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22 February 2014 22 Rabial II 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5982 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY

An artist’s impression of the upgraded Al Rayyan Stadium. British companies win stadium contract DOHA: British engineering company Pascall Watson has won a contract to develop and renovate Al Rayyan Stadium jointly with Ramboll and Icom, another firm from that country. Sources in the British companies said the contract includes increasing the number of seats in the stadium from 22,000 to 40,000, and installation of an advanced air-condition- ing system that will keep the temperature at 24 degrees Celsius. The seats can be removed and reinstalled in accordance with the number of spectators. The contract also includes developing the areas for training, supporters, the interna- tional media and the areas around the sta- dium. Big screens will also be installed around the stadium. The UK company has assigned a director TARNISHING for the project from Icom for design, and has assigned a design consultant from Ramboll. Al Rayyan Stadium is the second one after Al Wakra Stadium to have its design approved. Hassan Al Thawadi, general secretary and head of the Supreme Committee for FIFA 2022, said five stadiums for the World Cup will be under construction by the end of 2014. He said Qatar had taken various steps for completing work on the stadiums before time. QATAR Names of the companies that will be awarded contracts for the remaining stadi- ums will be announced in the coming days. The stadiums being developed include Al Gharafa, Al Rayyan and Khalifa stadiums. Other sport facilities are being built in Al THE ISSUE Khor, Al Shamal and Al Wakra. The exact location of these will be identi- fied after the list of matches to be held here reports was the disclosure of a “shocking credibility at stake. It seems Qatar is fac- is announced by a FIFA committee, which As the Middle East gets ready to number” of deaths among migrant work- ing the same “disrespectful prejudice” that we expect after the World Cup in Brazil, said host its first football world cup ers from India and Nepal. The reports were South Africa endured in the run-up to the Thawadi. proved wrong by the migrant workers wel- 2010 World Cup.

eight years down the lane, host Design: Abraham Augusthy fare bodies of both countries, who quoted This is not to say that everything is per- Qaradawi defends country Qatar has come under relevant facts and figures. It’s worrying that fect with Qatar. This region’s construction harsh scrutiny of the international international media outlets that have a great sector is not as mature as in some developed remarks on Egypt media and rights activists. Given legacy of unbiased reporting are coming out economies. with concocted reports against a country. On the Qatari side, the country faces a DOHA: Noted Islamic scholar Dr Yusuf Al the fact that the FIFA World Cup It’s quite understandable that interna- serious PR crisis. It doesn’t have a single- Qaradawi yesterday said he was ready to is watched by almost half of tional media and human rights watchdogs window facility to counter baseless charges appear in any court for his opinions and the will put Qatar under the scanner in the levelled by the international media or to issues he raised, asserting, “I believe I am humanity, Qatar is aware that the run-up to the global sporting event. Qatar address concerns raised by international only speaking the truth, and I do not have stakes are high. is not touchy about criticism. It has a his- agencies. As cyberspace is bombarded with any enmity or hatred for anyone.” tory of dealing with turbulence in politics half-truths and lies about Qatar by “inter- “I am not against any country or person. related to international sporting events in a ested parties” on a daily basis, Qatar is fac- My concern is Islam and the situation of ince it won the right to host the dignified and calibrated manner. But there ing it almost with silence. Yes, it is wise Muslims, and to bring Muslims together. I 2022 event three years ago, Western is a section of people who believe that the not to over-react to baseless criticism. But am now 88 years old. I am not looking for any- media have looked for any excuse to international media is bullying the country. Qatar’s silence is often misconstrued as thing at this age,” Qaradawi said in his Friday Suse as a stick to beat the country Some believe they are acting at the behest admission of guilt. sermon at the Omar bin Al Khattab mosque. with. The latest in their series of anti-Qatar of a “vested interest lobby”, putting their See also page 2 He said the condition of Muslims in the world was miserable and what one saw in the news about Muslims made one sad. Continued on page 3 THE PENINSULA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 FEBRUARYUARY 2222,, 20120144 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.compeninsulaqatar.com Home

International media distorting facts Qatar needs to defend its image as sections of Western media ratchet up their biased campaign

BY SATISH KANADY non-profit organisation dismissed the daily’s claims as baseless and fabricated. DOHA: The international media has Reacting to the reports, PNCC vice been relentlessly after Qatar since chairperson Kul Prasad Karki ques- it won the right, in 2010, to host the tioned the motives of the Western 2022 FIFA World Cup. It made trou- media. “As a migrant welfare body, we bling allegations against Qatar before have been working across the Middle and after its successful bid for the East for long. An equal number of fatali- event. The country deftly handled it ties are reported from across this region, with dignity and poise. including in other GCC countries like After a brief interval, the media Saudi Arabia and the UAE”. seems to be attacking Qatar with He asked why the international media renewed vigour. Recent reports in a sec- was focusing on Qatar and turning a tion of the Western media raise serious blind eye to more fatalities happening questions about responsible journalism. in other parts of the region. Last week, Western dailies published The Indian embassy claimed that the two reports questioning Qatar’s right international media had fudged statis- to host the 2022 event in the light of tics related to mortality rates of Indian allegedly high rates of death among expatriates in Qatar. “Most of the deaths The Western media has Directives have been The numbers quoted by Nepalese and Indian migrant labourers are by natural causes. It is, therefore, a perception problem. issued by the authorities the international media in the country. The embassies and labour inappropriate to use these figures in a Right from Qatar winning to the construction are highly alarming. We welfare bodies of the two countries dis- distorted manner,” said the mission. missed the reports, published by highly Indian Community Benevolent Forum the bid, you can see a sector to strictly adhere would have definitely respected British dailies, as “baseless (ICBF) is a welfare body of Indian expa- pattern in the consistent to the code of ethics and taken notice if these and concocted”. triates in Qatar. It has been involved attacks. international standards. numbers were real. “The Western media has a percep- in day-to-day issues faced by migrant — Ahmad Jassim Al Jolo — Hassan Al Thawadi — Kareem Abdullah tion problem. Right from Qatar winning Indian workers in Qatar fore more the bid, you can see a pattern in the than 30 years. Its’ president Kareem consistent attacks on Qatar. They still Abdullah said ICBF was shocked to see cannot accept the fact that a country in the international media suggesting that the GCC region is capable of hosting the all the Indian expatriates who had died World Cup”, said Ahmad Jassim Al Jolo, in Qatar were construction workers. chairman of Qatar Society of Engineers. Work-related fatalities do occur in with other issues to protect their inter- construction accident was falling from “The problem with Qatar is that until The construction sector is risky. Qatar. In 2013, there were 14 worksite ests. This must be stopped, he added. heights, which led to 23 deaths — 60 recently it didn’t have an effective Local Work-related accidents happen all over deaths. The previous year, there were Britain’s Health and Safety Executive percent of all deaths recorded during Organising Committee (LOC). FIFA the world. The media is just doing a 13. “We do not know why the interna- (HSE) is a national independent watch- the period. will only coordinate with a body that ‘shoot and scoot’ job. Instead of playing tional media is going crazy about Qatar,” dog for work-related health, safety and “The British media should focus on is football-centric. It will not directly with statistics, they must specify exact Abdullah told The Peninsula. illness issues. HSE’s statistics for 2012/13 causalities in the UK’s construction communicate with government bodies. reasons for deaths rather than shoot- “The ICBF is closely linked to Indian support Elgenaid’s argument that work- sector rather than looking for issues in Qatar has just recently announced that ing over the shoulders of human rights expatriate labourers, especially those place injuries take place across the world. Qatar”, said a Qatari businessman. it has launched the LOC. But it’s not yet bodies, Jolo said. involved in the construction sector. We According to the figures, around 13,000 George Macleod, a construction sec- clear who is heading the body”, said a There are a large number of European have local units all across the country. deaths due to work-related diseases tor expert with more than 30 years of Doha-based veteran sports editor. companies operating in the construction The numbers quoted by the interna- occur each year in Britain. In 2011/12, experience in the US and Australia, The recently formed Supreme sector. They must come out with the tional media are highly alarming. We an estimated 1.8 million people were suf- said: “Qatar has been following British Committee for Delivery and Legacy is facts and counter the allegations of the would have definitely taken notice if fering from an illness they believed was standards since 2010. Compared to many supposed to act as the LOC and will Western media, he said. these numbers were real. But, fortu- caused or made worse by their current other countries in the Middle East, be working with FIFA to fulfil all obli- “We all know many European coun- nately, that is not the case”, he said. or past work. fatalities are much lower in Qatar.” gations under the hosting agreement. tries are going through serious economic Qatar is not claiming that things are “Health and safety in construction in “It seems the Western media is sen- The Supreme Committee for Delivery crises. Some of the major companies in perfect in its construction sector. The Great Britain, 2013”, a report released sationalising the issue and often blows and Legacy is expected to focus on this region may be looking for a lion’s construction industry is a high-risk by the HSE, says this about Britain’s it out of proportion. In Qatar’s case, I constructing the proposed tournament share of the World Cup-related project one across the globe. The construction work-related injuries and ill health: would say that the interested parties are venues and coordinating with local contracts. One cannot be blamed if he/ industry in the Middle East is not as “There have been significant reductions extrapolating data and exploding it to stakeholders. she suspects the hand of the contract- mature as in developed nations like in the number and rate of injury over the the media,” Macleod said. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary ing lobby behind the sustained campaign Britain. last 20 years or more. Nevertheless, con- As for Qatar, the country is facing a General of the Supreme Committee for against Qatar,” Jolo added. Mohammed Elgenaid, a construction struction remains a high-risk industry. serious PR crisis. The onus is on it to Delivery and Legacy, said directives had Nepal-based Pravasi Nepal industry expert, said he was aghast at Although it accounts for only about five convince a sceptical world. As cyber- been issued by the authorities to the Coordinating Committee (PNCC) statistics reported by the international percent of the employees in Britain, it space is bombarded with half-truths construction sector to strictly adhere to was the first to challenge the Western media. “You take any country; there are accounts for 27 percent of fatal injuries and lies about Qatar, there are ques- the construction code of ethics. There media’s “revelation” about the growing problems in the construction sector. But to employees and 10 percent of reported tions about whether Qatar is countering will be a monitoring system to make number of migrant workers from their how can it be linked to the World Cup?”, major injuries”. them effectively. sure that the construction firms are country dying at worksites in Qatar. he asked. The HSE also found recently that one It is more than three years since following the guidelines. Interestingly, a British daily had claimed It was common practice among inter- in four London construction sites fails Qatar’s successful 2022 World Cup A section of football fans in Qatar that the same NGO would come out with national agencies to use human rights safety inspections. bid, but the country doesn’t have a is adopting a moderate posture on a detailed report on migrant labourer data to put pressure on countries, he Considering that construction work- single-window facility to counter base- the so-called “anti-Qatar campaign” deaths in Qatar. The Kathmandu-based said. They link human rights matters ers make up a sizeable chunk of Qatar’s less charges made by the international by the international media. It is wise labour force, the number of work-related media. that Qatar is not over-reacting to the deaths in Qatar cannot be described as Following reports on Qatar by The international media pressure, some say. “alarming”. Guardian and The Observer, there was a As a country, Qatar has always been Call for liaison offices at major embassies London’s construction sector trade wave of rage on the Internet, with news receptive to criticism. It has a history union, UCATT, recently alleged that portals carrying stories with headlines of handling turbulent periods in inter- DOHA: One way to counter allegations against Qatar is to equip its construction-related deaths in London like “Death toll in Qatar brings inter- national politics and sporting events in embassies in major countries to present Qatar’s side of the story to the had doubled after the London mayor national shame on Qatar”, “World Cup a dignified and well-calibrated manner. international media. ignored safety concerns. There were horror death toll: 400 workers die”, “Well, let’s face it”, said one of them. Writing in his column in this newspaper, The Peninsula’s Editor-in-Chief, 39 construction fatalities in Britain “Qatar World Cup builds staggering THE PENINSULA Khalid Al Sayed, recently noted that a concerted campaign against Qatar was in 2012/13. The most common fatal death toll”. tarnishing the country’s image. “One cannot completely stop this negative coverage, but can definitely try to minimise it by setting up media offices at our embassies in major countries. One of the main reasons for the negative coverage is our lack of communication with the media…”, he said. The primary objective of these media offices should be to open a channel of communication with the foreign media to present to them the Qatari perspec- tive. In almost all Western and Arab media reports, there is no Qatari point of view, he wrote. THE PENINSULA Home FEBRUARY 22, 2014 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03 ON SATURDAY Hamad Medical City project launched in Yemen

DOHA: Yemeni Prime Minister Taizz Governorate. for taking the initiative that will benefit and stability, highlighting strong rela- City will be a marked improvement in Mohammed Basindawa and Qatari Several GCC officials and Yemeni Yemeni people for years to come. tions reflected in Qatar’s help for Yemen medical services provided by Yemen. Ambassador Mohammed bin Hamad cabinet members attended. Basindawa praised Qatar’s support to recover economically. The project aims at serving six million Al Hajri yesterday laid the foundation Yemeni officials thanked the Emir for Yemen in all fields. He also lauded Yemeni Minister of Health Dr Ahmed Yemenis and creating thousands of jobs stone of Hamad Medical City in the H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Qatar’s commitment to Yemen’s peace Qasem Al Ansi said Hamad Medical for Yemeni youth. QNA Peru President visits Aspire Academy DOHA: Peruvian President Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso visited Aspire Academy, accom- panied by a ministerial del- egation. He was welcomed by Khaled Al Sulaiteen, CEO, Aspire Zone Foundation, and Ivan Bravo, Director General of the academy. Tasso was given a tour of sport- ing facilities. The academy focuses on sporting and educational devel- opment of its student-athletes, and Tasso was shown the world- class training grounds and teach- Peruvian President Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso touring the academy. ing areas. THE PENINSULA

Japanese Ambassador Shingo Tsuda (left) with Abdulla Nasser Al Ansari, Director, QNL, at the event. Japan embassy donates books to QNL DOHA: Japanese Ambassador cultural relations between Culture, Arts and Heritage for Shingo Tsuda visited Abdulla Japan and Qatar. support to Doha International Nasser Al Ansari, Director, The embassy began handing Book Fair in which the embassy Qatar National Library, to over books donated by the foun- participates every year. The donate 55 books on Japan, dation to the library in 1987 and embassy will also continue to pro- in collaboration with Japan has provided 970 titles in Arabic, vide books for other organisations Foundation, as part of the English, and Japanese so far. and institutions in Qatar. embassy’s efforts to promote Tsuda thanked the Ministry of THE PENINSULA I will continue to speak truth

Continued from page 3 Arab people emerged victorious in Tunisia, Yemen, Libya and Egypt and were close to victory in the fifth country before other countries intervened to support the regime, Qaradawi said. Referring to Mohamed Mursi, he said the elected Egyptian president remained in office for less than a year, before he was “kidnapped” and jailed. What is the role of the Arab League, OIC and the UN, he asked. “You will not succeed in your efforts,” he said, addressing those who had jailed Mursi. He said while the world condemned violence in Ukraine, thousands of Egyptians died in Raabia Square and other places, and thousands had been arrested, but no Muslim or non-Muslim state con- demned these actions. Qaradawi said he had been unable to deliver the Friday sermon for the past three weeks because he was unwell. This pleased some people, who spread rumours, he said, adding: “I am still alive, I will keep speaking the truth, and I do not mind if this does not please you.” THE PENINSULA FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home

Khojaly victims remembered

Dr Mohammed Abbas, EFL Curriculum Specialist at Bahrain’s Ministry of Education, delivering the inaugural address at the conference. Qatar TESOL forum draws 250 teachers Azerbaijan Ambassador Tofiq Abdullayev (inset) speaking at an event to commemo- rate the Khojaly genocide at the Grand Hyatt hotel on Thursday. On 26 February 1992, the Armenian armed forces with the help of the infantry guards regiment of DOHA: More than 250 teachers are Dr William (Bill) Acton, Director the former USSR seized Khojaly, a small town in Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, and attending the 10th International of the MA in TESOL programme at massacred 613 people, including 106 women, 63 children and 70 elderly. Qatar TESOL Conference — a pro- Trinity Western University, British KAMMUTTY V P fessional development forum — at Columbia, Canada, will discuss the College of the North Atlantic research on ‘virtual’ books in his ple- – Qatar. The theme of the two- nary ‘Digital Readers and eLanguage day conference which ends today is Learning: eXciting, eXasperating – ‘Promoting a Culture of Reading.’ and inXapable!’ Dr Mohammed Abbas, EFL The forum aims at helping educa- Curriculum Specialist at Bahrain’s tors in Qatar and the region foster Ministry of Education, opened a better culture of reading in their Alfaisal to hold Destination the conference with his plenary classrooms. Qatar TESOL’s vision is ‘Using Newspapers with EFL/ESL to bring quality professional devel- Students’. opment opportunities to educa- He demonstrated the use of differ- tors in Qatar and the region. It is ent sections of English newspapers run by volunteers. CNA-Q, Texas ImagiNation conference and gave participants tips on using A & M University in Qatar, the US newspapers to foster reading and Department of State’s Regional develop language skills among stu- Language Office and US-based dents. “Newspapers as a resource of Avant Assessment are supporting Schoolchildren to reveal how they benefited from global initiative language teaching have been widely the forum. used for English language teaching,” There are door prizes and two DOHA: Qatar schoolchildren their challenges – will highlight he said. participants will have a chance taking part in Destination DI advantages. Today, Dr Thomas Robb, Professor to win a hotel stay for two at the ImagiNation, under the Abdullatif Ali Al Yafei, and Chair of the English Department Intercontinental Doha City hotel. patronage of Alfaisal Without General Manager, Alf at the Faculty of Foreign Languages Other prizes include dinner vouch- Borders Foundation, will Foundation, said: “It is a great at Kyoto Sangyo University, Japan, ers for two at The Square restaurant reveal how DI has helped milestone for Qatar to launch will discuss new reading tools in his at the hotel and a flight simula- them grow personally, socially DI in our schools and to pave plenary ‘The Role of Technology in tor session at Qatar Aeronautical and academically when they the way for the rest of the Gulf the Promotion of Reading’. College. THE PENINSULA attend the DI Schools Forum and the Middle East to take on on March 2. the programme. Schools are invited to take “DI aims to help improve part in the inaugural launch the lives of those in Qatar and at the Renaissance Hotel in across the world by empower- City Centre to hear first-hand ing them through education and how young people can acquire social welfare initiatives and 21st century skills of team- giving them skills and qualifica- work, leadership, creativity and tions so they can play a positive problem-solving. role in the world.” DI is a youth initiative in 27 Ali Mar’e, Executive Director, countries and Qatar is piloting Alf Foundation, said: “DI it for the Gulf, reflecting a com- advantages support the ethos mitment to the development of the foundation - to enable and empowerment of its youth. Qatar to be a regional leader in Seven schools, with more progressive education and pro- than 230 students and 34 teams, mote latest thinking to make a are taking part. Destination ImagiNation aims at promoting 21st century skills. difference to the youth of today.” Under the patronage of The Gulf English School, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Park House English School, Thani’s Alf Foundation, the pro- National Vision 2030 and Alf Teams then will compete to Newton International gramme, approved by Supreme Foundation’s objectives. take part in the national finals, Academy, Barwa City, Newton Education Council, presents the The programme operates at the Gulf English School on International School, Lagoon, richness of Qatari culture and like an extra-curricular activ- May 3. Teams which complete Noble International School, ensures schoolchildren have a ity. Teams of up to seven peo- their challenges and score 75 Amna bint Wahab Independent head-start in life, by empower- ple choose a challenge from five percent or more can qualify for Preparatory School for Girls and ing them to set goals and help- themes – technical, scientific, the global finals in Nashville, Omar bin Khattab Independent ing develop their self-esteem, fine arts, improvisation and Tennessee, the US, in May. Primary School for Boys are self-motivation and communi- service learning. There, they will compete with piloting the programme. cations skills. They meet weekly for about teams from around the world Schools interested in par- It also aims at promoting three months, to work on their for the first position. ticipating in DI can call Renee respect for other cultures and projects and as a team come up During the forum, team man- Rainville on +97444981435, extn beliefs and the values of Islamic with creative solutions to chal- agers – teachers who advise the 3607 or r.rainville@alfaisalfoun- teaching in line with Qatar lenges they are given. groups and support them in dation.org THE PENINSULA

Bangladeshi Ambassador Syed Masud Mahmood Khundoker hoisting the national flag at half mast at the embassy. Neglected Bangladeshi embassy marks Martyrs’ Day DOHA: The Bangladeshi embassy Language Movement was a turning observed Martyrs’ Day and point in Bangladesh’s history as it led International Mother Language to independence. Day yesterday. He thanked Bangladeshis in Qatar In the morning, Ambassador Syed for their hard work and contribution Masud Mahmood Khundoker hoisted to nation-building and demonstrat- the national flag at half mast at the ing unity, fraternity and liberal and embassy, in the presence of officials moderate attitude. and community members. He said the main objective of the They observed one-minute silence day is to protect languages across the as a mark of respect to the 1952 world and all should work together Language Movement martyrs of to fulfil it. Bangladesh (then East Pakistan). Bangladesh MHM School and Messages from the president, College in Doha also held pro- prime minister and minister of for- grammes. Students from different eign affairs were read out. schools took part in a drawing com- During a meeting on the sig- petition and essay writing on their nificance of International Mother mother tongue. Khundoker and Language Day, speakers highlighted Unesco representatives were also the contribution of the Bengali lan- present. In the evening, a cultural guage to the birth of an independent programme was held at the embassy Bangladesh. where students of different schools The damaged Zabadani Street in Old Airport Area. Residents say they have been facing problems, especially at night, for the past 10 days as Khundoker recalled sacrifices and Bangla artists performed. there are no lights and that authorities are yet to repave the street. ABDUL BASIT of language martyrs and said the THE PENINSULA FEBRUARY 22, 2014 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05 ON SATURDAY

