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Home | 3 Business | 17 Sport | 26 Twenty-one projects Oil prices jumped Italian Annalisa from 24 countries yesterday and headed Cucinotta stunned have been selected for the biggest four-day Giorgia Bronzini on for DFI grants for the advance since the opening day of the Fall 2014 session. January 2009. Ladies Tour of Qatar.

WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 • 15 Rabial II 1436 • Volume 19 Number 6331 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Kerry praises Qatar’s help on Yemen IS claims pilot SCH to issue burned alive, Jordan vows patients’ rights revenge

AMMAN: The Islamic State (IS) released a video yester- charter in April day purportedly showing a Jordanian pilot being burned alive in a cage, in the most bru- tal execution yet of a foreign Erring practitioners face punishment hostage. The 22-minute video released DOHA: The Supreme Council of service providers was held yes- online showed images of a man Health (SCH) will issue in April terday and another for the public purported to be First Lieutenant the first patients’ “bill of rights” is scheduled for today. Maaz Al Kassasbeh, captured in in Qatar, a document that The charter contains many December, engulfed in flames. defines the rights and duties of points that define the relation- The video enraged officials patients and their relationship ship between patients and phy- and the army in Jordan vowed to with healthcare providers and sicians as well as healthcare avenge the murder of the 26-year- practitioners, a senior SCH offi- providers. old pilot. A security official said cial has disclosed. It gives patients the right to an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber The document will be a ref- complain if they are not sat- on death row, Sajida Al Rishawi, erence point while investigat- isfied with the services they and other militants will be exe- ing patients’ complaints and all receive. The complaint should cuted at dawn today. hospitals, clinics and health cen- be first made to the manager of Foreign Minister H E Dr Khaled bin Mohamed Al Attiyah with the US Secretary of State John Kerry in Washington See also page 7 tres will be bound to follow the the healthcare facility concerned yesterday. Kerry praised Qatar for its role in resolving the crisis in Yemen and said he was grateful for the many guidelines. and then to the QCHP if it is ways in which the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the foreign minister have made themselves Expat remittances “This document on the rights not addressed within the period available to be of assistance. Report on page 2 and duties of patients will be specified in the charter. at QR30.24bn mandatory for all healthcare pro- “Most complaints we currently viders in the private and public receive are from healthcare pro- DOHA: Foreign workers remit- sectors and is intended to protect viders and are related to patients’ ted a huge QR30.24bn ($8.3bn) the rights of patients and practi- disrespect of doctors and other 105,100 new driving licences in 2014 overs ea s i n the fi rs t n i ne month s tioners,” Masooma Fadl, director staff working with them,” said of 2014, official figures show. of the professional competence Masooma. In 2013, worker remittances department at the Qatar Council Proper investigation of the BY SACHIN KUMAR issued on average every month. “Most of the expatriates buy totalled a massive QR40.55bn for Healthcare Practitioners complaint within the specified Non-Qataris got the lion’s share, cars that offer them higher mile- ($11.14bn), while in 2012 and 2011, (QCHP) told Qatar News Agency. period is the right of the patient. DOHA: Despite restric- with over 90 percent of the age and resale value whereas the remittance volumes were a Any violation of the charter The patient also has the right to tions imposed by the Traffic licences issued to them. Qatari buyers look for bigger and little over QR37bn each year. could invite enforcement of the support the complaint with docu- Department, the number of Once they get the licence, many powerful cars,” a senior official of a According to figures released law governing healthcare services ments related to the treatment, new driving licences issued is head to showrooms to buy new car showroom told this newspaper. by the Ministry of Development in Qatar. The erring practitioner and to be informed about the still high. Over 100,000 licences vehicles. Total vehicle registra- “Rising population is creating a Planning and Statistics, worker or facility could face punish- investigation results. were issued last year in the tions jumped by 44 percent in rush for driving licences,” he said. remittances have more than ments including cancellation of Patients have the right to country, showing the number 2014 while registration of pri- November and December saw doubled in the past six years, their licence, warned the official. get accurate information about of drivers is surging. A total vate vehicles rose 34 percent. more registration of vehicles as thanks to the growing expatriate Masooma said the document medical diagnosis of their cases, of 105,100 licences were issued The number of vehicles regis- sale of vehicles usually goes up population. will be released by the end of the suggested medicines and the in 2014, according to Qatar tered grew from 8,121 in January in the last leg of the year. Most In 2008, the remittance figure April. QCHP is currently receiv- alternatives in comprehensible Monthly Statistics bulletins of to 11,743 in December last year. car companies and dealers unveil was just QR19.54bn, which went ing feedback from the public language. the Ministry of Development Registration of private vehicles offers to clear their old stock. up to QR25.82bn in 2009. In 2010, and healthcare providers on its Continued on page 6 Planning and Statistics. It grew from 5,318 in January to Continued on page 6 the remittance volume totalled contents. The first workshop for THE PENINSULA means about 8,700 licences are 7,102 in December. THE PENINSULA QR29.57bn. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Premier to open Qatar motor exhibition 2015 tomorrow

DOHA: The Prime Minister The show will open to the The fourth generation of line-ups and model launches and Interior Minister H E public on Friday and runs until Honda’s 2015 CR-V will also for the region. Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser February 10. It will be co-hosted be on display. It is of particular Participating automobile bin Khalifa Al Thani will offi- by Qatar Tourism Authority, significance for the Middle East and motorbikes brands also cially inaugurate Qatar Motor q.mediaevents, and Fira de as its exterior has been designed include Husqvarna, Harley- Show 2015 tomorrow at Qatar Barcelona. to meet the requirements and Davidson, Mitsubishi, Mercedes National Convention Centre This year, the stage is set demands of customers from the Benz, BMW, Mini, Rolls Royce, (QNCC). for a high-octane ambience. region. Ferrari, Maserati, Land Rover, “The presence of the Premier, Recently added to the reveals Suzuki fans are also in for a Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley, who will officially inaugurate are French brand Bugatti, treat with the Japanese giant Renault, Infiniti, Lexus, Suzuki, the fifth edition, is a testimony Japanese brands Suzuki and unveiling its Middle Eastern Chevrolet, Volkswagen, Porsche, to the gravitas of the annual Honda and American brand market collection, including Audi, Honda, GAC, Toyota, event. Chevrolet. Ciaz, Alto K10 and Ertiga. Nissan, Nimrod, Ducati, “The show is not only an Bugatti will present the iconic American automobile brand Triumph, KTM, Vespa, BMW event of great importance to Veyron 16.4 Super Sport, the Chevrolet will reveal three new Motorrad, MV Agusta, Moto the international and regional fastest production car at show. cars — Tahoe Z71, Corvette Z06 Guzzi, Sand X, Aprilia, Piaggio, www.swiss-belhotel.com automobile industry, but also The brilliant piece of automo- and Silverado Reaper. Gilera, Arctic Cat, and Cadillac. in enhancing Doha’s position bile technology has stunned In the past few weeks, brands Participating automobile Tel as a MICE destination,” said the world since July 2010 with like Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, accessories brands are Off Road Fax Ibrahim Abdullah Al Malki, a record speed of 431.072kph, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes, Experience, Titanium, Castrol Chief Enterprise Officer, making it the fastest supercar BMW, Audi and Harley- Oils, and Continental tyres. q.media. in the world. Davidson have revealed their THE PENINSULA Tel Fax Qatar blessed Kerry praises Qatar for with a visionary Tel Fax leader, says South help in Yemen crisis Korean minister Tel + 974 44298888 WASHINGTON: The US the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) the solution,” he said. DOHA: The Diplomatic Secretary of State, John branded by the US as one of In 2011, the GCC urged the Institute at the Foreign Fax Kerry, yesterday praised Al Qaeda’s most dangerous then president to sign a power Ministry organised a seminar Qatar for its help in trying to branches. transfer plan, ending Yemen’s on ‘Policy of the Republic of resolve the crisis in Yemen, During a meeting with political turmoil. South Korea in the Middle East Tel amid hints the US is in con- Foreign Minister H E Dr Khalid But the new crisis has raised and the Korean Peninsula’. tact with Shia rebels through bin Mohamed Al Attiyah at the fears that impoverished Yemen South Korea’s First Vice- Fax go-betweens. State Department, Kerry said could become a failed state. Minister of Foreign Affairs, The Huthi militia on Sunday he was grateful for the “many “Given the political uncer- Cho Tae-yong, addressed event, set a three-day deadline for ways in which Qatar, the Emir, tainty, it’s fair to say that US attended by diplomats and staff of Tel political parties to resolve the and Dr Al Attiyah have made officials are in communication the ministry and Cho’s delegation. Fax power vacuum in Yemen left themselves available to be of with parties in Yemen about He said his tour of Qatar is after the president and prime assistance. what is a very fluid and com- to prepare for President Park minister offered to resign last “Most recently, they were plex political situation,” said Geun-hye’s visit after about one month. particularly helpful with respect Pentagon spokesman Rear month after the Emir H H Sheikh Tel The Huthis’ offensive when to Yemen and our efforts in Admiral John Kirby. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani vis- Fax they seized the presidential pal- the last few days to deal with “We have to take pains not to ited Seoul last November. ace and key government build- some of the adjustments nec- end up inflaming the situation On relations and coopera- www.doha.hilton.com ings on January 20, plunged the essary to what has been hap- by inadvertently firing on Huthi tion, Cho said previous meetings country deeper into crisis and pening there.” Asked later at a fighters,” a senior US official between senior Qatari and Korean Tel 44233333 974+ prompted US-backed President forum at the Atlantic magazine told The Wall Street Journal. officials confirm the keenness of Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and premises, Dr Al Attiyah said, “They’re not our military both sides to move forward and Fax 44233000 974+ his premier to tender resigna- “We’ve been closely talking to objective. It’s AQAP and we promote cooperation in all areas. tions. It has complicated the our friends about the GCC ini- have to stay focused on that.” “Qatar has been blessed with US fight against Al Qaeda in tiative and how we can enhance AFP a leader who is seriously plan- ning for its future. We were very impressed by him when he visited Korea for talks,” Cho said. He said Qatar ranks first Al Bawasil Camp for diabetic kids opens among exporters of South Korea as Seoul imports about 40 percent of gas from Doha. Tel Despite South Korea sign- ing three gas agreements with Fax Australia, Qatar occupies the first rank, he added. Cho said Seoul seeks to diver- sify transactions with Qatar Tel in areas, including information Fax technology, communication, medical services, defence, and development of eGovernment, in which South Korea enjoys high Tel reputation. Fax Qatar, UK defence ties reviewed Tel DOHA: The Chief of Staff of Fax the Armed Forces, Air Vice- Marshal Ghanim bin Shaheen Al Ghanim, yesterday met Children participating in the camp at the opening ceremony. Lt. Gen. Tom Beckett, Senior Tel Defence Adviser for Middle DOHA: The 15th Al Bawasil healthcare and well-being in The boys and girls from Qatar, East at the UK Ministry of Fax International Spring Camp for Qatar through education and Sudan, Afghanistan, Morocco, Defence and his delegation. children with diabetes is tak- awareness of health problems Pakistan, Bangladesh, Lebanon, Talks dealt with issues of ing place at Aspire Academy and provide effective ways to deal Iran, Kuwait, Palestine, Egypt, mutual concern, particularly in with 52 kids from 14 countries with them. “The camp aims to Bahrain, Yemen and Saudi the military affairs. Several top Tel taking part in fun-filled educa- create a safe and loving environ- Arabia have been divided into army officers were present. Fax tional activities. ment for children with diabetes, four teams. Each team is attend- The camp is organised by teach them how to control the ing workshops and training Parachuting drills Qatar Diabetes Association disease and avoid complications sessions supervised education, (QDA), a member of Qatar to reach their full potential,” said health and nutrition experts. from February 15 Foundation for Education, Dr Abdulla Al Hamaq, Executive Dr Al Hamaq delivered the Science and Community Director, QDA. “It will enable opening speech, followed by a DOHA: The General Command Development (QF). the children to exchange views speech by and a movie on the of the Armed Forces has The children in the age group and share experiences.” mascots of the camp — Basil and announced that it will hold par- 7-11 are taking a week-long pro- Aspire Academy, Al Jaish Sukar — and two programmes to achuting exercises in Sealine Tel gramme to help them deal with Sports Club, Action on Diabetes create awareness about diabetes from February 15 to 19 from Fax living with the disease. and Ooredoo have participated and show that living with dia- 6am to 1pm. It urged people in The camp is part of initiatives in organising the camp that runs betes can be achieved with good the area to exercise precaution supported by QF to promote until February 5. control. THE PENINSULA for their safety. QNA

Tel Fax www.marriottmarquisdoha.com Vodafone Literary Competition deadline February 13 DOHA: Nine days remain for the clo- taken from a poem written by Qatar’s For the second category, submissions have Tel + 974 44195000 sure of submissions for Vodafone’s 2nd founder Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed Al to be a collection of stories on any subject Fax + 974 44195100 Literary Competition following which Thani. matter with a minimum of 10 stories or a panel of judges — Qatari literary and Citizens and residents can submit entries 100 pages. First prize in this category is luminary experts — will convene to select until February 13 for two categories. QR50,000, second QR30,000 and third is the winners of the Q145,000 prize. For the first, entries have to be in the QR20,000. The competition was launched on form of a short story between 500 and To understand terms and conditions and December 14 in line with the theme of Qatar 1,000 words. First prize in this category details on how to submit literary work, visit National Day celebrations 2014 ‘I treated is QR20,000, second QR15,000 and third Vodafone Qatar’s website at www.vodafone. you with honesty, guidance and integrity’, QR10,000. qa THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 03

Qatar praised for helping DFI selects 21 film projects for grants DOHA: Twenty-one projects first and second-time filmmakers. Syrian refugees from 24 countries have Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO, DFI, been selected for Doha Film said: “I am pleased that two of DOHA: Angelina Eichhorst, Institute’s (DFI) grants for the the projects chosen for our inter- Head of the European Union Fall 2014 session. national grants are from Qatar, delegation to Lebanon, said Nine narrative feature films, highlighting our commitment to Qatar has played pivotal role eight feature documentaries and nurture local filmmakers. in helping Syrian refugees in four short films (three narra- “We believe in providing tan- Lebanon by providing material tive and one experimental) will gible support to talent in Qatar and non-material aid. receive funding for development, through our grants and the newly Lebanon needs more aid production or post-production. formed Qatari Film Fund which because of the continuous influx They include two projects by opens for applications later this of refugees, she told Al Sharq in Qatar-based filmmakers — Nora month. an interview. Relief has come in Al Subai’s Opening Doors, a true “The beneficiaries represent crucial time to protect the needy story of Amna Mahmoud, a some powerful new voices in cin- from harsh winter, she said, add- courageous Qatari teacher who ema today. The cultural diversity ing Qatar and EU relations have opened the first school for girls in among the projects is inspiring become stronger in the past years. Qatar in 1957, and Karem Kamel’s as is the fact that again we are The relationship has got a boost Light Sounds about an unlikely seeing so many strong female- after the signing of a coopera- duo of Sri-Lankan immigrants driven projects. It is encouraging tion agreement between EU and who work as cleaners in a wash- to welcome some of our benefici- GCC countries in 1988. She said room neighbouring a mosque. ary alumni returning with new A scene from the film Mustang, selected for Doha Film Institute’s grants for the Fall 2014 session. EU will work with Qatar in many Eleven projects are from projects.” areas, including energy, transpor- the Middle East North Africa Among the projects, three are Arab and Tarzan Abunasser; In including Marie-Clemence Berlinale which opens tomorrow. tation and interior affairs. (Mena) region, eight from the from Tunisia – Walid Mattar’s the Future, They Ate from the Finest Andriamonta Paes’ Madagascar They include David Yon’s The OECD’s Development Assistance narrative feature Northern Wind, Porcelain by Larissa Sansour and 1947, The Sound Of Silence; Night and The Kid (Fall 2012 bene- QR904,300 fines Committee list of countries Claire Belhassine’s feature docu- To All Naked Men by Bassam Jewel Maranan’s Tondo, Beloved ficiary), Michel Zongo’s The Siren (DAC) and two from the rest of mentary The Man Behind The Chekhes. and Maryam Ebrahimi’s The of Faso Fani (Fall 2013), Ghassan for violations the world. Microphone and second-time Twelve projects are directed by Confiscated Images. Salhab’s The Valley (Fall 2012) For the first time, filmmak- beneficiary Kaouther Ben Hania’s women, including Deniz Erguven’s Tamara Stepanyan has received and Out on the Streets (Spring DOHA: Al Wakra and Al ers from Italy, Madagascar, documentary Zaineb Hates the Mustang, Anahita Ghazvinizadeh’s a grant for the third time, making 2013) by Jasmina Metwaly and Rayyan municipalities have Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines Snow. They, Nour Wazzi’s family drama her the first third-time benefici- Philip Rizk. imposed QR904,300 fines for and the US, will receive grants. Several projects on conflicts in The Trophy and Scales by Saudi ary for her feature documentary Submissions for the current violations of the civic law. The Fall session is the ninth Mena are also among the ben- director Shahad Ameen. Limbo. grants are now open and close on Last year, Al Wakra round of grants to support new eficiaries, including Dégradé, the In the documentary category, Four of beneficiary alumni are February 15. Municipality conducted about cinematic talent, with a focus on debut feature from twin brothers seven beneficiaries are women, showing their films at the 65th THE PENINSULA 3,558 inspection campaigns, detected 342 violations, closed down 27 shops and imposed QR871,800 fines. It completed 249 transactions Household spending pattern changes as purchasing power rises for new licences, destroyed about 10,860kg of food unfit for human DOHA: The household spending pat- in the new basket and the items have been published last June. Restaurants and hotels that were part consumption and sent 75 samples tern is changing in Qatar, thanks to the increased from 128 to 228 and so is the The weights of heads of family expendi- of ‘miscellaneous goods and services’ in to the central laboratory. increasing purchasing power amid gas- number of heads of expenditure from eight ture like food, rent, recreation, education the earlier basket are a separate head of Al Rayyan Municipality con- fuelled prosperity. to 12. A new series of CPI with base year and health in the new basket have been expenditure and carry a weight of 6.1 per- ducted 89 inspection campaigns, People are spending more on ‘recreation 2013 will be published from this January, readjusted to reflect the relative impor- cent compared to 3.7 previously. closed down two shops, sent 28 and culture’ compared to previous years, as the Ministry of Development Planning and tance of each item as proportion of total The rental component of the basket used food samples to the laboratory is characteristic of a consumerist society. Statistics said. The January CPI data will expenses. to previously include an amount represent- and imposed QR32,500 fines for It (recreation and culture) includes lei- be released this month. In the new basket, the weight of ‘rent, ing an assumed value for the owner-occu- violations. sure travel overseas by Qatari and non- The ministry said CPI is rebased every fuel and energy’ has been lowered to 21.9 pied housing units. Meanwhile, the Doha Qatari families and seems to have emerged five years to reflect latest pattern and com- percent from 32.1. The new head is now In the new basket, this value has been Municipality, in coordination as a major head of expenditure. position of goods and services. ‘Housing, water, electricity, gas and other removed so that the rental component cov- with the public hygiene project Eating out is becoming a fashion and A Household Expenditure and Income fuels’. The weight of ‘recreation and cul- ers only the actual expenditure incurred and Al Fazaa Police, conducted that has prompted planning officials to Survey by the ministry is the prime source ture’ has gone up in the new basket to 12.7 on rents. two inspection campaigns and carve out a separate head in the Consumer to update CPI, the ministry said in the 10th percent from 4.1. A large number of products have been caught three street vendors at Price Index (CPI) basket. CPI measures issue of Window on Economic Statistics of Transport and communications are now removed from the new basket, including Souq Al Haraj and 14 vendors in changes in the prices of goods and services Qatar for the third quarter of 2014. The separate heads. The weight of transport in carbonated and mineral water, radio sets the Industrial Area, QNA reports. to track consumer price inflation. survey was held between September 2012 the new basket is the second largest after and recorders, motorcycles and heaters. THE PENINSULA The weight of items has been readjusted and September 2013 and results were rent, at 15 percent. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 04 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME Nominations Cooling facilities for fish urged invited for 2015 BY YASIN ABU TAQIU evening, we get another supply from KAKANDE fishermen who go to the sea during the day,” he said. WISE Prize for DOHA: People are complain- “We sell the morning stock in the ing about inadequate refrigeration morning and the evening stock in the facilities for fresh fish being sold on evening, we don’t keep any fish for the the Corniche and saying they have next day, and we sell all fish on the day Education been sold stale fish as fresh on many it arrive.” He did not explain what they occasions. do with the stocks left daily. DOHA: The World Innovation Summit for Vendors are keeping fish in big ice One customer on the Corniche said Education (WISE) has invited nominations for buckets and very often open them to it is common to buy fish that is not the 2015 WISE Prize for Education. display the species. Ice put in buckets is fresh, even on the Corniche. The prize, in fifth year, is the first global recog- not a proper preservation method and “The problem is that they mix old nition of an individual or team for an outstanding when vendors open them, a bad odour fish that have stayed for days with the contribution to education. comes from the fish that have gone bad, fresh stock that has just arrived from It raises the status of education by giving it said Ibrahim Abdullah Al Mullah, a the sea and sometimes will show you similar prestige in other fields for which inter- Qatari, who sometimes buys fish there. fresh fish and pack old fish for you.” national prizes exist such as literature, peace He said though many citizens prefer According to the customer who pre- and economics. to buy fish directly coming from the ferred anonymity, one of the main rea- The prize recognises an inspiring, visionary sea to those sold in supermarkets and sons of buying fish on the Corniche is approach and a proven track record of achieve- traditional markets, there is a need to the possibility of getting fish at a good ment in education in any field or sector at any for modern refrigeration facilities to A fish vendor on the Corniche . BAHER AMIN price compared to other markets. level. keep the catch fresh. But Al Muhairi said there is a pos- Nominations can be made by individuals or Another concern of the buyers on a proper market on the Corniche like said a proper market will help preserve sibility that vendors on the Corniche institutions, including schools, international the Corniche is the absence of a shelter those in Al Wakra and other places fish, make the Corniche more beautiful sell their stocks on the same day as the organisations and private companies, from any- that could protect vendors and their where fresh fish directly from the sea and increase the number of visitors. supply is less than demand. where in the world. They must be made through fish from the direct sun light. is sold. Ibrahim Hassan, a vendor, said most He said the rule that requires every the WISE website www.wiseprizeforeducation. “During hot summer days, the ice He said another option is to at least of fish they sell is fresh from the sea big boat going to the sea to have a org by March 31. will melt in a few minutes but the ven- provide vendors with big umbrellas and they sell it before it goes bad. Qatari on board is hampering sup- Nominations will be reviewed by an interna- dors will continue to sell fish for hours,” and not let them sell fish in the open, “There are two main supplies. The plies to the local markets as sometimes tional committee of experts. The final selection said Al Mullah. especially as summer is approaching. first in the morning from fishermen fewer Qataris are willing to go to the will be made by a jury of individuals chaired by He urged authorities to also build Hamad Al Muhairi, another Qatari, who stay in the sea at night. In the sea. THE PENINSULA Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al Thani, Chairman, WISE. “Our WISE Prize for Education laureates are individuals whose passion, energy and commit- ment have been an inspirational force for good in the world of education. QCF to launch ‘Career Ambassadors’ for schools “The prize’s international attention has focused on the importance of education in build- DOHA: Qatar Career Fair (QCF), ing strong, prosperous societies. I look forward to a member of Qatar Foundation for identifying the 2015 laureate,” said Dr Al Thani. Education, Science and Community The winner of the prize which comprises a Development (QF), concluded its gold medal and $500,000 will be announced at first winter Career Camp 2015 at the WISE Summit to be held from November 3 Qatar National Convention Centre. to 5 in Doha. QCF focused on engaging young THE PENINSULA Qatari students and providing them with practical skills and tools to help them choose the academic path that best suits their interest and potential. Optical shop shut All 30 students were given partici- pation certificates. The initiative served as an example over counterfeits of QCF’s continued efforts towards supporting QF in its mission to sup- port Qatar’s growth and develop- ment by unlocking potential among the young through projects and pro- grammes and equipping them with skills and motivation for their future careers. The event was attended by Fahad Saad Al Qahtani, Group Executive Director, Administration, QF, who Students with participation certificates during the closing ceremony of Qatar Career Fair’s Winter Career Camp 2015. said, “Since its establishment 20 years ago, QF dedicates efforts to develop- and society.” they can better prepare their future schools to outline career paths for stu- ing education, research and society to Abdulla Ahmed Al Mansoori, in line with the requirements of the dents and enhance the role played by An inspector pasting the closure notice at the outlet. realise Qatar National Vision 2030. Executive Director, QCF, said: “QCF Qatari labour market and participate career guidance in choosing an aca- It places Qatar at the forefront of hopes that the students have benefited in Qatar’s development.” demic and career path. It will also DOHA: The Ministry of Economy and nations as a knowledge-based economy from activities and that they now have Visits to some of the leading insti- showcase QCF activities. Commerce yesterday closed down a popular by unleashing talents of Qataris and a better perspective of the future tutions aimed to match participants’ QCF is also preparing a Qatar shop dealing in eyeglasses in new Al Mirqab for putting them to service within society. career they wish to take, assisted by skills and education with real world Career Forum and Lecture Series to a month as it was found selling counterfeit prod- “QCF works to realise QF’s goal skills acquired at interactive work- work scenarios and acquaint them engage Qatari youth, parents, career ucts of international brands. by informing students about their shops and field visits. with employment opportunities. The counsellors, academics and human The closure follows a surprise raid on the out- strengths, honing skills and placing “The camp is one of many organised visits also provided students with an resource practitioners in discussions let during which inspectors found that all displayed them in the right direction to help by QCF throughout the year to pre- opportunity to plan their academic to raise awareness about career paths glasses were counterfeit. The ministry inspection them make the best decisions about pare Qatari youth for their careers. and career lives. and upgrade the standards of Qatari campaigns aim to protect consumers and that it their career paths. This is a vital We ask all Qatari youth to participate QCF is preparing to launch ‘The labour force. will not give any chance to anyone to violate the choice, which affects one’s life, family in such events and activities so that Career Ambassadors’ programme for THE PENINSULA consumer protection law and will increase raids to stop such practices. The ministry urged consumers to report any violations to the Consumer Protection and Anti-Commercial Fraud Department which receives complains and suggestions on its hotline 8005000 and email [email protected] THE PENINSULA Free furnishing vouchers for ‘Life in Qatar’ customers

DOHA: Commercial Bank include a free gift voucher to an account and credit card the burden of moving prior, updated to help them adapt to has announced a new cam- furnish their new homes. are entitled for a furniture during and after arrival. living in Qatar. paign for its ‘Life in Qatar’ ‘Life in Qatar’ customers voucher worth QR500. Before arrival, expatri- On arrival, the bank’s debit customers following the con- with a monthly salary of over With the product, the proc- ates can open accounts cards are readily available for tinued success of the tailored QR15,000 who open an account ess for getting a loan is easier through online Commercial collection. product for expatriates soon in the bank with a credit card for new arrivals as they can Bank banking services for ‘Life in Qatar’ also helps to arrive in, or have recently will receive a free gift voucher receive immediate approvals remittance. customers get instantly con- relocated to Qatar. worth up to QR1,000 to help on vehicle and personal loan The bank’s website www. nected by providing them with ‘Life in Qatar’ aims to furnishing their new homes, applications to help them lifeinqatar.com provides reli- a free phone and SIM card. reduce the stress of relocation redeemable at selected furni- cover essential initial expenses able information to answer They are also applicable for by helping expatriates settle in ture stores. entailed by relocation. the most frequently asked hotel discounts in Doha. faster while providing a wide- Customers with a monthly It provides an opportunity questions by those intending Customers get a free exec- range of rewards that now salary of over QR7,500 with for salaried expatriates to ease to relocate and it’s constantly utive service to find a home; up to 30 percent discount on car rental and discounts at B/ Attitude spa in Doha. For Sadara, eligible custom- ers are entitled for airport pick-up to a destination of their choice on arrival. Dean Proctor, EGM, Head of Retail and Enterprise, said: “The bank is the leading lender in the market, provid- ing a specialised proposition for new arrivals in Qatar. “It also offers the most com- prehensive range of benefits for salaried expatriates about to move and, or have recently relocated to Qatar. “We are extending our rewards further to cover home furnishing. “Geographical transfer from one country to another is always a daunting process, but ‘Life in Qatar’ is designed to smoothen and facilitate expatriates’ experience even before their arrival.” THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 HOME www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 05

Qatar condemns Elders slam Qatari youth for using indecent T-shirts killing of DOHA: Elders in the conserv- home, he found to his shock that Al Sharq carried photographs Mohamed Abdul Fattah said “The problem is that people ative Qatari community are the shirt carried a drawing of a of some T-shirts and on one was youth who wear such clothing don’t have much religious aware- Jordanian pilot unhappy about some of their devil being worshipped. written ‘Save Water, Drink Beer’, thought that it was their per- ness,” he said. youth wearing Western dresses, “Despite it being so expen- and on the other was inscribed sonal freedom. “They don’t care According to him, if people buy DOHA: Qatar condemned the especially T-shirts bearing mes- sive, I threw it immediately,” said the word ‘love’ but the letter ‘L’ and think that such T-shirts are such clothing from abroad the burning to death of Jordanian sages and drawings in English Mohamed Al Khaledi. was a ‘Thumbs Up’ sign — the against our social and religious responsibility lies with them but Pilot Maaz Al Kassasbeh by a they say border on indecency. He told in comments published drawing appeared a bit odd and values.” if they are bought locally then the terrorist group. People say many youth who buy by Al Sharq yesterday that these offensive. He said authorities should state consumer watchdog must In a statement yesterday, the such clothing only want to look clothing were from famous inter- The daily carried photographs intervene and stop such practices. clamp down on the outlets and Foreign Ministry denounced the fashionable and stylish and have national brands. of other T-shirts with derogatory Prominent cleric Sheikh stop the sale. heinous crime and said it as a no idea what the slogans inscribed “In the end you find that these slogans. Ahmed Al Buanain, while decry- “These T-shirts are for other criminal act contravening the on the T-shirts or drawings mean. clothing have slogans written on Al Khaledi said in part the ing the practice, cautioned that societies, not for us,” he said, tolerant principles of the Islam, A young Qatari said he bought them or drawings that are offen- families of youth using such cloth- youth wearing such T-shirts and adding the Consumer Protection human values and international some branded clothing that was sive to our social and religious ing were to blame since they could Bermudas dare not enter the Department must act. laws and norms. expensive but when he brought it values,” he said. stop them. mosque to offer prayers. THE PENINSULA The ministry expressed regret over the pilot’s killing and extended condolences to his family. It also expressed Qatar’s soli- darity with Jordan and its people. QRC, QC open health centre in Somalia Qatar 3rd freest Mena economy

