jail, his Putin on Friday. travel to Switzerland. wire,” Russia’s one-time richest Khodorkovsky, 50, reunited with spokeswoman said yesterday. Khodorkovsky, who has said Khodorkovsky’s wife Inna and man said in one interview from his elderly parents, Marina and “The family is coming today,” he would stay out of Russia, is their three children, who are prison. He said he had seen lots Boris, and his eldest son Pavel, a spokeswoman Olga Pispanen mulling a move to Switzerland believed to have been in Moscow of lonely people in prison and felt child from his first marriage. told AFP. “They have not been where his twin sons go to school when Khodorkovsky flew to “ashamed” because he had a great AFP

Italy migrant Christmas eve centre cleared Rotting corpses after after protest

ROME: Nigeria military raid Italian authori- ties began clearing a migrant reception centre on the island KANO, NIGERIA: A mili- have never seen so much death,” of Lampedusa yesterday after tary offensive in northeast added a tribal chief in the area, a row over harsh living condi- Nigeria that killed more than who asked that his name be with- tions that prompted detainees 50 Islamist rebels has destroyed held. “The bushes are littered to sew their lips together in four villages and left corpses with decomposing bodies.” protest. scattered in bushes, with some Bunu, the local chief and The facility, originally intended civilians among the dead, wit- other residents said much of the to house up to 850 migrants for nesses said yesterday. destruction was caused by bombs up to 48 hours before transfer to The Defence Ministry has said dropped by fighter jets. Locals other centres, has been steadily the operation was launched in are collecting bodies and digging transformed into a long-term response to an attack Friday by graves for those killed, residents refugee camp where detain- Boko Haram insurgents on an added. ees are housed in overcrowded, army barracks in the town of In a Monday statement on the unsanitary conditions, prompt- Bama in Borno state, the epicen- operation, Olukolade said that “a ing domestic and international tre of the Islamist conflict. good number of the insurgents criticism. Defence spokesman Chris escaped with bullet wounds while Deputy Interior Minister Olukolade identified those killed some have been arrested. Over Filippo Bubbico told the daily as “terrorists.” 50 of them died in the course Avvenire newspaper that 200 Residents told AFP that an of exchange of fire with ground migrants would be transferred unknown number of civilians troops.” Fifteen soldiers were to other centres. Only 17 individ- also lost their lives as the mili- killed during the Boko Haram uals, still caught up in registra- tary bombarded the fleeing rebels. raid on the barracks and “dur- tion processes that require their While they reported finding ing the pursuit” of the insurgents, identities be established before scores of charred bodies in the according to Olukolade. they are moved, would remain, area, many were thought to be The defence spokesman gave he said. those of Boko Haram fighters. no indication that the military Khalid Chaouki, a deputy of Area resident Karim Bunu response caused large-scale prop- the centre-left Democratic Party told AFP the military onslaught erty destruction or cost civilian who went to the island to demand “completely burnt down four vil- lives. Nigeria’s military has been action, announced on his Facebook lages,” specifically listing Awaram, accused of using scorched-earth page that transfers had started The crib during the unveiling ceremony in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican, yesterday. Pope Francis met his Ali-Ali, Suwabara and Kashimri, tactics in campaigns against Boko with two planes chartered to take predecessor Benedict XVI on Monday for an informal Christmas greeting, as the Argentine Pontiff prepares all in Borno state. “Civilians Haram and not distinguishing migrants off the island. to celebrate his first Christmas as leader of the world’s Roman Catholics. from the affected villages,” were between civilian and insurgent REUTERS among those killed, he said. “We targets. AFP WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INTERNATIONAL 150,000 homes without power in UK Storms kill five; rail, road, air and ferry disruptions hit thousands trying to get away for festive season

LONDON: Five people have to 90mph, with less severe warn- died since Monday after the UK ings for wind and snow across all was battered by strong winds Scotland and Northern Ireland, as and heavy rain, with the stormy well as parts of north Wales and weather causing widespread northern England. While con- chaos to rail, road, air and ferry ditions will ease into Christmas travel as countless thousands Day, and Boxing Day will be attempted to make journeys calmer still, another front of before Christmas. strong winds and heavy rain is Torrential downpours made forecast to hit much of the coun- conditions hazardous in many try on Friday. places. Two people died in rain- A total of 150,000 homes were swollen rivers, a man in the river left without power, according to Rothesay in Ambleside, Cumbria, the Energy Networks Association, and a woman in Gwynedd, north which represents power com- Wales, the latter reportedly after panies, mainly in the south of she left her house to check on her England. Kent, Surrey and Sussex water supply. were the worst affected areas, the A man rushed to hospital with organisation said. serious injuries after he jumped The cumulative effect of the into the fast-flowing River Lemon tempestuous conditions has been in Newton Abbot, Devon, yester- to severely hamper many people’s day to rescue his dog has died, Christmas getaways, albeit with police said. the scale of the chaos alleviated by A body was also found in the fact this year’s travel rush has a stream in by a dog walker been spread out, with many peo- in Horton, Telford, but West ple making their trips at the end Mercia police could not imme- of last week or over the weekend. diately confirm if the body was Flights were badly affected on male or female. In Shrewsbury, Monday night, with a number Shropshire, a woman died on diverted to other airports due to Monday night after a three-car the storm. Passengers recounted crash in what emergency serv- storm-tossed descents into ices described as difficult driving airports including Gatwick, conditions. Heathrow and Bristol, with With trains cancelled or some planes diverted at the last severely delayed on a series of rail moment. One passenger on a flight networks, crews have been work- from Stockholm to Heathrow told ing to clear storm debris from the BBC he thought “everyone lines and repair power cables. thought they were going to die”, There is currently a limited train with the plane being “thrown service to Gatwick airport, south about like a toy”. People wait with their luggage by the departure boards in Waterloo train station in central London yesterday. of London, which has also seen While most airports were some flights cancelled or delay by operating normally, passengers line. Gatwick’s south terminal in limbo. At least if they said, Midlands. A train-full of passen- areas affected including Kent, a storm-caused power problem in were advised to check with air- was operating normally. ‘Nothing is going to happen, gers on a First Great Western Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and the north terminal. lines before travelling. Gatwick’s Some tempers were fray- come back tomorrow’, but there service to Plymouth spent the Cornwall. In Dorset fire crews The Environment Agency north terminal remained ing among delayed passengers. is no information of any kind. It night stranded at Taunton in had to rescue 25 people trapped has 157 flood warnings in force, affected by the power cut, with Graziella Vella, 37-year-old a is absolutely chockablock and in Devon. Passengers tweeted pho- in their cars by floods. Many ferry meaning flooding is expected, delays to check-in and bags make-up artist from Kilburn in the check-in room upstairs there tos of their “bed for the night” — a services remained disrupted, principally in the south-east and being loaded manually as con- north-west London, was due to are 50 people queuing for the one seat — but praised train staff for including services between south-west of England, and a fur- veyor belts had no power, while fly to Malta to spend Christmas toilet that is working.” their assistance. Scotland and Northern Ireland, ther 273 lower-level flood alerts. storm damage meant there were with her family. She said: “I am Many other rail lines were On the roads, the Highways and to the Isle of Man. The port of The Met Office has amber for a period no trains at all to fuming and absolutely desperate less severely affected, including Agency reported a number Dover had to close overnight due weather warnings in place for the the airport, with both Gatwick — there has been no information South West Trains, First Great of routes closed or subject to to the strong winds but reopened west of Scotland and Northern Express and Southern services at all and we can’t make alter- Western, East Coast, Virgin and delays due to flooding, fallen again at 7.30am. Isles, cautioning of winds gusting suspended amid repairs to the native plans. We’re just hanging local services in Wales and the trees or other incidents, with THE GUARDIAN

Spacewalk Virus kills over Mission accomplished, 1,000 bottlenose dolphins along declares Snowden WASHINGTON: The whistle- to be a second authorisation for US east coast blower Edward Snowden has copying files to a hard drive but ORLANDO: More than 1,000 declared “mission accom- was rejected. If his suggestion migratory bottlenose dolphins plished”, seven months after had been implemented Snowden have died from a measles-like revelations were first published would not have been able to copy virus along the US Eastern from his mass leak of National all the files he took. An NSA Seaboard in 2013 and the epi- Security Agency documents. spokeswoman also denied those demic shows no sign of abating, The documents, which were conversations had taken place. a marine biologist said. passed to the Guardian, as well “I am not trying to bring The death toll exceeds the the Washington Post and other down the NSA, I am working to 740 dolphins killed during the publications, revealed how tech- improve the NSA,” Snowden said. last big outbreak of the then- nological developments were used “I am still working for the NSA unknown virus in 1987-88. “It is by the US surveillance agency to right now. They are the only ones having a significant impact and spy on its own citizens and others who don’t realise it.” that is something we’re monitor- abroad, and also to spy on allies, Snowden revealed a little of ing closely,” said Erin Fougeres, a such as the US on Germany and his life in asylum in Moscow. He marine mammal biologist for the Australia on Indonesia. likened himself to an ascetic and National Oceanic and Atmospheric In 14 hours of interviews with a house cat and said he rarely Administration (NOAA). Washington Post journalist Barton left the house, spending most of Astronaut Mike Hopkins works outside the International Space Station (ISS) during a spacewalk yesterday An estimated 39,206 bot- Gellman, Snowden said: “For his days surfing the internet – in this still image taken from a video, courtesy of Nasa. Two Nasa astronauts floated outside the ISS for a tlenose dolphins populated the me, in terms of personal sat- though visitors have brought him second and final spacewalk to fix the outpost’s critical cooling system. eastern seaboard, to a depth isfaction, the mission’s already piles of books. He does not drink of 25 feet, from New Jersey to accomplished.” – he says he never has – and lives Central Florida in 2010, accord- He continued: “I already won. As mostly on ramen noodles. ing to the latest NOAA census. soon as the journalists were able to There has been speculation Scientists are trying to determine work, everything that I had been that Snowden has rigged up a why the morbillivirus resurged trying to do was validated. Because, type of “dead man’s switch” so if US lawmakers fight ‘war on Christmas’ this year. The dolphins, which remember, I didn’t want to change the NSA, or a similar spy agency, migrate south for the winter, have society. I wanted to give society a hurt or kill him, then a cache of WASHINGTON: Santa may Representatives Republican Doug minimise Christmas to just another been stranded or found dead on chance to determine if it should thousands of documents would be already be riding his sleigh Lamborn and 36 other lawmak- American federal holiday with no beaches from New York to Florida change itself. All I wanted was for released on to the internet. around the globe doling out ers introduced a resolution say- more or no less significance than since June, Fougeres said. the public to be able to have a say Snowden denied this and lik- gifts, but that did not stop US ing “the symbols and traditions any other federal holiday,” said the An unknown number of in how they are governed.” ened the scenario to a “suicide lawmakers and conservative of Christmas should be protected group’s national prayer coordina- affected dolphins likely died off- Snowden said other colleagues switch”, alluding to people who groups yesterday from warning for use by those who celebrate” tor, Regina Brown. shore as well, she said. A record at the NSA had been concerned might want the information on of efforts to sabotage Christmas. the holiday. One Republican running for number of manatees have also the agency was spying on “more the Internet, unchecked and Some members of Congress “There is a vocal minority that Congress in 2014 said the recent died in Florida waters this year, Americans in America than unredacted, and would kill him and religious organisations per- is offended at the rest of us who kerfuffle over the rant about mostly from a toxic algae bloom Russians in Russia” and were not for the sake of it. ennially complain of a movement, want to celebrate Christmas,” gays and non-Christian cultures in the Gulf of Mexico, according entirely comfortable with the data He named the chairs of the embracing the concept of sepa- Lamborn told Fox News on by Phil Robertson, star of cable to the state’s Fish and Wildlife collected on “ordinary” citizens. Senate and house intelligence ration of church and state, that Christmas Eve, urging people to TV show Duck Dynasty, was yet Conservation Commission. He described using the “front- committee, Dianne Feinstein and is attacking the message of the “not put up with these bans”. Nick another sign of a national shift The commission’s research page test” on his colleagues when Mike Rogers, as people who had Christmas season. Rahall, one of two Democrats to toward outright “persecution” of institute said it documented 803 raising the issues, asking them “elected” him to his whistleblower This month, in an example of sign on to the non-binding resolu- America’s Christians. manatee deaths in state waters how they thought the public would position by not doing their jobs what some have called the “war tion, put it succinctly. US broadcaster Fox News has between January 1 and December react if information was reported properly in ensuring the oversight on Christmas”, schoolchildren “To substituting time-honored reported extensively on the appar- 13, the most for any year since on the front page of a newspaper. of the NSA. in Texas were prevented from greetings like ‘Merry Christmas’ ent “war on Christmas,” produc- record-keeping began in 1974. He said he had brought his con- “It wasn’t that they put it delivering “Merry Christmas” with empty phrases such as ing an interactive map showing The morbillivirus virus out- cerns to at least four superiors and on me as an individual – that cards to military veterans ‘Happy Holidays’ — I say bah where Christmas has been given a breaks could be natural and sim- 15 colleagues at the NSA and used I’m uniquely qualified, an angel because they violated a Veterans humbug,” Rahall said. bad rap. But leading televangelist ply cyclical, said Fougeres. a heatmap from the data query descending from the heavens – Administration policy against The Faith & Freedom Coalition and preacher Joel Osteen went on “The last occurrence of this tool BOUNDLESSINFORMANT as that they put it on someone, specific religious phrasing. cited a “festivus pole” of cans, Fox News Sunday and poured cold was about 25 years ago and the to show how much data the somewhere,” he said. “You have President Barack Obama’s offi- erected next to a manger on gov- water on the theory. “I think there animals that survived that would agency was collecting. the capability, and you real- cial White House card meanwhile ernment property in Florida, as are certain groups that would like have natural antibodies. But as The NSA told the Washington ise every other [person] sitting makes no mention of Christmas, an example of how nativity scenes to” take the religious meaning out those animals slowly die out and Post that none of these approaches around the table has the same instead noting the “joy of the holi- are being mocked nationwide. of Christmas, but “I’m probably new animals are not exposed, they had taken place. Snowden also capability but they don’t do it. So days”. To counter what they see “All of this controversy not as concerned about it as some may not have that immunity,” said he had suggested changing somebody has to be the first.” as attacks on Christmas, House of in America is an attempt to others,” Osteen said. AFP Fougeres said. REUTERS NSA systems so there would need THE GUARDIAN WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 ASIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11

Festive show North Korea in China to ease bid to restart nuke complex one-child norm SEOUL: Satellite imagery suggests North Korea is mak- ing “wide-ranging, extensive” efforts to fully reactivate its main nuclear complex, a US early next year think-tank said yesterday, in line with Pyongyang’s vows to strengthen its weapons pro- gramme. Recent images show Legislators vote to end labour camps work at the Yongbyon nuclear compound apparently aimed at BEIJING: Changes to China’s of our economic and social prob- producing fuel rods to be used strict one-child policy, which will lems are rooted in this reality,” in a plutonium reactor, Johns allow more parents to have a sec- Xinhua quoted member of par- Hopkins University’s US-Korea ond child, will begin to roll out liament Jiang Fan as saying. “We Institute said. Analysis of the early next year, state media said. could not risk letting the popula- imagery identified one “proba- The policy change is expected tion grow out of control.” ble fuel fabrication plant” for the to go into force in some areas of China, with nearly 1.4 billion 5-megawatt plutonium reactor China in the first quarter of 2014, people, is the world’s most populous that reopened earlier this year, Yang Wenzhuang, a director at country. The government says the researcher Nick Hansen wrote the National Health and Family policy of limiting families to one on the institute’s blog, 38 North. Planning Commission, told the child, which covers 63 per cent of official Xinhua news agency. the population, has averted 400 A female diver dressed in a Santa Claus costume swims inside a large fish tank at the Sunshine Aquarium Woman, 60, gives Beijing said last month it would million births since 1980. in Tokyo yesterday. The daily show is open until today. allow millions of families to have Meanwhile, China’s top legisla- birth to twins two children, the most radical tive committee voted to abolish BEIJING: A Chinese woman relaxation of its strict one-child “re-education through labour” had twin girls at the age of 60 policy in close to three decades. camps introduced more than half following IVF treatment after The move is part of a plan to raise a century ago, saying they had her only child died, making her fertility rates and ease the finan- served their purpose. possibly the oldest person in cial burden on China’s rapidly “Lawmakers acknowledged the Thai protesters vow to hound PM the country to give birth, state ageing population.. important role laojiao (re-educa- media reported yesterday. The Authorities were in the proc- tion through labour) had played BANGKOK: Thai anti-gov- off by populist policies that have block all parts of Bangkok and case is extremely unusual in ess of calculating the number of in safeguarding public security, ernment protesters abandoned fuelled government graft. will not allow a single Bangkokian China because of the woman’s eligible couples, Yang said. China’s maintaining social stability and efforts to block candidates from Thirty-five parties have signed to cast a vote,” Suthep told age. Sheng Hailin, now 63, lost largely rubber-stamp parliament, correcting offenders,” the state signing up for a February elec- up for the poll, despite attempts supporters. her first daughter, then in her the National People’s Congress, is news agency Xinhua reported. tion yesterday but vowed to by protesters to stop them when “If you see Yingluck, no mat- late twenties, in an accidental expected to formally approve the But they agreed that the pro- hound Prime Minister Yingluck registrations opened at a Bangkok ter where she is, please call us, or gas poisoning case in 2009, the new policy later this week. gramme has been superseded by Shinawatra and thwart a poll sports stadium on Monday. post it on social media and we’ll China Daily said. “To survive The policy move has buoyed other correctional schemes, new she is expected to win. Protest leader Suthep send our mobile units to chase her and free myself of the loneli- baby-related stocks and has seen laws and amendments, it added. The protesters want Thailand’s Thaugsuban, a former deputy everywhere,” he said. ness, I decided to have another a rush for fertility-boosting prod- China introduced re-education fragile democracy to be sus- premier famed for fiery speeches, Yingluck has been in her Puea child in my old age,” she said. ucts. China would eventually scrap through labour in 1957 as a speedy pended, fearing the February 2 called off the blockade on Tuesday Thai Party’s northern strong- A military hospital in the east- family planning restrictions, but way to handle petty offenders. election would only entrench the but promised to ramp up the holds courting support while ern city of Hefei agreed to give was unlikely to abandon its family But the system — which allows a power of Yingluck’s billionaire campaign and chase Yingluck her credibility is attacked in her and her husband in vitro planning policy in the near term, a police panel to issue sentences of family, which is hugely popular from office. Bangkok. She has been on the fertilisation (IVF) therapy, the senior official said last month. up to four years without trial — among the rural poor of the popu- Yingluck, the sister of self- road for six of the past eight report said. She gave birth to Xinhua cited members of par- soon became rife with abuse. lous north and northeast. exiled former premier Thaksin days and on Tuesday extended Zhizhi, who weighed 1.85kg, liament debating the easing of the The camps have become “super- At their peak, rallies seek- Shinawatra, called a snap poll her trip until the New Year. and Huihui, 1.45kg, on May 25, rules yesterday as saying that it fluous” as the country’s legal sys- ing to overthrow Yingluck and two weeks ago to try to deflate The election has been made 2010 at the No. 105 Hospital of was important the country con- tem has developed, Xinhua said late install an appointed government the protests. The noisy but mainly more uncertain by a boycott by the People’s Liberation Army, tinues to enforce family planning Monday, citing a bill put forward have attracted more than 200,000 peaceful protests are driven by the main opposition Democrat said the paper. and that people who violate the by the State Council, or cabinet. people, with strong backing from anger over Thaksin’s influence Party, which draws its support rules are punished. “The historical mission of laojiao Bangkok’s middle classes. Many over his sister’s government. from Bangkok and the south, the Jail for smuggling “China still has a large popula- has been completed,” it added. among the Bangkok elite believe “If Yingluck doesn’t resign or same base as Suthep’s group. tion. This has not changed. Many AGENCIES rural voters have been bought stays until February 2, we will REUTERS baby formula HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court has jailed a woman for smuggling baby formula, S Korea President in DMZ the first time anybody has been sent to prison under Sri Lanka bars $40m fund to compensate the city’s ban on unlicensed milk powder export, officials Australian said. The 37-year-old woman, victims of Rana Plaza whose nationality has not been disclosed, was jailed for luxury hotelier DHAKA: Four global retailers, brands and labour activist groups five weeks after being found along with manufacturers and on a compensation deal ended in with four boxes of baby milk in flag spat labour groups, have agreed to set failure in Geneva in September. formula weighing 3.2kg at up a $40m compensation fund The collapse of the nine-sto- the border crossing between COLOMBO: Sri Lankan author- for victims of Bangladesh’s Rana rey complex on the outskirts of Hong Kong and its neigh- ities barred the Australian owner Plaza disaster that killed 1,135 Dhaka, where workers stitched bouring mainland Chinese of one of the world’s most exclu- people, officials said yesterday. clothes for top Western retailers, city of Shenzhen on Sunday. sive hotels from returning to his Retailers Primark, El Corte highlighted the often appalling Hong Kong barred people adopted homeland yesterday for Ingles, Loblaw and Bonmarche conditions and lack of rights for from taking more than than flying the national flag upside have pledged to contribute to the workers at Bangladesh’s 4,500 1.8kg of formula out of the down, officials said. fund following the collapse of the garment factories. city in March after a rush on Geoffrey Dobbs, who is also garment factory complex in April, Bangladesh’s $22bn garment milk powder by Chinese par- the organiser of an international the world’s worst industrial trag- industry is the world’s second ents, distrustful of domestic literary festival in the tourist edy, the officials said. largest after China’s and employs milk brands due to a 2008 city of Galle, was turned back at “A fund has been established to four million workers, most of scandal involving formula Colombo airport for the second compensate the victims, injured them women. tainted with melamine that time in five days, the officials said. workers and dependants of the More than 100 European and killed six children and sick- “He tried to enter the country deceased, of the Rana Plaza col- US retailers pledged to improve ened 300,000 others. this morning, but we did not allow lapse,” said Lejo Sibbel from the safety in the wake of the trag- it,” U G Udowita, the head of immi- International Labour Organisation edy, but a deal on compensation 16 killed in clash gration at Colombo airport, said. which helped broker the agree- for families of workers and those “He flew in from Bangkok on a Sri ment reached last month. injured has remained elusive. BEIJING: Six Uighur women Lankan airlines flight and the air- “An estimated $40m will be Families have received some were among 16 people killed line will take him out in the next required to compensate the vic- short-term compensation from in a clash in China’s restive available flight back to Thailand.” tims and their beneficiaries,” said Anglo-Irish retailer Primark as Xinjiang region last week, Immigration sources said that Sibbel, who is based in Dhaka. well as from the Bangladesh gov- campaign groups said. The Dobbs had also been turned back “To finance the payments to ernment. Under the new agree- Munich-based World Uyghur at the airport on Friday after fly- victims, international brands and ment, families are expected to Congress and Radio Free ing in from Thailand. retailers are making voluntary receive the first payments in Asia said police raided a house Provincial governor Kumari contributions into the fund, which February, according to Ineke where an extended family was Balasuriya said Dobbs had been South Korean President Park Geun-hye (front) inspects a barbed wire is also open to contributions from Zeldenrust of Clean Clothes gathering. The dead included blacklisted after flying four flags fence at a military unit in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) in Yanggu any other international donors,” Campaign, an Amsterdam-based two police officers, with the — which each feature the image county, Gangwon Province, South Korea, yesterday. The DMZ has he said. textile rights group which also other 14 all Uighurs. of a mythical lion — upside down The agreement comes after signed the arrangement. AGENCIES separated the two Koreas since the end of the three-year Korean and at half mast near her home talks between owners of clothing AFP War in 1953. in Galle just before last month’s Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka. “Neighbours were very angry that he was insulting our country,” Balasuriya said. “He is a very undesirable per- son and we have decided to black- Nepal’s Maoists agree to join assembly, ending impasse list him and prevent him from entering the country,” she added. KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Maoists The Maoists threw the country into lifestyles, a stark contrast to their revo- reach a deal?” he said. “Our focus now is on Balasuriya said that Dobbs agreed yesterday to join the country’s renewed turmoil when they claimed fraud in lutionary ideals. At the November polls, delivering the constitution within a year.” had deliberately flown the flags constituent assembly, ending a month- the November 19 elections, which were seen the former guerrillas won just 80 out of Ram Chandra Paudel, a senior leader from upside down after local work- long political deadlock and raising hopes as key to completing a peace process after 575 seats and came a distant third behind the Nepali Congress which is expected to lead men had accidentally inverted an of long-awaited political stability in the the war that killed 16,000 ended in 2006. the Nepali Congress and Unified Marxist- the new government, told reporters: “This Australian flag. The British-born Himalayan nation. The former rebels swept the first Leninist (UML) parties. agreement has made us all very happy.” “This Dobbs, who is a former publisher, A senior leader said the Maoists, who post-war elections in 2008, toppling the Prachanda demanded a halt to vote- is the first step towards drafting the consti- runs four luxury hotels in the took power at the ballot box after a dec- 240-year-old Hindu monarchy and trans- counting and claimed fraud after results tution,” Paudel said. International observers Galle region where some rooms ade-long civil war but were routed in forming the kingdom into a secular repub- showed him losing his Kathmandu constit- have expressed concern at the impact of the cost more than $2,000 a night. last month’s election for a new assembly, lic. But impoverished Nepal has been in uency, where he eventually came a distant prolonged turmoil on Nepal, which relies on His portfolio includes the pri- would join the body after other political disarray since then, with a string of coali- third. But the Maoists yesterday signed a tourism, remittances and aid. vate Taprobane Island, whose parties promised to probe their claims of tion governments squabbling and failing deal forged with the other parties to join Lokraj Baral, executive chairman of guests have included pop stars vote-rigging. to write a constitution. The first assembly the assembly, after a clause on the prom- the Kathmandu-based Nepal Centre for Sting and Kylie Minogue. It has “We have agreed to join the assembly and eventually collapsed in 2012. ised probe was included. Contemporary Studies, said the parties had been named one of the world’s 50 help draft a constitution,” senior Maoist The Maoists — including rebel-leader- Senior Maoist leader Shrestha said they to settle for “a compromise formula”. most romantic locations by Conde official Narayan Kaji Shrestha said. The turned-politician Pushpa Kamal Dahal, signed the agreement “for the sake of the “They have no other option—the Maoists Nast Traveller magazine. assembly will act as a parliament as well better known as Prachanda — have faced peace process”. “If each party remains have had to reconcile themselves to their AFP as drafting a new charter. criticism over their apparent lavish adamant on its position, then how can we electoral losses,” Baral said. AFP WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com PHILIPPINES