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Wonders on wheels

HE fourth annual Qatar International Motor Show is attracting lots of visitors. It has seen participation from major Tinternational carmakers which are showcasing their latest models. According to the organisers, this year the expo is expected to attract 1,50,000 visitors. In the previous show, more than 10,000 people registered online for tickets and people from 103 countries visited it. Manufacturers are displaying more than 42 models of cars and motorcycles at the event, organised by Qatar Tourism Authority, q.media events and Fira Barcelona. The show ends on Tuesday. Entry is free. FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Views

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sraeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is bristling with anger. As a prime minister whose primary concern is the welfare of his people, he could be angry over anything, Ibut it’s rarely that such outrage is triggered by the Palestinian cause. In the past few years, he had been successful At stake in Ukraine is the future in relegating the Palestinian issue to the background, with his government holding all the cards, leaving Palestinians to cry in desperation. But that is changing and what has caused of Putin, Russia and Europe this change is the Boycott Israel momentum which is gaining ground globally. Netanyahu has reasons to get worried because for the first time the Palestinians and their supports in the BY TIMOTHY GARTON ASH an extraordinary degree by oligarchs, protesters. The fact that Putin was West are able to hit where it hurts most – the legitimacy and camarillas and the president’s family, prepared to risk international blow- the economic stability of the Israeli state. EYOND the burning bar- aka the Family. back during his treasured Sochi Addressing a conference of the US Jewish organisations ricades and the corpses in This is what many Ukrainians are Olympics shows how vital Ukraine in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said the international boycott, the streets, here are five big so angry about, and what some have is to him. Now he has retreated tac- divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement against his country Bthings that are at stake in now given their lives to change. But tically, faced with the facts on the was intended to lead to “the end of the Jewish state”. He Ukraine’s insurrectionary drama. They if yesterday’s proposed deal – for a ground – but have no illusions that mean that what happens in Ukraine coalition government, constitutional he will stop intervening. launched a scathing attack on supporters of this movement, will affect not just the Ukrainians, but reform to give parliament back more 4. The future of Europe as a stra- accusing them of practising “antisemitism in a new garb”, and also Russia, Europe and our sense of powers, and a presidential election tegic power urged the country’s friends to “expose and outflank” them by what makes a revolution. before the end of the year – can be Just as Ukraine is not simply split emphasising its high-tech achievements and global economic 1. The future of Ukraine as an made to stick, then these bloody days between east and west, so the geopolit- appeal. independent state-nation could yet go down in history as a deci- ical issue here is not whether Ukraine If the results are any indication, the BDS movement is Intense violence inside a state, still sive chapter on the path to independ- joins Europe or Russia. It is whether falling short of civil war, can go two ent state-nationhood. If not, further Ukraine becomes increasingly inte- another intifata. But here, there is no blood spilled, no missiles sharply different ways. It can tear the disintegration looms. grated into the political and economic fired and no fiery statements. The supporters are using the state apart, as in Syria and former 2. The future of Russia as a community of Europe, as well as hav- infinite possibilities of the media and Yugoslavia, or, if people join hands to state-nation – or an empire ing a very close relationship with internet to bring to a global audience retreat from the brink, it can weld With Ukraine, Russia is still an Russia. It is also whether the EU will the excesses committed by the Israeli a state-nation empire; without Ukraine, Russia itself stand up for basic European values on together – as in has a chance to become a state-nation. its own front doorstep, as it failed to Israel will be state and its flagrant violations of the South Africa. The future of Ukraine is more central do in Bosnia. forced to change international law. (A state-nation to Russia’s national identity than that The EU miscalculated by deliver- its ways as the Netanyahu is hurt because the is one in which of Scotland is to England’s. Centuries ing an “us or them” ultimatum last blows are coming directly from a shared civic ago, people who lived in the territory autumn, without offering Ukraine des- international Europe, not Palestinians. Pressure on Ukraine may yet national identity that is now Ukraine were the original perately needed ready cash or a clear Israel is mounting, especially from is created by the Russians. In this century, the people perspective of EU membership. As the boycott show us that the state, rather than who call themselves Ukrainians will Ukraine expert Andrew Wilson notes, Europe, where NGOs, trade unions, movement a single ethnic shape the future of what is now Russia. the EU took a baguette to a knife fight. churches and others are forcing their default model of national identity 3. The future of Vladimir Putin In recent weeks, it has done better. is gathering governments to take action. Last year revolution has being embodied An independent Russian journalist Friday’s proposed compromise is a momentum. the EU blocked grants and funding in it.) has observed that the most important tribute to the personal engagement for any Israeli entity operating changed to one One reason that event in Russian politics during the of the German, Polish and French beyond the pre-1967 borders, building recent months last decade happened not in Russia foreign ministers. But does a Europe of negotiated in Ukraine have but in Ukraine. It was the Orange weakened by the eurozone crisis have on earlier decisions to require transition. been so chaotic Revolution of 2004. So, with consid- the resolve and strategic imagination the labelling of goods produced in is that Ukraine, erable skill, Putin’s “political technolo- for the long term? settlements. Two weeks ago the US secretary of state, John despite being gists” developed techniques to counter 5. The future of revolution Kerry, warned that Israel would face more calls for boycotts if an independent such developments. When the Kremlin I have argued that, in our time, 1989 the current peace talks with the Palestinians collapsed. country for more trumped the EU’s rule-rich but cash- has supplanted 1789 as the default than two decades, is neither a properly poor association offer to Ukraine with model of revolution: rather than pro- Netanyahu is equating the BDS movement with anti- functioning state nor a fully formed a cool $15bn, one well-known Russian gressive radicalisation, violence and Semitism, that famous bogey Israel always relies on to silence nation. President Viktor Yanukovych political technologist, Marat Gelman, the guillotine, we look for peaceful its critics. He says the supporters of the movement want to is a thug, but he is also an ineffective tweeted: ‘Maidan installation sold mass protest followed by negotiated see the end of Israel and called upon the friends of the state thug. Effective, disciplined security for 15 billion – most expensive art transition. That model has taken a to come to its rescue. But this is unlikely to succeed this time. forces would not be shooting demon- object ever.’ (The Maidan is Kiev’s battering of late, not only in Ukraine The movement is gaining movement, and the fact that even strators dead almost at random one Independence Square.) but also in the violent fall that fol- minute, but abandoning the same But it didn’t quite go according to lowed the Arab spring. If this fragile the world-famous scientist Stephen Hawking boycotted a streets to them the next. Similarly, plan. So last Monday Russia released deal holds, however, and the fury on conference in Jerusalem in support of the movement shows the Ukraine’s administration, parliament another tranche of the $15bn, and on the streets can be contained, Europe irreversible progress it has made. and economy are nothing like those Tuesday Yanukovych’s militia started might again show that we can occa- Arabs and friends of Palestinians need to offer more of a normal European state. They using live ammunition against increas- sionally learn from history. substantial support to the movement• are infiltrated and manipulated to ingly desperate and sometimes violent THE GUARDIAN

The other side Quote of No outside solution to Ukraine the day HERE’S no end in sight for were unable to pacify the protestors. of ties with Russia. The president said bring countries with traditional ties to Ukraine’s months-long political But neither does the opposition, the move was primarily based on eco- Russia under their orbit of influence. crisis as dozens were killed which is trying to turn anti-government nomic considerations, but it was soon But such an attitude will only The Indian Tand more than 600 injured sentiment among the public into its depicted as a pro-Moscow ploy by the increase Russia’s sense of insecurity. in Kiev in the latest clashes between own political gains, have control of the pro-West opposition. Although Ukraine is caught in the cur- Parliament has protestors and government forces that situation. The severe domestic split is a Sandwiched between Russia and rent chaos, few expect it to steer a started on Tuesday. mirror of the Eastern European nation’s an expanding EU, Ukraine has been purely one-sided foreign policy course the capacity and The nonstop unrest points to a diplomatic and geopolitical dilemma trying for years to strike a balance in in the future. the will to rise cold fact that neither President Viktor as it is consistently forced to choose its relations with the EU and Russia. There are also calls within Ukraine Yanukovych nor the opposition has sides between the West and Russia But recently the government’s tight- for an independent foreign policy above partisan found a way out of the current mess, since its independence in 1991. rope walking has become increasingly based on national interests that reso- strife and find says a Xinhua commentary. The crisis was triggered by difficult. nate among fellow developing nations The incumbent government seems Yanukovych’s decision to shelve The crisis is a remnant of the Cold with a growing sense of self-determi- pathways of national to have lost its grip on the situation as an association agreement with the War since many in the West still regard nation and self-reliance. Manmohan Singh the concessions it has already made European Union in November in favor Russia as an enemy and are keen to China Daily reconciliation. Indian Prime Minister FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Views www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 ON SATURDAY Venezuela’s Maduro worse than Chavez For all of the combative rhetoric and venom spewed by Hugo Chavez, the comandante always kept a lid on widespread repression.

BY WILLIAM J DOBSON The most focused target of the regime’s repression has been the Popular Will he tremors have been building party. Lopez is being held in the Ramo for years, but on Wednesday Verde military prison, a small facility night Venezuela was con- that sits on a mountainside about an hour vulsed in a wave of violence as outside of Caracas. The remote prison the government of President has held other high-value political pris- TNicolas Maduro appeared to enforce a oners during Chavez’s years in power. brutal crackdown on nationwide pro- On Tuesday, security personnel raided tests. Streets were filled with tear gas the Popular Will party’s headquarters and the crackle of gunfire, as National in search of their second in command, Guard units and National Police came Carlos Vecchio. Vecchio, a lawyer and out in force. Bands of regime supporters activist, has been forced to go into hiding, — paramilitary gangs known as colectivos and this week Maduro confirmed that a — swarmed neighbourhoods and public warrant had been issued for his arrest. squares on their motorcycles, firing live There were also unconfirmed reports ammunition at anyone who remained that a warrant would soon be released in the open. Some stormed into apart- for David Smolansky, the next highest ment buildings in search of protesters. party leader. A senior member of the The crackdown extended from Caracas party confirmed this week that most of to Maracaibo, Maracay, Valencia and the party’s top leadership has either been nearly every major city across the South detained or gone underground. American country. Venezuela’s cities have That may be the key difference between become notoriously dangerous in recent Venezuela today and before: For all of the years, as the country’s crime and murder combative rhetoric and venom spewed by rate soared. But this week, Venezuelan Hugo Chavez, the Comandante always cities weren’t simply dangerous; they kept a lid on widespread repression. The were a war zone. late strongman was expert at verbally As startling as the violence itself was provoking and demonising his opponents, Opposition supporters burning a barricade in Caracas as protests escalated against President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday. the fact that the government gave no but the threshold for a large-scale crack- warning or explanation in advance. In down was never crossed. Chavez would a rambling national address earlier that unsettle his enemies, entertain half The government is likely reacting to But this week’s crackdown was per- reports of torture. Chavistas have long day, Maduro spoke of the need for peace measures, or defuse a situation by sim- the wave of spontaneous protests that haps the most violent encounter between raised the spectre of civil war if politi- — then praised the work of paramilitary ply directing his abuse at a wholly new have broken out across the country since the Venezuelan government and its peo- cal contests didn’t go their way. Chavez thugs and promised to target members of target. But Maduro has never possessed peaceful demonstrations devolved into ple since protests and riots racked the regularly implied there would be blood in Popular Will, a leading opposition party. his predecessor’s confidence, communica- violence on February 12. Those protests country in 1989. Chacao, a wealth district the streets if he didn’t win this election Its leader, Leopoldo Lopez, was spend- tion or political canny, and he inherited a had been called in part because of the of Caracas, saw intense fighting, with or that referendum. It was an extraordi- ing his second night in a military prison, government rife with factions. Since his country’s economic free fall. The oil- protesters throwing rocks and Molotov nary thing to say, especially since it was after surrendering himself to authorities narrow election last April, the fear has rich country has been racked by infla- cocktails at National Guard units who Chavez who had worked so hard to polar- on Tuesday to face trumped up charges been that Chavismo’s odd blend of bra- tion approaching 60 percent. Venezuelans fired tear gas canisters and buckshot. ise the country in the first place. implicating him for the death of three vado and insecurity would swing wildly have suffered shortages of basic foods, San Cristobal city saw some of the heav- He once threatened, “If the oligarchy is Venezuelans at protests. Even if Lopez, in his hands, especially as the country goods and medicines for years now, but iest clashes, and Maduro even threat- allowed to return to power, I might end one of the opposition’s best-known leaders dire economic conditions worsened. This December and January saw new levels ened to have the mayor, also a member up letting the ... tanks out to defend the is imprisoned, Maduro isn’t acting like the week, a senior adviser to a Popular Will of scarcity. The government now admits of the Popular Will party, thrown into revolutionary government and the peo- man with the upper hand. In his remarks party leader described the situation as that 1 in 4 basic goods is out of stock prison. Perhaps most frightening are the ple.” When Chavez engaged in this type Wednesday, he seemed erratic and unsure “extremely fluid,” before expressing sur- (which means, in truth, it’s much worse). gangs of paramilitary fighters who flood of loaded, high-stakes talk, it was part of of himself, which only fuels rumours that prise at Maduro’s decision to ramp up the The situation is so bad that three airlines neighbourhoods on the motorcycles and his strategy. When Maduro does, it’s part he may have diminishing control over the confrontation. “The government keeps now refuse to fly there: The government appear to act with impunity and govern- of his weakness. state and its security forces. upping the ante,” he said. owes them too much money. ment support. Venezuela now even has WP-BLOOMBERG Hit North Korea with financial sanctions IRA parcel bombs suggest Opponents of sanctions argue an exasperating tenacity that they would harm the most MALACHI O’DOHERTY sually it is as well to attribute some tactical intelligence to an enemy, just in case. With Irish republican groups, which have vulnerable people in the country. for centuries now been bringing bombs to London and other Uparts of England, this isn’t always easy. BY JOSHUA STANTON than $1bn in European banks Sending a parcel bomb to an army base, even if it goes off, is not appreci- and SUNG-YOON LEE and hundreds of millions more ably going to affect the balance of forces between the last standing factions in China. In the 1990s, while an of the IRA and what they prefer to call the British war machine. So the alls for action have fol- estimated 600,000 to 2.5 million first assumption must be that those bombs intercepted in recent weeks lowed a United Nations North Koreans starved to death, were not military strikes in the ordinary sense. They were more akin report that the North Kim Jong Il bought dozens of to acts of protest, or armed propaganda, as the Provos described their CKorean regime is culpa- new warplanes but impeded the campaign. In that respect, they were in character with the slaughter of ble for “unspeakable atrocities” delivery of food aid. Lee Rigby. The objective was not to weaken the British army – how could and crimes against humanity, The World Food Program they? – but to advertise a cause in a dramatic way. including the starvation and sought $98m last year to feed The more pertinent question is how well the parcel bombs functioned murder of millions of people hungry North Koreans. In 2012 as advertisements for the cause of militant republicanism. In the early over the past 20 years. China alone, by South Korean govern- 1970s, the Provisional IRA worked out that a bomb in London gets more has already said it would block ment estimates, Kim Jong-un North Korean leader Kim Jong-un attends a sporting event between naval attention in the media than a bomb in Belfast. So the Price sisters, Dolours a referral to the International spent $1.3bn on his missile pro- and air force soldiers in Pyongyang on Sunday. and Marian, and Gerry Kelly and their team took bombs to the Old Bailey Criminal Court. But the grammes, an amount that could and other London sites and got caught. That is also what often happened world still has a way to pres- have eliminated North Korea’s to IRA bomb teams in the 1940s, when Brendan Behan’s bloody invest- sure Pyongyang to modify its food deficit for years. Although a US counterpart, “You finally Financial sanctions should ment in Ireland’s cause at least earned him the material for Borstal Boy. behaviour. multiple UN Security Council found a way to hurt us.” aim to force the regime to make And IRA members were less likely to risk imprisonment in England than Many believe that US sanc- resolutions ban North Korea The bipartisan North Korea better decisions about North in Northern Ireland, where they would at least be slopping out among friends. tions against North Korea are from importing luxury items, Sanctions Enforcement Act Korea’s wealth, to add an addi- Faced with that reality, the IRA technicians devised the parcel bomb, a maxed out. In fact, US sanc- Kim recently spent $300m on would block the offshore tional deterrent to protect the weapon that could be delivered by the Post Office. The first of these was sent tions are relatively weak. There a water park, a fitness centre, a accounts that pay for Kim Jong United States and its allies and to by Shane Paul O’Doherty as recounted in his own memoir The Volunteer. are no travel sanctions against dolphin aquarium, a 3D cinema Un’s extravagant lifestyle, weap- present Kim with a clear choice But a parcel bomb, serving as an attention grabber, has to do two things. North Korea (as with Cuba) and a ski resort stocked with ons programmes and the secret between reform and collapse. First, it has to shock a lot of people, and not just with a big bang: it has nor any against human rights Canadian snowmobiles. police, border guards and oth- Diplomacy has failed to curb to make headlines and get talked about in the media. It wouldn’t have violators (as with Sudan, Iran There is good reason to believe ers who terrorise the North North Korea’s growing threat. taken an Alastair Campbell to work out that there was little point in and Belarus). Critically, there that cutting Pyongyang’s links to Korean people. Kim’s rule has Pyongyang is on the brink of competing with the floods for the front pages. Britain, the historic enemy, are no broad-based, third-party the global financial system could been marked by brutal purges nuclear breakout. It may be help- inconveniently had other things on its mind. The story was not going to sanctions against North Korea’s force changes in its behaviour. and crackdowns. Financial pres- ing Iran achieve the same goal. It be a big one – unless the bombs went off, of course. exports or financial sector. Iran In September 2005, the US sure could undermine his capac- has contributed to Syria’s weap- Which is part of the other thing a bomb has to do. It has to destroy and Burma are designated as Treasury sanctioned a Chinese ity to seal borders, frighten his ons programmes. It has abducted itself, even if it fails to destroy anything else. Otherwise it’s just a little primary money-laundering bank for laundering money, people and buy the loyalty of dozens of foreign nationals. And parcel of forensic evidence. So, judged by these objectives, to get attention “concerns” under Section 311 of including counterfeit dollars, North Korea’s elites. A financial governments that make war and obliterate the evidence, the parcel bomb campaign hasn’t provided the Patriot Act, which restricts for then-leader Kim Jong Il. strategy also would be harder for against their own people even- the daunting proof of tactical intelligence that might make the country their access to the global finan- The sanctions blocked the bank’s China to undermine than a dip- tually look for new victims. sit up and wonder what to do about the new IRA. And that is in keeping cial system. But North Korea, access to corresponding accounts lomatic strategy or traditional Financial pressure was key with most of what the remnants of the IRA have been up to; they have the world’s most notorious coun- in US financial institutions that trade sanctions. In 2005 and to bringing Iran to the bargain- been busy in Northern Ireland with bombings and vigilante shootings, terfeiter and money-launderer, led to the global financial sys- again last year, Chinese banks ing table. It could give diplomats but they get caught and their bombs get intercepted. The police are suc- is not. Import sanctions were tem; this caused a run on the shunned North Korean deposits the leverage they need with ceeding against them, so far. relaxed between 2008 and 2011, bank and nearly destroyed it. that were targeted by the United Pyongyang. Improvements in But there is another message in these bombs, despite their failure. It and Americans can still export Other banks around the world, States. The Chinese government human rights should be an essen- is that nearly 150 years after the Fenians bombed Clerkenwell and killed to North Korea if they obtain a questioned by the Treasury may not share Washington’s or tial first test of North Korea’s 12 people, there are still Irish republicans who want to bomb on, however license. Department about their North Seoul’s security or humanitarian acceptance of transparency. To hopelessly, if only to keep a militant tradition alive. Opponents of sanctions argue Korean deposits, began to block goals, but Chinese banks would get there, the Obama adminis- And there will be many in England, old enough to remember past explo- that they would harm the most or close those accounts. Soon, not risk their access to the global tration should lead the world sions, whose response to the new bombs will have been a tired resignation vulnerable North Koreans. But Kim Jong Il was financially iso- economy to save Kim. And with- in denying the Kim dynasty the to the familiar. Who now would bet that, in another 150 years even, there North Koreans are not hun- lated. He began selling his gold out the help of Chinese banks, tools it uses to brutalise its peo- won’t be future generations of Irish republicans sending bombs to London? gry because their government reserves to sustain his regime. Beijing would find it difficult to ple and threaten the world. What the new IRA has done is remind us of the exasperating tenacity is poor. Kim Jong-un has more One North Korean diplomat told continue propping up Pyongyang. WP-BLOOMBERG of their grievance. THE GUARDIANS FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 08 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Middle East Turkey scraps special military tribunals Officers likely to be retried in regular criminal courts

ANKARA: Turkish lawmak- The scandal poses one of the his dissatisfaction and his con- ers yesterday abolished special greatest threats to Erdogan’s cern about some of the Ergenekon courts which had convicted 11-year-old rule and his response trials,” a senior Turkish official hundreds of alleged military has betrayed what critics say are said this month. “Some of these coup plotters, as Prime Minister his increasingly authoritarian judges feel so empowered within Recep Tayyip Erdogan battles a tendencies. Gulen’s supporters the system, and now it is the same new foe he sees as using influ- have said they are the victims of judges that are trying to bring ence in the judiciary to try to a witch-hunt. down this government ... When unseat him. Parliament passed a law in they turn against you, you have Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK the early hours, proposed by the to fight back,” he said. Party is widely held to have relied AK Party, abolishing the special Battling the graft scandal, heavily on US-based Islamic cleric courts which convicted hundreds Erdogan’s AK Party has pushed Fethullah Gulen’s influence in the of army officers and others in the through laws tightening control police and judiciary in breaking high-profile “Sledgehammer” trial over the Internet and the courts the power of the army, which car- on charges of plotting to over- this month, and has proposed a ried out three coups between 1960 throw the government. bill envisaging broader powers for and 1980 and forced an Islamist- The law could mean the offic- the national intelligence agency. Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Speaker Cemil Cicek and Chief of Staff led government from power in ers being retried in regular crimi- Erdogan’s critics regard these General Necdet Ozel during a ceremony where an Early Warning Aircraft is put into operation in Konya, Turkey, 1997. nal courts, a possibility Erdogan steps as an authoritarian back- yesterday. The plane is Turkish air force’s first early warning and control aircraft. Now Erdogan is battling a mooted last month. It may also lash against the corruption corruption scandal he sees as lead to a review of cases involv- inquiry. The government says the contrived by Gulen’s Hizmet ing military, businessmen, jour- laws defend democracy in the face welcomed the abolition of spe- “There can be no special “Now the government is (Service) movement, and has nalists and politicians jailed in a of a bid by Gulen to wield covert cial courts, which it had long authorised courts in a demo- removing these courts not due to already dismissed or reassigned separate “Ergenekon” conspiracy influence over the state, a charge opposed as against the principles cratic state. General courts try its belief in the separation of pow- thousands of police and hundreds investigation. the cleric denies. of democracy, but accused the all crimes,” said Mehmet Akif ers, but due to the fear that it will of judges and prosecutors in a bid “The prime minister has on a The main opposition government of taking the step Hamzacebi, deputy chairman of be tried at those courts some day,” to purge its influence. number of occasions expressed Republican People’s Party (CHP) for the wrong reasons. the CHP’s parliamentary group. he said. REUTERS Iran boosts military support to bolster Assad