DOHA: Qatar is the third freest QR280,000 facility to serve 30,000 people in Awdheegle District in Lower Shebelle economy in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, DOHA: Qatar Red Crescent construction of health facilities. according to the 2015 Index of (QRC) and Qatar Charity (QC) “We hope QRC and QC will Economic Freedom, released by have opened a new health cen- continue to stand by their Somali Heritage Foundation. tre in Awdheegle District in brothers. All thanks and appre- Qatar’s economic freedom score Lower Shebelle, 120km south of ciation to Qatar’s leaders and is 70.8, making its economy the Mogadishu, Somalia, at a cost people for support of the Somali 32nd freest in the 2015 Index. of QR280,000 to improve health people.” Bahrain has come at the top care services for the local Othman said, “Thanks to the in Mena in the ranking. Globally, community. benevolence of our brothers in the index is led by Hong Kong, Serving the district’s popula- Qatar, there will no longer be any- with a score of 89.6, followed tion of 30,000 and neighbouring one in Awdheegle suffering due by Singapore, New Zealand, towns, the centre comprises out- to a lack of services. Our women Australia and Switzerland. patient, maternity, paediatrics, will never find difficulty in giving Countries with the least eco- pharmacy, short observation and birth. QRC and QC have given nomic freedom are North Korea, inpatient departments. us a full-fledged health centre Cuba, Venezuela, Zimbabwe and QC Office in Somalia undertook with doctors, workers and free Eritrea. all construction work and QRC medicines.” “With vast oil and gas reserves, Office will manage and operate The centre follows cooperation Qatar enjoys one of the world’s the centre for one year and then between QRC and QC in Somalia highest standards of living. it will be handed over to health under Qatari Alliance for the “Efforts to diversify the econ- authorities. Relief of the People of Somalia omy and reduce reliance on the The opening ceremony was and the Philippines, formed 14 energy sector have been only attended by Awdheegle District months ago by QRC, QC, Eid moderately successful. Mayor Mohamed Oways Abu Charity and Al Asmakh Charity “The oil and gas industries still Baker, Awdheegle tribe’ Grand Foundation. contribute about half of GDP,” Chieftain Sultan Meewa Hadji The alliance has implemented said the report on Economic Othman, tribal and local com- tens of relief and development Freedom. munity leaders and QRC and QC projects for victims of cyclone “Building on open-market poli- representatives. and drought in Somalia and pro- cies, the government is trying to Abu Baker thanked QRC and vided food and non-food assist- position Qatar as a future logis- QC for continuous efforts, provid- ance, health services, sheltering, tics and financial hub,” the report ing assistance such as food, aid productive projects and digging Officials and residents taking part in the opening ceremony of the health centre. added. for farmers to improve crops, and water wells. THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA/QNA Katara receives 70 applications for Halal Qatar Festival categories DOHA: Katara has received 70 appli- competitions, including Al Mazayen, a barns with animals available in Qatar. will be five judges — Qataris and GCC innovation as the festival will reflect local cations a day after it opened registra- beauty contest for goats and sheep; Al Priority will be given to elders and those nationals — for each type of animal. and Gulf architectural heritage. tion for various categories of the fourth Mazad, a public auction of the finest goats who have not yet participated in this cat- In addition to the five owners prize, There will also be competitions such as Halal Qatar Festival to be held from and sheep; Al Hadayer, barns containing egory and QR10,000 has been allocated this year the organisers have increased wool-shearing and the fastest milkman February 28 to March 9 at the south- goats and sheep and a forum for livestock for each participant. satisfaction prizes from six to 10, each in addition to horse riding for children, eastern part of Katara. owners and breeders, according to Khalid There will a daily public auction of worth QR5,000. camel ride and traditional games. Katara opened registration for the Al Shahwani, Chairman of the organising some of the best breeds of goats and The first five winners will receive The Livestock Department at the 10-day festival on Sunday and by Monday committee. sheep of sale in the afternoon. QR100,000, QR50,000, QR30,000, Ministry of Environment will have a it received 70 applications, mostly There will also be events and activi- New at this year’s festival is the forum QR15,000 and QR10,000. Five will be cho- booth to provide education and veteri- through SMS from by from Qatar and ties such as a traditional market with for livestock owners and breeders in sen for consolation prizes of QR5,000. All nary services for animals’ safety. neighbouring countries. sections for handicraft, occupations and which they will tell the public about their 10 winners will also receive certificates of Qatar Development Bank will also par- Organisers expect the number to rise food. A committee has been formed to efforts to raise animals and show them. appreciation and shields. ticipate and give information on provid- as registration ends on February 15. judge Al Mazayen based on standards. Animals participating include Arida On preparations, Al Shahwani said this ing fund for animal husbandry projects. This year’s edition consists of four main Al Hadayer competition will see 20 goats and Arab and Syrian sheep. There edition is characterised by creativity and THE PENINSULA One-lane on North Road to be closed from Friday

DOHA: The Public to three lanes, which will Works Authority remain open during the (Ashghal) has announced construction period (as that about 800-metre shown in the map). sections of one lane The temporary closure in each direction on is required to carry out North Road near Al work on a bridge which Kharaitiyat Interchange is part of the North Road (N8) in Leabaib near enhancement project. IKEA will be closed. Ashghal will install The closure begins on signs for motorists and Friday for one month. has urged road users to The number of lanes abide by speed limits and will be reduced from four follow signs to for their to three in each direction safety. and traffic will be diverted THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 06 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com HOME The whole Arab world behind Minister issues 2022, say football legends construction DOHA: Three Arab football specifications 2014 legends have joined a chorus of dignitaries, diplomats, athletes DOHA: The Minister of All buildings being con- and fans in visiting Qatar in Environment H E Ahmed structed will need to be seismic recent weeks and finding out Amer Mohamed Al Humaidi and wind-proof. more about plans and progress has issued Qatar Construction They will be required to entry ahead of 2022 FIFA World Cup. Specifications (QCS) 2014, and exit points for people with The Supreme Committee for which will take effect three special needs. Delivery and Legacy (SC) wel- months after its publication in The ceilings and walls of comed Egyptian striker Ahmed the official gazette. buildings will have to have ade- Hossam ‘Mido’, three-time The safety of workers engaged quate insulation against sound Tunisian FIFA World Cup par- on construction sites is part and heat. ticipant Hatem Trabelsi and of QCS. It is the fifth version The specifications also refer Moroccan legend Youssef Chippo of construction specifications to the age of buildings and the — all played at major European launched last October. quality of construction materi- clubs and left lasting impressions The ministerial decision (No. als being used, including steel, in their national teams. 210 of 2014) issuing QCS 2014 ready-mix and other. Mido’s career started at says the ministry will work with The specifications say con- Ajax Amsterdam before mov- state agencies to develop safety struction debris must be recy- ing on to Tottenham Hotspur, norms of highest international cled. QCS say street lights must Middlesbrough, Wigan, West standards for construction be changed and use bulbs that Ham and Spanish side Celta workers. are energy-efficient. de Vigo, as well as Roma in the Some 120 experts on nine Railways are included in QCS. Italian Serie A. committees and in seven teams One chapter is on railways and “The World Cup in Qatar is have worked for years to pre- another on the quality of mate- important for the Arab world,” pare QCS 2014. rials and construction. Mido told www.sc.qa. They consist of 311 articles Mandatory standards are to “It is our chance to show into 29 chapters and cover be developed for green build- the world that we can organise building designs and other ings, QCS add, reports Al Sharq. something special, we can organ- matters. THE PENINSULA ise a massive event such as the An artist’s impression of one of the stadiums for FIFA World Cup 2022. World Cup. All Arab countries are behind Qatar and we are his club football with Porto and stakeholders held in Brazil and in organisation, too, and this is delighted that the World Cup will Coventry City, said: “Qatar’s use Australia at recent tournaments clear and you can see this with be in the Middle East. We all will of cooling technology will delight would further enhance the expe- the Handball World Cup. SCH charter gives patients be proud if we have a successful all visitors in 2022. When the rience in 2022. “Right now, it represents all tournament here.” Moroccan national team par- Tunisia’s Trabelsi played for Arab countries by hosting the The former striker said he ticipated in 1994 at the World Ajax Amsterdam before mov- World Cup. Its success is the the right to privacy would like to take his national Cup in the US, it was hot and ing to Manchester City and success of all Arab countries, and team to the tournament in a dif- high temperatures exhausted the took part in three editions of this opens up doors for them to Continued from page 1 providers. If they cannot report as ferent role: “Playing at the World team. I think this cooling technol- the FIFA World Cup: France 98, host the World Cup in the future.” Patients can bring a third per- scheduled they should inform in Cup was always my dream. We ogy will add more comfort to the South Korea and Japan 2002, and About opportunity for fans to son (s) with him during check-up, advance and will be given a new tried a couple of times, but I wish tournament.” Germany 2006. see more than one match a day treatment and discussion of their appointment. I had made the World Cup. I am Calling Qatar a global capital Trabelsi, who had trials at during the tournament, Mido cases with doctors. The patient must respect a manager and hopefully I will of sport following the success- Arsenal and Liverpool during his said: “It’s an opportunity that will Patients also have the right to rules and regulations of health- have the chance to coach Egypt ful hosting of the 24th Handball career, said Qatar has all ingredi- only be available in Qatar, there privacy and respect for their bod- care providers, physicians and one day for a World Cup, maybe World Championships and other ents for hosting a successful tour- are advantages in organising the ies during check-ups. other employees as well as other in 2022.” major sporting events, Chippo nament after hosting a wonderful World Cup in Qatar. I am sure it As per the charter, the patient patients and their privacy. Chippo, who represented said observation missions such Handball World Cup in 2015. will be one of the most successful has the right to get detailed infor- Patients must be held responsi- Morocco at France 98 and played as those SC and other Qatari “Qatar is ahead in many ways, tournaments in history.” QNA mation about health services and ble if they refuse a medical advice health insurance. or change the medication plan It is their duty to cooperate without consulting the doctor with the healthcare providers concerned. Patients must update in the payment of fees through healthcare providers on their con- Global cancer spending equal to Hong Kong GDP health insurance or in cash. dition and provide details about The patient must stick to the history of the disease. DOHA: Global spending on (February 4), the authors of the improved treatments. patients in the long term.” appointments given by healthcare THE PENINSULA cancer has reached levels equiv- report have released early find- The report says cancer is Professor Lord Darzi of alent to Hong Kong’s GDP, the ings to help drive awareness of responsible for 5–7 percent of Denham, Executive Chair, WISH, 35th largest economy in the the global cancer burden, high- healthcare costs in high-income and Director, Institute of Global world. lighting on the scale of the prob- countries and reached about $290 Health Innovation at Imperial It is estimated that, from 2008 lem and calling on governments, billion in 2010; Cancer is the sec- College of London, said: “World to 2030, cancer incidence will policymakers and healthcare ond largest contributor to the Cancer Day provides a platform Obtaining ‘driving licence rise by 65 percent in high-income organisations to tackle the rising non-communicable disease bur- for people to reflect on the impact countries, 80 percent in middle- costs of the disease. den; there were 13.3 million new the disease has on millions of lives. income countries and 100 percent World Cancer Day is dedicated cases in 2010, with the number “As populations age, more peo- is very difficult now’ in the poorest countries. to raising awareness about the projected to rise to 21.5m in 2030. ple are developing cancer, they Economies expect increases disease to harness and mobilise Professor Robert J S Thomas, are surviving longer with it and Continued from page 1 removing any chance of human of 16–32 percent in new diag- solutions and helping positive ‘Delivering Affordable Cancer treatment costs are soaring. The A lot of expatriates have com- error. noses over the next 10 years. action at individual, community Care’ WISH Forum Chair said: only way to help patients get the plained that getting driving “Getting a driving licence is a Projections from the US, the UK and governmental levels. “Our aim is to develop a plan to treatment they need is to ensure licence is very difficult now. Herculean task now. I failed in and Australia suggest that can- The WISH report also presents encourage governments, policy- that money is spent effectively. Driving schools in Qatar have theory test in the first attempt cer costs three could increase by evidence that in many cases can- makers and healthcare organisa- “The report brings together adopted new measures to ensure and then failed in the road test 42–66 percent above current lev- cer could be treated differently tions to take up and recognise the the greatest minds in the field that only deserving candidates three times. I could pass the road els by 2025. These are among the and that there are too many problem of affordability. of cancer care to deliver insight are given licences. test in the fourth attempt,” said findings of a new report to be pre- instances of over-treatment and “It’s a key issue for patients at that will help policymakers and Now they have introduced an expatriate who got the licence sented at the World Innovation needless use of expensive tech- all levels and for governments. healthcare professionals find theory tests. Some schools have last month. Total registration for Summit for Health (WISH) in nology. It highlights innovative Everyone is worried about the solutions to address the cost and also installed cameras for park- motorcycles stood at 1974 last Qatar later this month. projects from around the world high cost of cancer care. What health consequences of the dis- ing tests so that every minute year. Most bought in Qatar are To mark World Cancer Day that have driven efficiencies and we want is a plan which will help ease.” THE PENINSULA detail of driving test is captured, power-bikes. THE PENINSULA Entrepreneurship in Economic Development Forum next month DOHA: The 2nd Entrepreneurship in Interactive sessions will include topics such Economic Development Forum, organ- as ‘Developing the private sector in Qatar ised by Qatar University (QU) in col- and other GCC countries to diversify the eco- laboration with the Ministry of Economy nomic pillars’; ‘Developing an entrepreneurial and Commerce and Interactive Business eco-system’; ‘Knowledge economy and the Network (IBN), aims to highlight the new Know-How: New forms and competitive- importance of developing the private sec- ness for SME’s’; and ‘Social entrepreneurship tor and small and middle enterprises and innovation: The growing importance of (SMEs), investing in an entrepreneurial social innovation’. eco-system and human capital and creat- “The forum is first-of-its-kind platform in ing a knowledge economy to support eco- the region to define issues, assess the entre- nomic development and prosperity in line preneurial culture in Qatar and the wider with Qatar’s National Vision 2030. Gulf,” said Raed Chehaib, CEO, IBN. The forum under the patronage of the “Through it, we hope to inspire and Minister of Economy and Commerce H E encourage the young generation in Qatar Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani also and other GCC countries to develop entre- aims to put into perspective the significance preneurial skills. of an active involvement and collaboration “We also aim to emphasise the importance among organisations in the private and of a cohesive and well-coordinated action public sectors that promote and encourage among key public and private sector organi- entrepreneurship. sations to facilitate entrepreneurship.” This includes entrepreneurship centres, “We aim to attract wide interest and par- the ministry and other organisations. ticipation of officials and policymakers, major To ensure thorough discussions and public/private institutions involved in educa- exchange of information on topics that can tion and youth development, business leaders, help facilitate the promotion and develop- banks and specialised financial institutions, ment of entrepreneurship, four interactive economists and experts in various fields and sessions and several keynote messages are the academic community in Qatar and the expected by international speakers. rest of the Gulf countries and the world,” Topics include in keynote messages are he added. ‘Investment in Entrepreneurship to Shape a The forum will be held on March 2-3 New Company’; ‘Entrepreneurship Practices: at Sheraton Doha Resort and Convention Investing in the human capital of the com- Hotel under the theme ‘Fostering the New pany’; and ‘Economic restructuring and shift Generation of Entrepreneurs in Qatar and from a manufacturing sector towards the the Gulf’. Participants at the last year’s forum. service sector’. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 MIDDLE EAST www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 07 Aljazeera’s Fahmy gives IS claims pilot burned alive up Egyptian citizenship

Angry Jordan vows revenge, to execute jailed Iraqi woman and other jihadists CAIRO: Aljazeera journalist Mohamed Fahmy (pictured) has AMMAN: The Islamic State renounced his Egyptian citizen- group released a video yes- ship, his family said yesterday, terday purportedly showing a in a bid to follow his Australian Jordanian pilot being burned colleague Peter Greste in being alive in a cage, in the jihadists’ released from a Cairo jail. most brutal execution yet of a Fahmy’s surrender of his foreign hostage. Egyptian passport is a neces- The highly choreographed sary step for him to be freed and 22-minute video released online deported as a foreign national showed images of a man pur- under a decree issued by President ported to be First Lieutenant Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in November. Maaz Al Kassasbeh, captured in He also has Canadian citizenship. December, engulfed in flames. The news came after Canadian King Abdullah II cut short Foreign Minister John Baird said a visit to Washington to fly Fahmy’s release was “imminent” home, state television said, as following the freeing of Greste on Amman confirmed the death Sunday. An Egyptian official fol- of the 26-year-old fighter pilot lowing the case said: “The final Egyptian who comes from a and vowed an “earth-shattering legal procedures for his (Fahmy’s) family of military servicemen.” response”. deportation are being completed.” Fahmy’s fiancee Marwa Omara The video, whose authentic- Anwar Tarawneh (pictured right), the wife of Jordanian pilot Maaz Al Kassasbeh (left), sheds a tear during a rally He said the renunciation of said: “We are still waiting and we ity was not immediately verified, in Amman yesterday. citizenship had already been hope that he is out today.” enraged officials and the army in finalised. Fahmy and Greste were Meanwhile, Mohamed’s family Jordan vowed to avenge the mur- as “savage” and vowed to “fight came after IS beheaded two arrested in December 2013 along has pinned its hopes on a presi- der of the 26-year-old pilot. this barbaric enemy until it is Japanese hostages within a week. with Egyptian producer Baher dential pardon or his acquittal on A security official said an Iraqi defeated”. British Prime Minister The Islamic State group had Mohamed, and later sentenced appeal. Amnesty International would-be suicide bomber on death David Cameron said the “sicken- vowed to kill the second Japanese, to up to 10 years in prison on said Greste’s release should not row, Sajida Al Rishawi, and other ing murder will only strengthen Kenji Goto, and Kassasbeh by charges of aiding the blacklisted divert attention from the con- jihadists will be executed at dawn our resolve to defeat IS”. sunset on January 29 unless Muslim Brotherhood. tinuing imprisonment of Fahmy today. “The death sentence will Kassasbeh was captured on Amman handed over Rishawi. “He signed the papers more and Mohamed. “All three men are be carried out on a group of December 24 after his F-16 jet Kassasbeh’s plane was the than a week ago” giving up his facing trumped up charges and jihadists, starting with Rishawi, crashed during a mission over first loss of an aircraft since the Egyptian citizenship, a relative were forced to endure a farcical as well as Iraqi Al Qaeda opera- northern Syria as part of the US-led coalition launched strikes of Fahmy said. “It was very hard trial marred by irregularities,” the tive Ziad Karbuli and others who US-led campaign against the against IS last year. for him because he is a proud rights group said. AFP attacked Jordan’s interests,” said jihadists. The extremist group claimed the official. The video released yesterday in a video released on Saturday State television said Kassasbeh shows footage of him at a table that it had killed 47-year-old had already been killed on January recounting coalition operations Goto, after previously murder- Sajida Al Rishawi 3, before IS offered to spare his against IS, with flags from the ing another Japanese hostage, life and free a Japanese journal- various Western and Arab coun- Haruna Yukawa. is different from the aid workers... Bahrain House okays govt plan ist in return for Rishawi’s release. tries in the alliance projected in IS had previously beheaded two This is an act of belligerence. US President Barack Obama the background. It then shows US journalists, an American aid “Every time you think they DUBAI: Bahrain’s new parliament approved the government’s denounced the apparent killing Kassasbeh dressed in an orange worker and two British aid work- cannot commit anything worse— political programme yesterday, the information minister said. as “just one more indication of the jumpsuit and surrounded by ers in similar videos. they open up another trapdoor.” A Shia-led movement calling for a constitutional monarchy and a viciousness (and) barbarity” of IS. armed and masked IS fighters in Shiraz Maher, from the IS had previously published what popularly chosen cabinet was violently suppressed by the authorities The United States will “redou- camouflage. International Centre for the Study it said was an interview with the in 2011, prompting opposition bloc Al Wefaq to reject extra powers ble the vigilance and determi- It cuts to him standing inside of Radicalisation at King’s College pilot in which he said his plane granted to parliament in a 2012 constitutional amendment. Under that nation on the part of the global the cage and apparently soaked London, described the footage as was hit by a heat-seeking mis- amendment, the government must offer a new programme within 21 coalition to make sure” the group in petrol before a masked jihad- “simply the most horrific, disgust- sile. It claimed to have shot down days if an initial programme is rejected by parliament. If rejected a is “ultimately defeated”, he added. ist uses a torch to light a trail of ing thing I have seen from Islamic his plane but both Jordan and the second time, the government will be automatically replaced. The White House said US flame that runs to the cage and State in the last two years”. United States said it had crashed. Yesterday was the first time parliament was allowed to vote on the intelligence was working to con- burns him alive. The video also “They clearly want to make a Kassasbeh’s family had urged programme. And given that the opposition boycotted November parlia- firm the video’s authenticity. offered rewards for the killing of real point. This is the first individ- IS to release the recently mar- mentary elections and is not represented, the outcome was inevitable. The chief of the US-led war other “crusader” pilots. ual whom they have captured who ried pilot, with his father Safi The minister said 37 out of 40 MPs voted in favour of the programme on IS, General Lloyd Austin, The release of the video of has been directly involved with the asking the jihadist group to show and three abstained, describing yesterday’s move as “historic”. condemned the pilot’s murder Kassasbeh’s purported murder Western coalition in fighting IS. It “mercy”. AFP AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 08 VIEWS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

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Editorial Cartoon Arts International / The New York Times Syndicate On the right track US arms to Ukraine: Tilting the SRAEL is continuing to face the consequences of its atrocities against Palestinians. In a landmark decision, officials announced yesterday that a United Nations Iinquiry into possible war crimes in the Gaza conflict will produce its report on time next month. The announcement balance, or fanning the flames? comes after intense pressure from the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scuttle the inquiry. The inquiry’s BY TONY HALPIN for as much as $3bn in financial aid said in Moscow on Monday. Alexander head had quit over Israeli accusations of conflict of interest. and “nonlethal weapons,” munitions Zakharchenko, head of the DPR, on Canadian international law expert William Schabas resigned KRAINE’S 10-month conflict and radar equipment, Deputy Foreign Monday said he’s ordered full mobiliza- on Monday after Israel complained that he had prepared a may be entering a new phase. Minister Vadym Prystaiko said Jan. 29. tion to boost the number of rebel fight- legal opinion for the Palestine Liberation Organisation in Eight former top US offi- Ukraine has asked the White House as ers to as many as 100,000 people against cials urged President Barack well as the UK, France and Germany what he said was a military buildup by October 2012. The UNHRC accepted the resignation and U Obama in a report Monday to author- for military training and equipment, government forces. later appointed Mary McGowan Davis, already a member ize delivery of $1bn of weapons to the including armored vehicles, access to — What would be Russia’s likely of the inquiry, to succeed Schabas. Israel’s sinister design to Ukrainian government this year and surveillance drones and radar to warn reaction? derail the inquiry failed with the appointment of a new head. for the next two years to help it fight of artillery attacks, Prystaiko said. The Russia would be likely to respond Israel and United States have always argued that the UN pro-Russian rebels in its Donetsk US has already supplied Ukraine with by upping the ante and increasing the and Luhansk regions, who have been light-weight counter-mortar radar scale of its military intervention in Human Rights Council is anti-Israel. If recording truth and advancing in recent weeks. systems. Ukraine, according to Nikolai Petrov, exposing war crimes are anti-Israel, then the UNHRC is Officials in Washington say they’re Ukraine can’t expect modern US a professor of political science at the anti-Israel because Israel’s hands are always red with the examining all options. Air Force Gen. weapons because of concern that they Higher School of Economics in Moscow. blood of Palestinians. It’s true that the UN human rights Philip Breedlove, might be seized and reverse-engineered “Russia is not ready to back down and council can’t initiate any action against Tel Aviv, but its NATO’s top mili- by Russia, according to Mykhaylo it can match the US,” he said. verdict is nevertheless very important. It helps expose Israel tary commander, Samus, head of the Prague office of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei favors “consid- the Center for Army, Conversion and Lavrov on Monday accused Ukraine war crimes, and its findings are crucial in building global The US supplying ering practical Disarmament Studies. of opting for a purely military solution support for the cause of Palestinians. Support for Israel in means of sup- — How does this compare with the to the conflict, with US support, and Europe is at an all-time low, and is still plunging, and the weapons to port,” Pentagon rebels’ equipment? urged direct talks between Kiev and findings of UN and independent Ukraine would spokesman Ukraine says the separatists are the rebels. Israel’s agencies can help pile pressure on Gregory Hicks backed by thousands of Russian troops A US decision to arm Ukraine could Tel Aviv and put the Jewish state escalate said. Obama and their equipment includes dozens “trigger further escalation of the con- remains uncon- of tanks, armored personnel carriers, flict,” Konstantin Kosachev, chair- sinister plan on the defensive. the conflict. vinced, accord- sophisticated multiple-rocket launcher man of the international committee The UNHRC must continue Alexander ing to one official systems, heavy artillery and self-pro- of Russia’s Federation Council, said to scuttle the its work and publish its report as familiar with pelled howitzers. Monday, according to the state-run scheduled. Palestinians must seize Zakharchenko, his thinking. On January 27, the Ukrainian army Tass news service. UN inquiry the opportunity to tell the world head of the DPR, Germany won’t said rebel assets it destroyed included — What’s next? How soon can a support weap- airplanes and helicopters. According decision be made? of Israeli atrocities. into war on Monday said ons shipments to the government in Kiev, the rebels’ While the issue may come up at Israel’s public outrage against he’s ordered full to the Ukrainian tanks and heavy weapons are very a meeting of North Atlantic Treaty crimes in the UNHRC will not help government, modern, some newly developed and Organization defense ministers in Gaza has discredit the agency. Anyway, Tel mobilisation to Chancellor being tested by Russia in Ukraine. Brussels on Thursday, no decision Aviv has severed its links with boost the number Angela Merkel The Kremlin denies any military is likely. The 28 allies have different the agency. In January 2012, it told reporters involvement. views, as Merkel’s objections show. failed. of rebel fighters in Budapest on — How much would the additional The hardware is owned and operated became the first country to refuse Monday. weapons tilt the balance? by national militaries, not by NATO as to attend a periodic review of its to as many as Here’s a list of The supply of US defensive weap- an organization. human rights record. Two months 100,000 people frequently asked ons to Ukraine would blunt the rebel One question is whether the later, it cut all ties with the council over its plans to probe questions about offensive in the immediate future, Ukrainian military has the know-how how Jewish settlements were harming Palestinian rights. against what possible scenarios according to Anton Lavrov, a Russian to operate any equipment it gets. If Last November, it announced that it would not cooperate he said was a for the 10-month military analyst. “It wouldn’t give the Ukraine’s troops need on-site battlefield conflict: Ukrainians a decisive advantage, but it training, that could put western troops with Schabas’s investigation because of the “obsessive military build-up — What would help to stabilize the situation.” in the line of fire. hostility against Israel of this commission and the words of is Ukraine he said. Kerry is visiting Ukraine on its president against Israel and its leaders.” by government requesting? The Ukrainian army’s biggest needs Thursday. Many leaders and top dip- Last year’s Gaza war killed more than 2,000 Gazans and forces. Ukraine sent are systems that would help increase lomats will be at a Feb. 6-8 security damaged or destroyed 124,000 homes. It was a cruelty of a request for the targeting accuracy of its existing conference in Munich that will focus lethal weapons weapons, according to Samus at the on Ukraine, while Merkel will visit the unprecedented kind, and Israel is continuing to punish the to foreign governments last year, said CACDS in Prague. US and Canada Feb. 8-10. people of Gaza by refusing to give permission to rebuild Tetyana Popova, an adviser to Defense — How would the rebels respond — With assistance from Daryna homes and stopping the reconstruction of the properties. The Minister Stepan Poltorak. Ministry to such a development? Krasnolutska and Volodymyr Verbyany international community hasn’t been able to help. And the officials and military leaders are dis- The US supplying weapons to in Kiev, Henry Meyer in Moscow, Arab region continues to be in flames with multiple wars and cussing the issue with their US coun- Ukraine would escalate the conflict, Michael Winfrey in Prague and James conflicts, pushing the Palestinian issue out of their minds terparts this week, she said. Denis Pushilin, a representative of the G. Neuger in Brussels. . The government in Kiev is asking self-declared Donetsk People’s Republic, WP-BLOOMBERG The other side Quote of Delhi elections: Lack of importance given to air pollution appalling the day he election to the 70-member document’. Such delays in releasing it surveyed, with an annual average A report in Washington Post said that Delhi assembly is round manifestos only defeat the purpose of of 153 micrograms of small particu- the US embassy ordered 1,800 air the corner and the three the exercise: The people have been lates, known as PM2.5, per cubic purifiers though it is not clear whether Tmain parties — the BJP, the left with little time for a debate on the metre. The issue again came up for any of those air filters made it into Mr Congress and AAP — are pulling out merits or demerits of the promises that discussion just before US President Obama’s bullet-proof enclosure during Germany will all the stops to woo voters. political parties make. Barack Obama’s visit when a study the Republic Day Parade. Could any- The last few weeks have been inter- In the din many important issues conducted by Greenpeace India at thing have been more embarrassing not send Ukraine esting yet chaotic: Defections, surpris- have been overlooked, and one of six locations, including Raj Ghat and than this? The Congress mentions air ing choice of candidates by parties, the most important among them is Hyderabad House, which Mr Obama pollution in its manifesto and promises any deadly, lethal trading of charges between candi- the issue of air pollution in Delhi. In visited, revealed that the air qual- to bring it down, but does not give any dates and a slew of promises ranging fact, none of the three parties spoke ity was ‘unhealthy and hazardous’. concrete proposals. AAP’s manifesto weapons. We from free water to regularisation of ille- extensively on it or came up with It also said that Delhi residents had is mum on the issue. Prime Minister are focusing on gal colonies. While the Congress and solutions to improve the air qual- been breathing extremely poor air this Narendra Modi and Congress presi- AAP have released their manifestos, ity. A study released by the World winter with PM2.5 averages peak- dent Sonia Gandhi hit the campaign a diplomatic the BJP is yet to release its, though Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 ing at 320 micrograms/cubic metre, trail on Sunday but neither spoke on the latter has cleverly said that it will had found New Delhi to have the which is six times the Indian safety this important issue. solution. Angela Merkel not release a manifesto but a ‘vision dirtiest air among the 1,600 cities limits and 14 times that of the WHO’s. The Hindustan Times German Chancellor WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 QATAR PERSPECTIVE www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 09 You are too late, honourable ministers

BY DR MOHAMMED SALEH AL MISFER

ecently, the ministerial against the Yemeni government committee of the Gulf and have committed terrorist acts. Cooperation Council One of its statements said: “The R(GCC) met urgently in GCC countries do not have any a military base in Riyadh to dis- intention to cut relations with cuss the deteriorating situation in any regime led and formed by the Yemen. Houthis.” The first thing that struck me This is a big welcoming mes- was that the meeting was held sage, accepting what they are in an airbase, signalling that all going to do to Yemen, even if this required measures needed to leads to dismantling the govern- be taken to stabilise Yemen and ment of Hadi. In the same statement, the great ministers said that “they object to all measures taken by the Houthis to settle things by force.” Isn’t this a contradiction in their political stand? So many They also declared in the same statement that they would contradictions! “renew their support to President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi!” So many They support contradictions! They support President Hadi and at the same President time are with any regime set up Hadi and at by the Houthis! The ministers also declared the same time in their statement that “their countries will take all required Army and police officers loyal to the Houthi movement shout slogans as they take part in a demonstration to show support to the movement in Sana’a. are with any measures to protect their secu- rity, stability, and vital interests In 1983, the US realised that interests. So Russia acted to stop tribal strife and Iranian influence. The American forces in Yemen regime set up in Yemen.” the Republic of Granada in the Kiev’s westward move and invaded The latest information is that are attempting an operation to by the Houthis! It was also mentioned in the Caribbean had a leftist inclina- Ukraine, citing history and secu- the US has sent two military disable radar systems and wired news that the interior ministers of tion that aimed at changing the rity issues, and claimed that it was ships to Bab Al Mandab and US and wireless communications. the GCC countries will meet soon regime at the time. The US didn’t acting to protect ethnic Russians Marines are ready to face any These measures are meant to to discuss the situation in Yemen; wait for this to happen and sent in that country. sudden developments in Sana’a. enable Gulf and Egyptian forces return it to what it was before last very strange talk in times of crises. in its military under the pretext The situation in Yemen is no Of course, that is besides the US to form a new coalition between March. History shows us how other of protecting American students different from the above exam- drones operating in Yemeni skies. the Gulf, Egypt and even Jordan However, we were surprised to countries acted when faced by and professors at the college of ples. The GCC countries, espe- US Secretary of State John to stabilise Yemen and ensure its find that the meeting concluded situations similar to what the GCC medicine there. cially Saudi Arabia, can intervene, Kerry stated last Wednesday that security. with dull and empty statements countries are facing in Yemen. Therefore, America intervened even by force, under the pretext of “President Abdrabuh Mansur Time is not in favour of the GCC that denounced violent incidents In 1975, during the Turkey- in the small Caribbean country protecting the lives and rights of Hadi was forced to agree to most countries. They are the losers in in Yemen and voiced support for Cyprus crisis, Turkey handled it that is pretty far from US borders. Saudis living in Yemen. of the conditions put forward by this equation and it is the last card the Yemeni government led by more or less like Yemen. Last year, Ukraine expressed The GCC countries can sup- the Houthis.” in Iran’s hands. Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi. In 1989, then US President a desire to join the European port this stand and settle all There is a question here: Will Yemen will follow Iraq, Syria The honourable committee George Bush invaded Panama Union, but this did not sit well issues for the benefit of the the GCC countries be able to and Lebanon; and who knows knows very well that the Houthis under the pretext of protecting with Russia, which thought that Yemeni people and for the sake mutually or individually agree who will be next, while you hap- are the ones who plotted a coup Americans who lived there. would harm Russia’s national of saving it from sectarian and on the American presence? pily recline in your couches.