Victims of super Typhoon Haiyan decorate their improvised Christmas tree with empty cans and bottles (above) and with different appliances, plastic plates and toys (right) in the ravaged town of Anibong, Tacloban City, central Philippines, yesterday. Typhoon woes fail to dampen festive mood

Dotado’s neighbour Shirley Survivors rebuilding their homes Dinalo, 20, said she would use the cash handout to buy medicines for TACLOBAN CITY: Philippine husband and four young nephews her two daughters, aged two and survivors of deadly typhoon and nieces in the 6x10-feet home four, who have been suffering from Haiyan defiantly prepared to put together from salvaged wood colds. The family is staying with celebrate Christmas in their and sheet metal, said the family her in-laws after their own house ruined communities yesterday would eat a traditional Christmas was destroyed by storm surges. where festive trees adorned dinner at midnight, with fried She said her husband, a van streets and churches were filled noodles and sliced bread given to driver, did not have any money to overflowing. them by a relief agency. and the family did not plan on “Nothing can stop us from wel- Their 20-year-old neighbour doing anything special. “When coming Christmas even though we Ronfrey Magdua built a giant, it rains hard I lie in bed, unable have lost our home,” 63-year-old 4-metre-tall star-shaped lantern to sleep, worrying that a typhoon butcher’s wife Ellen Miano said using salvaged wood and wrapped will hit us again,” she said. from a tiny shanty rising from a in the Philippine flag’s motif of Despite continuing hardship, field of debris here. red, white and blue, and put it up damaged churches in Tacloban Haiyan’s ferocious 315km an in the yard of a family that per- and nearby towns opened their hour winds flattened the gritty ished in the disaster. “I made this doors early yesterday for the last Magallanes neighbourhood on in honour of the dead,” the job- of the pre-dawn mass held in the Tacloban’s coast, then swept up less man said and added he spent 10 days until Christmas Eve. everything else with giant waves about 2,000 pesos ($45) of his own “There will always be something in a day of terror on November 8. savings on the project. beautiful that will come after Tacloban and nearby districts Water and electricity have only what happened to us,” Bernardo accounted for more than 5,000 of been restored to a few commer- Pantin, the parish priest of Palo the 6,000-plus confirmed deaths, cial areas in Tacloban — a once- town adjacent to Tacloban, said with nearly 2,000 others missing, bustling city of over 221,000. But Children hold plates on top of their heads against rainfall as they queue for free meals in the town of Bislig, Tanauan at a makeshift church. making it the country’s deadliest amid the damage, many are trying in Leyte province, central Philippines, yesterday. “It (the typhoon) changed our storm and one of its worst natural to restore normality, rebuilding lives, but we know that good disasters. their homes out of salvaged scrap The UN’s World Food schemes where people who lost peanut butter, funded by the UN things will follow. But of course The storm made 4.4 million or with material purchased with Programme has given out 1,300 their jobs are paid the minimum cash windfall. “These should tide us it will take time,” Pantin said. homeless and caused $12.9bn in money provided by aid agencies. pesos to 18,000 of the poorest daily wage to clear debris from through Christmas,” said Dotado, For some, though, it is hard to damage, according to the gov- Others huddle in white tents families in Tacloban and nearby roads, Almagro said. whose makeshift home, comprising be optimistic. At the Palo parish ernment, which estimates it will provided by the United Nations. areas, said spokeswoman Amor The small dining table in the roofing and wooden planks scav- of San Joaquin, Rico Cobacha, 27, take the affected central region, Some of the survivors have Almagro. The UN agency plans to shanty of carpenter’s wife and enged from a local school destroyed said: “It will be difficult to cele- an area the size of Portugal, four received small amounts of cash provide $6m to 100,000 families in mother-of-two Jean Dotado, 31, in by the typhoon, also contained brate Christmas after we lost 15 years to recover. from the UN, the Philippine gov- the next few weeks. Other agen- Palo town was laden with apples, sacks of rice and instant noodles relatives.” Miano, who lives with her ernment and other aid groups. cies are financing government oranges, grapes, sliced bread and received from aid groups. AFP Bus terminals, NPA rebels torch taxis before truce ports see rise MANILA: Communist insur- before burning them, he said. President Benigno Aquino had gents in the southern Philippines He said the 10 gunmen identified declared his own unilateral truce in Filipinos torched three taxis barely themselves to the drivers as mem- with the NPA from December an hour before their 48-hour bers of the NPA. 21 to January 15. In a statement returning home Christmas truce took effect, Police suspect the incident issued yesterday, the government police said yesterday. was part of an extortion attempt peace negotiating panel called on MANILA: People travel- New People’s Army (NPA) against the taxi company. The the communists “to be faithful to ling to spend the holidays guerrillas burned the three cabs NPA, which is active in the hin- the spirit and letter of the cease- in their home prov- of Holiday Taxi company in the terlands of the Philippine archi- fire that they have declared and inces continue to come city of Panabo late on Monday, pelago, has long resorted to to respect the prolonged ceasefire in droves to various bus about an hour before midnight extorting money from rural busi- declared by our government”. terminals and ports in when their truce started, said nesses to raise funds. Aquino had been aiming to Metro Manila. regional police spokesman Chief The Communist Party of the end the leftist rebellion before he Authorities said the Inspector Jed Clamor. Philippines, which controls the leaves office in 2016, but the gov- number of passengers “This was planned. They hired 4,000-strong NPA, had earlier ernment said in April that peace going to ports in Manila the three taxis in different areas, declared a 48-hour Christmas talks had collapsed. The fighting has increased by 80 per- had them go to Panabo and then truce from yesterday as well as has claimed 30,000 lives since 1969 cent compared to the holi- they pointed guns at the drivers another 48-hour ceasefire from according to a government tally. day rush last year. and commandeered the taxis,” New Year’s Eve. AFP Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena said that the number Estrada visits Arroyo of travellers this year is based on data from ship- ping lines. The shipping companies have reported that trips going to the provinces during the holidays are already fully booked. The surge of passengers is expected to continue. Figures showed that last week more than 215,000 passengers left Manila for the provinces. Meanwhile, reports said that hundreds of passen- gers continue to troop to the Araneta Centre bus terminal in Cubao, Quezon City. The termi- nal’s management expects the number to swell today. There are also reports that bus fare rates have Former Philippine president and now Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada answers questions from the press as he increased by as much as leaves Veterans Memorial Medical Centre in Manila after visiting former president Gloria Arroyo. Arroyo is P250, particularly for buses under hospital arrest over corruption charges. going to Capiz province. THE PHILIPPINE STAR WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 China commits $6.5bn for Pakistan nuclear project Twin blasts ISLAMABAD: China has in Pakistan’s capacity to run Pakistan and China, both nuclear supply deal with India supply two nuclear reactors at the kill three committed $6.5bn to finance the a nuclear power plant with all nuclear-armed nations, consider in 2008, irking both China and Chashma nuclear power complex construction of a major nuclear checks in place,” said Ansar each other close friends and their Pakistan. in Pakistan’s Punjab region, while in Karachi power project in Pakistan’s port Parvez, chairman of the Pakistan ties have been underpinned by Pakistan wants a similar agree- another two are also under con- city of Karachi as it seeks to Atomic Energy Commission common wariness of India and a ment with the United States but struction with Chinese assistance. KARACHI: At least three peo- strengthen ties with its strate- which runs the civilian nuclear desire to hedge against US influ- it is reluctant, largely because China’s nuclear cooperation ple were killed and 30 injured in gic partner, Pakistani officials programme. ence in South Asia. Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul with Pakistan has caused unease twin bomb blasts targeting Shia said. “As things stand, the perform- Pakistan sees nuclear energy Qadeer Khan admitted in 2004 in Washington, Delhi and other Muslims in Pakistan’s port city Pakistani Prime Minister ance and capacity of nuclear as key to its efforts to solve power to transferring nuclear secrets to capitals due to fears about com- of Karachi yesterday, officials Nawaz Sharif broke ground on power plants in Pakistan is far shortages that have crippled its North Korea, Iran and Iraq. mitment to nuclear non-prolifer- said. the $9.59bn project last month but better compared to non-nuclear economy. Pakistan generates “There should be no dou- ation rules. The blasts occurred as Shias officials have provided few details plants.” about 11,000MW of power while ble standards in terms of civil- China says its nuclear ties with observed the 40th day of mourn- of how they plan to finance it. Parvez declined to give more total demand is about 15,000MW. ian nuclear deals,” Parvez said. Pakistan are entirely peaceful and ing of the martyrdom of Imam Financing documents seen by details of the funding but said it Blackouts lasting more than “Pakistan has energy needs and come under International Atomic Hussain. Reuters showed China National would be completed by 2019 and half a day in some areas have the building of two new reactors Energy Agency safeguards. It has The first blast came near the Nuclear Cooperation (CNNC) each of the two reactors would be infuriated many Pakistanis and should convince everyone that not given details of the project’s wall of a Shia mosque in Orangi has promised to grant a loan of larger than the combined power sparked violent protests, under- international embargoes and financing but state media has put Town, a bustling western suburb, at least $6.5bn to finance the of all nuclear reactors now oper- mining an economy already beset restrictions and Indian lobbying its total value at $9.59bn. followed by another powerful project which will have two reac- ating in Pakistan. by high unemployment, wide- won’t stop us.” “Bilateral cooperation in the explosion a short distance away. tors with a capacity of 1,100 mega- As part of the deal, China has spread poverty, crime and sectar- Pakistan carried out its first energy sector is to help amel- An official from Abbasi Shaheed watts each. also waived a $250,000 insurance ian and insurgent violence. nuclear tests in 1998, soon after iorate Pakistan’s energy short- Hospital said three bodies were Two members of the govern- premium on the loan, said two Under its long-term energy India conducted tests. Both ages,” Chinese Foreign Ministry brought to the hospital along with ment’s energy team and three sources in the Energy Ministry plan, Pakistan hopes to produce refuse to join the Nuclear Non- spokeswoman Hua Chunying said 30 injured. sources close to the deal con- with knowledge of the project. more than 40,000MW of elec- proliferation Treaty, which would on Monday. “This accords with “Both the bombs were deto- firmed this. CNNC was not avail- They declined to be identified as tricity through nuclear plants by oblige them to scrap atomic the interests of the Pakistani nated with brief intervals, the able for comment. they are not authorised to speak 2050. weapons. people.” second was quite fatal,” Chaudhry “China has complete confidence to the media about the financing. The United States sealed a China has already helped REUTERS Asad, a senior police officer said. City police chief Shahid Hayat told reporters that both were timer devices. A third bomb exploded near Numaish Chowrangi in the east- ern district but no casuality was reported. The spot was supposed Security scare to be on the route of the Shiite procession. Pakistan has seen a steep rise in sectarian violence after a deadly clash between Sunni and Shiite delays trial Muslim groups in the cantonment city of Rawalpindi in November that left around a dozen people dead. Authorities switched off cell of Musharraf phone services in dozens of cities across the country on Tuesday as a security measure, while 10,000 Hearing postponed till January 1 soldiers were put on standby.

ISLAMABAD: Former government on a collision course I nfrastructure Pakistani military ruler Pervez with the all-powerful army, Musharraf’s trial for treason, which faces the embarrassment work begins which had been due to open of having its former chief tried yesterday, was postponed until by civilians. in Peshawar January 1 after explosives were The treason charges relate found near the road he was to to Musharraf’s imposition of PESHAWAR: More than take to court. emergency rule in November five months after the start of The 70-year-old had been 2007 and if found guilty he could the ongoing fiscal, the Khyber expected to appear in person face the death penalty or life Pakhtunkhwa government is before a specially-convened court imprisonment. set to begin implementing some in the capital Islamabad, after Justice Faisal Arab, head- new projects covered under the legal efforts to have the tribunal ing the three-member bench at current Annual Development ruled invalid failed. the special court, adjourned the Programme, according to the The treason allegations are the hearing to January 1 after police A paramilitary soldier and policemen stand guard outside a special court set up to try former Pakistani military relevant officials. latest in a series of serious criminal found explosives, a detonator ruler Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad yesterday. The provincial government, the charges relating to Musharraf’s and two pistols close to the route officials say, was to launch a mega 1999-2008 rule brought since he Musharraf was due to take from because of serious security threats serious criminal cases dating back Pakistan’s notoriously slow legal development project here yester- returned from exile in March. his house to the court. to his life. Musharraf is expected to his 1999-2008 rule. system, moving from adjourn- day, focusing on infrastructure His aides and lawyers have Muhammad Asjad, the police to attend the next hearing, where These include murder charges ment to adjournment with little improvement in Peshawar. This dismissed the cases as politically chief for Chak Shahzad, the state prosecutor Naseer-ud-din over the assassination in late 2007 clear progress made apart from will be the formal beginning of the motivated, accusing the govern- Islamabad suburb where Musharraf Khan Nayyar said the charges of former prime minister Benazir the granting of bail. new projects under the current ment and others of trying to use lives, told AFP the material had not would be read out to him. Bhutto, as well as the death of a There have been persistent ADP, including two for Peshawar. the courts to settle old scores. been assembled into a bomb. The court will also consider rebel leader, a deadly military rumours that a deal would be struck Of the Peshawar-specific Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Musharraf was the man who two petitions filed by Musharraf’s raid on a radical mosque and the to let him leave Pakistan before projects, one is about the city?s who won a third term in May’s led Pakistan into its uneasy alli- 10-strong legal team challenging detention of judges. facing the courts to avoid a clash beautification at the cost of Rs500 general election, was the man ance with the US in the “war the authority of the special court Musharraf was put under house between the army and government. million, while the other, the Rs1bn Musharraf ousted when he seized on terror” and the Taliban have and objecting to the appointment arrest in April but he has been But no deal has been forthcoming Peshawar Uplift Programme, is power in a bloodless coup in 1999. made repeated threats to kill him. of the prosecutor. granted bail in all of the cases and last week, speaking publicly for about improvement of local infra- It is the first time in Pakistan’s After the discovery, his law- Since returning from self- against him and is technically a free the first time since his house arrest structure, including roads, sani- history that a former military yer Anwar Mansoor Khan told imposed exile in March to run man, though the threats to his life began, Musharraf vowed to stay tation facilities, water supply, ruler has been put on trial for the court that the former gen- in the May general election, mean he lives under heavy guard. and fight to clear his name. streetlights and pavements. treason and the case puts the eral would not be able to attend Musharraf has faced a range of The cases have ground through AFP AGENCIES

Lower house panel on foreign affairs Election Commission to be reactivated issues code of conduct ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Assembly Standing ISLAMABAD: In what public gatherings, meetings and Committee on Foreign Affairs came as a surprise for many, rallies and on the polling day. Sardar Owais Leghari aims to the Election Commission of “This ban will continue for 24 activate the dead committee Pakistan (ECP) has excluded hours after compilation of final by involving international rela- the president from the list of results by returning officers.” tions experts and academia to public office-holders barred The code also prohibits aerial give suggestions for improving from directly or indirectly run- firing, fireworks and use of any the country’s foreign policy. ning the election campaign of explosive material at or around “In the first phase, the commit- any candidate for the local gov- public gatherings and polling sta- tee has proposed a one-year plan ernment polls. tions. Wall-chalking in all forms that will be implemented with the During the recent general elec- will be banned during the election active participation of the com- tions all public office-holders, campaign. Use of loudspeaker will mittee members,” said Leghari. including the president, were be allowed for election rallies. It is to be mentioned that barred from taking part in the It asks political parties, can- during the tenure of Asfandyar campaign of any candidate. didates and supporters not to Khan Wali as chairman, the Under the code of conduct for oppose participation of anybody committee was one of the dead the coming LG polls, the prime in the polls on the basis of gender, committees of the House which minister, chairman and deputy race, religion or caste. has held few meetings in the last chairman of the Senate, speakers, The candidates and their sup- five years. The committee mostly deputy speakers and members of porters will also have to avoid met to hold meetings with the Pakistani Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Major General Aamer Riaz (right) with his Indian counterpart national and provincial assem- speeches which provoke regional delegations. Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia at the Wagah Border Post, yesterday. blies, federal ministers, minis- or sectarian sentiments or have The committee comprises big ters of state, provincial governors, the potential to give birth to names and experts on the for- chief ministers and ministers and conflicts among genders, sects, eign policy including former Pakistan, India commanders meet advisers to the PM have been told linguistic groups and different Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood not to take part in campaigning. segments of society. Qureshi, leading expert on inter- Under Section 31 of the code, The code seeks to limit criti- national relation Dr Shireen ISLAMABAD: Leading army talks at Wagah border post, near the talks was “cordial, positive public meetings and processions cism against political parties and Mazari, former Speaker National commanders from Pakistan the eastern Pakistani city of and constructive”. will not be permissible and the opponent candidates to their poli- Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza, two and India met yesterday for the Lahore.The two sides agreed to “It is the first (such) meeting candidates will only be allowed cies, programmes and past record former chief ministers of Khyber first time in 14 years in a bid to make contact between the two between the senior army offi- to hold corner meetings after and their work, and avoiding crit- Pakhtunkhwa Aftab Ahmed Khan reduce tensions in the disputed DGMOs on their special hot- cials since Kargil,” senior Indian providing prior information icism of leaders of other political Sherpao and Amir Haider Hoti region of Kashmir after a year line “more effective and result- defence ministry spokesman to the local administration so parties and workers with respect and Daniyal Aziz, the man behind of intermittent clashes. oriented”, a joint statement Sitanshu Kar said, referring to the that they could make security to their personal life, which has Musharraf’s local government The directors general of mili- released by the Pakistani mili- brief war between the two nations arrangements. nothing to do with their public system introduced in 2001. tary operations (DGMO) from tary after the meeting said. The in divided Kashmir in 1999. Section 26 places a bar on dis- activities. INTERNEWS both neighbours held face-to-face release said the atmosphere of AFP play and carrying of weapons in INTERNEWS WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA BJP to launch Daring stunt ‘Modi for PM’ campaign Country looking up to party: Official