LONDON/ANKARA:As munitions and equipment from provided important battlefield sup- sectarian proxy war with Sunni arm of the powerful Islamic Quds Force and the IRGC were Syria’s war nears the start of Moscow, is helping to keep Assad port for Assad. Arab states. And while the pres- Revolutionary Guard Corps, as in Syria, but they did not get its fourth year, Iran has stepped in power at a time when neither his But the Syrian leader has ence of Iranian military person- well as IRGC members. involved directly in the fighting. up support on the ground for own forces nor opposition fighters drawn comfort from the with- nel in Syria is not new, military Their function is not to fight, A recently retired senior IRGC President Bashar Al Assad, have a decisive edge on the battle- drawal of the threat of US bomb- experts believe Tehran has in but to direct and train Syrian commander said Iranian forces on providing elite teams to gather field. Assad’s forces have failed to ing raids following a deal under recent months sent in more spe- forces and to assist in the gath- the ground included some Arabic intelligence and train troops, capitalise fully on advances they which he has agreed to give up cialists to enable Assad to outlast ering of intelligence, according to speakers. He said top Quds force sources with knowledge of mili- made last summer with the help his chemical weapons. his enemies at home and abroad. sources in Iran and outside. commanders numbered 60 to 70 tary movements say. of Iran, his major backer in the Shia Iran has already spent Analysts believe this renewed An Iranian foreign ministry at any given time. This further backing from region, and the Hezbollah fighters billions of dollars propping up support means Assad felt no need official said: “We always have said These men were tasked with Tehran, along with deliveries of that Tehran backs and which have Assad in what has turned into a to make concessions at currently that we support our Syrian broth- advising and training Assad’s deadlocked peace talks in Geneva. ers and respect their will ... Iran military and his commanders, Assad is now benefiting from has never got involved in Syria by he said. Revolutionary Guards the deployment by Tehran of providing arms or financially or directed the fighting on the hundreds more military special- by sending troops.” instructions of the Quds Force ists to Syria, according to Iranian But a former senior Iranian commanders, he added. sources familiar with deploy- official with close IRGC links The former IRGC commander ments of military personnel, said Iranian forces were active said these personnel were also Syrian opposition sources, and in Syria. He said the Quds force backed up by thousands of Iranian security experts. was gathering intelligence in paramilitary Basij volunteer These include senior com- Syria, which Iran regarded as fighters as well as Arabic speak- manders from the elite Quds a top priority. He said a few ers including Shias from Iraq. Force, the external and secretive hundred commanders from the REUTERS

Men search for survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings after an air raid by forces loyal to Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad in the Bab Al Nayrab district in Aleppo yesterday. UN urges nations to take in 100,000 Syrian refugees GENEVA: The UN refugee “UNHCR anticipates that in offered more than 18,800 slots agency yesterday urged coun- the coming years, there will be for resettlement or a long-term tries outside the Middle East increasing numbers of vulnera- temporary permit. to open their doors to 100,000 ble Syrian refugees who will be in Germany has done the most Syrians who need to find a need of resettlement, relocation, to shoulder the load, agreeing to haven outside their conflict- or other forms of humanitarian take in 10,000 on a federal pro- struck region. admission,” said spokesman Dan gramme and 1,500 under schemes The call from the United McNorton. in individual states. Nations high commissioner for “We appeal to the international Canada has pledged 1,300, refugees follows an earlier appeal community to continue providing Sweden 1,200, Norway 1,000, and to developed countries to grant a longer-term solutions for Syrian countries including Australia, new home to 30,000 of the most refugees who are most urgently in Austria, Finland and France have vulnerable Syrians driven from need,” he told reporters. agreed to take in 500 each. their country. The agency said it aimed to find UNHCR said it was likely to With no sign of an end to a haven for the 100,000 new refu- reach the total of 30,000 thanks the brutal three-year conflict gees during 2015 and 2016. to an open-ended number of slots between the regime of Bashar But it is still working to place proposed by the United States, Al Assad and rebel forces, tens the initial 30,000 before the end already the world’s top destina- of thousands more will need help of this year. tion for refugee resettlement. in the near future, it said. Twenty countries have so AFP FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Middle East www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 ON SATURDAY Somalian presidential palace attacked 11 killed; Al Shabaab militants claim responsibility

MOGADISHU: At least 11 peo- at the mosque at the time of the decades after the fall of dictator ple were killed when Islamist attack although he had been plan- Mohamed Siad Barre tipped the militants attacked the Somali ning to go. country into chaos. presidential compound yester- “That is where the president Western nations involved in day, blasting through a gate normally goes to pray,” he said. Somalia worry it could sink back with a car bomb and fighting a “So they were aiming at the presi- into chaos and provide a launch- gunbattle with guards. dent I guess.” pad for Islamist militancy. Somali President Hassan The death toll could not be Police said the attackers wore Sheikh Mohamud was unharmed immediately verified. uniforms similar to those of the in the assault on the heavily-for- Somalia’s Security Minister, presidential guards, and some tified compound known as Villa Abdikarim Hussein Guled, said wore suicide vests. Somalia, which also houses other two government officials and nine “The al Shabaab fighters who government agencies. Al Shabaab, gunmen were killed. attacked the palace were about a group linked to Al Qaeda, “Nine fighters tried to attack 10 men disguised in military uni- claimed responsibility. the gate of the palace. Two died form and the red hats (worn by The president said the incident in the car bombs and the seven the palace guards),” Farah said. would not stop his government’s others were shot dead, as you can “They had three cars. One was work to rebuild Somalia after see from their bodies,” Guled told a car bomb and the other cars decades of war. reporters at the palace. were carrying well-armed fight- “An act of terrorism, how- “Stray bullets killed a director ers,” he said. ever unspeakable, does not hide at the PM’s office and a national “All the Shabaab fighters per- the truth that this is a marginal security officer. They had two car ished, some blew up themselves group on the brink of extinction,” bombs,” he added. while others were shot dead. Mohamud said in a statement. Hussein Farah, a senior police Several government guards also There were conflicting reports officer, had earlier told Reuters died. Now the fighting is over, and about what happened. from the scene that several gov- scattered on the scene is human Abdikadir Ahmed, a senior ernment guards had been killed flesh and blood.” police officer, said the fighting took in a prolonged shootout with the At least seven Somalis were place at the house of Somalia’s gunmen. killed when a remote-controlled top military commander, General In the past few weeks, the bomb aimed at a UN convoy tore Dahir Aden Indha Qarshe, near Somali capital of Mogadishu through cars and tea shops just the presidential palace. has been hit by a series of sui- outside the capital’s international A government official who cide bomb attacks claimed by al airport last week. declined to be named said the Shabaab, who were pushed out of Al Shabaab ruled most of the militants reached a mosque in the the city in mid-2011 but have con- southern region of Somalia from People look at the scene of a suicide attack next to the gate of the presidential palace in Mogadishu yesterday. centre of the compound where the tinued to wage a sustained guer- 2006 until 2011 when forces from president usually prays on Friday. rilla campaign. other African nations sent by the The chief of staff of the office of The strike was another African Union drove them out AMISOM force of peacekeepers with Somali troops fighting along- swathes of rural territory in the prime minister and a former reminder of the threat still posed of Mogadishu and then expelled by some 4,500 troops to a total side it. southern Somalia and some chief of intelligence were killed, by the rebels and how Somalia’s them from most urban centres. of about 22,000. The force is The Islamists, who want to smaller towns or villages, includ- along with six militants, he said. fragile government is struggling The United Nations agreed expected to launch a broad offen- impose a very strict version of ing the major coastal stronghold He said the president was not to impose order more than two in November to expand the sive against al Shabaab shortly, Islamic Shariah law, still hold of Barawe. REUTERS

Lebanon detains top ‘recruiter’ of Iran’s rising executions dim hopes for reforms bomber squad GENEVA: At least 80 people In September, dozens of politi- told a news briefing. “We regret least seven people have been exe- community takes lightly the exe- and perhaps as many as 95 have cal prisoners were released, rais- that the new government has cuted in public this year,” she said, cution of drug dealers, it is leav- BEIRUT: Lebanese security been executed in Iran already ing hopes that he would also not changed its approach to the adding that most were killed by ing a free hand to the police and forces said yesterday they had this year, a surge in the use improve human rights in a coun- death penalty and continues to hanging. judiciary to do what they want,” detained a Sunni Muslim mili- of the death penalty that has try that ranks second after China impose capital punishment for a Possession or transport of she said. tant suspected of recruiting dampened hopes for human on Amnesty International’s list wide range of offences. We urge drugs, “even in relatively small Two men of the minority Ahwaz suicide bombers and assembling rights reforms under President of states with the highest use of the government to immediately amounts” of less than 500 grams, Arab community, Hadi Rashedi car bombs for a radical group Hassan Rowhani, the United capital punishment. halt executions and to institute a frequently leads to execution, and Hashem Sha’bani Amouri, behind attacks on Iranian Nations said yesterday. “There were some encourag- moratorium.” said Roya Boroumand, director charged with “enmity against interests in Beirut. Rowhani, who won a surprise ing signs last year where political Last year Iran executed of the US-based Abdorrahman God”, corruption and violating Hassan Abu Afleh, they said, election last year on a platform prisoners were released ... But it between 500 and 625 people, Boroumand Foundation that national security, were executed was suspected of being a lead- of more openness with the West, appears at least in the past seven including at least 28 women and tracks executions in Iran. in January after trials deemed to ing figure in the Abdullah Azzam clinched an interim deal in weeks that in fact executions have two juveniles, Shamdasani said. “More than 100 crimes carry be unfair, Shamdasani said. Their Brigades — a movement that has November with world powers over been scaled up,” UN human rights “A number of individuals were the death penalty,” Boroumand confessions were broadcast on carried out bombings to punish Iran’s nuclear programme. spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani also executed in secret and at said. “If the international national television. REUTERS Iran and Tehran’s Shia Lebanese ally Hezbollah for their role in the Syrian war. The Brigades claimed responsi- bility for Wednesday’s twin suicide attack near the Iranian cultural centre in Beirut that killed eight people, and an assault on the Iranian embassy in November. Iran-backed Hezbollah is fight- ing alongside President Bashar Al Assad’s forces in neighbour- ing Syria against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels. The near three- year-old conflict has exacerbated sectarian conflicts and galvanised radical groups inside Lebanon, creating a major challenge for the new Lebanese government that took office on Saturday. Israel gunfire injures 10 Gazans GAZA CITY: Ten Palestinian men were wounded by Israeli army gunfire yesterday in People stand at the site of a plane crash near Grombalia town, south of Tunis, yesterday. clashes near the border fence in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources Top Islamist among dead as said. Ashraf Al Qudra, a spokes- man for the Hamas-run health ministry, said one man was in serious condition after being Libyan plane crashes in Tunisia shot in the head. Qudra said the shooting, not far from Jabaliya NIANOU, TUNISIA: A people on board — three doc- were accompanied by four peo- northeast of Gaza City, ame medical plane carrying a tors, two patients and six crew ple, including a doctor, and five after the Palestinians threw former jihadist turned mem- members,” emergency services crew. stones at Israeli soldiers. ber of Libya’s first transitional spokesman Mongi El Kadhi Dhawadi was a leader of the An army spokeswoman said government crashed south of said. Libyan Islamic Fighting Group “hundreds of Palestinians” had Tunis early yesterday, killing “The whole plane was com- (LIFG) — a now disbanded been throwing stones at Israeli all 11 on board, Tunisian and pletely burnt out. The emer- movement with alleged links soldiers beyond the border fence Libyan officials said. gency services went to the to Al Qaeda which joined the and attempting to sabotage it. The aircraft came down in crash site and recovered the 2011 Nato-backed uprising that The soldiers opened live fire a field on the edge of Nianou charred bodies.” overthrew dictator Muammar at “the lower extremities of the village, around 40km from the The plane was transport- Gaddafi. main instigators” after attempts capital, without hitting any ing Meftah Al Mabrouk Issa Several members of the to disperse them with riot disper- houses, and burst into flames, Al Dhawadi to Tunis from a group served in the transitional sal means failed, she said. a journalist reported. The military airfield near Tripoli government of Abdelrahim Clashes are common on Libyan flag was still visible on for medical treatment, the Al Kib, which held power for Fridays, with regular protests the tailplane amid the charred Libyan government said in a a year from November 2011. near the border in support of wreckage, which belonged to statement. Dhawadi was undersecretary Gaza farmers who say troops the Libyan air force. Another unidentified patient at the ministry of martyrs and uprooted their trees to create a “The plane crashed at 1:30 was on the plane, according to missing persons. buffer zone. AGENCIES am (0030 GMT)... with 11 the statement, adding that they AFP FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com International

Chaos at Frankfurt Opposition inks airport as security staff strike work FRANKFURT: A strike by security staff at Frankfurt peace deal with airport caused flight cancella- tions and delayed thousands of passengers, bringing chaos to Europe’s third largest hub yes- Ukraine govt terday, the busiest day of the week for travellers. Trade union Verdi had called on around 5,000 people who check Presidential polls this year: Germany passengers, baggage and freight at the airport to strike for the entire KIEV: Ukraine opposition “good compromise for Ukraine”. day to push for their pay to be leaders signed an EU-mediated In a post on Twitter, he said it brought into line with that of staff peace deal with President “gives peace a chance. Opens the at other German airports. Viktor Yanukovich yesterday, way for reform and to Europe”. Hoards of people jostling to get aiming to end a violent stand- With Ukraine caught in a to the front of lines at check-in and off that has left dozens dead geopolitical tug-of-war between service desks thronged the airport, and opening the way for a early Russia and the EU, at least 77 which usually handles 150,000 pas- presidential election this year. people have been killed this week sengers on a typical Friday. Russian-backed Yanukovich — in the worst violence since the Almost 50 flights were can- under pressure to quit from the independent country emerged celled, with Lufthansa scrapping mass demonstrations in Kiev from the wreckage of the Soviet almost 40, but the biggest problem — earlier offered a series of con- Union in 1991. was getting people through check- cessions to his pro-European “There are no steps that we in and security, airport operator opponents, including a national should not take to restore peace Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych (left) and the head of the Batkivshchyna party Arseniy Yatsenyuk (right) Fraport said. “We’re trying our unity government and constitu- in Ukraine,” Yanukovich said during the signing of the agreement in Kiev yesterday. best but it’s a challenge,” a spokes- tional change to reduce his powers, when announcing his conces- man said. “We tried to inform as well as the presidential vote. sions before the deal was signed. of protesters occupying Kiev’s square for nearly three months. Russian President Vladimir Putin, people but the strike was called German Foreign Minister “I announce that I am initiating Independence Square, which is Before the deal was signed, who has made tying Ukraine into at such short notice.” Frank-Walter Steinmeier said the early elections.” also known as the Maidan, had armed police briefly entered the a Moscow-led Eurasian Union a deal provided for the creation of Yanukovich said Ukraine would backed the agreement. parliament building while lawmak- cornerstone of his efforts to reu- Britain to post a national unity government and revert to a previous constitution The civic council “has voted ers were holding an emergency ses- nite as much as possible of the an early presidential election this under which parliament had in favour of the three opposition sion but they were quickly ejected, former Soviet Union. ‘slavery’ spotters year, although no date had been greater control over the make- leaders signing the agreement opposition leader Arseny Yatsenyuk Putin appointed his own envoy set. The vote had been due in up of the government, including with President Yanukovich con- said. Members exchanged punches to the talks at Yanukovich’s at airports March 2015. the prime minister. cerning resolving the conflict”, when speaker Volodymyr Rybak request on Thursday but it was A Reuters correspondent at the “I am also starting the process the ministry’s spokesman, Marcin tried to adjourn proceedings. not clear what role, if any, Russian LONDON: Anti-slavery teams signing in the presidential head- of a return to the 2004 constitu- Wojciechowski, said on Twitter. Opposition deputies were officials had in the negotiations. are to be deployed at British quarters said Yanukovich did not tion with a rebalancing of powers The German and Polish for- angered because it would mean In another sign of the sever- airports in a bid to identify smile during a ceremony lasting towards a parliamentary repub- eign ministers were in Kiev to delaying a possible vote on a reso- ity of the crisis, ratings agency potential victims of human several minutes. lic,” he said. “I call for the start of promote the political compro- lution pressing for constitutional Standard & Poor’s cut Ukraine’s trafficking, the government One of the European Union procedures for forming a govern- mise to end the bloodshed amid changes to restrict the president’s credit rating for the second time announced yesterday. mediators, Polish Foreign ment of national unity.” a stand-off between riot police powers. The speaker left the in three weeks on Friday, citing Border Force units will be Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Earlier, a Polish foreign min- and anti-government protesters chamber and debate continued. the increased risk of default. tasked with spotting potential described the agreement as a istry spokesman said a council who have occupied the central The deal would be a setback for REUTERS victims of so-called modern slav- ery, collecting intelligence on traf- ficking victims and disrupting organised crime gangs. The first specialist team will start working on April 1 at London Heathrow, Ex-News of the World editor Brooks denies affair with Coulson the world’s busiest airport for international passengers. Teams will also start operat- LONDON: Rebekah Brooks, between 1998 and 2006. told the jury in October when the Brooks, the 45-year-old jour- cousin had acted as a surrogate ing at Britain’s second and third the former boss of Rupert Coulson, who succeeded Brooks trial opened that the intimacy of nalist who worked her way up to help her and her second hus- air hubs — London Gatwick and Murdoch’s British newspapers, to edit the now-defunct News of their relationship indicated both through the ranks from local band Charlie have a baby, called Manchester — later this year, told a London court yesterday the World Sunday tabloid from knew as much as the other about newspaper researcher to head Scarlett. Charlie Brooks, a friend with further airports to follow. she did have moments of physi- 2003 to 2007, went on to become the criminal activities of senior of Murdoch’s British newspaper of the prime minister whom she The measures were announced cal intimacy with fellow edi- the spokesman for Prime Minister journalists on the paper. arm, was almost moved to tears married in 2009, is also on trial by Karen Bradley, Britain’s new tor Andy Coulson but denied a David Cameron. Brooks said yesterday: “First as her lawyer asked her about for trying to hide evidence. modern slavery and organised prosecution charge that she had He is also on trial with Brooks of all it’s not true,” of the allega- other former relationships. The relationship between Brooks crime minister at the Home a six-year affair with him. at the Old Bailey and the prosecu- tion of an affair but then accepted At one point, as Laidlaw said and Coulson was discovered after Office. “Our frontline Border Holding back tears as she took tion has accused the two former suggestions from her lawyer he would move on to the topic of police found a document contain- Force officers are aware that they the stand at her trial into phone- editors of having an affair at the Jonathan Laidlaw that they had Brooks’ marriage to actor Ross ing a 2004 letter on a computer could be the first authority figure hacking offences, Brooks said she time their staff were hacking into had moments of intimacy. Kemp and their attempt to have at Brooks’ London home. She had in the UK to have contact with a had been extremely close friends voicemails to secure exclusive “My personal life was a bit of a child, she asked if she could have written the letter after Coulson potential victim of modern slav- with Coulson, and on occasion stories. a car crash for many years,” she a break and left the court. tried to break off the relationship. ery,” she said. had intimate relations with him Prosecutor Andrew Edis had added. She also revealed that a REUTERS AGENCIES Venezuela deploys paratroopers to rein in protests

CARACAS: The Venezuelan government is sitting on the world’s largest proven oil at Barack Obama, who has urged Venezuela ordered to a border city where growing reserves — rushed a battalion of paratroop- to release detained protesters and address the student protests began over two weeks ers to the city of San Cristobal, birthplace of “legitimate grievances” of its people. ago, with President Nicolas Maduro the demonstrations that began on February Maduro’s government said it “emphati- angrily rejecting US calls for dialogue. 4. cally repudiates” Obama’s remarks, accus- The nationwide demonstrations, led by The military response came in response ing the US president of “a new and crude students and the opposition, have left at to claims from the government that interference in the internal affairs of our least four people dead and dozens hurt in Colombians were crossing the border there country.” the biggest challenge to Maduro since he “to carry out paramilitary missions” in On Sunday, Maduro ordered the expul- took power from the late Hugo Chavez last Venezuela. sion of three US diplomats, accusing them of year. Shops were closed and streets eerily quiet meeting student leaders to conspire under There have been near-daily protests and in San Cristobal, capital of the western bor- the guise of offering them visas. Washington rallies, some of them violent, in the capi- der state of Tachira, where there have been denies the allegations. Maduro also came tal Caracas and other cities, over what almost daily clashes between protesters and under attack from US pop icon Madonna, Maduro’s critics say are deteriorating eco- security forces. who Thursday accused Maduro’s govern- nomic conditions, rampant street crime, Maduro meanwhile threatened to yank CNN ment of “fascism” over its handling of the corruption and bleak job prospects. from the air waves over what he called the US roiling demonstrations. Maduro’s leftist government — which broadcaster’s “propaganda war.” He shot back AFP