BY AISHA JASSIM AL KUWARI Farewell to the king CMC should have executive powers

in an easy and accurate manner of humanity by their elected representatives. BY RASHID AL AUDAH AL FADLY I bet that most of those who fter devoting all his hurried to the polling stations life to serving his to elect their candidates were Acountry, his people egistration of voters for did not even know the names of energised by the intense media The CMC and the Arab and Muslim the Central Municipal those who represented them in campaign. Some of those citizens nation alike, he dedicated RCouncil (CMC) elections the CMC. Besides, a good number consider elections a step towards members need his efforts to promoting has ended. The purpose of the of the members did not make any greater interaction between them Arab and Islamic solidar- poll is to elect members to the impact, or failed to communicate and the government. to be given ity by seeking to preserve Council from the electoral con- well with their voters. This is In truth, the state addresses executive unity and putting aside stituencies. I would not be exag- besides those who rarely com- the citizens’ needs and provides differences, disunity and gerating if I describe the electoral municated publicly, as a result of municipal services without rely- powers if they extremism. process as accurate, with good which we saw them only when ing on the Council’s members. The man of humanity, administrative and security they attended the Council’s Projects related to municipal are to be taken wisdom and goodness, King arrangements. meetings, and heard about them work are executed on the basis of seriously by Abdullah bin Abdulaziz The poll will allow fair com- only through media outlets. plans which the Council members (pictured), left us to rest in petition that will be won by the Perhaps the reason for this is have nothing to do with. the citizens. peace. He, God have mercy most skilled and deserving can- the limitation of their consulta- Moreover, members of the on his soul, was a person of didates who can best represent tive role, which prevents them Council are categorised by higher This will enable wisdom and statesmanship. their voters. The elections are from having an ambitious agenda officials according to certain the members He had a balanced approach going to be the most prominent that citizens look forward to when criteria. Some of the members to dealing with the crises local event in the coming days. electing a member. The members wait for a long time to get vital to discharge faced by the Arab and Islamic nation, which he constantly defended. However, that is not all that do not have executive authority, projects completed so that they His efforts were not aimed at his countrymen alone; they served the citizens want. We surely trust which is why many qualified and can claim credit for that. their roles with Arabs and Muslims everywhere. I must mention here that the late the candidates of our constituen- leading figures are reluctant to Truly, the Council issues responsibility King Abdullah was liked by his people because he could relate to their cies as they have a high degree of participate in the CMC elections. many recommendations, some of concerns. He was just one among them and respected their humanity, competence and training. They This is also why most citizens which are worthy of inclusion in and feel a so they loved him and were more sincere to their nation. work hard for the sake of this did not register for the polls Guinness World Records, but the He devoted a lot of the state budget to implementing development homeland, making new and crea- despite all the facilities created feedback is very weak, and some- sense of projects for the citizens’ welfare and to provide better prospects to tive plans for our development; for this purpose and repeated times they are totally ignored by achievement. future generations. His people appreciated and loved him, and the but, that is not enough, going by affirmations about the fairness the sectors concerned. extent of their love led them to give him many titles, including the our experience with members of and transparency of the elections. Therefore, the CMC members king of humanity, the king of goodness, and the king of giving. the Council in the past. Basically, all citizens would like need to be given executive powers History tells us that many men were liked by their people because Most of the country’s citizens to have their concerns addressed if they are to be taken seriously by the citizens. This will enable they changed the course of history for their country and the world. the members to discharge their For this they are remembered from generation to generation. roles with responsibility and feel It is said that great kings create magnificent history for themselves a sense of achievement. and for their nation. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz — God have mercy on This will also spare the mem- his soul — was a great king who led the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bers embarrassment when deal- which is a magnificent nation. ing with voters as they would be By his wise leadership, he laid the foundations for the future of his able to fulfil people’s demands. nation. He made efforts for and played a key role in encouraging dia- logue among civilizations. He denounced terrorism and established the A conscientious message International Centre for Counterterrorism. These efforts were aimed Organising music festivals and at promoting peace and coexistence between nations and peoples. celebrations when our brothers When the world cries at the passing away of Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, in Syria and other countries are it is crying out of love for one who did a lot for our security and safety. suffering displacement, killings We supplicate that God forgive King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz — and hunger is something that may he rest in peace in the vast heavens — and reward him well for should be stopped immediately. serving Islam and Muslims. We seem to have lost our sense During his reign, Saudi Arabia achieved growth and prosperity, of humanity as we hear and see which made it deserving of a prominent place among developed daily the calamities affecting our countries. brothers and sisters in Syria. Let’s not forget the great services that King Abdullah — God have How can any of us claim to mercy on his soul — offered to Islam and Muslims by expanding have common sense when we are the two holy mosques. This facilitated the performance of Haj and enjoying music and entertain- Umrah in comfort. ment, ignoring the suffering of He supervised development projects spread over three years to children, women and the elderly? facilitate Haj and Umrah for all Muslims; may God tremendously This is like dancing while the reward him. oppressed suffer, mocking their O God, keep the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia safe through Your pro- woes. tection; maintain safety and security for the Kingdom and the rest of What is wrong with us? Don’t the Muslim world, and help the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, we have wise men among us? King Salman bin Abdulaziz, may God protect him and support him Cancelling music parties is the through his brother, Muqrin, and his sincere people. A file photo of candidates registering for the Central Municipal Council elections. least we can do before we are doomed by the Lord’s wrath. WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 MIDDLE EAST 10 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Abbas orders UN Gaza war probe into cartoon in crimes inquiry newspaper

RAMALLAH: Palestinian to pursue work President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered an investigation into a drawing of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which appeared in a Report to be issued on March 23 West Bank newspaper, JERUSALEM/GENEVA: A dismissal in the January 30 letter, local media United Nations inquiry into made public yesterday. reported possible war crimes in the Gaza Israel announced months ago yesterday. conflict will produce its report that it would not cooperate with The car- on time next month, officials the inquiry, calling it a “kanga- toon, which said yesterday, brushing aside roo court”. Alleging bias, it had appeared a demand from Israel’s prime previously boycotted the 47-mem- on Sunday minister to shelve it after the ber state forum for 20 months, in Al Hayat chairman resigned. returning in October 2013. Al Jadida, It marked the latest chapter in Schabas said in a letter to depicted fraught relations between Israel Ruecker he had been paid $1,300 what and the main UN human rights for a legal opinion to the PLO in appeared to be a giant Prophet forum, which the Jewish state and October 2012, but that he had Muhammad (PBUH) standing on its ally Washington accuse of bias acted with full “independence and top of the world, sprinkling grains against Israel. impartiality” as chairman. of love and acceptance from a Mary McGowan Davis, already “The President respects the heart-shaped satchel. a member of the independent com- decision of Professor Schabas and Palestinian news agency Wafa mission of inquiry on Gaza and a appreciates that in this way even A worker removes debris after a blast that hit central Cairo yesterday damaged his workplace. quoted Abbas as deeming it “nec- former justice of the Supreme the appearance of a conflict of essary to take deterrent measures Court of New York, will replace interest is avoided, thus preserv- against those responsible for this Canadian academic William ing the integrity of the process,” terrible mistake”. Explosion, gunfire along Egypt-Gaza (pic- Schabas, a UN statement said. Ruecker said in a statement. Mohammad Sabaaneh Schabas said on Monday that The investigators are “now in tured), who drew the cartoon, he would resign after Israeli alle- the final phase of collecting evi- said it was “misunderstood,” gations of bias due to consultancy dence from as many victims and border; blast kills man in Alexandria without elaborating. In a post on work he did for the Palestine witnesses as possible from both his Facebook page, however, he Liberation Organisation. sides”, he said. The inquiry was ISMAILIA/GAZA: Egyptian Hamas-run interior ministry. listed it as a terrorist organisa- explained he was trying to defend Benjamin Netanyahu said in a set up by the Geneva forum last troops fired warning shots over Security concerns have deepened tion, prompting Hamas to reject Islam “using the same methods statement that following the res- July at the Palestinians’ request.. the frontier into Gaza yesterday in Egypt since last Thursday, Egypt as a mediator between as those who seek to insult the ignation, publication of the report Its other member is veteran inves- after a bomb exploded on Gaza when Islamic State’s Egyptian Israel and the Palestinians, a role Prophet—cartoons.” ought to be shelved and that the tigator Doudou Diene of Senegal. territory near an Egyptian affiliate claimed responsibility it has played for decades. The newspaper apologised in its Hamas Islamist group in Gaza Schabas, in his letter, said he army convoy, Egyptian security for coordinated attacks that killed Authorities have accused the edition yesterday for the cartoon, should be investigated rather had not been asked to provide any sources said, blaming Islamist over 30 security personnel in the Muslim Brotherhood of con- and said it had opened an inter- than the Jewish state. details of his past activity con- group Hamas, which denied the Sinai Peninsula. spiring with Hamas against the nal investigation into why it was More than 2,100 Palestinians, cerning Palestine and Israel. His charge. Egypt is facing an Islamist Egyptian state, allegations both published. But it denied the fig- most of them civilians, 67 Israeli curriculum vitae and blog were In Alexandria, Egypt’s second insurgency based in Sinai, which groups deny. ure in it was meant to be Prophet soldiers and six civilians in Israel, public, he said. city, a man was killed in a bomb borders the Palestinian Gaza Egypt declared the Muhammad (PBUH). were killed in last summer’s con- “This work in defence of human blast hours after two devices were Strip as well as Israel and Egypt’s Brotherhood a terrorist group An editorial staff member at the flict. The UN investigation, due rights appears to have made me a discovered at Cairo airport and Suez Canal. and repressed it systematically newspaper said that “Sabaaneh to issue its report on March 23, huge target for malicious attacks, another went off in the centre The Egyptian government has since the army ousted one of its wanted to show through the is probing violations by both sides. which, if Israel’s complaint is to of the capital without casualties, accused Hamas of funnelling leaders, Mohamed Mursi, from drawing the grains of tolerance Schabas’ resignation follows a be taken at face value, will only other security sources said. weapons and fighters to the Sinai- the presidency in 2013. and love of Islam, incarnate as a letter from Israel’s ambassador intensify in the weeks to come,” Hamas, which governs Gaza, based militants. Both groups deny accusations man. Sabaaneh said in an inter- to the United Nations in Geneva, he said. said Palestinian positions had Palestinian authorities have that they engage in terrorism. view last month that physical Eviatar Manor, to Human Rights Rather than waiting for a legal come under fire from Egyptian made contact with Egypt to pro- Militants have struck popula- attacks on those who insulted the Council President Joachim opinion from the world body in soil with no justification. test about yesterday’s shooting tion centres such as Alexandria Prophet (PBUH) were despicable. Ruecker of Germany decrying New York, which would delay “Fire was directed in a sur- and have demanded an investi- and Cairo with greater frequency “You have to react in kind, com- what he called a “blatant conflict final drafting of its report, its prising, unjustified way and gation, Bozom of the Gaza interior since Mursi was ousted, though bating idea with idea, cartoons of interest” and Schabas’ prior work would be better served by without any violation from the ministry said. the most common and deadliest with cartoons — not through relationship with the Palestinians. his resignation, he said. Palestinian side,” said Eyad Al An Egyptian court last week violence is concentrated in Sinai. murder,” he said. Manor demanded his immediate REUTERS Bozom, a spokesman for Gaza’s banned Hamas’ armed wing and REUTERS AFP

11 Al Qaeda militants charged in Yemen Two Russian Iraqi cabinet approves draft UN contractors law to set up national guard

kidnapped in BAGHDAD: Iraq’s cabinet yes- have billed the national guard law as terday approved a draft law cre- a way to handle their own security ating a national guard, which in combating the militant group. Darfur region Sunni political figures have The guard would be a locally-based described as a necessary step to force, answerable to the provincial MOSCOW: Two Russian men achieving national reconciliation. government, and then the prime working as UN contractors in But a measure to reform the minister. Sunni leaders hope it will Sudan have been kidnapped in government’s ban on former Baath empower their communities, who the country’s Darfur region, Party members from government distrust the army and national officials said yesterday. proved divisive. Sunni ministers police they blame for carrying out The men were employees of boycotted the second draft law, say- indiscriminate arrests in the past. UTair, one of Russia’s largest ing it did not go far enough, while Ending the ban on ex-members airlines, and were in Sudan on a the rest of the cabinet approved it. of the Baath Party, which ruled contract for the UN mission in It remains unclear how par- Iraq before the US-led invasion to the country, UNAMID, the com- liament will greet the two sets topple Saddam Hussein in 2003, Unidentified Al Qaeda militants appear behind bars during a hearing at the state security appeal court in Sana’a, pany said. The pair were seized on of legislation, which are already from public service has also been Yemen, yesterday. Eleven Al Qaeda militants were charged with involvement in a suicide attack which targeted January 29 when armed gunmen generating controversy. Approval a main Sunni demand. But Sunni a parade rehearsal in Sana’a in May 2012, killing 105 Yemeni soldiers and wounding 170 others. in six cars blocked a UNAMID by the cabinet does not guarantee cabinet members were disap- minibus in the town of Zalingei, passage by the parliament. pointed by the second draft law. UTair said in a statement. Prime Minister Haider Al Dr Muhannad Hussam, a poli- “The passengers were forced to Abadi’s spokesman Rafid Jaboori tician and close aide to Deputy leave the minibus and were taken applauded the sending of the Prime Minister Saleh Mutlaq, away in an unknown direction,” it national guard law to parliament said the measure on “debaathi- said. “So far there have been no as “a way to confront ISIL”, a fication” adopted by Shia gov- WFP alarmed by IS logos on demands from the kidnappers.” reference to the militant group ernment ministers without The statement did not spec- Islamic State which controls large their Sunni counterparts was a ify the men’s jobs, but Russia’s sections of the country. disaster. Investigative Committee, which Sunni political and tribal leaders REUTERS food parcels given in Syria probes major crimes, said that one was a UTair manager and the GENEVA/BEIRUT: The with Islamic State but distributes all parties on the ground. We other was a mechanic. United Nations World Food all aid itself. negotiate for access, we always A spokesman for Russia’s Programme (WFP) has declared “WFP condemns this manipu- do this,” she said. embassy in Sudan said earlier that itself “extremely concerned” by lation of desperately needed food WFP said that in September the two men were pilots. UTair Storm batters Turkey, 8 killed photographs showing its food aid inside Syria,” said Muhannad Islamic State raided Red Crescent said that it was working alongside parcels being handed out in Syria Hadi, WFP Emergency Regional warehouses where food rations UNAMID and diplomats and mak- ISTANBUL: At least eight to rescue the inhabitants, with with Islamic State logos on them. Coordinator, in a statement. The may have been stored. Tou’meh ing “every effort” to find the men. people have been killed and Edirne governor Dursun Ali Images circulating on social agency was trying to confirm the said she was unable to confirm the The UN mission was set up many more rescued from high Sahin describing the flooding as media show food being distrib- authenticity of those images, it raid but would check. in 2007 to protect civilians and winds and flooding caused by the disaster of the century. uted from cardboard boxes with said. Jitka Kovránková, who works secure aid to Darfur, which has a huge storm that has battered No casualties were reported in “Islamic State in Syria” labels The photographs seemed to for the Czech People in Need, one been wracked by conflict since Turkey since Sunday. the area, but Sahin warned the pasted over the WFP logo. have been taken in Deir Hafr vil- of the few aid groups working in 2003 when ethnic insurgents The storm, known locally as a situation could worsen, with water Islamic State, also known as lage, about 50 km from Aleppo, contested Aleppo city, said that rebelled against the government Lodos, hit the Marmara, Aegean, levels expected to rise further. ISIS or ISIL, rules over millions where WFP last August delivered her organisation decided to stop complaining of marginalisation. Black Sea and Mediterranean Four people in different prov- of people in Syria and Iraq, and enough food to feed 8,500 people working in Islamic State terri- Relations between Khartoum Sea regions of the country, caus- inces were killed by collapsing keeping the public fed is part of for a month. tory in mid 2014 after the mili- and UNAMID have been strained ing roofs of houses to collapse and buildings on Monday. A taxi its effort to portray its “caliphate” Vivian Tou’meh, head of com- tants tried to control aid and set since the mission tried to inves- forcing residents in some areas to driver died when high winds as a genuine government. munications for the Syrian Arab conditions on aid groups. tigate reports that Sudanese sol- flee the rising waters. brought a crane down on his cab. To get food and medicine to Red Crescent, said her group “There is too much pressure. diers raped 200 women in the In the northwestern province In the southeastern province of areas ruled by Islamic State, negotiates access with all par- They want to influence the aid village of Tabit in October. On of Edirne close to the border with Gaziantep, three young children the UN says it relies on partner ties in the war, including Islamic delivery,” she said, adding that Sunday, six Bulgarian contrac- Greece, the flooding of the Meric from the same family were killed humanitarian organisations such State, when delivering aid, but Islamic State became more con- tors working for the UN World and Tunca rivers cut off the by carbon monoxide poisoning, as the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Red Crescent volunteers deliver trolling after a US-led coalition Food Programme were freed after Karaagac neighbourhood, home after high winds forced fumes (SARC), which told Reuters yes- all parcels themselves. started bombing in July. being held for a week by rebels in to 5,000 people. Military vehicles back down the house’s chimney. terday that it negotiates access “Yes, there is coordination with REUTERS South Kordofan. AFP and helicopters were dispatched REUTERS WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 INTERNATIONAL www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 11 Britain votes for three-parent ‘designer’ babies Bid to prevent genetic diseases

LONDON: Britain yester- eyes and all the rest of it. This is day became the first country about purely dealing with those to allow a “three-parent” IVF terrible, terrible illnesses,” oppo- technique which doctors say will sition Labour lawmaker Andrew prevent some inherited incur- Miller, chair of parliament’s sci- able diseases but which critics ence and technology committee, see as a step towards creating said during the debate. designer babies. International charities, advo- The treatment is known as cacy groups and scientists had “three-parent” in vitro fertilisa- urged Britain to pass laws to allow tion (IVF) because the babies, the treatment, saying it brought a born from genetically modified “first glimmer of hope” for some embryos, would have DNA from families of having a baby who a mother, a father and from a could live without suffering. female donor. “We have finally reached a mile- It is designed to help fami- stone in giving women an invalu- lies with mitochondrial diseases, able choice, the choice to become incurable conditions passed down a mother without fear of passing the maternal line that affect on a lifetime under the shadow around one in 6,500 children of mitochondrial disease to their worldwide. child,” Robert Meadowcroft, After an emotionally charged chief executive of the Muscular 90-minute debate that some law- Dystrophy Campaign, said follow- makers criticised as being too ing the vote. Smoke rises above buildings after shelling in Donetsk, Ukraine, yesterday. short for such a serious matter, In an open letter to law- parliament voted 382 to 128 in makers, 11 international cam- favour of the technique, called paign groups, including the US US taking ‘fresh look’ at weapons for Ukraine mitochondrial donation. United Mitochondrial Disease The vote paves the way for a Foundation, described the condi- medical world first for Britain, tion as “unimaginably cruel”. WASHINGTON: The United international economic sanctions, killed in clashes at the weekend said Germany would not supply but one that is fiercely disputed by “It strips our children of the States is reconsidering whether and the collapse of the latest attempt and 15 civilians died on Saturday. weapons to Kiev’s military but has some religious groups and other skills they have learned, inflicts to provide weapons to Ukraine in at peace talks at the weekend. While the United States and not objected to Washington doing so. critics. pain that cannot be managed and its fight against Russian-backed Washington already provides Western allies pursue a diplomatic White House national secu- The process involves interven- tires their organs one by one until separatists, senior administra- military equipment to Ukraine, solution, the administration was rity adviser Ben Rhodes, how- ing in the fertilisation process to their little bodies cannot go on tion officials said, adding that no such as counter-mortar detec- constantly reviewing how to help ever, told CNN the best way to remove mitochondria, which act any more,” they wrote. decision had been made. tion units, body armour, binocu- Ukraine, Psaki said. “We haven’t influence Russia was through as tiny energy-generating batter- Lawmakers were given a free “It’s getting a fresh look,” a lars, small boats and other gear. taken options on or off the table.” economic sanctions. A report by ies inside cells, and which, if faulty, vote on the issue, and Prime senior administration official said But it has delayed any decision for The West says the rebels are the Washington-based Atlantic can cause inherited conditions Minister David Cameron’s spokes- of deliberations among Obama months on providing arms, from armed by Russia and supported by Council on Monday said the US such as fatal heart problems, liver man said the British leader had administration officials on whether rifles to anti-tank weapons, as it several thousand Russian troops, should immediately authorise failure, brain disorders, blindness voted to support it, adding it was to send defensive weapons to prop sought a diplomatic solution. a claim Moscow denies. Both $1bn in military assistance to Kiev and muscular dystrophy. not “about playing God”. up Ukrainian forces. “Where However, State Department the EU and United States have and coordinate it with Poland, Mitochondrial DNA is sepa- “He has a particular sympathy things will end up, we don’t know.” spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the imposed sanctions against Russia. Baltic States, Canada and Britain. rate from DNA found in the with those parents whose chil- US Secretary of State John United States was particularly “I don’t think anybody wants to “Should we delay action, the cell nucleus and does not affect dren are born with very serious Kerry travels to Kiev tomorrow concerned with mounting violence get into a proxy war with Russia,” West should expect that the price human characteristics such as illnesses, that in nearly all cases for talks with Ukraine’s govern- after months of fighting close to Psaki said, “Our objective here is will only grow,” according to the hair or eye colour, appearance or end their lives prematurely,” the ment, the same day Nato defence the Russian border. to change the behavior of Russia. report, which said military aid personality traits. spokesman said, referring to ministers meet in Brussels. Separatists pounded positions That’s the reason we have put the should include light anti-armor “I for one would be absolutely Cameron’s son Ivan who suffered The policy rethink reflects what of Ukrainian government troops sanctions in place.” US President missiles, as well as unmanned aer- certain I wouldn’t stand here and from cerebral palsy and severe US officials say is a frustration holding a strategic rail town as Barack Obama will host German ial vehicles (UAV’s) and armored defend the concept of designer epilepsy and died aged six in 2009. with Moscow’s continued sup- both sides mobilized more forces. Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Humvees. babies —choosing the colour of the REUTERS port for rebels despite months of Five Ukrainian soldiers were White House on Monday. She has REUTERS

Republican plan to block Obama on immigration seen stalling Canada Foreign Minister Baird WASHINGTON: A domestic counterterrorism efforts would deny funding for Obama’s measure banning any spending to don’t we wait until the United Department of Homeland and secures US borders, airports executive actions on immigration, implement Obama’s recent exec- States Senate acts? And then we announces Security funding bill that aims and coastal waters. and Obama has already threat- utive orders that lift the threat can decide what the next steps are.” to block President Barack A political showdown over ened to veto the measure. of deportation from millions of Republican Representative Obama’s immigration actions the DHS budget could leave the Sixty votes are needed to undocumented immigrants. John Carter of Texas, who chairs resignation appeared likely to stall in the department critically short of move the bill to final passage, but “The goal here is not to run the House Appropriations sub- US Senate yesterday, leaving funds at a time of heightened Republicans only have a 54-vote DHS out of money. The goal is to committee for Homeland Security, OTTAWA: Foreign Affairs Republicans divided over how concern about terrorist attacks. majority and appear unlikely to stop the president’s overreach,” said he would prefer a “clean” Minister John Baird, who to proceed. Senate Democrats have vowed get enough Democratic support. Boehner told reporters. DHS funding bill to cutting off carved out a more assertive Congress faces a February 27 to block a House-approved DHS House Speaker John Boehner Asked if he would support the agency’s funding or passing role for Canada on major inter- deadline to renew funding for the spending bill in a procedural vote yesterday held out hope the another short-term funding exten- another short-term extension. national issues, announced department, which spearheads yesterday afternoon. The bill Senate would approve the sion for DHS, Boehner said: “Why REUTERS yesterday he is stepping down and will not stand in upcoming elections. The surprise departure of Prince’s day out one of Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s most trusted lieuten- UN court rejects rival ants is a major loss as the con- servative leader seeks a fourth mandate to govern in October elections. Balkan genocide claims Baird told Parliament he spoke to Harper on Monday night and THE HAGUE: The UN’s high- Ivica Dacic as perhaps one of the “informed him I was standing est court yesterday rejected “most important events” deter- down from cabinet.” rival claims of genocide by mining his country’s relations “I expressed my intention not Croatia and Serbia in landmark with Croatia. to run in the next general elec- rulings over their 1991-1995 Zagreb had dragged Belgrade tion... and I also expressed my war, and urged the former foes before the ICJ in 1999 on geno- intention to stand down as mem- to turn the page on their bloody cide charges linked to the war ber of parliament... in the weeks history. in Croatia during the bloody ahead,” he said. International Court of Justice breakup of the former Yugoslavia. The 45-year-old Baird gave no chief judge Peter Tomka dis- Serbia was accused of ethnic reason for his decision to step missed Zagreb’s claim that Serb cleansing as a “form of genocide” down after a 20-year career in forces committed genocide during in the town of Vukovar and other Canadian politics in which he held Croatia’s war of independence. areas, leading to large numbers of 10 ministerial posts at both the He made a similar ruling in a Croats being displaced, killed or tor- federal level and in Ontario. counter-claim by Belgrade over a tured and their property destroyed. “John has always been willing Croatian counter-offensive that About 20,000 people died in to do a lot of heavy lifting in my Britain’s Prince Harry laughs with youngsters involved in a film project during a visit to the Full Effect Youth forced 200,000 Serbs to flee after the conflict, one of several bloody various cabinets and has assumed Project in Nottingham, central England, yesterday. the last major battle of the war. wars that shook the Balkans in daunting new responsibilities with Tomka said both sides had com- the 1990s. Vukovar was captured unsurpassed energy, commitment mitted crimes during the conflict after a three-month-long attack and professionalism, never losing including forcible displacement but by the Yugoslav army (JNA) and sight of the fact that he was serv- that neither had proved genocide, Serb rebels. ing the Canadian people,” Harper Race row sparks probe at South African school which “presupposes the intent to After its fall, about 22,000 non- said in a statement. destroy a group, at least in part”. Serbs were expelled, and about As foreign minister, Baird JOHANNESBURG: South The probe was ordered after provincial education minister But he added: “The court 350 people from the Vukovar firmed up Ottawa’s staunch sup- African education and human 30 parents of children at Curro for Gauteng, the country’s most encourages the parties to continue region are still reported missing. port of Israel, expanded Canada’s rights authorities said yes- Foundation School — a pre-pri- populous province which houses their cooperation with a view to Belgrade responded with a military reach abroad and aligned terday they had launched mary school in Pretoria wrote a the economic hub Johannesburg offering appropriate reparation counter-suit in 2010, saying about development aid with the nation’s investigations into racism at petition last month condemning and the capital Pretoria. to the victims of such violations, 200,000 ethnic Serbs were forced trade priorities. private schools after parents the splitting of classes based on “I will not allow any child to be thus consolidating peace and sta- to flee when Croatia launched a He also has taken on Russia at one school complained that race. reminded about where we came bility in the region.” military operation to retake its over the Ukraine conflict, the black and white pupils were “The sector needs to be regu- from,” said Lesufi. The case had been described territory in 1995. Islamic State and the Ebola crises. segregated. lated,” said Panyaza Lesufi, the AFP by Serbian Foreign Minister AFP AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 12 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com ASIA / PHILIPPINES