NEW DELHI: Upbeat over the Ahead of the 2014 polls, the party’s recent success in assem- BJP will bring out a “chargesheet” bly polls in three states, the highlighting the “black decade of BJP said yesterday that it will UPA rule” besides a vision docu- soon launch a “Modi for PM” ment and a manifesto, party campaign, aiming to win the leaders said. Javadekar said that required majority of 272 of the with around 120 days to go for the 543 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 general elections, the party will general elections. devote 60 days each to prepara- “The BJP is approaching the tion and campaign. 2014 polls with full confidence to The party has also launched win 272 seats on its own,” party a website india272.com, which Stunt-drivers perform during an annual fair in Mumbai yesterday. The 10-day-long fair is being held at the Mahim beach to honour a Sufi saint. spokesperson Prakash Javadekar has registered over a lakh volun- said after party leaders reviewed teers since December 22, he said. the 2014 campaign strategy. Noting that “organisation was its “The state results show that strength”, Ananth Kumar said the BJP is being pursued by people the BJP will complete meetings of as an alternative. The campaign booth-level workers by February will focus on good governance and 28 in 450 Lok Sabha constituen- Congress divided over outside support to AAP hope that the BJP symbolises,” he cies across the country. said. The 272 is the simple major- It will also hold meetings with NEW DELHI: As Aam Aadmi party’s outside support to AAP. networking sites, where the deb- Saurabh Bhardwaj, Somnath ity mark needed in the Lok Sabha intelligentsia and local communi- Party (AAP) leader Arvind Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi utant party justified its decision Bharti, Rakhi Birla, Satyendra for any party to be able to form a ties like fishermen, weavers etc. Kejriwal yesterday held consul- confirmed the divide in the party to take outside support from the Jain and Girish Soni. government. The party will also start a drive tations on government formation over support to the AAP. grand old party to form a govern- Party sources said Kejriwal As part of the plan, the BJP next month to felicitate and reg- and the party named its minis- “There were divergent views ment, but also threatened action wanted to discuss financial health will launch a “Modi for PM” cam- ister young voters. ters, a section of the Congress within the Congress on extend- against its corrupt ministers. of Delhi government with the paign to reach out to around 100 Rajnath Singh congratulated was divided over extending out- ing support to the AAP. There is “We’ll take action against any chief secretary. million households seeking their the party’s chief ministers for side support to the party, indi- an opinion in the Congress that previous corrupt ministers of the AAP has made a slew of prom- votes and donations, party leader the electoral success in the recent cating tough times ahead for the the decision to support AAP was Congress and the BJP (Bharatiya ises, including those related to Ananth Kumar said. assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, political arrangement. not correct,” he said. Janata Party),” it said. Kejriwal power and water supply, that “His (Narendra Modi’s) image Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. He Kejriwal, set to be the next A source in the party said: “It’s who held consultations on gov- its critics say will be difficult to will attract voters. The country is asked the chief ministers to keep chief minister of Delhi, met a catch-22 situation because if the ernment formation with Delhi’s implement. “Among other things, looking up to the BJP and Modi,” up the momentum in the run-up Chief Secretary D M Spolia at party withdraws support to AAP, chief secretary, has refused secu- Kejriwal wanted to discuss with he said after a meeting of the BJP to the national polls. his Kaushambi residence. then it would be shooting itself in rity and official bungalow he is the chief secretary the financial parliamentary board headed by Party veteran L K Advani, The senior official apprised him the foot as the party in the first entitled to. Delhi chief minister health of the government,” a party party chief Rajnath Singh. prime ministerial nominee of the the nitty-gritty of the gov- place shouldn’t have given outside is given Z category security. source said. “We will seek votes and dona- Narendra Modi and four BJP ernment formation and swearing- support. We are stuck.” AAP sources said in the meet- Government sources said Spolia tions ranging between Rs10 and chief ministers — Shivraj Singh in ceremony likely to take place at But, for now, senior Congress ing to chalk out cabinet portfolios, informed Kejriwal that President Rs1,000 from around 100 million Chouhan of Madhya Pradesh, the historic Ramlila ground, AAP leaders are evading the ques- a senior AAP member walked out Pranab Mukherjee’s clearance has households across the country for Raman Singh of Chhattisgarh, sources said. tion of their likely withdrawal of as he was upset over not being been given for government forma- the ‘Modi for PM’ fund,” he said. Vasundhara Raje of Rajasthan Meanwhile, angry Congress support to the AAP. Divergence given a cabinet berth. But, AAP tion. A reshuffle in bureaucracy is Ananth Kumar said the idea and Manohar Parrikar of Goa — workers protested and burnt the in Congress views became more members denied the rift. expected with the AAP coming was taken from Jayaprakash also attended the meeting. effigy of Kejriwal as many of its pronounced after release of a AAP declared its list of minis- to power. Narayan’s movement in the 1970s. IANS workers are unhappy with the two-minute video posted on social ters. They include Manish Sisodia, IANS Elephant tranquilised Pained to hear baseless news, says Dileep

KOCHI: Malayalam actor Dileep yesterday said that he was pained at hearing “base- less news” about foreign cur- rency being recovered after his house and offices were raided by excise and service tax officials. “I was really pained to hear some TV channels air such news about me. I am a person who has been working hard for the past 18 years and my life is an open Forest guards monitor an injured wild elephant after it was tranquilised book,” the the 45-year-old actor for treatment at the Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, in Siliguri, yesterday. said after visiting the office of the central excise department. He said that after the raids were over, a section of the media went gaga with revelations of foreign currency being recovered 8.8 million households from his home and offices. “Just $350 was found. My brother-in-law had just returned from the US and with regards to in urban slums: Report the cash, I had withdrawn from the bank as construction of my NEW DELHI: An estimated inadequacy of drinking water, and theatre in Chalakudy is going on. 8.8 million Indian households are poor construction. “I showed the records of the in urban slums that are over- Any compact settlement of at cash that was withdrawn. I have crowded and lack basic hygiene least 20 households with a col- paid all what I had to pay till and sanitation facilities, govern- lection of poorly built tenements, the month of October this year,” ment data showed yesterday. mostly of temporary nature, Dileep said. According to the National crowded together, usually with A press statement issued by Sample Survey Office (NSSO) inadequate sanitary and drink- the central excise department data, 38 percent of slum house- ing water facilities in unhygienic on Saturday said the raids were holds of urban India are in conditions, was considered a slum based on intelligence reports that Maharashtra. for the survey, NSSO said. Dileep evaded payment of serv- The second highest number of Such a settlement, if not a ice tax by hiding details of his slum households are in Andhra notified slum, was called a non- remuneration. Pradesh that accounts for 18 per- notified slum. Both notified slums “The reason why today it took cent of the total national figure. i.e. areas notified as slums by the a long time for me to come out of A total of 33,510 slums were concerned municipalities, corpo- the office was because since July estimated to be present in the rations, local bodies or develop- last year, a new service tax has urban areas of India. About 41 ment authorities and other slums been levied for the film industry percent of these were notified and were covered in the survey, it said. and I had a lot of questions to ask 59 percent non-notified, NSSO “An estimated 8.8 million the officials on it as the service said in a statement. households lived in urban slums, tax still lacks clarity. Maharashtra, with an esti- about 5.6 million in notified and “They also had lots of things to mated 7,723 slums, accounted for 3.2 million in non-notified slums,” ask me and hence the delay took about 23 percent of all slums in the NSSO said. The notified slums place,” said Dileep. urban India, followed by Andhra formed 41 percent of all slums but In the Malayalam film indus- Pradesh, accounting for 13.5 per- housed 63 percent of all slum- try, Dileep is currently rated as cent, and West Bengal, which dwelling households in India. the most sought after actor after had a share of about 12 percent, At the all-India level, the aver- the two superstars Mammootty according to official data collected age slum size was estimated at and Mohanlal. In 2000 and between July to December 2012. 263 households. The average noti- 2002, with blockbuster films like Slums are part of urban envi- fied slum had 404 households and Thenkasi Pattanem and Meesha ronment and they are identi- the average non-notified slum had Madhavan, Dileep scaled newer fied by the presence of features only 165 households. heights and has since then of living conditions that are About 56 percent of slums are remained at the top. undesirable viz. overcrowding, in the million-plus cities. IANS lack of hygiene and sanitation, IANS WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 US consular officials’ ID cards withdrawn UN approves accreditation for arrested diplomat; new envoy arrives in Washington, efforts on to defuse row

NEW DELHI: The India-US stand- deputy consul general in New York be any loosening of security. “There is no Biswal and other US officials after the US prosecutors agree to drop all charges off over the arrest of Indian diplomat dropped. change in the security situation and all Christmas break. against her as demanded by India. The Devyani Khobragade in New York con- India also took a slew of steps to pare US diplomatic and consular officials are Diplomats got a two week window to US has so far declined to do so saying tinued yesterday with New Delhi with- down the privileges of US diplomats here being provided security as before,” the defuse the crisis with Khobragade on “We take law enforcement seriously”. drawing the diplomatic identity cards in a retaliatory measure. Khobragade was sources said. Monday getting a waiver from personal If Khobragade, who was released on issued to US consular officials here. arrested on December 12 on criminal The sources added that the changes appearance at pre-trial processes related a $250,000 bond after her December 12 India said it has decided to take firm charges of visa fraud and making false have been made in traffic movement pat- to the case. Khobragade is scheduled to arrest, is allowed to leave the country “reciprocal steps” against US consular statements about how much she paid her terns and no changes have been made in appear before a Manhattan court to face after she gets her diplomatic immunity staff in the country following the end of housekeeper, Sangeeta Richard. security status of the US embassy in New charges of visa fraud and underpaying her with the case continuing, she would find the deadline for surrendering the identity In order to ensure her full diplomatic Delhi as security personnel continue to housekeeper and babysitter on January 13. it difficult to ever return to the US. cards provided to them. immunity, India shifted Khobragade to man checkposts there. India’s bid to get fuller “diplomatic Therein lies the rub as the diplomat’s “India has decided to take firm recipro- the Permanent Mission to the UN in Meanwhile, efforts are on to defuse the immunity” for Khobragade, also moved husband Aakash Singh Rathore, a phi- cal steps following the end of the deadline New York. India also said US consular row with the arrival of the new Indian a step forward with the UN processing losophy professor, is a US citizen. for surrender of identity cards provided to staff will now only be permitted to import ambassador in Washington. While S the Indian government’s request to reg- Meanwhile, a group of Indian-Americans US consular staff in India,” sources said. their requirements during the first six Jaishankar, who served as the Indian ister her as a member of its permanent has initiated an online petition to the The sources said new identity cards, which months on assuming office as is provided ambassador in China for the last four mission. However, the UN spokesman’s Obama administration to “immediately are replicas of those provided to Indian in the Vienna Convention for Consular years, may be able to present his cre- office said that the State Department drop all charges against the diplomat”. consulate officials in the US, are being Relations. Earlier, they were allowed dentials to US President Barack Obama, must approve the transfer of Khobragade Protesting “the manner of detention” given in lieu of the withdrawn cards. to import their requirements over the away on a family holiday in Hawaii, only from her job as deputy consul general in of Khobragade, the petition created on New Delhi has also decided that no three-year period of their tenure. in the New Year, he is expected to plunge New York to her new job as counsellor at December 18 on White House’s “We the cards will be given to family members of Sources dispelled as incorrect the news into the crisis solving mode straight away. the UN mission. People” forum, describes her as “one of the US consular officials, as the same cour- that clearances were accorded for any of The new ambassador, who played key It’s only after State Department faces of Indian government for the Indian tesy is not extended to Indians in the US. requests made for import of duty-free role in negotiating the landmark India-US approval, she will get full “diplomatic community in the United States”. India earlier used to extend cards to the goods since the freeze was announced last civil nuclear deal and other initiatives, is a immunity” as opposed to limited “con- “Her public humiliation injures the family members also. week. Sources said data provided by US familiar face to the Washington bureauc- sular immunity” for actions related to sentiments of the Indian American India has reacted sharply to the schools is being analysed and assessed. racy dealing with South Asia. Jaishankar, her official work, but the current charges community. Such incidents are bound to treatment meted out to 39-year-old Senior officials, however, dismissed the son of India’s leading strategic thinker, against her will remain on the book, as strain the Indo-US relations,” it says. To Khobragade, who was arrested and sub- concerns regarding security of US diplo- the late K Subrahmanyam, is expected State Department spokesperson Jen date 476 persons have signed the peti- jected to strip and cavity search. India matic officials in India. “India takes its to get the process moving with meet- Psaki has made clear. tion. It needs to get a total of 100,000 has demanded an unconditional apology obligations under the Vienna Convention ings with Assistant Secretary of State Khobragade could still be prosecuted signatures by January 17 to get a response and also that charges against the former very seriously and there has not been for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai once she leaves the UN job unless the from the White House. IANS

Anganwadi workers protest Environment ministry: Moily NGO files petition takes charge NEW DELHI: Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily in Supreme Court took additional charge of the environment ministry yes- terday, and said there will be no compromise on envi- for review of 377 ronmental issues. Moily was given the additional charge of the ministry of envi- NEW DELHI: NGO Naz and disclosed their intimate rela- ronment and forests after Foundation yesterday moved tionships on the basis of the high Jayanthi Natarajan resigned the Supreme Court seeking a court judgement decriminalising on December 21. “There will review of its ruling over Section the same,” the plea said. be no compromise (on the 377 of the Indian Penal Code, “There are a number of grave green image), we will have to according to which homosexual- and manifest errors of law and maintain that. I don’t want ity or same gender sex between wrong application of law in the to compromise on the basic two adults is a criminal offence. impugned judgment that need to principles... the benchmark of In a jolt to the lesbian, gay, be corrected under review by this this ministry,” Moily said. bisexual and transgender (LGBT) court,” the review petition said. community, the apex court held “The judgement is contrary to Women to head on December 11 that consensual the grain of Supreme Court’s own sex between adults of the same jurisprudence on advancement of family in Punjab gender was illegal and an offence fundamental rights and freedoms according to the existing law. of all people, especially those who The central government has face marginalisation in society,” ration cards already filed a review plea on the it said. Anganwadi (kindergarten) workers shout anti-government slogans during a protest rally in Ahmedabad yes- CHANDIGARH: The eld- apex court ruling. The Supreme Court in its order terday. Hundreds of workers demanded an increase in retirement age, regularisation of temporary jobs and est woman in households in The Apex Court set aside the said that those who indulge in a better livelihood in the Anganwadi sector. Punjab will now be consid- 2009 Delhi High Court verdict carnal intercourse against the ered the head of family in the that decriminalised homosexu- order of nature constitute differ- new ration cards, a spokes- ality. The high court ruling had ent classes and could not claim man for the food and supplies come on a public interest litiga- that “Section 377 suffers from department said yesterday. tion (PIL) by Naz Foundation. the vice of arbitrariness and irra- “The Punjab government has An Apex Court bench of Justice tional classification”. Telangana leaders press for state issued a notification regard- G S Singhvi and Justice S J It said the high court while ing new ration cards in which Mukhopadhaya held that there reading down Section 377 “over- the oldest woman in a family was no constitutional infirmity looked that a miniscule fraction HYDERABAD: Congress president that legislators from The Andhra Pradesh will be considered the head of in Section 377 of the IPC, which of the country’s population con- leaders from Telangana yes- Seemandhra (Rayalaseema and Reorganisation Bill, 2013, the family,” the spokesman makes gay sex an offence punish- stitute lesbians, gays, bisexuals or terday appealed to President coastal Andhra regions) were approved by the union cabinet said. “Such a woman, who is able with up to life imprisonment. transgenders”. Pranab Mukherjee to expedite deliberately stalling debate on earlier this month was sent by not less than 18 years of age, However, the court said appro- “... in last more than 150 years, the process for formation of a the bill. the president to the state assem- will be designated head of the priate changes in Section 377 can less than 200 people have been separate Telangana state. They alleged that Chief bly. He has asked the assembly to household for the purpose of be made through legislation and prosecuted (as per the reported A delegation of Congress lead- Minister N Kiran Kumar return the bill with its views by ration cards under the public parliament must take a decision orders) for committing offence ers led by Deputy Chief Minister Reddy and other ministers from January 23. distribution system,” he said. on the issue and that the judiciary under Section 377 IPC and this Damodar Rajanarasimha called Seemandhra were trying to mis- The bill was last week tabled He said if a household does has no role in it. cannot be made sound basis for on the president, who is on a lead people by stating that they in the assembly but the house not have a woman member The New Delhi-based founda- declaring that section ultra vires southern sojourn here, and sub- would stall bifurcation of the was adjourned without debate as or a woman 18 years old or tion sought an interim suspension the provisions of Articles 14, 15 mitted a memorandum. state. They also drew the atten- Seemandhra legislators oppos- above, the eldest male mem- of the operation of the judgment. and 21 of the Constitution,” the The delegation including state tion of Mukherjee to statement ing the bifurcation stalled the ber of the household shall It said in its petition that the apex court bench said. ministers, parliament mem- by Seemandhra leaders that they proceedings. deemed to be the head. judgment has caused immense Section 377 says: “Whoever bers and legislators complained would seek more time to debate The bill is likely to come up prejudice to all adult people who voluntarily has carnal intercourse to Mukherjee that even 14 days the bill. for discussion during the sec- Lover bites off engage in consensual sex, par- against the order of nature with after he sent Telangana bill to The Telangana leaders ond phase of the assembly’s win- ticularly those from the LGBT any man, woman or animal, shall the Andhra Pradesh assembly, requested the president to ter session beginning Jan 3. The bride’s tongue community, who suddenly have be punished with imprisonment no debate could take place. Union ensure that the assembly sent session will continue till Jan 23. been put at risk of prosecution for life, or with imprisonment Minister of State Balram Naik back the bill to him with its The House will have Sankranti BHUBANESWAR: Angry under criminal law. “In the last of either description for a term was also part of the delegation. views in the prescribed time. holidays from January 10 to 15. over the marriage of the four years, many people from the which may extend to 10 years, and Rajya Sabha member V “An early decision on the issue Makar Sankarnti, on January 14, woman he loved, a man bit LGBT community have become shall also be liable to fine.” Hanumantha Rao told reporters is better for both the regions,” is celebrated widely across the off her tongue in Odisha’s open about their sexual identity IANS that the delegation informed the said Hanumantha Rao. southern states. IANS Ganjam district minutes before her wedding with another man. The incident took place near Bhanjanagar town, about 150km from here, when the family mem- bers were purchasing some Gulmarg snowfall raises adrenaline level of holidayers wedding items leaving the 30-year-old bride in a GULMARG: This world- the place. The night temperature is here for the first time with her multi-utility vehicle. Police famous ski resort and tour- was below freezing point. The family. “I saw snowfall and rode Inspector Ajaya Barik said ist destination came alive skiers are enjoying the sport as a Gandola for the first time. This 35-year-old Sukanta Swain yesterday with scores of domes- honeymooners and merry-mak- is bliss. I request every nature got into the vehicle and for- tic and foreign tourists enjoy- ers prefer rides on the Gandola lover to come to Gulmarg and cibly kissed the bride. He also ing the snowfall that gave the cable car that carries them to take home an unparalleled expe- bit off her tongue and tried to Himalayan meadow at 8,820 feet Kongdoori heights at 12,300 feet rience,” she said. take her away. However, pas- a Christmas-card ambience. above the sea level. However, the happiness pervad- sersby came to the woman’s As thick and heavy flakes of “This place is heaven and if any- ing all around was marred when a rescue and overpowered the snow fell on tall Pine trees cov- body has any doubt, that person tourist and a taxi driver died after man. Police reached the site ered in dense fog, one wonders had better come here right away the vehicle skidded and rolled and arrested him. The wed- whether nature has a design to to see and find out,” Vinod Kumar, over on the Gulmarg-Tangmarg ding of the woman was per- hide this popular hill station from 34, from northern India, who added road because of extreme frost. formed after doctors in a brief mortal approach. he was very lucky to be greeted by Traffic authorities said that surgery re-attached the piece The 12km road from Tangmarg snow on his arrival in the “Meadow only vehicles fitted with chains of her tongue and provided up to the meadow has been closed of Flowers” as Gulmarg is famously and those with 4x4 facility would her necessary treatment at a IANS Tourists enjoy a walk on the streets of Srinagar after a snowfall. because of heavy snowfall at night referred to, said. be allowed to proceed to Gulmarg hospital, he said. as everything looks frozen around Mili Sharma, 34, from Mumbai from Tangmarg now. IANS

Wednesday 25 December 2013 21 Safar 1435 Volume 18 Number 5924 Price: QR2

www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 QE geared up Eurasian Economic Council meeting for MPHC share trading: CEO Market can absorb more IPOs