Eight anti-Putin ETA puts some arms beyond use protesters BILBAO: Armed Basque separatist group cable and timers. ETA announced a unilateral convicted ETA has put some of its arsenal of guns and ceasefire two years ago, suspending four dec- explosives beyond use, an international group ades of attacks in which more than 800 people MOSCOW: A Russian judge monitoring the militants’ ceasefire said yes- died. The group has been severely weakened by yesterday convicted eight terday, but it was unclear how much of its hundreds of arrests and flagging support in the defendants of assaulting police weapons stockpile had been scrapped. northwestern Basque region. during a protest against The move by the Basque group mirrors the In 2012, ETA said it wanted talks with the Vladimir Putin, in what activists decommissioning process in Northern Ireland, Spanish and French governments to negotiate a called a “show trial” designed to where nationalist and pro-British paramilitaries definitive end to military operations and a hando- make clear the president would disposed of their weapons in front of independent ver of its arms. tolerate no dissent. witnesses as part of a peace deal ending decades But Spain’s then newly-elected conservative Outside the courthouse, police of violence. government, led by the People’s Party’s (PP) pushed into a crowd that had “We have verified that ETA has put out of Mariano Rajoy, rejected the offer and demanded gathered to support the defend- operative use a certain amount of arms and ETA dissolve itself without conditions. ants, grabbing people and haul- explosives,” the head of the international com- Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz ing them away as others shouted: mission, Ram Manikkalingam told a news confer- welcomed the handing in of arms as positive, “Shame!” Police said they detained ence in the Basque region’s main city of Bilbao. but said that if the group really wanted to dis- about 200 people for attempting “We believe this is a credible and significant arm they could just give police the location of to violate public order. step,” said Manikkalingam, who did not take their arsenal, without needing international Sentencing was postponed questions after making a short statement. monitors. until Monday, meaning it will be The commission showed journalists a three- “The only thing Spanish society wants is the revealed after tomorrow’s close page inventory of the weapons handed over, definitive dissolution of ETA, without conditions of the Sochi Winter Olympics, a which included two rifles, two revolvers, 300 and concessions. And that’s what the state is prestige project for Putin. rounds of ammunition, two hand-grenades, 16 kg working towards,” said Fernandez Diaz. REUTERS of chemicals for making explosives, a detonator REUTERS FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Asia www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 ON SATURDAY

China slams Obama-Dalai Thai farmers call off airport protest Lama meet

BEIJING/WASHINGTON: Protesters will return if government fails to make payments next week China urged the United States yesterday to scrap BANGKOK: Thai farmers, The government said it would plans for President Barack angry about not being paid sell bonds to pay for the rice, a Obama to meet exiled under a rice subsidy scheme, move likely to prompt criticism Tibetan spiritual leader the called off a tractor drive to that it is acting beyond its remit. Dalai Lama later in the day, Bangkok’s main airport yes- Yingluck has headed a care- warning it would “seriously terday after an assurance they taker government with limited damage” ties between the would get their money, a bit powers since calling a snap elec- two countries. of welcome news for Prime tion. Voting this month was dis- The White House National Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. rupted by her opponents, and it Security Council said Obama The subsidy programme was could be months before a new would meet the Dalai Lama, a among the populist policies pio- government can be installed. Nobel Peace Prize laureate, at neered by Yingluck’s billionaire A TV station estimated the the White House yesterday in a brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a number of protesting farmers at show of concern about China’s former prime minister central to between 2,000 and 3,000 in a con- human rights practices. a conflict that has divided Thais voy of as many as 800 tractors, China calls the Dalai Lama a for years and triggered protests. guaranteeing hours of road traffic “wolf in sheep’s clothing” who The farmers had said they chaos at least, had it gone ahead. seeks to use violent methods to wanted to make a symbolic pro- In further good news for establish an independent Tibet. test, with no plans to block air Yingluck, Moody’s Investors The Dalai Lama, who fled to traffic as in 2008, when protest- Service affirmed Thailand’s gov- India after a failed uprising in ers forced Bangkok’s two main ernment bond rating at Baa1 with 1959, maintains he only wants airports to close for more than a stable outlook. genuine autonomy for Tibet a week. “Moody’s affirmation is based and denies advocating violence. Former member of parliament on the view that Thailand’s credit Chada Thaiseth, speaking for the fundamentals have withstood the Taiwan ‘spy farmers gathered in Ayutthaya political turbulence in the country province, said they had been since the September 2006 coup,” it recruiter’ jailed assured of payment. said, referring to Thaksin’s over- “The government will make throw by the army. TAIPEI: A Taiwanese payment next week. The farmers “The stable rating outlook court yesterday sentenced will head back now and will see reflects the expectation that Policemen watch over a demonstration in front of the Royal Thai Police Sports Club in Bangkok yesterday. two former officers to ten whether the government will pay the recent resurgence in politi- months in prison for helping as promised,” he said. “If it isn’t cal infighting in Bangkok will of monetary and macroeco- poorer north and northeast. is struggling to fund. to recruit spies for China. delivered, we will return.” not undermine Thailand’s credit nomic policy as well as fiscal Generous subsidies for farmers Opposition leaders say the Ex-navy lieutenant Chien He said payments would be strengths to a material degree.” management.” were a centrepiece of the platform scheme is riven with graft. Losses Ching-kuo was convicted of made via the state-owned Bank And despite widespread accu- The much-maligned rice sub- that swept her to power in 2011, to the taxpayer, estimated at $6bn violating the national security for Agriculture and Agricultural sations of government corruption, sidy programme is critical to but they have left Thailand with a year, have fuelled urban anger law along with Lu Chun-chun. Cooperatives from next week. Moody’s cited “overall prudence Yingluck’s support base in the vast stockpiles of rice and a bill it with Yingluck. REUTERS Lu recruited Chien to join the Chinese Communist Party with a paid overseas trip and cash gifts in 2009, said the Kaohsiung district court in southern Taiwan. Malaysian opposition One of China’s 50 wealthiest ousted The court said the pair had arranged for several officers to go on overseas tours paid leader ‘guilty of sedition’ BEIJING: A businesswoman structure and usually meets once Jiang Jiemin, CNPC’s then- by Chinese officials in a bid to ranked as one of the 50 wealthi- a year in March. The official news chairman, attended the signing recruit them to spy for Beijing. KUALA LUMPUR: A up to three years in prison, with est in China has been ousted agency gave no reason for her ceremony. It was reportedly the Chien was discharged by the Malaysian court found a vet- sentencing set for March 7. The from a senior political organisa- banishment. first time that a private firm had navy in 2009, while Lu retired eran opposition leader guilty of conviction, which Karpal plans to tion, with state media yesterday Liu, born in 1972, founded a been allowed to take part in oil from the military’s missile sedition yesterday in the latest appeal, sparked further condemna- pointing to her links to a former company in the northeastern city pipeline construction in China. command centre in 2005. use of a law the government had tion of the government’s use of the high-ranking official facing of Harbin at the age of 20 that The ruling party’s internal Lu’s sentence was suspended pledged to abolish in the run-up decades-old Sedition Act. graft allegations. now operates in the property graft watchdog announced in for three years on the ground to elections last year. Prime Minister Najib Razak Liu Yingxia, who was listed and road construction sectors, September that Jiang was under that he has no prior criminal Democratic Action Party chair- had pledged to abolish the act in as China’s 46th richest woman the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald investigation for “suspected record, the court said. man Karpal Singh slammed the 2012 as part of reform promises with assets of $660m by wealth reported. She is allegedly mar- severe violation of discipline,” usu- Sedition Act as a “relic,” and called made to halt a slide in support for publisher the Hurun Report last ried to the son of a high-ranking ally a euphemism for corruption. Japan divers the case against him unfair. “It’s his long-ruling coalition. year, was removed as a member military officer, it said. Jiang, who is believed to be political intimidation,” Karpal, 73, But after retaining power with of the Chinese People’s Political In 2012, a fund of hers invested a close associate of China’s ex- return home said. The parliamentarian was a weak showing in 2013 polls, Consultative Conference, the in a 110-billion-yuan oil pipeline chief of internal security Zhou found guilty of insulting one of the Najib is believed to be under pres- Xinhua news agency reported. project with China National Yongkang, held a minister-level TOKYO: Four Japanese country’s nine state sultans dur- sure from disgruntled conserva- The CPPCC is a debating cham- Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and two position as head of the govern- scuba divers who went miss- ing a tussle over political control tives in his Muslim-ruling party ber that is part of the Communist other state-run organisations, the ment body overseeing state- ing off Bali for three days of Perak state in 2009. He faces to backtrack on reform. AFP Party-controlled governmental newspaper said. owned assets before his fall. AFP before being rescued from a rocky outcrop returned home yesterday, looking exhausted from the ordeal. Mantra ray sanctuary opens Crowds of journalists were waiting for them at Kansai airport in western Japan when they arrived home from Indonesia. “I feel terrible to think that we could not come back together,” said Emi Yamamoto, one of the four, referring to fellow diver Ritsuko Miyata whose body was discovered earlier this week. “I hope we can recover soon and go back to life as it was before,” said Yamamoto, whose face was badly sunburned. The four women were among seven who disappeared after setting off on a diving expedi- tion last Friday. Five were rescued, while the body of a sixth was found float- ing near a beach. One woman is still missing, although A manta ray swims in the waters of Raja Ampat in eastern Indonesia’s remote Papua province. Indonesia Indonesian authorities have yesterday became home to the world’s biggest manta ray sanctuary covering millions of square kilometres, called off search. AGENCIES as it seeks to protect the winged fish and draw more tourists to the archipelago. Politics intrudes at Korean family reunions

SEOUL: Around 80 eld- been seen by many as a possi- official propaganda. “I was a bit participants, with an average erly South Koreans met pri- ble first step towards improved worn out due to all their politi- age of 84 and some so frail they vately yesterday with North inter-Korean cooperation. cal comments,” said Choi Don- had to be moved by ambulance, Korean relatives they hadn’t It followed a rare concession Myung after the three-hour arrived at the resort midday seen for 60 years, but sev- from North Korea, which had meeting with her brother and Thursday after crossing the eral complained the moment originally threatened to cancel his daughter. heavily-militarised border in a was tainted by political if the South and the US pushed Choi also voiced surprise that convoy of 10 buses. indoctrination. ahead with annual joint military they had refused to accept the After a brief lunch, they were On the second day of the first drills that begin on Monday. gifts she had brought, saying led into a banquet hall where North-South reunion for more In an apparent goodwill ges- they had all they needed. they first came face-to-face than three years of families ture, Seoul yesterday approved Kim Dong-Bin, 81, said the with the 180 North Korean rela- divided by the Korean War, the the shipment by two private aid two sisters he had come to see tives they had applied to see. relatives were allowed to meet groups for close to $1.0m worth spent a substantial amount of Some simply embraced and on their own, without the TV of tuberculosis medicine and time condemning the continued sobbed, while others stared cameras that intruded on their powdered milk to North Korea. presence of US troops in South and stroked each other’s faces, first emotional gathering the After the private meetings, Korea. seemingly unable to believe that day before. a number of the South Korean “They heaped abuse on the they were in the same room. The event, held at a mountain participants complained that US troops and said re-unifica- Photos were exchanged and resort in North Korea, was only their Northern relatives had tion was only possible if they lovingly pored over, including secured after intense North- felt obliged to deliver political pull out,” Kim said. old black-and-white ones of the South negotiations, and has sermons parroting Pyongyang’s The 82 South Korean family. AFP FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Philippines Govt to restart talks with rebels Manila working with Norway with ‘an open mind’

MANILA: The Philippines is reports that CPP founder Jose talks, Coloma said: “let’s just say working with the Norwegian Maria Sison had expressed will- we are keeping an open mind government on the possibility ingness to meet with President about it.” of reopening peace talks with Benigno Aquino. The government estimates that communist insurgents, barely “The offer to talk to the presi- the armed insurgency has claimed a year after negotiations col- dent is a new element at this about 30,000 lives since it began lapsed, officials said yesterday. time. The last we heard they were in 1969 in a guerrilla campaign to The administration has been calling on all Filipinos to oust the overthrow the government and engaged in on-and-off peace president,” Deles said. establish a Maoist regime. negotiations with the Communist She said the government However the military says its Filipino-Algerian Nadjoua Bansil (left) and her sister Linda walk inside a military base in Zamboanga City, southern Party of the Philippines (CPP) wanted to ensure that if the talks guerrilla arm is down to about Philippines, yesterday. since the 1980s but the talks have resume, “it will be based on a plat- 4,000 fighters from more than repeatedly stalled due to what the form that has the possibility of 26,000 in the late 1980s. The rebels government says are conditions reaching a successful conclusion.” remain active in the hinterlands of imposed by the rebels. Aquino had set a target of end- the Philippine archipelago, attack- Norway had served as a facili- ing the decades-long insurgency ing the military and police as well Filmmakers freed by Abu Sayyaf tator in the talks between the by the 2016 -- the end of his term as rural businesses that resist their two sides, but the most recent in his office. The breakdown in extortion demands. ZAMBOANGA: Two Filipina marginalised communities. those who “helped” in obtaining attempt at an striking an accord talks last year was a setback but Peace negotiations with documentary filmmakers, kid- The two women were recovered the release of his siblings. ended with the Philippines declar- in January Aquino asked Norway the country’s main Muslim napped by Al Qaeda-linked on the island of Jolo as authori- However both the military and ing negotiations had collapsed in to help revive negotiations. rebel group, the Moro Islamic Muslim extremists in the strife- ties were conducting a search for brother declined to say whether a April 2013. His spokesman Herminio Liberation Front (Milf) have torn southern Philippines, were them, the military said. ransom had been paid for the two. Chief government peace adviser Coloma said: “Now they are say- been more successful and both the recovered by authorities on Jolo marine commander Nadjoua, then aged 39 and her Teresita Deles said yesterday she ing they are ready to talk. So that Milf and the government hope to Thursday after eight months Brigadier General Jose Cenabre sister, then aged 36, were seized has had discussions with the is what we are looking into with soon sign a final peace deal to end in captivity, a military state- said that the kidnappers decided by members of the Abu Sayyaf Norwegian government on ways the assistance of the Norwegian decades of fighting after clear- ment said. Despite her ordeal, to free them amid the heightened group on June 22 while working to move the situation with the facilitator.” Asked if the govern- ing the last hurdle in 18 years of Nadjoua Bansil said she and military activity to locate them. on a film about the impoverished communists forward. She also said ment could still trust that the negotiations. her younger sister Linda would Elder brother of the sisters, residents of the heavily-forested the Philippines’ was looking into rebels were sincere in reopening AFP return to making movies about Mohammed Bansil also thanked island of Jolo. AFP Plan to buy 12 Korean fighters for $422m Seven shot dead in raids MANILA: The Philippines is credible defence,” Manalo told stations from the United States the first two aircraft 18 months on drug dens in south to acquire a squadron of FA-50 reporters. in 2011. after the contract signing next fighters from South Korea in The Philippines has embarked China claims 90 percent of the month. DAVAO: Seven people were Thirteen firearms, assorted a deal worth $422m, a senior on a five-year, $1.68bn moderni- South China Sea’s 3.5 million sq The Philippines has had no shot dead yesterday in a massive explosives and banned drugs Philippine defence official said sation programme to improve its km waters. The sea provides 10 fighter capability since it moth- operation against illegal drug were also seized in the raid on the yesterday, boosting its capabil- capability to defend its maritime percent of the global fisheries balled all of its F-5A/Bs in the dens by police in the southern major trading city of Davao, he ity as tension simmers in the borders against the creeping catch and carries $5tr in ship- early 2000s. Philippines, law-enforcement added. “This part of town is noto- South China Sea. expansion of China in the South borne trade each year. Over 15 years after the 1995 officials said. rious for drug pushers and many Fernando Manalo, undersecre- China Sea. In 2012, it lost con- Brunei, Malaysia, the passage of the Armed Forces Thirty-six people including of them are armed,” Rosales said. tary of defence for finance, muni- trol of the Scarborough Shoal Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan Philippines (AFP) Modernisation a South Korean national were He defended the high number tions, installations and materiel, and since May last year, China’s also have claims, to at least parts Programme (Republic Act 7898), arrested in the raid on 26 houses of fatalities, saying the suspects said the government had reached vessels have been in the vicin- of the sea. the Philippine Air Force remains believed to be selling the banned tried to shoot back. an agreement with Korean ity of the Second Thomas Shoal Manalo said a team from South in dire need of modernisation. drug methamphetamine hydro- Chief Inspector Elizabeth Aerospace Industries Ltd for 12 in the disputed Spratlys, where Korea came to the Philippines to The current incarnation of the chloride, popularly known as “ice” Jasmin, the area’s police spokes- of the aircraft and would sign a Philippine troops are stationed on negotiate the aircraft deal, agree- AFP modernization program is or “shabu”, said Emerson Rosales, woman, said representatives from contract before March 15. a grounded transport ship. ing to reduce by $500,000 the cost the Capability Upgrade Program the regional chief of the Philippine the Justice Department, the local “This is a very important The Philippines’ ill-equipped of spare parts and accepting a 15 (CUP) which defers PAF-related Drug Enforcement Agency. government and even major TV project together with the frig- armed forces is no match for percent downpayment from the modernization efforts to the sec- About 200 police and other law- broadcasters had accompanied ate of the navy because of our those of China despite receiving government. ond and third phases of a three- men took part in the biggest anti- the raiding teams and would have objective of building a minimum two cutters and coastal radar South Korea agreed to deliver phase programme. REUTERS drugs operation this year, he added. noticed any abuses. AFP

Bahrain’s Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa (left), Philippine National Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon (second left), Philippine Vice- President Jejomar Binay (right) and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Robert Garcia share a light moment at the Lighthouse Marina before the signing of an MoU between Bahrain and the Philippines yesterday. JONAS REYES Bahrain to build $1.6m infrastructure

BY JONAS REYES Philippine National Red Cross. Bahrain Red Crescent Society. The sign- Prince Al Khalifa said that his participa- ing was witnessed by Prince Al Khalifa, SUBIC BAY FREEPORT: The tion in the Challenge Philippines triathlon is Philippine Vice President Jejomar Binay and Kingdom of Bahrain will build $1.6m a great chance for him to help the Filipino Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) worth of infrastructure in the form of survivors in Tacloban. “We need to be here Chairman Robert Garcia. 500 housing units for Tacloban and two also to help others,” he said. Prince Al Khalifa said, “His Majesty, King vocational complexes for youth and sports “This is the kind of friendship we should Hamad, is always ahead of us in any humani- in Tacloban and Subic Bay Freeport, an have. This is a very, very strong humani- tarian help. official said yesterday. tarian effort, this is a first in terms of our “So once he brought this topic that we “There’s always this special bond between countries, we are looking forward to a should proceed with help for the Philippines, the Philippines and Bahrain altogether.” strong relationship not only with the Red especially to the people who survived the dis- This was the opening remark of Sheikh Crescent, which is our kindred spirits, but aster and the wreckage that happened, I was Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa during the also with the royal kingdom of Bahrain,” excited to be there to help the people but very signing between the two countries as part Gordon said. sad to hear what happened.” of their humanitarian programme to help The signing was made by Dr Mustaffa Al Chairman Gordon said that the Bahraini survivors of Yolanda yesterday. Sayed, Secretary-General, Bahrain Royal prince might not have started his triathlon According to former Senator Richard Charity Organisation; Richard Gordon, race, but he already have won the hearts of Gordon, this is a first time signing between Chairman of Philippine National Red Cross; the Filipinos. Bahrain Red Crescent Society and the and Dr Fawzi Amin, Secretary-General, THE PENINSULA FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Pakistan / Afghanistan www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13 ON SATURDAY Cuts in Afghan forces ‘threaten stability’ Security concerns rise as three suicide bombers in burqas attack police HQ near Kabul and kill policeman

WASHINGTON: Taliban support to Afghan troops. group of Al Qaeda members insurgents will increasingly A final decision has been would continue to be active in threaten Afghan stability after thrown into doubt by President Afghanistan, having intermar- international forces withdraw Hamid Karzai’s refusal to sign a ried with local clans and forged in December, and Kabul will bilateral security agreement with ties with Afghan and Pakistani need more troops than cur- the United States ahead of presi- militants. rently envisioned to provide dential elections in April. Kirby acknowledged Afghan basic security, according to Washington has said it would forces still need outside help, say- a new independent strategy have to withdraw all American ing that is one reason the inter- review. forces if no deal is signed. Officials national alliance there has been The assessment, conducted by hope Afghan elections beginning pursuing a post-2014 mission to the Center for Naval Analyses and April 5 produce a victor willing to continue building the ANSF’s obtained on Thursday, warned sign the accord. military capabilities. that plans to shrink the size of Rear Admiral John Kirby, the “It’s a commitment we made the Afghan National Security top Pentagon spokesman, told a long ago,” he said. “It’s a commit- Force to 228,500 from the cur- news conference the department ment we’re trying to make now rent 382,000 would put the US had received the CNA report but on the ground in Afghanistan policy of preventing the country was not yet prepared to discuss to improve their capacity and from becoming a safe haven for its findings. capability.” extremists “at risk.” He acknowledged that Taliban Meanwhile, three male sui- “We recommend that the inter- rebels remained a threat. cide attackers wearing burqas national community establish a “We never take our eye off the attacked a police headquarters new plan to fund and sustain the Taliban insurgency or the threat close to the Afghan capital Kabul ANSF at an end strength of about they pose, not just to us and to yesterday, officials said, killing one 373,400, with a proportionally our allies, but to the Afghan peo- policeman as concerns rise over sized assistance mission (includ- ple,” Kirby said. security ahead of the presidential ing advisers), through at least Still, he said Defence Secretary election. 2018,” said the report by the cen- Chuck Hagel “is committed” to The militants were shot dead tre, part of a nonprofit research the finding of the Nato summit in when they stormed the police and analysis group. Chicago that calls for reducing the base in Sarobi district, 50 kilome- The 378-page CNA report, overall size of the ANSF, which tres east of Kabul, after another A police officer inspects the scene of a suicide bomb blast that targeted the police headquarters in Sarobi district requested in a law passed by is funded with support from the suicide attacker died when he in Kabul yesterday. Congress, will pressure the leg- international community. exploded a vehicle bomb outside islature to consider additional The CNA report also found the entrance. Zahir, Kabul province’s police security checks in Afghanistan, Sarobi, on the main road support for Afghan forces for that Afghan security forces will Taliban insurgents claimed chief, said. including in a 2012 attack when between Kabul and Jalalabad city, several more years, even as the continue to have gaps in critical responsibility for the two-hour “Three other terrorists clad four French troops were killed. is a volatile district in a region Pentagon is facing huge cuts to military capabilities in 2015 and attack, which occurred in the in women’s burqas entered the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah seen as key to protecting the its own budget. beyond, including air support, same district where presidential courtyard of the building and Mujahid said the insurgents, who capital. The Center for Naval Analyses logistics and intelligence gather- candidate Abdullah Abdullah’s started firing and resisting the were ousted from power in 2001, Afghanistan goes to the polls is part of nonprofit research and ing and analysis. convoy briefly came under gunfire police and army forces. were behind yesterday’s attack. on April 5 to select a successor to analysis organization CNA. “We therefore conclude that on Wednesday. “As a result of the attack, one “The mujahideen fighters were President Hamid Karzai, as some The United States and Nato international enabler support - to “Today at about 6:20am, a sui- officer was killed and three others equipped with heavy and light 55,000 US-led combat troops pull are currently trying to finalize include advisers - will be essential cide bomber driving a minivan were wounded.” weapons and suicide vests, and out of the country after 13 years the shape of any international to ANSF through at least 2018,” detonated himself at the entrance Male militants have previously caused heavy casualties to the of battling the fierce Taliban military mission that would stay it said. gate of the Sarobi police head- used the all-enveloping burqa to enemy,” he said in an emailed insurgency. in Afghanistan after December to The report also said a small quarters,” General Mohammad disguise themselves and evade statement. AGENCIES