North Japan town Seven killed in buried under six feet of snow TOKYO: Parts of northern Japan were digging out yester- bus attack day from nearly six feet of snow after a massive winter storm dumped record amounts. Around 50 troops were pressed into action in Hokkaido to shovel in Bangladesh paths to snow-blanketed houses in Rausu on the eastern tip of the island. The town was the worst- hit part of Japan when a major Anti-govt protesters firebomb bus snowstorm whacked into the country at the weekend. DHAKA: Anti-government be rigged. Authorities on Monday The meteorological agency protesters firebombed a bus full ordered a probe into allegations which gave the snowfall figure of sleeping passengers in east- of murder against Zia over the warned of strong winds and fur- ern Bangladesh yesterday, kill- deadly protests, while a media ther snowfall still to come in the ing seven in spiralling political magnate who is one of her clos- region. “We are telling our resi- unrest aimed at toppling Prime est aides was arrested. dents to stay home if possible,” Minister Sheikh Hasina. Survivors of attack said the a town official said. “It’s quite Several passengers were also bus was packed with local tour- dangerous to go outside in this critically injured in the attack in ists returning overnight from the storm,” the official said, adding the town of Chauddagram which resort town of Cox’s Bazaar to the that there had been no immedi- was blamed on activists from capital Dhaka. ate reports of injuries or damage. the main opposition Bangladesh “I woke up hearing loud cries The snowfall on Monday forced Nationalist Party led by two-time and saw people burning in the bus. Members of Japan’s ground self defence force removing snow from the entrance of a house at Rausu town in railway operators to cancel nearly former premier Khaleda Zia. I jumped through the window and 100 train services, affecting some Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido yesterday. “Seven passengers were found a friend in flames. I doused 4,660 passengers. AFP burnt to death in the bus after the fire but his condition is criti- the petrol bomb was thrown at cal,” one survivor told private 4am,” district police chief Tuttul Ekattur TV. Chakrabarty said. Up to 15 people were slightly “Five of the passengers are injured after they jumped from the fighting for their life as 40-80 per- vehicle’s windows to try to escape cent of their bodies were burnt. the blaze, the police chief added. Junta chief slams rumours on Thai blasts They have been shifted to a hos- Police Inspector Mahfuzur pital in the capital,” he said. “It’s Rahman said that authorities BANGKOK: Thailand’s junta this was work of the government off the streets. But the military The latest figures are a 15.9 per- an act of murder and we’re going suspected BNP activists were chief yesterday said that any in order to maintain martial have nonetheless ramped up their cent increase on the same month to hunt down culprits.” behind the petrol bomb. Raids suggestion his regime was law. They are brains damaged,” monitoring of critics, calling in the previous year when protests One person also died from burn were carried out on local villages behind twin bomb blasts out- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O- a string of prominent opposition against Yingluck Shinawatra’s injuries yesterday from an attack near the location of the attack but side a Bangkok shopping mall Cha, who has appeared increas- figures for “attitude adjustment” were at their height. on a van overnight in the capital, no arrests were made. was “brain damaged” as the ingly gruff in recent days, told talks and threatening dissenters Thailand’s long-running a doctor at the Dhaka Medical In another attack, four people military scrambles to reassure reporters. with financial ruin if they speak political conflict broadly pits a College Hospital said. suffered burn injuries after a pet- tourists that the troubled king- But he added: “If this was the out publicly. Bangkok-based middle class and The deaths bring the toll in rol bomb was thrown at a moving dom is still safe. work of rogue policemen or sol- The generals, who seized royalist elite, backed by parts of the month-long protests to 54 — train outside Dhaka, police said. Two small homemade pipe diers they must be punished.” power promising to end a tur- the military and judiciary, against most of them victims of firebomb Hundreds of people have been bombs detonated outside the Siam Authorities say they are bulent decade pockmarked by rural and working-class voters— attacks on buses and lorries — as injured since the protests started, Paragon mall on Sunday evening looking for two men seen on periods of intense political vio- many of whom are part of the opposition activists try to enforce while local media say more than slightly wounding two people. CCTV shortly before the bombs lence and coups, also fear that Red Shirt movement — loyal to a transport blockade. 850 vehicles have been gutted or The blasts were the first detonated. renewed clashes could put off ousted former premier Thaksin Authorities have stepped up damaged and inter-city transport major disruption to an uneasy The explosions come at a time tourists during the crucial peak Shinawatra. the pressure on 69-year-old Zia, services have ground to a halt. peace imposed after the military of heightened political tension in season. Parties affiliated with or led who has been holed up in her Security forces have launched a declared martial law and took the deeply divided nation follow- The tourism industry accounts by the Shinawatra family have office since January 3, in a bid to nationwide crackdown —but the over in a coup last May. ing the impeachment of Yingluck for around 10 percent of an econ- won every election since 2001, in halt the violence. She called the arrest of more than 10,000 oppo- The military have been rattled by the country’s junta-appointed omy that Thailand’s military rul- the process facing two coups and protests early last month, urging sition supporters appears to have by remarks on social media specu- rubber stamp parliament—an ers have struggled to revive since the disposal of three premiers by supporters to enforce a nation- done little to quell the unrest. lating that the explosions — which event that left many of her fam- seizing power with exports and Thailand’s interventionist courts. wide blockade of roads, railways Zia denies her BNP and its came ten days after the retroac- ily’s “Red Shirt” supporters qui- consumer spending still weak. Small bomb blasts are not and waterways to force Hasina to Islamist allies are responsible tive impeachment of ousted Prime etly seething. Government figures released uncommon during times of call a fresh election. for the firebombings and has Minister Yingluck Shinawatra — Under marital law, political Tuesday showed Thailand wel- heightened tension with all fac- The BNP and its allies boycotted demanded the release of detained help justify the continued imposi- gatherings of more than five comed 2.65 million tourists in tions accusing each other of the last poll in January 2014, say- opposition officials and leaders. tion of martial law. people are banned and so far January — traditionally one of its resorting to violence. ing they believed the result would AFP “Some have countered that Yingluck’s supporters have stayed busiest months. AFP

Year of the Goat Kenji Goto’s Commonwealth backs war peace tweet crimes probe in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO: The Commonwealth ended in 2009. Sirisena defeated goes viral yesterday welcomed Sri Lanka’s former strongman Mahinda plans to establish a “credible” Rajapakse who had long resisted TOKYO: A poignant tweet by inquiry into war crimes alle- international pressure to conduct murdered journalist Kenji Goto gations, after talks with new a probe into the allegations which on the virtue of being calm President Maithripala Sirisena are the subject of a UN-mandated was spreading rapidly on social and the former British colony’s international investigation. media yesterday, days after he other leaders. Rajapakse hosted a was apparently beheaded by Secretary-General Kama- Commonwealth summit in Islamist militants. lesh Sharma also offered Colombo in November 2013 that “Close your eyes and remain Commonwealth assistance to set was boycotted by several heads of patient. It’s over once you get angry up the judicial inquiry into alle- state over his insistence that not or yell. It is almost like praying. gations troops killed thousands one civilian was killed. Hating is not the role of humans; of Tamil civilians during the final Rajapakse is credited with judgement is God’s domain,” Goto’s stages of its ethnic war. crushing the Tamil Tiger rebels four-year-old tweet read. “It was “We have discussed options for who at the height of their power my Arab brothers who taught me practical Commonwealth support between 1990 and 1995 controlled this,” he tweeted in Japanese on for these vital domestic processes, a third of Sri Lanka’s territory. September 7, 2010. and welcome the intent to estab- Sharma said the Commonwealth By yesterday afternoon, the lish a credible domestic investi- was pleased Colombo was moving message had been retweeted more gation mechanism that respects to memorialise all those who died A shopper looks at golden goat statuettes for sale at a store in Chinatown in Manila yesterday. The Chinese than 26,000 times in Japanese, international humanitarian law,” in the conflict. Lunar New Year, which falls on February 19, will welcome the Year of the Goat. with English versions also widely Sharma said at the end of a three- “We were pleased to learn circulated. day visit. that the government is currently Goto’s brutal killing by mili- Sirisena pledged during last considering the necessary steps tants from the Islamic State month’s election campaign to set to address Sri Lanka’s account- movement has provoked an out- up a probe into allegations 40,000 ability and reconciliation needs,” pouring of emotion in Japan. civilians were killed in the final Sharma said. Seoul, Beijing to resume Pyongyang N-talks In a statement on Sunday, his push of the separatist conflict that AFP mother cautioned against this SEOUL: South Korea and China China, Russia, Japan and the US. with Ri Yong-Ho, North Korea’s emotion becoming destructive. “I will resume talks this week on The Washington Post on Monday vice foreign minister and lead believe this sorrow must not cre- efforts to curb North Korea’s said US and North Korean nuclear nuclear negotiator. Their aim was ate a chain of hatred,” said Junko nuclear weapons programme, envoys had been secretly discuss- to check “the lay of the land”, the Ishido. following reported moves by ing the idea of “talks about talks” Post said. Goto’s killing was announced Philippines, Vietnam mull alliance Washington and Pyongyang to but had been unable to agree on The Singapore meeting in a video posted on Saturday by revive a long-stalled six-nation practical arrangements. resulted in the suggestion that IS militants and came a week MANILA: The Philippines and Minister Pham Binh Minh. “It is denuclearisation forum. “We want to test if they have Sung Kim, the US special envoy after his friend and fellow captive Vietnam, two of the most vocal important because we share com- Hwang Joon-Kook, South an interest in resuming nego- for North Korea policy, meet a Haruna Yukawa was beheaded. critics of China’s attempts to mon concerns in this region espe- Korea’s chief delegate to the six- tiations,” it quoted a senior US North Korean counterpart. The 47-year-old freelance claim almost all of the South cially when it comes to the South party talks, will meet his Chinese administration official as saying. But the US was unwilling to journalist, who established his China Sea, have held talks on China Sea issue,” he told report- counterpart Wu Dawei in Beijing “I think we’ve made it very send its envoy to Pyongyang, a own video production company forging a strategic partnership, ers. He described the issue as “one today, Seoul’s foreign ministry said. clear that we would like to see decision criticised by the North in 1996, had supplied documen- an official said yesterday. of the moving forces,” behind the The two, picking up where they them take some steps first”. Those on Sunday. taries on the Middle East and Without naming China directly, planned partnership. left off last October, will discuss would include suspending work at It accused Washington of try- other regions to Japanese tel- Philippines foreign department The Philippines and Vietnam ways to prevent further North North Korea’s nuclear facilities ing to create the wrong impres- evision networks. spokesman Charles Jose said the have been the most outspoken Korean nuclear tests and the and pledging not to conduct any sion that Pyongyang was the main Much of his work had focused talks focused on issues of mutual countries in the region in criti- possibility of “reactivating denu- further atomic tests, he said. obstacle to dialogue. on the plight of children in war concern and singled out the South cising China’s efforts to claim clearisation talks”, said ministry North Korea carried out nuclear The aim of the six-party talks zones. The hostage drama erupted China Sea issue, a territorial dis- virtually all of the South China spokesman Noh Kwang-Il. tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013. Last is to persuade the North to scrap after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pute involving several countries Sea, which contains major sea The Beijing meeting raises the month former American officials its nuclear weapons in return for pledged $200m in aid for refu- in the region. lanes and fishing grounds and possibility of a new round of diplo- including Stephen Bosworth and aid and other incentives such as gees fleeing IS-controlled areas He said the talks were held is believed to hold vast mineral macy to revive the six-party talks Joseph DeTrani, both of whom security guarantees and diplo- in Syria and Iraq during a tour of last week and involved Philippine resources. Brunei, Malaysia and last held in December 2008, and have a long history of dealing with matic normalisation. the Middle East last month. Foreign Secretary Albert del Taiwan also have conflicting grouping the two Koreas, host North Korea, met in Singapore AFP AFP Rosario and Vietnamese Foreign claims to the waters. AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 PAKISTAN / AFGHANISTAN www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 13

Grenades hurled Afghan envoy at a school in sees new era Karachi in relations KARACHI: Militants yester- day hurled hand grenades at a with Pakistan school in Pakistan’s largest city but no loss of life or property ISLAMABAD/KABUL: occurred, officials said. Afghanistan’s Ambassador in At least six militants on motor- Islamabad Janan Mosazai said bikes targeted a school in the that a new chapter in the rela- Gulshan-e-Iqbal area of Karachi tionship between Pakistan and and escaped. Afghanistan is likely to begin A police official said that no within the coming months. casualty occurred as none of the “The national unity government students or staff was present at in Afghanistan has worked to the time of the early morning boost cooperation with Pakistan attack. against terrorism, extremism Security personnel were and organised crimes and for the deployed in the area and started promotion of peace and stability a manhunt but so far no arrest in both countries,” Mosazai said. has been made. The Afghan government has Pakistani Taliban militants taken steps to implement all attacked an army school in decisions taken during President Peshawar on December 16 killing Ashraf Ghani’s visit to Pakistan 150 people, mostly children. as both countries are determined Since then, schools are seen as that such decisions must not soft targets for terrorists look- remain on paper only. ing to create panic by attacking “The implementation of deci- children. Pakistani rangers secure a school at Gulshan-e-Iqbal district of Karachi after unknown culprits threw a hand grenade yesterday. RIGHT: Schoolchildren sions related to security, economic AGENCIES are picked up by their parents after the incident. or political issues will increase the environment of trust between the two countries,” Mosazai said. “This will promote people-to-people con- tact and practically benefit people in both countries.” He expressed satisfaction at the growing bilat- eral cooperation between the two neighbours for peace and security. Pakistan hangs two for murder The government in Afghanistan has a very clear stance to work for peace together to ensure tranquil- 22 people have been executed since the government lifted moratorium ity in both countries,” he said. Asked about the outcome of the KARACHI: Pakistan hanged hardline Sunni Muslim groups commitment made by President two sectarian militants yester- such as LeJ against minority Ghani and Prime Minister Nawaz day for the murder of a Shia Shias, who make up around 20 Sharif not to allow their respec- doctor in Karachi, officials said, percent of the population. tive countries to be used against the latest executions since the The latest sectarian outrage each other, Mosazai reiterated government ended a morato- was on Friday, when a suicide that Kabul would not permit any rium on the death penalty. bomber killed 61 people at a Shia group and individual to use its soil Attaullah, alias Qasim, and mosque in the southern Pakistani against any country. Mohammad Azam were convicted district of Shikarpur. INTERNEWS of killing doctor Ali Raza in 2001 It was the deadliest attack at the busy Soldier Bazaar area targeting Shias in Pakistan since of Pakistan’s largest city, which February 2013, when 89 were Roadside bomb is racked by rising sectarian killed in a market bombing in the violence. southwestern city of Quetta. kills four soldiers A total of 22 people have now Anti-Shia attacks have been been executed since the govern- increasing in recent years in PESHAWAR: Four Pakistani ment brought back hangings in Karachi, Quetta, the northwest- troops were killed when their terror cases amid public outrage ern area of Parachinar and the vehicle struck a roadside bomb over a Taliban massacre at a far northeastern town of Gilgit. in a restive northwestern tribal school that left 150 people dead. Around 1,000 Shias have been area yesterday, officials said. “They were hanged at 6:30 this killed in the past two years The bomb exploded in the vil- morning and their bodies have in Pakistan, with many of the lage of Warmagai in Kurram, one been handed to their relatives,” attacks claimed by LeJ. of the seven autonomous tribal a prison official said on condi- The country has stepped up its districts bordering Afghanistan tion of anonymity. The convicts fight against militants since the where militants rose up against were both members of the banned Taliban school massacre in the the Pakistani state in 2004. Sunni militant outfit Lashkar-e- northwestern city of Peshawar in “At least four soldiers were Jhangvi (LeJ), he added. December. martyred when a bomb planted Unknown attackers detonated Heavily armed gunmen went Pakistani residents throw rose petals at ambulances as they transport the bodies of convicted militants from the on a roadside hit a security forces a low-powered bomb near two from room to room at the army- banned Sunni militant outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi from the central jail after they were executed in Karachi yesterday. convoy,” a senior security official schools in Karachi yesterday and run school gunning down 150 peo- said. Another official confirmed left a note at the scene warning ple, most of them children, in an Both the murderers were International and Human Rights prosecute ordinary crimes. the attack and casualties, and of more violence if the hanging of attack that horrified the world. arrested in 2004 and tried in an Watch have called on Pakistan There are also concerns that said that immediately after the militants did not stop. The roads outside Karachi Anti-Terrorism Court, which to re-impose its moratorium on death row convicts from cases bombing security forces launched Pakistan has suffered a rising Central Prison were closed to handed down the death sentence. the death penalty. Rights cam- not related to terrorism could be a search operation in which two tide of sectarian violence in recent traffic overnight as a security The United Nations, the paigners say Pakistan overuses executed. militants were killed and three years, most of it perpetrated by measure before the hangings. European Union, Amnesty its anti-terror laws and courts to AFP others wounded. AFP Suicide attack Imran Khan’s new spouse Reham set to turn producer

KARACHI: Reham Khan the thriller film Siyaah (2013) to (pictured), wife of the PTI his credit. chief Imran Khan, is set to Verifying the news, Azfar said don the producer’s hat as she that he is yet to sign the film is gearing up to join hands but has committed to taking up with two local production the project. The films are cur- houses IRK films and Tiger rently in pre-production stage Entertainment. and are expected to begin film- The former BBC journalist, ing soon. who caught the public eye due On the question of whether to her high-profile marriage Reham’s experience in broad- to cricketer-turned-politician cast journalism will help her in Imran Khan, will reportedly the filmmaking process, Babar make her production debut with put forth her comments: “As a Pashto film about Pashtun poet a journalist, I have witnessed Members of the Afghan security services inspect the site of a suicide attack targeting a police officer’s vehicle Khushal Khan Khattak. firsthand the miseries people in Lashkar Gah, provincial capital of Helmand province, yesterday. The Taliban claimed responsibility for two Although there is no official face but also their wonder- verification of the news from ful spirit. I am inspired by attacks in southern Afghanistan that killed six securitymen. Reham, recent posts on the Pakistanis and want to show Reham Khan Twitter account we can portray the real image of the world who we really are - a (@RehamKhan1) suggest it our society to the world.” loving, generous nation.” holds true. “Our aim is to remove all the She was reported to have Killer of governor appeals “Reviving Pashto culture and misconceptions about Pashtuns added, “I have travelled to some history. For example, one of the in society through a light, com- of the most exquisite yet undis- films is about Khushal Khan edy Pashto film,” Reham said, covered locations in Pakistan, ISLAMABAD: A former the politician’s calls to reform protesters wearing shirts with Khattak,” read Reham’s tweet. according to Babar. which I want to showcase in my Pakistan police bodyguard strict blasphemy laws which can the logo of religious movement She also shared on the micro- According to him, Reham also films. Pakistan needs to be shown appealed yesterday against his carry the death penalty. Around Pakistan Sunni Tehreek shouted blogging website that three writ- stated, “the Urdu film is an all- in its true light. We have been death sentence for murdering a 300 of Qadri’s supporters chanted “The lock of the prison will break, ers are currently working on the out comedy based on a serious misrepresented for too long. It’s provincial governor who sought slogans calling for his release as Qadri will be released!” and “Be film. problem that our society is faced time to bring our smiles back.” reform of blasphemy laws, as a two-judge bench at Islamabad ashamed, release Qadri!” Apart from producing a with.” Reham reportedly proclaimed hundreds rallied outside the High Court began hearing the Malik Muhammad Safeer, Pashto film, Reham will also Although the production team that with her personal experi- court to show support. appeal. Qadri’s brother, urged his release. helm an Urdu comedy film. didn’t divulge any important ence paired with a team of Mumtaz Qadri was sentenced At his trial, Qadri was show- “My brother has done noth- Babar Sheikh, managing part- details of the film, Babar men- young and talented people, who for killing Punjab governor ered with rose petals by some ing wrong. He is happy and sat- ner of Tiger Entertainment and tioned that while the Pashto produced the award-winning Salman Taseer outside an upmar- lawyers. His current appeal team isfied in the prison and always spokesperson of the film projects, film’s director is yet to be film Siyaah, she looks towards ket coffee shop in Islamabad in features two judges, including the prays to God. Salman Taseer was quoted Reham as saying, “Film is finalised, the Urdu film will be a “refreshing start for our film 2011. Qadri has admitted shoot- former chief justice of Lahore killed because he committed blas- the only medium through which directed by Azfar Jafri, who has industry.” INTERNEWS ing Taseer, saying he objected to High Court. Outside the court, phemy,” he said. AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 14 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com INDIA Congress woos AAP seeks probe into political funding Delhi slum Kejriwal accused of receiving dubious funding; leader writes to CJI seeking court-monitored probe dwellers with

NEW DELHI: Facing alle- its movement was for cleansing funding some months back, the statement saying that the BJP, 2 and mischief-makers used shelter offer gations of funding by dubious politics. central government had given an the central government and the names of Prime Minister companies, AAP chief Arvind He said that five days before affidavit in the Delhi High Court “mysteriously set up fronts by Narendra Modi, US President NEW DELHI: After promising Kejriwal yesterday wrote to the Delhi elections, BJP levelled that the AAP funding was not them are running a malicious, Barack Obama, Mahatma Gandhi cheap power and water in the Chief Justice of India H L Dattu allegations that his party’s politi- illegal. false and defamatory mud sling- and other famous people to try first part of its poll manifesto, and urged him to set up a spe- cal funding had come through He said that since allegations ing campaign”. to create some doubts about the the Congress yesterday sought cial investigation team to probe wrong sources. were being levelled again, they “The campaign has been AAP’s funding. to woo the poor by promising funding of his party, the BJP The former chief minister said demanded an SIT probe into the launched to divert attention from It said the AAP website at right to shelter to each slum and the Congress for the Delhi it was a serious issue and the funding of the three parties. the imminent defeat of the BJP. present does not validate user dweller in the national capital. elections. AAP’s entire funding was trans- “I have full faith that you will The BJP is also scared to debate names and the users can provide Releasing the second part of its In his letter to Justice Dattu, parent and accounts digitalised. join this big effort for cleansing the issues concerning the people any names that they desire. manifesto, Delhi Congress chief Kejriwal said the party whose “Hence we make a humble politics and write without delay a of Delhi,” the AAP said. However, it said real names Arvinder Singh Lovely said the funding is found to be “wrong” request to constitute an SIT at letter of consent to the Supreme Terming the BJP’s allegations were submitted to the Election capital would become free of beg- should be de-recognised and the earliest to probe funding for Court for such a probe,” said the concerning its political funding Commission and other authori- gars if the Congress was voted to action taken against its office the Delhi elections of the three letter sent to Shah and Gandhi. “false”, the AAP said the BJP has ties after reconciling them from power in the February 7 assembly bearers. main parties — BJP, Congress and The AAP Volunteer Action deployed an army of senior union time to time. polls. The Aam Aadmi Party chief AAP,” he said. March (AVAM) on Monday ministers to discredit it. “We are working with our pay- The party also talked about also wrote to Bharatiya Janata “We hope that the request will brought to light a Rs20m illegal “A lot of canards have been ment gateway providers to make making the city disabled-friendly. Party president Amit Shah and be accepted in the interest of funding scam and alleged that the spread about the AAP’s funding available the real names of the Lovely said the Congress would Congress president Sonia Gandhi democracy and you will get action AAP received four donations of and particularly regarding four transaction makers so that we can bring a legislation under which and expressed hope that they initiated,” Kejriwal said. Rs5m each from “dubious com- cheques shown on the party web- improve our donation front-end.” elections to the Waqf board will give their consent for such a In separate letters to Shah and panies” in April 2014. site on April 5, 2014,” the party said. It also said fake/wrong names would be conducted on the lines probe in the interest of transpar- Gandhi, Kejriwal said that as per AAP leader Kumar Vishwas “The AAP challenges the BJP’s constitute a small number of of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara ency and cleansing of politics. his party’s information, a large told the media here that political senior central ministers to order donors and the party will make Management Committee. Kejriwal said in the letter portion of their funding had come funding of his party, the Congress a probe into its funding,” it said. available the real names after The manifesto also talked of that his party has raised ques- from unknown sources. and the BJP of the last five years The party said it found many consultation with its payment doubled-decker flyovers, mono- tions about lack of transpar- He said that when questions should be probed. donations with deliberately fake gateway providers within a day. rail, signal-free roads and ency in political funding and were raised about his party’s The AAP also issued a names on its website since Feb IANS recruitment of Urdu and Punjabi language teachers — promises made by the Congress in the 2013 BJP document promises assembly polls also. It would be the constitutional right of the poor to live in the same place until they get a house world-class Delhi at the same place. Their houses will not be removed, Lovely said. NEW DELHI: The BJP yes- under the system of diarchy Lovely also said the Congress terday kept mum on the issue where the elected government would provide space for around of providing full statehood to is given wide powers, except law 40,0000 street vendors. Delhi, but promised to make the and order, which remains with In the first part of its blue- capital a “world class” city with the central government. print for the assembly election, “utmost transparency” and a However, the vision document the Congress had promised to leadership of “unimpeachable instead talks about “completely provide power at Rs1.50 per unit integrity” if it was voted to revamping” the existing infra- to domestic consumers up to 200 power. structure in Delhi through vari- units. Releasing a vision document ous steps like interconnecting the The party also promised con- ahead of the February 7 assem- Delhi Metro, the city bus service, cessional passes for students in bly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Metro feeder buses and provid- Metro trains, and cyber cafes Party (BJP) also pledged zero ing smart cards for all public Installation of CCTV cameras tolerance vis-a-vis corrup- transport. in state-run buses and WiFi- tion, fiscal prudence, “fullest Constructing inter-city and enabled public transport also fig- accountability” and “maximum inter-state world-class bus ure in the list of the Congress poll measurability”. depots and equipping all pub- promises. The document, which takes lic transport with GPS and The party said that if voted the place of an election mani- closed-circuit cameras were also to power, it would increase pen- festo, was framed by a team mentioned. sion to all eligible categories to led by party leader and union Stating that each issue in the Rs2,000 per month. minister Harsh Vardhan, who document was “equally impor- It also promised to hike the sal- was the BJP’s chief ministerial tant”, the BJP’s chief ministerial ary of Anganwadi workers by up candidate in the December 2013 candidate Kiran Bedi said it cov- to 50 percent and provide 24x7 election. ered 35 areas as well as over 270 diagnostic centres in the state- The BJP also vowed to address points concerning every resident Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and its chief ministerial candidate for Delhi Arvind Kejriwal addresses a campaign run hospitals. fundamental issues like power, of Delhi. rally in New Delhi yesterday. IANS water, healthcare and the trans- “It covers many areas and port system in the capital. includes cleaning the Yamuna “If we want to make Delhi a river, housing for the poor, For homeless, voter ID a passport to better life smart and a world class city, we power, development of villages, have to address the basic issues education, justice to victims of like electricity, water and trans- 1984 riots, protection of north- NEW DELHI: Neetu Shahi, Gurdwara in central Delhi for enrolling homeless people. was also conducted to enroll the port,” BJP’s Delhi unit chief eastern immigrants, law and a 35-year-old homeless woman many years now and, like many “Most of them live on foot- homeless. He said the homeless Satish Upadhyay told the media order and art and culture,” Bedi and mother of four small chil- others there, she depends on the paths and night shelters, and we voters were being encouraged to here. said. dren, feels lucky she has a voter gurdwara for her daily meals. follow all standard guidelines of cast their ballot. “We have promised one lakh Jha assured that all promises identity card which will allow “Voting or not... it does not the Election Commission before Vishal, a 70-year-old homeless houses for the middle class,” he made in the document would be her to cast her ballot in the make any difference for us. But enrolling them,” the CEO said. woman, who came to Delhi five said. “This election will decide fulfilled. upcoming Delhi election. I will still vote,” she said. He said 5,500 homeless vot- years ago from Chennai, stays on which path the capital will The party said the deliverables Shahi is among a growing The voter i-card is not a simple ers were registered with the poll pavements near Gole Dak Khana. choose.” would be achieved by “detailed number of homeless people — document for Shahi, which will panel for the 2013 assembly elec- “I came to Delhi long ago. But unlike in the 2013 mani- and thorough analyses of all avail- numbering nearly 10,000 — who allow her to vote. She feels it is tions, while the number of such I knew I would go back home festo, there was no mention able resources”, “expert advisory can cast their vote due to efforts a passport to improve her life. voters in Delhi for the Lok Sabha (Chennai) but somehow I stayed in the document for the long- councils on matters of strategic of the Election Commission. “The card will help me get my elections rose to 7,614. here. Now I feel this is the place I standing demand for statehood importance”, “regular field visits” Polling officials in Delhi said 9,369 children enrolled in government- The CEO described the belong to,” she said. She said she for Delhi. and “complete alignment with homeless people will be eligible to run schools,” she said. increase as a “positive sign” for has received her voter i-card and In the run-up to the Lok Sabha the government of India”, among exercise their franchise in the Shahi, like many other home- the electoral process. will use it to prove her identity elections last year, Prime Minister others. February 7 poll. less people IANS spoke to, hopes He said poll panel officials to policemen. “I will feel more at Narendra Modi too had promised On the lines of Prime Minister Though official data puts the voter i-card will also help checked about the presence of a home in Delhi now,” she said. to grant full statehood to Delhi Narendra Modi, the chief minis- the number of homeless in the them get permanent shelters homeless person thrice at a par- Officials said the homeless peo- after coming to power while BJP ter would give a monthly radio metropolis at around 65,000, it is from the government. ticular point to ascertain whether ple mostly stay at night-shelters, in-charge of Delhi, Prabhat Jha address — “Dil ki Baat” — to not easy to keep track as many of Delhi Chief Electoral Officer he or she continued to live there. on pavements, under flyovers and too had reiterated the same last apprise people of the progress of them keep changing their loca- (CEO) Chandra Bhushan Kumar A special drive, which started at bus terminals. Some of them month. various programmes. tion. Shahi has been living on a said that polling officials were on January 5 and ended ahead of were addicted to drugs. Delhi became a state in 1992 IANS footpath near the Bangla Sahib following all the guidelines in the announcement of poll dates, IANS BJP faces possible poll defeat

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Modi needs to win most of “adverse feedback” from the field Narendra Modi is facing his the state elections over the next about the BJP’s Delhi unit, RSS first state election defeat since four years to gain control of both mouthpiece Organiser said in its taking charge last year, opinion houses of parliament to deliver latest issue. polls show, a result that would on his promise of jobs and eco- The mouthpiece in an article dent his chances of consolidat- nomic growth. The upper house, credited to its Delhi bureau also ing power needed to speed up where his party is in a minority, admits there was resentment an economic recovery. is frustrating his efforts to pass against Bedi among the Delhi The ruling Bharatiya Janata laws related to tax and foreign BJP leaders. Party has ordered scores of its investment. “The top BJP leadership after top national and state leaders The BJP’s campaign has been receiving adverse feedback from to campaign for this weekend’s marked by infighting with party the field against the Delhi BJP, high-profile election to the Delhi workers frustrated that Kiran inducted Kiran Bedi and pro- assembly where a small anti- Bedi, the first woman officer in jected her as BJP’s chief minis- corruption party is threatening the Indian Police Service, was terial nominee,” the article said. to stop its momentum. appointed as the party’s chief “Despite having resentment But even the appointment of ministerial candidate — even among a section within the state Finance Minister Arun Jaitley though she wasn’t a party mem- unit after Bedi was named as CM to oversee the campaign while ber until three weeks ago. nominee, the campaigning has he is writing this month’s federal (been) taken to a top gear in the budget may not be enough. Adverse feedback: RSS BJP and the party leadership has “This is the first time that The Rashtriya Swayamsewak recalibrated its poll strategy,” it we may see Modi’s momentum Sangh (RSS), which is also the said. stopped and that will be a shock,” ideological parent of the BJP, said The article said the Aam said Satish Misra, a political ana- yesterday the party was strug- Aadmi Party (AAP) lost its popu- lyst at the Observer Research gling in Delhi and criticised Bedi, larity after Arvind Kejriwal quit Foundation. “Despite putting saying she was unpopular. as chief minister, but added that every last drop of energy into this Bedi was named the BJP’s the party has been able to rejuve- Supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party present a garland to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP’s chief ministerial campaign, it looks like the BJP is chief ministerial candidate in nate its cadre. candidate for Delhi Kiran Bedi during a campaign rally in New Delhi yesterday. heading for defeat.” Delhi after party leaders received AGENCIES WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 INDIA www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 15