DOHA: Qatar Exchange in Qatar); Doha Bank (IPO (QE) is well-equipped to trade Center, 5th floor, Main Branch, the 300 million plus shares Doha); International Bank of of Mesaieed Petrochemical Qatar (Doha Main Branch); Holding Company (MPHC) Mashreq Bank (C-Ring Road); entering the primary market Masraf Al Rayan (Al-Saad, from December 31, 2013. The Grand Hamad, Doha City bourse is well prepared for Center, Qatar University, Salwa, trading the shares in February C-Ring Road, Wathnan, Wakra, 2014, when the MPHC listing is Qatar Olympic Committee- expected, QE announced. West Bay ); Qatar International The 22-day IPO subscription Islamic Bank (Khraba, Hilal, Bin period of the MPHC will run until Omran, Al-Khuraytiyat, Gharafa, January 21, 2014. Salwa, West Bay, Mirqab, Rashid Al Mansouri, CEO, QE Wakra Branches); and Qatar said QE is capable of handling Islamic Bank (Gharafa, Airport, the 323m shares coming to the Al-khurayityat, Wakra, Al Sadd, secondary market from MPHC. Salwa, Rayyan, Fanar, Al Khor Russian President Vladimir Putin (back centre) attends a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council at the Kremlin in Moscow, yesterday. The entry of MPHC shares to the and C-Ring Road). Putin said that the final pieces were in place for the 2015 launch of an economic union with Belarus and Kazakhstan that Moscow hopes can also market will help boost the bourse’s The International fund man- be joined by Ukraine. average trading volume. The local agers are keenly watching the market is capable of absorbing market developments in Qatar. more IPOs, Al Mansouri told Al Market players are looking for Sharq in an interview. QE’s upgrade by MSCI and S&P Meanwhile, the participating Dow Jones by the middle of 2014, banks confirmed their readi- which is expected to pave way for Gulf bond issuance to surge in 2014 ness to receive subscriptions the long-term investors to enter from the very first day of the the market. The upgrade means DUBAI: Bond issuance from Now the Fed has started cut- Factors behind its reluctance the benefits for local GREs and issuance, December 31, 2013. Qatar will be in the watch list the Gulf Arab region is set to ting back and global markets appear to include its substantial corporations of having a sover- The designated banks will open of most emerging market fund surge next year on the back of are reacting calmly, however. cash reserves, a long internal eign curve to price off, but large dedicated windows to receive the managers. heavy infrastructure spending Meanwhile, billions of dollars of review of the borrowing practices budget surpluses have made many subscriptions. QE continued to rally in and refinancing needs, while Abu Dhabi-linked obligations are of its GREs, and concern about Gulf governments reluctant to act QNB is the lead receiving Bank. November gaining 5.5 percent the Abu Dhabi sovereign may due in the next 12 months, and fellow emirate Dubai piling up upon this advice — only Qatar, All the branches of QNB in Qatar MoM, after rebounding in the return to the market after an the emirate is expected to replace debt. These factors mean a new Dubai and Bahrain are regular will receive the subscriptions. The previous month. The index was absence of nearly five years. at least some with new paper. bond to replace the maturing obli- issuers. Al Ahli Bank’s branches in Salwa, driven by strong 9M13 corpo- The region’s issuance of con- “We think $40-45 billion could gation is not certain next year. However, this hasn’t stopped Al Sadd, Mirqab, Wakra, Al Khor rate earnings, which held it rise ventional bonds and sukuk fell to be possible next year as more “There would be a lot of inves- Abu Dhabi GREs, which enjoy and Rayyan will also receive the up to a five-year high of 10,284 $28.97bn this year from $36.90bn non-government issuers come to tor interest in Abu Dhabi sover- strong ratings due to their state subscriptions. Other participating during the month. The index in 2012, according to IFR, a the market and large sovereign eign paper,” said Chavan Bhogaita, links, from issuing in the past, banks are Al Khaliji Commercial witnessed strong buying interest Thomson Reuters unit. refinancings boost the overall executive director for credit and some are expected to tap the Bank (Head Office Doha, Bin from domestic retail and insti- That was partly because of volumes,” said Klaus Froehlich, and alternative investments at market again in 2014. Omran, C-Ring Road branches); tutional investors, while foreign jitters about the US Federal head of investment banking for National Bank of Abu Dhabi . Abu Dhabi National Energy Co Arab Bank (Doha Main Branch, institutional investors pitched Reserve’s plans to cut its mon- the Middle East and North Africa “But the argument that they (TAQA) — with a $1bn bond due Al Sadd, C-Ring Road branches); during the second half of the etary stimulus, which widened at Morgan Stanley. don’t need the money is quite in September — has already sent Barwa Bank (Doha Main Branch, month. The Index ended 24.1 bond spreads globally, and partly The Abu Dhabi sovereign, powerful and I don’t think out an invitation to banks to pitch Al Sadd, Al Shafi, Al-Fardan percent higher on YTD basis in due to both Abu Dhabi and its gov- which has $1.5bn due to mature their position in this regard has for a role on a 2014 debt issue, Towers branches); Commercial November. ernment-related entities (GREs) in April, has not issued debt pub- changed in the last 12 months.” IFR reported this month. Bank of Qatar (All retail branches THE PENINSULA staying away from the market. licly since its debut deal in 2009. Bankers have long promoted REUTERS

Japan cabinet approves budget Indian rupee gains for third day in Oil rises on South low volumes MUMBAI: The rupee gained Sudan supply cut for a third straight session, strengthening to a one-week NEW YORK: Brent oil rose for Christmas Eve. By midday, trad- high on exporter dollar sales, yesterday, hovering at a two- ing in US and Brent oil fell off and but weaker domestic shares week high, as conflict in South prices were virtually unchanged limited a further rise. Sudan threatened the coun- from earlier in the session. Volumes were poor with try’s oil output at a time when Brent oil rose 43 cents to the markets closed today for production cuts in Libya are $111.99 a barrel by 12:03 p.m. EST Christmas and no major events already curbing global supply. (1703 GMT), after matching the left for the rest of the year. Amid the uncertainty, traders December 6 high of $112.06. US One source of support has bought back contracts to cover oil futures edged up 33 cents to been foreign buying in shares short positions ahead of the $99.24, above the 200-day moving and domestic debt this month. Christmas holiday today, which average of $98.89. Foreign funds have bought a com- drove US and European prices up US petrol futures reached a bined $3.3bn in debt and equities in light holiday trade. 15-week high of $2.8174 per gal- so far in December. “There’s a rule of thumb; you lon within fractions of a penny “The market is dull amid poor really don’t want to go home short of the 200-day moving average volumes due to the year end. Risk- with what’s going on,” said Rich of $2.8176. The contract was last averse exporters are seen selling Ilczyszyn, chief market strategist trading 1.24 percent higher at dollars, while oilers in general will and founder of iitrader.com LLC $2.8148. keep up the dollar bids, holding in Chicago. The crack, or difference, the rupee in a range,” said Vikas The situation in South Sudan between US crude oil futures and Babu Chittiprolu, a senior foreign “is going to put a potential crunch gasoline continued to widen after exchange dealer with state-run on supply in the short term,” he rising to a three-week high in the Andhra Bank. said. previous session. It last traded at The partially convertible US petrol futures supported oil $19.03 per barrel. rupee closed at 61.79/80 per dol- prices, trading up 1.24 percent, West Texas Intermediate lar on Tuesday compared with after reaching a 15-week high (WTI) crude, the US benchmark, 61.9525/9625 on Monday. The unit in the previous session. Refinery is up about 8 percent for the year, rose to 61.78 during the session, snags in the United States and while the gap with Brent widened its highest since December 18. striking refinery workers in to almost $20 earlier this year, as Traders will continue to moni- France thinned supply while more pipelines diverted oil from tor local shares, euro and other demand remains robust. the contract’s delivery point in Asian units for direction in the Workers receive building material at a construction site as they rebuild a hospital in Tokyo yesterday. Japanese New York Mercantile Exchange Cushing, Oklahoma, reducing a near term. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s cabinet approved the draft budget for the fiscal year starting next April. trading will close an hour early on supply glut. REUTERS Tuesday at 1.30pm EST (1830 GMT) REUTERS WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS

Hong Kong economy rises French economy Foreign money contracted 0.1 percent in stokes Spanish third quarter

PARIS: France’s economy contracted 0.1 percent in the property market third quarter, the statistics body INSEE confirmed yester- day, but indicated the country should dodge recession by grow- Overseas buyers stream back ing at the end of 2013. INSEE revised up second quar- MADRID: A grand yellow- international investors, it said. ter GDP growth to 0.6 percent brick edifice in Madrid’s posh- Mikel Marco-Gardoqui, CBRE’s from 0.5 percent. est shopping district, the ABC director of cross-border invest- The statistics agency also con- Serrano mall, is a Spanish sym- ment in Spain, said the surge was firmed its growth forecast for the bol of tradition and elegance. driven largely by investment funds fourth quarter, first announced Only it isn’t Spanish anymore. from the United States, Britain last week, of 0.4 percent. Like shops, offices, and apart- and France, plus rich private That wards off the threat of a ments across Spain, it has been investors from Latin America. double dip recession in the euro- snapped up by foreign buyers, “Lots of investors, mostly inter- zone’s second economy. who are streaming back a year national ones, are coming back to France escaped recession with after economists were warning the market, and that is driving a the second quarter growth, but the country faced ruin. slight recovery in prices,” he said. would fall back into recession if it “Since this summer there has “There is lots of floor space posted a second consecutive quar- been investment fever in Spain,” available, the prices are starting A Star Ferry (bottom) sails in front of the Hong Kong skyline. Hong Kong’s economy grew “moderately” year- terly contraction at the end of this said Jose Luis Ruiz, an independ- to rise, profitability has improved, on-year in the third quarter as domestic demand and “resilient” growth in the mainland Chinese market offset year. INSEE predicted growth of ent real estate consultant. so they are coming back to the a weaker environment in the West. 0.2 percent for the whole of 2013. “There are dozens of invest- market very actively.” The latest figures point to con- ment funds from all the major In the residential sector, Ruiz tinuing challenges for France, countries, such as Americans, said, “there are loads of foreign- which has seen its recovery wilt Germans and British, who are ers — French, Belgians, Dutch, while neighbouring Germany con- focussing on Spain.” British, Germans and lately Syria issues food tender with Iran credit tinues to post solid growth. Topped by a cupola and overlaid Russians — who want to have a Much of the German suc- with blue tiles, ABC Serrano was house here for their retirement, cess has been due to exports, formerly home to ABC, a leading or as a second residence.” ABU DHABI: A Syrian state tender is January 6 and all offers those on banking, asset freezes but INSEE figures show France conservative newspaper. House prices rose by 0.7 per- purchasing agency has issued should be submitted in euros on and the country’s two-year-old struggling to sell more of its prod- “It had become obsolete over cent overall in Spain in the third a tender to buy 50,000 tonnes a cost and freight basis, the docu- civil war have made tenders ucts abroad. Exports fell by 1.3 the years but it still benefits quarter of this year, the National of flour with payment through ment showed. difficult. percent in the third quarter, after from its unique location,” said Statistics Institute said — the an Iranian credit line, a tender A Syrian trading source said Syria has struggled in recent having increased by 1.9 percent in Thierry Julienne, chairman of first rise since 2010. document showed. offers submitted for rice and months to buy food through ten- the previous three-month period. IBA Capital Partners, the inter- The figure was hailed as a fur- It was the second time Syria sugar in the tender that closed ders for rice, sugar and wheat, Imports continued to increase, national investment group that ther sign of recovery after news had asked to buy food through on December 17 were currently although some deals have been however, rising by 0.9 percent bought the building. that Spain timidly emerged from Iran this month after asking for being negotiated. struck outside of that process after rising by 1.5 percent in the “This is a fantastic opportu- recession in the third quarter of quantities of sugar, rice, flour, “Most of the offers made for the using middlemen. second quarter. Thus foreign nity for us to recreate a first-rate this year. oils and various other commodi- tender are being done by Iranian Prior to asking for payment trade provided a net negative landmark in the socio-economic But professionals remained ties in a tender which closed on firms who are offering rice and through Iran, Syria had asked to contribution to GDP in the third fabric of central Madrid,” hesaid. cautious, even if prices are start- December 17. sugar that are already available pay for food through an unlocking quarter, of 0.6 points, after having Los Angeles-based real estate ing to rise in coveted spots such as Syria’s General Foreign Trade inside Iran,” one Syrian trading of funds frozen in international been made a positive contribution giant CBRE said in a report the sunny coasts. Spain’s banks, Organisation (GFTO) said source said. “The price offers are bank accounts. of 0.1 points in the second quarter. that investment in Spanish real which were bailed out last year sellers must accept payment also above the market price,” he said. The beginning of winter has Household spending, an impor- estate has returned to the lev- with ¤41bn ($56bn) of interna- through an Iranian credit line GFTO officials were not imme- made Syria’s plight even more tant element in the French econ- els it reached before the crisis of tional rescue funds, still have piles under an agreement between the diately available to comment. urgent and has prompted the omy, rose by only 0.1 percent in 2008, when a decade-long building of cheap properties left over from Commercial Bank of Syria and Sanctions imposed on Syrian United Nations to begin airlift- the third quarter as household boom went bust. the building boom, which have the Export Development Bank President Bashar Al Assad’s ing food into Syria from Iraq this purchasing power declined by 0.1 Such investment doubled in lost much of their value. of Iran. government by Washington and month. percent. 2013 to ¤4bn ($5.5bn) thanks to AFP The deadline for the flour Brussels do not cover food but REUTERS AFP China to aim for 7.5pc growth next year as exports recover

BEIJING: China will likely to seven percent to create more still near the weakest pace stick with this year’s growth room for reforms and discourage since the Asian 1997-98 finan- target of 7.5 percent for 2014 as local governments from pursuing cial crisis. top leaders balance the need to high growth rates. Stability remains the watch- keep the economy on an even Top leaders believe that main- word as President Xi Jinping and keel while pushing through taining the 7.5 percent target will Premier Li Keqiang seek to put necessary structural reforms, help keep growth humming to the economy on a more sustain- sources at top government create more jobs, while providing able footing. Li said economic think-tanks said. wiggle room to deepen reforms, growth of 7.2 percent was needed Growth will be supported by a government economists involved to keep a lid on unemployment. steady recovery in China’s exports in the discussions about the plans Beijing had maintained a tar- next year thanks to stronger said. get for growth of eight percent demand from developed econo- “Two camps who proposed for eight years before cutting it mies, the commerce ministry’s growth target — seven percent or in 2012 to 7.5 percent. think-tank said. 7.5 percent — made their points. Some policy advisers believe The 2014 growth target was But the government favours 7.5 the government may change the endorsed at the annual Central percent,” said an economist at the way it manages the economy by Economic Work Conference ear- State Information Centre, who avoiding setting a specific growth lier this month, when top lead- requested anonymity due to the target next year - in line with its ers pledged to maintain policy sensitivity of the issue. pledge to allow market forces stability and reasonable eco- Key economic targets for to play a decisive role allocating nomic growth at the closed-door 2014 will be announced by the resources. meeting. goverment during the annual par- At a key party plenum in Prior to the December 10-13 liament meeting in March. November, Chinese leaders meeting, some top think-tanks, The world’s second-largest pledged to make the most sweep- including the State Information economy is widely seen growing ing changes to the economy and Centre and the Chinese Academy around 7.6-7.7 percent in 2013, the country’s social fabric in of Social Sciences, had proposed just ahead of the government’s nearly three decades. to lower next year’s growth target 7.5 percent growth target, but REUTERS

Vietnam growth gathers steam

Vendors sell dolls and balloons on a street in Hanoi yesterday. Vietnam’s economy grew 5.42 percent in 2013, picking up speed slightly after its worst performance in more than a decade the previous year. WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 Libyan steel maker sees slight output rise Power, gas shortages disrupt production

MISRATA: The Libyan Iron improving,” he said in an inter- said, adding that during night and Steel Company (Lisco) is view. “We have a production plan shifts the restarted melt shop planning slightly higher overall for the coming year ... forecasting was operating only two of the production next year, its chair- a slight increase.” five furnaces. man said, but shortages of elec- “But we’re still facing many In 2012 the plant, which has a tricity and gas will continue to challenges, most importantly a maximum capacity of 1.6 million disrupt its recovery following shortage of power capacity and tonnes, aimed to produce just over the country’s civil war. also natural gas,” he added. 1 million tonnes yet managed only Chairman Mohamed Power cuts have hit Tripoli 350,000, company officials said Abdelmalik Al Faqih said that and other major cities as militias earlier this year. This was due to despite problems in producing and tribesmen demanding higher technical problems and the reluc- base liquid steel, the company pay or more political rights have tance of foreign experts to work would expand its capacity in fin- blocked gas pipelines, oilfields and there due to Libya’s insecurity. ished products in 2014, and was seaports to press their demands. Next year Lisco plans to pro- seeking a new market in Algeria These have hampered Lisco’s duce 1.1 million tonnes of liquid while demand in Egypt and production this year, forcing the steel. Faqih said the plant’s melt southern Europe remains weak. shutdown of a melt shop — where shop 1 would produce 650,000 State-owned Lisco, one of liquid steel is produced — for tonnes, up from around 400,000 North Africa’s biggest steel almost a month in September. tonnes in 2013 which was 70 per- makers, was launched under “From May until now we have cent of the firm’s original plan. Muammar Gaddafi as Libya tried been suffering from power capac- The melt shop 2 is planned to pro- An exterior view of an office of Rusal company in Moscow. to diversify from oil exports. It ity or gas problems,” Faqih said duce 450,000 tonnes next year. He shut down operations during the in the interview, conducted on gave no overall output figure for 2013, 2011 Nato-backed uprising which Sunday. Lisco has operated only but said it was working at slightly ousted Gaddafi and resumed pro- one or two gas plants throughout below 60 percent of the target. Rusal files case against LME duction last year. the year, leaving its third stand- Lisco, located in the central Faqih said Lisco, which is one ing idle. port city of Misrata, aims to con- LONDON: Rusal, the world’s According to Tuesday’s state- will proceed as announced”— from of Libya’s biggest corporations, “Based on discussions with tinue with a 3bn Libyan dinar largest aluminium producer, ment, “LME management con- April 2014 — it added. would continue to face problems the power company it seems ($2.44bn) expansion plan dating has triggered a judicial review siders that the grounds of Rusal’s Warehouse bottlenecks have in the new year. the problems of power short- from the Gaddafi era. of plans by the London Metal complaint are without merit, and occurred after metals like alu- “Overall production is ages will continue next year,” he REUTERS Exchange to reform how it will defend any judicial review minium became a financing tool stockpiles commodities, the proceedings vigorously”. in the wake of the 2008 global LME’s owner said yesterday. It noted that “the judicial financial crisis. Russian company Rusal filed a review seeks to challenge the Producers sold or pledged metal claim in the English High Court LME’s decision to introduce to traders and banks to raise on Monday, the Hong Kong Stock changes in its warehousing pol- much-needed working capital, Exchange said in a statement. icy” that followed a three-month with the result that the alumin- The Hong Kong bourse last year consultation. ium was locked up in warehouses, bought the LME, which is the “Rusal has alleged that the rather than finding its way to world’s biggest metals exchange. consultation conducted by LME companies needing base metals Rusal opposes a plan to expe- was unfair and procedurally to make goods. dite deliveries of base metals, in flawed, that the LME’s changes Meanwhile, cheap financing particular aluminium, that are to its warehousing policy are irra- and an aluminium market where traded on the LME. tional and disproportionate, and future prices exceed current The plan announced in that Rusal’s human rights have prices meant banks could lock in November is aimed at benefit- thereby been breached,” the state- an easy profit. In addition, pre- ing consumers and boosting the ment added. miums paid for more immediate LME’s market credibility. But Despite the judicial review, access to base metals have soared, producers have strongly opposed “implementation of the proposed raising buyers’ costs. the plan. changes to the warehousing policy AFP

A worker operates a furnace at Libyan Iron and Steel Company (Lisco) in Misrata yesterday.

QATARI MARKET SEC revives Bond Coupon Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P insider trading Qatar Govt 5.15% 4/9/2014 USD 101.38 0.25 % Aa2 AA Qatar Govt 3.125% 1/20/2017 USD 105.00 1.45 % Aa2 AA suit over Qatar Govt 6.55% 4/9/2019 USD 119.38 2.60 % Aa2 AA Qatar Govt 5.25% 1/20/2020 USD 112.13 3.05 % Aa2 AA Onyx shares Qatar Govt 4.5% 1/20/2022 USD 106.25 3.60 % Aa2 AA Qatar Govt 9.75% 6/15/2030 USD 153.50 4.96 % Aa2 AA Qatar Govt 6.4% 1/20/2040 USD 114.50 5.36 % Aa2 AA NEW YORK: US securities Qatar Govt 5.75% 1/20/2042 USD 105.50 5.37 % Aa2 AA regulators have filed a new Qatari Diar 3.5% 7/21/2015 USD 104.00 0.94 % Aa2 AA lawsuit accusing two Dubai residents of illegally trading Qatari Diar 5% 7/21/2020 USD 109.63 3.36 % Aa2 AA in Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc Comqat 5% 11/18/2014 USD 103.63 1.18 % A1 A- stock based on inside informa- Comqat 3.375% 4/11/2017 USD 103.63 2.23 % A1 A- tion, one month after a federal QIB 3.856% 10/7/2015 USD 104.13 1.50 % NR NR judge dismissed an earlier ver- QNB 3.125% 11/16/2015 USD 103.75 1.12 % Aa3 A+ sion of the lawsuit. QNB 3.375% 2/22/2017 USD 103.75 2.14 % Aa3 A+ The two defendants amassed Doha Bank 3.5% 3/14/2017 USD 103.75 2.29 % A2 A- “large, speculative and highly Qtel 3.375% 10/14/2016 USD 105.25 1.46 % A2 A leveraged” positions in both Onyx and Life Technologies Corp that Qtel 7.875% 6/10/2019 USD 122.88 3.27 % A2 A earned them profits of $3.7m, Qtel 4.75% 2/16/2021 USD 105.50 3.86 % A2 A the Securities and Exchange Qtel 5% 10/19/2025 USD 99.75 5.03 % A2 A Commission said in a new lawsuit. Rasgas 5.5% 9/30/2014 USD 103.50 0.95 % Aa3 A A Manhattan federal judge dis- Rasgas 5.832% 9/30/2016 USD 106.63 3.30 % Aa3 A missed an earlier lawsuit against Rasgas 5.298% 9/30/2020 USD 107.50 4.02 % Aa3 A the defendants, Dhia Jafar and Omar Nabulsi, and said the SEC SOVEREIGNS had not provided enough infor- Bond PDA* Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P mation to infer that the pair had Abu Dhabi Govt 5.5% 4/8/2014 USD 101.38 0.56 % Aa2 AA traded based on nonpublic tips. Abu Dhabi Govt 6.75% 4/8/2019 USD 122.00 2.31 % Aa2 AA But US District Judge Paul Dubai Govt 6.7% 10/5/2015 USD 108.25 1.92 % NR NR Oetken said he would keep the accounts that held the trading Dubai Govt 4.9% 5/2/2017 USD 106.50 2.85 % NR NR profits frozen for 30 days, and Dubai Govt 7.75% 10/5/2020 USD 119.75 4.35 % NR NR allowed the SEC some extra time Dubai Govt 6.45% 5/2/2022 USD 111.63 4.75 % NR NR to file an amended complaint. Qatar Govt 4% 1/20/2015 USD 103.50 0.87 % Aa2 AA In the new lawsuit, the SEC Bahrain Govt 6.273% 11/22/2018 USD 113.13 3.35 % NR BBB added allegations involving trad- Bahrain Govt 5.5% 3/31/2020 USD 103.25 4.89 % NR BBB ing in Life Technologies, and pro- Egypt Govt 5.75% 4/29/2020 USD 96.00 6.53 % Caa1 B- vided additional details about the trading. Morocco Govt 4.5% 10/5/2020 EUR 101.88 4.18 % NR BBB- *Periodic Distribution Amount Jafar and Nabulsi amassed the IMPORTANT NOTE: positions in each stock as short Published by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, P O Box 57, Doha, Qatar which term call options, among other is licensed and regulated by Qatar Central Bank and Jersey Financial Services financial instruments, the SEC Commission. Information quoted is from publicly available sources or proprietary said. data and subject to change. HSBC accepts no liability for any loss or damage arising out of the use of all or part of this material. This information is general and does not Hours after they purchased take into account individual circumstances, objectives or needs. The price of bonds the options, articles in Canada’s can and does fluctuate. The secondary market for bonds may not provide significant Financial Post newspaper liquidity or may trade based on prevailing market conditions. Past performance is not revealed confidential information a reliable indicator of future performance. You should consider these matters and about pending deals related to the consult your financial advisor prior to making any investment decisions. two companies, the SEC said. The pair traded in Life Technologies last January, and in Onyx in June, the SEC said. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Qatari bourse Spanish market rises index adds 45.30 points Real estate stocks lead Dubai higher