Rs5bn oil, gas and power Court rejects Musharraf’s petition for military trial ISLAMABAD: A special court in person before judges for the The facts have been twisted,” person to hear the charges being seen as a test of civilian rule over in Pakistan hearing treason first time on Tuesday. Musharraf’s lawyer Ahmad Raza read out against him. the country’s powerful army. stolen: FIA charges against ex-ruler Pervez “This application is dismissed,” Kasuri told reporters afterwards. He was first ordered to appear Musharraf has endured a torrid ISLAMABAD: The Federal Musharraf yesterday rejected lead judge Faisal Arab said at the The 70-year-old faces treason before the tribunal on December time since returning to Pakistan in Investigation Agency (FIA) his plea for trial in a military end of yesterday’s hearing. The charges, which can carry the 24, but has missed repeated hear- March last year on an ill-fated mis- has detected over Rs5bn worth court and set a date next month three-judge bench ruled that he death penalty, over his imposition ings since then due to bomb scares sion to run in the general election. of gas, electricity and oil theft to indict him. was no longer in the army and of a state of emergency in 2007 and health problems that saw him Almost as soon as he landed during its raids across Pakistan Lawyers of Musharraf had that high treason can be tried while he was president. complain of a heart ailment. he was barred from contesting since July 2013, officials from challenged the right of the civil- exclusively in a special court. The judges set March 11 as the Musharraf became the first the vote and hit with a barrage the agency told members of the ian court in Islamabad to try the “This decision to try Musharraf date to indict the former general, former army chief to appear in of legal cases dating back to his Senate Standing Committee former army chief who appeared in a civilian court is factually wrong. who was ordered to appear in the court on February 18 in a case 1999-2008 rule. AFP on Interior and Narcotics yesterday. “Around Rs900m have been Heroin haul recovered from oil, gas and power thieves in the same period,” senior FIA officials said. As many as 754 firms have been registered against illegal power users across the country and 715 of the accused have been arrested so far, they added. The Senate panel was informed that the largest vol- ume of power theft was reported from Punjab. FIA Director Administration Tariq Butt revealed that a raiding team traced the largest gas theft to a single factory in Sheikhupura, which amounted to Rs2bn. “The factory owner was even generating electricity from the illegal gas connection through a 1MW generator,” he said. Butt said oil theft was par- ticularly high because of a lack of any transparent transport mechanism. Policemen stand guard as detained suspects and bags containing heroin are presented during a press INTERNEWS conference at a police station in Jalalabad yesterday. Afghan police seized over 30kg of heroin and arrested two men during an operation in the Shinwar District of Nangarhar province. Pakistani children married off for ‘honour’

MADYAN: One sunny afternoon as she say the true number is much higher. 16-year-old Sapna, had to abide by the jirga skipped home from school, Saneeda was “We initially thought they can’t take this ruling and settled with the husband they accosted by her estranged father, who girl away but then they increased pressure chose for her. Ahad said the nine Swara wanted to marry her to a man she’d never with every passing day to give her in swara,” cases reported in Swat are just the tip of the met to settle a debt of “honour”. She was Fazal Ahad, Saneeda’s maternal uncle, said. iceberg, but victims were becoming increas- five. A few months earlier, Saneeda’s father Eventually Saneeda’s family got a court ingly willing to speak out. Ali Ahmed had eloped with a girl from order protecting her. Police arrested her Forced marriage under swara is against another valley. To avoid violent revenge father and the jirga members who had the law, but police say that even when a com- from her family, he promised to give them decided to give her in swara. plaint is brought there is great reluctance his daughter and niece Sapna in marriage. A lucky escape, but Saneeda, now aged among witnesses to give statements. Offering young girls as brides in compen- seven, still faces discrimination and mockery. Officers arrested 65 suspects in the nine sation to settle disputes persists in many Saneeda was unusual in that her family swara cases in 2013, including Saneeda’s areas of deeply conservative Pakistan. challenged the jirga’s ruling. In Pakistan’s father, Khan said, but their fate rests with In Saneeda’s home district of Swat, in the patriarchal society, airing the “dirty laun- the courts. Women’s rights groups say the govt country’s northwest, the practice is known dry” in public in this way is very rare. needs to do more to crack down on swara. as “swara”. Government data show that it The authorities do not keep detailed data Minallah says that nothing will change is on the rise in Swat, four years after an on swara, but Samar Minallah, an activist until the police and prosecutors are prepared army operation ended the Taliban’s brutal who made an acclaimed documentary on the to challenge the authority of local elders -- a two-year rule in the scenic valley. practice, said she had identified at least 132 difficult task in areas where such traditional Nine cases were registered in the area in cases around Pakistan in 2012. power structures are deeply entrenched. 2013, up from just one in 2012. Rights groups The other girl given by Saneeda’s father, AFP FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com India

Protest march Book row: Police MPs bid farewell, PM register case for posting delivers final address comments KOLLAM, KERALA: With the memoirs of a Most disrupted parliament sessions in history former disciple of Mata Amritanandamayi spark- NEW DELHI: Members yes- “but there must also be ways and added. Shinde used the chance to ing a row, police have terday bid farewell on the last means to bring pathways, to bring compliment Sushma Swaraj, who registered a case against day of the 15th Lok Sabha’s minimum amount of consistency accepted it with a smile. those who posted adverse (Lower House) last session yes- and reconciliation” so that mat- “Sushmaji sometimes gets so comments on the social terday with Prime Minister ters can move forward. angry that I get worried that she media based on the con- Manmohan Singh, addressing Speaking on the occasion, will stop talking to me. But the tent of the book against parliament for the last time, Leader of Opposition in the Lok moment she leaves the House, the spiritual leader. saying the general elections Sabha Sushma Swaraj said the the sweetness in her words can’t The case was registered would give the people an oppor- 15th Lok Sabha may have wit- be matched even by mithais. under the IT Act by the tunity to form a new consensus nessed many disruptions but it I thank her for her support on police at Karunagapally, to take the country on to new passed some of the landmark Telangana,” he said. based on complaints lodged paths. bills. Speaker Meira Kumar also by a group of her devotees. Manmohan Singh, who has “When history will be writ- addressed the Lower House for The case is likely to be been the prime minister for a ten, it will be recorded... that the the last time as the speaker and referred to the Cyber Cell decade, said the Indian parlia- 15th Lok Sabha saw the highest thanked the members fro electing of the state police for an ment, despite differences among number of obstructions, but on her as the first woman speaker. investigation and follow-up members, has the capacity to other side it passed some of the “The language in the action on the complaint, rise above partisan strife on key most awaited bills,” she said. Parliament was male oriented sources said. matters. “The nation awaited for Lokpal but the 15th Lok Sabha decided Asked about the issue, The prime minister, who (bill) for 40 years, I feel proud to use a gender neutral lan- Home Minister Ramesh announced he will not seek a third that this Lok Sabha passed the guage,” she said. Chennithala said the case term in office in case the United Lokpal bill. People were waiting She also recounted the work was taken up on a com- Progressive Alliance (UPA) is for Telangana bill for years...” she done by the 15th Lok Sabha, nam- plaint but the government voted back to power, said the said naming some of the bills. ing important bills including the need not bother about the passage of the Telangana bill was “My brother (parliament bill on manual scavenging, the bill content of the book. “When an indication that the country is Affairs Minister) Kamal Nath on sexual harassment of women there is a complaint against capable of taking tough decisions sometimes stirred trouble with at workplace, amendments in the postings in social net- “without any rancour and without his mischief, (Home Minister criminal law to make punishment working sites, police have worrying too much about the pros Sushilkumar) Shinde ji used on rape more stringent, the right to take a case and conduct and cons”. to resolve it with his decency. to education bill, land acquisi- probe under the cyber laws. His wife Gursharan Kaur was Between this mischief and decency tion bill, Lokpal bill and bill on But the Government need Congress supporters shout slogans against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister also seen sitting in the speaker’s was Sonia Gandhi’s intervention, Telangana among others. not bother about the content Jayalalithaa in New Delhi yesterday. The Supreme Court blocked the gallery last morning. the mild-mannered prime min- “We succeeded in finding solu- of the book.,” Chennithala release of three of former premier Rajiv Gandhi’s killers after Prime In his address, the prime min- ister, the speaker’s patience and tions, sometimes failed,” she said. said in Kochi. ister said that in parliamentary L K Advani’s sense of justice, The speaker then adjourned The ashram, however, Minister Manmohan Singh denounced their freeing as against all princi- proceedings there are bound to these are what kept the house the House sine die. has refrained from mak- ples of justice. They were among seven who had been due to walk free be differences among parties, ticking,” the leader of opposition IANS ing any official rejoinder or from prison by this weekend after Jayalalithaa ordered their release. clarification on allegations levelled by a former disciple of Amritanandamayi, popu- larly known as Amma (the Odisha minister shot mother) and said Australia- born Gail Tredwell in her at in home town Notification for Telangana next week book Holy hell: memoir of faith, devotion and pure BHUBANESWAR: Odisha madness. Law Minister Maheswar NEW DELHI: The gazette in the gazette notification. He pointed out that in case He said a committee of experts Tredwell claims in the Mohanty was injured last night notification for creation of sepa- The appointed day is when the of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh would be formed to identify capi- book that she had been a after being shot at by unknown rate Telangana state is likely to two states will formally come into and Uttarakhand, it took three tal for successor state of Andhra close disciple of Amma for assailants in his home town b e i s s u e d i n f o u r t o fi v e d ay s a f t e r being with appointment of two months from the notified date Pradesh. The committee is several years and lived in the Puri, a police official said. He is the president gives his assent to chief ministers, two chief secre- for new states to come into expected to give its report in six ashram before she escaped now recuperating in a hospital. the bill passed by parliament, taries and two directors general being. months. from there after fed up with Two to three people fired at said Rural Development Jairam of police, he said. The central minister said The minister said the two states some bitter experiences. Mohanty at about 10 p.m. when he Ramesh yesterday. Ramesh, who is member of 84,000 employees have to be dis- would prosper if they cooperate While some writers and was returning home on his bike Ramesh told reporters in the Group of Ministers on Telangana, tributed between the two states. with each other. “The language politicians made individual in Puri, 56km from Bhubaneswar. national capital that two news said the appointed day is so fixed Two committees were consti- of Andhra politics now has to be comments about the book The minister sustained states (Telangana and Andhra that the preparatory work for tuted for allotment of Indian language of reconciliation, mutual in a section of media social bullet injuries in one hand, Pradesh) will formally come distribution of cadre, finance and Administrate Service (IAS) offic- understanding and cooperation,” networking sites, main- Superintendent of Police Anup into being with effect from tge assets and liabilities between two ers and Andhra Pradesh service he said. stream political parties in Kumar Sahoo said. IANS appointed day to be mentioned states could be completed. officers. IANS the state remained silent on the issue. AGENCIES

Anniversary Agra man kills US wife, blows himself up

AGRA: This one is straight out of a Bollywood potboiler. An American, who fell for an auto driver here and married him, was viciously stabbed to death by her husband. The man then blew himself up. American social worker Erin White alias Kiran Sharma in September last year married Bunty Sharma alias Ashok, an auto driver. They had met when Erin, 35, visited Agra alongwith a group of Americans. She was stabbed on Thursday evening in the auto which her husband Bunty drove. Her body was People light candles as they pay homage to commemorate the first anniversary of the 2013 bomb thrown out of the auto and blasts at the Dilshuk Nagar area of Hyderabad yesterday. At least 18 people were killed and over 100 found around 8pm, police injured when bombs ripped through crowded areas. said. Bunty returned home in Sanjay Nagar after the murder. He shut himself up in his Delhi seeks security for Rome mission room, opened a gas cylinder valve and blew himself up. Senior police officials along- NEW DELHI: India yester- questions related to trial of the “unacceptable delay” in the with the dog squad visited day said it has sensitised Italy two marines, saying the mat- trial of the two Italian marines the two spots. about hate mails, including a ter was subjudice. Answering a — Massimiliano Lattore and The union home ministry bullet, received by its mission query about hate mails, he said Salvatore Girone. and the American embassy in Rome over a case concern- there had been such an instance The two had allegedly shot in New Delhi have been ing two marines accused of and added the Indian mission dead two Indian fishermen — informed. killing two Indian fishermen, received a bullet in a mail. Valentine (aka Gelastine) and Shalabh Mathur, a senior and hoped necessary security He said protection of mis- Ajesh Binki — off the coast police official, told media measures would be taken. sion was the responsibility of of the south Indian state of persons that the incident External Affairs Ministry the host country. “We hope Kerala, mistaking them for took place due to personal spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin necessary measures will be pirates in February 2012. problems between the two, said this in response to queries taken,”he said. “We are in dip- The marines were serving as following which Bunty killed here that there have been dif- lomatic communication, includ- security personnel on an Italian her and then committed ferences between India and ing at very senior level... This oil tanker MT Enrica Lexie. suicide. Erin and Bunty Italy on the jurisdiction of the is an issue we take seriously,” India claims jurisdiction in married on the rooftop of a case concerning the marines. Akbaruddin added. The Italian the case while Italy alleges the hotel in Tajganj, against the “While we have difference of foreign ministry had earlier this incident took place in interna- backdrop of the Taj Mahal. opinion, we have explained our week summoned Indian envoy tional waters and the marines IANS views to them,” he said. Basant Kumar Gupta in Rome should be tried in their home He declined to comment on to voice its “dismay” over the country. IANS FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Business www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15 ON SATURDAY

Oil dips to near Huge tenders $110 after biggest weekly pull global LNG rise in 2014

LONDON: Brent crude oil slipped to around $110 a bar- prices down rel yesterday but remained on course for its highest weekly close this year, as supply disrup- tions in Africa have tightened Angola, Nigeria inject fresh supplies the market. Domestic conflicts in Libya and LONDON: Asian spot lique- loading in October 2015. South Sudan, as well as escalating fied natural gas (LNG) fell this Galp’s tender, issued this week, protests in Venezuela have helped week as companies injected closes in March and stipulates a support spot oil prices at a time fresh supplies from Angola and minimum oil-linked, variable bid when northern hemisphere win- Nigeria into the global market, at 10.5 percent of the Brent crude ter heating demand is close to its but traders expected prices to price, or $11.50 per mmBtu based peak. stabilise due to plans for export on current oil futures. Brent crude futures for April plants’ summer maintenance. In another deal, BG Group were down 25 cents at $110.05 a Cargo prices for April delivery bought six Nigerian cargoes from barrel by 1300 GMT, having hit were around $19.60 per million Italian utility Enel in a recent a seven-week high of $110.82 on British thermal units (mmBtu), tender to make up for a major Wednesday. Its low yesterday was compared with $20.50 for March supply disruption at its Egyptian $109.90. US crude futures for delivery last week. plant. April delivery dropped 30 cents “I can’t see spot prices dropping Trade sources said the com- to $102.45. much lower than this as availabil- pany paid 14-14.5 percent of the Brent’s premium to US crude ity is still tight, and after all these price of oil for the replacements, narrowed to as little as $7.09 in sell tenders are sealed up, there putting the per cargo LNG price the previous session, its tightest won’t be much left in terms of at $15.70 per mmBtu, not includ- An o utside view of the Shell refinery in Geelong, south of Melbourne, Australia. since October 9, and was around flexible supply,” a trader said. ing shipping costs. $7.50 a barrel yesterday. A volley of gas cargoes loading On the demand side, an US benchmark West Texas from Angola’s Chevron-operated Argentine tender to buy two car- Vitol buys Shell’s Australia refinery Intermediate (WTI) was heading export plant this month surprised goes for April delivery was due to for its sixth straight weekly rise traders in light of the project’s be awarded in the next 24 hours. as a new pipeline helps drain sup- poor performance last year. “We should know who the SYDNEY/SINGAPORE: returns. The Australian deal puts eventually, as the refinery, while plies from WTI’s delivery point at Angola launched its third sell winner is on Saturday,” another Top global oil trader Vitol SA Shell comfortably on track to hit small, was a high-quality plant, Cushing, Oklahoma. tender of the month on Thursday, trader who was participating in is buying Royal Dutch Shell’s its target of $15bn in asset sales with good distribution chains into But prices faced some pres- offering a single cargo which the tender said. Australian refinery and petrol over the next two years, set by new the Australian market. sure on signs Iran substantially will be awarded on February 28. Japan’s Meteorological Agency stations for about $2.6bn in its chief executive Ben van Beurden Analysts said the acquisition increased crude oil exports to The bidding window closes on predicted colder-than-average biggest acquisition, looking to as part of an austerity drive fol- made sense for Vitol even though China and India in January, February 26, a trade source in temperatures in the world’s top grab a share of a growing oil lowing a profit warning in January. Shell couldn’t run it profitably though total exports from the possession of the tender docu- LNG buyer in April, which may product market. So far this year, Shell has sold enough to keep it. “These two Islamic Republic remain con- ment said. reinforce demand and help keep The purchase will pit Swiss- about $5bn of assets and analysts companies have different return strained by Western sanctions. Angola’s first LNG shipment global prices steady. based Vitol against arch rival said the swift pace of disposals expectations and targets they’re The United Nations nuclear of the year is due to unload at Many of the cargoes due to be Trafigura, which became could prompt the company to willing to accept,” said Craig watchdog also reported on Brazilian energy giant Petrobras’s re-exported from European ter- Australia’s largest independent raise its target. Pirrong, Professor of Finance at Thursday that Iran’s most con- newly commissioned import ter- minals, specifically Spain, have fuel retailer last year in a market “The speed at which Shell can the University of Houston. tested uranium stockpile has minal on February 24. Its second been pre-sold, meaning they will where the less nimble oil majors sell relatively immaterial assets With the Australian purchase, declined significantly following a February export is en route to not be adding to global spot mar- are looking to cut losses. for billions of dollars highlights which includes 870 service stations landmark nuclear deal with world Asia, probably to a Japanese util- ket liquidity. Australia has become one of how unambitious its $15bn pro- plus Shell’s bulk fuels, bitumen and powers in November. ity buyer, traders said. At Belgium’s Zeebrugge re- Asia’s biggest fuel importers, gramme is. We would expect the chemicals businesses, Vitol is bet- Data from the US Energy Further boosting supply, export terminal, Eni has sold creating opportunities for trad- disposal target to be raised in due ting Australian fuel demand will Information Administration on Portuguese energy firm Galp out of cargoes until at least end- ers as the majors have shut older, course,” Investec analysts said. continue to grow faster than in Thursday was mixed for oil as has offered to sell up to 30 LNG March and is marketing volumes small refineries, under pressure Vitol Chief Executive Ian Europe, and eventually the world Cushing crude stocks fell 1.73 million cargoes from Nigeria over a five- for the rest of 2014. to shift investment to oil and gas Taylor said he expects to make will be short of refining capacity. barrels in the week to February 14. year period, with the first cargoes REUTERS production that generates better good returns from the business REUTERS REUTERS Top Asian buyers boost Iran imports Gold flat as weaker dollar BEIJING/NEW DELHI: Iran’s top two among Tehran’s top clients; China’s jump was oil customers China and India have boosted partly linked to distortions in the data ahead of offsets higher imports in January, taking in close to the total the Lunar New Year holiday. volume the Islamic republic is permitted to “I don’t expect to see shipments to Asia rising sell to all buyers following the recent easing of back to pre-sanctions levels soon,” said Alex Yap, equities sanctions. energy consultant at FGE Singapore. “It’s pre- The jumps indicate the Opec member’s total mature to say given the ongoing negotiations, but LONDON: Gold steadied yes- sales in January to its four biggest buyers topped I don’t think Iran can come back until a further terday and was on track to the one million barrels per day (bpd) level at political deal is reached.” end the week little changed as which world powers want to keep shipments Six world powers and Iran made a “good start” the dollar turned lower after capped to maintain pressure on Iran to abandon in talks in Vienna towards reaching a final settle- another batch of weak US data, its nuclear programme. Tough sanctions have ment in the decade-old stand-off over Tehran’s but stronger equities put the more than halved the country’s oil exports since nuclear programme, but conceded their plan to brakes on a rally that had taken early 2012, costing Tehran billions of dollars in get a deal in the coming months was very ambi- prices to 3-1/2 month highs. lost revenue every month. tious. An earlier agreement in November allows The metal hit its highest Yet, last month’s rise may not signify a con- the Opec member to keep exports at the current since October 31 on Tuesday at tinuing flood of Iran’s oil as shipments may have reduced levels of about one million bpd, less than $1,332.10 after last week posting risen due to one-off factors. India was able to take half the pre-sanctions level. its biggest weekly gain since mid- more because it earlier cut purchases the most REUTERS August at more than four percent. Prices have taken support from a run of softer-than-expected US data, which led to speculation that Largest solar thermal station opens the Federal Reserve would slow the tapering of its bullion-friendly stimulus measures. Yesterday’s data showed that existing home sales fell 5.1 percent in January, compared with a 0.8 percent drop in December. Spot gold was unchanged at $1,323.01 an ounce by 1525 GMT, while US gold futures for April delivery rose $6.40 an ounce to $1,323.30. “Falling US interest rates and a weakening of the dollar, are two very important determinants of gold prices,” Natixis analyst Nic Brown said. “Since the beginning of the year, both of these have been helping to push gold higher. “But once the situation in the US normalises, the economy will continue to improve, the fall in the US interest rates will prob- ably reverse and the dollar will improve.” The dollar fell 0.1 per- A solar receiver and boiler on top of a tower at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System in the Mojave cent against a basket of curren- Desert in California near Primm, Nevada. The largest solar thermal power-tower system in the world, cies, but was still on track for its owned by NRG Energy, Google and BrightSource Energy, opened last week in the Ivanpah Dry Lake. first weekly gain in three weeks. REUTERS FEBRUARY 22, 2014 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Business ON SATURDAY 16