Magh Mela Togadia banned Students thrash from entering Bangalore professor at BANGALORE: Police yester- day banned right-wing group Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Pravin Togadia from Bengal college entering the Karnataka capi- tal February 5-11, on grounds of apprehension that his provoca- tive and inflammatory speeches Political attack over Facebook post would cause breach of peace. “We have imposed prohibi- KOLKATA: A college professor coming under attack in all the tory orders banning Togadia’s in West Bengal was yesterday colleges. entry into the city to maintain thrashed inside the premises “No one can dare utter any peace and law and order,” Police more than once by students word against them. When there Commissioner M N Reddi said in allegedly owing allegiance to is no democratic space, a dictato- a statement here. the Trinamool Congress for a rial attitude emerges. Then this Togadia is scheduled to partici- Facebook post critical of the sort of incidents happen every pate in a VHP convention (Hindu party’s students’ wing. now and then.” Viraat Samavesha) in the city on Amit Roy, associate professor Describing the incident as the February 8. and head of the department of “voice of dictatorship”, he said: The order banning Togadia economics at Ghatal Rabindra “This can happen to anybody from entering the city and par- Satabarsiki Mahavidyalaya in any time. The underlying mes- ticipating in public meetings or West Midnapore district, later sage is one must put leukoplast functions for seven days was filed a police complaint. (bandage) on his mouth. You can’t issued under section 144(3) of the The crestfallen professor said speak out.” Criminal Procedure Code. he was first attacked outside the Kapotakshi Sur, Roy’s colleague “As Togadia is habitually and staff room and then assaulted and head of the Bengali depart- Hindu devotees gather on the banks of the river Ganga to take a ‘holy dip’ on the occasion of Maghi Purnima ideologically inclined to give inside the room by students for ment, said that Roy was beaten up during the annual traditional fair ‘Magh Mela’ in Allahabad yesterday. provocative and inflammatory alleging in his Facebook wall two in the presence of other teachers. speeches, such activities will have weeks back that the Trinamool Sur alleged that when the pro- grave consequences and are likely Chhatra Parishad had “cap- fessors went to the police station, to cause breach of peace, danger tured the students’ council the students forcibly removed to human life and disturb public undemocratically”. them. “The majority of the Mamata engineering polarisation tranquility and communal har- “I was sitting in the college staff assaulters were students. But I mony in the city,” Reddi observed. room, when the students’ council can’t say there were no outsiders.” Law-enforcing agencies in general secretary called me out. I She said the teachers have many states, including Karnataka found some boys standing outside, decided not to take classes until in West Bengal politics: BJP have registered 19 criminal cases who showed me a printout of my the attackers apologise uncondi- against Togadia for allegedly mak- Facebook post and asked me why tionally. “We demand that it be KOLKATA: The BJP yester- forced religious conversions of it “runs away” from the debate of ing inflammatory statements and I had posted my personal com- ensured that such things do not day accused West Bengal Chief over 100 tribals in the state, while passing the anti-conversion law. disrespecting the constitution in ments about the college elections,” happen again. We are all feeling Minister Mamata Banerjee and an FIR was registered against “There is big difference between the recent past. said Roy. insecure,” Sur said. her government of “engineering Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) what she says and does. There is Without allowing him to This was not the first incident polarisation politics” and avoid- chief Pravin Togadia and func- a contradiction in many of her respond, Roy said the students of a professor facing trouble in ing a debate on an anti-conver- tionary Jugal Kishore for hurting policies and intents. BJP can only Petrol, diesel started beating him up and tore Bengal for his online posts tar- sion law. religious sentiments. say that the chief minister doesn’t his sweater. But as other profes- geting the ruling party or any of BJP national secretary The Trinamool had alleged that practise what she preaches and prices slashed sors and college guards rushed in, its leaders. Siddharth Nath Singh charged the VHP conducted a “ghar wapsi” definitely the TMC government’s the attackers dispersed and Roy In April 2012, Jadavpur Banerjee with “engineering ceremony at Kharmadanga village in intent is suspect,” he said. NEW DELHI: With interna- returned to the staff room. University professor Ambikesh polarisation politics by playing the Rampurhat area of Birbhum district Singh said the BJP doesn’t sup- tional crude oil prices continu- But the respite was temporary Mahapatra and his neighbour dirty card of communalisation”. Wednesday during which over 100 port forced conversions. “BJP is ing to rule below $50 per barrel, as the students forced themselves were allegedly assaulted by “Therefore, please do not play Christians were “forcibly” converted. clear on forced conversions. It is the three state-run oil market- inside the staff room after 10 min- Trinmaool Congress activists that card,” Singh told media here, The VHP denied the charges against the practise and then it ing companies (OMCs) yester- utes, dragged him out of the chair and then arrested for circulating in the wake of an allegation by of conversion but claimed that becomes the responsibility of the day decided to reduce petrol and again beat him up. emails mocking Chief Minister Banerjee, also the Trinamool a Hindu religious ceremony was state government to prevent such and diesel prices. “I fell on the floor. The general Mamata Banerjee. Congress supremo, that the conducted that saw the partici- practices and arrest those involved Taking into account the effect secretary was there. I don’t know The West Bengal Human Bharatiya Janata Party was pation of more than 1,000 peo- instead of doing politics on it. of state levies, the petrol price in the rest of the students,” he said. Rights Commission later recom- fomenting communal tension in ple from the village, including “BJP also says that when TMC Delhi will be cut by Rs2.42 per Later, as police arrived at the mended Rs.50,000 compensation the state and using money to con- Muslims and Christians. is so concerned about secularism, litre, while diesel cost will come spot, Roy lodged a complaint. to each of the victims, but the vert people. Singh said the intentions of then why shouldn’t the anti-con- down by Rs2.25 per litre from Roy said the situation in the state government rejected it. Banerjee had attacked the BJP the Trinamool Congress-led state version law be passed,” he said. midnight yesterday. state was such that teachers were IANS in the wake of reports of alleged government are “suspect” since IANS AGENCIES

New radar offers planes NHRC asks for report on Delhi church attack NEW DELHI: The National “Home ministry, Delhi gov- ciborium (receptacle) and a mon- ensure prompt investigation,” the around the place,” the release said. protection Human Rights Commission ernment and the Delhi Police strance kept inside a tabernacle, release said. Earlier, NHRC mem- Fr Vincent informed the NHRC yesterday issued notice to the have been given ten days’ time to a cabinet made of wood and glass, ber Justice Cyriac Joseph accom- team that the adjacent room called union home ministry, Delhi gov- respond,” said a NHRC release. were taken away. panied by some officers visited the the Sacristy in which vestments against bird hits ernment and Delhi Police for a The NHRC intervened in the The release said the NHRC church on Monday and met Fr and clothing and valuable articles detailed report, including the matter after taking suo motu also received a telephonic infor- Vincent, the priest at the church. like Chalice were kept, was also NEW DELHI: A new Indian status of investigation, into the cognizance of media reports about mation from advocate Manoj V “Fr Vincent explained to the ransacked, the release said. radar — a global first — offers pro- ransacking-cum-theft in a Delhi the incident of breaking open the George alleging that the police NHRC team the nature and the “He alleged that the inten- tection against the menace of air- church. doors of the St Alphonsa’s Church were not taking necessary and extent of damage caused to the tion of the miscreants was not craft bird hits while another can The NHRC issued notice to and defiling of the place of worship appropriate action. church. He said that the miscre- to commit theft or burglary, as detect and track unmanned aerial the secretary of the home min- and the objects held sacred, the “The commission has observed ants entered the church by break- neither the money kept in three vehicles (UAVs), the company that istry, chief secretary of Delhi release said. The church’s admin- that the intention of the offenders ing open the front main door. offering boxes nor any valuable developed them said yesterday. government and the Delhi Police istration on Monday claimed it appears to be to insult a particu- The tabernacle on the main altar objects were taken away. The act The company is eyeing domestic Commissioner to submit their did not seem to be just an incident lar religion and ... promote dis- directly below the main crucifix was to desecrate the sanctity of and international markets. reports on the allegations of des- of theft as this was the fifth case harmony... the matter involves was opened and the Chalice and the church and to create a sense The two radars, among the four ecration of the St. Alphonsa’s within nine weeks when a church serious issues relating to violation the Monstrance were removed of insecurity in the minds of reli- indigenously developed, are to be Church in south Delhi’s Vasant in Delhi was targeted. of human rights and requires the from the tabernacle and the Holy gious minority,” the release said. unveiled at the Aero India 2015 Kunj in the early hours of Monday. A few sacred items, including a intervention of the commission to Communion Hosts were thrown IANS exposition at Bengaluru later this month, Sanjay Bhandari, founder chairman and managing direc- tor of OIS-Advanced Technology Rhino grazing (OIS-AT), told reporters here. The other two radars are a IT Act does not curb foliage penetration minefield and IED detection system, and a port- able ground surveillance radar system for military and homeland free speech, SC told security applications. “We have worked diligently NEW DELHI: The central and subject to Article 19(2) of the over the past few years to create government yesterday defended constitution,” he said. our own intellectual property to section 66A of the Information Article 19(1)(a) guarantees invest, design develop and manu- Technology Act, 2000 saying it freedom of speech and expres- facture these advanced technol- was to curb posting of mischie- sion while 19(2) says that free- ogy radars,” Bhandari said. vous and objectionable material dom guaranteed under the former “It is with great pride that we on social media and websites and would not affect the operation of are launching these four advanced in no way could be construed as any existing law, or prevent the radar systems for global markets, curbing the fundamental right state from making any law to in essence taking Indian intellec- to free speech and expression. impose reasonable restrictions in tual property and manufactured Describing the contention that the interests of the sovereignty product to advance our expanded section 66A curbed the freedom and integrity of India, security vision of taking Make in India to of speech and expression as “mis- of the state, friendly relations the world,” he added. conceived”, Additional Solicitor with foreign states, public order, Giving details, he said the 3D General Tushar Mehta told a decency or morality, or in relation bird detection system has an bench of Justice J Chelameswar to contempt of court, defamation impressive deterrence option, and Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman or incitement to an offence. using directed bio-acoustics that the said “provision neither The government’s argument (sound) and an eye-safe laser, intends nor can be interpreted came while opposing the challenge both of which are automatically to scuttle freedom of speech and to the validity of section 66A raised controlled by the radar system. expression of any citizen”. by Shreya Singhal who had moved The UAV detection system, “At the outset, it is clarified that the court following the arrest of Bhandari said, can, at the click of if any provision of the Information two girls — Shaheen Dhada and a mouse, be automatically tuned Technology Act, 2000 is found to Rinu Shrinivasan — for posting for latching onto the drones or A one-horned Indian Rhino grazing during the first day of the annual burning season in Pobitora Wildlife be in conflict with freedom guar- comments critical on Mumbai even high-speed fighter aircraft Sanctuary in Morigaon district of Assam yesterday. The burnt grassland areas provide sufficient food for anteed under article 19(1)(a) of bandh in the wake of the death of and helicopters. herbivores mainly depending on short grasses in open areas and near water bodies. the constitution of India, the same Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray. IANS will have to be read in context of IANS

Wednesday 4 February 2015 15 Rabial II 1436 Volume 19 Number 6331 Price: QR2

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Daimler meet tomorrow Qatar’s five-year Brent nears $59 as oil foreign investments close to QR500bn price rally continues DOHA: Qatar has invested an estimated QR477bn abroad over the past five years. The size of Qatar’s foreign investments amounted to about $36.5bn last year, up from Crude up nearly 20pc in four days; dollar tumbles $21.5bn in 2013. Qatar’s foreign investments touched nearly $45bn in 2012, compared with NEW YORK: Oil prices rose week, after a selloff that began in big weekly build in US crude $13bn in 2011 and $15bn in 2010. yesterday, headed for the big- June on fears of a global oversup- stockpiles. A country-wise breakdown of Qatar’s for- gest four-day advance since ply in crude. US commercial crude oil and eign investment destination shows the UK January 2009 as a tumbling dol- The break higher came after petrol stockpiles likely rose about and Paris attracted maximum share of invest- lar sent commodities rallying. news on Friday that the number 4 million barrels in the week ments from Qatar. London alone wooed nearly Despite signs that US crude of US oil drilling rigs, measured ended January 30, even as distil- $45bn, while investments in Paris stood at supplies had registered another by oil services firm Baker Hughes, late inventories fell, a prelimi- $30bn. heavy build last week, investors had fallen their most in a week nary survey showed on Monday. Among the most prominent global deals were growing more confident that in nearly 30 years. Yesterday, the The US Energy Information concluded by Qatar during the last five years oil prices have hit a bottom after dollar dropped more than 1 per- Administration will release the included the acquisition of Harrods in London a seven-month rout. cent against a basket of curren- inventory data today. for $2.3bn and 3 percent stake in Dutch Traders said oil bulls were cies, heading for its biggest daily Adding pressure to crude, a US British Shell for $11bn. Qatar bought shares encouraged by BP’s plan to cut drop since July 2013 and boosting refineries strike stretched into a of Siemens for $5bn and German Deutsche capital expenditure by 13 per- the value of commodities priced in third day after talks on a new Bank for $2.4bn. cent to $20bn in 2015, which came the currency. national contract broke down. The investment in Shard London was after reductions announced by The capital reduction plans of “It needs to get worse here $1.5bn and HSBC Bank Tower in Canary other major energy companies. BP and other energy firms fuelled in terms of productive capacity Wharf $1.3bn. Benchmark Brent crude oil the perception that the global oil actually going offline,” said John This is in addition to investing millions of was up $3.77 at $58.52 a barrel glut may end faster than thought. Kilduff, partner at New York dollars in strategic areas in China, Turkey, by 1902 GMT. US crude, or WTI, “You’ve got a number of themes energy hedge fund Again Capital. Indonesia, Spain, Hong Kong and Switzerland.. rose $4.30 to $53.87. working to push the market “Also, the capex cuts announced The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Since last Wednesday’s close, higher,” said Phil Flynn, analyst at by the respective oil firms are just ranked second in the world in terms of asset Brent and WTI have gained about Price Futures Group in Chicago. plans that can be reversed when growth in 2014. With a 50 percent growth $9 each, or roughly 19 percent. Still, some traders remained prices began a steady recovery, so Workers assemble Mercedes-Benz S-class models at their rate, Qatar has been ranked as one of the Until then, the market had tum- pessimistic that the selloff was the desired production cuts may plant in Sindelfingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. Daimler AG fastest growing Sovereign Fund in the world. bled with little pause week after over, citing signs of another not fully materialise.” REUTERS with its Mercedes-Benz car group, will hold their annual THE PENINSULA meet tomorrow. S&P to pay Qatar stocks head back to pre-oil crisis levels $1.5bn to BY SATISH KANADY move in either direction; however, all-time high at 14,350 point, QR5.5 dividend for 2014. Another GIH analysts noted that this is regaining above the overhead reaching 10,920 on oil slip. Oil industrial stock MPHC jumped the best time for medium-term DOHA: Qatari stocks jumped resistance line at around 12,300 prices rose strongly again since 1.99 percent. Real estate stocks and long-term investors to re- resolve crisis on improved oil prices and point would increase the chances Thursday, gaining roughly 19 per- advanced 1.93 percent, as banks enter the market. “Medium-term strong corporate numbers yes- of moving further up towards cent over four straight sessions. and financial services sector and long-term investors can re- terday. Industrial and real 12,800 point and 13,000 point. On Gulf International was yes- added 1.11 percent. UDC and enter the market at levels higher lawsuits estate shares lifted the bench- the counter side, the nearby sup- terday’s major driver. The Barwa soared 3.01 percent and than 12,3000 point”, they said. mark index above 12,300 levels port levels are located at 11,800 energy-related stock surged 5.76 3.38 percent, respectively. Market data suggests QIB out- NEW YORK: Credit rating during intraday trade before point and 11,600 point, which percent after it delivered a record Market cap increased by performed the blue chips on QE firm Standard & Poor’s will settling at 12,279 point. should prevent a fall back towards QR1.4bn full-year net profit. The QR8bn from the previous ses- on year-on-year basis last month, pay $1.5bn to resolve a collec- The current trend suggests the December’s low at 10,920 point”, improvement in net profit was sion. Total traded value jumped followed by Vodafone Qatar and tion of lawsuits over its rat- bourse is likely to rebound to the analysts at Global Investment driven by the ambitious growth to QR780m from QR468m. Total Masraf Al Rayan. Elsewhere, ings on mortgage securities pre-oil crisis levels, analysts said. House (GIH) noted yesterday. plans across all segments, espe- traded volume almost doubled to Dubai’s index jumped 2.5 per- that soured in the run-up to “The current technical picture Qatar Exchange (QE) bench- cially in the drilling segment. 16 million shares. cent. Abu Dhabi’s index added the 2008 financial crisis, con- of the market is neutral as it can mark index retreated from its The board of directors proposed a On their equity strategy, the 1.4 percent. THE PENINSULA cluding one of the US govern- ment’s most ambitious cases tied to the housing collapse. The settlement comes after more than two years of litiga- BP slashes investment as tion as S&P tried to beat back allegations that it issued overly rosy ratings in order to win more business. sliding oil prices hit profits S&P parent McGraw Hill Financial Inc said it will pay LONDON: BP yesterday $687.5m to the US Department joined a list of energy giants of Justice, and $687.5m to 19 planning to slash investment states and the District of this year as tumbling oil prices Columbia, which had filed sim- bite into group profits. ilar lawsuits over the ratings. Spending in 2015 was Late Monday, the firm expected to total about $20bn, reached a separate $125m down from a previous guidance settlement with public pen- of $24-26bn, BP said in a results sion fund California Public statement. And smaller British Employees’ Retirement rival BG Group revealed it System, which had sued S&P would cut investment by about in 2009, claiming its inaccurate $3bn this year. ratings caused the firm hun- “We have now entered a dreds of millions of dollars in new and challenging phase of losses. The United States sued low oil prices through the near S&P in 2013 after initial set- and medium term,” BP Chief tlement talks broke down, Executive Bob Dudley said in seeking $5bn and accusing the the earnings statement. A section of the BP Eastern Trough Area Project oil platform in the ratings agency of defrauding “Our focus must now be on North Sea, around 100 miles east of Aberdeen, Scotland. investors. S&P argued that its resetting BP: managing and ratings were protected under rebalancing our capital pro- the First Amendment right to gramme and cost base for the replacement cost loss of $969m higher after the oil titan posted free speech, and described the new reality of lower prices while for the final three months of last a dip in profits that nonetheless lawsuit as retaliation for the always maintaining safe, reliable year. was ahead of estimates,” said firm downgrading the credit and efficient operations.” BP’s annual net profit tum- David Madden, market analyst rating of the United States. BP said underlying replace- bled to $3.78bn from $23.45bn in at IG trading group. Under the settlement, S&P ment cost profit — a measure of 2013 but the figure was skewed Energy giants are slashing acknowledged it has not uncov- earnings watched by the market by a huge one-off gain the pre- spending and cutting jobs fol- ered evidence to support the — dropped almost 10 percent to vious year earned from the sale lowing a plunge in oil prices allegations of retaliation. S&P $12.1bn in 2014 compared with of its interest in joint venture since June. did not admit to any violations of a year earlier. TNK-BP to Russia’s Rosneft. BP last week said it was law, but it did sign a statement BP booked a $3.6bn net charge The group’s share price ral- freezing global salaries follow- of facts acknowledging that in the fourth quarter, which it lied despite the results, winning ing the sharp drop and recently its executives in 2005 delayed said reflected “the impact of the 2.54 percent to 448.80 pence on announced it was axing 300 jobs implementing new models near-term lower oil price envi- London’s FTSE 100 index, which in the North Sea. In December, that produced more negative ronment, revisions to reserves was up 1.18 percent at 6,862.85 it took a restructuring charge ratings. REUTERS and other factors”. points in late morning trade. totalling about $1bn in an over- As a result it reported a “Shares in BP have bounced haul of the business. AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 18 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS Fiat Chrysler sales up Ooredoo unit Pakistan set to Indosat’s EGM finalise Qatari approves new appointments

DOHA: “Ooredoo” yesterday LNG contract announced that its subsidiary, PT Indosat Tbk, has approved a number of changes to its First Terminal nears startup date Boards of Commissioners and Independent Directors, follow- ISLAMABAD: Pakistan will million tonnes of LNG, Zahid ing an Extraordinary General focus on importing Qatari liq- Muzaffar, an adviser to Pakistan’s Meeting held on January 28. uefied natural gas (LNG) for petroleum ministry, said by phone The changes come following its first terminal, which will be from Islamabad. He declined to the appointment of a number commissioned in the first week comment on a specific deal. of board members to ministe- of March. “It is all subject to what price rial and other senior positions in The government is finalising a we get,” Muzaffar said. “If we get Indonesia, and the appointment of contract with Qatar, the world’s a good price, we can increase the Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed biggest producer of the super- quantity.” bin Saud Al Thani as CEO at the chilled fuel, for 1 million to 2 mil- A floating storage and regasifi- Qatar Investment Authority. lion metric tonnes a year, Sheikh cation unit will arrive in the first Speaking about the changes, Imran ul Haque, chief execu- week of March, along with a com- Dr Nasser Marafih, Group CEO, tive officer of operator Elengy missioning cargo, which is likely Ooredoo, said: “We have been Terminal Pakistan Ltd, said. It to be supplied by Qatar, Haque A Chrysler Group assembly worker performs a quality control check on a 2014 Dodge Ram pick-up truck at privileged to work with a Board of cancelled expressions of interest said. Construction work at the the Warren Assembly Plant in Warren, Michigan. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ US arm said January car sales Directors that has in-depth under- from suppliers including BP Plc terminal has been completed, he rose 14 percent to 145,007 vehicles, topping analysts’ expectations. standing of Indonesia’s evolving and Gunvor Group Ltd for short- said. telecommunications sector, and term deals that would have com- Qatar Liquefied Gas Co and unmatched insight the digital plemented the Qatari volumes, he Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas needs of the Indonesian people. said by telephone from Karachi. Co, the nation’s state-owned LNG Understandably, some of these “They decided to concentrate producers, declined to comment Sony sells US-based online game unit Board Members have now moved on Qatari volumes initially, and on supplies to Pakistan when con- into positions of high responsibility then decide how to proceed,” tacted by Bloomberg by e-mail where they will continue to serve Haque said. and phone. NEW YORK: Sony Corp sold Columbus Nova, based in New said in the blog post. their communities — both in Qatar Pakistan is struggling to meet BP, Shell, Gunvor were among its Sony Online Entertainment York, already owns the maker of There aren’t any planned and in Indonesia. We accept their gas demand that is outpacing companies putting expressions of unit, maker of the multiplayer the Rock Band game. changes planned in executive resignations from the Board with domestic production and has interest to the Pakistani govern- game EverQuest, to Columbus The sale opens more opportu- leadership that she’s aware of, deep gratitude, and pay tribute to to turn to LNG imports and ment for short-term contracts to Nova LLC, a move that will give nities for Daybreak, which has so said Michele Cagle, senior direc- their service.” international gas pipelines, the supply the terminal, Haque said the publisher access to more far been limited to PC gamers and tor of global communications at As part of the changes, Sheikh International Energy Agency in November. video-game platforms. Sony’s PlayStation, to market its Daybreak. “We’re continuing on Abdullah bin Mohammed bin said in its medium-term natural Excelerate Energy LP, the Sony Online will be rebranded games more widely. EverQuest, a our current path of development Saud Al Thani has resigned gas outlook in June. The nation’s largest operator of floating stor- Daybreak Game Studio, freeing it so-called massively- multiplayer and operation,” said Cagle in a from the role of President floating terminal will have a age and regasification units, will to develop titles for mobile devices online game, competes with phone interview. “We’re hoping Commissioner of Indosat. In addi- capacity of 3 million tonnes a provide the vessel, Haque said in and non-Sony consoles such as Activision Blizzard Inc’s World to have more resources and other tion, Rachmad Gobel has resigned year, Haque said. a presentation at the CWC LNG Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox, accord- Of Warcraft. “We can now fully developments coming down the as the Commissioner, due to his The country plans to get long- conference in Paris in November. ing to a blog post on Monday. embrace the multiplatform world line as a result of this acquisition.” appointment as the Minister of term supply of 1 million to 1.5 BLOOMBERG Financial terms weren’t disclosed. we are living in,” the company BLOOMBERG Trade, Republic of Indonesia, and Rudiantara has resigned as the company’s Independent Commissioner, following his appointment as the Minister of Communication and Information, Aamal’s net profit up 17.2pc, 10pc cash dividend recommended Indonesia. The company also announced the resignation of Rionald Silaban as Commissioner, DOHA: Aamal Company QSC on investment properties which 270 basis point improvement in government spending to develop Aamal, said:“This very strong following his appointment as (Aamal), one of the GCC’s fast- were largely flat at QR251.7m, the net margin to 3 percent. The the medical sector in Qatar. set of results bears witness to Executive Director at the World est growing diversified com- net profit was up by 30 percent. improvement was due mainly to Net profit for the property the company’s ability to seize the Bank Group. panies, recorded a net profit Today’s results extend Aamal’s acceleration in an infrastructure division rose by 11.2 percent to opportunities that are presenting Moving ahead, the company of QR600.2m for the full year proud and long-established track project build in Qatar, translat- QR223.3m year-on-year with the themselves across the economic has announced a new Board of ended December 2014, reflect- record of profit growth and value ing into an increase in demand net margin increasing by 50 basis spectrum in Qatar, continuing Commissioners who will be in place ing 17.2 percent growth from creation underpinned by a clear for various products offered by points to 77.3 percent. its long established track record until the 2016 AGM, in accordance a year ago. The group revenue focus on efficient capital alloca- this division. Net profit for the managed of financial and operating per- with the Articles of Association of is up 0.8 percent to QR2.13bn tions and returns”. Net profit for the trading and services segment rose by over formance that is clearly focused the company. compared with 2013. “Given the outstanding per- distribution segment rose by 32.8 60 percent to QR8.3m over the on both returns and cost control, Dr Nasser Marafih will take on Aamal’s earnings per share formance of the company, the percent to QR114.9m along with course of the year, principally due aligned with a prudent approach the role of President Commissioner, increased by 13.9 percent to Board of Directors recommends an improvement of 100 basis to the 690 basis point increase in to risk.” while Ahmed Yousef Al Derbesti, QR0.96 from QR0.85 in 2013. a 10 percent cash dividend and points in the net margin to 15.8 the net margin to 12.9 percent. Tarek M El Sayed, Managing Khalid Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al 5 percent in bonus shares to percent. The major factor behind this Director of Aamal, said: ““We Chris Kanter, Astera Primanto Thani, Chairman of Aamal, com- be approved by the General The major contributors to this growth is a greater focus on cost are very pleased to witness such Bhakti, Beny Roelyawan, and mented: “We have managed to Assembly meeting which will take growth have been Aamal Medical control, along with the curtail- impressive results in 2014 and Cynthia Gordon all take on the role grow our total net profit by over place on March 16, 2015”, he said. and to a lesser degree, Ebn Sina ment of several low margin con- going into 2015, I am very positive of Commissioner. Richard Seney, 17 percent to exceed QR600m for The Group’s industrial Medical, due to increased demand tracts that is also behind the 25.6 that this current rate of growth Rinaldi Firmansyah, and Wijayanto the first time, with earnings per manufacturing division’s net from both the private and pub- percent drop in revenues. will be sustained across the com- Samirin, have been named share rising by almost 14 percent. profit grew by 128.3 percent to lic medical sectors, underpinned Sheikh Mohamed bin Faisal pany”. Independent Commissioners. Excluding the net fair value gains QR51.7m, driven principally by a by the significant increase in Al Thani, Vice-Chairman of THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA

Spain jobless Edgars plans cost cutting queue up in Jan Commercial Bank leads

MADRID: Spain’s jobless queue in the traditionally in over QR1bn club deal tough month of January shrank compared to a year earlier at its fastest rate in for Ashghal’s project 16 years, a data said. The latest figure fuels the government’s claims that the DOHA: Commercial Bank has Commercial Bank retaining the economy is recovering, ahead successfully concluded a financ- Security and Facility Agent. of regional and general elec- ing arrangement of QR1bn in Commercial Bank CEO Abdulla tions this year. The govern- extended financing facilities Saleh Al Raisi said: “Commercial ment says its tough budget to Joannou & Parakskevaides Bank is proud to finance large- measures are to thank for (Overseas) Ltd for the award scale infrastructure projects the recovery, although the of the construction project of in Qatar such as the West unemployment rate remains the West Corridor, for Public Expressway. These projects are extremely high at close to 24 Works Authority (Ashghal). essential for accelerating growth percent. Month on month, the The contract was awarded of the private sector ahead of the number of people registered to the joint venture Joannou & 2022 World Cup and addressing as unemployed crept up in Parakskevaides (Overseas) Ltd Qatar’s long-term infrastructure January as seasonal Christmas Shoppers walk past an Edgars store in Soweto, Johannesburg. South African retailer launched a cost-cutting (75 percent) and J&P Avax SA needs resulting from a rapidly hires ended, to a total 4.53 mil- plan that may include jobs cuts, the company said yesterday as the debt-burdened company tries to save (25 percent), valued at $458m rising population. As one of the lion, the data said. AFP money to pay down debt. (QR1.7bn) with an estimated date leading Qatari banks in whole- of completion in 2016. sale banking, Commercial Bank The awarded project is part is playing a key role in the realisa- of the East-West Corridor tion of the National Vision 2030 Expressway which is connecting by supporting Qatari and inter- Apple to open $2bn solar-powered Arizona centre the Industrial Area to the Hamad national construction companies International Airport. This with project finance”. project comprises a 10.5-km long Joannou & Paraskevaides SAN FRANCISCO: Apple as a command center for our global replacement for the glass cur- said the investment is a good deal section starting from west of the (Overseas) Ltd was established in unveiled plans to pump $2bn networks,” Apple said in an email. rently used on many Apple mobile for Arizona. future Inner Orbital and extends 1961 in Guernsey, Channel Islands over the coming decade into a “Like all Apple data centres, it will devices, and are already used in a “Apple is a company that we to the west of the proposed Barwa and has progressed to become one data centre “global command” be powered by 100 percent renew- limited way for particularly sensi- wanted to come to Arizona, pre- City Access. The main road con- of the region’s leading construc- facility in the southwest state of able energy, much of which will tive parts of devices. The synthetic viously with a third party,” state sists of 10-lanes section and four tion enterprise with activities in Arizona. come from a new local solar farm.” screens were also expected to be Governor Doug Ducey said during major interchanges. Europe, the Middle East, Asia The project represents one of The facility with some 120,000 used in the Apple Watch set to hit a press conference. Commercial Bank led the club and Africa. The company’s activi- the largest investments ever by square metres had been the the market in April. “Now, we have Apple itself deal along with one of the major ties cover the entire spectrum of the maker of the iPhone, iPod, iPad planned site of a plant to pro- The collaboration came apart investing in our state. This is a regional banks for facilitating construction business, including, and Macintosh computer. duce sapphire glass screens in a late last year after GTAT filed for one-of-a-kind company, they just finance in excess of QR1bn. The roads and infrastructure, airports “We’re proud to continue invest- collaboration with GT Advance bankruptcy and accused Apple of had a world record quarterly financing facility was shared and buildings, and project support ing in the US with a new data Technologies. Sapphire touch saddling the company with onerous earnings, and they are coming to equally between the two Joint services for the energy and indus- center in Arizona, which will serve screens are a very tough synthetic terms in the deal. State officials Arizona.” AFP Lead Mandate Arrangers with trial sector. THE PENINSULA WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 BUSINESS www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 19 Greece gets creative to ease debt burden Plans perpetual bonds, which have no set maturity