DOHA: Qatar Exchange pur- United Arab Emirates to emerg- sued its upswing trend yes- ing market status next year mean terday adding 45.30 points, any dip in prices will be well bid, or 0.43 percent, to advance to Khan said. 10,498.45 points from 10,453.15 Abu Dhabi’s measure climbed on Monday. 0.3 percent to a fresh five-year The volume of the shares closing high. Dana Gas rose 4.2 traded fell to 10,604,477 from percent; it said it had just received 14,952,892 on Monday and $53m from the Egyptian govern- the value of shares decreased ment out of a total of $330m owed, to QR374,794,547.80 from and that Egypt had committed to QR594,953,713.75 on Monday. work with the company on a plan Among the top gainers were to repay the remainder of its debt. Commercial Bank of Qatar which Qatar’s index advanced 0.4 per- was up 0.43 percent to QR70.50, cent, extending its 2013 gains to Electricity and Water gained 3.21 25.6 percent. percent to QR177.00, Vodafone Qatar Investors Group surged Qatar added 0.54 percent to 8.0 percent, rising sharply for a QR11.11 and Qatar Insurance rose third straight session, in what by 0.61 percent to QR65.80. traders say is a rally driven by The Banking and Financial sec- institutional buyers looking to A calendar shows the date at the stock exchange in Madrid, Spain, yesterday. The Spanish Ibex35 rose 0.17 points after the maximum figures tor index lost 0.08 points while win more seats on the board since achieved in Wall Street on Monday. Consumer Goods and Services the company said it would allo- sector index was up 0.11 points. cate them in proportion to share The industrial sector gained 1.03 ownership. points while insurance sector In Saudi Arabia, the bench- added 0.35 points. mark slipped 0.5 percent, eas- Russian firms at risk of US stimulus withdrawal Meanwhile, year-to-date gains ing off Monday’s 63-month high. by Dubai’s main stock index rose Investors booked gains in banks; above 100 percent yesterday as the sector’s measure shed 0.8 MOSCOW: Russian banks and as a whole are limited, a rise in basis point rise in the sovereign other emerging markets by the investors, positioning for full-year percent. companies may face higher the level of interest rates may debt yield or a 350 basis point rise reduction in US money print- earnings, pushed real estate and Shares in Riyadh-based build- money market rates or a weaker lead to a significant reduction in corporate debt yields - could ing, because high prices for oil, bank stocks higher. Most other ing materials firm Bawan Co rouble due to the US withdrawal in the financial stability of most see a decline in banks’ CAR to 12.1 Russia’s main export, are helping regional markets also rose. jumped to 39.60 riyals on their of monetary stimulus, Russia’s indebted enterprises,” the central percent from 13.4 percent. to keep the country’s structural The Dubai index climbed 1.3 first day of trade from an initial central bank warned yesterday, bank said. Russian banks could be hurt by current account in surplus and percent to its highest close since public offer price of 36.00 riyals. highlighting a potential risk to Indebted Russian metals and higher interest rates, with invest- the public finances in balance. October 2008, extending its 2013 The Capital Market Authority heavily indebted firms. mining companies which have ments in debt securities amount- But falling commodity prices, gains to 102.2 percent. Blue chip has this year limited first-day The US Federal Reserve last been affected by a growth slow- ing to 11 percent of total banking stagnant exports and growing Emaar Properties gained 3.0 per- trading moves to 10 percent, and week said it would begin reducing down in China and stagnation in system assets as of September 1. indebtedness make the Russian cent and Deyaar Development the stock quickly went limit-up. the amount of money it pumps crisis-hit Europe include Rusal The central bank also saw little economy, which is growing at the rose 6.5 percent. Heavyweight “To make the same amount of out every month, leading inves- and coal miner Mechel . possibility that the cost of credit slowest pace in four years, more bank Emirates NBD climbed 1.5 profit on IPOs as before, people tors to pull out of high-yield- Higher interest rates may hurt would rise to the level that would exposed to an increase in global percent. will need to wait a few days,” said ing assets and central banks in companies’ profitability and make hit companies profitability and interest rates. “The play right now in the UAE Abdullah Alawi, assistant general emerging markets to act to stem it harder for them to service for- cause net losses. “Changes in basic interest rates is for earnings, more than divi- manager and head of research at currency slides. eign debt, which grew by over 20 Companies would dip into net and market expectations may lead dends, which are more attractive Aljazira Capital. Russia’s central bank may percent in the first 10 months of losses in a crisis situation if the to a significant reduction in the in Saudi Arabia and Qatar,” said Previously, debut leaps of 50 also face a dilemma as it moves 2013 to $640 billion, the central sovereign debt curve moved up value of emerging market assets,” Amer Khan, fund manager at percent or more were common to inflation targeting and aims bank said. 600 basis points, lifting banks’ the central bank said. Shuaa Asset Management. and were often followed by sharp to make the rouble float freely It could also cause a decline in interest rates on loans to com- Another channel that could “We are in a rally, but at the end pull-backs. by 2015. Capital outflows may banks’ combined capital adequacy panies to 19 percent from 10 bring distortions into the Russian of the day it depends on whether Cairo’s bourse recovered early- prompt it to counteract the weak ratio (CAR), which is required percent. economy from foreign investors it has legs and this depends on session losses and rose 0.7 percent rouble by letting interest rates to be a minimum of 10 percent, “Russia’s position in relation to fleeing that market is interest earnings.” to its highest close since January rise, or to allow the rouble to although the banking system as sovereign and private debt risks swap operations. Foreign inves- Some fund managers think 2011. Investors took in stride fresh depreciate but risk higher infla- a whole is resilient, it said. is quite stable,” Russia’s central tors play a key role on that mar- a pull-back is likely in the near violence in the country, focusing tion - which could hurt compa- The central bank estimates bank said in its quarterly review ket, using interest rate swap and term since Dubai has risen so instead on signs that the economy nies with high debt. that any dramatic reaction to the yesterday. currency swap operations to get sharply. However catalysts such is stabilising. “Although interest rate risks Fed tapering — such as a 25 per- Russian assets have not exposure to the rouble. as MSCI’s planned upgrade of the AGENCIES of non-financial organizations cent fall in Russian stocks, a 200 been as hard hit as those in REUTERS GIC buys 50pc ING sells S Korean insurance arm for €1.27bn stake in London THE HAGUE: Dutch banker ING yester- The Netherlands’ biggest bank announced day said it has completed the sale of its South the deal on August 26, which forms part ING’s office complex Korean insurance arm ING Life Korea to drive to restructure its business as it sought to private equity firm MBK partners in a deal finish repaying ¤10bn in state aid, received in SINGAPORE: One of worth around ¤1.27bn ($1.73bn). 2008 during the height of the financial crisis. Singapore’s sovereign wealth But the Amsterdam-based banker reiterated The banker has already paid back more than funds confirmed yesterday it that the deal resulted in a ¤1bn after-tax loss ¤11.5bn on the state’s loan received in October had acquired a 50 percent stake “of which ¤950m were recorded in its 2013 third 2008 and is expected to pay two more instal- in a major City of London office quarter results” on November 6. ments each worth ¤1.1bn by May 2015, ING complex from global investment ING posted an 84.7 percent plunge in net spokesman Raymond Vermeulen said. giant Blackstone. profit for the third quarter on the back of the So far, ING has sold business in Canada, GIC Pte Ltd said in a state- loss-making sale to MBK. Australia, New Zealand and Latin America and ment the partial acquisition of the Profits spiralled from ¤659m in 2012 to ¤101m. Asia under its restructuring. Broadgate complex, a cluster of ING is now left with a 10 percent indirect MBK Partners has offices in Seoul, Tokyo, 17 office buildings, shops and res- stake in ING Life Korea, equivalent to an Shanghai and Hong Kong. It has around 20 com- taurants, includes a new 710,000 amount of approximately ¤80m in the company, panies its portfolio and more than $8bn in capital square feet office building which which employs 1,000 people and serves 1.3 mil- under management. has been pre-let to Swiss banking lion clients. AFP behemoth UBS. The remaining stake in the 30-acre office complex as well as the upcoming 5 Broadgate build- JD.com electric tricycle ing will be owned by property giant British Land. GIC, previously known as the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, did not reveal the value of the deal. The Straits Times estimated it to be worth more than £1.7bn ($2.79bn). GIC said the office complex, which has a total floor space of four million square feet, “is well positioned to capitalise on the improving demand for prime office space in London as the UK economy recovers and the City maintains its prominence as a global financial centre”. GIC, which manages more than $100bn of Singapore’s for- eign reserves, said in August it was adopting a new investment approach which would give it the ability to take short-term risks in order to achieve better long- term gains. GIC is one of two Singapore Chen Honglei, a 26-year-old courier of Jingdong, also known as JD.com, prepares his electric tricy- sovereign wealth funds, the other cle before leaving the company’s Haidian district delivery station in Beijing. JD.com is set to exceed one being Temasek Holdings. $16.47bn in annual sales for the first time. AFP WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 BUSINESS VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

Heads the rich win, What will come next after tails the poor lose the popular crowdfunding? BY HELAINE OLEN BY BRONWEN CLUNE Hynes said despite the fact that Commission, the public donated somewhat of a profile already he had lost everything, he was to resurrect it as The Climate and the hook is for them to wean he rich, to mangle F Scott Fitzgerald slightly, they peculation is that still very fortunate and “families Council. At the time Australian themselves off advertising/record rationalise differently than you and me. Whether they crowdfunding will have in the same position would not be environment minister Greg Hunt deals and instead gain support succeed or fail, they’ve always got a pseudo-scientific raised $5bn or more as fortunate.” 951 people had will- said the public support for the directly from their fans. Texcuse. Sthis year alone (up 50 ingly donated to get the musician Climate Council proved the gov- And where does our toler- Last month, personal finance and self-responsibility guru Dave percent from last year), making back on his feet, raising a total of ernment should not have pay for ance lie for being asked to fund Ramsey posted a list on his website entitled, “20 Things the Rich 2013 the year that crowdfunding $24,302. Hynes has a point when the body.”That’s the great thing everything from an individual’s Do Every Day,” originally written by Thomas C Corley, who, became mainstream. For those you compare his circumstances about democracy, it’s a free coun- creative pursuits to disbanded according to his website “studied the daily activities of 233 wealthy living under a rock (or more pre- to those listed on Boston-based try and it proves our point that government bodies, no matter people and 128 people living in poverty.” cisely off the grid), crowdfund- crowdfunding platform Small Can the commission didn’t have to be how necessary, no matter how The list, which quickly went viral, was filled with the self- ing is the idea of getting people Be Big. Set up to keep families a taxpayer-funded body,” he said. good? There is a sense that our improvement tropes that could be called “Why the Rich Deserve to collectively fund a product, from homelessness, its campaigns It’s not the first time the argu- willingness to contribute is finite, Their Money.” Prosperous people eat less junk food than poor cause, or project. In 2009 with the are nothing short of heartbreak- ment’s been used, nor will it be and there is no oversight on who people. They read more books. They watch less reality television launch of Kickstarter the concept ing (and the amounts they are the last. should be receiving our attention and make their children volunteer more time to charity. was largely legitimised for tech seeking, often $1,000-$2,000, are There have already been con- and money (possibly the instinct Do they really? Who knew? Authors Thomas Stanley and startups looking to both validate fairly modest). cerns in the arts community, one that made Hynes inclined to William Danko based their findings on a self-selecting group of their product ideas and recruit In a great twist, the site has of the hottest areas of crowdfund- donate the money raised for him millionaires willing to answer a 249-question survey in return for customers. no campaigns running at present ing activity, that the movement to charity). $1, not exactly a representative group. But no one cared. The suc- Encouraged by that success, because they were all funded late could be an excuse for govern- For every Start Something cess of the book spawned hosts of imitators ranging from The Top there is now a plethora of plat- on Saturday with the help of Mike ments to make further cuts to Big, there’s a Trevolta (they find Ten Distinctions Between Millionaires and the Middle Class and forms that allow just about any- Monteiro, who used his Twitter arts grants. There is also push- sponsors to pay for your trips Today show guru Jean Chatzky’s The Difference, which studied body to seek funds for just about prominence to spread the word back when celebrities (Amanda and prior to launch has a waitlist the financial habits of the wealthy to better advise the rest of us. anything. Herein lies the problem. and encouraged donations with Palmer, The Veronica Mars of tens of thousands), for every Even if you take these lists at face value, all they are doing is If we create a culture where the promise of goat gifts. Movie Project) use crowdfund- new tech idea there’s a child with confusing access with virtue. Take the popular meme about how everybody has their hats out, how Crowdfunding gets complicated ing platforms to raise money at medical needs. the poor don’t prepare healthy meals. There are solid reasons long before we tire of being asked when you consider the extent to the expense of unfunded, inde- There’s always something in those lacking funds might purchase less-than-nutritious offerings, to support everyone’s endeavours? which crowd funding is allowing pendent, and unknown artists. it for us from tangible rewards and lack of discipline is only one item on the list. And can we be sure the ‘right everyday people to take action Arts funding may go full-circle (eg a product in the case of most First, lower-income people all too often lack easy access to people’ (those most in need) are in areas that have relied heavily with the success of platforms like Kickstarters) to that great feel- affordable outlets. Poverty struck Camden, New Jersey, already receiving the money? on government support – com- Patreon (though still very new) ing that we’ve done some good, deemed a “food desert” by the federal government, which saw Last week writer and music plicated because although decou- which allows individuals to pledge made a real difference to someone its last supermarket, a Pathmark, close its doors this past fall. producer Dev Hynes closed down pling access to money from access money directly to support artists in need. But while crowdfunding Or think about this: how many times have you purchased fresh a campaign set up by his girl- to power, it is also providing an rather than projects, much as arts possibilities seem to have no lim- fruit or vegetables, only to have them turn before they can be friend’s mother to raise money for excuse for governments to shirk patrons have done for centuries, itations, the reality of it might. consumed? That’s not a problem with boxed macaroni and cheese him after he lost all of his posses- their social responsibilities. When though in a democratized way. Before we rely too heavily on it, — and that’s something someone reliant on food stamps to get by sions in a fire, saying the fund- the Australian government abol- Though the early successes here we need to understand those limi- needs to contemplate when tossing food into the shopping cart. raiser made him uncomfortable. ished the highly-regarded Climate again seem to be those who have tations better. THE GUARDIAN The sub text to all these conglomerations of sometimes-dubious statistics is the same: the shiftless poor deserve their fate. Never mind unemployment, and full-time jobs that don’t offer a living wage. Just eat an apple a day and floss your damn teeth. But if the wealthy don’t engage in proper behaviour — they’ve got an excuse. Let’s discuss affluenza, which could be deemed BlackBerry’s rise and fall what happens when the poor little rich boy or girl syndrome meets Key events and company perfomance. the DSM, or at least meets someone who thinks such a condition is officially recognised by the psychiatric community. (It’s not.) Share price Daily close, in Canadian dollars Supposedly caused by wealthy parents who neglect their children, 150 or use their money to allow their sons and daughters to avoid facing June 19, 2008 149.90 April 2011 the consequences of their actions, affluenza leaves sufferers lack- Oct. 2007 Oct. 10-13, 2011 RIM passes 10 million Launches BlackBerry Massive failure of RIM’s ing self-discipline and impulse control, or much of a sense of self. 120 subscribers. China Playbook infrastructure leaves The term is now in the news, thanks to the Texas teen who distribution deal millions of users without boosts shares Aug. 2010 data connectivity killed four people earlier this year while driving drunk. After Launches a therapist indeed testified the boy suffered from affluenza, a 90 BlackBerry Nov. 4, 2013 sympathetic judge sentenced him to probation so he could receive Torch BlackBerry scraps search for buyer, ousts needed treatment. And what might that be? A long-term stay in Feb. 2004 CEO Thorsten Heins a four-star luxury rehab facility in southern California reportedly 60 RIM’s subscriber base surpasses 1 million costing $450,000 annually where his recovery will possibly include BlackBerry users Jan. 2013 horseback riding and time spent in a “state-of-the-art” gym. Launches 30 BlackBerry 10 But what is affluenza? Well, in something that should come Nov. 2008 as no surprise, it originates in the whims of a wealthy. Fred Jan. 2, 2003 Launches BlackBerry Storm, Dec. 23 3.57 its first touchscreen and 7.98 Whitman, a San Francisco blue blood, coined the term in the keyboard-less device 1950s. In the early 1980s, he sponsored a survey by the Bay Area 0 C G Jung Institute, one that used the term to demonstrate the '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 downsides of inherited wealth. The term gained traction quickly. Future happiness and emotional intelligence star Daniel Goleman Net income Quarterly, in million US$ Smartphone market share in % soon wrote an article on the topic for the New York Times and, Quarterly, by operating systems 1000 100 in little more than a decade, a PBS special was devoted to the Android concept, which was pitched as something anyone who tried to keep 0 80 up in the consumption-happy United States could suffer from. Microsoft -1000 Yet, at its heart, affluenza is little more than an excuse for bad 60 iOS habits and awful behaviour. But that’s not something that goes -2000 Blackberry 40 mentioned by our modern self-help gurus. No one, after all, ever -3000 Symbian asks how the wealthy could have both better daily habits that 20 Others ensure wealth and manifest the behaviours that cause affluenza. -4000 But we don’t need to wonder why that is so. As French philoso- -5000 0 pher Jean-Jacques Rousseau once wrote, “As long as there are 'FY 09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 rich people in the world, they will be desirous of distinguishing Sources: Reuters; Gartner Research In Motion changed its company name to BlackBerry in January 2013. themselves from the poor.” It can go without saying that such Staff, 23/12/2013 sentiments will always benefit those with power and assets over those without access to either. REUTERS Europe zigzags but moves forward in banking reform BY PAUL TAYLOR backed by a fund financed by a determination to keep the show at the end of the 10-year phase-in. given a credit line by the euro- That was eventually followed by levy on the financial sector. on the road through four years Complexity, delay, interim steps zone’s bailout fund for states. a permanent rescue fund with a he European Union In line with the precedent set in of financial and economic crisis. and planting flags of intent for the Permanent fiscal transfers to larger financial firewall, but still does not draw straight the eurozone’s bailout of Cyprus That resolve was best illus- future are all part of the toolkit weaker EU partners remain a red subject to unanimous decision- lines. in May, the bank’s sharehold- trated by ECB President Mario of the architects and plumbers line for the Germans, who insist making that gives Germany, and T Last week’s tortu- ers, creditors and large deposi- Draghi’s July 2012 pledge to do building and fixing an edifice that that Europe’s economic woes its parliament, but also Finland ous agreement on a common tors would all take losses before “whatever it takes” to preserve is neither a federal state nor just can be overcome with stricter and Slovakia, a veto over bailouts. system for shutting failed banks national and ultimately European the euro, ending speculation of a a international organisation. enforcement of agreed rules. Merkel often cites the Latin exemplifies the awkward, often resolution funds were tapped. possible break-up. That’s how the single currency As to the practical aspects of term “ultima ratio” - the last unstable compromises by which Yet the complex procedures Those words continue to keep was born in the first place - a the new system, closing a bank resort. Europe advances. required to order the winding up markets calm, even though deliberately incomplete construct may be simpler in practice than It doesn’t look pretty. In design Banking union is the biggest of a bank, the multiple decision- Draghi’s offer to buy the bonds of to which its founders knew addi- it looks in theory, EU regulators terms, the EU’s decision making leap forward in EU integration makers potentially involved, and any eurozone country that accepts tional features would have to be say, because it is highly unlikely process produces camels rather since the launch of the euro single the absence of a common public an internationally monitored bail- added over time. that any national authority would than horses. currency in 1999, and one of its financial backstop have led crit- out programme has not been and Much of the criticism of the challenge a recommendation of But the EU keeps moving for- main architects wasted no time ics to warn that the wobbly new may never be implemented. European approach to banking the single resolution board in an ward because of the political capi- in trumpeting the momentous system will not work, let alone When it came to banking union has been based on compari- emergency. tal invested in it and the strong landmark. break the “doom loop” between union, the conflicting demands sons with the US Federal Deposit In reality, a few telephone calls awareness of how much each “I want to underline the weak banks and weak states. of creditor and debtor states Insurance Corporation, which between the resolution board’s member, especially Germany, speed and the magnitude of this It will take a decade for con- and of members of the euro and underpins American banks with a chief, the ECB and the European stands to lose if the monetary achievement,” European Council tributions levied on banks to fill a non-members, some of which credit line from the US Treasury. Commission may settle the mat- union and the single market were President Herman Van Rompuy resolution fund, and it’s not clear like Britain may opt out while The EU may eventually reach ter. If the system doesn’t work, it to fall apart. boasted after the deal among whether that fund will be able to remaining part of the single such a system - possibly after will be fixed, probably at night on European officials have long finance ministers. “I know it borrow on the markets. financial market, made any solu- another crisis - but for now its a weekend. That’s the way Europe compared European integration means a huge deal for markets What happens, economists tion complex. main paymaster, Germany, is not works. to a bicycle which has to keep and the financial world.” ask, if the ECB review of banks’ As so often in the past, when prepared to go that far. On two weekends in May 2010, moving to avoid falling over. From next year a single super- balance sheets and stress test of EU countries cannot agree to do Chancellor Angela Merkel, for instance, EU finance ministers The European bicycle some- visor based in the European their ability to withstand finan- something immediately, they set determined to shield taxpayers meeting almost around the clock times advances so hesitantly that Central Bank (ECB) will take cial shocks reveal large capital a timetable for doing it in the from liability for other countries’ agreed on a rescue for heavily it zigzags rather than tracing a direct charge of the EU’s 126 big- holes next year, before the fund future, leaving irksome details to banks and to avoid censure by indebted Greece and, when that straight line. But as last week’s gest banks, with a single resolu- is in place? Such criticism, while be thrashed out later. the German constitutional court, proved insufficient to calm mar- banking union deal shows, it is tion board to decide when a bank technically accurate, misses the So the bank levies paid into the insisted that the European bank kets, on the creation of a tempo- still moving forward. needs to be broken up or closed, point. The EU has shown its resolution fund will be mutualised resolution fund should not be rary bail-out fund. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com MARKET