Wal-Mart stumbles in China AXA insurance Spain halves reports profit leap, but share 2013 deficit as prices fall

PARIS: French insurance group AXA, number two in exports grow Europe after German giant Allianz, raised net profit by 10 percent last year with a boost from asset sales and reduced 10.3 percent rise in sales to Asia debt, it said yesterday. But despite a strong set of MADRID: Spain’s trade defi- “would without a doubt be a results, the price of shares in the cit fell by almost half in 2013 as good year for exports” with more group fell by 2.17 percent to ¤19.13, exports hit a record level due Spanish firms selling goods and with traders saying that they fell to a successful push by Spanish services abroad. short of their expectations. firms into new markets outside “Spain’s competitiveness is Net profit totalled ¤4.5bn Europe, officials said yesterday. improving and the number of ($6.17bn) but even this was less The shortfall of exports to exporters is increasing,” he told a than expected by analysts who imports for Spain fell 48.1 percent news conference called to discuss had tabled for about ¤4.7bn. in 2013 over the previous year the trade deficit figures. Operating profit surged by 14.0 to produce a deficit of ¤15.9bn Spain’s export promotion percent to ¤4.7bn, and this also ($21.8bn), the economy ministry agency, ICEX, notes that the fell short of expectations. said. number of exporting companies If changes in currency values Bailed-out Portugal and Ireland has risen by more than 10 percent were excluded, operating profit have greatly improved their trade each of the past three years. A customer shops at a Wal-Mart store in Beijing. Wal-Mart Stores, famed for its low prices, has stumbled in jumped by 18.0 percent. This per- balances, and so has Greece Prime Minister Mariano the one major market. Chinese consumers say they want food that is safe and authentic, and, after 17 years, formance was achieved on a one- although the latest data showing Rajoy’s conservative govern- Wal-Mart is changing its approach, closing some big-box stores that never quite caught on with locals. percent rise in sales to ¤91.2bn. the first surplus since 1948 sug- ment is banking on exports to be The results showed that all gest that this is not being driven an engine of recovery for Spain, parts of the business did well, by exports. which crawled out of recession although the company got badly Spain, the eurozone’s fourth- with 0.1-percent economic growth caught out on the wrong side of biggest economy, exported goods in the third quarter. instruments bought to protect and services worth ¤234.24bn, a It has changed labour rules to Chinese yuan fall deepens on against changes in interest rates 5.2-percent rise over 2012 and the give companies more power to and currency values. highest level since records started cut wages, fire workers or modify The company said that capital being kept in 1971. their jobs to boost competitive- offshore markets, down 1pc gains from the sale of a portfo- Imports reached ¤250.19bn, a ness and reduce the unemploy- lio of a life-assurance subsidiary 1.3 percent drop over the previous ment rate which hit 26.03 percent LONDON: China’s yuan cur- biggest one day fall since October and the shift in central bank guid- in the United States and of its year as households continued to at the end of 2013. rency weakened to its lowest 2011, Reuters data showed. In ance rates, as well as reports that majority interest in Axa Private limit spending in a country where Spain’s trade balance in March level since early October in off- European trade, the currency fell the PBOC has asked major state- Equity, now Ardian, had been one in four people are out of work. logged its first surplus since 1971, shore trade yesterday, extend- past 6.10 yuan per dollar, bringing owned banks to buy dollars, have crimped by accounting factors. Out of necessity, Spanish com- mainly due to a sharp fall in ing a central bank-sponsored its losses since Monday to more pushed the offshore yuan lower. One of these was a negative panies have pushed hard into imports driven by falling domes- slide that has rattled foreign than 1 percent. Most analysts, however, assume effect of interest-rate and cur- markets beyond its traditional tic demand. investors and left questions “This is one of the most Beijing will not seek any deeper rency hedge instruments which markets in fellow European Union In December the trade deficit about Beijing’s intentions. crowded positions in emerging weakening of the currency given amounted to about ¤300m. member states. dropped by 41.4 percent over the One of the safest bets for glo- markets, being long yuan versus long standing criticism from the AXA said that it had achieved Exports outside of the EU same year-ago period to ¤1.83bn. bal investors in recent years has the dollar,” said Manik Narain, United States of the yuan’s fail- a return on shareholders’ equity accounted for 37.4 percent of the Last year exports such as been a steady gain for the yuan, or an emerging market strategist ure to appreciate and the risk of a of 14.8 percent, a rise of 1.8 per- total last year. automobiles, medicine, chemical renminbi, long seen as artificially at UBS in London. “In the past resulting boost in domestic inflation. centage points from the 2012 Sales of goods and services to products, iron and steel rose, the undervalued by state controls and few sessions the PBOC has been “We don’t think this is the big one,” level and at the top end of the Asia rose by 10.3 percent and by ministry’s figures showed. traded by foreign investors in a guiding the midpoint of the daily analysts from French bank BNP 13.0-15.0-percent range in its 8.4 percent to Africa. The export boom helped Spain complex system of offshore and US fix higher so there has been a Paribas said in a note yesterday. strategic plan to 2015. “The increase in exports to crawl out of recession with 0.1 forward rates. bit of a washout of positioning. It “An outright devaluation of The operating results is above emerging markets which Spain percent economic growth in the Signs of weakening in the caught a lot of people off guard.” the (renminbi), or a depreciation the strategic target under the has focused on like South Africa third quarter. world’s second biggest economy Rates on offshore markets, an trend is not in PBOC’s interest. “Ambition Axa” plan for an (+33.4%), Brazil (+28.8%), Middle Spain’s economy shrank by 1.2 have underpinned a change in important tool for companies It would spring a new shock on increase of 5-10 percent per year. Eastern countries (+24.9%), percent over the whole of 2013, recent weeks and the People’s doing business directly with China the economy by raising the short- The group reduced its ratio of China (+4.7%) and Japan (+6.8%) however, as the nation struggled Bank of China has set lower and where the yuan trades only term cost of capital in the inter- debt to funds to 24.0 percent, bet- is especially positive,” the minis- with the shattering aftermath of guidance rates for a market still in electronic terms, have always bank market, and deal a blow to ter than its initial target for 2015 try said. decade-long property bubble that complicated by the lack of full differed from the hard currency its agenda of internationalising of 25.0 percent and said it was Deputy Trade Minister Jaime imploded in 2008. convertibility of the currency. value of the yuan in China. the (renminbi).” now targeting 23.0-25.0 percent. Garcia-Legaz predicted 2014 AFP The move yesterday was the But they still follow it closely REUTERS AFP

QATARI MARKET Bond Coupon Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P Eramet, hit by price slump, delays Indonesia project Qatar Govt 5.15% 4/9/2014 USD 100.63 0.04% Aa2 AA Qatar Govt 3.125% 1/20/2017 USD 105.75 1.11% Aa2 AA PARIS: Mining group Eramet, low prices for nickel”. Buffet had negotiations were needed with bought by Eramet in 2006. Qatar Govt 6.55% 4/9/2019 USD 120.13 2.36% Aa2 AA hit by a slump in the price of warned in the middle of last year the Indonesian government to The two groups envisaged at Qatar Govt 5.25% 1/20/2020 USD 113.88 2.69% Aa2 AA nickel, is delaying a project to that the group’s performance in ensure an “appropriate” legal and the time investing about $3bn in Qatar Govt 4.5% 1/20/2022 USD 108.75 3.24% Aa2 AA develop huge nickel resources the second half of the year would tax framework. the Indonesia resource and ini- Qatar Govt 9.75% 6/15/2030 USD 155.00 4.83% Aa2 AA at Weda Bay in Indonesia, trig- be worse than in the first half. The company said that the delay tially set 2012 as the deadline for Qatar Govt 6.4% 1/20/2040 USD 116.88 5.21% Aa2 AA gering a big asset writedown, it Given the price and outlook for “in no way puts in question the a final decision. Qatar Govt 5.75% 1/20/2042 USD 108.00 5.20% Aa2 AA said yesterday. nickel, Buffet said that the group was quality of the project, involving one Eramet said that it would take But the French group, report- delaying its final decision on invest- of the biggest world-class nickel further cost-cutting measures Qatari Diar 3.5% 7/21/2015 USD 103.94 0.68% Aa2 AA ing a net loss of ¤370m ($507m) ing in the nickel resources at Weda resources, nor the performance this year. It would reduce invest- Qatari Diar 5% 7/21/2020 USD 110.75 3.13% Aa2 AA and a slump in nickel sales, said Bay. Eramet holds two thirds of this of the process of hydrometallurgy ment to less than ¤400m, or 40 Comqat 5% 11/18/2014 USD 103.00 0.87% A1 A- that this decision did not mini- asset, with its partner, Japanese firm developed successfully by Eramet percent less than the average fig- Comqat 3.375% 4/11/2017 USD 104.63 1.85% A1 A- mise the quality of the project. Mitsubishi Corporation holding the teams for this type of resource.” ure for 2012 and 2013. QIB 3.856% 10/7/2015 USD 104.25 1.19% NR NR Eramet is a leading company remaining third. Hydrometallurgy is a chemi- It said it was also counting on QNB 3.125% 11/16/2015 USD 103.63 1.00% Aa3 A+ in the global nickel industry and “Eramet and its partners cal technique of extracting metal the relaunch at the beginning QNB 3.375% 2/22/2017 USD 104.25 1.91% Aa3 A+ in particular has big interests in considered that the conditions from ore. of the year of two important New Caledonia. were not right to envisage a final Eramet and Mitsubishi projects: a complex for extract- Doha Bank 3.5% 3/14/2017 USD 104.75 1.89% A2 A- Chief executive Patrick Buffet investment decision concerning Corporation linked in 2009 via ing metals from ores at Moanda Qtel 3.375% 10/14/2016 USD 105.25 1.34% A2 A- said in a results statement that the Weda Bay project in 2014,” a holding company to study the in Gabon, and the production of Qtel 7.875% 6/10/2019 USD 124.63 2.83% A2 A- the outcome for last year was Buffet said. development of nickel and cobalt ilmenite and zircon in Senegal. Qtel 4.75% 2/16/2021 USD 107.75 3.49% A2 A- “marked mainly by extremely He also said that further reserves at Weda Bay, a site AFP Qtel 5% 10/19/2025 USD 103.25 4.64% A2 A- Rasgas 5.5% 9/30/2014 USD 102.75 0.87% Aa3 A Rasgas 5.832% 9/30/2016 USD 106.88 3.06% Aa3 A Global steel production falls Rasgas 5.298% 9/30/2020 USD 108.75 3.79% Aa3 A SOVEREIGNS M&C’s profit jumps Bond PDA* Maturity Currency Mid-Price Yield Moody’s S&P 54pc on deals by Abu Dhabi Govt 5.5% 4/8/2014 USD 100.63 0.26% Aa2 AA Abu Dhabi Govt 6.75% 4/8/2019 USD 122.00 2.18% Aa2 AA Singapore unit Dubai Govt 6.7% 10/5/2015 USD 108.13 1.57% NR NR LONDON: Hotel chain opera- Dubai Govt 4.9% 5/2/2017 USD 107.75 2.36% NR NR tor Millennium & Copthorne’s Dubai Govt 7.75% 10/5/2020 USD 123.25 3.75% NR NR full-year pretax profit jumped Dubai Govt 6.45% 5/2/2022 USD 115.38 4.21% NR NR 54 percent due to accrued Qatar Govt 4% 1/20/2015 USD 103.38 0.25% Aa2 AA one-time revenue from condo- Bahrain Govt 6.273% 11/22/2018 USD 115.00 2.87% NR BBB minium sales by its Singapore Bahrain Govt 5.5% 3/31/2020 USD 108.13 3.99% NR BBB subsidiary. The hotel chain operator, which Egypt Govt 5.75% 4/29/2020 USD 100.50 5.65% Caa1 B- recently acquired Novotel New Morocco Govt 4.5% 10/5/2020 EUR 104.38 3.74% NR BBB- York and the Chelsea Hotel in

*Periodic Distribution Amount London, said pretax profit rose to IMPORTANT NOTE: £263.6m ($439.14m) in the year Published by HSBC Bank Middle East Limited, P O Box 57, Doha, Qatar which ended December 31 from £171.3m is licensed and regulated by Qatar Central Bank and Jersey Financial Services a year earlier. Revenue rose 35 Commission. Information quoted is from publicly available sources or proprietary percent to £1.04bn. 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 The company had said in take into account individual circumstances, objectives or needs. The price of bonds December that the sale of 147 can and does fluctuate. The secondary market for bonds may not provide significant condominiums by its subsidiary liquidity or may trade based on prevailing market conditions. Past performance is not Glyndebourne Development in a reliable indicator of future performance. You should consider these matters and consult your financial advisor prior to making any investment decisions. Singapore brought in revenue of £274m, and it expected pretax profit to rise by £130m-140m. The sale contributed £139.3 m to pretax profit, the company said Labourers work at a construction site in downtown Shanghai yesterday. Global steel production fell slightly yesterday. in January as the Chinese New Year holiday slowed industrial activity in the top steel producing country. REUTERS FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Business Views www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 17 ON SATURDAY

Rewarding workers for Comcast’s merger with their productivity gains Time Warner must stop BY HAROLD MEYERSON BY AMY GOODMAN however, when she abruptly resigned her opponents is someone who actually knows he United Auto Workers’ failure to organize the employ- FCC commission seat to go work for - you a bit about the TV industry, Minnesota ees at Volkswagen’s plant in Chattanooga, Tenn, has omcast has announced it intends guessed it - Comcast. She was named sen- Sen Al Franken. Franken rose to national been greeted with predictable hosannas from the sworn to merge with Time Warner ior vice president for governmental affairs prominence as a comedian and writer on Tenemies of American unions. Survey their celebratory Cable, joining together the larg- for NBCU, just four months after voting to the early years of NBC’s Saturday Night columns, though, and you won’t find the slightest consideration est and second-largest cable and approve the merger. Live. He clearly doesn’t find the prospect of most Americans’ primary economic problem: How do workers broadband providers in the coun- As for the regulators, the news website of a larger Comcast very funny. get a raise in today’s economy? With the rate of unionization so Ctry. The merger must be approved by both Republic Report revealed that the head of Coincident with the attempted merger is low that even unionized employees have trouble winning good the Justice Department and the FCC. Given the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, a renewed fight over net neutrality, the basic contracts, how can workers profit from the gains in their pro- the financial and political power of Comcast, William Baer, was a lawyer representing rules governing how the Internet operates, ductivity? What will it take for workers to regain the power to and the Obama administration’s miserable NBC during the merger with Comcast, and especially whether Internet service pro- reap what they sow? record of protecting the public interest, the Maureen Ohlhausen, a commissioner on the viders like Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T In recent decades, they’ve reaped precious little. Between 1947 time to speak out and organize is now. Federal Trade Commission, provided legal and Verizon should be able to favour some and 1973 — roughly the one period of union strength in US history “This is just such a far-reaching deal, it counsel for Comcast before joining the com- websites over others. Should there be rules — productivity increased by 97 percent and workers’ compensation should be dead on arrival when it gets to mission. If you wonder how President Obama that allow people equal access to the web- (that’s wages plus benefits) by 95 percent. Since 1973, however, as the Department of Justice and the Federal feels about the issue, look at who he appointed site of a small human-rights organization in unions have weakened, productivity has increased by 80 percent Communications Commission for approval,” to be the new chairperson of the FCC: Tom Russia or a group of Occupy activists in New and compensation by just 11 percent, according to the Economic Michael Copps told me days after the merger Wheeler, who was for years a top lobbyist for York, as, say, the websites of Wal-Mart or Policy Institute. If no longer to workers, where have those gains announcement. Copps was a commissioner both the cable and wireless industries. the National Rifle Association? A growing from productivity gone? According to economists Robert Gordon on the FCC from 2001 to 2011, one of the A leading organization on media policy fear among Internet activists is that the US and Ian Dew-Becker, they have gone entirely to the wealthiest 10 longest-serving commissioners in the agen- in the US, Free Press, issued a statement regulatory system, beholden to lobbyists and percent of Americans — increasingly in the form of capital gains cy’s history. Now he leads the Media and following the announcement of the proposed corporate donors, will forfeit net neutral- and dividends. Wages today account for the lowest share of the Democracy Reform Initiative at Common merger. Craig Aaron, the group’s president, ity, creating what Michael Copps calls “the nation’s economy, and profits the highest, since World War II. Cause. Back in 2011, when Comcast sought said: No one woke up this morning wish- cableisation of the Internet.” The conventional wisdom among critics of unions is that the regulatory approval of its proposed acquisi- ing their cable company was bigger or had The public has confronted monstrous decline in workers’ income is their own fault. Today’s workers, tion of NBC Universal, Copps was the sole more control over what they could watch or mergers before, and blocked them. So, too, we’re told, lack the skills to compete in the harsh new economy. “no” vote out of the five FCC commissioners. download. But that - along with higher bills have they faced corporate attempts to stifle But with all the gains in productivity accruing to the top 10 per- Copps is not the only former FCC com- - is the reality they’ll face tomorrow unless the fundamental freedom of the Internet. cent, and with most of those gains coming in capital rather than missioner with an opinion on the merger. the Department of Justice and the FCC do Freedom of speech, freedom to connect and labour income, it’s unlikely that schooling explains all this inequal- Meredith Attwell Baker served briefly their jobs and block this merger. communicate, is the lifeblood of a democracy. ity. Is the difference in the rewards to investors and workers really there, from 2009 to 2011. President Barack Free Press hopes millions will reach out The fight to preserve and expand the diver- a matter of training? Do the traders overseeing the computer Obama appointed Baker, a Republican, to to the FCC and the Justice Department sity and vibrancy of our media system is one programs that buy and sell stocks every few nano-seconds have maintain the traditional party balance on to voice disapproval of the Comcast/Time that cannot be left to bought-out regulators a more legitimate claim to cashing in on workers’ productivity the FCC. Baker was a big supporter of the Warner merger. and corporate lobbyists. gains than the workers themselves? Or is it that workers, with- Comcast-NBCU merger. It surprised many, In Congress, one of the most vocal THE GUARDIAN out unions, have lost the power to realize the rewards from their work? In his Wall Street Journal column on Wednesday, the Brookings Institution’s William Galston proposed linking corporations’ tax rates to their compensation strategies: Firms that reward workers for productivity gains would be taxed at lower rates than firms that do not. Galston is not a man of the left. But his proposal is one that should unite and galvanize Democrats, both centrist and liberal. Democrats have long said that theirs is the party that promotes broadly shared prosperity. Strengthening unions has been one of their primary tools in realizing that goal and should remain so. But they also need to find other ways to link productivity increases to Americans’ incomes, and using the tax code is a good way to do it. Let me suggest a few ways that could happen. The Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to soon issue an order, mandated by the Dodd-Frank financial reform act, requiring every corporation to publish annually the ratio between its CEO’s com- pensation and the median pay of its employees. Once that median pay is public knowledge, Congress could create a lower tax rate for companies that increase their median wage in line with the annual increase in the nation’s productivity. To be sure, companies could game that system by reducing workers’ wages — thereby reducing the median — and then giving workers that productiv- ity increase to qualify for the tax break without actually raising wages. To offset this, Congress could also cut taxes on companies with a low ratio between CEO pay and median pay — something that could persuade CEOs not to cut their workers’ wages. For years, discussions about rising inequality and reforming corporate taxes may as well have been taking place on separate planets. But combating inequality must become the primary goal of corporate tax reform. Raising the minimum wage would help millions of underpaid workers. Remedying the systematic under- payment of the great majority of Americans whose pay is both higher than the minimum but nonetheless stagnant, however, could best be done — and in the absence of union power perhaps can only be done — through rewarding corporations that link increased productivity to wages and taxing more heavily those that don’t. The Senate Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over taxes, has a new chairman: Democrat Ron Wyden of Oregon. Senator, take it away. WP-BLOOMBERG Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate Facebook and its horrible, stroke-of-genius IPO BY FELIX SALMON the smartphone. Zuckerberg had change, then you can thrive: look fanfare onto the iOS app store, all over the world, and that’s all would spend months kicking the one job above all others: manage at Netflix, for instance, a far cry which went absolutely nowhere that matters. tires, and there would be endless wo years ago, before the transition to mobile, and do from its DVDs-by-mail roots, or for over a year, before suddenly The price, of course, is high. meetings about whether to do the Facebook went public, it as fast and as aggressively as look at IBM, which has man- exploding in global popularity for But most of it is being paid in deal and how much to pay, and I wrote a feature for possible. And that’s exactly what aged to pivot from making PCs basically no reason. Facebook stock, with the cash the target company would get so TWired with the title he did. to whatever it is that it does If you want to be certain that component coming easily out frustrated over the course of the “For High Tech Companies, By the time last quarter’s earn- now. Look, most canonically, at hundreds of millions of people of Facebook’s massive cash pile. process that it would probably Going Public Sucks”. As it hap- ings came out, Facebook was Apple, which transitioned with are using your mobile products, Issuing Facebook stock, especially end up saying no regardless of pened, going public did suck for getting 53 percent of its revenue spectacular success from making the only way to do that is to buy if doing so buys you the future, in what the eventual offer price was. Mark Zuckerberg — much more from its 945,000,000 mobile users: computers to making phones. Or, mobile products which hundreds terms of a young global user base, The WhatsApp acquisition than even I thought that it would. nobody saw that coming at the alternatively, look at Microsoft. of millions of people are using. costs Zuckerberg effectively noth- is a statement by Zuckerberg But, like many things which look time of the IPO. Zuckerberg knew, circa Facebook’s acquisition of ing: the share price is basically that mobile matters more than really horrible at the time, it Facebook has monetised mobile Facebook’s IPO, that his company WhatsApp sums up Zuckerberg’s flat today, while it would surely money. He’s right about that. turns out to have been the best better than any other website was not good at mobile: it didn’t strategy perfectly. WhatsApp is have fallen much further had, Without mobile, it doesn’t mat- thing that Zuckerberg could have in the world, and its in-stream have the problem solved. an ugly, clunky product with a say, Microsoft bought WhatsApp ter how much money Facebook done. Facebook, today, has a real native ad units are impressively And he knew that asking his juvenile name; there are dozens of instead. has. If you’re asking whether chance of sticking around and powerful. Brands aren’t buying existing corps of engineers to prettier, smoother, more elegant But that’s the differ- Zuckerberg paid too much for dominating the world for many them because they feel the need turn their attention to mobile mobile messaging apps out there. ence between Facebook and WhatsApp, you’re asking the years to come — and it only has to be cool, they’re buying them would probably not work. But the But, even more than Instagram, Microsoft. Zuckerberg is the wrong question. that chance because it went public because they work. good news was that he was now it’s also insanely popular: think of same generation as the people Zuckerberg is sending a mes- when it did. Zuckerberg, however, wasn’t running a public company, with it as the Drudge Report of mes- building today’s most popular sage, here, that Facebook will The reason is simple enough satisfied with purely financial lots of cash, and a highly-valued saging apps. mobile apps: he speaks their never stop in its attempt to domi- to be summed up in one word: metrics. Mobile is a completely acquisition currency in the form Facebook itself has never put language, and he lives in the nate mobile — that no amount of mobile. different world, and the move of Facebook stock. much stock in elegance: its own Bay Area, where they live, and money is too much. Zuckerberg At the time of the Facebook from desktop to mobile, for The world of mobile is in large site has always been pretty clut- — most importantly — he has has money — and, thanks to the IPO, 21 months ago, the mar- Facebook, had to be — and had part a lottery. The most success- tered, mainly because it turns complete control of his company, IPO, he can even print money, if kets knew full well what the big- to be seen to be, both internally ful products aren’t the best-made; out that cluttered and ugly often so if he decides that he wants to he wants, by issuing new Facebook gest challenge facing Facebook and externally — as the central, they’re just the ones which man- works really well. There is noth- drop $19bn on company with 55 stock. was. The desktop product was company-defining strategy of the aged to catch on, for whatever ing intrinsic to the WhatsApp employees, he can go ahead and He’s playing large-stack poker, wildly popular, but the mobile 2010s. reason, and generate positive product which Facebook hasn’t do just that in a matter of days. and he’s playing it in textbook product wasn’t, and it was far The technology world moves word of mouth. The perfect exam- already developed on its own. At Microsoft, such a deal would manner. I, for one, wouldn’t want from clear how Facebook could fast, and companies need to ple: Flappy Bird, a game written But WhatsApp has hundreds of probably be brought to some M&A to be competing against him. thrive in a world based around be able to change or die. If you in a single day, released with no millions of incredibly loyal users, person by a banker, and Microsoft REUTERS FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Classifieds