ATHENS: Greece’s new gov- hanging over it like a sword of “It’s a financial innovation, but ernment is proposing creative Damocles. Under the current sys- we’re not in entirely unchartered solutions as it treads a delicate tem, Greece is due to pay back territory,” said Ducrozet, noting path between its obligations €7bn to the ECB this summer. that securities of that kind were to international creditors and Under the scheme, the central issued to ease the losses of pri- campaign promises to end aus- bank in Frankfurt would neither vate banks when Greek debt was terity and reduce the country’s suffer losses on its Greek debt, restructured in 2012. Argentina, debt. nor have to declare Athens in another country that has been “If we need to use euphemisms default — avoiding dramatic mar- plagued by debt problems, has and tools of financial mechanisms ket turbulence that would erupt benefited from something similar. to get Greece out of its debt- if Greece were unable to honour “The proposals made by slavery, we will do it,” Finance matured bonds. “A perpetual Varoufakis form the basis of an Minister Yanis Varoufakis said bond, which is never paid back, entirely plausible negotiation,” yesterday. may be a little hard to accept. said Ducrozet — an opinion He insisted the new govern- I imagine something closer to a shared by many investors. ment, led by the anti-austerity compromise on a very long-term The Athens stock market Syriza party, “will not back down” maturity, say, lasting 50 years,” soared by more than 11 percent in its efforts to lighten Greece’s Frederik Ducrozet, an analyst at yesterday, and the rate of return $359bn debt burden, equivalent Credit Agricole, said. He called on 10-year Greek bonds, a barom- to 175 percent of gross domestic the proposal to delay Greek eter of confidence, fell. product. repayments for decades a “very The Greek newspaper According to an interview with good idea”. Varoufakis also sug- Kathimerini also reported the Financial Times published gested in the FT that rescue loans that Greece wants to issue an yesterday, Varoufakis proposes issued by the European Union be increased number of short-term to replace €25bn in Greek bonds exchanged for bonds “indexed government bonds to cover the owned by the European Central to nominal economic growth”. state’s immediate funding needs. Bank (ECB) with “perpetual Repayment of those would then Unable to access long-term A stock ticker shows stock options making major gains, inside the Athens stock exchange building yesterday. bonds”, which have no set matu- be linked to the performance of lending markets because of pro- rity or expiration date. the Greek economy. hibitive rates, Athens has been The advantage for Greece The European Financial issuing bonds that mature after is that it will continue paying Stability Facility (EFSF), the a few months. They are often Greek optimism pushes European interest on the bonds, but will no European bailout fund, holds bought by Greek banks. longer have a repayment deadline around €140bn of Greek debt. Greece has reached its annual limit of 15 billion euros in short- term bonds, also known as treas- shares towards seven-year peak Finance minister to visit ECB today ury bills or t-bills, but reportedly wants to increase that to €25bn. LONDON: European shares get some help, then they can rein- percent and Italy’s FTSE MIB FRANKFURT: Greek’s new finance minister will visit the Varoufakis will also be asking rose to near a seven-year high force their balance sheets and carry up 2.1 percent. The FTSEurofirst European Central Bank today, the same day its governing council for the profits made by eurozone yesterday, and Greek banking on trading,” Edmund Shing, global 300 rose 0.8 percent to 1,479.23 votes whether to keep open a key financial lifeline for the debt- central banks from holding Greek stocks soared, on hopes a standoff equity fund manager at BCS Asset points by 1435 GMT, not far from embattled country, an ECB spokesman said. debts — about €1.9bn — to be over the country’s debt would be Management, said. a seven-year high of 1,490.02 set Yanis Varoufakis “will be at the ECB tomorrow,” the spokesman said transferred to Greece by the end resolved after its new government Greek Finance Minister Yanis in late January, while Germany’s yesterday, but declined to provide any details regarding the timetable of February, Kathimerini reported. softened calls for a writedown. Varoufakis, in London on Monday DAX was up 0.8 pct after hitting or agenda of the visit or whether Varoufakis would meet ECB chief This money was due to be Athens proposed ending a stand- to reassure private investors that a new record high. “The market is Mario Draghi. The ECB’s policy-setting governing council is scheduled included in the next tranche of off with its creditors by swapping he was not seeking a showdown currently hoping that Greek nego- to meet today afternoon, the spokesman added. international loans, worth €7bn. the debt for growth-linked bonds. with Brussels over a new debt tiations of (its) bailout terms will Sources have said that the meeting will vote on whether to keep Athens says it does not want this, The reported proposals contrast agreement, said the new left-wing run quite smoothly. There are some open emergency liquidity assistance (ELA) to Greek banks. preferring to renegotiate the with the government’s strident government would spare privately signs that there might be a compro- Varoufakis already paid a visit to his British counterpart George entire bailout programme. vows last week to ditch the tough held bonds from losses, a source mise in the making and there will Osborne in London on Monday as he seeks to build support for a To access these funds, and to austerity conditions. said. However, German Chancellor not be any kind of default,” Gerhard renegotiation of his country’s bailout. In a flurry of diplomacy, Greece’s raise the limit on its short-term Athens’ benchmark index ATG Angela Merkel said Greece was still Schwarz, head of equity strategy at new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras phoned ECB chief Mario Draghi bonds, Greece must first seek jumped 10.9 percent, with the working out plans on tackling its Baader Bank in Munich, said. on Saturday and has booked meetings with Italian Prime Minister approval from the finance minis- country’s banking index surging debt and declined to comment on Commodity stocks also rallied, Matteo Renzi, French President Francois Hollande and European ters in the eurozone, the so-called more than 18.7 percent. National an apparent softening of Athens’ supported by a sharp rise in metals Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker this week. Varoufakis Eurogroup. Bank of Greece, Alpha Bank and stance on a debt writedown and and crude oil prices. The STOXX has also said he feels it is “essential” to meet his German counterpart, According to a diplomatic Eurobank rose by 14.0 to 20.8 per- proposals for a new debt swap. Europe 600 Oil and Gas index rose Wolfgang Schaeuble, as Germany has shouldered the bulk of Greece’s source, plans are being made for cent. “Greek banks have massive Shares in other southern 3.1 percent, while the European loans and is fiercely opposed to writing off any of that debt. AFP an extraordinary meeting of the potential to recover because if you European markets also outper- basic resources index gained 3.2 group in the coming days. AFP get a debt deal and Greek banks formed, with Spain’s IBEX up 2.4 percent. REUTERS

Sharp expects loss as Panasonic TV, smartphones slip profit dips TOKYO: Japanese con- comes as local media, including sumer electronics giant Sharp the leading Nikkei business daily, 42pc to reversed its fiscal year profit said Sharp’s top executives would forecast, warning that it would take pay cuts of as much as 55 instead lose about $256m, as percent over the losses — a com- a slump in its television and mon act of atonement in Japan’s $1.19bn smartphone screens businesses business world. dented growth. “We revised the previously TOKYO: Japanese electron- The maker of Aquos brand announced forecast as we antici- ics giant Panasonic said its electronics said it now expects pate worsening profits,” Sharp nine-month net profit plunged to book a 30bn yen shortfall in said in a statement on Tuesday. 42 percent to $1.19bn, but it the year to March, after earlier It also pointed to “greater-than- blamed the drop largely on predicting a profit of the same expected changes in (the) busi- one-off gains it booked a year amount, while sales would come ness environment, such as rapid earlier and said it was still on in at 2.9 trillion yen. fluctuations in exchange rates track to hit its full-year profit Osaka-based Sharp — which and a price decline in small- and forecast. lost 7.2bn yen in the nine months medium-size LCD business”. The Osaka-based company’s to December — had warned ear- Sharp — a key Apple supplier earnings for the April-September lier that its full-year earnings that is a leader in screens for period came to 140.4bn yen, while would miss previous forecasts smartphones and tablets — also revenue ticked up 1 percent to 5.7 owing to a “deterioration” in sales pointed to weakness in its energy trillion yen. at home and fierce competition in unit, where sales tumbled because The firm left unchanged its the liquid crystal display business. of slumping demand for solar Sharp President Kozo Takahashi in Tokyo yesterday. fiscal year to March profit fore- The disappointing reversal cells. AFP cast of 140bn yen, pointing to strength in its energy and auto units, while a sharp drop in the yen also provided strong support. “Sales of solar panels for homes continued to be stable in Japan, and demand (in the) auto- Swiss watchmakers clock record exports in 2014 motive-related business steadily increased in its global market,” ZURICH: Swiss watch exports crack down on corruption in that percent in December. start for the watch industry, after the firm said in a statement. “Yen swelled to a record high in 2014, country by banning extravagant “Following over a year of the Swiss central bank suddenly depreciation also contributed to customs data showed yesterday, gifts like prestigious watches to destocking, there have been no decided to allow the Swiss franc the overseas sales increase.” but the data doesn’t augur well public officials. The Federation of major signs of improvement in to float, sending it skyrocketing Japan’s consumer electron- for the future as they slowed in the Swiss Watch Industry (FHS) Swiss watch exports, in particu- nearly 30 percent against the euro ics giants, including Sony and December, in particular in the noted that despite reaching a new lar into Greater China,” Citigroup in a matter of minutes. Sharp, have struggled with years key Chinese market. record last year, 2014 closed on a analyst Thomas Chauvet said in a As exports account for most of massive losses and are under- Swiss watch exports last year negative note for watch exporters, note. The comparative weakness sales, this could hit Swiss watch- going painful restructurings to ticked in at a historic 22.2bn Swiss “In December their monthly in December is at least partially makers hard. They must now sell recover as falling prices in the francs ($23.9bn), the Customs value was 1.8bn francs, down linked to the Chinese calendar, far more many watches or raise television business weigh on their Administration said. The 1.9 per- 2.5 percent on the previous year since watch shops in the country prices in euros and dollars to cover bottom line. cent increase from 2013 matched despite one extra working day,” the were stocking up at the end of 2013 their costs at home. Panasonic is pulling the plug the growth rate that year. federation said. for the Chinese New Year, which Investors, who have shunned on its last remaining TV manu- After a sharp slowdown in 2009, Exports to Hong Kong, a key fell on January 31 last year, he said. many watchmakers since the cen- facturing factory in China and Swiss watch exports have hit new market for Swiss watchmakers, fell This year, the holiday will be tral bank move, were enthused by is reportedly to sell its plant in heights year after year, with the 10.3 percent as the city continued A Patek Philippe employee checks celebrated later, on February 19, Tuesday’s news, with timepiece Mexico owing to a sharp decline sector long seeming immune to to feel the impact of widespread an element of a movement at the so the demand was lower at the making giant Swatch seeing its in television prices — its TV busi- the economic and financial cri- pro-democracy demonstrations in Swiss watchmaker in Plan-Les- end of 2014. share price jump 1.50 percent. ness has lost money over the last ses rocking the globe thanks to the preceding months. Ouates near Geneva. The analyst meanwhile noted Shares in luxury group Richemont, six years. Chinese consumers’ appetite for “Hong Kong failed to get back with concern that the FHS had which counts which counts Cartier The company’s shares rose 0.74 luxury goods. But after three years on track after the month of autumn demonstrations,” FHS not yet provided any outlook for and Piaget among its brands, percent to close at 1,357.5 yen of double-digit growth, exports to November, indicating low levels said.And exports to the vital exports in 2015. soared 2.73 percent in midday in Tokyo yesterday, before the China took a hit amid efforts to of new stock in the wake of the Chinese market meanwhile fell 27.2 This year got off to a tough trading. AFP results were published. AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 20 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com BUSINESS India central bank holds interest rates steady Reserve Bank pushes banks for lower lending rates

MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank basis points on January 15, hurt- would depend on government of India (RBI) held interest ing the government’s drive to lift efforts to reduce India’s fiscal def- rates steady, while boosting business investment. icit and fix the supply constraints banks’ liquidity in a bid to per- Bank profits have been poor, that keep food and energy prices suade them to lower lending but RBI Governor Raghuram high in the country. rates after they failed to pass Rajan said that given the weak The rupee currency, bonds and on the benefits of the last official credit growth, banks would have share markets all eased slightly rate cut three weeks ago. to start lending again at some after the RBI announced it was The RBI kept its policy repo point. “To get that lending they leaving rates unchanged this time. rate unchanged at 7.75 percent, will have to be more competitive, Markets are pricing in more as expected by analysts, leaving which means they will have to cut interest rate cuts over the rest its next reduction probably until base rate. I am hopeful it is a mat- of the year given consumer prices after the government presents its ter of time before banks judge that rose 5 percent in December, well annual budget at the end of this they should pass it on,” Rajan told within the RBI target of 6 percent The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor, Raghuram Rajan, speaks during a news conference, after the bi-monthly month. “Given that there have a news conference. “Many have by January 2016. monetary policy review, in Mumbai, yesterday. been no substantial new develop- been relatively quick to cut their “We believe the RBI can come ments on the disinflationary proc- deposit rates, but not so quick to up with one more 25 basis points ess or on the fiscal outlook since cut their lending rates, I presume rate cut any time between mid- January 15, it is appropriate for some are hoping they can get the March and next policy date of Flexibility for banks on big projects the Reserve Bank to await them spread for a little more time to April 7,” said Shakti Satapathy, and maintain the current interest repair banks’ balance sheets.” a fixed income strategist for AK MUMBAI: The Reserve Bank of about lending to it after bad loans amount of new flexibility in trying stance,” the central bank said in While RBI officials suspect Capital in Mumbai. India (RBI) has allowed lenders surged as growth slowed. “If there to get these projects back on track,” a statement. banks are trying to protect profit The RBI described the domes- more flexibility to restructure is a new promoter brought in, then Rajan said. “But I don’t think the Instead, to prod banks to lend margins, commercial bankers tic economy as “subdued”, regard- large projects that stall when banks could get some more time to answer is to extend and extend more and lower their lending complain that liquidity conditions less of the government revision cash runs out, but stopped short complete the project... That could and extend — it is to call a spade rates, the RBI cut the statu- have been too tight for them to of gross domestic product data, of giving banks freer rein on put some projects that are stuck a spade.” The banking sector has tory liquidity ratio (SLR) — the lower lending rates. using a new formula which other problematic loans. back on the field,” Rajan said. roughly $97.23bn of stressed assets, minimum portion of net deposits Encouraged by falling world showed the economy grew 6.9 In the RBI’s monetary pol- But he stopped short of allow- 45 percent of which have already that banks must hold in govern- oil prices and inflation slowing, percent in 2013-14, instead of 4.7 icy statement review, Governor ing different treatment for restruc- turned sour, with the rest in the ment bonds, cash or gold — by 50 the RBI had surprised investors percent. The RBI added it was Raghuram Rajan said banks could tured loans, or those likely to turn restructured or the troubled cat- basis points to 21.5 percent from last months by kicking off a new too soon to incorporate the new extend timelines for large stalled bad, from bad loans after April egory. Rajan also said the central February 7. easing cycle, to boost credit in calculation of GDP, but using the projects by bringing in new ‘pro- 1. This means banks will have to bank was still in talks to hammer Only three of India’s 45 com- a economy struggling to gather old base it estimated growth at moters’, or owners. make additional provisions. Banks out a deal with market regulator mercial banks cut base lending momentum. 5.5 percent in the year ending in Banks in India have the largest had sought an extra year, given SEBI to beef up the equity banks rates in the wake of the RBI’s The RBI held out the prospect March, and forecast growth of 6.5 exposure to the infrastructure sec- the slow pace of economic recov- can hold if they swap bad debts for reduction in the repo rate by 25 of more rate cuts, but said that percent in 2015-16. REUTERS tor, and have become more cautious ery. “We have given an enormous shares. REUTERS

Samsung to expand Santander profits surge 40pc Australia cuts MADRID: The eurozone’s big- interest rate smart appliances range gest bank, Santander of Spain, said yesterday its profits surged by nearly 40 percent in 2014, to new record SEOUL: Samsung is to launch “I think we have to make prep- led by its activity in Britain and a range of smart refrigerators, arations for the IoT for future Brazil. air conditioners and wash- growth, as we previously grew Despite economic uncertainty low of 2.25pc ing machines as its seeks to in size by switching from... fea- in key regions and the sud- expand its business in Internet- ture phones to smartphones,” den death of its longtime chair- SYDNEY: Australia’s central connected homes, a top execu- Yoon said. man Emilio Botin in September, bank lowered its key interest tive said yesterday. Yoon unveiled the company’s Santander said its profits rose to rate by 25 basis points to a new The South Korean tech giant is first-ever Tizen smart TVs at a €5.8bn ($6.6bn). “For the first record low of 2.25 percent, say- seeking to plough more resources consumer electronics fair in Las time since the start of the glo- ing after a year-and-a-half on into the so-called Internet of Vegas last month. bal economic crisis, gross profit hold the cut was justified to spur Things (IoT) as the market for As part of its efforts to expand increased in the 10 main markets growth. smartphones — one of its core beyond the increasingly satu- where the group operates,” it said The Reserve Bank of Australia product categories — becomes rated smartphone market and in a statement. said the economy was expanding increasingly saturated. meet demand for online-con- In Britain, where Santander at a below-trend pace and infla- The new appliances will work nected homes, Samsung bought UK is one of the leading finance tion was low, while unemployment on Samsung’s Tizen operating SmartThings, a US home auto- groups, profit surged 30 percent had risen in the past year and was system, which the company has mation startup last year. over the year to €1.58bn, it said. Ana Botin, Chairman of Banco Santander, at the results presentation in expected to climb further. touted as a platform not just for Tizen — Samsung’s home- In key emerging market Brazil, Boadilla del Monte, outside Madrid, yesterday. The Australian dollar plunged phones but for a range of con- grown system — is a key part profits rose by eight percent to to 76.59 US cents, from around 78 nected home appliances that can of the firm’s campaign to carve €1.56bn. “The 2014 results are set boosted its results by cutting new growth strategy. cents before the announcement. communicate with one another. out a niche in mobile software against a context of uneven slow- costs and having to make fewer One of her first moves was to However, the S&P/ASX 200 stock “We are preparing launches of and services, to complement its downs in Latin American econo- provisions against the bad loans issue €7.5bn in new shares to bol- index surged in afternoon trade to Tizen-powered TVs, refrigera- hardware role. mies, doubts about the eurozone’s that ravaged the Spanish banking ster the bank’s capital base. close up 1.46 percent. tors, air conditioners and other By developing Tizen, Samsung recovery... and favourable growth sector during the crisis. Emilio Botin was one of the “At today’s meeting, taking into premium-priced home appli- has also tried to lower its reliance expectations in the UK and the Santander’s shares rose by 3.25 most powerful men in Spain, account the flow of recent infor- ances this year,” BK Yoon, head of on Google’s Android platform US,” it said. percent during morning trading where critics branded him a sym- mation and updated forecasts, the Samsung’s consumer electronics that powers the vast majority of In the United States, prof- on the Madrid stock exchange bol of the excesses in the bank- board judged that, on balance, a unit, told reporters. Samsung’s mobile devices. its were stable at €800m. But after the announcement. The ing system that sparked a ruinous further reduction in the cash rate The firm — the world’s top But the use of Tizen so far in Spain, where the economy is market was up by 1.86 percent property crash. was appropriate,” RBA Governor mobile phone maker — plans has been limited to a handful of growing again after several years overall. Unlike several of his Spanish Glenn Stevens said. “This action to eventually make all its new Samsung gadgets including a low- of recession, profits surged by 141 Emilio Botin’s daughter Ana competitors, his own bank sur- is expected to add some further products Internet-connected by end smartphone and wearables. percent to €1.2bn. took over as chairman after his vived the crash thanks to its glo- support to demand, so as to fos- 2020, he added. AFP The bank said its had also death at age 79 and launched a bal reach. AFP ter sustainable growth and infla- tion outcomes consistent with the target.” Treasurer Joe Hockey welcomed the cut and said the central bank had room to move further, particu- Energy boss overtakes IT Jack Ma defends larly as the fall in global oil prices had delivered lower costs at the petrol pump, dampening inflation. “This is good news for Australia,” mogul as China’s richest Alibaba amid fakes row Hockey said of the RBA’s first rate cut since August 2013. “It is going BEIJING: A Chinese solar Li’s Hanergy Group was estab- HONG KONG: Alibaba founder to “overcome arrogance.” to help the Australian economy. It energy tycoon has replaced lished in 1994 and spans the Jack Ma has defended his compa- The SAIC, charged with main- is going to help to create more jobs e-commerce giant Alibaba’s hydropower, wind power and solar ny’s reputation after authorities taining market order in China, because business is going to be able founder Jack Ma as the coun- energy industries, according to accused it of allowing “illegal” took aim at Taobao — which is to pay less for their debt as con- try’s richest man with a for- the company’s website. actions on its multi-billion-dollar estimated to hold more than 90 sumers should pay less for their tune of $26bn, a wealth survey A report by the London-based online shopping platform, saying percent of the domestic market — debt and as people with a mortgage showed yesterday. Financial Times last month said he does not want it to be seen as as well as Tmall.com, a business- should pay less for their debt.” Li Hejun, founder and chair- the group — the world’s largest a hub for fake products. to-consumer platform. Analysts had suggested that a man of Beijing-based Hanergy, solar firm by market value — The Chinese billionaire spoke Ma said that the company is rate cut could see record house saw his wealth nearly triple made its soaring fortune largely out after a powerful Beijing listening to regulators and push- prices climb further as mortgages from a year ago, according to the through unconventional sales regulator delivered an unusual ing for change, adding that the became more affordable, but the Hurun Report’s Global Rich List between its listed subsidiary, dressing down of the promi- e-commerce giant has sent 400 RBA said it was “working with 2015. He is now the wealthiest Hanergy Thin Film Power Group nent company, publishing a sur- people to jail for selling fake prod- other regulators to assess and con- person in China and his global (HTF), and itself. vey saying only about a third of ucts. “Doing business anywhere tain economic risks that may arise ranking went up 108 notches to Shares in the $18bn Hong products sampled from Alibaba’s with any regulatory (bodies) you from the housing market”. number 28, the list showed. Kong-listed HTF have risen more consumer-to-consumer market- will have a problem, you have to Pressure had been building on Ma claimed the title in main- than threefold since the start of place Taobao were genuine. talk, communicate, listen, change the central bank to cut interest land China last year after Alibaba 2014, it added. “We don’t want (to be) mis- and push. This is what we are rates as growth in the economy completed the world’s biggest Bill Gates, co-founder of US understood by the world that we doing,” Ma said. remained sluggish and as plunging IPO with its $25bn listing on the technology giant Microsoft, are not transparent. We don’t The comments come after Ma prices for key commodities such as New York Stock Exchange in remained the world’s richest per- want (to be) misunderstood by met on Friday with SAIC director iron ore weighed on revenues. September. He dropped to third son on the Hurun global list with the world that Taobao is a plat- Zhang Mao, which could signal a Softening GDP growth figures place in the country with a for- a net worth of $85bn. form for selling fake products,” de-escalation of the dispute. in December showed the economy tune of $24.5bn, it said. He was followed by Mexican tel- Ma said in Hong Kong. The State Alibaba is often described as expanded by just 0.3 percent in the Ma was overtaken by Li and ecoms tycoon Carlos Slim ($83bn) Administration for Industry & the Chinese version of eBay, but third quarter to take the annual property baron Wang Jianlin, and American investment guru Commerce (SAIC) last week it surpassed the US company in growth rate to a below-trend 2.7 owner of the sprawling Wanda Warren Buffett ($76bn), the lux- The founder and executive chairman accused Alibaba of allowing “ille- China more than a decade ago, percent, while unemployment is Group whose net worth was esti- ury magazine publisher said. of Alibaba Group, Jack Ma, speaks gal operations” to flourish on its essentially forcing it to retreat in at a near a decade-long high of 6.1 mated at $25bn, the report said. AFP during a forum in Hong Kong. websites, and told its executives the Chinese market. AFP percent. AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 MARKET www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 21

QE Indices Summary QE Index 12,279.37 1.33 % WORLD STOCK INDICES GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE QE Total Return Index 18,430.94 1.33 % QE Al Rayan Islamic Index 4,234.32 2.01 % RATE QE All Share Index 3,164.72 1.32 % INDEX Day’s Close Pt Chg % Chg Year High Year Low QE All Share Banks & Financial 3,235.53 1.11 % GOLD Buying Selling Services All Ordinaries 5666.207 79.676 1.43 5600 5248.5 QE All Share Industrials 3,967.41 1.76 % QR149.2158 US$ ...... QR 3.6305 QR 3.6500 QE All Share Transportation 2,397.68 0.77 % Cac 40 Index/D 4681.11 53.44 1.15 4679.26 4076.16 QE All Share Real Estate 2,329.65 1.93 % SILVER UK ...... QR 5.4644 QR 5.5413 QE All Share Insurance 3,862.72 0.41 % Dj Indu Average 17361.04 196.09 1.14 18103.4 15340.69 QR 2.0363 Euro ...... QR 4.1214 QR 4.1790 QE All Share Telecoms 1,377.24 1.06 % CA$ ...... QR 2.8692 QR 2.9257 QE All Share Consumer Goods & 7,290.42 1.69 % Hang Seng Inde/D 24554.78 70.04 0.29 24995.08 23312.5 Services Swiss Fr ...... QR 4.9135 QR 4.9706 QE Market Summary Comparison Iseq Overall/D 5603.07 80.53 1.46 5639.89 5072.7 Yen ...... QR 0.0308 QR 0.0314 Aus$ ...... QR 2.7746 QR 2.8292 Today Previous day Karachi 100 In/D 34826.51 150.2 0.43 34733.27 32134.82 CRUDE OIL 03-02-2015 02-02-2015 Ind Re ...... QR 0.0585 QR 0.0596 Index 12,279.37 12,117.70 Nikkei 225 Index 17335.85 -222.19 -1.27 17850.59 16592.57 Pak Re ...... QR 0.0357 QR 0.0364 Change 161.67 55.60 BRENT Peso ...... QR 0.0819 QR 0.0836 S&P 500 Index/D 0 0 0 2093.55 1737.92 % 1.33 0.46 $ 56.34 SL Re ...... QR 0.0272 QR 0.0278 YTD% 0.05 1.37 Straits Times/D 3408.02 -15.33 -0.45 3432.62 3267.89 Taka ...... QR 0.0464 QR 0.0474 Volume 16,304,613 8,446,270 DUBAI Nep Re ...... QR 0.0366 QR 0.0373 Value (QAR) 780,167,794.65 468,017,544.46 Straits Times/D 3290.99 -1.82 -0.06 3387.84 2953.01 SA Rand ...... QR 0.3151 QR 0.3213 Trades 8,115 5,793 $ 53.69 Up 37 | Down 05 | Unchanged 00 Straits Times/D 3274.06 -8.82 -0.27 3291.83 2953.01