QE Indices Summary EXCHANGE QE Index 10,498.45 0.43 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER QE Total Return Index 14,999.88 0.43 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 3,097 1.04 % RATE QE All Share Index 2,610.72 0.37 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 2,472.67 0.08 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 5325.45 33.917 0.64 5453.1 4610.6 QE All Share Consumer Goods & 5,947.38 0.11 % QR140.8900 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 Services Cac 40 Index/D 4213.9 -1.39 -0.03 4356.28 3575.17 QE All Share Industrials 3,500.63 1.03 % SILVER UK ...... QR 5.9230 QR 6.0056 QE All Share Insurance 2,337.63 0.35 % Dj Indu Average 16294.61 73.47 0.45 16318.1 12883.9 Euro ...... QR 4.9511 QR 5.0206 QE All Share Real Estate 1,995.02 1.00 % QR 2.2757 CA$ ...... QR 3.3999 QR 3.4674 QE All Share Telecoms 1,468.03 0.58 % Egypt Cma Gn Idx 1026.29 32.57 3.28 999.95 312.38 QE All Share Transportation 1,910.57 0.11 % Swiss Fr ...... QR 4.0442 QR 4.1015 Hang Seng Inde/D 23179.55 257.99 1.13 24111.55 19426.36 Yen ...... QR 0.0348 QR 0.0355 QE Market Summary Comparison Aus$ ...... QR 3.2205 QR 3.2837 Today Previous day Iseq Overall/D 4488.28 -2.04 -0.05 4527.83 3396.67 CRUDE OIL 24-12-2013 23-12-2013 Ind Re ...... QR 0.0584 QR 0.0595 Index 10,498.45 10,453.15 Karachi 100 In/D 25366.69 -50.94 -0.2 25711.23 16036.31 Pak Re ...... QR 0.0343 QR 0.0350 Change 45.30 50.38 BRENT Nikkei 225 Index 15889.33 18.91 0.12 15942.6 10398.61 Peso ...... QR 0.0812 QR 0.0829 % 0.43 0.48 $ 111.70 SL Re ...... QR 0.0276 QR 0.0281 YTD% 25.60 25.05 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 1829.75 1398.11 Taka ...... QR 0.0464 QR 0.0474 Volume 10,604,477 14,952,892 DUBAI Nep Re ...... QR 0.0366 QR 0.0373 Value (QAR) 374,794,547.80 594,953,713.75 Straits Times/D 3127.29 11.07 0.36 3464.79 2990.68 SA Rand ...... QR 0.3468 QR 0.3569 Trades 5,260 6,990 Straits Times/D 2971.47 22.7 0.77 3035.78 2657.77 $ 108.93 Up 21 | Down 14 | Unchanged 04

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 24-12-2013

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS A List of Shares from the world

COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED

A B G Infra-B/D 41 -0.55 1500 Century Text-A/D 302.2 35.1 1258745 Gammon India-B/D 13.9 -0.02 29500 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.4 0.01 8617 Navneet Edu-B/D 57.8 2.85 116825 Kingfisher/D 386.3 2.4 349696 A C C-A/D 1110.1 6.25 13221 Chambal Fert-B/D 39.05 -0.25 130641 Gangotri Tex-T/D 1.15 -0.06 1100 Jct Ltd-B/D 2.09 0.06 24281 Nepc India-B/D 1.71 -0.05 61056 Land Secs Grou/D 963.5 6.5 112057 Aarti Drugs-B/D 204.25 1.9 3346 Chola Invest-B/D 241 -2 1666 Garden P -B/D 38.35 0.95 2170 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 2.35 -0.25 7632 O N G C-A/D 285.7 -2.85 249148 Legal & Genera/D 220.9 -0.5 1778491 Aban Offs-B/D 373.3 33.2 1299307 Chowgule St-B/D 11.28 0.53 3135 Godfrey Phil-B/D 2555 14.5 2199 Jik Indust-T/D 0.65 0.02 31820 Orchid Chem-B/D 69.3 7.1 3292282 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 78.269 -0.11 15025136 Ador Welding-B/D 130.7 -2.65 2649 Cimmco-T/D 19 -0.5 15390 Goodricke-B/D 147.05 0.9 6193 Jindal Drill-B/D 195.3 10 33913 Punjab Chem.-T/D 58.5 1.5 1000 Marks & Sp./D 447.88 0.2 275492 Aegis Logis-B/D 172.45 11.55 39730 Cipla-A/D 399.7 -5.55 122175 Goodyear I -B/D 358.25 -0.5 6578 Jktyre&Ind-B/D 157.55 4.15 249418 Radico Khait-B/D 142.4 4.2 63066 Next/D 5420 -25 38414 Ahmed.Forg-B/D 106.95 2.95 18013 City Union Bk-/D 49.3 -0.8 68397 Hcl Infosys-B/D 20.15 0.25 164142 Jmc Projects-B/D 79.05 -0.95 1501 Rallis India-B/D 172.5 1.25 25080 Pearson/D 1330 12 144805 Alembic-B/D 14.89 0.08 36095 Cmc Ltd-B/D 1567.4 62.7 19039 Him.Fut.Comm-B/D 8.22 0.49 1004130 Kajaria Cer-B/D 303.35 5.65 15953 Rallis India-B/D 172.5 1.25 25080 Prudential/D 1337 10 457750 Alok Indus-B/D 8.2 0.6 2367879 Colgate-A/D 1302.45 -8 11731 Himat Seide-B/D 50.8 3.3 219041 Kakatiya Cem-B/D 70.1 -0.85 1000 Reliance Indus/D 385.4 10.2 635856 Rank Group/D 130.663 0 12228 Andhra Paper-B/D 277.2 2.45 25015 Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 53.55 2.55 16022 Hind Motors-B/D 7.79 0.21 9423632 Kalpat Power-B/D 88.3 0.85 21603 Ruchi Soya-B/D 31.5 0.55 18278 Rentokil Initi/D 113.8 -0.2 110572 Apollo Tyre-A/D 100.9 7.45 4024426 Dcm Financia-B/D 0.58 0.02 6702 Hind Org Chem-/D 11.35 0.08 3212 Kalyani Stel-B/D 56.65 -0.35 51883 Til Ltd.-B/D 146 0.25 1948 Rolls Royce Pl/D 1251.05 2 320215 Asahi I Glass-/D 46.45 -0.05 4531 Dhampur Sugar-/D 34.7 -0.4 4984 Hind Unilever-/D 565.7 0.25 83281 Kanoria Chem-B/D 26.55 3.6 80212 Timexgroup-B/D 11 0 13701 Rsa Insrance G/D 92.272 -0.15 1981417 Ashok Leyland-/D 16.6 0.4 1089009 Dr. Reddy-A/D 2540.15 24.9 8545 Hind.Petrol-A/D 236.8 6.3 89054 Kg Denim-B/D 14.39 0.03 29860 Tinplate-T/D 48 -0.3 12654 Sainsbury(J)/D 372.7 0.1 967506 Bajaj Hold-A/D 900 4.3 1595 E I H-B/D 55.95 0.5 49604 Hindalco-A/D 122 -1.5 405917 Kinetic Eng-B/D 42.25 2 3602 Unitech P -A/D 15.7 -0.1 2662080 3I Schroders/D 2558 3 21739 Ballarpur In-B/D 12.6 -0.04 162744 E.I.D Parry-B/D 140.3 -0.9 1379 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 780.65 -9.7 94617 Kopran-B/D 22.05 0.05 42229 Severn Trent/D 1690 18 67545 Bata India-A/D 1054.85 3.95 14908 Eicher Motor-A/D 4990 7.2 1284 I F C I-A/D 25.25 0.7 1075701 Lakshmi Mach-B/D 2804.4 -3.75 6343 LONDON Smith&Nephew/D 867.5 1.5 117505 Beml Ltd-B/D 240.15 6.2 189083 Eimco Elecon-B/D 144.9 6.9 2944 Idbi-A/D 65.2 0.35 149098 Lgb Broth-B/D 259.8 -0.1 6638 Smiths Group/D 1470.92 4 23782 Bh Electronic-/D 1002 8.6 4334 Electrosteel-B/D 15.65 0.75 247134 Ifb Agro-B/D 162 2.75 1221 Lloyd Metal-B/D 9.3 -0.03 4004 Group/D 383.1 -2.5 48024 Standrd Chart /D 1350 -1.5 651363 Bharat Bijle-B/D 363.9 6.25 2854 Emco-B/D 24.25 1 286266 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 80 1.8 131645 Lok.Hous&Con-T/D 15.6 0.45 39595 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 2465 18 113343 Tate & Lyle/D 802.5 3.5 45958 Bhartiya Int-B/D 179.4 -0.3 1650 Escorts Fin-B/D 3.24 0.15 100105 India Cement-B/D 59.9 0.9 218096 Lupin-A/D 918.1 5.55 67638 B Sky B/D 829 16.5 1461031 Tesco/D 336.015 0.7 2724387 Bhel-A/D 172.4 3.25 467249 Escorts-B/D 142.7 3.45 617868 India Glycol-B/D 98.95 5.9 88638 Lyka Labs-B/D 10.49 0.24 9318 Barclays/D 265.7 1.35 5678774 Unilever/D 2446 7 326962 Bhuwalka Stl-B/D 10.66 -0.56 6882 Essar Oil-A/D 52.5 0.25 305665 Indian Card-B/D 83.3 0.3 7810 Mangalam Cem-B/D 106.9 3.6 15597 Bg Group/D 1284.5 11.5 487668 United Util Gr/D 664.64 3 152868 Bom.Burmah-B/D 115.9 3.35 61456 Eveready Indu-/D 34.5 0.2 39516 Indian Hotel-A/D 59.6 1.25 156283 Maral Overs-B/D 20 1.5 18339 Bp/D 487.242 2.45 3576287 Vodafone Group/D 237.367 1.2 7213302 Bombay Dyeing-/D 74.2 4.95 815729 F D C-B/D 129.55 9.75 384530 Indo-Bcount-B/D 37.4 -0.5 16399 Mastek-B/D 160.7 8.15 450513 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3226 12 212502 Whitbread/D 3700 -4 41729 Camph.& All-B/D 126.6 0.6 1224 Federal Bank-A/D 82.15 -1.35 254504 Indusind-A/D 424 -6.5 174451 Mrpl-A/D 42.3 0.7 78672 Bt Group/D 378.3 1.8 1696338 Canfin Homes-B/D 175.4 8.25 15057 Ferro Alloys-B/D 5.66 0.25 38334 J.B.Chemical-B/D 132.45 1.75 106586 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 15.15 -0.65 4659 Centrica/D 345.848 3.4 1050632 Caprihans-B/D 37.75 -0.1 10553 Fgp Ltd-B/D 1.8 0 2150 Jagatjit Ind-B/D 44.1 2.1 1489 Nahar Spg.-B/D 115.6 -0.25 12779 Gkn/D 372.92 2 379802 Castrol Ind-A/D 306.15 0.7 19978 Finolex-B/D 162.3 -2.95 75552 Jamnaauto-B/D 63 1.7 11500 Nath Seeds-B/D 4.41 0 3137 Hsbc Holdings/D 663.075 2.2 1992558 Century Enka-B/D 149.25 2.95 33942 Gail-A/D 337.85 -4.05 27722 Jbf Indu-B/D 79.45 2.3 20493 Nation Alum -A/D 38 -0.4 50703 Imperial Tobac/D 2320 4 193617 WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23 Sharks win NBA: Heat hold off wild one, beat Avs 5-4 Hawks in overtime in shoot-out

SAN JOSE, California: Knicks edge Magic, lose Anthony to injury San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan refused to dwell on any negatives that came out of MIAMI: LeBron James scored Nikola Vucevic’s foot while trying a wild finish. 38 points with eight rebounds NBA Results to grab an offensive rebound. Joe Pavelski scored with just and six assists to lead the Miami Charlotte 111 Milwaukee 110 His exit signalled the start of under 20 seconds left in regula- Heat to a 121-110 victory over Detroit 115 Cleveland 92 a Magic surge as they erased a tion to tie the game and Logan Atlanta in an NBA overtime Ny Knicks 103 Orlando 98 24-point halftime deficit and nar- Couture and Patrick Marleau tal- thriller yesterday. rowed the gap to 83-84 with 8:28 lied in the shoot-out, lifting the Indiana 103 Brooklyn 86 Michael Beasley added two cru- left to play. San Jose Sharks to a 5-4 win over cial free throws with less than 10 Miami 121 Atlanta 119 “All teams make runs and they the Colorado Avalanche yesterday. seconds to play, giving the Heat Dallas 111 Houston 104 made a hell of a run,” Knicks head “Pav has been a real clutch a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Memphis 104 Utah 94 coach Mike Woodson said of the player over the past two weeks Neither team led by more San Antonio 112 Toronto 99 Magic’s surge. for us, he’s kind of the go-to guy than three points in overtime. Golden State 89 Denver 81 “We just kept fighting and right now, he seems to be getting Miami trailed 119-116 when Chris Phoenix 117 LA Lakers 90 grinding and withstood the run it done,” McLelland said. Anderson’s layup with 1:08 left in and really made some defensive “He did it again tonight for us. New Orleans 113 Sacramento 100 the extra period narrowed the gap stops down the stretch to help us We’re happy for him and for us.” to 119-118. injured Heat star Dwyane Wade, secure the game,” Woodson said. Erik Johnson and Jamie Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap scored 19 points and calmly The coach said he wasn’t yet McGinn scored goals 12 seconds both missed three-point attempts drained three free throws to sure how severe Anthony’s injury apart in the final two minutes to for the Hawks and on the ensu- knot the score at 111-111 with less was. put the Avalanche ahead. ing Heat possession James got a than 10 seconds left in regulation, “We’ll evaluate him tomorrow,” Asked about Niemi giving up pass to a driving Beasley who was sending the game into overtime. Woodson said. the two quick goals, McLellan fouled. Anderson scored 12 points and The Knicks had welcomed responded, “ You know what, it’s Beasley made both free throws Beasley added 10 for the Heat, Raymond Felton back to action Christmas. Let’s all go home and to put the reigning NBA cham- who notched their fifth straight after a six-game absence with a enjoy it, and I’ll answer those pion Heat ahead by one point. win. sore left hamstring. questions when we come back.” Out of a timeout, Atlanta’s The New York Knicks lost But Felton exited in the fourth Johnson’s extra-man goal rookie big man Pero Antic Carmelo Anthony to a sprained quarter with a right groin strain, slipped under the left shoulder inbounded from the left sideline ankle, but turned back a furious finishing with 13 points and four of Sharks goalie Antti Niemi to and lobbed the ball to Korver who Orlando rally to post a 103-98 assists in 25-plus minutes. knot things, and McGinn’s goal was denied at the rim. Anderson NBA victory over the Magic on JR Smith had 18 points and 10 also came with an extra skater grabbed the rebound and was Monday. rebounds, while Tyson Chandler as he beat Niemi to the stick side. fouled, making one more free Knicks forward Anthony had scored 10 points to go with 13 Goran Dragic (1) of the Phoenix Suns passes the ball guarded by Chris “It was a high to tie it, a high throw with three-tenths of a sec- 19 points when he departed the rebounds for the Knicks, who beat Kaman (9) of the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of their to go ahead and then a crashing ond left to account for the final contest midway through the third the Magic for an eighth straight NBA game at US Airways Center in Phoenix, Arizona, yesterday. The low when they tied it,” Johnson margin. quarter after appearing to twist time. Suns defeated the Lakers 117-90. said. “It was a strange game prob- Ray Allen, starting in place of his left ankle on Orlando center AGENCIES ably from the perspective of both teams. A very strange game at the end.” Pavelski tied it after taking a pass from Joe Thornton, who has an 11-game point streak against Russia plays down Sochi Games boycott the Avalanche. AGENCIES NHL Results MOSCOW: Russia yesterday among a clutch of EU leaders point is the competition itself “I appeal for a boycott, I appeal the competition in a repeat of the Buffalo 2 Phoenix 1 dismissed the impact of a deci- who have also decided to skip and not whether 20 or 30 lead- for honesty,” Tolokonnikova said. boycott the West imposed on the sion by US and some European the Games’ opening ceremony on ers attend.” Tolokonnikova and her band 1980 Summer Games in Moscow NY Rangers 2 Toronto 1 leaders to skip the opening of February 7. A Sochi boycott has been sup- mate Maria Alyokhina were over the Soviet Union’s invasion Anaheim 3 Washington 2 the 2014 Winter Olympic Games Russian Olympic Committee ported by Western celebrities and sentenced to two-year terms in of Afghanistan. Columbus 4 Carolina 3 in Sochi over Moscow’s record chief Alexander Zhukov said the rights groups concerned that the penal colonies for performing a “Nobody is talking about a Ottawa 5 Pittsburgh 0 on human rights. high-profile absences would have anti-gay propaganda legislation protest song against President boycott,” the Russian Olympic Ny Islanders 3 Detroit 0 US President Barack Obama no impact on the Games. will permit Russian authorities to Vladimir Putin in Moscow’s main Committee head said. Tampa Bay 6 Florida 1 last week named two openly gay “This will in no way affect the launch a wider crackdown against cathedral. “No one is seriously discussing Philadelphia 4 Minnesota 1 sports stars but no acting offi- Olympic Games or alter their homosexual rights. Tolokonnikova said on Monday it -- neither the International cial to his Games delegation, in significance,” Russian news agen- Their calls were supported that a Sochi Games boycott would Olympic Committee nor any seri- Chicago 5 New Jersey 2 a message of opposition to a ban cies quoted Zhukov as saying in on Monday by Nadezhda underscore nations’ concern ous politicians,” he said. Boston 6 Nashville 2 on “homosexual propaganda” that Moscow’s first reported response Tolokonnikova of the anti-Krem- about a general deterioration of Zhukov added that Obama Calgary 4 St. Louis 3 Russia imposed this year. to Obama’s decision. lin punk group Pussy Riot upon political freedoms in Russia under himself “had never attend a single Edmonton 6 Winnipeg 2 French President Francois “The Olympic Games are a her release for prison under a Putin’s 13-year reign. Games’ opening” since he became Dallas 5 Los Angeles 2 Hollande and British Prime competition for athletes and general amnesty in the run-up to But Zhukov said no country president in 2009. San Jose 5 Colorado 4 Minister David Cameron are everything else is optional. The the Sochi event. was seriously thinking of skipping AFP Qatar Airways launches contest for tennis fans ahead of Doha event

DOHA: Qatar Airways has launched a contest for tennis fans ahead of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2014, it was announced here yesterday. Qatar Airways is launching a contest to provide tennis enthusiasts around the world with an opportunity to win a pair of VIP tick- ets to attend the semi-finals and the final matches of the ATP Tour event in Qatar. The lucky winner will also earn a three night stay at the award-winning Oryx Rotana Hotel. Additionally, if the winner is in Qatar, they will receive 100,000 Privilege Club Qmiles and if outside of Qatar, will receive a Business Class flight to Doha to attend the match. The world’s leading players will be compet- ing in the December 30 to January 4 event. World No. 1 player Rafael Nadal, World No.3 David Ferrer and World No. 4 Andy Murray will take centre stage and battle it out on the courts of the Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha. Nadal will be returning to Doha after a 2013 season that saw him win 10 titles, includ- ing an eighth French Open and a second US Open. This is Nadal’s sixth appearance in the Qatari capital with his best result being a final appearance in 2010. Spain’s David Ferrer had an outstanding 2013 season winning two titles, in Buenos Aires and in Auckland and reaching seven other finals, including the ATP Masters in Paris and Miami. Andy Murray makes a return to Doha where he is a two-time champion, having A section of the crowd at last year’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2013 at the Khalifa International won in 2008 and 2009. Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha. Since then, he has won the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, the 2012 US Open title and 2013 Wimbledon, becoming the first very excited to be bringing these world-class championship.” Qatar Airways is the official British man to win Wimbledon since Fred players to our home country for another airline of the six-day tennis extravaganza. Perry in 1936. season of superlative tennis.” More details about the contest are avail- A statement from the airline said: “Qatar “The acclaimed tournament is watched able at http://www.qatarairways.com/global/ Airways has a proud tradition of hosting the by tennis fans around the globe and will en/offers/tennis.page. biggest sporting events in Doha and we are raise great suspense for this edition of the THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Luge hopeful 49ers clinch play-off spot qualifies as Tonga’s Bowman’s interception return for a touchdown seals win for 49ers first winter SAN FRANCISCO: NaVorro Bowman’s interception return Olympian for a touchdown sealed San Francisco’s 34-24 win over WELLINGTON: Tonga’s Atlanta yesterday, clinching an Bruno Banani has qualified as NFL play-off spot for the 49ers the Pacific nation’s first ever win- in their farewell to Candlestick ter Olympian, the International Park. San Francisco 49ers Luge Federation (FIL) said yes- The 49ers almost wasted a QB Colin Kaepernick (7) terday, in an achievement every chance to punch their post-season bit as remarkable as Jamaica’s dives into the end zone ticket, and the underdog Falcons famous bobsled team. and a four yard TD in the almost spoiled what was supposed Banani, who hails from a tropi- to be a celebratory send-off to fourth quarter against the cal archipelago famed for its sun- Candlestick in the last regular- Atlanta Falcons in their shine and white sandy beaches, season game to be held there. game at Candlestick will head for the frigid Russian There’s still a remote chance Park in San Francisco, resort of Sochi next year after the 49ers could host a playoff yesterday. The 49ers finishing 28th out of 42 starters game, but they’ll need plenty of defeated the Falcons at a World Cup meet in Park City, other results to fall their way next 34-24 in the final regular Utah, comfortably making the top week to gain home field advan- season game played at 38 cut-off needed to qualify, the tage and give fans one more look Candlestick Park. Next FIL said. at them in the stadium where season the 49ers will “The athlete from Tonga has they’ve played since 1971. play at a new Stadium in achieved all the qualification At least they’re playoff Santa Clara. rules,” the federation said. bound, holding on after quar- The luge, where competitors lie terback Matt Ryan and the supine on a sled and barrel down Falcons nearly came back from an icy ditch at speeds of up to a 10-point deficit. 140 kilometres an hour (90mph), Ryan connected with Roddy is virtually unknown in Tonga White for a touchdown with where the mean annual temper- less than nine minutes to play ature ranges from 23-28 Celsius and found Tony Gonzalez for a (73-82 Fahrenheit). two-yard touchdown with 2:09 Banani, 25, had an unlikely left to pull the Falcons within Bowman grabbed it and charged game at Candlestick hadn’t been in 1960 as the home of baseball’s Silicon Valley city of Santa Clara introduction to the activity when 27-24. 89 yards down the field for a distraction. “The build up to the San Francisco Giants. It became next season. he was plucked from obscurity in Atlanta’s Jason Snelling then a touchdown that sent the final regular-season game at the home to the 49ers as well in 1971 But Bowman was glad his 49ers 2008 and coaxed into taking up secured the ensuing onsides kick Candlestick crowd crazy. iconic Candlestick Park -- I love and has served as the home field capped a celebratory evening luge as part of a guerilla mar- with a one-handed catch along “That was one of the great- history, I appreciate history as for five Super Bowl winning 49er attended by such Candlestick keting campaign. At the time, the sideline. est plays I’ve ever seen,” said much as anyone, but for the men teams. luminaries as Giants great Willie he was an information technol- Atlanta moved to the San a delighted 49ers coach Jim that were in the arena it’s about The stadium, which hosted Mays and 49ers legend Jerry Rice ogy student named Fuahea Semi Francisco 10-yard line with 1:31 Harbaugh, who turned 50 the future,” Harbaugh said. “This a Beatles concert in 1966 and a with a victory. whose sporting passion, like most to play, and Ryan threw a short yesterday. game was about that -- what our papal appearance in 1987, is slated “There’s a lot of history in this in Tonga, was rugby union. pass intended for Harry Douglas “And it was the best birthday destiny was.” for demolition in about a year. stadium, and for this to be the last A marketing company per- that was disrupted by Tramaine present I’ve ever gotten.” Candlestick Park -- known for The Giants moved out in 1999 game, we cannot leave it with an suaded him to change his name to Brock. Harbaugh said the hoopla sur- the fickle wind and fog blowing and the 49ers are set to move ‘L.’ So I’m glad we got the ‘W,’” he Bruno Banani, which is the name The ball squirted up and rounding the last regular-season off San Francisco Bay -- opened into a new $1.2bn stadium in the said. REUTERS of a German underwear manufac- turer, and become part of the luge circuit as a publicity stunt. The similarity in names was passed off as a coincidence and, after under- Lions’ fading season no failure: Schwartz going training in Germany, Banani began appearing at luge events, NEW YORK: Detroit Lions here, I have a hard time going you guys are thinking. We haven’t and I think that’s obviously any- where we are right now. We’re wearing the company’s gear with coach Jim Schwartz is reluctant down into our locker room with accomplished what we wanted to body’s goal when they go in,” still working, we’re still battling, a logo reading “coconut powered”. to describe his team’s fading our players and calling them and accomplish and I’ll just leave it Schwartz said. “We didn’t achieve we still have another game to play The ploy was exposed by season as one of “failure”, say- calling us a failure,” Schwartz told at that.” that goal, but I don’t know if I’d this year.” Germany’s “Der Spiegel” in ing he was proud of the way his reporters yesterday. The Lions, who have not won be as strong to call it a failure.” In his first season as head February 2012 after suspicions players kept battling as their “It is not what I believe. When their division since 1993, watched Asked whether he felt his coach, Schwartz guided the Lions were raised by the naming coinci- fortunes dipped. I hear the word failure, I hear their playoff hopes disappear in a own record in Detroit was good to a disappointing 2-14 record but dence and the media-shy Banani’s The Lions go into regular sea- abject failure. Like nothing goes 23-20 overtime loss to the New enough for him to stay on as in 2011 they improved consider- reluctance to answer questions son finale against the Vikings in right. I’m still proud of our team. York Giants on Sunday. coach, Schwartz replied: “I don’t ably, going 10-6 as they returned about his background. Minnesota with a 7-8 record, hav- Our team comes to battle and That defeat dropped Schwartz’s know, that’s not for me to decide. to the postseason for the first Thomas Bach, now the ing made a promising 6-3 start they play through the game, we overall record to 29-50 since he Everybody else can write it. time since 1999. International Olympic Committee to their campaign before their just come up and play short. took over as head coach of Detroit “I don’t know if I want to go Schwartz expressed regret for (IOC) president, said at the time momentum stalled. “Maybe my connotation of the in 2009. there. I know where we were his actions against the Giants that it was a “perverse” market- “As a head coach standing up word is a lot stronger than what “We didn’t make the playoffs when I took over and I know REUTERS ing idea. AFP