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BQPMMPQSPQ!RBUBSOFURB FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Sport

Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah and Italian navigator Giovanni Bernacchini in action during day two of the Qatar International Rally yesterday.

Qatari drivers up the ante on day 1 Al Attiyah, Al Kuwari dazzle on home soil

DOHA: Qatar’s Nasser Saleh Al Qatar’s Abdulaziz Al Kuwari Attiyah fended off a fierce first and his Irish co-driver Killian day challenge from fellow coun- Duffy take a bend on the tryman Abdulaziz Al Kuwari gravel during one of the to lead the 2014 QMMF Qatar stages yesterday. International Rally yesterday. Partnered by the diminu- tive Italian navigator Giovanni Bernacchini, Al Attiyah won three of the day’s six gravel spe- cial stages and reached the over- night halt just 5.5 seconds ahead of rival Al Kuwari and his Irish co-driver Killian Duffy. Al Kuwari also won three spe- cials to set up the prospect of a thrilling showdown across the Qatar deserts today. “Abdulaziz is driving well, but I am not too bothered,” said Al DS3 RRC, 2min 17.3sec behind Al dropped a second to Al Attiyah in Attiyah. “I have my strategy. You Attiyah. Umm Wishah. Al Rajhi was third will see tomorrow.” Kuwaiti Masoud Al Saleh quickest and closed to within But Al Attiyah deliberately left climbed to fourth near the end four seconds of Al-Qassimi, who the day’s final service one minute when Rasheed stopped his Ford slipped to third overall. late and incurred a 10-second Fiesta. A gearbox change and a Predictably, the leading quar- penalty that put him behind Al resultant time penalty pushed tet had already pulled away; Saleh Kuwari in the overall rankings Abdullah Al Kuwari down to bin Eidan was over one and a and, more importantly, behind fifth position, while sixth-placed half minutes adrift of the WRC him in the running order for Mohamed Al Mutawaa was the regulars in fifth. Abu Dhabi jun- today. best of three surviving Abu Dhabi ior Mansoor Bel Helai lost time “Yes, I am happy with my per- Racing-entered juniors running near the end of the stage chang- formance, especially since this in their Citroen DS3s. ing a tyre and Saeed Al Mouri is my first event since WRC in Nada Zeidan was the last of the was forced out with a steering Spain,” said Al Kuwari. “But there runners to complete all six stages arm failure on his Skoda after is a long way to go. One rock, one and held 10th position and first just 1.5km of the special. Qatar’s corner and it could all change so place in the Ladies’ category. Hitmi Khalifa Al Hitmi also hit quickly.” Earlier yesterday, Al Qassimi clutch trouble and retired. The Ford Fiesta duo had been took a lead of just seven-tenths Edith Weiss completed the spe- in a class of their own from the of a second over Al Attiyah into cial, but returned to service with start of a day where only 10 of the the first 21.93km Umm Wishah suspension damage. 19 starters reached the finish and stage in the morning. A real risk “We will fix it now and then I the list of retirements included of punctures was on everyone’s will push Nasser tomorrow,” joked the Saudi drivers Yazeed Al Rajhi minds, although Al Attiyah set Weiss. “But I am not sure from and Saeed Al Mouri, Kuwaiti the target time of 10min 48.6sec which direction..!” Saleh bin Eidan and Jordanian and beat Al Qassimi by 10.9sec to Al Attiyah was quickest by half Ala’a Rasheed. take the outright lead. a second through the 19.47km of Tyre issues plagues the UAE’s Al Kuwari had spun on Al Shabana to extend his lead Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi and Thursday night’s super special over Al Kuwari, but bin Eidan Ulster co-driver Chris Patterson and lost around six seconds, lost his hold on fifth place after and the pair finished the day in a but the 2012 rally winner began overheating issues forced him to distant third place in a Citroen the gravel stages well and only shut down his Ford’s engine. Al Qassimi dropped 24 seconds 2014 QMMF Qatar International Rally to the front-running Qataris with tyre-related issues and Al Rajhi Positions after Leg 1 stopped on the road section to the 1. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari (QAT)/Killian Duffy (IRL) Ford Fiesta RRC stage after breaking a drive shaft. 1hr 06min 48.2sec Al Kuwari continued his 2. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah (QAT)/Giovanni Bernacchini (ITA) Ford impressive form through Al Fiesta RRC 1hr 06min 52.7sec Kharsaah and the quickest time 3. Khalid Al Qassimi (ARE)/Chris Patterson (GBR) Citroën DS3 reduced Al Attiyah’s lead to 1.5sec 1hr 09min 09.5sec at the midday service, where Al 4. Masoud Al Saleh (KWT)/Sulaiman Al-Helal (KWT) Ford Fiesta Qassimi again complained of R5 1hr 20min 50.3sec tyre problems and Abdullah Al 5. Abdullah Al Kuwari (QAT)/Nicola Arena (ITA) Ford Fiesta R5 Kuwari’s Motortune mechanics 1hr 21min 23.3sec began to prepare to change the 6. Mohamed Al Mutawaa (ARE)/Stephen McAuley (GBR) Citroën Qatari’s gearbox. DS3 1hr 26min 10.1sec Mohamed Al Mutawaa was 7. Mohammed Al Sahlawi (ARE)/Craig Parry (GBR) Citroën DS3 the best of the Citroen juniors 1hr 29min 11.8sec and held a 48.9sec lead over 8. Meshari Al-Thefiri (KWT)/Fahad Al-Mutairi (KWT) Mitsubishi Mohammed Al Sahlawi. Nada Lancer Evo X 1hr 33min 57.3sec rounded off the surviving teams 9. Saeed Bintowq (ARE)/Allan Harryman (GBR) Citroën DS3 1hr in 14th place, although Abu Dhabi 41min 56.6sec Racing’s rookie Juma Al Falaisi 10. Nada Zaidan (QAT)/Maja Loncar (CRO) Subaru Impreza N12 did not start the fourth stage. 2hr 17min 22.3sec Al Kuwari continued his impressive form and a second Timetable of Events successive stage win was enough 09.00hrs Service D, Qatar Aqua Park for the Qatari to take a 2.4-sec- 09.38hrs SS7 Mekaines 1 ond outright lead in SS4, but his 10.11hrs SS8 Salwa 1 advantage was short lived and Al 10.49hrs SS9 QMMF 1 Attiyah regained a 19.2-second 11.39hrs Regroup and Service E, Qatar Aqua Park advantage with his second fastest time in the re-run of Al Shabana. 12.52hrs SS10 Mekaines 2 Abdullah Al Kuwari retained 13.25hrs SS11 Salwa 2 sixth behind Ala’a Rasheed and 14.03hrs SS12 QMMF 2 Masoud Al Saleh, despite incur- 14.53hrs Service F, Qatar Aqua Park ring a one-minute time penalty. 15.30hrs Finish podium and prize-giving, QMMF, Salwa Road THE PENINSULA FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Sport www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21 ON SATURDAY

Football: Europa League Pellegrini Results PARIS: Collated Europa League round of 32, first-leg apologises for results on Thursday: At Ramenskoye, Russia ref outburst Anzhi Makhachkala (RUS) 0 Genk (BEL) 0 South Africa’s LONDON: Manchester City At Turin, Italy batsmen Jean- manager Manuel Pellegrini apol- Juventus (ITA) 2 (Osvaldo Paul Duminy ogised yesterday for his virulent 16, Pogba 90+4) Trabzonspor (left) and AB verbal attack on the match ref- (TUR) 0 eree following his side’s 2-0 loss de Villiers raise At Esbjerg, Denmark theirs bats after to Barcelona in the Champions Esbjerg (DEN) 1 (Pusic 10) reaching the League. Pellegrini was incensed by ref- Fiorentina (ITA) 3 (Matri 9, 100-run mark Ilicic 15, Aquilani 37-pen) eree Jonas Eriksson’s perform- during the At Liberec, Czech Republic second Test ance in Tuesday’s last 16 first-leg match at the Etihad Stadium, Slovan Liberec (CZE) 0 AZ match against which saw Lionel Messi open the Alkmaar (NED) 1 (Viergever Australia at St scoring from the penalty spot 89) George’s Park, after Martin Demichelis had been At Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine in Port Elizabeth, sent off for fouling him. Dnipro (UKR) 1 (Konoplyanka yesterday. Pellegrini disagreed with the 81-pen) Tottenham Hotspur decision, arguing that the foul had (ENG) 0 started outside the penalty area At Odessa, Ukraine and that City midfielder Jesus Chornomorets Odessa (UKR) Navas had been impeded by Serio 0 Lyon (FRA) 0 Busquets in the build-up to the incident. At Nicosia He also accused Eriksson of Dynamo Kiev (UKR) 0 being “not impartial” and even Valencia (ESP) 2 (Vargas 79, suggested that he should not have Feghouli 90+1) been put in charge of the game At Salonika, Greece because he came from Sweden. PAOK (GRE) 0 Benfica (POR) However, addressing the media 1 (Lima 59) yesterday, the Chilean admitted At Swansea, United Kingdom that he had spoken out of turn. “When you lose a game the way Swansea City (ENG) 0 Napoli (ITA) 0 Duminy, De Villiers lift we lost against Barcelona, you are frustrated, you are angry,” At Porto, Portugal Pellegrini told a press confer- Porto (POR) 2 (Quaresma ence. “Maybe I said some things 44, Varela 68) Eintracht I didn’t mean, so I apologise for Frankfurt (GER) 2 (Joselu 72, what I said.” Alex Sandro 77-og) South Africa with tons He added: “Also, I want to clar- At Seville, Spain ify what I said. I didn’t make any Betis (ESP) 1 (Didac Vila 3) serious accusations to anyone; not Rubin Kazan (RUS) 1 (Roman Australia lose key wickets at the end of the second day to the referee, not to UEFA, not Eremenko 74-pen) to anyone.” At Maribor, Slovenia He explained: “I said the refe- Maribor (SLO) 2 (Tavares PORT ELIZABETH, SOUTH balls. He was removed with the ree decided the match because he 33, Vrsic 81) Sevilla (ESP) 2 AFRICA: JP Duminy, AB de Scoreboard score on 349, offering a sharp didn’t give us a foul against Jesus (Gameiro 47, Fazio 72) Villiers, Wayne Parnell and caught and bowled chance to Lyon Navas and then to the penalty, South Africa(I innings): N M Lyon 46-7-130-5; D A Warner 3-0-10- Vernon Philander put South who was the pick of the bowlers we had a player sent off in that At Pilsen, Czech Republic Africa on top as the hosts G Smith lbw Harris ...... 9 0; S P D Smith 8-0-30-1; M J Clarke 7.5-2- with five for 130. moment. The referee decided the Viktoria Pilsen (CZE) 1 (Tecl reduced Australia to 112 for D Elgar c Harris b Lyon ...... 83 16-1. Philander claimed the first game. A lot of time he didn’t give 62) Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR) four on the second day of the H Amla lbw Johnson ...... 0 Australia (I innings): Australian wicket when he the foul. It’s a difficult profession. 1 (Luiz Adriano 65) second Test at St George’s Park F du Plessis c Smith b Lyon ...... 55 C J L Rogers lbw Philander ...... 5 trapped Chris Rogers leg before He had a bad day, and I didn’t say At Rome A de Villiers c and b Lyon ...... 116 D A Warner (batting) ...... 65 yesterday. for five. that he was a bad referee.” Lazio (ITA) 0 Ludogorets All-rounder Parnell, playing his Q de Kock c (sub-Henriques) b Smith .....7 A J Doolan c de Villiers b Parnell ...... 8 Parnell then accounted for two European governing body (BUL) 1 (Bezjak 45) J Duminy lbw Lyon ...... 123 SE Marsh c de Villiers b Parnell ...... 0 first Test in four years, and pace- of the heroes from the first test, UEFA announced yesterday that At Amsterdam man Philander grabbed two wick- V Philander c&b Clarke ...... 6 M J Clarke c Elgar b Philander ...... 19 Alex Doolan (eight) and Shaun it has launched an investigation Ajax (NED) 0 Salzburg (AUT) ets apiece after South Africa had W Parnell c Haddin b Lyon ...... 10 N M Lyon (batting) ...... 12 Marsh (duck), both caught behind into Pellegrini’s comments, which D Steyn (not out) ...... 4 Extras (LB-3) ...... 3 3 (Jonatan Soriano 14-pen, 35, amassed 423 in their first innings by De Villiers. could lead to disciplinary proceed- Mane 21) thanks to centuries from Duminy M Morkel (run out-Smith) ...... 1 Total (for 4 wkts) ...... 112 Marsh now has five ducks in his ings. REUTERS and De Villiers. Extras (B-4, LB-4, W-1) ...... 9 To bat: S P D Smith, B J Haddin, M G John- last 14 Test innings. At Tel-Aviv, Israel It might have been even worse Total (for 8 wkts) ...... 423 son, P M Siddle, R J Harris. Captain Michael Clarke looked Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR) 0 for the tourists as wicketkeeper Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-11, 3-123, 4-181, Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-41, 3-41, 4-81. fluent in compiling 19 before Athletics: Suhr, Basel (SUI) 0 De Villiers dropped David Warner 5-200, 6-349, 7-378, 8-413, 9-420, 10- Bowling: D W Steyn 6-1-33-0; V D Philan- spooning an easy catch to Dean on 43. The left-handed opener 423. der 6-0-26-2; M Morkel 7-0-31-0; W D Elgar at cover as a ball from Rupp set the Honda LPGA was still there on 65 at the close of Bowling: R J Harris 27-6-63-1; M G John- Parnell 6-2-19-2. **Australia trail by 311 Philander appeared to hold up in Thailand Scores play with Nathan Lyon 12 not out. son 25-5-70-1 (1w); P M Siddle 34-9-96-0; runs with 6 wickets in hand. the pitch. pace at US Nightwatchman Lyon was also Lyon then held out in brave PATTAYA, Thailand: dropped by Duminy in the gully fashion for the final 37 minutes, Leading second-round scores yesterday at the Honda LPGA and received another let-off when and that it would create opportu- third hundred off 199 balls before surviving a hostile onslaught from Indoors Thailand tournament (par 72): South Africa failed to go to the nities for us,” said Duminy. becoming off-spinner Lyon’s fifth Parnell, Morne Morkel and Dale ALBUQUERQUE, United television review after the umpire “We also knew if we kept them victim, trapped leg before. Steyn. States: World indoor wom- 138 Anna Nordqvist (SWE) 66-72 gave him not out when he edged in the field for a long time that “I knew today was going to be a “South Africa bowled very well. en’s pole vault record-holder 139 Azahara Munoz (SPA) 71-68, Julieta a rising ball down the leg side when they came to bat there big one for me personally and for We have to give them credit but Jenn Suhr and 2012 Olympic Granada (PAR) 71-68, Sandra Gal 69-70 straight to De Villiers. would be some tired legs and the team and luckily it worked the pleasing thing is we got to medalists Galen Rupp and Leo 140 Stacy Lewis (USA) 71-69, Michelle Wie Earlier, Duminy answered his tired eyes and that if we put the out well,” Duminy told reporters. 112 so the game has moved for- Manzano lead the field for the (USA) 67-73 critics with 123 while De Villiers ball in the right area we could get “The most important thing on ward quite quickly,” said Australia US Indoor Track and Field 141 Karrie Webb (AUS) 71-70, Ryu So-Yeon struck 116 as the pair shared a wickets.” this wicket was to build a part- coach Darren Lehmann. Championships that begin today. (KOR) 69-72, Jennifer Johnson (USA) stand of 149 for the sixth wicket. De Villiers, who on Thursday nership and AB and I managed “It could have been worse if The meet will serve as the 68-73, Angela Stanford (USA) 68-73 Duminy, who averaged 11 in passed 7,000 Test runs and to do that. We had to be patient they had taken their chances and American qualifier for next 142 Brittany Lang (USA) 73-69, Lydia Ko (NZ) his previous seven Test innings, became the first player to score and wait for the bad ball. we were also quite pleased to keep month’s World Indoors at Sopot, 72-70, Jenny Shin (KOR) 72-70, Park looked assured from the start half-centuries in 12 tests in a row, “We knew Australia were going them to 423 in the 150 overs we Poland. In-Bee (KOR) 71-71, Caroline Hedwall yesterday and brought up his reached his 19th century off 201 to come out and play their shots bowled.” REUTERS Suhr set a world record at (SWE) 69-73, Suzann Pettersen (NOR) last year’s US meet by clearing 69-73, Lexi Thompson (USA) 68-74 5.02m, breaking the mark of 5.01 143 Thidapa Suwannapura (THA) 73-70, Pietersen paid price for Ashes Misbah wants winning set in 2012 by Russian Yelena Cristie Kerr (USA) 71-72, Feng Shanshan Isinbayeva. (CHN) 71-72, Gerina Piller (USA) 70-73, ‘disaster’, says Broad momentum in Asia Cup Suhr cleared 4.70 to win two Morgan Pressel (USA) 70-73, weeks ago at Boston but promised 144 Mariajo Uribe (COL) 75-69, Ai Miyazato LONDON: England’s dismal Ashes tour of Australia was the cata- LAHORE: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul Haq (pictured) said yester- her best was yet to come. (JPN) 74-70, Pak Se-Ri (KOR) 72-72, lyst for changes in the side which started with the axing of batsman day he hoped his team will carry the momentum of their recent one- “It’s early in the season,” she Dewi Claire Schreefel (NED) 71-73, Kevin Pietersen, Twenty20 captain Stuart Broad (pictured) said day winning form into the Asia Cup starting in Bangladesh next said. “I’m still getting my meet Pornanong Phatlum (THA) 71-73 yesterday. week. legs under me and the timing that 145 Tseng Ya-ni (TPE) 72-73 Pietersen was released from his England con- Pakistan will open the defence of the title they I need but I’m really in good shape tract after the 5-0 whitewash by Australia and the won under Misbah in 2012 with a match against and it’s a good start.” NBA Results decision to discard the country’s all-time leading Sri Lanka on Tuesday. The US meet opens with hep- Denver 101 Milwaukee 90 run-scorer across all formats of the game came “For me every team is favourite (to win the tathlon and decathlon events Miami 103 Oklahoma City 81 under intense scrutiny. Asia Cup) but we definitely have the edge as we today. Field events, sprint heats Golden State 102 Houston 99 “We do have to make improvements,” the have won our last two one-day series,” Misbah and the 3,000m finals dominate 27-year-old Broad told a news conference ahead told reporters on the last day of a training camp. day two ahead of tomorrow’s ATP Delray Beach of England’s tour of the Caribbean for three one- Pakistan won a three-match series in South championship races. day internationals and three Twenty20 matches Africa 2-1 before taking a five-match series Rupp, the 10,000m Olympic Results against the West Indies. against Sri Lanka in the United Arab Emirates runner-up at London, faces a DELRAY BEACH, United “The decision was taken from guys who were desperate for England 3-2 in December last year. tough 1,500m field that includes States: Results yesterday from to improve in the future, not just in the next four or five months. It was Five-time Asian champions India, hosts Bangladesh and Afghanistan Millrose Games mile winner Will the $474,000 ATP Delray Beach heart-breaking to lose 5-0 and we lost a lot of good men in doing that. are the other teams in the event which runs until March 8. Leer, 2012 Olympic 1,500 run- Open (x denotes seeding): “It’s a winter that was a disaster, but as an England side we have to Misbah believed hosts Bangladesh are also dangerous. ner-up Leo Manzano and 2008 Second Round: Marin Cilic (CRO x7) bt Ryan look forward now. We can’t dwell on it now and we must move forward.” “In their home conditions Bangladesh will also be very dangerous Olympic US flag bearer Lopez Harrison (USA) 6-3, 6-4; Teymuraz Gabashvili England director of cricket Andy Flower stepped down after the because the way they played in the last Asia Cup, beating India and Lomong. (RUS) bt Kei Nishikori (JPN x3) 4-2, retired, left Ashes series and South African-born Pietersen was informed of his Sri Lanka, they will be equally dangerous,” said Misbah. Teen Mary Cain, coming off hip; John Isner (USA x2) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 3-6, fate by new England and Wales Cricket Board managing director Paul Misbah said because of the twin wins, Pakistan have an ideal two wins in as many weeks that 6-1, 7-6 (7/5); Rhyne Williams (USA) bt Marcos Downton and Test captain Alastair Cook. combination. included last weekend’s Millrose Baghdatis (CYP) 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-2. “I was aware of discussions towards the end of the Australia tour “We have given good performances and because we won the last two Games women’s mile, faces two- but I was not deeply involved,” Broad said. series the combination is good and when you are on a winning run your time Olympian Shannon Rowbury “The guys that made the decision are very keen for England cricket confidence is high and that’s the case with us,” said Misbah. He refused in the women’s 1,500. Rio de Janeiro to move forward, there’s no egos involved in making decisions like this.” to reveal his plans when asked about when he would hang up his boots. Another teen, Ajee Wilson, is England travel to the West Indies before the World Twenty20 in “I don’t know why people are after me,” said a visibly irked 39-year- the fastest qualifier in the wom- Open Results Bangladesh in March. old, who leads Pakistan in Tests and one-day matches. “I want to play en’s 800 and seeks her first trip Results from the Rio de “It’s time for the guys in that changing-room to realise they can be with commitment as long as I play,” said Misbah, the world’s leading to the World Indoors. Two-time Janeiro Open Women’s Singles match-winners and can step up now,” said Broad, who was part of the scorer in one-days in 2013 with 1,373. Despite his form there remain defending champion Sharon Day- Quarterfinals matches yesterday England side who won Twenty20 World Cup in 2010. concerns who will lead Pakistan in the 2015 World Cup to be jointly Munroe will attempt to three- “We don’t spend a lot of time together as a T20 side, so we’ve got to hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Pakistan will fly to Dhaka today. peat in the women’s pentathlon. 5-Kurumi Nara (Japan) bt Lourdes Dominguez make use of these next three weeks.” REUTERS AFP REUTERS Lino (Spain) 7-6(5) 2-0 (Dominguez retired). FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Sport ON SATURDAY 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