QATAR EXCHANGE | DAILY TRADING REPORT | 03-02-2015

INTERNATIONAL MARKETS A List of Shares from the world

COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume COMPANY CLOSE NET VOLUME Volume NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED NAME CHG TRADED A B G Infra-T/D 168 8 7880 Chola Invest-B/D 566.75 24.5 43246 Godfrey Phil-B/D 591 -0.35 2180 Kalpat Power-B/D 237 -0.4 17663 Orient.Carb.-T/D 578.6 -16.8 30340 Bt Group/D 418.2 5.1 3609808 A C C-A/D 1510.6 -15.5 126010 Chowgule St-T/D 27.75 -1 31678 Goodricke-B/D 147.55 -0.25 3142 Kalyani Stel-T/D 157.95 4.05 290269 Orient.Carb.-T/D 578.6 -16.8 30340 Centrica/D 297.1 3.8 6509639 Aarti Drugs-B/D 1219.15 -112.2 24316 Cimmco-B/D 75.9 3.15 42088 Goodyear I -B/D 610 -2.9 7108 Kanoria Chem-B/D 37.9 0.45 11172 Patspin India-/D 7.94 0.1 5250 Gkn/D 376.9 5.4 2274591 Aban Offs-A/D 498 15.35 507299 Cipla-A/D 678.05 -17.55 178356 Hcl Infosys-B/D 49 -1.3 220574 Kg Denim-B/D 25.6 -0.3 155868 Punjab Chem.-B/D 113.1 4.9 4697 Hsbc Holdings/D 616.1 3.7 6573012 Aegis Logis-B/D 445.4 19.4 21016 City Union Bk-/D 92.85 -0.5 32331 Him.Fut.Comm-T/D 16.9 -0.1 922809 Kilburnengg-T/D 46.5 -0.85 8881 Radico Khait-B/D 96.15 0.2 87031 Kingfisher/D 333.1 -2 2669004 Ahmed.Forg-B/D 317.6 -5.45 57350 Cmc Ltd-A/D 1918 23.1 16456 Himat Seide-B/D 88.15 2.2 43880 Kopran-B/D 53.8 -0.15 56306 Rallis India-A/D 225.8 2.1 89992 Land Secs Grou/D 1294.9 0 696298 Alembic-B/D 43.85 -0.05 146677 Colgate-A/D 1846.5 7.15 6860 Hind Motors-T/D 7.6 -0.06 57782 Lakshmi Elec-B/D 436.5 -7.9 2703 Rallis India-A/D 225.8 2.1 89992 Legal & Genera/D 270.5 3.1 3258212 Alkyl Amines-B/D 313 -2.8 7183 Container Cor-/D 1394.05 -4.6 4666 Hind Org Chem-/D 20.5 -0.35 27220 Lakshmi Mach-A/D 3898 -80.4 4205 Reliance Indus/D 479.2 0 96180 Lloyds Bnk Grp/D 74.3716 0.72 44344008 Alok Indus-A/D 9.96 -0.11 830452 Dai-Tichi Kar-/D 180.5 -2.6 14865 Hind Unilever-/D 910.95 2.7 113981 Lgb Broth-B/D 572 -3.35 7132 Ruchi Soya-B/D 34.45 -0.4 49740 Marks & Sp./D 476.9 -1.1 1367055 Apollo Tyre-A/D 238.25 -5.7 377132 Dcm Financia-B/D 1.06 -0.07 10200 Hind.Petrol-A/D 599.6 -32.2 246254 Lloyd Metal-B/D 9.25 0.16 2910 S Bk Bikaner-B/D 655.35 -15.8 22842 Next/D 7090 -75 233338 Asahi I Glass-/D 145.25 5.7 75953 Dcm Shram Ind-/D 92.9 -20.1 53960 Hindalco-A/D 146.35 0.95 859954 Lok.Hous&Con-T/D 13.79 0.34 15045 Samtel-T/D 8.25 0.39 2502 Pearson/D 1356 -7 1043978 Ashok Leyland-/D 64.85 -1.25 4554292 Dhampur Sugar-/D 42.85 -0.55 7904 Hous Dev Fin-A/D 1232.4 -37.9 130094 Lumax Ind-B/D 418 -1.6 3439 Saur.Cem-B/D 43.6 0.6 76792 Rentokil Initi/D 122.4 1.7 483203 Ballarpur In-B/D 15.95 -0.2 122490 Dr. Reddy-A/D 3091.45 -47 24213 I F C I-A/D 39.3 -1.4 1836372 Lupin-A/D 1545.3 -10.35 135929 Tanfac Indust-/D 20.5 3.4 11998 Rolls Royce Pl/D 895.375 11 2746578 Banaras Bead-B/D 43.15 -0.2 2375 E I H-B/D 111.65 1.3 33016 Idbi-A/D 69.5 -2.45 525261 Lyka Labs-T/D 38.3 1.8 143789 Tanfac Indust-/D 20.5 3.4 11998 Rsa Insrance G/D 453 1.3 1550556 Bata India-A/D 1366 -23.65 10169 E.I.D Parry-A/D 183.25 -4.05 15089 Ifb Agro-B/D 310.95 44.45 45169 Mah.Seamless-B/D 208.35 0.2 2700 Thirumalai-B/D 84.3 -1.2 8967 Sainsbury(J)/D 270.2 2.9 3244959 Bayer Crop-A/D 3381.1 -84.1 11093 Eicher Motor-A/D 16320.1 -269.5 2870 Ifb Ind.Ltd.-B/D 463.95 -4.1 14017 Mangalam Cem-B/D 323 3.5 9658 Til Ltd.-T/D 547.2 28.65 11052 Schroders/D 2948 36 113103 Beml Ltd-A/D 935.25 11.05 182081 Electrosteel-B/D 17.6 -0.2 106591 India Cement-A/D 104.65 -4.2 276452 Mastek-B/D 381.85 -10.1 85808 Timexgroup-T/D 16.59 1.57 186576 Severn Trent/D 2109.42 4 251061 Bh Electronic-/D 3599.9 178.05 76741 Emco-B/D 39.2 -0.6 27762 India Glycol-B/D 100.1 -0.3 12541 Max India L-A/D 498.75 -0.45 191465 Tinplate-B/D 60.35 0 31548 Smith&Nephew/D 1185.6099 2 564499 Bhansali Eng-T/D 19.35 -0.1 10196 Escorts Fin-B/D 5.75 0.25 4929 Indian Hotel-A/D 121.55 -0.2 42366 Mrpl-A/D 54.75 -2.05 61073 Ucal Fuel-B/D 147 -1.75 34698 Smiths Group/D 1165 24 517293 Bharat Bijle-B/D 627.85 3.05 4028 Escorts-A/D 126.15 -1.6 123978 Indo-Tcount-T/D 441.15 17.65 38395 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 24.85 1.05 10891 Ucal Fuel-B/D 147 -1.75 34698 Standrd Chart /D 909.9 28.9 6042534 Bharatgears-B/D 81.2 5.25 59526 Essar Oil-T/D 112.45 0.55 63513 Indusind-A/D 856.8 -19.15 149037 Nagreeka Ex-B/D 24.85 1.05 10891 Ultramarine-B/D 70.3 1.2 6452 Tate & Lyle/D 665.5 -8.5 2133315 Bhartiya Int-B/D 411.05 -3.55 8627 Eveready Indu-/D 206.45 2.2 109866 J.B.Chemical-B/D 189.4 -4.95 17458 Nahar Spg.-B/D 92.3 -0.35 18737 Unitech P -A/D 18.75 -0.55 9119551 Tesco/D 232.5 4.15 14056593 Bhel-A/D 297 3.35 405218 F D C-B/D 166 -0.2 22889 Jagson Phar-B/D 33.45 -0.1 11823 Nation Alum -A/D 46.75 0.85 197037 Unilever/D 2906.5 -9 1022309 Bom.Burmah-B/D 436.25 -16.2 109905 Federal Bank-A/D 143.2 -1.65 259425 Jamnaauto-B/D 169 1.25 2892 Navneet Edu-B/D 107.1 -0.1 9154 LONDON United Util Gr/D 997.5 -3.5 772084 Bombay Dyeing-/D 83.1 -2.1 694360 Ferro Alloys-B/D 5.95 -0.03 4523 Jbf Indu-B/D 257.6 -1.85 108302 Nepc India-T/D 3.2 0.15 70727 Vodafone Group/D 235.9 2.05 15736808 Canfin Homes-B/D 619.55 -6.75 10570 Finolex-A/D 290.05 -1.95 6457 Jct Elect P -B/D 0.64 0 12800 Neuland Lab-B/D 395.55 25.8 49134 3I Group/D 474.2 9.1 596555 Whitbread/D 4982 -1 284623 Caprihans-B/D 85.2 -0.4 5578 Forbes-B/D 2340.25 80.3 12512 Jct Ltd-B/D 3.8 0.63 534699 Nrb Bearings-B/D 134.3 0.3 5718 Assoc.Br.Foods/D 3081 -33 288066 Cast.Bo/D 474.95 2.75 44075 Gail-A/D 433.8 3.95 556949 Jenson&Nich.-B/D 5.17 -0.21 16512 O N G C-A/D 359.25 9.25 507863 Barclays/D 245.05 9.2 30043387 Century Enka-B/D 172.05 1.05 4772 Galada Power-T/D 24.85 1.15 3408 Jktyre&Ind-B/D 118.3 -2 261010 Ocl India-B/D 520.1 -10.8 5587 Bg Group/D 927 -7.2 9597400 Century Text-A/D 557 -20.35 125023 Gammon India-T/D 22.75 -0.65 92134 Kabra Extr-B/D 92.1 5.4 14156 Oil Country-B/D 35.05 0.7 17273 Bp/D 446.225 8.5 32641503 Chambal Fert-B/D 61 0.1 42976 Garden P -B/D 29.15 -0.1 4342 Kajaria Cer-A/D 729.4 0.35 13849 Orchid Chem-B/D 65.85 3.4 434150 Brit Am Tobacc/D 3764 -3 1031008 WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 22 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Pelicans snap Atlanta’s Boyle lifts Rangers over Panthers 6-3

NEW YORK: Dan Boyle Bolland sent a hard pass from scored a deflected goal 8:10 into the goal line out front to Pirri, win streak at 19 games the third period, Rick Nash and who dropped to a knee and fired Mats Zuccarello added insur- in his seventh — and fourth in five ance late, and the New York games — with 4:30 remaining. Irving, James power Cavs to 11th consecutive victory Rangers beat the pesky Florida New York seemed to be in con- Panthers 6-3 on Monday night. trol after getting even on Nash’s Boyle flipped a shot from the first-period goal and then grab- NEW ORLEANS: Dominated left point that hit the stick of vet- bing a two-goal edge when Hayes from the start, the Atlanta eran Florida defenseman Willie and Staal scored 6:37 apart. Hawks saw their team-record Mitchell and bounded past sur- Hayes gave the Rangers their 19-game win streak — level with prised goalie Roberto Luongo. first lead at 2:51 of the second on the fifth-best in NBA history — Zuccarello made it 5-3 with 4:02 the power play when Zuccarello snapped on Monday with a 115- left. sent a pass from the left circle to 100 loss at New Orleans. Carl Hagelin was stopped by Hayes for a one-timer from the Anthony Davis, fourth among Luongo on a penalty shot with slot that produced his seventh NBA scorers, netted 29 points 3:19 remaining to keep it a two- goal. This one came as his older and grabbed 13 rebounds to ignite goal game, but Nash scored into brother Jimmy — a Panthers for- the Pelicans to their fifth win in an empty net at 18:07. ward — watched from the Florida six games. The Panthers held a 1-0 lead bench. The Hawks, who had not in the first and dug out of a 3-1 Staal, who played against his lost since falling to Milwaukee hole in the second, but fell to 1-6-1 brothers Eric and Jordan in New on December 26, were foiled in in their past eight and are eight York’s 4-1 win over Carolina on reaching 20 wins in a row as their points out of the final spot in the Saturday, waited with the puck streak was snapped exactly two Eastern Conference playoff race. above the right circle and snapped years after the Miami Heat began Nash scored twice to move a wrist shot past Luongo at 9:28 a run of 27 in a row. back into a tie for the NHL lead for his third. “It was a lot of fun,” Davis said. with 31 goals, and Kevin Hayes Yet the Rangers’ inability to “We knew they were going to and Marc Staal also scored for consistently get the puck out of come out and be aggressive. We the Rangers, who won their their end proved costly. It was the just tried to counter that. second straight behind Henrik same issue that helped Florida “I just tried to come out be Lundqvist’s 33 saves. control the first half of the first aggressive and play hard. I went Aleksander Barkov, Dave period. out with everything I had and all Bolland and Brandon Pirri had Nash got the Rangers’ offense my energy and left it all out there. Panthers goals. Brad Boyes added jump-started by scoring in the I feel wonderful.” two assists, and Luongo made 32 first period for the second straight Atlanta fell to 40-9, stumbling saves. game. This one gave him his first just behind Golden State for the After Hayes and Staal gave the 30-goal season with New York and best record in the NBA. The Rangers a 3-1 lead in the second, eighth in 12 NHL seasons. Hawks had not owned the NBA’s the momentum shifted back to Nash took the puck away and best record so late in a season New Orleans Pelicans’ forward Anthony Davis reacts after scoring a basket against the Atlanta Hawks during the Panthers. Lundqvist briefly blew past 18-year-old defenseman since moving to Atlanta from St. the third quarter of their game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Monday night. stemmed the tide when he denied Aaron Ekblad. He came in alone Louis in 1968. Jonathan Huberdeau, who came on Luongo and shifted from back- The Pelicans jumped ahead for the Pelicans, who also had that. We have to hustle each and Chicago (30-19). in alone, but he couldn’t hold off hand to forehand for a sweeping 32-22 after the first quarter and 20 points from Eric Gordon every night. If we do that we can The Cavaliers are only two Florida for long. shot past the helpless goalie to tie kept the margin in double-digits and 15 points each from Tyreke give ourselves a chance to make wins shy of matching the longest Bolland cut the deficit to 3-2 it with 11:11 left in the first. most of the way to the finish. Evans and reserve forward Ryan the play-offs.” win streak in franchise history, with 7:09 left in the second after AGENCIES Atlanta made a run early in the Anderson. The Hawks went 17-0 in set during the 2009-2010 season he put the puck off the crossbar. third quarter but New Orleans Atlanta, which hit only 40-of- January, the first team in NBA before James departed Cleveland The rebound came right back to NHL Results responded and led 88-74 enter- 89 shots from the floor, was led history to win so many in a month to spent four seasons in Miami him, and he batted it in for his NY Rangers 6 Florida 3 ing the fourth quarter. by Jeff Teague’s 21 points. The without losing a game. Atlanta until his return last July. second goal. “We knew they won 19 games Hawks, outrebounded 52-32, also had won a club-record 12 in a row Cleveland can match a club- Then, during a power play, Calgary 5 Winnipeg 2 in a row for a reason,” Davis said. had 15 points from Paul Millsap over Western Conference foes. best 13-game win streak by “We didn’t want to give in. Coach and 12 from Kyle Korver. Atlanta kept a seven-game edge beating the visiting Los Angeles told us they were going to give us At 26-22, the Pelicans moved on second-place Toronto in the Clippers on Thursday and win- a punch and we took it and come within 1 1/2 games of Phoenix for overall Eastern Conference race ning Friday at Indiana. A poten- back from that and never looked the eighth and final play-off posi- after the Raptors saw their six- tial 14th win in a row could come back.” tion in the Western Conference. game win streak halted with a Sunday when the Los Angeles Turkish big man Omer Asik “We think we can win each 82-75 loss to Milwaukee. Lakers visit the Cavaliers. grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds game,” Davis said. “We believe Meanwhile in Cleveland, Kyrie The 76ers, averaging an NBA Irving scored 24 points while low 89.6 points a game coming LeBron James contributed 18 into the contest, suffered their points and 11 assists in sparking seventh consecutive road defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers to their and fell to 10-39, the worst record 11th NBA victory in a row, beat- in the Eastern Conference and ing Philadelphia 97-84 on Monday. second-worst in the NBA. The Cavaliers captured their Robert Covington and reserve seventh home triumph in the win Jerami Grant each scored 18 streak and avenged a 95-92 loss points to lead Philadelphia. at Philadelphia last month which AGENCIES came when James was sidelined to rest a sore back and aching knees. Kevin Love grabbed 15 rebounds NBA Results for Cleveland while Aussie guard Cleveland 97 Philadelphia 84 Irving matched a game high with Charlotte 92 Washington 88 five assists and pulled down five Brooklyn 102 LA Clippers 100 rebounds. Milwaukee 82 Toronto 75 Aussie reserve guard Matthew New Orleans 115 Atlanta 100 New York Rangers’ defenceman Dan Boyle (22) celebrates with team- Dellavedova and J.R. Smith each Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward LeBron James (left) goes for a layup as Oklahoma City 104 Orlando 97 mates after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the third Philadelphia 76ers center Nerlens Noel defends during an NBA game at added 12 points for the Cavaliers, period of an NHL game at Madison Square Garden in New York on Dallas 100 Minnesota 94 the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland on Monday. who improved to 30-20, hot on the Monday night. heels of Central division leader Memphis 102 Phoenix 101

Falcons to make Super Bowl sets US Seattle assistant Patriots’ super duo Brady TV viewership record new coach and Belichick far from done ATLANTA: Seattle Seahawks NEW YORK: New England’s people. Sunday’s game drew a 47.5 defensive coordinator Dan GLENDALE, USA: Fifteen It was an impressive end to a Seahawks’ quarterback Russell dramatic victory over Seattle rating and a 71 share, becoming Quinn has agreed to terms on years into their remarkable season in which Brady and the Wilson and intercepted the short in Super Bowl 49 on Sunday the highest-rated Super Bowl a five-year deal to coach the partnership, with their fourth Pats looked to be showing their pass in the waning seconds that was the most watched show in since 1986 when Chicago defeated NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, accord- Super Bowl crown secured in age, and accusations of cheating would have given Seattle the American television history, new England in Super Bowl 20. ing to reports on Monday. dramatic style, Patriots coach in the “Deflategate” controversy victory. seen by a record 114.4m US It ranks as the fourth-highest The NFL’s website, the Atlanta Bill Belichick and quarterback dredged up memories of the 2007 “It happened so quick,” said viewers, telecaster NBC said on rated telecast ever and ninth in Journal-Constitution and ESPN Tom Brady have no plans to “Spygate” illegal videotaping Brady, who jumped up and down Monday. US TV history, the only one in reported that Quinn, whose slow down. affair for which Belichick and the on the sideline like a kid when The Patriots’ 28-24 triumph the top six from the past 29 years Seahawks’ defensive unit allowed “I’m still in the midst of my Pats were punished. he realized what Butler had done. over the Seahawks in the National as audiences have enjoyed greater the fewest points and yards in the career,” the 37-year-old Brady With the NFL still probing “There was a lot of highs and Football League’s championship viewing options with the evolution league over the past two seasons, said on Monday, not ready to whether the Patriots purposely lows to the game and that was a spectacle lured 2.2m more viewers of cable and satellite telecasts. will be unveiled by the Falcons on talk about his place in National used under-inflated footballs to great high. It took a great effort, than the previous record holder, Rating is a measure of poten- Tuesday. The Falcons had to wait Football League history. “I just gain an edge in a play-off win over like I said. Malcolm made a huge the telecast of last year’s Super tial audience members tuned until the Seahawks completed love the game. I love playing. I Indianapolis, Brady said he’s not play to save our season. It took a Bowl when Seattle routed Denver. into a program at a given time, their playoff run before they could love representing our team.” concerned if the issue will shadow lot of guys, a lot of effort, and a lot “Last night’s Patriots-Seahawks while share is the percentage of make any agreement official. In a league whose salary cap his achievements. of individual efforts. Collectively Super Bowl ranks among the people watching television tuned Atlanta fired coach Mike Smith discourages dynasty building “I just haven’t had much as a team, we made plays to get most exciting sporting events in into a specific show at a certain after a 6-10 season, the Falcons’ and promotes parity, Brady and thought into that,” he said on the job done.” US history,” NBC Sports group time. second losing campaign in a row. Belichick have endured to become Monday. “We’ve just been focus- The fact that Butler — chairman Mark Lazarus said. Viewership peaked at 120.8m Quinn, 44, masterminded a arguably the most successful ing on our game and I’m sure that unclaimed in the NFL draft after “Super Bowl 49 delivered for viewers during the fourth quarter, Seahawks’ defensive squad that coach-quarterback pairing ever. stuff will take care of itself over toiling in the lower ranks of col- all of our partners, proving once when Super Bowl Most Valuable permitted only 14.4 points and With their 28-24 come-from- the next however long it takes. It lege ball — was even there was a again that the Super Bowl is the Player Tom Brady completed 273.6 total yards a game in the behind triumph over Seattle in was a great accomplishment by testament to Belichick’s uncanny most dominant and consistent 13-for-15 passes for 124 yards 2013 season, which ended with the the NFL’s title showpiece, the our team last night. It was a great ability to find championship mate- property on television.” and two touchdowns to rally New Seahawks routing Denver 43-8 in Patriots ended a 10-year title victory. We should all be proud.” rial in unexpected places. Seven of the eight most watched England to victory. last year’s Super Bowl. drought, easing the bitter memo- Although Brady snagged his That includes his most famous shows in US history are Super Katy Perry’s half-time show And that was Quinn’s first sea- ries of two Super Bowl losses to third Super Bowl Most Valuable longshot — sixth-round draft Bowl telecasts, with the past six was watched by 118.5m viewers. son as an NFL defensive coordina- the New York Giants in that span. Player award, it was an unknown pick Brady. “Sometimes things NFL title games filling the top six Viewership figures are deter- tor, a role he had for two seasons They also denied the Seahawks — cornerback Malcolm Butler — just work out,” Belichick said of spots ahead of the only scripted mined by calculating the average at the University of Florida before the second straight Super Bowl who made the play that saved the the inexact science of team build- program, the 1983 final episode number of people watching over joining the Seahawks as an assist- crown that would have estab- Patriots. ing. “It’s not always a great plan. of the TV series M.A.S.H., which the course of the entire game. ant and defensive line coach from lished a young Seattle team as It was Butler who recognized Sometimes it’s just the way things attracted a US audience of 106m AFP 2009-2010. REUTERS the NFL’s newest dynasty. the formation being used by fall.” AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 23 Relieved Aamer set to Kiwis thrash Pakistan play for Karachi team

KARACHI: Pakistan paceman can be used as an ambassador of Mohammad Aamer is set to morality in the future.” return to domestic cricket next The PCB said Aamer would month with a Grade-II team in be monitored on and off the field to seal one-day series Karachi, an official said yester- for the next few months before day, following the relaxation of a being cleared to play international fixing ban. cricket once his ban expires in Williamson, Taylor hit tons in 119-run victory in Napier The 22-year-old left-armer September this year. will play for Omar Associates Meanwhile, the reprieve given in the Patron’s Trophy Grade-II to Aamer in a spot-fixing scan- NAPIER: New Zealand flayed looming as a dark horse. “We’ve national tournament – one rung dal will encourage corrupt players Pakistan’s attack on the way to a got to be happy with where we’re below first-class – that begins to come clean and help maintain crushing 119-run win during the at,” he said. March 9. the game’s integrity, ICC Chief second One Day International in “We’ve played, I guess, a couple “We have signed Aamer to play Executive David Richardson said Napier yesterday. of perfect games. The challenge for our team in the Grade-II as we yesterday. The win means the Black Caps for us now is to maintain that think that everybody deserves a “There’s an incentive to players take the series 2-0 and maintain freshness and momentum we’ve second chance in life and career,” that if you have messed up there’s momentum ahead of this month’s built up.” Associates’ said chief Nadeem a way back,” said Richardson. World Cup, while Pakistan look in The 369 total was the Black Omar. “Don’t forget that Amir would disarray after two poor displays. Caps’ fifth highest in one-day The Anti-Corruption and have been out of international The New Zealanders ran riot history, surpassed only by scores Security Unit of the International cricket for five years. That’s more after winning the toss and elect- against second-tier nations Cricket Council (ICC) last week than half a career. ing to bat, ending their innings Zimbabwe and Canada. cleared Aamer to play domestic “Most players don’t even get at 369 for five, their highest ever Pakistan’s batsmen could only New cricket in Pakistan with immedi- to play five years at international score against Pakistan. manage 250 in reply before they Zealand’s ate effect. level,” said the former South Kane Williamson top-scored were bowled out in 43.1 overs, Kane The decision followed last year’s Africa stumper-batsman. with 112, Ross Taylor finished although they were chasing the Williamson ruling that allowed all banned The left-arm bowler was 102 not out with a boundary off game after a dismal bowling plays a players to return to first-class marked as a great prospect for the last ball and opener Martin effort. shot during cricket a few months before their Pakistan in his early days and Guptill also contributed 76. Only Wahab Riaz in 2013 has the second ban expires. at the age of 18 he became the In contrast, Pakistan medium conceded as many runs as Bhatti ODI The ICC banned Aamer youngest bowler to capture 50 pacer Bilawal Bhatti recorded the in 10 overs, but he at least took against along with Salman Butt and Test wickets during the contro- worst bowling figures in the coun- two wickets against South Africa. Mohammad Asif for five years versial test match at Lord’s in Pakistan try’s ODI history, leaking 93 runs Ehsan Adil fared little better over a spot-fixing case in England 2010. at McLean off his ten overs without taking against the New Zealanders, tak- in 2010. According to a revised anti-cor- a wicket. ing one wicket but going for 8.5 Park in The trio were convicted of tak- ruption code, a banned player can Bhatti was far from the only an over. Napier, ing money in return for bowling appeal to resume playing domes- underperformer and captain Mohammad Irfan was the sole yesterday. deliberate no-balls during the tic cricket before the end of the Misbah ul-Haq said his team bowler who appeared remotely Lord’s Test against England in ban. “But in his case, he admitted needed to make huge improve- threatening, finishing with two August that year. his involvement and since then ments for the World Cup. for 52. All three players along with he’s made every effort to disclose “We’re nowhere near our best. With Pakistan’s front-line their agent Mazhar Majeed were everything that he knows to help We need to improve a lot in vir- attack failing , captain Misbah jailed in Britain a year later. the ACSU with their education tually everything, we need to was forced to call on his part-time Omar said Aamer has fulfilled programmes.” improve our batting and bowling, bowlers. all obligations as per the ICC “Therefore, I think he served and especially the death bowling,” But Younis Khan, Haris Sohail rules. “We have signed Aamer as a good example to players said Misbah. and Ahmed Shehzad had no because he has fulfilled everything who might have got involved in His New Zealand counterpart answers, taking only one wicket which was required of him and the past, regret what they have Brendon McCullum was thrilled between them at the cost of 93 the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket done and there’s a way for them at his side’s form ahead of the runs. Board cleared him,” he said. to come back in due course,” the tournament, where they are McCullum set the tone for the “He is a very good talent and 55-year-old said. AGENCIES Scoreboard hosts with a typically aggres- four in the final two balls took sive cameo of 31 before Guptill him to 102. Pakistan’s openers NEW ZEALAND A Shehzad c Milne b N McCullum...... 55 and Williamson brought up New Mohammad Hafeez and Shehzad M Guptill c Bhatti b Shehzad ...... 76 Y Khan c Southee b N McCullum ...... 11 Zealand’s 100 off 18.2 overs. made an excellent start chasing B McCullum b Afridi ...... 31 M ul-Haq c Taylor b Southee ...... 45 They both cruised to half cen- down the mammoth total, notch- K Williamson c Sohail b Irfan ...... 112 S Afridi c Elliott b Vettori ...... 11 turies, with New Zealand on 152 ing half centuries at a little over R Taylor (not out) ...... 102 U Akmal b Milne ...... 4 at the half-way mark. a run a ball. G Elliott c Sohail b Adil ...... 28 H Sohail c B McCullum b Milne ...... 6 Williamson stepped on the gas Shehzad went for 52 dancing L Ronchi c Ahmed b Irfan ...... 0 S Ahmed b McCullum b Elliott ...... 13 after Guptill was dismissed for down the wicket to attack spinner N McCullum (not out) ...... 9 B Bhatti c Guptill b Southee ...... 9 76, moving from 63 to 100 in the Nathan McCullum but holing out Extras (W-5, LB-6) ...... 11 E Adil c Ronchi b Boult ...... 1 space of eight overs. to the man on the boundary. Total (for 5 wkts in 50 overs) ...... 369 M Irfan (not out) ...... 0 The 24-year old finally fell for Younis Khan could only manage Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-171, 3-250, 4-322, Extras (W-6, LB-2, NB-1) ...... 9 112 to Irfan but Ross Taylor then 11 as the run rate steadily crept 5-340. Total (all out in 43.1 overs) ...... 250 stepped in to club a 70-ball cen- higher, reaching almost 9.6 at the Bowling: Irfan 10-0-52-2; Bhatti 10-0-93-0; Fall of wickets: 1-111, 2-130, 3-173, 4-187, tury in his 150th one-day interna- half-way mark. Afridi 10-0-57-1; Adil 8-0-68-1; Sohail 6-0- 5-194, 6-206, 7-227, 8-248, 9-250, 10-250. tional, smashing Bhatti onto the Hafeez (86) and dangerman 47-0; Khan 2-0-17-0; Shehzad 4-0-29-1. Bowling: Southee 8-0-52-2; Boult 8.1-0-35- roof of the stands. Shahid Afridi (11) both went as PAKISTAN 1; Vettori 10-0-41-1; Milne 8-0-52-2; N.Mc- Taylor appeared in danger of they lashed out trying to lift the Muhammad Aamer leaves the Qatar Financial Centre’s Civil and M Hafeez c Milne b Elliott ...... 86 Cullum 5-0-33-2; Elliott 4-0-35-2. remaining stranded in the 90s pace and when ul-Haq departed Commercial Court building in Doha in this file picture of February 7, 2011. in the final over, but a six and a on 45 it was all over. AFP Minnows ‘prepared’ to World Cup: Emotions to run high cause Cup upsets

MUMBAI: International They will be the underdogs in Cricket Council (ICC) Chief most of the matches but a sur- for Indo-Pak battle in Adelaide Executive David Richardson prise or two can impact the group (pictured) predicted an open standings. NEW DELHI: Cricket is just World Cup on Tuesday, saying “If you are South Africa, they a game, but try telling that to the associate members are well will want to make sure they fin- the 22 players who will walk prepared to upset major teams ish top of the group because they out for the India vs Pakistan in the tournament. would want to avoid a difficult World Cup match in Adelaide Four second-tier nations -- quarter final. Any upset will have on February 15. Indian and Afghanistan, Ireland, United Arab profound effect on the tourna- The Pool B contest was sold out Pakistan Emirates and Scotland -- will join ment,” said the former Proteas in 20 minutes and no other team cricket fans the 10 full members for the 11th stumper-batsman. in world sport will be under as wave their edition of the tournament from The 14 teams have been divided much pressure as the two that national February 14-March 29. into two groups for the World Cup day with 1.3 billion unforgiving flags during While Ireland with four teams cricket-crazy fans following the an ICC stunned Pakistan from each pool contest ball by ball. Twenty20 and England at advancing to the Emotions run high every time Cricket the 2007 and 2011 knock-out stages. the South Asian neighbours, who World Cup World Cups respec- The 55-year-old have fought three wars since Super Eight tively, minnows Richardson is con- independence and share frosty match Afghanistan defeated fident the upcoming relations over the Kashmir region between Bangladesh in their tournament would they both claim, clash on a cricket the two first win over a test- eclipse all the ear- ground. Pakistan, champions in playing nation last lier editions and the 1992, have never beaten twice countries in year. new playing condi- winners India at a World Cup. Colombo, The ICC arranged tions would further Many of their fans would not in this a familiarisation lift the standard of mind their team crashing out September tour of Australia for the game. Two new from the World Cup early, pro- 2012 file them last year dur- balls and an extra viding they beat their neigh- photo. ing which they played matches fielder inside the circle during bours. The rivalry assuming the against local sides to gain much- the non-powerplay overs will be Orwellian concept of serious sport needed experience of the condi- used for the first time in a World - war minus shooting. tions Down Under. Cup which, Richardson hopes, will “For many, it’s bigger than The governing body also also encourage attacking cricket. World Cup,” former Pakistan appointed Dav Whatmore, who “The use of two new balls will speedster Shoaib Akhtar told coached Sri Lanka to their 1996 give the seam bowlers a chance a cricket conclave in Delhi on Indian team who beat Pakistan Cup’s match in Mohali, I could pressure does not come from the World Cup win, to help the four and the fielding restrictions Monday. “It completely locks in the 2011 semi-final at Mohali, not sleep the night before, think- team management. minnows prepare for the tour- changed the one-day game quite out 1.3 billion people. The ten- a contest that gave him sleepless ing what if we lose. “It comes from elsewhere. nament in Australia and New considerably,” said Richardson. sion is unbearable and the play- nights. “Fortunately we won the next Even family members and friends Zealand. “It’s much more attacking and ers’ effort level doubles. We could “The dressing room atmos- day and again I could not sleep, remind us it’s a match against “The associates and the way there are many more boundaries never beat India in World Cup phere is always tense,” said the this time because I was so over- Pakistan,” said the 26-year-old they are prepared for this tour- scored. The old days of trying to but, God willing, that would soon feisty off-spinner who could not joyed. “A defeat against Pakistan leg-spinner. nament, any other country will contain batsmen and bowl dot happen,” said the quick known as make the cut for this year’s World means media would roast us and “Fielding in the deep, you often be silly to take them lightly,” said balls is becoming very difficult the ‘Rawalpindi Express’. Cup. fans would pelt stones at our hear the crowd behind warning Richardson in a telephone inter- and the only way of containing A veteran of many such con- “Much before the dressing house,” said the 34-year-old. you ‘better win this match or it view. “If they do, there’s a real scoring is to attack and try and tests, Harbhajan Singh was room, you think about it in your His team-mate from the 2011 won’t be easy to get out of the chance of an upset being caused. get wickets. REUTERS part of the eventual champion hotel room. Before last World squad, Piyush Chawla, said the stadium’.” REUTERS WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 24 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT Qatar gears up for MERC opener Teams carry out reconnaissance of desert special stages for the weekend’s race