GCC Championship Results Rajb of Egypt dazzles Men’s 94-kg Snatch 1.Rajb Abdulrazaq (Egypt) 150 kgs 2.Abbas Al Qaissom (KSA) 137 kgs at GCC Weightlifting 3.Saddam Almesawy (Algeria) 135 kgs DOHA: Clean & Jerk Rajb Abdulrazaq of Egypt domi- Abbas al Qaissom of Saudi Arabia finished second nated the show on the last day of the with 307 kgs and Saddam Almesawy of Algeria 1.Rajb Abdulrazaq (Egypt) 200 kgs four-day GCC Championship for Senior, came third. 2.Abbas al Qaissom (KSA) 170 kgs Junior and Youth for Men and Women The Qatar Weightlifting and Bodybuilding 3.Saddam Almesawy (Algeria) 170 kgs at Marriott Hotel here yesterday. Federation (QWBF) also hosted the Qatar Cup The Egyptian topped in the twin events of which was held in three weight categories in the Total Snatch and Clean & Jerk in the 94kg category. men’s section and two in the women’s section. 1.Rajb Abdulrazaq (Egypt) 350 kgs Rajb lifted a total of 350kg in both the events. THE PENINSULA 2.Abbas al Qaissom (KSA) 307 kgs 3.Saddam Almesawy (Algeria) 305 kgs Men’s 105-kg Snatch 1.Mostafa Reda al Melad (KSA) 146 kgs 2.Hassain Kamal Almohr (KSA) 120 kgs 3.Hammad Khalid al Motari (Kuwait) 95 kgs Clean & Jerk 1.Mostafa Reda al Melad (KSA) 181 kgs 2.Hassain Kamal Almohr (KSA) 146 kgs 3.Ahmed Ali Albanni (UAE) 130 kgs Total 1.Mostafa Reda al Melad (KSA) 327 kgs 2.Hassain Kamal Almohr (KSA) 266 kgs 3.Ahmed Ali Albanni (UAE) 221 kgs Men’s +105-kg Snatch 1.Mohammed Ahsan (Egypt) 180 kgs 2.Abdulah Alshamrani (KSA) 140 kgs 3.Reda al Rashid (KSA) 117 kgs Clean & Jerk 1.Mohammed Ahsan (Egypt) 210 kgs 2.Abdulah Alshamrani (KSA) 170 kgs 3.Mohamed Alkhateb (UAE) 148 kgs Total A weightlifter in action at the GCC Championship for Senior, Junior and Youth for Men and Women at 1.Mohammed Ahsan (Egypt) 390 kgs Marriott Hotel in Doha yesterday. The four-day championship ended yesterday. Qatar Weightlifting and 2.Abdulah Alshamrani (KSA) 310 kgs Bodybuilding Federation (QWBF) also hosted the Qatar Cup alongside the GCC competition. Around 3.Mohamed Alkhateb (UAE) 258 kgs 70 weightlifters took part in the championship. WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25

I didn’t criticise Clarke eyes whitewash players: Swann

LONDON: Former England as Aussies gun for No 1 off-spinner Graeme Swann, who made a shock decision to quit all forms of cricket on Sunday, has denied his England’s pride on line as MCG ready for Boxing Day Test tomorrow criticism of arrogant inter- national players was aimed at his team mates. MELBOURNE: Michael When announcing his Clarke vowed yesterday to lead retirement three Tests into the an all-out assault on England five-match Ashes series against as Australia go for a 5-0 Ashes Australia, the 34-year-old said series triumph, targeting the there were “some people play- top spot in Test cricket. ing the game at the minute “People have been asking me (who) have no idea how far up how we’re going to approach the their own backsides they are”. Boxing Day Test after already Some interpreted that as a winning back the Ashes,” skip- swipe at Kevin Pietersen, but per Clarke wrote in his column Swann yesterday accused the for The Telegraph. media of adding “two and two “The answer is easy — full and coming up with 55”. throttle,” he said in what the daily The English cricket Asked in an interview with called the “blueprint for Ashes team is seen during Sky Sports television if he had whitewash”. a training session been targeting any England “Momentum is a rare and pre- at the Melbourne players, Swann replied: cious commodity. When you have Cricket Ground “Categorically, no. it you run with it as hard as you (MCG), in Melbourne, “I think there are certain can because you’re never sure Australia, yesterday. players round the world who how long it will last.” — let’s say — are a bit full of Clarke has taken Australia to themselves at the minute and victory in the opening three Tests, they’ll come back to earth with ending England’s recent Ashes a bump. dominance. “Now that we’re “I certainly wasn’t having starting to win again it would be a go at the England team. I silly to take our foot off the gas,” find it a real shame the writ- he said. ten press all concluded I was Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin on about Kev and the England said the team were preparing in team when, if they’d asked me, the same fighting spirit as the I’d have told them it wasn’t.” previous Tests despite having Swann said the message he clinched the series. was trying to get across had “You never take a Test match been perfectly described by for granted, I’ve never played in seek Down Under with spiritless Prasanna Jayawardene in a man- director Andy Flower, who may be Pietersen recently. a dead rubber and that’s from the efforts in the field and tumult off it. of-the-match performance. another casualty of this tour, said “I think KP summed it up bottom of my heart,” he said. Graeme Swann’s retirement “We’re playing good cricket at all positions were up for review. beautifully the other day when “I don’t think the feeling in the this week, cast as selfless by the the moment,” Australia’s in-form Wicketkeeper Matt Prior, who we were talking about some- group’s changed since we came spinner but slammed as gutless opening batsman David Warner has had a dreadful series behind body — I can’t even remember together in Brisbane. We’ve had by critical British media, has told reporters at the MCG on the stamps and at the crease, is who,” explained Swann who a clear goal of what we wanted only added to the air of a team Tuesday. “We need to really drive on the most shaky ground and bowed out of cricket occupy- to do as a team and that hasn’t in disarray. it into England. “We are here to may be dropped in favour of the ing sixth place in England’s all- changed.” The Coliseum-like Melbourne play our brand of cricket and that’s unproven Jonny Bairstow. time list of wicket-takers with Haddin said the team’s plans Cricket Ground might be the why we’re up 3-0 at the moment.” Neither of England’s third- 255 in 60 Tests. had always looked beyond the world’s loneliest place for a team The pint-sized Warner’s turn- choice seamers in Tim Bresnan “He said you never judge a Ashes to cementing the top spot attempting to regroup after pass- around has been symbolic of and Chris Tremlett have asserted player when he’s doing well, in Test cricket. ing a sombre Christmas. Australia’s revival from their own themselves, potentially opening you judge him when he’s doing “We want to challenge our- Dead rubber notwithstand- forgettable campaign in England, up the door for a recall for Steven badly. selves to be the best cricketers we ing, a festive crowd of more than which started with a coach’s sack- Finn or uncapped Northern “That was the point I was can be as a group, and we hope 80,000 are expected to flock to ing and ended in an ignominious Irishman Boyd Rankin. trying to make. There are cer- that end result’s to be number one the ground for Thursday’s open- 3-0 series defeat. Front-line paceman Stuart tain guys flying at the minute, in the world,” he said. ing day of the fourth Test. Stepping into the breach is Broad may be rested after suf- but the game’s going to come An Ashes series that prom- England belted Australia Monty Panesar, whose return to fering a foot injury when he was back and bite them on the ised so much has all but fizzled in their last MCG meeting to the Test team in Adelaide yielded struck by a venomous deliv- backside. with Australia taking an unas- retain the Ashes in 2010-11, but match figures of 2-198 and two ery from Johnson in the third “Those little comments they sailable 3-0 lead, but Boxing Day the hosts have humiliated India fluffed catching chances that ulti- Test defeat in Perth. Australia’s make, silly little press confer- Test offers some intrigue as to and Sri Lanka in the two Tests mately cost over 100 runs. injury-prone seamer Ryan ences, they’ll come back and whether England will continue at the ground since. Sri Lanka’s The Luton-born left-armer Harris has been managing a hurt them,” added Swann to self-destruct or salvage some innings and 201-run defeat last becomes his team’s top spinner knee complaint, but appeared who is likely to be replaced by pride from a turbulent campaign. year included seamer Mitchell again, five years after relinquish- to train without discomfort on Monty Panesar in the fourth Arriving as comfortable win- Johnson taking six wickets, while England’s Stuart Broad bowls ing that title to Swann. Tuesday, boosting the hosts’ Test against Australia that ners of the northern Ashes series breaking the forefinger of mas- during a training session at the Many of England’s other selec- hopes of bringing the same tri- starts tomorrow. REUTERS earlier this year, Alastair Cook’s ter batsman Kumar Sangakkara MCG yesterday. tions remain a lottery. Few have umphant team into a fourth suc- team has not had its problems to and the thumb of wicketkeeper performed consistently. Team cessive Test. REUTERS

No retirement Dropped catch aided now: Pietersen

MELBOURNE: Colourful England batsman Kevin defeat: Lankan captain Pietersen rebuffed suggestions yesterday he might be next SHARJAH: Sri Lanka cap- from there.” Mathews said Umar after a knee operation. Pakistan to quit after Graeme Swann’s tain Angelo Mathews admitted Gul’s return from injury was a captain Misbah-ul Haq also hailed shock exit and expressed “less dropping a catch off Pakistan boost for Pakistan. Gul’s return. than zero” interest in the spin- centurion Mohammad Hafeez “We all know that Gul is a very “We were missing his experi- ner’s retirement saga. played a crucial role in his good bowler,” said Mathews of ence in the death (final) overs and Pietersen, who notched his team’s defeat in the third one- the paceman who took two early his return has certainly boosted 100th Test during this Ashes day match in Sharjah. wickets in his first spell of five our bowling,” said Misbah, who series in Brisbane, also brushed Leg-spinner Lasith Malinga overs, before finishing with 3-19. chipped in with a 26-ball 40 in off questions about the tourists’ dropped a sitter at long-on when “He had been hit by injury we Pakistan’s innings. troubled Australia campaign sig- Hafeez was on 26 in the 18th over know what kind of a bowler Gul “We have to be at our best in nalling a changing of the guard Sunday. The Pakistani vice-cap- is and we had to be a bit cautious the next two games to take the for the side following Swann’s tain went on to hit a career best but unfortunately we lost a cou- series,” said Misbah of the last retirement and return home of England batsman Kevin Pietersen speaks to the media at the Melbourne 140 not out in his team’s imposing ple of wickets to him and he got two games in Abu Dhabi today Jonathan Trott with a stress- Cricket Ground. total of 326-5 in 50 overs. us in the back foot early on,” said and on Friday. The two teams related illness. Sri Lanka were bowled out for Mathews of Gul who was play- will also play three Tests after “I’m 33 years of age, I’m batting 213 in 44.4 overs, losing by 113 ing his first match since March the one-days. AFP as well as I’ve ever batted,” the yesterday are less than zero.” leave, you go home and you turn runs and conceding a 2-1 lead. English linchpin told reporters in Asked whether England things around.” Pakistan won the first match by Melbourne when asked whether could be entering a period of Pietersen said the Australians 11 runs while Sri Lanka took the he could be the next to call it a renewal after losing three Tests had played “much better cricket” second by two wickets. Pakistan opener Ahmed day. “I’ll retire when I can’t get to Australia on the trot and and England had been “hurt Mathews said the dropped up to play for England, I’m good conceding the Ashes with two big-time here” but team morale catch was crucial. as gold at the moment.” games left to play, Pietersen was wasn’t too bad and there had been “It was pretty crucial and fined for Dilshan shove He would not be drawn on the pragmatic. some constructive talk in the Hafeez went on to get a big one. furore over Swann’s shock deci- “I think we’ve proved that we’re dressing room ahead of tomor- We let him go and he got them a SHARJAH: Pakistan opening batsman Ahmed Shehzad sion to walk away from the team world-class players. You don’t play row’s Boxing Day Test. big score and it was unfortunate has been fined half of his match fee for pushing Sri Lanka’s and suggestions that his remarks three Test matches and become “We’ve had some fairly decent we let him go,” said Mathews. Tillakaratne Dilshan in the shoulder during their 113-run vic- about some players having “no horrendous cricketers, you don’t conversations over the last few Mathews said his team’s other- tory in the third one-day international on Sunday. idea how far up their own back- turn up on an Australian tour and days on how we want to now try wise good fielding was not up to Ahmed has pleaded guilty to the charge of ‘inappropriate and sides they are” were directed at lose 5-0 and never have a good day and turns things around. We owe the mark on Sunday. deliberate physical contact between players’ brought by the umpires, Pietersen. in your career again,” the combat- it to ourselves and we owe it to “We can’t blame it on one man, the International Cricket Council said in a statement on Monday. “I’m not giving any energy to ive batsman said. a lot of people who’ve paid a lot to be honest. I thought our field- The incident occurred at the end of the 19th over of the Pakistan what happened yesterday, the “I haven’t got a clue what’s of money to come over here and ing was also a let down and also innings after a debate between Dilshan and Ahmed, who scored 81 only energy that I’ve got on this going to happen but I know -- and support us,” he said. chasing a total like 320 plus we before being run out in the match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium tour left in me is for Melbourne that’s what keeps a smile on our “We’ve let a lot of people down needed a good start but we kept in the United Arab Emirates. on the 26th, training today, faces -- the guys that were here in and we now need to turn our- losing wickets at regular inter- The win put Pakistan 2-1 up in the five-match series. REUTERS training tomorrow and Sydney,” 2006-2007 know, that good things selves on, and that starts today.” vals and we could not really get on he said. “My interest levels in do happen. The sun comes up, you AFP WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Pay back India for their South Africa seek better wicket ways: NZ coach

AUCKLAND: New Zealand cricket coach Mike Hesson fortunes at Kingsmead has called on the country’s curators to serve up green pitches when India tour for their two-Test series in Hosts’ overall record in Durban stands at 13 win, 13 loss and 13 draws February. New Zealand were belted 2-0 on India’s dry wickets last DURBAN: South Africa will year and Hesson said it was seek to arrest a dismal Durban only fair to prepare bouncy run of four straight defeats tracks for the Auckland and at Kingsmead when they host Wellington Tests which might India in the second and final trouble the visitors’ batsmen Test tomorrow, four days after and blunt their spinners. t hei r e pic d raw i n Joh a n ne s bu r g. “I think everyone is aware The Proteas are at a loss to of the type of surfaces we like,” explain their miserable run at Hesson said in comments pub- one of the country’s premier Test lished by New Zealand media grounds, where they have not won Indian captain yesterday. since beating West Indies in 2008. Mahendra Singh “We’ve been in India before Australia, England, India and Dhoni (left) and and they’ve changed the pitch Sri Lanka have all enjoyed hand- bowler Pragyan Ohja the day before a game because some triumphs in Durban over play football during it wasn’t as dry as they’d like. the world’s top ranked Test team a training session We certainly don’t get any since then and vice-captain AB de ahead of the sec- favours when we travel over- Villiers cannot fathom the poor ond cricket Test seas, so I’d be disappointed if run. match against South we provide any at home.” “I am confused about Durban. Africa at the Sahara New Zealand have not beaten I don’t know what to expect,” he Stadium in Durban, India in a Test series since their told reporters. yesterday. 2-0 win in 2002-03, when the “I am going to play it like I visitors’ star-studded batting always play my cricket. I am lineup, which included Sachin going to take it one ball at a time Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and and use my experience to adapt VVS Laxman, crumbled on two as quickly as I can. So will the fast, green pitches presented whole team.” at Wellington’s Basin Reserve De Villiers suggested it would and Seddon Park in Hamilton. be a good toss to win, with a lively In the next home series in pitch expected for the first part of 2008-09, New Zealand’s cura- the Test. “I think there will be a tors were slammed for prepar- bit of movement on the first day. ing more docile pitches as the Batting first always seemed the hosts lost 1-0. better option in the past. Abbott should come into the side Pakistan-born 34-year-old. While there has been a furore just seven against a defiant dis- New Zealand thrashed West “I don’t expect as many cracks for Morne Morkel, who suffered “Immi (Imran Tahir) has at home over the team’s deci- play of batting by the hosts. Indies 2-0 in their recent as there was at the Wanderers. It an ankle ligament strain in the bowled really well in the last few sion to settle for a draw in the Questions around India’s team three-Test series, with their will probably be a bit more green, first Test at the Wanderers, but months. He didn’t have a great first Test where they were eight selection also centre on the spin- seamers Trent Boult and Tim a bit firmer, and there may be a it is the spin department that will game at the Wanderers but that runs short of a world record vic- ners, with Ravichandran Ashwin Southee taking most of the bit of turn towards the end of give the selectors the most pause is part of sport. We know what tory target of 458, little has been bowling 42 wicket-less and expen- wickets, and Hesson backed the Test.” South Africa’s overall for thought. he is capable of,” De Villiers said. made of India’s inability to close sive overs. Left-arm spinner the pair to prosper against record at Kingsmead is symmet- Imran Tahir went at five runs “It’s always tempting to get the game out. Pragyan Ojha is the other option, India on Eden Park’s drop-in rical — they have won 13, lost 13 an over in the first Test and was Immi into your starting XI, even The tourists had 136 overs to though he has never bowled in wicket and at the pace-friendly and been involved in 13 draws. a pressure release for the Indian if you play on a road. Even on take 10 wickets on a wearing pitch Test matches outside the sub- Basin Reserve. Durban-based fast-bowler Kyle batsmen. De Villiers defended the glass, he can get you wickets. with variable bounce but managed continent. REUTERS “We’ll back our seamers over anyone’s at the moment, to be fair,” he said. “We know they’ve got good seamers who will challenge us, but we back Proteas have no regrets as our seamers to put any order under pressure.” The first Test begins on February 6 at Eden Park, debate rages on drawn Test with the second starting in Wellington on February 14.