Super Cornet Al Kharaitiyat shocks Serena upset Al Arabi Venus reaches Dubai final QSL: Umm Salal win 1-0

DUBAI: Alize Cornet (pic- DOHA: Youssef Kaddioui For Al Gharafa, the goals were tured) of France scored a Idrissi struck a double (35 scored by Nene (19 penalty), career-best victory and created and 57) after an own goal by Lisandro Lopez (60) and Moayad a major upset in the process Abdullah Maarfee (10) to power Fodhayli (83). with victory over world number Al Kharaitiyat to an impressive After yesterday’s matches, one Serena Williams in the 3-1 win over Al Arabi in their former champions Lekhwiya lead Dubai Open, which ended hopes Qatar Stars League (QSL) clash the points table with a tally of 44 of an all-Williams final. Prize winners in the yesterday. after 21 matches. Cornet, making her way back International Endurance For Al Arabi, the only goal of Eljaish are in second spot with into the world’s top 20 after a long the match was scored by Karim 39 points whereas defending Ride competition for girls interval, won their semi-final 6-4, Ziani (83’ penalty). champions Al Sadd are in third yesterday. The event 6-4. In another match, Victor place with 37 points. Earlier, Venus Williams was contested over a Simoes (67) scored the only goal Al Sailiyah lost ground with reached only her second final in distance of 80kms. LEFT: of the match as Umm Salal edged yesterday’s loss against Umm 16 months and with a 6-3, 6-2 win One of the riders in the past Al Sailiyah 1-0. Salal to finish round 21 with a over Caroline Wozniacki, in which junior female category In the third match of the day, tally of 33 points. Al Ahli are in she dominated the former world during yesterday’s Al Gharafa hammered Muaither fifth spot with 32 points. number one from Denmark from International Endurance 3-0. THE PENINSULA start to finish with her heavier, Ride. BOTTOM: A trainee and sometimes cleverly angled, presents a horse during Qatar referee Al Jassem in charge of driving. failed to run a ball down, wrongly day two of the 23rd Qatar But Cornet dashed hopes of thinking her serve had been out. International Arabian Cargills FA Cup final in Colombo the first all-Williams sisters final Cornet could not convert the Horse Show. PICTURES: in more than four years as she four match points she had at 5-3, JUHAIM DOHA: Qatar referee Abdul Rahman Ibrahim Jassim (pictured) played an almost impeccable but got all her first serves in at will officiate in the final of the Cargills FA Cup match, full of solid serving and 5-4 and pressed Serena into the to be played in the Sri Lankan capital today. sturdy rallying. She changed the errors which ended the match. A tournament that is 75 years old, it will be mood of the match when she took “It’s my best ever win but I the first time that a foreign match referee will advantage of Serena’a errors to haven’t realised it yet,” Cornet officiate in the final to be played at Sugathadasa break serve to 5-4 in the first set. said. “I played a very good match. Stadium. Cornet closed out the set I didn’t even realise who I was This is the result of the Referees Exchange without fuss, the pressure was playing and that’s the way I had Program initiated by the FFSL President Ranjith suddenly on Williams, whose to be. I forgot it was Serena on the Rodrigo with Qatar Football Association (QFA) first tournament this was since other side, and just got on with President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmad injuring her back in last month’s my game.” REUTERS Al Thani during his recent visit to Qatar. Australian Open. On completion of this final, some of the Sri Cornet rode the momentum to Lankan referees are set to fly Doha to officiate break again, and although Serena Dubai Open Results in the Qatar Stars League (QSL) games, a news pulled that back, she was increas- report said yesterday. ingly tense, dropping serve again Semi-finals “This is the great opportunity for our referees to gain experience at to go 3-4 down in strange circum- Venus Williams (USA) bt professional leagues and improve their skills” said Sri Lankan football stances. First she put an unchar- Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x8) 6-3, 6-2 chief Ranjith Rodrigo said in the report. acteristic and inappropriate drop Alize Cornet (FRA) bt The final today is to be played between Army and Blue Star. shot into the net and then she Serena Williams (USA x1) 6-4, 6-4 THE PENINSULA FEBRUARY 22, 2014 Break Time www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23 ON SATURDAY

Robo Cop (2D/Action) – 2.45 & 9.00pm SHOWING AT VILLAGGIO & CITY CENTER Oggy & The Cockroaches (2D/Animation) TEL: 444933989 444517001 TV LISTINGS 1 – 5.00 & 7.00pm Legendary: Tomb of The Dragon (2D/Action) – 11.15pm The Lego Movie (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm 0130 Ski Magazine 6:00 News 08:15 What 9:30 Khana khazana 3 Days To Kill (2D/Action) 0200 Football Asia 6:30 101 East Happened 10:00 Teenovation 2 – 4.30, 7.00 & 11.15pm 0230 Tennis, Atp 250, 7:30 Talk To Al Jazeera Next? 10:30 Science with MALL Legendary: Tomb of The Dragon (2D/Action) Delray Beach 8:00 News 08:40 Mythbusters Brain Café 09:30 Manhunt 11:00 LOL – 9.15pm 0630 Fubol Mundial 8:30 News 0700 Football Asia 9:00 Witness 10:20 Survive That! (Ghanchakkar) Gladiators Of Rome (2D/Animation) – 2.30pm 0730 Rugby, Six Nations, 10:00 News 11:10 Bear Grylls: 14:00 Dance India The Monuments Men (2D/Action) Wales V France 10:30 Inside Story Extreme... Dance Season 11:35 Bear Grylls: 4 (Clubbed – 4.30 & 11.00pm 1030 Uefa Europa League, 11:00 News 3 Ebsjerg V Fiorentina 11:30 Listening Post Extreme... Repeat) Frozen (3D/Animation) – 6.30pm And Plzen V Shaktar 12:00 News 12:00 Ice Cold Gold 17:00 Fear Files 17:00 Gold Rush 17:30 Fear Files Punyalan Agabathis (2D/Malayalam) – 8.30pm 1400 Nba Basketball, 12:30 Counting the Cost Miami @ Oklahoma 13:00 NEWSHOUR 17:50 Gold Rush 18:00 Zee Connect The Lego Movie (3D/Animation) – 2.30pm 1500 Nba Basketball, 14:00 News 18:40 Ice Cold Gold Season 4 Aaha Kalyanam (2D/Tamil) – 4.30pm Miami @ Oklahoma 14:30 Inside Story 19:30 Manhunt 18:30 Bh Se Bhade 15:00 Head to Head 20:20 Survive That! 19:30 Dance India 1 Brahman (2D/Tamil) – 7.30pm 1600 Rugby, Six Naions, 16:00 NEWSHOUR 21:10 Bear Grylls: Dance Season Legendary: Tomb of The Dragon (2D/Action) Italy V Scotland And 17:00 News Extreme... 20:00 Dance India – 10.30pm England V Ireland 17:30 Artscape 21:35 Bear Grylls: Dance Season 2130 Football Asia 18:00 NEWSHOUR Oggy & The Cockroaches (2D/Animation) 2200 Transworld Sport 19:00 News – 3.00 & 5.00pm 2300 Tennis, Atp 250, 19:30 People & Power The Lego Movie (3D/Animation) – 7.00pm Delray Beach 20:00 News LANDMARK 2 0100 Transworld Sport 20:30 Inside Syria 07:00 Muhammad 14:50 Weird The Monuments Men (2D/Action) 0200 Futbol Mundial 21:00 NEWSHOUR Ali’s Greatest Connections – 9.00 & 11.15pm 0230 Tennis, Atp 250, 22:00 News Fight-PG15 15:45 Tech Toys 360 Legendary: Tomb of The Dragon (2D/Action) Delray Beach 22:30 Listening Post 09:00 The Amazing 16:10 Eco-Tech – 2.30pm Spider-Man- 17:00 Deadliest Space 11:15 Iron Man Weather Frozen (3D/Animation) – 4.15pm 3 13:30 Magic Journey 17:25 Deadliest Space 3 Days To Kill (2D/Action) – 6.15 & 11.00pm To Africa-PG15 Weather 15:15 You Will Meet 17:55 Under New York Robo Cop (2D/Action) – 8.30pm A Tall Dark 18:45 What Is That? Oggy & The Cockroaches (2D/Animation) 0530 Uefa Europa League 12:15 That’s So Raven Stranger-PG15 19:10 What Is That? – 2.30pm Highlights 12:35 Dog With A Blog 17:00 The Amazing 19:35 Man-Made 1130 English Premier 13:00 Gravity Falls Spider-Man- Marvels China Highway (2D/Hindi) – 4.30pm League Match Pack 13:25 Gravity Falls 19:15 Alex Cross- 20:30 Alien Encounters 1 Aaha Kalyanam (2D/Tamil) – 7.30pm 1200 The Global Game 13:45 Gravity Falls 21:00 Mud-PG 21:20 Storm Chasers 1300 Uefa Champions’ 14:10 Good Luck Charlie 22:10 The Gadget Legendary: Tomb of The Dragon (2D/Action) League Magazine 14:35 Mako Mermaids – 9.45 & 11.30pm 1330 English Premier 15:05 Cheetah League Preview 16:35 A.N.T. Farm Highway (2D/Hindi) – 2.30pm 1400 English Premier 17:00 Shake It Up ROYAL Oggy & The Cockroaches (2D/Animation) League Saturday 17:20 Jessie – 5.00pm Club 17:45 Gravity Falls 06:00 Gabe The Cupid 10:00 Rat Attack 1500 English Premier 18:10 Gravity Falls Dog-PG 12:00 Megacities PLAZA 2 3 Days To Kill (2D/Action) – 7.00pm League, Chelsea V 18:30 Gravity Falls 08:00 Mrs. Doubtfire- 13:00 Great Migrations The Monuments Men (2D/Action) Everton And Arsenal 18:55 Good Luck Charlie 10:15 King Ralph-PG 14:00 Master of – 9.15 & 11.15pm V Sunderland And 19:20 Mako Mermaids 12:00 Who Framed Disaster Crystal Palace V 19:40 Jessie Roger Rabbit- 15:00 Ape Man Robo Cop (2D/Action) – 3.00 & 9.00pm Manchester United 20:05 Austin And Ally 14:00 Raising Arizona- 16:00 World’s Toughest Frozen (3D/Animation) – 5.00pm 2330 English Premier 20:30 Good Luck Charlie PG15 Fixes 3 The Lego Movie (3D/Animation) – 7.00pm League, West 20:50 Dog With A Blog 16:00 King Ralph-PG 17:00 Jean Michel Bromich V Fulham 21:15 Gravity Falls 18:00 The Naked Gun: Cousteau’s 3 Days To Kill (2D/Action) – 11.15pm 21:40 Shake It Up From The Files Ocean

HYPER C RSO S W O RD

123 45678 910111213 6 With 25-Down, 35 Harry Potter villain 1979 exile Malfoy 14 15 16 7 “Hope & Faith” 37 Make a mush of actress Kelly 41 Words of woe 17 18 19 8 Ted once of ABC 42 ___ of the realm news 45 Like a blockbuster’s 20 21 22 23 9 Focusing problem, cast, often for short 47 Cries of discovery 24 25 26 27 28 10 G.I., in old slang 49 Lifebuoy competitor 11 Falco of “Nurse 50 Lloyd of the silents 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Jackie” 54 Charlotte ___ 12 Sleeping site, 36 37 38 (cream-filled maybe dessert) 13 Terrier in whodunits 39 40 41 42 43 55 Law enforcers at 19 ___ Stanley Yesterday’s answer sea: Abbr. 44 45 46 47 Gardner 56 Enthusiasm How to play Hyper Sudoku: 21 What “D” means 57 ___ Empire (bygone A Hyper Sudoku Puzzle is solved by filling the numbers from 1 to 9 into the blank cells. A Hyper 48 49 50 51 25 See 6-Down domain) Sudoku has unlike Sudoku 13 regions (four regions overlap with the nine standard regions). In all 26 Ho Chi Minh Trail 59 Title river in 1957’s regions the numbers from 1 to 9 can appear only once. Otherwise, a Hyper Sudoku is solved like 52 53 54 locale Best Picture a normal Sudoku. 28 Words before a 61 Sit on it 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 clarification 62 Not even close to How to play Kakuro: 29 “The Rachel creaky The kakuro grid, unlike in sudoku, can be of any 63 64 65 66 67 Maddow Show” size. It has rows and columns, and dark cells 64 Opposition carrier 65 “Die Meistersinger” like in a crossword. And, just like in a crossword, 68 69 70 some of the dark cells will contain numbers. Some 30 Florida’s ___ soprano cells will contain two numbers. National Forest 71 72 73 66 Cartoon Chihuahua However, in a crossword the numbers reference 32 Emcee’s delivery diagonal 1 clues. In a kakuro, the numbers are all you get! 33 Extremely agitated Annual message They denote the total of the digits in the row or 34 Lubricate again column referenced by the number. ACROSS 48 Remembered Mom, in a way Within each collection of cells 1 Not square 51 City SE of Honolulu - called a run - any 4 Avoid responsibilities 52 Princess who was captured HARPY THUS THEM of the numbers 1 9 “A Passage to India” woman by Jabba the Hutt OHARA HOST HOBO to 9 may be used 14 Wall St. rating 53 Dashing Flynn but, like sudoku, 55 Pieces in a Mideast armory WA T E RWA T E R EMA J each number may 15 TV signal part only be used once. 16 Boneheads 58 Famous rescue vessel SAYNO BRA YOYO 17 N.B.A. or N.F.L. honor 60 ___ manual SOSA PERP Yesterday’s 18 Remembered Mom, in a way 63 Remembered Mom, in a way answer 20 Filters slowly 67 Bankbook abbr. ARTS L I TH NEHRU 22 Auto financing letters 68 Chocolate base MAYO E XHOR T OHS 23 Greek salad staple 69 Employs soap and water ANC I ENT MAR I NER Baby Blues By Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman 24 Princess, e.g. 70 Old Mideast alliance, for 27 Noted literary pseudonym short SCH ASHCAN RETD 29 Mr. ___ (Peter Lorre film 71 Motorist’s problem SHOPS SAGA ESTA sleuth) 72 “Cheers” role 31 Remembered Mom, in a way 73 Meddle BATS LEWD 36 Zodiac symbol PERT EAT ARUBA 38 Lamprey hunter DOWN AMAH E V ERYWHERE 39 Hillbilly negative 1 Certain radio enthusiasts 40 Clears, as a drain 2 Roof part IMHO MECH HURON 43 Hawaii’s Mauna ___ 3 It may be on a roll DYES ECHO OHGOD 44 Dim with tears 4 Having an attitude 46 Typical political talk 5 “Say that again?” ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE FEBRUARY 22, 2014 ON SATURDAY 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Morning Break

PRAYER TIME Starry sky

Fajr (Dawn) 4:47 Shorook (Sunrise) 6:04 Zuhr (Noon) 11:47 Asr (Afternoon) 3:05 Maghrib (Sunset) 5:33 Isha (Night) 7:03

WEATHER

Today Sunday Weather Monday Conditions: Clear Clear Clear Misty to foggy at places at High: 24° High: 24° High: 24° first, fine with Low: 15° Low: 16° Low: 16° some clouds later.

DOHA - SUN & SEA

SUN TIDE SEA

SUNRISE | SUNSET HIGH | LOW WIND 06:04 17:33 08:45 & 23:15 03:30 & 15:45 03-12/15 KT

THE REGION TODAY TOMORROW

HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER

MUSCAT 25/19 Partly cloudy 25/18 Partly cloudy A slow shutter speed image displaying stars over Teide Mount’s snow-covered top reflected on a puddle in Ucanca Plains area, in Tenerife Island, KUWAIT 23/14 Partly cloudy 23/15 Partly cloudy Canary Islands, southwestern Spain. The photo is part of the exhibition ‘The Canaries’ Sky’ in Gran Canaria Island. BAHRAIN 22/17 Clear 23/18 Partly cloudy SANAA 22/08 Partly cloudy 23/09 Partly cloudy RIYADH 25/11 Partly cloudy 27/12 Partly cloudy DUBAI 24/16 Partly cloudy 24/17 Partly cloudy BAGHDAD 26/13 Partly cloudy 26/11 Clear Fatwa ruling sought on ‘apocalyptic’ silk THE WORLD TODAY TOMORROW KUALA LUMPUR: A Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as Fatwa Council needed to dispel which issues religious bans on Malaysian conservative group’s taking that stance. “confusion” over the issue. activities considered un-Islamic. HI/LO WEATHER HI/LO WEATHER insistence that Muslim men Such literature “also states that “Right now, we don’t know A silk fatwa could signal a fash- ATHENS 17/12 Clear 17/09 Chance of rain wearing silk was a “sign of the one of the tanda kiamat (signs what to do, what can we wear? ion disaster for Malaysia, where WASHINGTON 17/05 Partly cloudy 15/03 Partly cloudy apocalypse” prompted a call yes- of the apocalypse) is when pure We have to clear this matter the colourful traditional Batik SYDNEY 23/18 Chance of rain 24/17 Chance of rain terday for religious authorities to silk is being worn,” association up quick,” Irwan Fahmi Ideris, shirt design — often printed on LONDON 10/06 Chance of rain 11/05 Cloudy study whether to impose a fatwa activist Sheikh Abdul Kareem S. Perkasa’s youth chief, told the silk — is considered a national PARIS 10/06 Rain 11/06 Partly cloudy on the fabric, a report said. Khadaied was quoted saying by Malay Mail Online. heritage item. ISTANBUL 15/06 Partly cloudy 11/06 Partly cloudy An activist with the con- the Malay Mail. He did not specifically call for Also used on cotton, rayon and MANILA 30/22 Chance of rain 29/21 Partly cloudy servative Muslim Consumers An official with Perkasa, an a fatwa, or ban, saying silk should other textiles, batik is essential DHAKA 30/17 Clear 29/17 Partly cloudy Association of Malaysia told NGO that advocates stridently for be allowed if the wearer’s body attire for government figures and reporters on Thursday that silk the rights of the Muslim ethnic was properly covered. at formal functions in Malaysia DELHI 21/11 Mist 20/12 Partly cloudy was forbidden for men, citing Malay majority, waded in yester- No response has yet been seen and Indonesia. ISLAMABAD 18/07 Haze 21/09 Partly cloudy Islamic literature that describes day, saying the country’s National by the National Fatwa Council, AFP