DOHA: Rally teams spent most of yesterday in the desert Rosberg has taking a close look at the spe- cial stages that they will tackle knives sharpened in this weekend’s QMMF Qatar International Rally, the opening for Hamilton round of the 2015 FIA Middle East Rally Championship. The Qatar Motor and LONDON: Nico Rosberg says Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) he has sharpened his knives has laid on 12 timed desert sec- for the new Formula One sea- tions to be staged on Friday son and is ready to take on and Saturday after the ceremo- champion Mercedes team-mate nial start on Doha Corniche on Lewis Hamilton and anyone else Thursday evening. who fancies their title chances. Competitors took a look at The German, runner-up last the tracks that will be used on year as Hamilton collected his Thursday first of all and will com- second crown, told the official plete their policed reconnaissance formula1.com website that he felt of Saturday’s route on Wednesday, stronger than ever and was sure before carrying out compulsory the new Mercedes was better. administration checks at the Asked whether he already had QMMF. his metaphorical knives “sharp- Qatari drivers have dominated ened” for the season, Rosberg said Ferrari Formula One racing driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland drives the traditional opening round of he had started doing that as soon his car during pre-season testing at the Jerez racetrack in southern Dakar Rally winner Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah raring to go in Qatar. the regional rally series and have as the last campaign ended in Abu Spain, yesterday. won the event every year since Dhabi. 2002. Nasser Saleh Al Attiyah “For now it is Lewis -- and has 11 home wins to his name event on nine occasions between high-speed special stages over whoever else wants to have a go and Abdulaziz Al Kuwari took a 1988 and 2002, but no other inter- rocky terrain, where punctures at the knife,” he added with a maiden victory in 2012. national driver has managed to are an inherent risk, and local laugh when asked about the main Raikkonen continues Dubai’s Mohammed Ben break the Qatari stranglehold on knowledge is vital. Sections of target. Sulayem was the last non-Qatari local success in the era of World some of the stages are used in The two Mercedes team mates, to climb on to the top of the and Regional Rally Cars local national rallies and Qatari who have known and raced podium. The UAE driver won the The Qatari deserts offer drivers have gained crucial expe- against each other from boyhood, Ferrari fast start rience over the years. had a tense relationship last sea- Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh son as they battled for the title. JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, couple of days in which Fernando Khalid Al Qassimi and Saudi Rosberg expected more of the Spain: Kimi Raikkonen fol- Alonso and Jenson Button man- Arabian driver Yazeed Al Rajhi same. lowed new Ferrari team-mate aged just six laps apiece, Alonso have the ability to match and beat “We have a relationship that Sebastian Vettel’s lead as he was able to log 32 laps, albeit at the Qataris, but have always fallen goes up and down -- and it will went fastest early on in day the slowest pace on the grid over just short of the top step of the continue to go up and down,” he three of pre-season testing in 11 seconds back on Raikkonen. podium in Doha. The pair were said. Jerez yesterday. “In terms of understanding our third and fourth overall in 2014 “It is an intense battle between The Finn was the last man to performance we’re still at zero, we and Al Qassimi finished as the us and that will not change any deliver a world title for the Italian don’t know where we are,” said runner-up in 2013 alongside co- time soon. giants back in 2007 and hopes will the 35-year-old Button. driver Scott Martin. “Last year’s experience helps,” be rising in Maranello ahead of “You come into the first test Al Qassimi has taken seven he added of this year’s challenge. the new season after the new thinking you will have issues and career regional rally victories to “It’s that ‘been there, done that’ SF15-T went fastest for the third try to solve them. That’s what Al-Rajhi’s four and a first tri- kind of thing. All the difficult consecutive day. testing is all about. umph in Qatar cannot be too far times have made me stronger. It Raikkonen was almost four “We are not going to be setting away. is the difficult moments where I seconds down on the fastest time the world alight with lap times or “I showed on the Dakar that learn the most.” set by Vettel on Monday, but his laps on the circuit. Hopefully we’ll I have the pace to match Nasser The German said Hamilton, best of 1min 24.074 in 44 laps still get to the first race and we’ll be and we have shown that on pre- who won 11 races last year to led the field. competitive, but we don’t know vious Middle East rallies,” said Rosberg’s five, had simply per- Double world champions where we stand right now.” Al-Rajhi. formed better in 2014. Mercedes continued to lead the Rookies Felipe Nasr and Carlos “This is a difficult rally to come “He drove better all in all. way in mileage as Nico Rosberg Sainz also got some valuable time and win. The stages are never Small bits here and there -- and racked up 93 laps to add to his in their respective Sauber and easy and the local drivers have I need to find small steps to beat world record 157 lap effort on day Toro Rosso cars. a lot of experience. It would be him. And I am going for it,” he one. =Nasr, who was second fastest fantastic to beat them and take said. However, it wasn’t all plain on Monday, had to settle for third the win.” Mercedes will start the sea- sailing for the German as his behind Raikkonen and Rosberg Leading competitors will son in Australia on March 15 as W08 had to be towed back to the on his 38 laps. attend the official pre-event press clear favourites again and the garage after stopping on the track Meanwhile, Sainz gave the conference at the QMMF on new car has looked strong in test- shortly before lunch. Spanish fans more to see than Abu Dhabi Racing’s Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi will be trying to win the Thursday before the ceremonial ing in southern Spain, although McLaren-Honda may have the home hero Alonso as he com- Qatar Rally for the first time. start gets the event underway at Hamilton was stopped by a water been the happiest team yesterday, pleted over 50 laps in going fourth 6pm. THE PENINSULA leak on Monday. REUTERS though, as after a difficult first fastest. AGENCIES

Olympic changes Ahmed, Esther top at Qatargas badminton won’t affect DOHA: Ahmed Yehya Abdelkader track and field, and Esther Choo Ching W won the men’s and women’s singles titles at the Qatargas Open Badminton says Bubka Championship which concluded here recently. BERLIN: Athletics will retain At the championship spon- its prominent position despite sored by Qatargas and organ- changes to the Olympic pro- ised by Qatar Badminton gramme that could see fewer Association (QBA), Ahmed events but more sports, IAAF defeated Mohamed Yehyaabdel presidential candidate Sergey Abouelseoud to win the men’s Bubka said yesterday. crown while Esther finished on The Ukrainian, who won a pole the top with victory over Diana vault gold medal in the Games, Alexander in the women’s section. six consecutive world champion- The following are the results: ships and set 35 world records, Men’s Singles: Winner: is taking on Britain’s Sebastian Ahmed Yehya Abdelkader; run- Coe in a race to become the head ner-up: Mohamed Yehyaabdel The podium winners at the Qatargas Open Badminton Championship organised by Qatar Badminton Association (QBA), pose for a picture with of the International Association Abouelseoud officials of QBA at the Qatar Table Tennis Association training centre in Ras Abo Aboud in Doha. BOTTOM: Players who train at QBA coaching of Athletics Federations. Fellow Women’s Singles: Esther programmes pose for a picture with officials. IAAF vice-president Coe, a dou- Choo Ching W; runner-up: Diana ble 1,500 metres Olympic cham- Alexander pion and chief organiser of the Mixed Doubles – B: Winner: Sunidhi Sudheer Shenoy; runner- U-11 Boys Doubles: Winner: London 2012 Games, announced James Noguera Cack + Lauro up: Ushta P Samal Siddhesh Gopal + Muhamad his candidacy late last year. The Poblete Pinos Jr; runner-up: U-15 Boys Singles: Winner: gayuh Wijaya; runner-up: Arjun election is set for August. Adrian Tabudlo + Jay Aguinaldo Steve John Thomas; runner-up: + Neelakantan Bubka said planned changes Veteran 45+ : Winner:K O Anirudh Santhosh Mixed Doubles: Winner: Arun to the Olympics, allowing more George + Pavan Kumar; runner- U-13 Girls Doubles: Winner: Vijayakumar+Suja Pramod; run- sports at the expense of some up: Mohan Peramana + Zakariya Amnh Yehya Abouelseoud + ner-up: Ahmed yehya Abdelkader events and disciplines of existing Master 35+ : Winner: Pavan Cheong Zhi Row; runner-up: Joan + Esther Choo Ching W competitions, would not affect Kumar + Pramod Kumar; runner- Mary Thomas + Kanchana B Women’s Doubles: athletics. “We are very proud to up: K O George + Manoj Sahibjan U-13 Boys Double: Winner: Winner:Esther Choo Ching be the number one sport of the U-17 GS: Winner: Ushta P Rehan Arshad + Muhamad gayuh W+Shirely Ang; runner-up: Jane Olympics and we have a strong Samal; runner-up: Thea Wijaya; runner-up: Sai Srinath Seby + Shailaja Ranjith position within the movement,” U-17 BS: Winner: Ajay Sathish; Vella+Siddhesh Gopal Men’s Doubles: Winner: the 51-year-old said. runner-up: Don Henley Averia U-13 Girls Singles: Winner: Arun Vijayakumar+Pramod “The IOC looks to make the U-15 Girls Doubles: Winner: Sunidhi Sudheer Shenoy; runner- Kumar; runner-up: Ahmed programme attractive and I am Sunidhi Sudheer Shenoy + Ushta up: Amnh Yehya Abouelseoud yehya Abdelkader + Mohamed confident athletics will keep its P Samal; runner-up: Cheong Zhi U-13 Boys Singles: Winner: Yehyaabdel Abouelseoud strong position,” said Bubka Row + Galuh Maharani Fauziyyah Don Henley Averia; runner-up: Under-11 Girls Singles: who is also an International U-15 Boys Doubles: Winner: Rehan Arshad Winner: Agnel; Saadhwi Krishna Olympic Committee member. Don Henley Averia + Karthik U-11 Girls Doubles: Winner: Shiral International federations have Pramod; runner-up: Anirudh Saadhwi Krishna Shiral + Smrithi Under-11 Boys Singles: been jostling for position since Santhosh+Steve John Thomas Kothandaraman; runner-up: Winner: Siddhesh Gopal; Nishant the changes were voted in late U-15 Girls Singles: Winner: Agnel+Snehal Amar Kolte Shennai. THE PENINSULA last year. REUTERS WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com 25 Redknapp quits as QPR’s boss 67-year-old was Premier League’s oldest manager, Ferdinand in temporary charge

LONDON: Harry Redknapp Redknapp. “Sadly, I need imme- the transfer market, former West point shy of safety and a favour- resigned as manager of Premier diate surgery on my knee which Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham able result against Southampton, League strugglers Queens Park is going to stop me from doing Hotspur manager Redknapp had another of Redknapp’s former Rangers yesterday, saying his my job in the coming weeks,” said long argued he needed to do sig- clubs, could see them climb out impending knee surgery would Redknapp, who arrived at Loftus nificant business in the latest of the bottom three. otherwise dent the club’s battle Road in November 2012, in a club transfer window if QPR, who’ve Last month an already tur- to stay in the English top flight. statement. won just five league games so far bulent season for QPR took However, his announcement “It means I won’t be able to be this season, are to beat the drop. an extraordinary twist when came just a day after QPR chair- out on the training pitch every But Fernandes called a halt Redknapp claimed a club ‘mole’ man Tony Fernandes tweeted day, and if I can’t give 100 percent on Monday’s final day of the was trying to force his departure there would be “no more cheque I feel it’s better for someone else January transfer window when he from Loftus Road. book” at the relegation-threat- to take over the reins.” tweeted: “No more cheque book. Redknapp also turned on his ened west London club as the Redknapp insisted there has We have good players. Bought all players in public, accusing Adel January transfer window closed been no falling out with the the players manager asked for in Taarabt of being “about three on Monday. Rangers chairman, adding: “My summer. Our players not merce- stone overweight” following the Veteran English manager, relationship with Tony Fernandes naries. Good guys.” 3-2 home loss to Liverpool. Redknapp, 67, had repeat- has been one of the highlights of Despite those comments, The Morocco midfielder then edly said he had the full sup- my footballing career and I wish Fernandes said Tuesday he was posed for pictures to prove his fit- port of Malaysian businessman the club every success. parting on “good terms” with ness a day later, before Fernandes Fernandes, the founder of the “I am confident they will sur- Redknapp as he accepted the publicly demanded the pair call AirAsia budget airline, amid vive in the Premier League this manager’s resignation. a truce. reports his position was in jeop- year. “I would like to take this Among those linked with ardy with QPR currently second- “I have had such a fantas- opportunity to thank Harry for replacing Redknapp on a full- bottom in the table. tic time at QPR. I would like everything he has done for QPR time basis were former Spurs Head of football operations to thank the Board, the players during his time in charge,” said manager Tim Sherwood, who Les Ferdinand, the former QPR and all my staff, and especially Fernandes in QPR’s statement. worked with Ferdinand and QPR striker, has taken temporary the supporters who have been “We part on good terms and I first-team coach Chris Ramsey at In this file photograph taken on February 9, 2013, Queens Park Rangers charge ahead of this Saturday’s absolutely fantastic to me since I would personally like to wish him White Hart Lane, and ex-Eng- manager Harry Redknapp reacts during an English Premier League match league match at home to arrived at the club for their tre- all the best for the future.” land manager Glenn Hoodle, who at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea. Southampton as Fernandes seeks mendous support.” QPR, with only Leicester joined Rangers’ backroom team in a permanent replacement for Renowned for his dealings in below them in the table, are one August. AFP Premier League clubs in Bale having ‘fantastic season’, record $1.4bn spend: Report says Real coach Ancelotti

LONDON: Premier League MADRID: Real Madrid coach clubs spent a record £950m Carlo Ancelotti believes Welsh ($1.4bn) combined in the 2014/15 winger Gareth Bale is having a pre-season and mid-season “fantastic season” and called on transfer windows, according to his critics to relax. a report published by financial Bale has been questioned in the analysts Deloitte yesterday. Spanish press in recent weeks The report said spending in for being too selfish in missing the January transfer window glorious opportunities against concluded on Monday equalled Valencia, Espanyol and Real the £130m amount during last Sociedad with team-mates wait- year’s corresponding buying ing for a pass to apply the finish- period. ing touch. Although Monday’s deadline However, Ancelotti pointed to day was relatively low key, with Bale’s record in scoring in three Premier League leaders Chelsea’s finals in 2014, as well as the 27 FROM LEFT: Real Madrid players Gareth Bale, Lucas Silva, Sami Khedira, signing of Colombia winger Juan Chelsea completed the biggest signing of the January transfer window assists he has provided in little Marcelo, Raphael Varane, Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo and coach Cuadrado from Fiorentina the with the acquisition of the Colombian international Juan Cuadrado from over 18 months at the club to dis- Carlo Ancelotti (back to camera) attend the team’s training at Valdebebas headline purchase, clubs still Fiorentina for a deal around £26.8m. miss criticism of the 25-year-old. Sport City in Madrid yesterday. spent more on the final day of “Bale is doing everything to this particular window — £45m and is a further example of the revenues, we might have expected help the team. He did very well However, Ancelotti insisted Wednesday and then down Diego — than they did at the climax increased financial strength of one or two more major deals in last year, scoring in all the finals that Ronaldo and Bale would Simeone’s men for the first time of the January 2014 market leading English clubs, who have this window.” we played,” said the Italian yes- return to their normal position in six tries this season. (£35m). benefitted from increased tel- He added: “Despite the rela- terday. He is having a fantastic for this weekend’s Madrid derby Two victories would put Real However, the final figure of evision and other broadcast tive restraint we have seen in the season and we are at ease because away to champions Atletico. 10 points clear of their city rivals £130m was well below the record revenues. January window, 2014/15 is still a he is playing well for the team. “Bale likes to play more on the and seven clear of Barcelona for January spend of £225m in 2011 “Given the record level of record season for Premier League “I don’t think I heard whistles right because he has more oppor- at least 24 hours as they travel to when Chelsea broke the record spending seen in the summer spending. (from the crowd) in the game tunities to shoot at goal than on Athletic Bilbao on Sunday. for a transfer between two British (pre-season),it is not entirely “Last season saw Premier against Real Sociedad. He had the left wing. However, having thrown away clubs by signing striker Fernando surprising that we haven’t seen a League spending surpass the some great moves which the “If he Cristiano Ronaldo and a lead in the title race last spring, Torres from top-flight rivals new record for the January win- £700m threshold for the first crowd appreciated.” (Karim) Benzema are fit they will Ancelotti insists the champion- Liverpool for £50m. dow,” said Dan Jones, partner in time, and the revenue growth at Bale played on the left side of always play. Of that there is no ship will go down to the wire. Nevertheless, the total spent the Sports Business Group at Premier League clubs is such that Madrid’s attack in the 4-1 win doubt.” “The game against Sevilla is risky by clubs across the two windows Deloitte. they have been able to record a over Sociedad on Saturday as Madrid could practically end if we don’t give our best. The most has surpassed the previous high- “However, with all Premier combined transfer spend this sea- Cristiano Ronaldo served the first Atletico’s title defence should important match is tomorrow, not est of £760m in the 2013/14 season League clubs recording record son of over £950m.” AFP of a two-game ban. they beat Sevilla at home on the derby,” he added. AFP Only Cup will satisfy Ivorians: Renard Handball heroes at Elysee Palace

BATA, Equatorial Guinea: offensively and fast on the wings. Coach Herve Renard yesterday (Dieumerci) Mbokani is a power- warned that only the Africa Cup ful striker, who is good in the air of Nations’ title would now sat- and keeps the ball,” he remarked. isfy the growing ambitions of his “They have been used to play- new-look Ivory Coast. ing together as the base is TP The Elephants, winners of the Mazembe and their team spirit competition in 1992, will tackle is very high.” DR Congo tonight for a place in DRC coach Florent Ibenge this weekend’s final. maintained his team would not And Renard, who led Zambia be intimidated. to the 2012 African trophy at the “We won’t have any complex expense of the Ivory Coast, said against Ivory Coast and their big his side has blossomed in the past names — Gervinho, Yaya Toure,” few weeks. he said. “A few weeks ago, we were just “We respect them. They have the underdogs. But in football, a great careers overseas but on the lot of things happen so fast,” said day it will be 11 Congolese against Renard, who took over as coach 11 Ivorians,” said Ibenge. in July 2014. The Leopards defeated the “When we started this tourna- Ivorians in Abidjan in the quali- ment, all the teams were at par. fiers, but Ibenge said he will not We’re now one of four remain- read too much into that result. ing teams and the best position “This will be a different match is No. 1. as no two matches are ever the “I’m only interested in win- same. This is a new game and a ning (the cup), any other thing Ivory Coast’s players take part in a training session in Bikuy Stadium in new opponent,” he said. I won’t be satisfied with,” he said Bata yesterday. “It was great to win in Abidjan, at a media briefing at the Estadio it was good for the fans and de Bata. That penalty shoot-out defeat they worked hard during the history. But Ivory Coast have The 46-year-old Frenchman to Egypt in Cairo and the dra- preparations. changed a lot since then espe- also admitted the style of the matic loss to Zambia in the 2012 “We now have a balance of cially in the centre of defence Ivory Coast has changed from final in Libreville are as close as hard workers and talented play- where Kolo Toure has returned, previous tournaments. the Ivorians have come to winning ers. This is perfect for the Ivory and they are no longer conceding With the great Didier Drogba the continental crown for the first Coast.” many goals. and Didier Zokora having retired time since 1992. Renard’s team will face a DRC “It will be tough for us because since last year’s World Cup in “We now have a different style team who stunned them 4-3 in they are a better team than they Brazil, the Toure brothers — Yaya from the Ivory Coast of the past,” a qualifying match in Abidjan were during the qualifiers. French President Francois Hollande holds the IHF World Champions’ and Kolo — are the only men in said Renard. in October and the Frenchman “But we will play and we want trophy with players and officials of the French handball national team the Elephants’ squad who fea- “We have some new players, praised the attacking play of his to win. Not many expected us during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris yesterday. France won tured in the 2006 Cup of Nations some of whom you only got to opponents. to reach this stage and they are the 24th Men’s Handball World Championships two days ago in Qatar. final. know at this competition. But “They are very dangerous already happy for us.” AFP WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 26 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com SPORT

Italian rider Annalisa Cucinotta and her Ale- Cipollini team- mate Marta Tagliaferro celebrate after finishing in first and third spots respectively at yesterday’s opening stage of the Ladies Tour of Qatar in Dukhan. Title favourite Giorgia Bronzini of Wiggle-Honda finished in second spot. PICTURES: SALIM MATRAMKOT

Results and Standings After Plucky Cucinotta stuns First Day DOHA: Results after the first stage of the 2015 Ladies Tour of Qatar. rivals with late surge Top 10 Riders in Dukhan 1 Annalisa Cucinotta (Ita) Ale Ladies Tour of Qatar: It was a very good day for me, says stage winner Cipollini 2:28:36 2 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle BY RIZWAN REHMAT Honda Windless day adds to 3 Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale DOHA: Italian rider Annalisa Cipollini Cucinotta yesterday braved 4 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo pain in her shoulder and knee Liv Women Cycling Team before producing an incredible Hosking’s misery late surge to stun title favourite 5 Shelley Olds - Evans (USA) Giorgia Bronzini on the opening DOHA: A bunch of 87 riders were greeted by near-perfect racing Bigla Pro Cycling Team day of the Ladies Tour of Qatar. conditions on the opening day of the Ladies Tour of Qatar yester- 6 Trixi Worrack (Ger) With just 25 meters before the day but only one name seemed a bit concerned: Chloe Hosking of Velocio-SRAM finish line, the 29-year-old Italian Australia. 7 Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Ale used the tiny opening on the Hosking, one of the better sprinters on the women’s tour, yesterday Cipollini right of double world champion finished in sixth spot as Italy’s Annalisa Cucinotta grabbed the first Bronzini to win the first stage at day’s honours with a slick finish in Dukhan, west of Qatar. 8 Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle the Dukhan beach front. “No, there wasn’t any wind. What’s happening, Qatar?,” said Hosking Honda The Ale-Cipollini rider timed who finished eight seconds adrift of Cucinotta. 9 Kelly Druyts (Bel) Topsport her final sprint perfectly to sail “I was disappointed there wasn’t any wind,” the Australian said. Vlaanderen - Pro-Duo past Bronzini, the multiple stage “But hopefully in the next couple of days we will get stronger winds winner in Qatar. and it (the top group) starts to break up. 10 Tiffany Cromwell (Aus) Cucinotta’s team-mate Marta “We want some crosswinds. We want to get rid of some of the other Velocio-SRAM Tagliaferro finished in third spot girls (from the front),” the 24-year-old added. after the riders completed a dis- Hosking’s Wiggle-Honda team-mate Giorgia Bronzini of Italy fin- Points tance of 98.5kms. ished the day in second spot, much to the delight of the Australian. Cucinotta, who clocked a time “I think GB getting second is fantastic. Sure we will get stage wins Classification of 2hours 26 minutes 26 seconds, by the end of the week,” Hosking said. 1 Annalisa Cucinotta (Ita) Ale said she was surprised how well “I mean I don’t think it is a perfect start but not a terrible start Cipollini 15 pts she tackled the windless stage either. I think we have still put ourselves in a good position for the that kicked-off in front of the overall win. It’s not over,” she warned. 2 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Hosking said Wiggle-Honda would do well in the remaining three Honda 12 yesterday afternoon. stages of the race. 3 Shelley Olds - Evans (USA) “Yes, I am really surprised “Oh yeah, we can build on this (start), a hundred percent. This is Bigla Pro Cycling Team 11 because me and my team had the first time we are racing together as a team. There’s only two girls 4 Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale decided on a different strategy on the team that were together last year. Cipollini 9 before the stage. For me to finish “Everybody else is new and we are still learning how to ride together,” first and my team-mate to fin- Hosking said. 5 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo ish third is surprising,” Cucinotta “It was good (day for me),” she said. Liv Women Cycling Team 7 Qatar Cycling Federation (QCF) President Sheikh Khalid bin Ali Al Thani said after picking up the leader’s “I picked up a few seconds in the intermediate sprints so that’s really 6 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Velocio- hands over a bouquet to Italian rider Annalisa Cucinotta after the first yellow jersey. good. Obviously GB finishing second overall is really good for the team. SRAM 5 “It was very good day for me,” stage of the Ladies Tour of Qatar in Dukhan yesterday. I felt good. I felt strong.” she added. Hosking said she went down in one of the crashes yesterday but 7 Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Ale When asked about the crash, managed to avoid injury. Cipollini 4 the Italian said: “I think the “It went really well, mostly in “I was part of the group that went down and somebody hit me from 8 Xiu Jie Jiang (Chn) China crash happened before the sec- Ladies Tour of the final meters,” Bronzini said behind,” Hosking recalled. Chongming-Liv-Champion ond sprint. I think we were just yesterday. “It wasn’t serious. I was fine. It was just one of those things, nothing System Pro Cycling 3 THE PENINSULA 50 kilometers into the race then. Qatar stages “We did well in the interme- serious,” Hosking said with a smile. 9 Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle I have pain in my shoulder and diate sprints. They (the team- Honda 3 in my knee. But when I saw the Stage 2, February 4: Al mates) laid the path well, but she finish I forgot about the pain. I Zubarah Fort – Madinat Al (Cucinotta ) was faster. 10 Elisabeth Armitstead (GBr) thought of nothing then.” Shamal (112.5km) “She is one of the faster girls Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 2 She added: “I am happy now. I Stage 3, February 5: Souq we have in Italy,” the diminutive don’t know how I would race (in Waqif – Al Khor Corniche rider added. General the last three stages) but I hope (93.5km) “I tried to pass Shelley (Olds) I can do well. I live day by day.” Stage 4, February 6: Sealine but she closed me to the banks Classification Cucinotta said past experience and then I had to take another Beach Resort – Doha Corniche 1 Annalisa Cucinotta (Ita) Ale in windswept Qatar had helped (101.5km) direction and I lost some time her in negotiating the stage there,” the two-time former Road Cipollini 2:28:26 yesterday. The bunched up pack stayed World Champion added. 2 Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Wiggle “Yes, I have raced here before,” that way until the final moments “And I know that somebody else Honda 0:00:04 Cucinotta said. of the race that ended in Dukhan. can pass me in the middle. Yeah 3 Shelley Olds - Evans (USA) “I raced here last year and On the last straight by the I may have passed in the wrong Bigla Pro Cycling Team 0:00:05 three years ago,” she added. beach in Dukhan, Cucinotta was way. In ideal racing conditions and perfectly led out by her team- “That was the only space I had 4 Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Ale almost no wind, a rarity in Qatar, mates and claimed her first stage in the final sprint,” Bronzini said. Cipollini 0:00:06 the seventh edition of the Ladies win in Qatar. “In the end I am happy to be 5 Elisabeth Armitstead (GBr) Tour of Qatar welcomed 87 riders As well as the overall leader’s second because when I start the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team at the start of the stage. Golden Jersey that Cucinotta sprint I was so far away from the 0:00:08 Without the slightest breaka- conquered and will wear today bunch. I did not expect that I 6 Chloe Hosking (Aus) Wiggle way attempt, the pack remained for stage 2, the Italian takes com- could do well. Yes, it is a satisfy- Honda bunched all the way to the first mand of the points classification ing day for me,” she added. intermediate sprint (28km (Silver Jersey) while another Ale Bronzini said without the wind, 7 Lucinda Brand (Ned) Rabo Liv mark) which was won by Shelley Cipollini rider Arianna Fidanza it was easy for her rivals to catch Women Cycling Team 0:00:10 Olds ahead of Australia’s Chloe claimed the White Pearl Jersey up with her, 8 Trixi Worrack (Ger) Hosking. for the Best Young Rider. “For sure, things could be dif- Amani Al Dosari, General Coordinator of the two Tour of Qatar events, is Velocio-SRAM Stage leader Xiu Jie Jiang Wiggle-Honda rider Bronzini, ferent (in the last three days),” seen with silver jersey owner Annalisa Cucinotta who won the first stage 9 Arianna Fidanza (Ita) Ale (GPC) went on to make it to looking to seal the Qatar title she said. “There was no wind in Dukhan yesterday. The second stage will be held today when the riders Cipollini the second bonus sprint (68.5km win in the absence of defending today. I think it would be more tackle a distance of 112.5km, the longest stage of the four-day event. 10 Jolien D’hoore (Bel) Wiggle mark) clear from the pack before champion Kirsten Wild, said the windy. But I prefer less wind,” she The event ends on Friday. eventually being caught. day went well. said. THE PENINSULA Honda WEDNESDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2015 SPORT www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Available every Wednesdays in 27 all leading supermarkets and shops in Qatar & Bahrain Qatar Cup gets under way today Class 1 World Champions Al Zafeen and Bin Hendi head to Doha for four-day event

DOHA: The inaugural UIM- sanctioned Qatar Cup fires into life on Doha Bay today and rac- ers from virtually every corner of the planet will descend on an inshore and an offshore race course to do battle in C1, C2, C225, SuperCat, SuperCat Lite, SuperVee and Pro Marathon classes over what promises to be Team Abu Dhabi’s boat a thrilling four days of spectacu- arrives at Doha Bay for lar racing. the UIM-sanctioned Qatar The Qatar Cup has been a Cup which begins today vision of Sheikh Hassan bin on Doha Bay. RIGHT: The Jabor Al Thani, president of the Hulk parked in the pits. Qatar Marine Sports Federation (QMSF), for several years and his team’s efforts, in collaboration with Offshore Powerboat Grand Prix (OPGP), have made the inau- gural event possible. Sponsor GAC Pindar has provided shipping support and Vodafone Qatar has come on board as an official sponsor. The Qatar Cup has also racing programmes in the The Hulk (Robert Nunziato and Sweers and Danilo Zampaloni in Indiana pairing hold two APBA this part of the world,” said UIM brought together two of the United States of America and Dan Lawrence), LA Marine (Alan Fastboats/Racing for Cancer 33 World Championship titles and Commissioner Sami Abu Shaikha. leading teams in the UIM Class 1 Australasia. Christy and Lee Austin), Smart and Paul Boudreaux and former three APBA National successes. “Sheikh Hassan and the staff at World Powerboat Championship Multiple Class 1 World Marine Group (Grant Bruggeman Team Qatar UIM F1 H20 World “I am nervous and excited and the QMSF have done a tremen- with rivals taking part in offshore Champions, Arif Saif Al Zafeen and Gary Ballough) and Wicked Champion, Jay Price, in PersuCat/ can’t wait to get back in the boat dous job to organise an event on and Nadir Bin Hendi, will rep- Performance Marine (Robert Thordon Bearings/Ragin Cajun with my father, said Michael. this scale and to attract teams resent Dubai in their Victory Waggeman and Jay Muller) round 57. “My father recently broke his from all over the world.” 2015 Qatar Cup Team boat and will be joined in off the impressive SuperCat Lite Dan Lawrence and Ron Roman arm and has been working hard Today, the race timetable kicks Today’s Schedule the SuperCat Lite class by Team’s class line-up. are entered in Motley Crew 00 to get the strength back to be able off with inshore testing from 09.00-10.00 Inshore time testing (C1 and Abu Dhabi’s Faleh Al Mansoori “I am very positive about this and the leading New Zealand to drive.” 09.00am for the smaller C1 and C2) and Rashed Al Tayer, also regu- sport and this is always some- offshore pairing of Wayne Valder Billy Glueck and Brett C2 class boats. The SuperCar Lite 10.00-11.00 Offshore time testing lar racers in the UIM Class 1 thing I wanted to do,” said Tanner and Chris Hanley are registered Furshman crew Twisted Metal entries take to the offshore course (SuperCat Lite) discipline. Lewis. in Pro Floors Racing 51. and Joe Sgro drives Outerlimits from 10.00am and are replaced by 11.00-12.00 Offshore time testing Qatar’s Mohammed Al Nasser “It’s a dream come true to “This is a tremendous oppor- in the SuperVee class. Race offi- the SuperVee and Supercat entries (SuperVee and SuperCat) switches from his usual XCat role make the international stage. tunity,” admitted Dan Lawrence. cials are hoping for around 20 for further testing from 11.00am. to line up in a Spirit of Qatar boat Ryan (Beckley) has been a great “Sheikh Hassan extended his boats in the smaller C1, C2 and The C225 boats take centre stage 13.0014.00 Inshore time testing and pole to challenge five further boats mentor. Driving with him here in hand to us. It’s a great thing for C225 classes, while local racers for testing and pole position at position (C225) for honours in the SuperCat Lite Qatar will be a new world to me.” offshore racing.” will take part in a Pro Marathon 1.00pm and the SuperCar Lite, 14.00-15.00 Offshore pole position category. Team Raheeb of Kuwait Ali Al Neama and Billy Moore The father and son team of race on Friday. SuperVee and SuperCat entries (SuperCat Lite) will also be present. top the SuperCat category in George and Michael Stancombe “This is the largest interna- take part in their pole position 15.00-16.00 Offshore pole position Double Edge/Peters & May Spirit of Qatar 20 and are joined crew the 36-foot Skater Peppers/ tional power boat racing festival sessions from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. (SuperVee and SuperCat) (Tanner Lewis and Ryan Beckley), on the entry list by Randy Peters & May Racing. The of its kind ever to be staged in THE PENINSULA