CAPE TOWN: Most of South really. And Immy (Imran Tahir) Africa’s cricketers might have would probably say himself that expected to wake up on Monday you are not too sure what you are Samuels out morning to headlines praising going to get from him. their valiant batting effort in “I think we as a team have to of Windies saving the first Test against support the decision Dale and India at the Wanderers. Vernon made in the middle. The But instead the country strength of this team is that ODI squad was locked in a heated debate there are good decision makers. over whether the hosts should Each guy is mature. WELLINGTON: An injured South Africa’s Dale Steyn (left) leaves the pitch along with Indian team have pushed on for a historic “They’ve made great decisions wrist has ruled batsman on the fifth and final day of the Test match at the Wanderers stadium victory. over a period of time which have Marlon Samuels out of the in Johannesburg on Sunday. Set 458 to win on a wicket won cricket games for South West Indies One-Day squad with variable bounce, the Proteas Africa. I think that’s how we have to face New Zealand, with needed 16 runs from 19 balls at got to number one, by trusting Chadwick Walton called in one stage but eventually fell each other and trusting each oth- as cover, team officials said Steyn upset by criticism eight short, having abandoned ers’ decision making. Dale and yesterday. their chase in the fear of losing Vernon have 100 percent support West Indies head coach Ottis their final three wickets and the from me.” Gibson said Samuels would from own fans: De Villiers match. India admitted their surprise return home to see if surgery Victory would have comfort- that South Africa had taken their was required on his right wrist, CAPE TOWN: South African fast bowler Dale Steyn was left ably eclipsed the current world foot off the pedal having played in a major blow for the tour- distressed after being heavily criticised by his own fans for record of 418 runs chased down themselves into a position of ists as they look to bounce back opting against chasing victory in the drawn first Test against by West Indies against Australia superiority, while a number of from a 2-0 Test series defeat. India, the team’s vice-captain AB de Villiers said. in Antigua in 2003. former players have expressed “Marlon’s injury is unfortu- The hosts finished eight runs short of a world record target And that Faf du Plessis (134) astonishment too. nate at such a tough time for of 458 as they cautiously played out the final three overs at the and AB de Villiers (103), whose Former Test captain Kepler the team, but it gives another Wanderers on Sunday, settling for a draw with three wickets in 205-run fifth-wicket stand con- Wessels used his column on the player the opportunity to make hand. Victory would have comfortably eclipsed the current world tained some of the most skillful SuperSport website to suggest the a name for themselves in this record of 418 runs chased down by West Indies against Australia Test batting seen in difficult con- team had more to gain than lose. series,” he said. in Antigua in 2003. Steyn was at the crease with Vernon Philander ditions and under extreme pres- “In my view the Proteas should Gibson said Walton, 28, who and was seen instructing his batting partner to be cautious, which sure, are being lauded for saving have gone for the win while has played just two one-day led to the duo being booed off the field by their own supporters the match rather than winning it Steyn and Philander were at the internationals back in 2009, despite salvaging an excellent draw from a game that India domi- for South Africa has irked many. crease,” Wessels said. “Looking had been travelling with the nated for the first four days. Playing ‘brave cricket’ has at the situation objectively and team and would relish any “Dale was really upset, he struggled to handle it,” AB de Villiers, become a mantra for this South without emotion there was far chance he was offered. who leads the team in limited-overs matches, told reporters. African team in recent years South Africa’s AB de Villiers cel- more to gain going for the win “He has been working hard “It really took Graeme (Smith) and a few guys to help him and has helped them to back- ebrates his century with team- than settling for a draw. and growing as a player, and handle it immediately, because of the crowds, the booing and to-back series wins in Australia, “The team was chasing his- I feel confident that when his mate Faf du Plessis (back) on everyone criticising him and Vernon (Philander). a series victory in England and tory by breaking the record for opportunity comes he will the 5th day of the first cricket “They took a lot of strain and it was up to the team to pull to the top of the world Test the highest run chase. After make the most of it,” the coach through that but it was really tough.” rankings. Test against India at Wanderers the efforts of De Villiers and Du said. De Villiers, who made 103 in a 205-run stand with Du Plessis But as Vernon Philander and Stadium in Johannesburg. Plessis they deserved it.” The first of five ODIs (134) to set up the chance for an unlikely victory, reassured Steyn Dale Steyn shouldered arms Herschelle Gibbs took to between New Zealand and that he made the right decision. “A lot of people are blaming Dale for the final three overs as boos what was still possible on the Twitter to suggest that the vic- the West Indies will take and Vernon but I honestly believe that the numbers nine, 10, 11 from the home support rang out wearing pitch. tory would have been greater place at Auckland’s Eden Park should never be going for the runs. It’s up to the top six to score around the ground, questions Captain Graeme Smith, who than the famous ‘438’ one-day tomorrow. the runs,” he said. “If responsibility is going to be thrown around, were raised as to where that bra- was jeered at the post-match international during which South West Indies squad: it’s on me, Faf (du Plessis) and JP (Duminy) and maybe a little bit vado had disappeared to. presentation, was quick to say Africa chased down that number Dwayne Bravo (capt), Tino on Vern at the end there. “The minute Dale walked to the crease, It was only once the draw was that though Steyn and Philander of runs to defeat Australia at the Best, Darren Bravo, Johnson the right thing to do was to save the Test match and I thought secured that Steyn launched the were not acting on team orders, same venue in 2006. Charles, Narsingh Deonarine, they did that brilliantly well.” ball over the boundary for six, an he supported their decision. The majority of South Africans Kirk Edwards, Jason Holder, De Villiers said captain Smith and coach Russell Domingo have act that was perhaps ill-advised “Ultimately the guys out in the across social media platforms Nikita Miller, Sunil Narine, stressed on the achievement of the draw after South Africa made in that it incensed the crowd middle did what they thought was agreed and suggested they would Kieran Powell, Denesh Ramdin, 450 for seven in the second innings on a wearing pitch, the third even more by not only taking in the best interest of the team,” rather have seen their side go for Ravi Rampaul, Darren Sammy, highest fourth innings total in the history of the game. REUTERS South Africa agonisingly close Smith told reporters. Morne the win and lose than play out the Lendl Simmons, Chadwick to their target, but also showed (Morkel) is struggling to stand draw. REUTERS Walton. AFP WEDNESDAY 25 DECEMBER 2013 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 27 Arsenal, Chelsea in goalless draw Gunners miss chance to return to the top; we should have won it, says Wenger

LONDON: Arsenal missed their Liverpool, finished the more sat- chance to return to the top of isfied side after stifling Arsenal English Premier the Premier League after being with ease and creating the better League Results held to a bruising 0-0 draw by of the few chances on offer. English Premier League result on Monday: title rivals Chelsea in a spiteful “We controlled the game defen- London derby on Monday night. sively. It was a tactical match, a Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0 This was the final English top- match where neither side wanted Sunday flight fixture before Christmas, to lose,” Mourinho said. Southampton 2 (Lallana 13, Lambert 60) but there was little festive cheer “We want creative players who Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Adebayor 25, 64, Arsenal’s Mesut on display at the Emirates use the ball and kill opponents. Hooiveld 54-og) Ozil (right) vies Stadium as Chelsea battered But there are some matches Swansea City 1 (Oviedo 70-og) Everton 2 for the ball with Arsenal with a series of bruising where we have to take one step (Coleman 66, Barkley 84) Chelsea’s Frank challenges. backwards and play with a dif- Saturday John Obi Mikel was fortunate ferent philosophy.” Lampard dur- Crystal Palace 0 Newcastle United 3 (Cabaye to avoid a red card after the Wenger had admitted Arsenal ing their Premier 25, Gabbidon 39-og, Ben Arfa 86-pen) Chelsea midfielder crunched into had a point to prove after last League match Fulham 2 (Richardson 50, Kompany 70-og) Mikel Arteta, while Arsenal also weekend’s 6-3 thrashing at at the Emirates Manchester City 4 (Toure 23, Kompany 43, complained they should have had Manchester City prompted many Stadium in Navas 78, Milner 83) a penalty for Willian’s challenge pundits to question his team’s London on on Theo Walcott. chances of lasting the pace in the Monday night. Liverpool 3 (Suarez 25, 45, Sterling 42) It was a frustrating night for title race, but this spluttering Cardiff City 1 (Mutch 58) Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, performance will hardly silence Manchester United 3 (Welbeck 26, Januzaj who failed to secure his first win the doubters. 36, Young 72) West Ham United 1 (Cole 81) over Jose Mourinho at the 10th Mourinho sent Chelsea out in Stoke City 2 (Adam 50, Crouch 70) Aston attempt and as a result saw his a 4-5-1 formation, with Fernando Villa 1 (Kozak 66) side waste an opportunity to climb Torres as the lone striker, and Sunderland 0 Norwich City 0 back above leaders Liverpool. that cautious approach worked West Bromwich Albion 1 (Vydra 86) Hull City Instead, second placed Arsenal impressively as Arsenal struggled 1 (Livermore 28) go into the Christmas programme to find any rhythm. level on points with Liverpool but It didn’t help that torrential behind the Anfield outfit on goal rain and gale-force winds lashed before the break and almost took whose follow-through contained By now Walcott, usually so mild sought retribution and went difference. the Emirates throughout the the lead when Lampard met Eden more menace and could easily mannered, had had enough and into the book for a crude foul on “We should have won it,” match, making passing something Hazard’s pass with volley against have left the Spaniard nursing a the winger responded by chopping Ivanovic. Wenger said. “They came here to of a lottery. the crossbar. serious injury. down Azpilicueta, earning a yel- It was Arsenal who finished the defend and catch us on the break. Frank Lampard made a typi- Wenger was growing increas- Arsenal’s anger increased when low card of his own. stronger, with Giroud firing into We were a bit edgy at the start cally intelligent run to meet Cesar ingly vexed on the touchline and they appealed in vain for a penalty The tone of an already fiery the side-netting and then forcing but we took control in the second Azpilicueta’s cross in the early he was furious when referee Mike after Willian’s challenge caught match became ever more com- Cech to block at his near post. half. stages, but for once the Chelsea Dean refused to even book Mikel Walcott on the foot without mak- bustible after Chelsea defender Bacary Sagna’s header was “It was 100 percent a penalty midfielder’s clinical finishing for his aggressive lunge on Arteta. ing contact with the ball. Branislav Ivanovic caught Mesut cleared off the line by Azpilicueta, when Theo Walcott was fouled. I deserted him and he scuffed a Mikel’s eyes were on the ball Arteta was the victim of Ozil and then started a bout of but neither side deserved to take don’t know why it was not given.” mistimed effort well wide. when he went into the tackle and another crunching tackle from shoving with an incensed Kieran the points on an ugly night. Chelsea, who moved up to Mourinho’s men finally cast Arteta slid in with equal intent, Ramires, but the Brazilian Gibbs. AFP fourth and are two points behind off their defensive shackles just but it was the Chelsea midfielder escaped with just a booking. Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky Egypt domestic league Spurs appoint Sherwood as head coach prepares for LONDON: Tim Sherwood was chairman Daniel Levy. “We have “What would be ideal for me yesterday appointed head coach a great squad and we owe them a would be to have a chat with the of Tottenham with a contract head coach who will bring out the chairman and see what’s best for belated start to the end of the 2014-2015 sea- best in them and allow them to the football club moving forward,” son, the Premier League club flourish and enjoy a strong, excit- he said. CAIRO: Egyptian clubs will announced. ing finish to the season. “I need to know what they’re make a belated start to their Sherwood had been named “We are in the fortunate posi- thinking. I don’t want this job for domestic football season yes- as interim coach after Andre tion of having within our club a five minutes. That’s no interest terday, hopeful of completing it Villas-Boas was sacked earlier in talented coach in Tim Sherwood. to me. Are we going to move it after security issues cut short December following a 5-0 defeat “We believe Tim has both the forward or not? the last two campaigns. to Liverpool. knowledge and the drive to take “It’s a massive club with his- The 2013-14 season marks the “Following the departure of the squad forward.” tory and tradition. But whatever return of Al Masry for the first Andre Villas-Boas, the Club can Sherwood played 93 matches happens needs to be right for time since the Port Said stadium announce that Tim Sherwood for Spurs between 1999 and 2003 me, too. riot in February last year when 74 has been appointed Head Coach and also turned out for Blackburn, “Andre has left the club in a people, mostly fans of opponents with a contract to the end of Norwich, Portsmouth, Watford good state. There’s nothing wrong Al Ahli, were killed. the 2014/15 season,” said a club and Coventry before hanging up with the job he’s done. Top of the Spectators were crushed when statement. his boots in 2005. league in the European competi- panicked crowds tried to escape The 44-year-old Sherwood had He made his mark on Sunday tion (Europa League).” from the stadium after a pitch overseen a 3-2 over Southampton when recalled striker Emmanuel A host of names had been invasion by supporters of Al on Sunday. Adebayor, left out in the cold by linked with the Tottenham job Masry. Others fell or were thrown Chris Ramsey, Les Ferdinand Villas-Boas, scored twice. including Ajax boss Frank De from terraces. and Steffen Freund will work The win left Tottenham in Boer, Guus Hiddink, Fabio Capello The violent clashes shocked alongside the former England seventh place, four points off the and Glenn Hoddle. Tottenham Hotspur’s interim manager Tim Sherwood celebrates after Egypt and resulted in the 2011-12 international midfielder. Champions League places. Capello is on the verge of sign- striker Emmanuel Adebayor scored an equalising goal during the season being immediately halted “We were extremely reluctant Sherwood had said after ing a new deal to stay with the English Premier League football match against Southampton at St and a host of sanctions for the to make a change mid-season, Sunday’s game that he wanted Russian national team until the Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, southern England in this December Port Said club. but felt we had to do so in the his future sorted out as soon as 2018 World Cup. 22 file picture. Club football then suffered a club’s best interests,” said Spurs possible. AFP near year-long standstill before a new season belatedly got under- way, only for it to be halted in July after the army ousted the coun- try’s president Mohamed Mursi Suarez is best player with one round of the 2012-13 regular season left. The 22 clubs in the top flight will be divided into two groups with play-offs at the end of in world, says Gerrard the season to determine the champions. LONDON: England captain The Ivanovic incident resulted The 28-year-old -- who was All games will be played Steven Gerrard has acclaimed in a 10-match domestic suspen- given his Premier League debut behind closed doors, the Liverpool team-mate Luis sion that meant the Liverpool by Moyes when he was at Everton Egyptian Football Association Suarez as the best player in the striker missed the start of this -- has scored 10 goals this term announced. world on current form. season. but it has been his all-round play Al Masry have been ordered to In 12 appearances this season The 27-year-old Suarez has this that has pleased the manager. play their matches at Suez, while the red-hot Uruguay striker has season become the first Liverpool “What Wayne is doing is mak- military stadiums in Cairo will scored 19 goals to fire Liverpool player to score at least twice in ing the others play well because host the games of African cham- to the top of the Premier League. five consecutive home matches. he is playing well. He has turned pions Al Ahli and their arch rivals That is six more than his nearest He is on course to surpass the himself into a real team player,” Zamalek, both of whom com- rival, Argentina and Manchester Premier League record of 34 goals Moyes said. mand passionate followings. The City forward Sergio Augero. shared by former England strik- “With the assists for the team pair have been placed in separate Suarez’s prolific streak has ers Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. and the goals, his all-round con- groups. earned him a new long-term Cole achieved his haul with tribution has been fantastic.” The opening fixture on Tuesday contract at Anfield where he has Newcastle United in 1993-94. Rooney, who has scored 207 pits Petrojet against Talae overcome widespread misgivings Shearer’s was with Blackburn goals in 423 games for United, had El-Gaish, with five matches after several controversial inci- Rovers in 1994-95. been thought to be on the verge of scheduled for today and four more dents including one last season “He will certainly push it close,” leaving in the close season after tomorrow in the first round of when he bit the arm of Chelsea said Liverpool manager Brendan a rocky end to last term when action. defender Branislav Ivanovic. Rodgers after Suarez bagged two his relationship with Moyes’s The kick off comes after a “On current form he’s the best goals in a 3-1 win over Cardiff predecessor Alex Ferguson series of start dates for the new player in the world,” Gerrard said City on Saturday. “He looks like deteriorated. season had been put back. of Suarez. he can score a hat-trick in every However, Moyes believes that “It has been incredibly diffi- “Lionel Messi’s out injured and game.” now his future has been settled cult to prepare,” said El Gouna’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s had a bit of Liverpool visit Manchester the sometimes fiery Rooney can German coach Rainer Zobel in an an injury of late,” the Liverpool City, who are one point behind play a role in setting an exam- interview with the Kicker soccer skipper told Sky Sports television, the leaders in third place, on ple for the younger players at magazine. referring to the number one play- Thursday. United. “We’ve had several false ers at Barcelona and Real Madrid Meanwhile, England and “He (Rooney) needs to show starts to the season in August, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez (centre) celebrates after midfielder Raheem respectively. Manchester United striker the young players,” Moyes said. then September and lastly Sterling scored their team’s second goal during the English Premier “He (Suarez) is certainly the Wayne Rooney has turned into “He has a big responsibil- December 6. It has been a long, League match against Cardiff City at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, best striker out there. He’s prov- a selfless player who is now play- ity to show the next generation long wait.” northwest England, on December 21. ing that with his minutes-to-goals ing for the team, United manager the standards that Manchester REUTERS ratio.” David Moyes said yesterday. United set. AGENCIES Wednesday 25 December 2013 21 Safar 1435 Volume 18 Number 5924 Sport Price: QR2

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www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 44557741 | Advertising: 44557837 / 44557780 Hosts Qatar aim to end WAFF drought Four-time winners Iran and Syria not taking part Fadi Zuraikat (left), General-Secretary of WAFF, and Suleiman Nawar, DOHA: Hosts Qatar - in the Executive Director of WAFF, during a press conference at Grand Hyatt absence of four-time champions Hotel Doha yesterday. BOTTOM: Qatar players training ahead of their Iran and strife-torn Syria - has match against Palestine. emerged as one of the favouri- ties to clinch the West Asia Football Federation (WAFF) Championship for men which kicks off here today. The 2022 World Cup hosts will kick off their campaign today with a match against Palestine at Al Sadd Stadium at 5.30pm. Qatar have never won the WAFF championship and will aim to end the drought in the eighth edition of the championship. Speaking to journalists on the eve of their opening Group A match, Qatar coach Djamel Belmadi appeared confident of his sides chances. “All the participating teams are good. Though we have fielded a reserve squad, which has some new faces, I think this is one of the strongest teams in the cham- Qatar coach Djamel Belmadi speaking at a press conference ahead of pionship. We have played a good the West Asia Football Federation (WAFF) Championship for men which practice game against Bahrain a kicks off in Doha today. RIGHT: Oman’s assistant coach Haroon Amur. couple of days back and we are BOTTOM: Jordan coach Hosam Hassan. PICTURES BY: KAMMUTTY VP ready for a good show,” Belmadi said. “We have a good young side and as for the whole nation and we timings so that participant nations hopefully they will perform to our are taking this championship as can send their full strength teams expectations. The tournament is a testing ground. We know it is a for the championship,” he said. a good opportunity for them to tough tournament, we know our Commenting over their play for the country against some opening match is against a good chances against Qatar, he said: of the top players of the region,” Qatar side, but we hope to per- “All the teams are good. Qatar the Algerian added. form well here,” the 33-year-old are among the title contenders Palestine captain Ramzi Saleh said. as they are playing before home said the championship will serve Saleh, who has played in all crowd, but we have confidence in as a good preparation for the the WAFF championships since our capabilities and hopefully we Challenge Cup, a qualifying tour- 2008, said the tournament could will perform well.” nament for the Asian Cup in be planned in a better way. Bahrain will take on Oman in Australia. “The organisers should study a Group B match in the 8.00pm “To qualify for the Asian Cup the dates of the continental and kick off today. is a dream for the players, as well regional events and find suitable THE PENINSULA Cricket: Qatar to host first ever tri-series in January

DOHA: West End Park Group, tournament, Chairman of West Qatar International Women's the company that manages and End Park Group, Mana Ibrahim Championship operated the West End Park, Al Mana said this is the first time yesterday announced the host- Qatar will host an International Date Country Start Time ing of first-ever triangular Women’s Cricket Championship. 10/01/2014 Pakistan vs Ireland 1:00 PM women’s one-day and Twenty20 “The event will provide a per- championship in Qatar from fect opportunity for cricket lovers 11/01/2014 South Africa vs 1:00 PM January 10 to 24. of Qatar to enjoy some scintillat- Ireland This is the first champion- ing cricket in a festive atmos- 12/01/2014 Pakistan vs South 1:00 PM ship ever to be sanctioned by the phere and will promote values of Africa International Cricket Council fair play and the spirit of coop- (ICC), a huge achievement and eration among all communities in 13/01/2014 Pakistan vs Ireland 1:00 PM historic moment for sport in Qatar,” Mana said. 14/01/2014 Ireland vs South 1:00 PM Qatar. “The forthcoming tournament Africa To be held at the West End is more than a cricket contest in Park International Cricket the sense that it will positively 15/01/2014 South Africa vs 1:00 PM Stadium, the championship is contribute towards the growing Pakistan being organised under the patron- relations between the competing 16/01/2014 Rest Day age of Qatar’s Minister of Youth countries,” he added. 17/01/2014 Final 1:00 PM and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin According to Mana, cricket is Nasser Al Ali. popular sport among the large Triangular T20 Tournament Women’s International Teams Asian communities in Qatar, and from the Pakistan, South Africa the women’s cricket tournament Pakistan vs South 1:00 PM 19/01/2014 Africa and Ireland will be participating will be definitely a treat for all Chairman of West End Park Group, Mana Ibrahim Al Mana (second left) speaking during a press conference in the championship, which will cricket lovers in the country. He in Doha yesterday. Amin Jaffer (left), representative of Pakistan Cricket Board, Manzoor Ahmed (second right), Pakistan vs Ireland 5:00 PM be played at the International said the tournament has received General-Secretary of Qatar Cricket Association and Michael Scallon, Stadium Manager of West End Park South Africa vs Ireland 1:00 PM Cricket Stadium at the West End encouraging commitment from International Cricket Stadium are also seen. PICTURE BY: ABDUL BASIT Park. institutions and local bodies in 20/01/2014 Pakistan vs Ireland 5:00 PM The stadium has a capacity of making this tournament possible. 12,500 spectators. “Qatar has invested signifi- Mana further added that fans popular to all the communities in One of the largest open-air 21/01/2014 Rest Day Teams will compete for ICC cantly in to building a world class will experience a fantastic match Qatar,” the Qatari businessman amphitheater in the Middle East South Africa vs Ireland 1:00 PM ranking points ahead of major stadium to meet the National day experience. said. with 14,500 seating capacity; 22/01/2014 events such as the ICC Women’s Sports Strategy objectives for “The hosting of the The West End Park is a one- 10000 m2 of Open Space to organ- Pakistan vs South Africa 5:00 PM World Cup; ICC Women’s World cricket and the West End Park International Cricket Women’s stop-shop which offers various ize Festivals, Bazaar & Garage Twenty/20. Cricket Stadium is equipped to championship demonstrates services at affordable prices to sale; Sports Club comprising of 23/01/2014 Rest Day The Championship will include attract the world’s leading cricket Qatar’s commitment in patron- expatriate residents, citizens and one Football, four Cricket prac- 24/01/2014 Final 5:00 PM seven One-Day International nations with superb playing and izing the growth of the sport in even to tourists. The facility also tice pitch, four Badminton, eight Venue: West End Park International Cricket matches and seven Twenty/20. technical facilities on-site” Mana Qatar. The tournament is one has an Outlet Mall; four Cinemas Basketball courts. Stadium Giving details about the said. major step in making the sport with 500 seating capacity each; THE PENINSULA